Let’s Roll

By JoAnne Birkenfeld

Posted to Elegant Crochet With Designers Permission

 

Are you ready to roll? Come on, it's easy! Let me tell you how. If you already know how to crochet, you can learn this interesting textured stitch in less than a day if you do it my way. One day............Will you learn in one day or one day you will learn…......??

I have tried the bullion/roll stitch before and had BIG problems. Couldn’t do it at all. One Wednesday night (July 9, 2003) at Bible Study in a little Pentecostal Church as I was crocheting away – the thought came to me – Let’s roll - so I thought – “Lord, I need help to do this awesome stitch.” I knew the only way this gal was going to be able to do this stitch was with divine intervention. So I rolled the yarn six times around my hook and pulled the yarn right through!!!  I rolled the yarn over 10 times. Went right through again!! I rolled the yarn over 20 times – no problem!!! I was thrilled – I am a Holy Roller!! Hallelujah and thank you Jesus!!

 

Roll/Bullion Stitch Tips:

·        Making Roll/Bullions  -first off... you have to pray. (And it probably wouldn’t hurt to go to church too)

·        I use my 2^nd favorite hook – Susan Bates - and it work really well, There is plenty of room on the handle – I have wrapped yo 15 times with no problems.

·        The key is to yo very loosely and evenly. Put all the yo’s in the center of your hook handle and twist the handle around a little bit until all the rolls on it are all even and loose. When they are all even, slide the rolls down toward the hook.

·        Wiggle the hook some while you are pulling the yarn through, while holding the rolls with your left hand, pinching the base of the rolls to hold it in place.

·        You want to be careful that you don’t split a stitch as you are pulling the yarn through the rolls. If you make a mistake it is no big deal – they are really easy to redo.

·        Remember: wrap loose, twist and pinch and then wiggle the hook!!!!

 

In an original 1920 publication the bullion stitch is called the roll stitch. In a publication from 1895 the bullion stitch is called the rice stitch. It's an old stitch that through the years has been called by various picturesque names: the Caterpillar stitch, the Worm stitch, the Coil stitch, and the Puerto Rico Rose stitch, among others. Now here in 2003 Annie’s Attic is saying it is a new stitch and they are calling it the roll stitch again.

 

JoAnnes Sunflower Roll Square

 

P.S. Check out Elegant Crochet Home for more tips and totally awesome bullion/roll patterns designed by the Bullion/Roll Queen!