Frilly Pansy Crohet Flower

Zelna Olivier's Jar Jacket beautifully embelished with a pansy crochet flower.

Pictures and crcheted pansy above from left to right by Zelna Olivier, Kalpana Chitharanjan and Oona Linet. Photograph credits by respective artists.

Here is a quick decorative idea for you. Make many of these pansy flowers and use it as crochet applique or incorporate it into crohcet fabric for decorative tea cozy, or attached into a pin and give it someone to brighten up her day.  

 Special thanks to Zelna Olivier at http://zootyowlcards.blogspot.com, Oona Linet, and Kalpana Chitharanjan who kindly tested this pattern. Without their positive feedback it is impossible for me to come up with a clean, easy to follow pattern instruction you are now reading.  

Terms:  US
Difficulty Level: Easy
Yarn:  Size 2 Sport/Fine yarns in 4 colors. Yarn needle and a tapestry scissorHook: C/2.75 mm
Gauge: 1 flower is 3 inches in diameter from longest points.


Finished Measurements: 3 inches in diameter from the longest points. 

Note:
Stitches Used:Chain – chSingle Crochet – scDouble Crochet – dc TTreble – trDouble treble – dtr
Note:Standing sc – make a slip knot, insert hook into next st, yarn over, pull through two loops. Reverse sc – working on the right side of the fabric, insert hook into the next stitch to the right, yarn over (two twisted loops on hook), pull through 2 loops.

Joining stitch using yarn needle: On the last stitch, elongate the loop and then cut the yarn leaving 6 inches tail. Thread yarn using a yarn needle, insert the needle under the two loops of the 1^st st. Gently pull the thread and insert it into the space between two loops on the surface of the previous stitch (see picture). Sew the tail in. 

Pattern
R1: Using yarn A, ch 2, 5sc into 1st ch leaving 2 loops on hook on the last sc.

R2: Insert hook into the two loops on the first sc, pick up B and pull yarn through all 4 loops, ch 1. (sc, dc, sc) into the same st, *(sc, dc, sc) into the next st; repeat from * 4 times—5 (sc, dc, sc) group,  join to the 1^st sc using yarn needle, see Note. Cut off A and B—5 small petals.





R3: Pick up C. Insert hook into any sc of round 2, ch 5, 2 dtr into same st, 3 dtr into next st, 3 dtr into next st, 2 dtr into next st, ch 5, sl st into the same st —1st petal made.

You will start the new petal at the end of the old petal… thus immediately ch 5, 2 dtr into the same st, 3 dtr into next st, 3 dtr into next st, 2 dtr into next st, ch 5, sl st into the same st —2nd petal made.

Ch 3, dc into the same st, 1 tr into the same st, 3 tr into next st, 3 tr into next st, 1 tr into next st, 1 dc into same st, ch 3, sl st into the same st —3rd petal.

Ch 5, 2 dtr into same st, 3 dtr into next st, 3 dtr into next st, 2 dtr into next st, ch 5, sl st into same st—4th petal.

Ch 3, dc into the same st, 1 tr into the same st, 3 tr into next st, 3 tr into next st, 1 tr into next st, 1 dc into same st, ch 3, sl st into the same st, cut off yarn C—5th petal.

R4: Using D, make a slip knot, insert hook in any stitch between two petals and make a standing sc. Reverse sc as follows: 3 reverse sc into the ch-5 sp, reverse sc into each st around the edge of the petals, reverse sc into the space in between two petals. Cut off yarn, sew in all ends to finish.

PDF available on Ravelry.

oooOooo

PS: If you like what you see and make something from my free pattern, all I ask is that you credit me by mentioning my name and my blog and provide the link to my blog. Please DO NOT re upload my files to another blog or website. All my photographs are copyrighted. Thank you.

Polkadots Stitch a.k.a. Strawberry Stitch Modified Version

Hello again my friends, how are you today? I just got up this morning after three days of bed rest. Yeah, it was my carpal. I had to stop crocheting completely for 3 full days or else my headache wouldn't have stopped. I am feeling a lot better today, Alhamdulillah...

This morning I received a request from a friend asking to make a crochet backpack for her baby boy. She wanted a polkadot motif, yes polkadot and not strawberry. She wanted it in baby blue and yellow. I said, hmm, let me google it, I kept searching, hmm, couldn't find anything that matched the round dots she likes. So I did some yarn over, cluster, sc, dc, tried up several stitches, but still something was not right. The dot wasn't standing up. It either slanted to the right too much or it was too short. So okay, let me go back to the Strawberry stitches and work something out from it. Voila, polkadot crochet stitches a.k.a. a modified version of strawberry stitches.

Pattern is now on  Ravelry, complete with step by step picture.

PS: If you like what you see and made something from my free pattern, all I ask is that you credit me by mentioning my name and my blog and provide the link to my blog. Please DO NOT re upload my files by any means to another blog or website. All my photographs are copyrighted. Thank you.

Frilly Crochet Pansy

If you like what you see and make something from my free pattern please credit me by mentioning my name and my blog and provide the link to my blog. Please DO NOT re upload my files to another blog or website. All my photographs are copyrighted. Thank you. xx

Making Fabric Covered Bin

Living in Lagos gives you a lot of opportunity to be creative.  I love the colors of the local fabrics and the thickness is just great for making crafts. After a visit to a crafts bazaar the other day, I decided to make my own fabrick covered bin. Or perhaps I should call it yarn bin? Hehe… any way you like. You could add some pockets on the outside if you make yours into a crochet organizer. Mine is not very neat. I am sure you can make it better than this if you won't rush and spend more time making it. I finished mine in less then 90 minutes.

You need: 
- ¾ yard of cotton fabric.
- Cardboard paper. I used a large packaging box left over from when we were moving houses last time.
- Sharp knife.
- Ruler.
- Sewing pins.
- Marker.
- Pen.
- Sewing machine (recommended but not compulsory. If you have no sewing machine, hand stitching will work too).

Body: 
- Fold the fabric in half.
- Cut the cardboard the same length and width of the folded fabric minus 1 inch for seam allowance.
- Divide the length of the cardboard into 4 sections and mark each section using a marker.
- Using a sharp knife and a ruler, gently perforate one side of the cardboard. DO NOT CUT THROUGH IT. Mine is 8 inches per section.

Base: 
- Cut another piece of cardboard the same size of the section (8 x 8).
- Cut 9 x 17 inches of fabric to cover the base.
- Wrong side facing, fold and sew two sides of the base, leave the front open.
- Flip the inside out.
- Push the corner stitches with the tip of a pen to neaten the corners.
- Insert the cardboard and set aside.
- Wrong side facing, fold and sew the side of fabric for the body.
- Pick up the base, insert and place it in between the two layers of fabric making sure the side of the base is in line with the side of the body.
- Continue sewing toward the edge of the base leaving the other side open.
- Pull the fabric and the base inside out through the opening; push the corners stitches from the inside with the tip of a pen to neaten.
- Insert the cardboard for the body.
- Fold the seam inside, sew to close.
- Connect the two sides of the body together making sure both sides are neatly lined up.
- Pin the edges together, hand sew to finish.
- Shape the bin and push the base inside. You could permanently hand stitch the base if you like or leave it as is.

Good luck!
© Iin Wibisono 2014

Mum and Daughter's Crochet Bag and Backpack

We have been busy crocheting in Lagos. We are finishing various type of bags for our young one and for us, their mums. It is still in the same motif, strawberry :-)
Below is our latest models. Strawberry litle princes backpack and Mum's tote.  Patterns are bing finalized and will be coming soon to Ravelry, InSyaAllah.

Backpack above by Mee Leng and Mum's Tote by Lola

Please stay tune for more items we are making. Love from all of us in the west of Africa.