Vulture

By Carol Ventura

This homage to the unappreciated vulture is tapestry crocheted in rounds with no sewing or seams!

Tapestry crochet differs from ordinary crochet in its texture and how the colours are manipulated. Two or more yarns are crocheted at the same time to create the motifs. One yarn is carried while another is worked over it. Tapestry crochet has the flexibility of crochet, but looks more woven than crocheted.

Photographs: Carol Ventura

Size
38cm/15inches high (excluding handle) by 37cm/14½inches wide

Requirements
Yarn: Rowan Scottish Tweed Chunky (100% wool, 100m/100g)
3 x 100g (MC) in colour: Thistle (00016)
2 x 100g (CC) in colour: Porridge (00024)
Hook: 6mm/US J or size needed to obtain correct tension
Notions: stitch marker

Tension
13.5sts and 12 rows = 10cm/4inches in double crochet

Pattern Notes
This purse is worked as a spiral, not in concentric rings, so DO NOT JOIN. To see where each round ends, slip a stitch marker into the top of the last st of the round. Remove the marker from the last stitch and slip it into the new last stitch at the end of each round.

Special stitches:
To carry tail: Lay tail over top of stitches being worked into, then dc across as usual, encasing carried tail between stitches. If done correctly, carried tail will not be visible from front or back of work.

Tapestry crochet stitch: While carrying non-working thread over top of stitches in round below, insert hook in next stitch and draw up a loop with working thread, yo and draw through 2 loops on hook, encasing carried (non-working) thread between stitches: tapestry crochet stitch made.

To change color in tapestry crochet: Work stitch until 2 loops remain on hook, drop working thread, pick up non-working (carried) thread and draw through both loops on hook. Non-working thread now becomes working thread. Working thread now becomes non-working thread and is carried over top of stitches in round below.

Abbreviations
The Inside Loop list of standard abbreviations can be found here.

Instructions
Ch 4 MC (leave 20 cm/8 inch tail) and form a ring by crocheting 1 sl st in first ch.

Round 1: dc 6 MC in ring (while carrying tail). (6sts)
Round 2: cut tail, start to carry CC. Increase in every st (2 dc sts in each st) with MC. (12sts)
Round 3: carry CC and increase in every st with MC. (24sts)
Round 4: carry CC and increase in every second st with MC. (36sts)
Round 5: carry CC and crochet one round of MC without any increases.
Round 6: carry CC and increase in every third st with MC. (48sts)
Round 7: carry CC and increase in every fourth st with MC. (60sts)
Round 8: carry CC and increase in every fifth st with MC. (72sts)
Round 9: carry CC and crochet one round of MC without any increases.
Round 10: carry CC and increase in every sixth st with MC. (84sts)
Round 11: carry CC and increase in every seventh st with MC. (96sts)
Round 12: carry CC and crochet one round of MC without any increases.
Round 13: *tapestry crochet 6 MC, 4 CC, 14 MC*, repeat from * to * 4 times.
Round 14: *tapestry crochet 7 MC, 1 CC, 16 MC*, repeat from * to * 4 times.
Round 15: *tapestry crochet 1 MC, 3 CC, 3 MC, 2 CC, 15 MC*, repeat from * to * 4 times.
Round 16: *tapestry crochet 2 MC, 3 CC, 1 MC, 5 CC, 13 MC*, repeat from * to * 4 times.
Round 17: *tapestry crochet 3 MC, 10 CC, 11 MC*, repeat from * to * 4 times.
Round 18: *tapestry crochet 16 CC, 8 MC*, repeat from * to * 4 times.
Round 19: *tapestry crochet 2 MC, 15 CC, 4 MC, 1 CC, 2 MC, repeat from * to * 4 times.
Round 20: *tapestry crochet 5 MC, 9 CC, 1 MC, 8 CC, 1 MC*, repeat from * to * 4 times.
Round 21: *tapestry crochet 7 MC, 6 CC, 2 MC, 8 CC, 1 MC*, repeat from * to * 4 times.
Round 22: *tapestry crochet 9 MC, 4 CC, 2 MC, 2 CC, 1 MC, 1 CC, 5 MC*, repeat from * to * 4 times.
Round 23: *tapestry crochet 16 MC, 3 CC, then 5 MC*, repeat from * to * 4 times.

Repeat rnds 12 to 23 two more times.

Rounds 24, 25, and 26: carry CC and crochet one round of MC without any increases.

Handles and Rim:
Round A: join MC and CC together and while still attached to purse, ch 86 (add or subtract ch sts to make handle longer or shorter). Insert hook into 23rd st away from base of ch (ch will form a large loop), carry CC and dc 22 MC, join MC and CC together and ch 5, lay handle between rim and ch, capture handle by inserting hook into 6th st away from base of ch, dc 20 MC while carrying CC, join MC and CC together and ch 5, lay other part of handle between rim and ch, capture handle by inserting hook into 6th st away from base of ch, dc 22 MC on rim and 95 MC on handle while carrying CC.

Round B: while carrying CC, dc 22 MC, dc 5 MC around ch, dc 20 MC, dc 5 MC around ch, dc 22 MC on rim and 95 MC on handle while carrying CC, then cut CC flush, sl st with MC, cut MC (leaving a 25cm/10inch tail), then yarn over and pull it all the way through the loop.

Round C: turn over purse and insert hook under upper two loops of st in upper right inside corner of rim and handle (st where ch started). Pull through a loop of MC, leaving a 10cm/4inch tail. Ch 1 MC, start to carry CC and MC tail, 1 dc MC in same st, dc 22 MC across rim, dc 1 MC next to inside corner st at base of ch, dc 95 MC on handle, inserting hook into bottom loops of original ch while carrying CC, pushing CC and MC yarns through the two openings as needed.

Round D: dc across rim and onto handle with MC while carrying CC, pushing CC and MC yarns through the two openings as needed. At end of round, cut CC, sl st with MC, cut MC (leaving a 25cm/10inch tail), then yarn over and pull it all the way through the loop.

Finishing
Work in ends for 20cm/8inch to secure them, then iron purse with a steam iron.

Recommended Reading:
Tapestry Crochet by Carol Norton (Ventura)
More Tapestry Crochet by Carol Ventura
Bead & Felted Tapestry Crochet by Carol Ventura

About the Yarn
Rowan Scottish Tweed Chunky is a 100% wool yarn, created using traditional spinning and dyeing techniques, ensuring a quality and depth of colour.

About the Designer
Carol discovered tapestry crochet in Guatemala in the 1970’s. Since then she has explored the design potential, developed a system of diagramming patterns, and published a variety of distinctive projects.

Contact Carol