My First Pattern: Coin Cuff

A few days ago, I found myself itching to crochet something. My mind has been elsewhere, so I hadn't really picked up the hook in a few weeks. Unfortunately, this also meant that, while my fingers were itching, I had no pre-planned projects.

There I sat, sifting through projects on Ravelry looking for something relaxing to crochet that could be done from stash, and I was having no luck.

Eventually, I decided upon something that was going to require some extra effort on my part. In my favorites bin sat a knitted cuff with a pocket to hold a few coins, perhaps subway tokens or bus money. I had intended to keep it so that when I teach myself to knit, I would be able to make it. I had found the finished object, and really liked the look of it. Check it out from dyedinthewool!

I also love how environmentally-friendly it is, especially if crocheted with organic, sustainable yarns.

I decided to recreate it through crochet, which meant creating a pattern from scratch.

I have to say that the process was quite interesting, and I strongly feel that I learned so much, and hopefully will be able to improve on the pattern, and make new ones in the future. Here are the things that I took into consideration before I started:

• Colouration: I liked the rugged backpacking feel of the inspiration piece, and so I chose a grey. In the end, I couldn't help but crochet in some turquoise, which completely changed the feel of the piece. I think I need help!
• Look: I wanted a ribbed, matte look, rather than the shiny, bulky look seen in the example given by the pattern author, Mazz. I have small hands, and I didn't want to overpower them.
  
• Clasping: There had to be a way to close the pocket, and I debated between taking the opportunity to learn how to crochet a proper button hole, attaching snaps, or sewing on a button and crocheting a tie to go around it. I chose the tie method.

Crochet Pattern #1: Coin Cuff

inspired by Mazz's knitted Whisp and dyedinthewool's FO.

Hook: 4mm
Yarn: Sport weight.

FO Measurements: 5.40cm tall x ~17cm around inside, post-stretch x 5mm thick. Pocket, 5.40cm across, 5cm down from top. Flap, 5.40cm across, 3cm down, measuring from point of origin.

Terms (US):
ch = chain
st = stitch
hdc = half double crochet
sc = single crochet
sl st = slip stitch
** = indicates a section to be repeated.

Cuff:
ch 33.
hdc in second ch from hook. hdc across, 32 st.
ch 1. turn. sc across, 32 st.

Repeat the following 3 times:
*ch 1, turn. hdc across, 32 st.
ch 1, turn. sc across, 32 st.*

Pocket:
At this point, decide if you would like a taller cuff. If so, repeat ** until satisfied. If not, continue:

ch 1, turn. sc in first 12 st.
sl st across 8 st.
sc across remaining 12 st. Finish off.

Looking at your 8-stitch-wide gap (top), locate the dashes ( - - - - ) that make up the ribbing effect, that correspond to these 8 stitches. They should be in the bottom rib.

Attach yarn, 2 if you are using a second colour, to the first or the 8th bottom rib stitch (either is fine). Make a knot, and leave a tail. You can either sew it in after, or sweep it into the pocket and cut the tail short.

sc across in 8 rib stitches.
ch 1, turn.

Repeat the following, 7 times, or until you reach the top rib, not edge:
*sc across in 8 rib stitches. ch 1, turn.* Finish off, leave a tail.

Flap:
Attach yarn (2) from one side of the 8 sts at the top.

sc across 8 sts, a few rows, to preference. I chose 5. Remember that some of the length is shortened as it folds over.

turn. ch 7, sl st into 8th stitch across. Note: the length of chain depends on your button size. Fasten off.

Sewing:
Sew your pocket on by going up each side. Determine button placement, and sew it on using the same yarn (thread will not be strong enough). I chose the type of button that has a big hoop on the back, rather than holes from front to back, as this leaves more room for the chain.

Sew the two ends of the cuff together, or run a quick row of sc across each, fasten off and sew in those ends, and then attach snaps. Of course, your cuff will need to be much longer than desired size if you choose this option.

Sew in all ends discretely.

Adjustments for different measurements:
Depending on your gauge, hook size, yarn, and wearer, you may want a tighter or looser fit. To do this, simply crochet more than 33 st in the beginning, or less. To adjust the pocket to fit in the centre, simply perform this simple calculation.

Determine a width based on the widest object it should hold. In my case, the diametre of a Canadian toonie. Use your stitches as the width.

Mine, to comfortably fit a toonie or three, is 8 stitches. Given the 32-stitch band, I expect to have 12 stitches on either side of the pocket. 8 + 12 + 12 = 32.

Turquoise Market Bag

According to my Ravelry project logs, which are so handy, I began this eco-friendly bag on February 19th and finished it February 23rd. This is a standard turn-around time for me, although I took a bit of a break in March. Time to catch up on the blogging!

This bag is made from one skein of Designer Sport in "Pool" or turquoise. It is an amazing busywork pattern, because the mesh portion requires only that you know how to chain and single crochet.

This is a pattern posted by Patons, and although I love the bag, I wouldn't use this pattern again. The handles were the biggest pain I could possibly devise, and so I cheated when I made mine. The top rim was also not entirely to my liking. However, it does expand extremely well; unstretched, it is actually quite tiny!

This bag would easily fit in pockets, purses, and the like, and should carry yarn, produce, books, and anything else you'd like to stick in it, provided it isn't too small!

It is also fully washable, and only cost me $2 to make. I have a list of other, similar patterns in my Ravelry faves, and I'll let you know how they go when I've gotten around to them. Maybe when I've experimented enough using cheap yarn, I'll be able to justify making some out of organic cotton!

A Failed Experiment

I should have seen this coming. My first crochet project was such a smashing hit that my second would have to be a bit of a bumpy road. Either that, or I got cocky.

I chose a simple pattern worked in half-double crochet through back loops only. "Purple Haze Fingerless Gloves" can be found in the book, The Chicks With Sticks Guide to Crochet by Nancy Queen and Mary Ellen O'Connell.

After glorious nights of sitting quietly and hooking endless rows of stitches for my project bag, I really wanted something to do. So, despite the fact that I didn't have the right type of yarn, I forged ahead.

I chose a gorgeous Peacock Blue from Lion Brand. I believe it was a Jiffy Solid. It is quite fuzzy, and thick, and I ended up having to improvise along the way.

As I mentioned when I began the project, the measurements really didn't pan out. The following are my notes on why this is fine and dandy and what I learned from the whole process.

First of all, I learned that I should probably be more trusting of the pattern. The designers probably know a little bit more about measurement than I do. After all, mine ended up a full six inches wider around than they should have. This is my cue to whistle innocently.

After making this glove, I learned, finally, how to make a chain that even remotely resembles the proper gauge.

This is important because, if my foundation chain is three inches too tight, and I measure it to go around my wrist un-stretched, when I load up the full and fluffy stitches on top, the measurements end up a little off. Just a tad.

Unfortunately, making such a chain still seems to take me the better part of an hour. I have to fiddle a lot to make it big and loose enough, without leaving weird open loops, losing my ability to "see" the stitch, or oddly enough, gaining and losing stitches. It is not fun, but in the end, it is worth it.

So what will I do with this cute glove? I'm thinking of sewing up the thumb hole and either or both ends. It could be a small bag or wallet, perhaps. I'm taking suggestions!

Crochet Project Two: Fingerless Gloves

Tonight, I am looking forward to some much-needed downtime. I'm hoping to finish up the second panel of my January bag, as I've taken to calling it. I doubt I'll have time to attach the panels to each other tonight, but maybe by the end of the weekend.

Last night, I wanted to crochet so badly, but it was after 11:00 p.m. before I had the time, which ruled out working on the bag. Because I did not count my rows, and varied from the pattern some, I will need a block of time to wrap up the panel, matching it to the first.

I decided to snag some yarn from my stash and try my hand at the third pattern in the book I've been reading, The Chicks With Sticks Guide to Crochet, for a pair of fingerless gloves.

My love of such gloves knows no bounds.

Because I did not have the right type of yarn, I ended up doing and redoing my foundation chain so many times that I finally settled on a size 9.00mm hook (rather than the 5.00mm recommended).

I have to say, half double crochet is much harder than single crochet. Or rather, it is more awkward. You actually yarn over before you dip into the stitch, and I find myself using my left index finger to keep the yarn from slipping off before I make that move.

I also have some sneaking suspicions that I occasionally revert to sc, or some interesting variation thereof, although I'm not certain. The stitches aren't as pretty as the ones on my bag, but the yarn seems to be a bit fuzzier anyway, so once I've worn them a few times, no one should notice. Besides, that's what first projects are for, right?

My main worry is the measurement. I've been doing 27 stitches across, and it seems like it will be a perfectly loose fit before they ever stretch out. I'll totally rock 'em though.

Panel One, Done

Ahh, the sweet sensation of success. Last night, I parked myself down in front of my television set for a few hours and finished off the first panel of my bag. I haven't sewn in any of the ends yet, but it looks gorgeous.

Of course, this means that I still have one full panel to go. My measurements are a bit off, at 13.4 inches across and 19.6 tall, off from 14 inches by 19. This is mainly due to one dropped stitch at the beginning, and my inability to count rows. Replicating it should be easy enough though.

I did run into some trouble shaping the handle. Because this is my first time reading a pattern, and I've been doing it alone, I made one mistake when beginning the shaping. Instead of attaching a second ball, as is recommended, I decided to use only one, and simply cut it off when I was done the first side.

This would have gone fine, if not for one small oversight on my part. You work toward the middle, back, toward the middle, and back, and so on. Ideally, I would have done this for one side, cut it off at the corner of the panel, repeated this for the other side, and then beginning at that corner, made one more row, chained 13, and then continued on the one side.

Alas, I ended up having to cut and attach the ball of yarn three or four times because I ended the row in the middle rather than the corner, which would have resulted in one handle having one more row than the other! Oh well, that was easy enough.

The chaining didn't go as well. I thank my lucky stars that when I crocheted back over it, I did not drop a stitch, because each was very difficult to determine, and nearly impossible to shove my hook into, despite my best efforts to make a loose chain. Simply crocheting over that 13-chain probably took me well over half an hour. Now, to repeat the process!

In other news, I finally got my ravelry invitation today! I've spent all afternoon cataloguing my yarn, hooks, this project in-progress, adding the pattern to the database, joining groups, and much more! Find me as starlitafternoon.

Amazing Fingerless Gloves

Yesterday, my birthday present from Sam finally arrived! I had asked for some fingerless gloves, and I had my eye on a few listed on etsy.com. After some thought, I chose this pair from Lola and Emilin.

The gorgeous turquoise section comes from a sweater that happened to make its way into the dryer one fine day. I love that element, as well as the pairing of the grey crocheted hand pieces.

They're very warm, and allow for a lot of movement. I can even slip them on over a watch or my Medic Alert bracelet in a pinch if I'm cold.

They came thoughtfully packaged, and included two free handmade gift tags with owl imprints. I'm so happy with this purchase. I can't wait until I'm able to crochet my own gloves, although it will be quite some time before I'm able to do anything close to this.