Sunbonnet Potholder - 5

Next is an embellishment to make the potholder look more like a sunbonnet.

The directions say:

"Embroider a row of ch sts in White around front of bonnet about 1 1/4 inches from edge"

It's just as easy to use a crochet hook.

Pick a spot 1 + 1/4" or more in from the front edge and where the white and blue meet. Put a hook through the bonnet and draw some yarn through. Put the hook through the bonnet again and draw yarn through the loop just made.

Continue in this manner until you reach the indentation at the top of the bonnet. I made 3 - 4 chain sts per 2 rows of crocheting.

Cut the yarn, draw the end through, and then weave it in.

The first pic shows the right side of the bonnet, the second the underside, and the third a completed side.

There won't be any more posts from me until after the New Year. Enjoy the Holidays!

In the mean time, you could crochet another bonnet -- placing the chain st embellishment on the reverse side of the second bonnet so that the 2 bonnets are mirror images of one another. Next time, we'll be joining the bonnets together.

Index

Sunbonnet Potholder - 4

It's taken a while for this post because I wasn't happy with the size of the potholder. It still didn't look right to me -- even with the changes I'd already made in converting a pattern for size 5 thread to one for worsted weight cotton yarn.

Here are the revised directions:
(The previous posts will be edited to reflect the changes.)

With white, ch 22
Row 1: skip 2, hdc 20, ch 2, turn (20 sts -- not counting the ch sts)
Row 2: Decrease 1 st at beginning of row, ch 2, turn (19 sts)
Row 3: Decrease 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn (18 sts)
Row 4: Decrease 1 st at beginning of row, ch 2, turn (17 sts)
Row 5: Decrease 1 st at end of row. Break thread. (16 sts)
Attach new thread. (I used blue instead of peach.) Chain 2 to turn.
Work the rest through back loops only.
Row 6: Increase 1 st at beginning and 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn (18 sts)
Row 7: Increase 1 st at beginning and 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn (20 sts)
Row 8: Increase 1 st at beginning and 2 sts at end of row, ch 2, turn (23 sts)
Row 9: Increase 1 st at beginning and 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn (25 sts)
Row 10: Increase 1 st at beginning and 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn (27 sts)
Row 11: Increase 1 st at beginning and 2 sts at end of row, ch 2, turn (30 sts)
Row 12: Increase 2 sts at beginning and 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn (33 sts)
Row 13: Increase 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn (34 sts)
Row 14: Increase 1 st at beginning of row, ch 2, turn (35 sts)
Row 15: Work even, ch 2, turn (35 hdc sts)

Now to finish off the bonnet:
Row 16: Decrease 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn (34 sts)
Row 17: Decrease 1 st at beginning and 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn (32 sts)
Row 18: Decrease 1 st at beginning and 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn (30 sts)
Row 19: Decrease 1 st at beginning and 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn (28 sts)
-- or, in other words: Row 19: hdc 2tog, hdc 26, hdc 2 tog, ch2, turn (28 sts)
-- hdc 2tog is "half double crochet 2 together" -- or, in other words, "decrease 1 st in hdc"

The final 3 rows include sc (single crochet), dc (double crochet), hdc (half double crochet), and -- at the end of the last row, a slip stitch. So, I can't write "decrease 1", I need to write what stitch is used in the decrease.

These rows are a sizable departure from the original pattern. I wanted to keep the upturned brim of the hat (picture top right) from the original pattern. But, I also wanted a more rounded top for the middle of the bonnet.

Row 20: dc 2tog, dc 2, hdc 1, sc 3, hdc 18, hdc 2tog, ch 2, turn (26 sts)
Row 21: hdc 2 tog, hdc 16, sc 3, hdc 1, dc 2, dc 2 tog, ch 2, turn (24 sts)
Row 22: dc 2 tog, dc 2, hdc 1, sc 3, hdc 4, dc 6, hdc 3, sc 2 tog, slip stitch to end row.
Pull yarn through. Weave in ends.

We're almost halfway done with the bonnet potholder. We still need to make a bonnet identical to the one just made. Then we can decorate them and crochet them together.
Index

Sunbonnet Potholder - 3

After looking at sunbonnets on the web, I've realized that what I thought was the brim of the hat is actually the neck flap -- the part of the hat that covers the back of the neck. I've changed the previous posts to reflect this.

At the right is a copy of the pattern from the booklet. Since I'm working with much thicker yarn and, of course, a larger hook, the pattern here needs to be changed.

Here's the revised pattern, starting with the base chain:
Revisions from this post are in red.

With white, ch 22
Row 1: skip 2, hdc 20, ch 2, turn
Row 2: Decrease 1 st at beginning of row, ch 2, turn (19 hdc sts)
Row 3: Decrease 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn (18 hdc sts)
Row 4: Decrease 1 st at beginning of row, ch 2, turn (17 hdc sts)
Row 5: Decrease 1 st at end of row. Break thread. (16 hdc sts)

Then for the next part of the pattern (which was not included in the last post):
Switch to contrasting color. Work the following in hdc. Work through the back loops only. Chain 2 to turn.

Row 6: Increase 1 st at beginning of row and 1 st at end of row (18 hdc's)
(or, in other words, ..... 2 hdc in back loop of 1st st, hdc in back loops only of next 14 sts, 2 hdc in back loop of last st, ch 2, turn)
Row 7: Increase 1 st at beginning of row and 1 st at end of row (20 hdc's)
Row 8: Increase 1 st at beginning of row and 2 sts at end of row (23 hdc's)
(The picture show the end of Row 8 -- where 3 hdc's are made in the back loop of the last st -- in order to increase 2 sts at the end of the row.)
Row 9: Increase 1 st at beginning of row and 2 sts at end of row (26 hdc's)
Row 10: Increase 1 st at beginning of row and 1 st at end of row (28 hdc's)
Row 11: Increase 1 st at beginning of row and 2 sts at end of row (31 hdc's)
Row 12: Increase 2 sts at beginning of row (33 hdc's)
Row 13: Increase 1 st at end of row (34 hdc's)
Row 14: Increase 1 st at beginning of row (35 hdc's)
Row 15: Work even (35 hdc's)
(or, in other words, hdc in the back loop of each hdc from the previous row -- and then, of course, ch 2 and turn)

The next installment will have the decrease rows.

Sunbonnet Potholder - 2

After finishing the second row of the potholder, I thought to myself “This is way too large.” This is what happens when switching from one weight yarn to another without thinking. The pattern as written will work for size 5 pearl cotton. It does not work well for worsted weight cotton.

So, I frogged back (which is easy to do with crochet). With crochet, there is no need to worry about picking up stitches after frogging and, in fact, no need to undo the "cast on edge" (or, rather, the base chain) completely – as there would be in similar circumstances with knitting. I frogged all of the hdc sts plus 14 ch sts – to end up with the equivalent of

ch 22, skip 2, hdc 20, ch 2, turn

for the first row, instead of

ch 36, skip 2, hdc 34, ch 2, turn

as written for size 5 pearl cotton.

To complete the neck flap for the sunbonnet, the pattern states:

"2nd row. Decrease 1 st at beginning of row, ch 2, turn.
3rd Row. Decrease 1 st at end of row, ch 2, turn.
Repeat these 2 rows twice. Break thread. Always ch 2 to turn."

However, since I'm using a heavier yarn than called for, I'm only going to repeat the 2 rows once.

The first picture shows a decrease at the beginning of a row. From left to right, the first loop is from the last ch st, the second is the yo (in preparation for making a hdc), the third is a loop drawn through the last st from the previous row, the fourth is a loop drawn through the second to last st from the previous row. To finish the hdc2tog, yo and draw the yo through all the sts on the hook.

The next picture is a hdc2tog at the end of a row. Since the sunbonnet potholder is going to be edged, it doesn't matter that the directions say to ch 2 at the end of the last row in white.

However, if the sunbonnet were not going to be edged, one should attach the new thread as the last step of the last st. In this case, instead of completing the st with white, complete it by drawing the new color yarn through the loops and then ch 2 with the new color.

The second picture shows this. (The directions call for peach for the color for the bonnet. I'm using a variegated blue – since I had it left over and besides I like blue.)

Index to crochet articles on this blog

Sunbonnet Potholder - 1

Our next project is a Sunbonnet Potholder. It's pictured at the right along with an Irish crochet doily. The picture is from the American Thread Company booklet as is the pattern.

The pattern calls for 3 60-yd balls of Peach size 5 pearl cotton and 1 60-yd ball of White for trim. It also calls for a steel crochet hook no. 8 and a bone ring.

I'll be using Peaches & Creme worsted weight cotton yarn and a size 7 (4.5mm) crochet hook. If you'd like a ring to hang the potholder with, I'd suggest using a plastic ring instead of a bone ring.

The pattern starts:

"With White, ch 36, and work 34 sdc on ch" (sdc is the same as hdc or half double crochet)

First, note that the pattern does not say to skip 2 ch sts before starting the half double crochet sts. It's understood. The next picture shows the first hdc being worked in the 3rd ch from the hook.

Note: Since we're using worsted weight yarn instead of size 5 thread, we will be making quite a few adjustments to the pattern.
The first is to replace the first line of the pattern with:
"With white, ch 22, skip 2, hdc 20, ch 2, turn"

Note also how the chain sts are laid out to be crocheted into. The hook goes under the topmost part of the chain.

--------

It's easy enough to count to 36, but to illustrate a technique, I've chained more than 36 sts. If one is making a base chain of a few hundred chain sts, it's much better to err on having too many ch sts instead of possibly too few.

The next picture shows the potholder after the first row is complete. There are several ch sts left over.

The hardest part is undoing the slip knot. The next picture shows what the chain looks like after the knot is undone.


Then all one has to do is to keep undoing the chain until there are no extra chain sts to undo.

Next time, we'll finish the bottom of the bonnet.

Index to crochet articles on this blog

Washing and blocking crochet

Here are the instructions from the American Thread Company booklet on washing and blocking crochet (or knits).

"Using hot water and a mild soap, make thick suds, add cold water until suds are fairly warm.

"Let the article stand in the suds a very few minutes, then squeeze in and out until thoroughly clean. Rinse in clear water several times or until sure the soap is removed. Roll in a bath towel. This will absorb some of the moisture.

"The work is now ready for blocking. Lay the work on a padded ironing board or a flat surface and pin in position with rust-proof pins, stretching it gently to correct size and shape. Press through a damp cloth and leave in position until dry."

Index to crochet articles on this blog

Time off

I'm going to take a little over a month off from posting on this blog. It will give me time to figure out what to post about next. There are several patterns that look interesting in the American Thread Company booklet that I inherited from my MIL. But, I'd like to crochet them before posting. Then there are some pillow case crocheted edgings that I did a long time ago with my grandmother's help. But, I'd have to figure out the patterns. And then there's the Irish crochet shawl that I helped my daughter make when she was in elementary school.

So, I've got some ideas. But, I'm not even sure anyone reads what I've written so far. I can see from the meter that the blog gets around 100 hits per week. But, it could just be from people doing searches, ending up here, and then immediately leaving. So, if you like what you see on the blog or have any suggestions about further topics, please leave a comment.

By the way, the reason I've been posting about crocheting is that I volunteered to. If anyone would like to volunteer to post about any fiber arts subject, contact the owner of the blog through the Yahoo! Bits and Bobs group or the Ravelry Bits and Bobs group.

Lacet Stitch

Recently, as I was reading posts from one of the Yahoo! groups that I belong to, I came across a lovely filet crochet iris pattern. I like the pattern so much that I just had to share the link. The pattern uses open and closed filet crochet squares and also the lacet stitch. The lacet stitches appear in the corners of the design.

The directions and picture of the lacet stitch at the right are from the American Thread Company booklet.

As you recall, for a basic open mesh, one has "ch 2, sk 2" between the dc's that form either side of a mesh square. (A row in open mesh is dc 1 -- or, rather ch 3 as a substitute for the dc 1 --, then *ch 2, sk 2, dc 1* across.) For a closed mesh square, one uses "dc 2" in place of "ch 2, sk 2".

A lacet stitch is the size of a 2 x 2 square of filet crochet squares. Instead of crocheting "ch 2, sk 2, dc 1, ch 2, sk 2, dc 1" to form 2 open mesh squares, a lacet stitch has "ch 3, sk 2, sc 1, ch 3, sk 2, dc 1" for the first row. In the following row, to complete the stitch, substitute "ch 5, dc in next dc" for what would be "ch 2, sk 2, dc 1, ch 2, sk 2, dc 1" if making an open filet crochet mesh.

Index to crochet articles on this blog

Crocheted ball fringe

The final part of the section on trims from the American Thread Company booklet (at the right) is a crocheted ball fringe.

It starts out as the cap on the cap fringe did:
"ch 4, join to form a ring, ch 1". But, instead of making 6 sc's into the chain ring, make 8 sc's.

Then for the next round, as with the cap fringe: "2 sc in each sc". (You are now working in a spiral.) -- 16 sc's in this round.

The next 4 rounds are just like those worked for the cap fringe. -- 16 sc's each round

Next, comes the part where you stuff the ball with scraps (cotton or wool or the like) before starting the narrowing process.

This pattern uses a different method of decreasing than was discussed earlier in a post on increasing and decreasing. Instead of crocheting 2 sts together, you just skip a stitch.

So, the next round is "start narrowing by skipping every 3rd st". -- 11 sc's this round (by my count)

Then for the next 2 rounds, you narrow even faster by "skipping every other st." -- either 5 or 6 sc's in the first round (depending on whether you skip then sc or vice versa) -- It really doesn't matter. And either 2 or 3 sc's in the second round. Finish this part off by making a slip stitch.

Finally, without breaking the yarn, make a chain of whatever length you'd like, and attach it. From the picture, it looks as though one does not join the chain to the mesh by slip stitching the last chain st to the bottom of the mesh. Instead, one attaches the chain by placing the chain around the mesh and then making a slip st to join the last chain st to the third (or possibly 4th) from last ch st -- thus making a small loop into the mesh.

Index to crochet articles on this blog

Crocheted cap fringe

Continuing through the section on trims, we come to the crocheted cap fringe. The instructions are at the right and a picture below, both from the American Thread booklet.

One starts with an open mesh just as for the other fringes. Because of the width of the caps, the fringe is attached to every other open mesh.

The first step is making the caps. Just as when making the Irish Crochet Rose, one starts with a chain ring -- "ch 4, join to form a ring". Join is just another way of saying slip stitch.

Then "ch1, 6 sc into ring, join".
The ch 1 at the beginning of the round is to get the tops of all the sc's at the same height. Otherwise, without a ch 1 at the beginning of the round, the first sc would be a little smaller in height than the rest. One would join (slip stitch) into the top of the first sc made.

A ch 1 at the beginning of a sc round is used when working in the round. No ch 1 at the beginning of a round is used when working in a spiral.

"2 sc in each sc" There are now 12 sc's in the round. Notice that this round didn't begin with a ch 1.

"without joining rows, work 2 rows of sc working 1 sc into each sc" The last 2 rounds are worked in a spiral. This forms the sides of the cap.

"Break thread" You don't need to slip stitch into the next stitch. But, after you cut the thread and pull the thread around the hook until the loose end is through, you should first weave it into the next stitch as you start weaving in ends.

For the fringe itself, we'll need about 20 6"-lengths of thread. Tie the strands together in the middle with a simple overhand knot. Pull one end of the strands up through the middle of the cap, through an open mesh hole, and then back through the top of the cap. (A crochet hook is useful for this.) Then make another simple overhand knot over the last one to secure the strands. My best guess is that a knot on top of a knot inside the cap will give the cap a little extra bulk and also keep the cap from sliding off.

Index to crochet articles on this blog

Double and Triple Knot Fringes

Last week, we talked about a single fringe. The fringe was attached to a mesh -- a filet crochet open mesh (dc 1, * sk 2, ch 2, dc 1 * across).

The directions for and pictures of double and triple knot fringes shown here are from the American Thread Company booklet.

The first difference between the single and multi-knot fringes is the length of thread/yarn used. (Because of the knots, one needs to use longer lengths of yarn to get the same length of fringe.) The second difference is that the strands are attached every other mesh opening.

For all of these fringes, the first knot is the cow hitch. Make the hitch every other mesh opening.

Then, take half of the strands from one fringe and half of the strands from the next fringe. Knot them together using an overhand knot. It looks better if the flat part of the knot faces outward. Then, for the double knot fringe, trim the bottom of the fringe to make it even.

(The overhand knot is the simplest kind of knot. The picture in the Wikipedia article shows 2 overhand knots.)

For the triple knot fringe, make a second overhand knot -- again splitting the fringes in half as in the pic. The first and last fringes will be a little different because they are on the edge. Again, trim the fringe to make it even across.

Single Fringe

Still continuing with the section on Trims from the American Thread Company booklet, we come to fringes. This week will be single fringes. Next week will be double and triple knot fringes.

In order to attach a fringe, the booklet recommends having a mesh to loop the fringe through. As you can see in the picture, the last row of crocheting before the fringe is an open mesh as in filet crochet open mesh ( * dc 1, sk 2, ch 2 * across).

For a single fringe, the booklet suggests cutting the yarn into 5 - 6" long strands. It looks as though there are about 6 strands for each part of the fringe (though, of course, you could use fewer or more strands and shorter or longer strands).

Evidently (after a bit of research on my part), the way the strands are attached is called a cow knot or cow hitch. To attach the fringe, fold the strands in half and slip the folded edge through the mesh from the back. Pull the folded edge through enough to be able to slip the loose ends through. Then pull the loose ends to tighten. Finally, trim the loose ends to make the fringe even across.

Tassels and Pom-poms

The section on Trims from the American Thread Company booklet continues with tassels and pom-poms. The directions from the booklet are at the right.

Both start out the same way, with wrapping yarn around a 3" wide piece of cardboard as in the leftmost of the pictures directly below.

For a tassel, wrap the yarn around the 3" cardboard about 20 times. Cut the yarn. Then tie the cut yarn around the middle. Finally, tie the yarn again about 3/4" down. The result is the rightmost of the pictures at the left. The tassel is just under 3" long. You can and probably should trim the bottom of the tassel to make it even.

For a pom-pom, again wrap yarn around a 3" piece of cardboard -- but this time about 60 times. Slide the yarn off the cardboard. Tie it in the middle -- as in the leftmost pic of the pics at the right. Then trim the sides to produce a pom-pom as in the rightmost pic of the pics at the right. The pom-pom is just under 3" across.

You can, of course, use a bigger piece of cardboard in order to make bigger tassels or pom-poms.

The booklet also gives instructions on making several at a time. Wind the yarn around heavy pins set several inches apart (depending on how many you want to make). Tie the yarn together at intervals and finally cut the yarn between the tied sections. So, if you wanted to make three 3" pom-poms at the same time, you'd place pins 9" apart. Then you'd tie the yarn together 1 1/2" from each edge and also 4 1/2" in from an edge. Then you'd cut the yarn 3" in from each edge. Finally, you'd trim the yarn and shape each section into a pom-pom.

Covered Buttons

Continuing with the section on Trims from the American Thread Company booklet, we have instructions on how to cover buttons. Pictures of 2 covered buttons from the booklet are at the bottom of the post. The directions start out as follows:

"Ch 3, 12 dc in 1st st of ch, without joining rows, work 4 rows of sc increasing a sufficient number of times to keep work flat."

So, one starts out with a ch 3 followed by dc 12 in the first ch st. The picture at the right shows the first dc in progress.

"Without joining rows" means not to end the round with a slip stitch into the top of the first dc of the round. Instead, the first sc of the next round is made into the top of the first st of the previous round -- in other words, the button cover is worked in a spiral.

Then work flat. If you remember the spiral dishcloth we made, you'll remember that the rule of thumb is to increase 6 sts per round. So, for the second round, you could work * sc 2 in same st, sc 1 * around -- or increase every other st. For the third round, you would want to increase every 3rd st, etc. The picture at the right shows a button cover after the first sc round.

The directions say to work 4 rounds in sc. But, of course, you'd want to work the rounds of sc just enough to cover the button completely.

Once the face of the button is covered, you'll want to start on the underside and start making decreases. This is where the directions for the plain and fancy button covers differ.

For the plain button cover, you'll want to make 5 or 6 decreases per round until the back of the button mold is encased sufficiently that the button won't fall out. Then slip stitch (join), break the thread, and weave in the end.

For the fancy button, I'd suggest not following the directions as written by breaking the primary color. Instead, continue as for the plain button cover, but, for the first round of decreases, sc into the back loops only. For subsequent decrease rounds, proceed as you did for the plain button cover.

The reason for "back loops only" is to have a place to attach the secondary color. When finished with the back of the mold, attach the secondary color with a slip stitch anywhere around the outer edge of the button cover (into the front loop). Then ch 2. Then make 2 hdc's (hdc, half double crochet, is the same as s d c ) in the same place; ie, where you made the slip st. Finally, repeat " skip 1 st, slip st in next st, ch 2, 2 hdc in same st " around, as in the pattern, but use the front loops only.

Crocheted cord

Between the sections on "Fancy Stitches" and on "Irish Crochet" in the booklet from the American Thread Company (which I inherited from my MIL), there is a section on trims. The first 2 trims it talks about are cords.

The twisted cord is pretty self-explanatory. It's the second cord in the picture. To make this, you get several strands of string or yarn and twist them. Then you bring the ends together, and let the strands twist around each other. Finally, you tie a knot where the ends meet to prevent the cord from untwisting.

The other cord (1. Crocheted Cord) described in the booklet involves crocheting. (Directions for both cords are at the right.) It reminds me of a knitted i-cord.

Start out as if making a spiral hotpad. Then continue as you did in making the hotpad -- except do not make any increases. In the variation here, the stitches are crocheted through the back loop.

In particular, as before, "ch 6, join" means to join the last ch to the first with a slip stitch. Then "Work 1 sc in each st" is exactly how we started the hotpad -- round 1.

"Without joining rows" means do not slip stitch the last stitch of a round to the first stitch of the round -- in other words, work in a spiral just as you did the hotpad.

Finally, "working in back loop of stitch only" means to crochet into the back loop -- and not under the entire loop (both front and back loops) as we did when making the hotpad. This, crocheting into the back loop, leaves a ridge which spirals around the cord.

The cord in the last picture is made in Peaches & Creme and a size 7 or H (4.50 mm) crochet hook. It's about an inch across.

Why the ch 2?

For both diamond dishcloths, we started out rows with ch 2 followed by a dc into the last dc of the previous round -- instead of making a ch 3 as a replacement for the first dc of the row.

The main reason for this is to give a nicer edge for times when you don't want to crochet on an edging later. The reason that this gives a nicer edge is that crochet stitches don't rest exactly on top of each other.

In knitting (in plain stockinette), each knit stitch rests squarely on top of the stitch from the previous row. (A notable exception is when one knits through the back loop across every other row. But, we're not going to go into that here.)

In crocheting, this is not the case. The stitch rest just a little bit to the right of the stitch from the previous round. This can be most clearly seen in the picture in the second row from the top (a right side row). The dishcloth ended up square because when working on the opposite side of the dishcloth, the new stitches will also rest a bit to the right. And that "bit to the right" looks like a "bit to the left" when looked at from the first side. This can be seen most clearly in the first row from the top (a wrong side row from this perspective).

The ch 2 at the beginning of a row fills in the side a little. By the way, if we started the row with a ch 3 substitute for a dc, there would be a small gap between the ch 3 and the following dc.

Filet Crochet Diamond Dishcloth - v2

The dishcloth we made last week had a mesh size 3 dc's wide. It's also possible to have a mesh only 2 dc's wide – with an open mesh consisting of only 1 chain st. The result is squarer.

The diamond pattern to the right shows such a pattern. Since a dc is approximately twice as high as it is wide, a block of 2 dc's will be approximately as high as they are wide. So, the chart has column widths and row heights the same. The chart has as many rows as columns. The resulting dishcloth itself is 31 sts wide by 15 rows tall (excluding the foundation or base chain).

Filet Crochet Diamond Dishcloth - v2
I used some left-over Peaches & Creme (or else Sugar 'n Cream) cotton yarn – worsted weight – and a size 5 or F (3.75 mm) crochet hook. Finished size 8" x 7 ½"
(As was the last pattern, this pattern was made up by yours truly just for this blog.)

Foundation: ch 33
Row 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc 14, ch 1, sk 1, dc 15, ch 2, turn
Row 2: dc 3, ch 1, sk 1, dc 9, ch 1, sk 1, dc 3, ch 1, sk 1, dc 9, ch 1, sk 1, dc 3, ch 2, turn
Row 3: dc 5, ch 1, sk 1, dc 5, ch 1, sk 1, dc 7, ch 1, sk 1, dc 5, ch 1, sk 1, dc 5, ch 2, turn
Row 4: dc 7, ch 1, sk 1, dc 1, ch 1, sk 1, dc 11, ch 1, sk 1, dc 1, ch 1, sk 1, dc 7, ch 2, turn
Row 5: same as Row 4
Row 6: same as Row 3
Row 7: same as Row 2
Row 8: ch 2, then starting with 3rd to last dc in previous row, dc 13, ch 1, sk 1, dc 13, ch 1, sk 1, dc 1, ch 2, turn
(This row is different from the others. The ch 2 from the previous row isn't used as an edging. Instead it's used as the beginning of a ch 3 substitute for a dc. The following st, a ch st, is the top of an open filet. This is the only row of the pattern worked this way. Row 8 is the row being worked in the picture.)
Row 9: same as Row 2
Row 10: same as Row 3
Rows 11 – 12: same as Row 4
Row 13: same as Row 3
Row 14: same as Row 2
Row 15: dc 15, ch 1, sk 1, dc 15
Fasten off and weave in ends.

Note: Lion Brand has a wonderful collection of stitch patterns made into dishcloths. It also sends out a weekly newsletter with a stitch of the week made into a dishcloth. This is a great way to learn and try out new stitches.

Filet Crochet Dishcloth

In designing a filet crochet pattern, the first thing to remember is that each "square" is actually 3 sts wide – a dc plus either 2 dc's or 2 ch's. The height of each "square" is a dc's height or, in other words, the height of 2 ch's.

I used a spreadsheet for this. In order to make a filet crochet pattern that will look a bit like the finished object, one needs to adjust the cell height and width. To do this, select the entire sheet by either clicking in the corner above the "1" and just before the "A" or click "Edit" – "Select all". Then select "Format" – "Row" – "Row height" and change it to "0.2". Finally, select "Format" – "Column" – "Column height" and change it to "0.3" -- or any combination that will give a ratio of 3 to 2.

After fiddling around a little, here's the design I came up with. (I copied the cells to "Paint" and then saved the result as a .jpg before posting it here.) The black cells are the holes or "open mesh" and the clear ones are the solid part or "closed mesh".

There are 9 cells across. -- which means 9 * 3 + 1 sts across – or 28 sts across on each row. To be different, I decided not to work an edging. So, I'm starting each row with a ch 2 – which is not a substitute for a stitch. It is there only to make a nicer edge. -- This is an alternative to starting a dc row with ch3 as a substitute for the first dc. -- For this alternative, the first dc of the new row is placed in the top of the last dc of the previous row.

Hint: When making long foundations chains, make the chain longer than needed. Then undo the unneeded sts after finishing the next row. It's better to have too many ch sts at the beginning of a long project than too few.

Filet Crochet Diamond Dishcloth
I used some left-over Peaches & Creme (or else Sugar 'n Cream) cotton yarn – worsted weight – and a size 5 or F (3.75 mm) crochet hook.
finished size 7" x 6"

ch 30. Start work in 2nd chain from hook.
Row 1: dc 28, turn
Row 2: ch 2, dc 7, sk 2, ch 2, dc 10, sk 2, ch 2, dc 7, turn
Row 3: ch 2, dc 4, * sk 2, ch 2, dc 4 * across, turn
Row 4: ch 2, dc 13, sk 2, ch 2, dc 13, turn
OR (Row 4: ch 2, dc 1, sk 2, ch 2, dc 10, sk 2, ch 2, dc 10, sk 2, ch 2, dc 1, turn)
Row 5: same as Row 3
Row 6: same as Row 2
Row 7: same as Row 3
Row 8: same as Row 4
Row 9: same as Row 3
Row 10: same as Row 2
Row 11: same as Row 1
Fasten off and weave in ends.

Note: When dc-ing a stitch into a chain st, dc into the chain itself just as you did in Row 1.

Note: It will look as if you're making the last dc of a row between a dc and the ch 2. This is how it should look.

A thought: Filet crochet with dc's and ch-2 holes produces holes that are basically square but a design that is squatted down. The beginning and end rows of dc's were added to counteract this squatness. However, this design could be reworked with triple crochet sts intead of double crochet sts to produce a square dishcloth but holes that are elongated:

ch 31. Start work in 3rd chain from hook.
Row 1: ch 3, tr 7, sk 2, ch 2, tr 10, sk 2, ch 2, tr 7, turn
Row 2: ch 3, tr 4, * sk 2, ch 2, tr 4 * across, turn
Row 3: ch 3, tr 13, sk 2, ch 2, tr 13, turn
OR (Row 3: ch 3, tr 1, sk 2, ch 2, tr 10, sk 2, ch 2, tr 10, sk 2, ch 2, tr 1, turn)
Row 4: same as Row 2
Row 5: same as Row 3
Row 6: same as Row 2
Row 7: same as Row 3
Row 8: same as Row 2
Row 9: same as Row 1
Fasten off and weave in ends.

a Pansy

We made a rose. How about designing a pansy? A pansy generally has 5 petals so we'll start out with 5 spokes instead of 6.

For the rose there were 6 spokes with a ch 3 in between for a total of 24 sts around. We'll try 25 for the pansy (since 25 is close to 24 and is divisible by 5). I'm going to start with a smaller initial chain loop – just to be different. I'm also using triple crochet sts for a little extra height since we're only going to have one round of petals.

The flower begins essentially like the Irish crochet rose – with a center chain loop and spokes. The petals are worked differently. The first picture shows the 5 spokes plus 2 petals. The last sc of the second petal isn't finished. Why there's a picture of an unfinished sc will become apparent later.

Here is the pattern:

Pansy

I used a size 5 or F (3.75 mm) crochet hook and leftovers from a couple of balls of Peaches & Creme cotton yarn – worsted weight -- in yellow and blue. Yellow is the color for the center and the first 2 petals.

This is my own pattern, just made up yesterday especially for this blog.

The flower is about 3 ½ " in diameter.

Instructions:
Ch 4. Join to form ring.

Rnd 1: Ch 7, * dc 1, ch 4 * 4x, join with slip stitch to 3rd st of ch 7. (5 spokes)

Rnd 2: In each of the first 2 loops work "sc 1, hdc 1, dc 1, tr 3, dc 1, hdc 1, sc 1". If desired, change colors. In each of the remaining 3 loops work "sc 1, ch 3, tr 2, dc 1, tr 2, ch 3, sc 1".

That's all there is to the pattern -- except for fastening off and weaving in the ends.

There are several ways to change colors. One way is to fasten off the old color and then start with the new. However, for the pansy, I changed colors by just starting to crochet with the new color.

For that method, for the last sc of the second petal, don't draw a loop of yellow through to complete the sc. Instead draw a loop of blue through. (The loop created when finishing a st is the top of the next st. This is shown in the second picture.) That is all there is to it. (One, of course, needs to weave in the ends. But, whatever technique you use, you'd need to do that.)

Note also: Just as the ch 3 (the first part of the ch 7 at the beginning of round 1) is a substitute for dc 1, "sc 1, ch 3" and "ch 3, sc 1" are substitutes for tr 1.

Why 6?

-- or "Crocheting a hotpad"

It's no accident that the Irish crochet rose started with 6 spokes (and 6 chain loops). Six appears often in circular patterns.

A single crochet spiral hotpad starts with 6 sc sts in the center loop. Then each round after that has an increase 6 sc sts. If you make fewer than 6 increases per round, you'll end up with a cup or bowl shaped object. If you make more than 6 increases, you'll end up with ruffles.

Something similar holds true for double crochet As you recall, a dc st is twice the height of a sc st. To make a circle in dc, you would start with 12 dc sts in the center loop and then increase 12 dc sts per round. For triple crochet, the "magic" number is 18.

In the case of the rose we just completed, we started out with the equivalent of * dc 1, ch 3 * six times. This gave 6 spokes and 6 loops. If we hadn't wanted loops but just a basic pinwheel shape (a circle with spokes), we would have made the equivalent of * dc 1, ch 1* six times – for 12 sts around.

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My aunt Ila was my first crochet teacher. And the first thing I ever crocheted was a hotpad. (I didn't start out with long chains of chain sts but rather with something to use in the kitchen.)
Here's the basic pattern:

A Simple Spiral Hotpad
I used Peaches & Creme worsted weight cotton yarn and a size 7 or H (4.50 mm) hook.
The finished hotpad is almost 7" in diameter.

Rnd 1: Ch 2. Sc 6 in 2^nd st from hook. (6 sc)
-- Make a slip knot around the hook. Chain 2. Insert the hook into the second st from the hook (ie, the slip knot) and sc. Make 5 more sc's in the same st (ie, the slip knot).
The out-of-focus photo shows the start of the 4^th sc.

Rnd 2: 2 sc in same st 6x (ie, sc twice in each sc from the previous round). (12 sc)

Rnd 3: * 2 sc in same st, sc 1 * 6x (18 sc)

Note: If you wanted to, you could slip a locking stitch marker into the first st of a rnd to let you know when you're about to start a new rnd.
In the photo, you can see that at the end of rnd 3, there are 18 sts on the outside and that there are 3 rows of sc's.

A lot of patterns for simple spiral hotpads like this have for the next few rounds:
Rnd 4: * 2 sc in same st, sc 2 * 6x (24 sc)
Rnd 5: * 2 sc in same st, sc 3 * 6x (30 sc)
Rnd 6: * 2 sc in same st, sc 4 * 6x (36 sc)

This will produce a hexagon with rounded corners. To get something circular, one needs to vary where one places the increases. Here's a way to do that:

Rnd 4: * sc 2, 2 sc in same st * 6x (24 sc)
Rnd 5: * 2 sc in same st, sc 3 * 6x (30 sc)
Rnd 6: * sc 2, 2 sc in same st, sc 2 * 6x (36 sc)
Rnd 7: * sc 4, 2 sc in same st, sc 1 * 6x (42 sc)
Rnd 8: * sc 6, 2 sc in same st * 6x (48 sc)
Rnd 9: * 2 sc in same st, sc 7 * 6x (54 sc)
Rnd 10: * sc 2, 2 sc in same st, sc 6 * 6x (60 sc)
Rnd 11: * sc 4, 2 sc in same st, sc 5 * 6x (66 sc)
Rnd 12: * sc 6, 2 sc in same st, sc 4 * 6x (72 sc)
Rnd 13: * sc 8, 2 sc in same st, sc 3 * 6x (78 sc)
Make loop: Ch 10 (or more), attach to top of last sc as you would a picot.
Rnd 14: * sc 10, 2 sc in same st, sc 2 * 6x (84 sc), ending with a slip st into the base of the picot-like loop.

For added sturdiness, you can slip stitch along the chain sts. Fasten off.

A final word:
As you work around, you'll find that just before it's time to make an increase, the sts are slanted to the right. After the increase, the sts are slanted to the left.

The way I learned to make hotpads was not to follow a pattern -- but to make an increase when the sts start pulling to the right. (This did work out to about 6 increases per round). Also, if there was a choice about where to place the increase, place it in the middle of a flat edge.

Irish Crochet Rose - 5

I was going to name the post "Why 6?" but decided there was too much for one post. So, "Why 6?" will have to wait until next week.

Here are the last 2 rnds for the Irish Crochet Rose (from the American Thread Company booklet):

"5th Row. * Ch 7, sc in back of work between next 2 petals, repeat from * all around.
"6th Row. In each loop work 1 sc, 1 sdc, 7 dc, 1 sdc, 1 sc. Sl st in 1st sc of row and fasten thread."

So, the 5th round is basically a repeat of the 3rd round, and the 6th round is basically a repeat of the 4th round. Again sdc or short double crochet is the same as hdc or half double crochet. Sl st is slip stitch and is done the same way as in the link for the baby blanket edging. The picture shows the slip stitch being made. Note that the hook is placed through the back loop only.

This flower in worsted weight yarn is about 4 1/2" across. The one pictured in the first section for the rose and done in size 10 crochet thread is about 1 3/4" across.

As I was thinking about writing this post, I realized that I hadn't said anything about how to attach the rose. Here are some ideas:

To attach it to a sweater or handbag or scarf: I would use floss like one uses for cross stitch. It comes in many colors. It's thicker than regular thread but not as thick as yarn. I would thread a blunt needle with the floss and tack the flower to the object between the outside petals -- where you would place the sc's if you were to do a round 7.

To make a shawl of flowers: I would lay the flowers out how I wanted them to be in the final product. Where the petals touched, I would sc through the tops (either both top loops, the back loops, or the front loops) of touching dc sts, then chain to the next touching petals. If a chain crossed another chain, I would slip stitch them together where they crossed.

To make the flower the center of a square or circle or whatever: I would divide each petal into thirds mentally. For this flower, which has 11 sts per petal, I would sc in the 4th st of the petal, make enough ch sts to start achieving the shape I wanted, sc in the 8th st of the petal, and then ch again, making the next sc in the 4th st of the next petal, etc.

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By the way, one isn't limited to just sc, hdc, and dc when making petals. In fact, the booklet has another flower design immediately after this one. (I don't like it as well -- mostly because the petals turn out more square than rounded.) In round 1, one makes only 5 instead of 6 ch loops. It has for our equivalent of Row/Round 2:
"Ch 1, * 1 dc, 7 dc, 1 dc in ch 3, 1 sc in dc, repeat from * all around."
In other words, instead of skipping over the dc's from the previous round and working only in the ch loops, ch 1 -- which counts as a sc in the first dc. Then work 1 dc, 7 tr (triple crochet), 1 dc in the next loop. Finally, work a sc in the dc on the other side of the ch loop.

Irish Crochet Rose - 4

Here's a pic of the underbelly/WS of the rose through the end of Round 3. The chain loops are lying on top of the petals.

In the first round, each of 6 chain loops had 3 ch's. In the third, each of 6 chain loops had 5 ch's. In the second round, each of 6 petals had 3 dc's. You can probably guess how many dc's for the fourth round. From the American Thread Company booklet:

"4th Row. In each loop work 1 sc, 1 sdc, 5 dc, 1 sdc, 1 sc." (sdc -- or short double crochet -- is the same as hdc)

Here is a picture from the RS of the rose with 3 petals made plus part of a fourth. You can see how the base of the petals in this round is hidden beneath petals from the 2nd round. Also, notice that, to make it easier to crochet, I've bent a petal forward. Finally, as with the 2nd round of petals, I need to scoot the sts over to make room for more in the chain loop.

Next week will be the last 2 rnds of the rose -- under the title "Why 6?".

Irish Crochet Rose - 3

So far, we've completed the first round of petals. Next comes a set-up round for the second round of petals. The next line of instructions from the American Thread Company booklet is:

"3rd Row. * Ch 5, sc in back of work between the single crochets of next 2 petals, repeat from * all around."

The picture shows the back of the rose. I chained 5. (The chain sts are hidden by a petal in the picture. They really shouldn't be.) Then I placed the hook through the back of the stitch between petals -- the back of a dc from round 1 -- as the first step in making a sc.

The last stitch from the previous round is just to the left of the petal just to the left of the crochet hook (from our perspective) . (It's at about the 11 o'clock position.) When the round is complete, none of the sts from this round will be easily visible from the right side of the rose.

Bits and Bobs Crochet Tutorial Index

An Introduction

Stitches

Chain space
Chain stitch
Cluster stitch
Double crochet
Double treble crochet
Half double crochet
Lacet stitch
Picot
Single crochet
Slip stitch
Treble crochet

Techniques, etc

Buttonhole
Changing colors
Covered button
Crocheted ball fringe
Crocheted cap fringe
Crocheted cord
Decreasing
Double knot fringe
Filet crochet, defined
Increasing
Irish crochet, defined
No-edging edging
Picot edging
Single crochet edging
Single fringe
Tassels and Pom-Poms
Triple knot fringe
Washing and blocking

Projects

Filet Crochet Diamonds Dishcloth
--Version 1
--Version 2
Irish Crochet Rose
--Part 1
--Part 2
--Part 3
--Part 4
--Part 5
Kitchen Towel Hanger
--Part 1
--Part 2
--Part 3
--Part 4
--Part 5
--Part 6
Pansy
A Simple Spiral Hotpad
Sunbonnet Potholder
--Part 1
--Part 2
--Part 3
--Part 4
--Part 5
--Part 6

Other patterns mentioned in the tutorial

Diamond mesh
Filet Crochet Iris
Lion Brand dishcloth patterns
Ripple afghan

Irish Crochet Rose - 2

For round 2 of the rose, we'll add the first round of petals. There are 6 petals, one for each loop of the previous round. Each petal begins and ends with a sc. There are dc's in the middle of the petals.

A dc is twice the height of a sc. And so, for a smoother curve to the petal, it would be nice to have a stitch that is about halfway in height between the two. That stitch is the half double crochet. At the right is a description of the stitch from the American Thread Company booklet. It's called a short double crochet there. (The British call the stitch a half triple crochet.)

To work the stitch, start out as if making a double crochet. But, instead of pulling the thread through 2 loops twice (as for a dc), pull the thread through all 3 loops. NexStitch has a video.

The second round is (paraphrasing the directions from the booklet):
2nd Row: In each loop work 1 sc, 1 hdc, 3 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc.

Here are 4 petals plus part of a 5th. Since the pattern calls for 7 sts in each ch 3 loop, there is apt to be crowding. Scoot the sts over a bit to make more room for the rest of the sts. That's what needs to be done in the picture to finish the 5th petal.