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.

Google Reader Gone - Bloglovin' Here I Come

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/6098979/?claim=5jx4qhrra6j">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Since Google Reader is definitely gone now, I wanted to give a quick shout out to Bloglovin'. It's easy to set up an account and you can follow lots of neat blogs from there. - Jess

Triskele - The Triple Spiral

This triple spiral pattern makes a great trivet or potholder when worked in cotton and a lovely decoration worked in any fiber.
The inner color uses approximately 30 yards of worsted weight yarn, and the outer uses approximately 35 yards of worsted weight yarn.
For more information about the triskele, you can visit its Wikipedia page

Materials:

Yarn: 2 colors worsted weight (acrylic used in model)

    A - outside connections (yellow) - 35 yards

    B - inside connections (blue) - 30 yards

Hook: 5.0mm

Stitch markers

Yarn needle

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

dc = double crochet

hdc = half double crochet

mr = magic ring

sc = single crochet

slst = slip stitch

st = stitch(es)

Note: Magic ring (mr) can be substituted with (ch 3, slst to form ring).

Spirals (Make 3):

1: With A, make a mr, ch 1. Working into ring, 1sc, 1 hdc, 2dc. Remove hook and insert stitch marker into loop. This helps hold the previous stitches while working with the other color. Continue to insert the stitch marker in this way for the rest of the project. (4 st)

2: With B, attach to mr with slst, ch 1. Working into ring, 1sc, 1 hdc, 2dc. Work 2 dc in each of first four A stitches. Insert stitch marker. (12 st)

3: Remove stitch marker and insert hook into loop of A. Work 2 dc in each of first 8 st of color B. Work (1 dc, 2 dc) twice. Insert stitch marker. (22 st)

4: Remove stitch marker and insert hook into loop of B. Work 2 dc in next 4 stitches of A. Work (1 dc in stitch, 2 dc in next stitch) nine times. Insert stitch marker. (35 st)

5: Remove stitch marker and insert hook into loop of A. Work (1 dc in stitch, 2 dc in next stitch) seven times. Insert stitch marker. (49 st)

6: Remove stitch marker and insert hook into loop of B. Work (1 dc in next 2 st, 2 dc in next stitch) six times. 1 hdc, 1 sc. End off leaving 6 inch tail. (26 st)

7: Remove stitch marker and insert hook into loop of A. Work 1(1 dc in next 2 st, 2 dc in next stitch) seven times. Work 1 dc in next 14 st. End off leaving 6 inch tail. (14 st)

Assembly: Instructions are given using color names for ease of naming the parts.

1.Arrange spirals so blue sections face each other, yellow ends clockwise of blue ends.

2. Using yellow tails, attach the last yellow dc of each spiral to the fourth dc counter-clockwise of the last blue stitches on the neighboring spiral.

3. Using the blue tails, attach the last three blue stitches of each spiral to the three dc counter-clockwise of the last yellow stitches on the neighboring spiral.

Elemental Scarf

Way back in September, a friend suggested making a scarf to represent the four elements: earth, air, fire, water. I instantly fell in love with the idea and came up with a pattern to go along with the representative colors. Spirit was included as the fifth element tying everything together. After some writing, experimenting, testing, blocking, and photographing, I'm finally ready to share my typed up pattern for the Elemental Scarf!

The pattern is written in sections which are approxiamately the same length and width. Dimensions will vary somewhat with your crochet style and blocking/stretching technique. You can arrange the sections however you please or repeat a section as you would like. Colors are my personal representations of the elements, so change them to whatever fits well with you. As always, feel free to ask questions and leave comments.

Abbreviations
ch - chain
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet
dc - doule crochet
fpdc - front post double crochet
bpdc - back post double crochet
tch - turning chain
cluster - group of stitches closed at all once together
shell - group of stitches worked into same space or stitch

Materials:
Hook, I/9 5.5mm (or hook recommended for yarn)
Approximately 100 yards each color of worsted weight yarn
Yarn needle recommended for sewing in ends
 

Earth:
green, solid stitches
1: ch 16, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc across (15 sc)
2: turn, ch 1, 15 hdc
3: turn, ch 1, 15 dc
4: turn, ch 1, 15 sc
5-36: Repeat rows 2-4, ending with row 3
36 rows = 12 sets

Air:
white, clusters & shells
1: ch 3, dc across (15 dc)
2: ch 5, cluster in first 3 dc, *ch 2, cluster next 3 dc.* Repeat * to * to end; ch 2, dc in last sc (5 clusters + 2 dc ends)
3: ch 3, *3dc shell in top of cluster, repeat from * across. dc in 3rd ch of previous tch.
4-23: Repeat rows 2&3
Final row: ch 3, dc across
24 rows = 11 pairs + dc rows

Fire:
red, post stitches
1-3: ch 3, dc across (15 dc)
4: ch 3, 3 bpdc, 7 fpdc, 3 bpdc, dc in tch
5: ch 3, 4 fpdc, 5 bpdc, 4 fpdc,  dc in tch
6: 5 bpdc, 3 fpdc, 5 bpdc, dc in tch
7: 6 fpdc, 1 bpdc, 6 fpdc, dc in tch
8-21: repeat rows 1-7.
22-24: ch 3, dc across (15 dc)
24 rows = 3 sets + final 3 rows

Water:
blue, ribbed & wavy
1: 15 sc
2: hdc, hdc, sc, sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, sc, sc, hdc, dc, dc, hdc, hdc - all front loop only
3-35: repeat row 2
36: 15 sc
36 rows = 12 sets + sc rows

Spirit:
purple border
Single crochet around evenly. Following this general guidline for help placing stitches into the sides of rows: 1 sc into sc row, 3 sc in 2 hdc rows, 2 sc in dc row

May Day Barefoot Sandals

Summer is upon us here in Florida and fast approaching in many other parts of the USA. To help celebrate May Day (aka Beltaine), I've crafted a pair of barefoot sandals. They're fun for wearing around the yard or house on these warm days.

Sandals are shown tied two different ways and on two different toes to show the different ways of wearing them.

Materials:
Cotton yarn, approxiamately 20 yards.
Hook 4.5mm

Abbreviations:
ch - chain
ss - slipstitch
sc - single crochet
dc - double crochet
ch-sp - chain space (space in work form by chain stitch, sometimes forms an arch)

Directions:
1. Ch 12, ss into a ring
2. Ch 4, sc 3 into 2nd ch from hook, turn
3. Ch 7, ss into 2nd sc from step 2, ch 4, dc into last of previous row, turn
4. Ch 1, sc 3 into ch-sp, ch 5, sc 3 into next ch-sp, turn
5. Ch 5, sc into ch-sp, ch 4, sc into last stitch of previous row, turn
6. Ch 1, sc 2 into ch-sp, ch 1, sc 2 into same ch-sp, ch 2, sc 2 into next ch-sp, ch 1, sc 2 into same ch-sp, turn
7. Ch 2, sc 2 in ch-sp, ch 1, (sc 2, ch 1, sc 2) into big chain-sp, ch 1, sc 2 in ch-sp, ch 1, sc into last stitch of previous row, turn
8. Ch 5, sc in ch-sp, ch 2, sc in ch-sp, ch 2, sc in ch-sp, ch 5, sc into last stitch of previous row, turn
9. Ch 5, [sc in ch-sp, ch 3] three times, sc in ch-sp, ch 5, ss into last stitch of previous row.
10. Ch 30 for tie (or make it as long as you'd like). Finish off.
11. Attach yarn to opposite side of sandal, ch 30 for tie (or as long as you like, matching length with previous tie). Finish off and weave in all ends.
Note: When finishing off ties, you can choose not to weave them in (such as in the picture below). This gives you a slightly longer pair of ties, and make it look more delicate.

As always, please feel free to ask questions and leave comments.

Mary Jane Slippers

As part of The Curious Pug's crochet-along series, I made a neat pair of Mary Jane Slippers for January.

I didn't use a contrasting color for the final border and button loop like the pattern recommend. I am happy to have found a good pair of blue buttons. So far, these have been quite comfy for padding around the house and sitting on the couch.
The pattern is here, and check out the link up featuring others who made the slippers in January here.

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