Category: Crocheting

Crocheting

Crochet Towel Hanger

Towel hangers are an essential for the kitchen, work shop, barn, anywhere you might need a quick towel within reach. This towel holder holds any towel making it easy to swap it out and replace with a clean towel.

These take about 15 min to make and you can repurpose scraps!

Skill level Beginniner

Stiches:

  • slst = slip stich
  • ch = chain
  • sc = single stich
  • dc = double stich
  • dc2tog = (or decrease) double stich 2 dc together

Items needed:

  • Scrap yarn of your choice. For kitchen/bathroom use, Redheart Super Saver yarn works perfectly. For barn, garage, or outside, Twine, yes, bailing twine, works perfectly.
  • Size H crochet hook
  • 1 yarn needle
  • 1 button with big enough center holes to get your yarn needle through it.
  • A “ring”. This is where you can get really creative with repurposing “stuff”. I like to use a large ponytail ring. You can also use plastic “bangle” round bracelets (for large towels), cut out plastic rings from milk jugs, or pretty much anything that is the right size “hole” for holding your towel so that it doesn’t slip out easily.

Directions:

  1. Make your starting loop in your yarn as you would to start a chain
  2. Row 1: Enter through the ring as if you are pointing your hook away from you (this will help you not get tangled up in your yarn on the circle) sc over your ring from inside the ring. 3 chain (this will be your first dc), dc around the ring. For a ponytail ring its 34 DC. You want the yarn to be firm and not expose the ring but not so tight it bunches up. slst into the third chain at the top (where you started). ch 3 and turn
  3. Row 2: Starting with your 1st dc from row one, dc 1 in each of the next 10 dc. ch 3 turn.
  4. Row 3: dc in the first dc. 1 dc in next dc 10 times . ch 3 turn
  5. Row 4: dc in the first dc. 1 dc in next dc 11 times . ch 3 turn
  6. Row 5: sk the first stitch directly beside your chain, 1 dc in next dc 11 times
  7. Row 6 through 9 repeat Row 5
  8. Row 10: 1dc2tog,1 dc in next dc 7 times, 1dc2tog, 1dc ch 3 turn
  9. Row 11: 1dc2tog, 1 dc in next dc 5 times, 1dc2tog, 1dc ch 3 turn
  10. Row 12: 1 dc in next dc 8 times, ch 3 turn
  11. Row 13 – 19 repeat row 12
  12. Row 20: Buttonhole row: dc in next 3 dc, ch 1 (sk a stitch) dc in next 3 dc. 3 ch turn
  13. Row 21: 1 dc in next 8 dc, 1 ch turn
  14. Row 22: 1dc2tog, 4sc, 1dc2tog, 1 ch turn
  15. Row 23: 7 sc, 1 ch turn
  16. Row 24: 7 sc, tie off.
  17. Cut 2 long strands of yarn, about 6 inches each.
  18. I am using a 4 hole button here, so one strand went bottom left to top right, and the second strand went bottom right to top left.
  19. Line up your button to thread button yarns at the 3rd row from the ring around the 7th DC and pull through to the back, leaving the button on the front. Tie tightly to the back.
  20. Trim and weave your ends.
  21. Your top button hole should fit over your button.

And there you have your crochet towel holder.

Enjoy,

Until Next Time,

Mrs. Kay L. Rice

Traditional Chevron Baby Blanket

In my opinion one of the simplest beginner crochet blankets is the Traditional Chevron Pattern.

My Momma states that its her favorite because she doesn’t need a pattern, she can just take off and do it. By mixing up the colors, stripe widths and all kinds of fun variations, no 2 blankets have to look alike.

Download instructions:

basic-chevron-baby-blanket-designDownload

My favorite is a stripe color variation of:

  • Base row color: 20 rows
  • Second row color: 10 rows
  • Third row color 5 rows:
  • Fourth row, second color 10 rows
  • Fifth row first color 20 rows.

Then you would continue on for the length of your blanket ending with your base row and base color. From here you can leave the pointed ends (the most common) or border them off solid by adding single crochet stitches until they even out.

Here is the basic instructions:

What you will need for a baby blanket:

  • H size crochet hook
  • 4 skeins of yarn (Redheart brand is my favorite) I size it out as 2 of my largest amount then 1 each of my other colors. This is by preference.

Abbreviations:

  • SC = Single Crochet
  • C = Chain
  • SK = Skip stitch

Instructions:

  • c 151 (For a baby blanket/crib size)
  • SK 1 chain from hook, *SC in next 11 stitches, 3 SC in the next chain, 1 SC in the next 11 stitches, SK 2 stitches. * Repeat from * until the last SK 2 stitches. Here you need to SK 1, 1 SC, CH 1 and turn.
  • Repeat for (20) rows with color #1 or until you want to change colors.
  • Repeat for (10) rows with color #2 or until you want to change colors.
  • Repeat for (5) rows with color #3 or until you want to change colors.
  • Repeat for (10) rows with color #2 or until you want to change colors.
  • Repeat for (20) rows with color #1 or until you want to change colors.
  • Repeat until you have your desired length.

If you want to fill in the triangles at the bottom/top and square off with a boarder, here is how you do that:

To square off with a boarder:

  • Start at the right edge of your blanket. SC in each stitch to the inside corner.
  • Slip-Stitch to join the left edge.
  • SC along the row you just made to the second to the last stitch, SK 1, SC 1, then CH 1 and turn.
  • SK 1 stitch, then SC into 2nd stitch and continue to SC to the end of the row.
  • Slip Stitch into the left side of the new row.
  • Continue this until the triangle space is filled.
  • Once your triangles are “filled” you can continue with creating the boarder of your blanket in any pattern you like.

I have many of my blankets and items for sale, please check out my ETSY site:

  1. https://www.etsy.com/shop/GrandmaKaysCreations

I hope you enjoy. Until next time,

Mrs. Kay Rice

A Basic Sunburst Granny Square

I’m starting a new section here since I’ve had so much recent interest.  Tonight I’m going to share with you a pattern for a Sunburst Granny Square.  Granny Squares are great because they finish quickly and can be stitched together like a quilt to make blankets, baby blankets, scarfs, bags, ponchos, lots of cool things.

Ready? Here we go!

Your crochet hook size depends on the yarn and size you want for the square. I think a 4mm works best. I used a bit larger hook for the one in the picture so you could see the stitches best.  As for yarn I like Red Heart or Big Twist economy.

Stitches

Half double crochet (hdc): yarn over, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull loop through stitch (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Double Crochet (dc): yarn over, insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull loop through stitch (3 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through two loops on hook (2 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through 2 remaining loops on hook.

Puff Stitch (ps): *Yarn over, insert hook in indicated stitch and draw yarn through stitch* 3 times (7 loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through all loops on hook. Chain 1 to lock.

Cluster Stitch (cs): *Yarn over, insert hook in next stitch and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops* 4 times (5 loops on hook).  Yarn over and pull through all loops on hook.

Treble Stitch (trbl): Yarn over hook twice, insert hook in next stitch.  Yarn over hook and draw yarn through stitch (4 loops on hook).  Pull yarn through 2 loops (3 loops remaining on hook). Yarn over and draw through 2 loops (2 loops remaining).  Yarn over and pull through last 2 loops on hook.

Round 1:

Chain 5 join with a slip stitch.  Gives you a ‘magic circle’.  Chain 3 to count as your first double crochet.  Work 15 more double crochet stitches around the ring. Join with a slip stitch.  You can fasten off to change colors here if you want, I didn’t in my sample.

Round 2:

Attach the next color with a slip stitch to any dc, chain 1, puff stitch in the same stitch and in each dc. Join with a slip stitch to the first puff stitch. 16 puff stitches in all.  Fasten off.

Round 3:

Attach the next color with a slip stitch in the chain 1 space of any puff stitch, chain 2, (cluster stitch, chain 2) in the same space and in each chain 1 spaces around. Join with a slip stitch in the beginning cluster stitch. 16 cluster stitches in all.  Fasten.

Round 4:

Use the same color for round four on all your squares if making a blanket.  Attach your color with a slip stitch in any chain 2 space.  Chain 4 to count as the first treble stitch and then 2 more treble stitches. Chain 1 now on the same stitch create 3 more treble stitches. This creates a corner. We are changing the circle into a square.  In your next 2 chain space crochet 3 treble stitches, chain 1.  Do this 2 more times. Create a corner ( 2 sets of treble in the same stitch) repeat until you have 4 corners.

Round 5: 

Repeat Round 4. Fasten off.

Now you can stitch your granny squares together.

Here is another one with a smaller size hook and thicker yarn. A huge difference in the outcome.


Until next time,

Mrs. Kay L. Rice