Dainty touch: Crocheted lacy-edge handkerchief (and a super-simple how-to)
Mi lady's handkerchief
Lace is fascinating. Lace is mysterious. Lace is femininity personified. And when I found out how easy it was to crochet a lacy edge to almost anything, I had a bit of a eureka moment.
There are 2 ways you can crochet a lace edging into a piece of fabric:
1) Machine-sew or hand-sew a blanket stitch onto the edges of the fabric, then crochet into the stitches. (Click here for a tutorial on the blanket stitch.)
2) Crochet directly into the fabric (this requires some elbow grease to get the crochet hook right through the cloth, though).
So, here is a quick little project that’s super satisfying, using the blanket-stitch method.
CROCHETED LACY-EDGE HANDKERCHIEF (a super-simple crochet how-to)
1. Make a handkerchief — all you need is a square piece of cloth. Cut it to the size you prefer, and hem all 4 edges.
2. Using sewing thread, blanket stitch all the 4 edges.
3. Using a small crochet hook, join the yarn at one edge. Sc in each blanket stitch. At the corners, sc twice into the same blanket stitch. Repeat till you’ve done all 4 edges. Sc into the very first blanket stitch (the one you started with, so that you now have 2 sc in that blanket stitch).
4. At this point you can switch to a larger crochet hook if you like. *Ch 5, sk 3 ch, sc into the 4th ch. Repeat from * all round your handkerchief. Fasten off and weave in the ends.
(Note: US crochet terms used in this pattern.)
Abbreviations:
sc – single crochet
ch – chain
sk – skip
I didn’t count stitches, so my four corners are not replicas of each other. If you’re fussy about that, go ahead and make sure you have an equal number of blanket stitches on each edge, and that the total of stitches is divisible by 4 (eek!).
I’d say just have fun with it!
Twelve months of gestation: The mama bag
The mama bag: surprisingly successful
I’ve been meaning to make a mama bag for, oh, about a year now. Time and tide wait for no streamstress, and the mama for whom the bag was intended has been a mother for 8 months now! I kept putting it off because I didn’t have the confidence to make a bag that I felt would be useful to her. I finally threw caution to the wind, and decided to cut some cloth.
But, of course, before I actually did any cutting, I tortured myself for two whole days wondering what shape it should be. I looked at the previous bags I’d made and flipped the pages of my trusty Japanese craft books. None of them were exactly what I thought a mama bag had to be. It needed to be spacious but not unwieldy. It needed pockets galore. It needed to be unfussy because, with a wriggly baby on her hands, mama doesn’t need a complicated bag.
To cut a long story short, I took elements from several bag designs, added pockets wherever I could, and finally mustered enough gumption to use interfacing … et voila! Cute and functional. (I hope.)
It was my first time using interfacing on a bag, and I must say it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. It’s well worth the extra effort when the bag needs structure, to be able to stand up on its own.
I also experimented with some small magnets as a closure for the top of the bag. I would have used the regular magnetic clasps if I had any on hand, but I keep forgetting to look for them when I shop for notions. I really should go shopping with a list next time, instead of getting sidetracked looking at everything except the stuff I really need.
Cute in technicolour: A pint-sized tote bag
Ms Pint-Sized Tote: I'm small but I pack a punch
I think this is going to be my new favourite tote design. It’s small and compact, yet strong enough to probably cart a bowling ball around. Double-stitching on bag handles make a huge difference!
It took me less than 2 hours to sew this baby up, including my usual hemming-and-hawing trying to choose which fabrics to use. I should start putting matching fabrics into different boxes, so that I don’t get sidetracked. My problem is indecisiveness in the face of so many equally pretty fabrics staring at me.
I think I’m going to sew up a storm with these bags in a few sizes and get everyone I know to start using reuseable shopping bags.
“I suppose that means I’ll have to go fabric shopping, doesn’t it?” thinks the little seamstress, who isn’t at all displeased with the idea.
Crocheted flask carrier (a simple crochet pattern)
Super-easy crocheted flask carrier
This is a really simple and quick crochet project. I made up the pattern as I went along since it’s specifically for my thermos flask, so the pattern below is written to be adaptable. (And not about counting stitches! Yeah!) You will want to adapt it to your own flask or container, so don’t be afraid to crochet to taste!
Abbreviations:
sl st: slip stitch
ch: chain
sc: single crochet
hdc: half double crochet
Step 1: Make the base
1. Begin by crocheting a flat round circle. I used the magic-ring method, but you can also do a basic flat round circle, if you prefer.
Click here for a video tutorial on how to crochet a flat round circle.
You can also start the flat circle using the magic-ring method. For a video tutorial on the magic-ring method, click here.
2. Don’t worry about counting stitches. Start up a circle any way you wish, and make the flat circle as large as the bottom (diameter) of your flask or container. It’s okay for your flat circle to be slightly smaller than the base of your container because your crocheted carrier will be stretchable.
3. Remember to finish the final round of your flat circle with a sl st into the first sc of the previous round.
Step 2: Make the body
1. *Ch 5, skip 3 ch, sc into the next ch. Repeat from * till you come back to the same spot. Sl st into the first ch of the first ch-5 of the previous row.
2. Sl st to the 3rd ch (the middle of the loop). Sc into that same ch-5 loop. *Ch 5, sc into the next ch-5 loop. Repeat till you reach the end of the row. Sl st into the first ch.
Repeat till you reach the desired height. Do not fasten off.
3. Ch 2, 4 hdc into each loop. You will have a pretty, slightly scalloped edge on the top now. Do not fasten off.
Step 3: Make the handle
Sl st into the next ch. Hdc into the next 4 ch, ch 2, turn. *Hdc into the previous row, ch 2, turn. Repeat * till you are happy with the length of your handle.
Step 4: Fasten the handle onto the other side
1. Make sure your working ch is on your left. Hook into the loop directly across (across the top of the body), yarn over and make an sc.
2. Hook into the next ch, yarn over and make another sc. Repeat 2 more times to finish.
I’m writing this pattern from memory, so if I’ve left out anything, apologies! Please let me know and I’ll fix it. If anything is unclear, leave me a message and I’ll try to explain it better!
Mystery solved: Crocheted market bag emerges
Ms. Crocheted Market Bag was glad that the constant poking and prodding of the crochet hook was finally over.
Finally! I finished this market bag last week, but I had forgotten one small, yet absolutely vital, detail. I consciously made the loops large, thinking I would be able to finish the bag quicker that way. Yes, it was quicker, but I forgot that it would stretch. A LOT. When I finished the bag, I put some heavy stuff in it to see how it would hold up. It held up all right, but it stretched almost to my knee!
No self-respecting crocheter will step out of the house with a market bag that threatens to stretch down to her knee when full of stuff, so I started frogging it. I ended up ripping out 2/3’s of the bag before I was happy with the size.
Moral of the story: When making up a pattern on the go, put stuff in the bag as you go along so you can see right away how much it will expand!
Another moral of the story: Loops needn’t be too large. It’s just way too stretchy that way, and I suspect it’s probably not strong enough for heavy groceries.
Truth be told, I’m not sure I’m totally confident that this bag is best for grocery shopping. I think I’d prefer using a shopping bag made of fabric for the heavy stuff. I’ve made some very useful shopping totes out of very lightweight calico cotton that have been surprisingly strong and durable. I’ll still give the crocheted bag a trial run though.
Even though this wasn’t a rousing success, I have to say that I enjoyed the process. Spontaneity feels almost as good as instant gratification.
