Rectangular Felted Soap Cozy

The holidays are approaching, and one of the things on my list of things to make is felted soap cozies. Using a bit of wool, any bar of soap can easily be turned into a washcloth/soap combination gift. The soap lasts super long, and the wool makes a nice exfoliator all at once. Plus, the washcloth wrapped around the bar means no more dropped soap!

This pattern will fit a pretty typically size bar of artisanal soap: 4x4x8 cm.

Materials:
wool yarn, worsted weight
hook: 4.25mm/G

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
fsc = foundation single crochet
sc = single crochet
slst = slipstitch

1. 12 fsc.*
   *If you do not know foundation single crochet, you can instead: ch 13, sc into 2nd ch from hook, sc through rest of chain (12 sc).
2.-6. ch 1, turn, sc across (12 sc).
7. ch 7, turn, sc into 2nd ch from hook, sc across (18 sc).
8.-11. ch 1, turn, sc across (18 sc).
12. skip first sc, slst across next 5 sc. ch 1, sc across (12 sc).
13.-17. ch 1, turn, sc across (12 sc).
18. ch 7, sc into 2nd ch from hook and across (18 sc).
19-23. ch 2, turn, sc across (18 sc).
On the last row, you can finish, leaving a tail for sewing together if desired.

Assembly:
It now looks like a type of tetris block. You will be folding it up into a box, then sewing it together. It will feel kinda snug on the soap bar, that's ok.

The finished crochet work laid out flat.



I've used plastic safety pins to hold the sides together and show you how it makes a box. The short flaps of the tetris piece make the litte square sides.



I recommended sewing the three seams together from one square side, then sewing the short two seamsof the other square side.

Then slip in the soap and sew up the last two sides.

This is how it looks all sewn up! After a few uses, it'll felt up all on its own. If you're giving it as a gift, you may want to go ahead and spend some time felting. Just rub it for a while using warm to hot water, and a washboard is helpful for faster felting.

Snowdrop Flower

I'm currently involved in a year-long swap, exchanging gifts with a new friend. She recently mentioned that snowdrops start appearing near her around the start of February (when her next package from me should arrive). I searched high and low for a snowdrop flower inspired crochet pattern, but nothing I found was satisfactory in the least. So what was I to do besides write a pattern? :)

**This is not a beginner pattern. Please read all of the instructions before starting. I have include lots of pictures after the instructions, so hopefully that'll be helpful.**

Stitches:
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
fsc - foundation single crochet
fhdc - foundation half-double crochet
fdc - foundation double crochet
slst - slip-stich

first foundation single crochet:
1. Insert hook into 2nd chain or loop from hook, yarn over and pull through.
2. Yarn over and pull through one loop (forming the foundation chain).
3. Yarn over and pull through two loops.

foundation single crochet (fsc):
1. Insert hook into foundation chain of previous stitch, yarn over and pull through.
2. Yarn over and pull through one loop (forming the foundation chain).
3. Yarn over and pull through two loops.

foundation half-double crochet (fhdc):
1. Yarn over. Insert hook into foundation chain of previous stitch, yarn over and pull through.
2. Yarn over and pull through one loop (forming the foundation chain).
3. Yarn over and pull through three loops.

foundation double crochet (fdc):
1. Yarn over. Insert hook into foundation chain of previous stitch, yarn over and pull through.
2. Yarn over and pull through one loop (forming the foundation chain).
3. Yarn over and pull through two loops.
4. Yarn over and pull through two loops.

Materials:
worsted weight yarn
    green - approx 3 yards
    white - approx 6 yards
4.5 mm hook
yarn needle


Directions:

Green
Stem:
1. Staring with green, ch 2. Insert hook into second chain from hook.
2. yarn over, pull through ch
3. yarn over, pull through one loop (foundation chain portion of stitch made)
4. yarn over, pull through two loops (fsc made)
5. insert hook into foundation chain portion of previous fsc
6. yarn over, pull through ch
7. yarn over, pull through one loop
8. yarn over, pull through two loops
9. repeat steps 5-8 six more times (total of 8 fsc)
10. ch 2, 6 sc into 2nd ch from hook
11. slst to first sc make a circle, finish off

White
Inner Petals:
1. attach white with slst to any front loop of green sc
2. sc into front loop of next green sc, ch 2, sc flo of next green sc (first petal made)
3. repeat step 2 twice more (three petals made)
4. slst to next green front loop

Outer Petals:
5. slst into closest back loop of green sc
6. ch 1, insert hook into same green back loop of sc as previous slst to start fsc, complete fsc
7. insert hook into foundation chain of fsc, make fhdc
8. continue inserting hook into previous foundation chain to make fdc, fhdc, fsc (half petal made)
9. ch 1, using foundation chains of first half of petal: sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc (petal made)
10. slst to next green back loop to attach petal; slst into next green back loop
11. repeat 6-10 twice more (three petals made)
12. weave in ends
You're done! 




And now for lots of pictures: 

ch 2

insert hook into 2nd ch from hook, yarn over, pull through

yarn over, pull through: foundation chain made

yarn over, pull through both loops: first fsc

insert hook into foundation chain of first fsc

yarn over, pull through

yarn over, pull through one loop; yarn over, pull through both loops: second fsc made

eight completed fsc

ch 2

6 sc into ch

slipstitched into a circle

attach white with slst to a front loop; ch 1; insert hook into next front loop to start sc

sc

sc, ch 2, sc - first inner petal

three inner petals

slst to nearest back loop

ch 1, insert hook into next back loop to start fsc; yarn over and pull through green

 yarn over pull through one white loop

yarn over pull through both white loops: fsc made

insert into foundation chain portion of fsc, start fhdc

half petal

ch 1, insert into foundation chain of last fsc of petal to start sc

first petal complete

slst into next back loop to finish first petal; slst into next back loop to start next petal

two petals

three petals

ends all sewn in