Free Pattern: Semi Circular Door Mat

This is my practical solution; a machine washable, low profile, door mat. 

I've noticed that other pattern designers claim that their work is inspired by yarn. Call me weird but my designs are always driven by a practical problem. In this case a narrow gap between door and floor, two large dogs and a wood turning partner. I've had other door mats that claim to be machine washable but they are either too large to fit in my washing machine or the rubber backing cracks and warps.


I know what you're saying, it's not actually semi circular! When you crochet a circle the increases push against one another, but when it's a half a circle that means that either the straight edge isn't straight or the curving edge warps. So after much experimentation I went with this as the most sensible solution. The increases are stacked on top of each other. It makes the pattern much easier to follow and if you want to go bigger than my 70 x 35 cm mat it's quite easy to do. After all I'm all about customisation!

Now let me tell you about the 'yarn'. You'll find it here. It comes in a glorious range of colours and is soft to the touch. You could use jute, or hemp but this 100% cotton twine will leave the skin on your hands! Choose from tri-ply, two-tone or single colour. 

The tri-ply, which is what I used, is slightly finer than the others so your gauge might come out a little different. They're about 2mm thick.

To stop your door mat taking a walk by itself, I've used Sock Stop which I bought from Woolwarehouse. It's made of latex and comes in a variety of colours. One bottle is more than ample for this mat.

Click here for the Printer Friendly Version.
 

Finished Size: 35 x 70 cm

UK Terminology

Gauge: 14 Treble Sts x 8 rows = 4cm

 

You will need:

3 x 100m cones of Fred Aldous Bakers Twine

1 bottle of Rico Sock Stop

4.5mm (No7) Hook

Large Tapestry Needle

Ch    - Chain

FL     -Front Loop
Htr   - Half Treble

NJ    - Needle Join 

Rnd  - Round

Slst  - Slip Stitch

St    - Stitch

Tr    - Treble

Start each round with a Starting Treble or ch3 if preferred.

Turn at the end of each round.

Ch4 loose sts, Slst into first ch st to form a ring.

Rnd 1.  7 Trs into ring. Turn.      (7Trs)

Rnd 2.  Tr in first st, 2Tr in each st to end. Turn. (13Trs)

Rnd 3. Tr in each of next 2 sts.

(2Tr in next st, Tr in next st ) x 4

2Tr in each of next 2 sts, Tr in last st. Turn. (19Trs)

Rnd 4. Tr in each of next 3 sts,

(2Tr in next st, Tr in each of next 2 sts,) x 4

2Tr in next st, Tr in each of next 3 sts. Turn. (24Trs)

Rnd 5. Tr in each of next 3 sts.

(2Tr in next st, Tr in each of next 3 sts,) x 4

2 Tr in next st, Tr in each of next 4 sts. Turn. (29Trs)

Rnd 6.Tr in each of next 4 sts.

(2Tr in next st, Tr in each of next 4 sts,) x 4

2 Tr in next st, Tr in each of next 4 sts. Turn. (34Trs)

Rnd7. Tr in each of next 4 sts.
(2Tr in next st, Tr in each of next 5 sts,) x 4

2 Tr in next st, Tr in each of next 5 sts. Turn. (39Trs)

I’m sure you’ve already spotted the pattern, so I’ll abbreviate from now on.

Rnd8. Tr x 5 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 6) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 5. Turn. (44Trs)

Rnd9. Tr x 5 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 7) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 6. Turn. (49Trs)

Rnd10. Tr x 6 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 8) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 6. Turn. (54Trs)

Rnd11. Tr x 6 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 9) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 7. Turn. (59Trs)

Rnd12. Tr x 7 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 10) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 7. Turn. (64Trs)

Rnd13. Tr x 7sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 11) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 8. Turn. (69Trs)

Rnd14. Tr x 8 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 12) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 8. Turn. (74Trs)

Rnd15. Tr x 8 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 13) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 9. Turn. (79Trs)

Rnd16. Tr x 9 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 14) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 9. Turn. (84Trs)

Rnd17. Tr x 9 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 15) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 10. Turn. (89Trs)

Rnd18. Tr x 10 sts.
(2Tr, Tr x 16) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 10. Turn. (94Trs)

Rnd19. Tr x 10 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 17) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 11. Turn. (99Trs)

Rnd20. Tr x 11 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 18) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 11. Turn. (104Trs)

Rnd21. Tr x 11 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 19) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 12. Turn. (109Trs)

Rnd22. Tr x 12 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 20) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 12. Turn. (114Trs)

Rnd23. Tr x 12 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 21) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 13. Turn. (119Trs)

Rnd24. Tr x 13 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 22) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 13. Turn. (124Trs)

Rnd25. Tr x 13 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 23) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 14. Turn. (129Trs)

Rnd26. Tr x 14 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 24) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 14. Turn. (134Trs)

Rnd27. Tr x 14 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 25) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 15. Turn. (139Trs)

Rnd28. Tr x 15 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 26) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 15. Turn. (144Trs)

Rnd29. Tr x 15 sts.

(2Tr, Tr x 27) x 4

2 Tr, Tr x 16. Turn. (149Trs)

Rnd30.     

With wrong side facing place Sts into front loop only. 
Ch2, FL Htr x 16 sts.

(2 FL Htr, FL Htr x 28) x 4

2 FL Htr, FL Htr x 15.

3 FL Htr in corner,

Now working along horizontal edge,

place 2 Htr Sts around each treble st, and 2 Htr Sts into chain ring.

1 FL Htr into same space as first FL Htr, NJ to top of Ch2.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

There should be no need to block your work but if required try ironing on reverse with a steam iron.

Now find a safe flat place or a board to put your mat on while you apply the Sock Stop, away from little fingers or inquisitive pets! Make sure you are working on reverse. If you’re not sure look for the ridge on the front formed by the front post sts.

Place dots of Sock Stop on raised areas of stitching. Dots work better than lines, they are less likely to peel off when the mat stretches.

Leave overnight to dry.

Crochet Heroes - Lillabjorn

If you hunt for overlay crochet you're bound to find this lady. You'll find Tatsiana Kupryianchyk at LillaBjorn. There is even a pattern called 'Sophie loves LillaBjorn'. So tempted!
I've done a few patterns by Tatsiana and yeh! I do have an image to show you. Every time I feel the need to learn something new I make another one. fortunately she's a very prolific lady!

Here is my version of Spanish Mandala.

Occasionally Tatsiana tells us where her inspiration comes from, this one was inspired by a plate design. And sometimes it's obvious, like the Peacock Bag. But I'd really like to witness how she works on an idea. For me working out an idea is a really painful soul searching process. Having to settle on just one idea and throwing the rest away, choosing this stitch over that stitch, sifting through all the possibilities. I'd really like to be a fly on the wall in  the LillaBjorn house!
The other thing I'd like to throw in here, is colour. First you choose your yarn and then you choose from the colours available. So often I get it wrong, or I'm unsure, even though I know the theories behind colour. But I love Tatsiana's colour choices. Sometimes she uses a limited palette, but usually she uses rich colours that really make your heart sing!

I've been waiting to publish this post because I've been waiting for my cousin's wedding. I couldn't show you what I'd made for Natalie until now! It's the Sunny Mandala pattern with the Dandelion border. 

The colour choice was quite risky for me, but I'm really thrilled with the way it's turned out. Using colour theory I picked two pairs of complementary colours.

Here's a little Serendipity, the Scheepjes autumn CAL this year is by LillaBjorn, and it's very exciting. Using Overlay crochet, Mosaic crochet and Corner to corner crochet. So Pop over to the LillaBjorn website to find out more about the Spirits of Life CAL.

Crochet Tips: Starting Stitches

I've seen some different versions of the chainless starting stitch, I've no idea who invented this version, but I first found out about it from Moogly. You'll find her video tutorial Here. It took me a while to understand how to do it and get the hang of it, but it was well worth the effort. I now use this all the time. So here is my attempt to explain it. Please give it a go- you'll be glad you did!

Why would you want to? Well when you start a new row you begin with chain stitches to bring the yarn up to the right height. Sometimes these chain stitches are counted as a stitch and sometimes they're not. And what you're left with is something that just doesn't look quite right. They're not quite in the right place and they leave a little gap. Here's what you do.

Pull up a long loop, higher than you expect your stitch to be. (This is the bit that needs practise.)

Put your index finger (of the hook hand) on top of the loop to hold it in place, and twist loop around the hook.

Now holding on tight to the top of the loop, put the hook into the first stitch. This is when you find out if the loop is the right height. If you can't get the hook into the stitch then your loop is too short.

Yarn over the hook and pull up a loop.

Yarn over again and pull through both the first loop and the next 'pseudo' loop.

Yarn over again and pull through the remaining loops.

The last loop you pulled through is a bit baggy, put a stitch marker through this loop. It's where you will put your stitch on the next row.

This is what your row looks like now, doesn't that look so much better than using chain stitches.

Have a go yourself and pop over to Moogly and see the stitch in action!

Crochet Tips: Standing Stitches

Standing Stitches help to improve the look of your work and are so simple to do. There is no need to join a new yarn with a slip stitch and chain stitches.

Here I demonstrate a Standing Treble Stitch but the technique works the same with any size of stitch.

Start with a slip knot on the hook,

Yarn over the hook and insert in the starting position,

Complete the stitch as normal, and move on to the next stitch as normal.

 It's that simple but makes crocheting so much easier! This technique is for use when joining a new yarn. There is another technique for moving from one row or round to the next without the use of chain stitches, so we'll look at that next.

Free Pattern: Soap Saver Scruby Sock.

When ideas collide in my untidy mind I end up with something like The Soap Sock. If you were a child in the seventies like me you might remember soap savers. They made use of those annoying bits of soap you end up with as your bar of soap becomes too small for use otherwise. Bars of soap have gone out of fashion now but I'm about to launch a campaign to bring them back!! 

No not really! But the idea that collided with the soap saver began with the Greenpeace campaign to make us more responsible for the plastic bottles we use and reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in the sea. Standing in the shower one day I realised that the simple bar of soap has been replaced by so many unnecessary products. Add to that the fact that the night before I had been reading Rohn Strong's 'Step into Crochet' sock book and this is what you get. A stretchy nylon sock that fits over a bar of soap to become a Soap Saver Scrubby Sock!

The stitch I am using is a Back Loop Double Crochet, which when worked in alternating rows produces a very stretchy ribbed fabric. I claim that my patterns are colourful and convertible, but this one is white! Well take a look at the Anchor thread, you can definitely go as colourful as you like. As for convertible, this pattern fits your average bar of soap, if you want to go bigger or small just increase or reduce the number of Foundation Double Crochet stitches and stop crocheting when you think it's big enough.

Finished size; (unstretched!)
6cm (21/2") x 9.5cm (33/4")

What you will need; 
Approximately  40m of a No 5, washable metallised polyester thread, such as Twilleys Goldfingering or Anchor Artiste Metallic. 25g is about 100m.
2.5mm hook (size 4)
Tapestry needle
Stitch Marker 

NOTES: This pattern is written in English Terminology, the USA Terminology is in brackets. I am using Foundation Dc Version 2, see my earlier blog post for the photo tutorial. The instructions are also below.
FDc - Foundation Double Crochet (Foundation Single Crochet for USA)
BLDc - Back Loop Double Crochet (Back Loop Single Crochet for USA) Work Double Crochet stitches into the back loop.
Slst - Slip Stitch
St - Stitch
YO - Yarn over 
We will be working in rounds, but Turn at the end of each round. Keep your stitches loose, the idea is to make a stretchy bag. 

Foundation Round:
Ch2, FDc x 13
[To make these stitches: place hook in chain St furthest from the hook, YO and pull up a loop, YO and pull through 1st loop only; chain st made, YO and pull through both loops; dc made. For each subsequent St; place hook into chain St just made, YO and pull up a loop, YO and pull through 1st loop only, YO and pull through both loops.]
Now working back down the other side into the chain Sts,
3Dc in the end chain, Dc in each of the next 11 Sts, 3Dc in the end chain, Slst to start.     [13FDc, 17Dc]
Round 1:
Chain1,  BLDc in same St, (I find it helpful to put a stitch marker in this first St to avoid adding extra Sts when I return to this point) 
BLDc in each St around, Slst to start, Chain1, TURN.    [30Dc]

Round 2-29:
BLDc in each St around, Slst to start, Chain1, Turn.
Continue repeating round 2 until your sock is big enough to stretch right over a bar of soap.
Loop Handle:
(If you don't want a loop, simply fasten off at the end of your last round.)
We are now going to make a loop by creating a row of Foundation Double Crochet.
Having 'Ch1' at the end of your last round, work back into the dc at the base of this St and simply create a row of 24 Foundation Double Crochet Sts. Slst back into original dc and fasten off.
Weave in your loose ends ensuring that you go backwards and forwards and don't restrict the stretchiness of the fabric. Trim ends. That's it, definitely no need to block this one! The mitt is now ready to use or gift!

Let me know what you think and add your creations to the Ravelry page.😍