A Little Quickie

I have been working on a knit sweater for my brother-in-law for many weeks now.  It was something I agreed to do (and started) last year.  It is an unpleasant project on many levels, so it had been put safely away for many months now.  I finally decided that the only way I am going to finish it is to just do it! 

But I needed a break from that project for some instant gratification.  I decided to make some coasters.

Nothing fancy - just made circles by working into the space between stitches instead of the tops of the stitches (under the "V", not into it).  And instead of putting one DC in each stitch, I made a bobble/cluster of sorts by putting 2 DC's joined together in each stitch (kind of like a DC decrease, but keeping the work in the same stitch - not doing a decrease).  I really like how it kinda reminds me of a sunflower or something.  Super easy, and a great way to use up scrap yarn. 

Quickie Coasters

Materials:

Caron Simply Soft - 2 different colors

size H 5mm crochet hook 

yarn needle

Abbreviations:
SS - slip stitch
CH - chain
Cluster- yarn over, insert hook into space, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops on hook (2 loops remain on hook), yarn over and insert hook into same stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops.  Yarn over and pull through 3 remaining loops on hook. 

Note:  With the exception of the join, ALL stitches are made in between the stitches from the previous round.  Insert your hook right in between 2 double crochet stitches, making sure you are under all parts of the "V" that was created at the tops of the stitches.

Make a ring
Round 1: CH 2, 1 DC (this counts as first Cluster), work 9 Clusters around.  Join into first DC made (ignore the CH 2).  10 stitches.  
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Round 2: SS into space between first and second clusters from previous round (under the "V", not into it).  (CH 2, 1 DC, 1 Cluster) all in same space, *insert hook into space between next 2 clusters from previous round and work 2 Clusters in same space*  repeat around.  Join into first DC made (ignore the CH 2).  20 stitches.

Round 3:  SS into space between first and second cluster from previous round.  (CH 2, 1 DC, 1 Cluster) all in same space, insert hook into next space and work 1 Cluster.  *Work 2 Clusters in next space, work 1 Cluster in next space*  repeat around.  Join into first DC made (ignore the CH 2).  30 stitches.

Round 4:  Change color and SS into space between first and second cluster from previous round.  (CH 2, 1 DC, 1 Cluster) all in same space, insert hook into next space and work 1 Cluster.  *Work 2 Clusters in next space, work 1 Cluster in next space, work 1 Cluster in next space*  repeat around.  Join into first DC made (ignore the CH 2).  40 stitches. 

Done!  Fasten off and weave in those ends.

A Cowl for Me!

Isn't this a beautiful stitch?!  Depending on how you look at it you can see v's or x's or stars.  And it creates these lovely diagonal ridges across the surface.

I started out trying to make a nice dense, sturdy fabric for a cowl.  I wanted it to hold its shape so I could pull it up over my face without squishing my big nose.  I can then fold it in or scrunch it down if it is not so miserable outside.  I wasn't expecting it to look so... elegant.  I feel so fancy when I put it this cowl on.  


















The cowl is made by repeating a type of Trinity Stitch (more details in the pattern) in the round, except the 2nd leg of the stitch gets worked over the next stitch into the stitch below it.  So I guess you would call it the Trinity Spike Stitch (which I will do unless I am corrected). 

If you plan on making the cowl using different yarn, or using this stitch to create something else, keep in mind it does create a stiff fabric.  Maybe try a test swatch to see if your yarn and hook size create the look and feel you want.   Try to keep a loose gauge, and remember that most yarns do soften up a bit after being washed.  

The Trinity Spike Stitch requires a multiple of 2 stitches, plus 1 for the starting chain.  So you can easily change the size of this cowl by increasing/decreasing starting chains or increasing/decreasing the amount of rounds worked.

Beautifully Elegant Cowl

Materials:

2 skeins Caron Simply Soft, color Off White

size K 6.5mm crochet hook 

stitch marker

yarn needle

Abbreviations:
CH - chain
SC3TOG - single crochet 3 together: Insert hook into designated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop - 4 loops on hook.  Yarn over and pull through all 4 loops on hook.  This gives you 1 stitch with 3 "legs".  (In this pattern, it is performed like the Trinity Stitch, where the first leg is placed in the same place as the last leg of the previous stitch.  After the first row, it is still performed like the Trinity Stitch, except the 2nd leg will be worked into the stitch below to create the Trinity Spike Stitch.)

Holding 2 strands of yarn together, Chain 75
Row 1: Insert hook into 2nd chain and SC3TOG, CH 1, (insert hook into same chain as the last leg was worked and SC3TOG, CH 1) repeat across until you have 1 unworked chain stitch remaining.  Work the 3 legs of the last SC3TOG into the same stitch as last leg, the last chain stitch, and the same chain as the first leg from the beginning of the row to create a circle (see picture below), making sure not to twist the row as you connect the 2 ends. CH 1 (keep this last CH 1 a bit tighter to avoid a hole).  74 stitches.  
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Rounds 1-25: Create the beginning SC3TOG of the round as follows: Insert hook into chain stitch just made, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into stitch where first and last leg of the previous round meet, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into top chain of first SC3TOG made from previous round, yarn over and pull up a loop.  Yarn over and draw through 4 loops on hook.  Place a stitch marker in the stitch just made.  CH 1.  (SC3TOG the rest of the round as follows: Insert hook into same space as last leg of previous stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into the place where 2 legs meet in the stitch below, yarn over and pull up a loop, insert hook into top chain of next SC3TOG, yarn over and pull up a loop.  Yarn over and pull through all 4 loops on hook - Trinity Spike Stitch made.  CH 1)  Repeat Trinity Spike Stitch, CH 1 around.  The last leg of the last stitch should be in same space as the first leg of the first stitch of the round.  (Keep the last CH 1 of each round a bit tighter to avoid a hole.)  74 stitches.

Done!  Fasten off and weave in those ends.

Complete last SC3TOG of first row like this

Complete first Trinity Spike Stitch of each round like this

Complete the rest of the Trinity Spike Stitches like this

When you come up to your stitch marker, you know this is the last Trinity Spike Stitch of the round.

The anatomy of the Trinity Spike Stitch:
1.) first leg of current stitch 
2.) second leg of current stitch
3.) last leg of current stitch (next stitch would begin in same place)
4,5.) 2 legs meet in stitch below from previous round
6.) stitch created by the SC3TOG
7.) the CH 1

The second leg of each stitch will be in the place where 4 and 5 meet below.  You will never work into the 6 created by each SC3TOG.


I didn't add any sort of edging because, well, I didn't want to.  But you certainly could.  Go ahead and "make it your own"!  

A Note About Hats

The first time I crocheted a hat, I noticed it was looking like it had corners instead of being a circle.  I was really new at crocheting and wasn't sure if I was doing something wrong.  I worked with a person who crocheted, so I asked her about it.  She asked me if I was staggering the increases, to which my reply was, "huh?".  I said I was following the pattern, and the way the increases lined up made an octagon shape.  She told me that everyone knows you are supposed to stagger the increases, they just write patterns that way for convenience (not sure if she meant the attitude, but it certainly came across).  So, in case no one has told you about this little trick, I will show you a way to keep your hat a circle through the increase rounds (not that it is really that important because it will look like a circle after the increase rounds, but this will eliminate any corners that may form).

There isn't really a trick involved - it is just a matter of changing where you place your increases each round.  This will work for any basic crochet hat that uses the same stitch all the way through (no cables or clusters or shells...follow the pattern with those).  All hats begin the same way - with a ring that you crochet so many stitches into (lets say 8).  Then, for so many rounds you must increase stitches to get the hat bigger.  Usually the increase in each round is equal to the number you first started with, in this case 8.  So each round after the first you would increase 8 stitches at even intervals.  Patterns are usually written so you do the increases like this:
         Round 1: SC 8 into ring
         Round 2: 2 SC in each stitch around
         Round 3: (2 SC in first stitch, 1 SC in next) repeat around
         Round 4: (2 SC in first stitch, 1 SC in next 2) repeat around
         Round 5: (2 SC in first stitch, 1 SC in next 3) repeat around
And on and on like this until the increase rounds are done.

Increasing this way will cause corners where the increases are and you will see lines coming out from the center of the hat.  To avoid this, instead of doing Round 4 like (1,2), 3, 4, (1,2), 3, 4... do 1, (2,3), 4, 1, (2,3), 4 ... and Round 5 like 1, 2, 3, (4,5)... and Round 6 like 1, 2, (3,4), 5, 6... and Round 7 like (1,2), 3, 4, 5, 6, 7... Still keep the increases evenly spaced throughout the round, but change it so they never line up over the increase from the previous round.  This will give you a circle shape with no corners or lines.

Here is an example from my Timeless Hat pattern:

The square on the left was crocheted as written in the pattern (see the lines that make an "X"?), and the circle on the right was crocheted by staggering the increases (no corners, no lines).  This example is a little extreme because most hats would make closer to an octagon shape, but the way the increases are in this particular pattern, you get a square.  And if you worked it up that way, it would be fine.  It would still be a circular hat at the end, but you would possibly see 4 corners sticking out of the top of your head that I'm not sure would mellow out after washing.