Tuesday 23 September 2014

Bloom booties, for babies.

After making a sufficient amount of slippers for family members and myself, I have decided to try a pattern for baby booties. Unfortunately the pattern that I really wanted to try, had these confusing explanations of mock stitches and foundationless crochet, and I think of myself as a simple person. Good crochet projects don't need complicated patterns.
I have been asked to make a few things for a baby shower, this will be featured in the gift. :)

I would like to make these in larger sizes, let me know if there is an interest for a larger pattern!



I used: Charity Double Knit Wool in the color Pink.
A 5.5mm crochet needle

The toe section is worked in the round while the sole is worked in turn rows.

Foundation: Chain 8

Row 1: Yarn over (yo) and insert hook into 2nd stitch from hook, pull up a loop, yo and draw through two loops on hook, yo and draw through remaining two loops.  Now you would have a chain 2 and a double crochet (dc). The chain two does not count as a stitch. Dc in the next 4 base chains, once in each. In the last chain space, dc 4 times. This will create a curve so you can continue working on the bottom side of the row. Dc in the next 4 spaces, then dc 3 times in the last space. Slip stitch with the first dc of the row.
= 16 st
Chain 2

Row 2: Dc twice in the stitch space right next to the ch2. Dc in the next 5 stitch spaces, then dc twice in the next stitch space. Dc once in the next stitch, then dc twice in the stitch after that. The next 5 stitch spaces each get one dc, then the 6th stitch gets two dc's again. Dc in the last space, then slip stitch with the first dc of the row.
= 22 st
Chain 2

Row 3 to row 5: Dc in each stitch space.
At the end of these 3 rows you will still have 22 st.

If you would like to make the booties a little bigger in the toe section, add another row.
Since I don't have any babies handy to try these on, I'm unsure of the perfect amount of rows to have.

Starting the sole:
Row 6: Working on the right side, dc in 12 of the stitches.
Chain 2 and turn. Here the chains count as dc's.

Row 7: Dc in each stitch.
Ch 2 and turn.
=12 st

Here you can also add another row, if the bootie isn't big enough.

Row 8: After the ch2, dc2tog (double crochet two together). [yo, insert hook in next stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo and draw through two loops on hook. Yo and insert hook in next stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo and pull through two loops, yo and pull through the remaining loops on hook]. Dc in the next 2 stitches, dc2tog, then dc in the next 2 stithes and dc2tog before ending the row with one dc.
Chain 2 and turn.
= 9 st

Row 9: after the ch2, dc2tog, then dc in the next 3 spaces. dc2tog, then dc in the last space.
= 7 st

Now you will be closing up the heel, pinch the last row's dc's together, the heel should be inside out. Single crochet the heel closed, leaving the middle st (nr4 of the previous row) unworked.
Tie off and cut yarn.


 Sides:
on the left side of the slipper, where the sole (turning rows of the pattern) starts, put your finger on the small corner that it has created, then count 2 stitches up, on the toe part (working in rounds section). Slip stitch, then make a dc, using the sole as a base.
Work a row of dc's evenly around the sole, slip stitch with the second stitch of the toe rounds when you reach the corner on the right side.

Turn, then ch2. Skip a stitch, then sc (single crochet) in the next stitch. *ch2, skip a stitch, then sc in the next.
Repeat from * till you have reached the left side corner again. Slip stitch, bind off and cut yarn.

Cast a second color on to the hook, make sure to leave a long tail.
Slip stitch in the first chain 2 you made in the previous row. Remember, now you will be working on the wrong side of the slipper.
Ch 2, then make a 2dc cluster. It works almost like the dc2tog, except you insert the hook in the same stitch the second time around. [yo, insert hook in stitch, yo, draw up a loop, yo and pull through two loops on hook. Yo, insent hook in stitch, yo, draw up a loop, yo and pull through two loops on hook, yo and draw through remaining loops.]
Ch 1, then make a 3dc cluster in the next ch 2 space. [yo, insert hook in stitch, yo, draw up a loop, yo and pull through two loops on hook (repeat twice). Yo, insent hook in stitch, yo, draw up a loop, yo and pull through two loops on hook, yo and draw through remaining loops.

From there on, make a 3dc cluster in each 2ch space till you reach the end. Remember to ch1 between each cluster.
The cluster will look like flower petals. Isn't that sweet?



At the end of the row, ch1, then pull a long loop through the ch as if you are binding off, leave a long tail when you snip the yarn.

Fold the petals over to form the cuff, then use the yarn tails on each side to weave in and make a bow wherever you prefer.
Snip and knot the ends to avoid fraying.



That's it!
Remember to come brag about how yours turned out.

Thank you. :)


Friday 19 September 2014

I'm back... with a sassy pouch...

So this pouch is cute and super easy, it's a drawstring pouch. I haven't been making anything interesting lately, so I got pretty inventive in my state of boredom. This is the first pattern I 'made' myself.

I used a 5.5mm crochet hook, and some chunky wool (stolen from an old project). This works up in under an hour and is really not difficult to make.

Here's the instructions, please reference me if you use the pattern on your blog.
Thank you.


For the base I made two circles:

Start with a chain 4 base (ch4), slip stitch (ss)  together to make a circle.

Row 1: chain 2 (counts as first dc), then double crochet (dc) into the base circle seven (7) times. Sc into the chain 2 you stared the row with. 
This equals 8 dc's

Row 2: chain 2 then dc in the same space as the ch2. Dc twice in each stitch space,
You should have 16 dc's

Row 3: (Same as row 2) Dc twice in each stitch space. 
32 Stitches.
Here you could increase in rows if you would like to make your baggie a little bigger (Or a lot). I imagine that if you make it bigger, you could end up with a rucksack or a medium handbag... if you add straps that could hold the weight. 
If you're not repeating rows 2 and 3, bind off and snip. 

For the vertical structure I held the two base circles together, wrong sides facing inwards. You can just tuck the stray strands in between the two circles for a quick fix!
Start by the bind off knobs, working the two circles together, You should know the drill, insert hook into the stitch space of both circles, then slip stitch together, From there, chain two, then in each stitch (still working with both correlating stitches in the circles) make a dc. 
At the end of the row, slip stitch together and chain 2 for the next round. 

Continue working up the rounds until you have whichever amount that makes your drawstring bag look proportionate. I have 6 rows. 

Drawstring spaces: For the drawstring space round, ch2, dc in next stitch space, then chain one and skip a stitch and dc in the next stitch. At the end of the row, slip stitch in the chain 2.

After the drawstring row, add another row of dc's.
The last row is simply a hdc (Half double crochet) row with one hdc in some stitches and two in others. Just do whatever makes you feel frilly enough.


For the drawstring I just cut 6 equally long strands of yarn and braided them together loosely.
I imagine a nice ribbon would look even better. 


If you make it in festive colors, it could work nicely as a Santa gift bag, or maybe even an Easter egg pouch. 

Let me know if you decide to make this, I would love to see how it turns out :)
Thanks!



Tuesday 27 August 2013

Secondhand Finds

I was scratching around in a second hand shop the other day and found the nicest green melamine tea set for only 20 ZAR.
What persuaded me to buy it was the color. Besides that, melamine lasts pretty long and the set didn't have any damages or scratches on whatsoever!
Pretty retro... I just have to take better pictures


Crochet dream catcher

I have always had a fascination with dream catchers. This one was made on a whim, as you can see the yarn I used was a little too thick.
It still looks good in my car. =]



What I did:
Starting the 'web' I chained 4, slip stitched it into a ring
Chain 3 (counts as first double crochet) and then dc 19 more
in the second row, chain three on a stitch from row 1, then do a chain stitch, and double crochet again on the next stitch and do a chain crochet. repeat till the row is done and join with a slip stitch.

Around the ring i just did single crochet stitches all around. I threaded the beads in last and tied the feathers on.

Saturday 24 August 2013

Pincushion jar with mini amigurumi octopus

Getting to work =]

I am using: Elle Chunky timber in Jacaranda
6.5 needle
A black cat glass jar
Black safety eyes
and Bostik super glue

As I predicted, I went my own way with the pattern, but she still looks more or less the same.
I should actually also take more pictures of my progress and process and write the darn patterns down.
I am actually still just a beginner ...

I like how the different shades of pink in the yarn shows in her tentacles.

Meet Sophie the octopus pincushion.



Planning my next project

My next project has been on my mind for only a day or two, and I'm happy to say I'm going to make it happen soon!

I found this great idea while scanning the interwebs for patterns:


That's right! A pincushion jar. The image as well as the original idea is from THIS website.
Only, I have been thinking of adding a special effect to it by sticking an octopus or a mushroom on to the top, instead of just a sphere.

THIS is the website for the octopus pattern, and HERE is another, probably identical pattern

And right HERE is the link for the famous Mario Brothers Mushroom.
Perhaps I'll make one of each! 
Knowing me, I won't stick to the pattern...

The wool I have chosen for this project is Elle's Timber. I have three colors (Left to Right) 401 Fir, 411 Jacaranda and 402 Cedar. 100% Acrylic.


I decided on colorful yarn because my beloved granny isn't too fond of me always using the dull colors. =]



Amigurumi Octopus



This octopus was so adorable, I just had to make it. It was my first ever amigurumi. 

I got the pattern from Robotrish.com here

Making the little guy was quite quick and easy, but I'm not one to stick to patters so some of it I changed a little. I will post a few pictures if I decide to make another! =] 
In the image he is sitting on my first granny blanket. 

I decided to give him (I named him Georgie) to someone as a going away gift.