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.

Spring Is Here!

For some of us in the United States, there still may be snow on the ground or in the forcast. For those in the Southern hemisphere, things are moving towards fall. I'm in central North Carolina, and it's been quite a warm winter. It's also been spring-like temperatures and weather for a couple weeks already. While I'm not trying to rush away the winter, I love Spring!! I love seeing new plants coming out of the ground and flowers blooming all over the place. One of my favorite flowers is the Bradford Pear Tree (but they're often considered an acquired smell).

The equinox was yesterday. My partner and I celebrated with a small fire outside and a dinner of spinach quiche (eggs and grass for springtime).

In order to celebrate spring, I wanted to share a few pattern ideas with you.

I love this Butterfly Garden Square by Chris Simon

A quick, fun, Tiny Butterfly by Emi Herrington

Some super cute daisies by Annemaries Breiblog

And this lovely Melinda Miller design, Thankful Stitches

This one I made just last week :)

Do you have any favorite springtime pattterns?

Brigid's Cross Square

Brigid's Cross

Using an I/9-5.50mm hook and worsted weight yarn: 10 inch square.
Gauge: 12 dc = 4 in long and 3/4 in tall.

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
dc = double crochet

Center:
In green, do 1A or 1B.
1A. Start a magic ring (phototutorial).
1B. ch 6, slst to form ring.
2. ch 2. *dc 4 in ring, ch 1* Repeat from * to * three more times for a total of 4 groups of 4dc+1ch. Slip-stitch together. Finish.

For Each of Four Rectangles:
1. With green and leaving a 12 in tail, ch 14. dc in 3rd ch from hook. dc across. (12 dc total)
2. Attach white. *ch 2 and turn. dc 12.* Repeat from * to * 7 more times. Finish with white.
You'll have 1 green row and 8 white rows.

Assembly:
Place rectangles with long green tails on outside of square. Using the tail and a yarn needle, sew the green edge of one rectangle to the long white edge of another rectangle (about 5 1/2 white rows). With the same tail, sew the second rectangle to one side of the green square (about 2 1/2 rows). I hope these photos can help you out.
As always, feel free to leave questions, comments, and suggestions.

The pieces all laid out prior to assembly. Green tails on the outside.

First two rectangles together, sewn with tail of left rectangle.

First two rectangles plus center square, sewn with tail of left rectangle.

Two rectangles and center square attached. Third rectangle being added. (Second rectangle is not attached to the square. First rectangle still has long green tail.)

Third rectangle attached to second rectangle, but flipped up to show it's not attached to the square. Secong rectangle is now attached to the square.

Lining up the fourth rectangle. Fourth rectangle's tail will attach it to third rectangle and then attach third rectangle to the square. First rectangle's tail will then finish attaching fourth rectangle to the other pieces.

When using with other squares, you may want to add a border. This is a hdc border, with (hdc, ch2, hdc) in the corners.

Brigid is a Celtic goddess of transformations, helping with healing, poetry, smithing, and finding your way. Saint Brigid is a patron of Ireland and known as an early leader of the Irish Catholic church. Here are the Wikipedia entries for Brigid's Cross and Brigid.
I created the pattern to make a lapghan for a family member having surgery. The lovely healing energy and the bright colors ought to help her feel better sooner!