Freeform Cuff Bracelets (revised!)

Blogger is being fussy this morning and just won't upload my pics, though it did allow this one to get posted:

a freeform crochet cuff bracelet, done in Kureyon #188, with a little goddess dangle I'm using for the closure.
(More, when Blogger's little fit subsides.)

Later, 9:30 p.m. ---
Finally, I'm able to upload the other two pictures. Here are the five cuffs I made, all but the one shown above are done in Silk Garden.
I like using the Silk Garden for freeform, because I can get some color changes without changing colors!
I think this one is my favorite, both for the colors (Silk Garden #249) and for the stitches.
My basic way of making the cuffs was to start out with a circular spiraling motif (I'm not sure I can call it a scrumble since I didn't change any yarns) until it was as wide as I wanted it, then I started working back and forth rows until it was the length I needed. I used a 3.25 hook. I am really pleased with the textured effects I got.

On most all of my crochet, I use as the front side what most people would consider to be the back side. I didn't realize this until last summer when I actually picked up a crochet book and started trying to do a stitch as the book depicted. I discovered that I crochet backwards! By that I mean that I put my hook into the stitches from the back and pull a loop through from the front. I'm sure that must actually be a technique or stitch, but it is the way I've always crocheted.

At first I thought, "...omigoodness, I have to retrain myself." Then I thought, "...no I don't. I can crochet however I please. I just can't teach anyone else." So I continued to crochet in my way until I started to do freeform and wanted to increase my stitch repertoire (which consisted of sc, hdc, dc.) I discovered that if I wanted to do bullions, they need to be made by crocheting through the front, wrapping the yarn the opposite way I've done all these years.

It was a little awkward at first, but I'm happy to report that I can now crochet the "right way" and the "wrong way" at will, often getting just the effects I hope for, along with the occasional surprise that makes freeform work so intriguing and delightful.