I wanted a quick project that wouldn't require a lot of thinking. A hyperbolic pseudosphere certainly meets those qualifications!
These are used for scrubbies or ornaments or toys and were popular for those crocheted coral reef projects that were going on several years ago. I've crocheted several.
And now I've done one using nalbinding. Oslo stitch, to be precise, since I want to make sure I feel very, very secure in Oslo stitch for my upcoming teaching gig. I don't want to get flustered and confuse myself with the muscle memory for Björsbo or Mammen or Finnish stitch.
These are very easy to make. Put a bunch of stitches into a circle, whether it's a magic loop or slip-knot loop or sew the working end through the bottom of the stitches, etc. Then, as you start your spiral -- put two stitches into every stitch in the round below. Continue until it's big enough or you're out of yarn or have had enough.
I might add on more later but I think it's fine the way it is.
I think it was a fairly successful experiment. Nalbinding stitches tend to be longer and skinnier than, say single crochets. Dunno what this would look like if I used a squattier stitch, such as maybe York or plain looping (Danish stitch?) or the like. Or if I increased faster by putting 3-4 stitches in every stitch rather than 2. Or if I started with even more (or fewer) stitches in the initial round. Or if I'd tried harder to work with a tighter gauge (I'm trying to keep every move the way that seems easiest for a beginning student, meaning that the worsted weight yarn in this project might be a little looser and drapier than if I'd tightened each stitch rather than letting my thumb determine the fabric gauge).
I rather like the texture of nalbinding in these hyperbolic pseudospheres.
Other than that, I've not been doing anything worth posting to this blog even though I have a few things on my to-do list. Alas. Mostly I want to be ready to teach this month. Secondly, I owe a few people some projects and want to get those done. Thirdly, I am pretty much out of knitting projects and need to cast on for a few more ASAP so I don't panic. That requires decision-making, something I'm not always capable of doing.
One thing I like about nalbinding -- it's great for those of us who aren't great at deciding when and how to finish something. Is a project done? "Done for now" is good enough. I can walk away and return or not as I wish. There are no dangling threads that will unravel the project. No crochet hooks or knitting needles that have to stay with the project and/or get carefully recorded so I can use the same one when I return. Etc.
