My Locker Hooked Table Mat

You may remember this post I wrote about my discovery of locker hooking and this post about my toilet mat that I used the locker hooking method on.

Well I finally got around to making a locker hooked project with the graph canvas and a genuine locker hook, following the correct procedure for locker hooking.

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I wanted to replace this doily with a larger and more dramatic centre piece for my dining room table.

I folded the edging over for about 3 spaces and used 5 strands of yarn for the edging. The I cut strips of this striped fabric for the first locker hooked row. Watching the tutorials had told me to cut the fabric about half an inch thick, so I did, but this fabric is quite thick and I ended up with blisters on my hand by tugging it through, it wasn't until I got further along with other colors that I realised that the material they were using is quite a thin material and I should not have cut my material so wide, once I got over that simple hurdle and used different width's to suit the thickness of each type of material I had chosen to use, it was quite smooth sailing.
                                     

Here are the materials I had been collecting for this project, just scraps from the second hand shop, well scraps to some but very useable to me.

In this picture you can get an idea of the size it is, my husband saw this stage and said it would take me for ever, he under estimated me

                                      

I cut the fabric strips as you would for rag crochet and I held 5 strands of yarn together when I used the yarn.

                                      

I took a chance and changed the pattern for the centre of the mat. I'm glad I did as I like the out come.

The under side of the mat does have loose bit's of material and some joining that you can see, I plan to cut and glue these pieces flat to finish it all off nicely.

I hope that you have enjoyed my locker hooked table mat experience.



Basic Crochet Crown For Hat, Using The Dc Stitch

I use this method to begin most of my hats, with or with out a stitch pattern added after increasing.

4.00mm hook 

8 ply yarn

Begin with 12 dc in a ring and increase in each round with the formula below.
12=24=36=48=60=72

For a child's crown, stop increasing on R5 =(60 dc)

US crochet terms used.

Directions:

Beginning ch 3 is the first dc of each round

Begin:

R1. Ch 4, work 11 dc into 1st ch of ch 4, sl st to top of ch 3 to join ring (12 dc)

R2. ch 3 and work 1 dc in same place as ch 3, work 2 dc in each dc around, sl st to top of ch 3 to join,

( 24 dc)

R3. ch 3, work 2 dc in next dc, *work 1 dc in next dc, work 2 dc in next dc* repeat from *to* around sl st to join. ( 36 dc)

R4. ch 3, work 1 dc in the next dc, work 2 dc in the next dc, *work 1 dc in the next 2 dc, work 2 dc in next dc,* repeat from *to* around, sl st to join ( 48 dc)

R5. ch 3 work 1dc in the next 2 dc, work 2 dc in the next dc, *work 1 dc in next 3 dc, work 2 dc in next dc,* repeat from *to* around, sl st to join (60 dc)

R6. ch 3,work 1 dc in the next 3 dc, work 2 dc in next dc, *work 1 dc in next 4 dc, work 2 dc in next dc,* repeat from *to* around, sl st to join (72 dc)

Once the basic crown is complete, you can create a pattern of your choice for the rest of your hat or continue in the dc st to finish.

Please note: 

Using a sc st for the remainder of the hat pattern will decrease the size of your hat.

If using a thicker yarn and larger hook for an adult size hat, stop decreasing on R5= (60 dc)

Crochet for Summer

Want to make some crochet gifts for Christmas but you live in a hot climate at that time of year?

Well you still can with the help of some light and airy crochet stitches.

Below is a solomons knot st shawl, it was my first attempt at this st also known as the lovers stitch.

I watched some you tube demonstrations then followed this pattern to make the shawl.

The only thing different I would have liked was for the pattern to begin with a row of sc then work the solomons st off that. I did add a row of hdc to the top of the shawl after I finished the pattern, it seems to hold the whole thing in place much nicer.

Below is a scarf I made from recycled yarn, I got the pattern from the pattern book, Crochet Inspiration, pattern number 97 on page 100 of the pattern book. If you do not have this particular pattern book it is a must have for the crochet enthusiast.

Below is a simple crochet filet st made in the cotton I obtained from the yarn purchase below. To make this more appealing I hand sewed rows of small seed beads across the scarf.

I bought this mess of yarn from the second hand shop for $5.00.

After about an hour of sorting this is the amount of yarn I had, not bad for the price.

I'll be back with some more summer crochet idea's to share with you all.

Here is a lovers knot wrap (solomons knot) from a reader who was happy to share her wrap with us all, thank you so very much, you can view her site here.

 

  Here is another solomons knot shawl from Catarina, I think I like it more than mine :) and here is what she has to say about hers.

"Here is mine, I decided to do it to use on neck cause the size of the stich was not very perfect and equal :P but i like it :P"

My Hexagon Jacket

Have you seen the hexagon jackets? Well I made mine into a short sleeve sloppy sweater.

I used a sweater for basic measurement as per the picture below, not a very accurate form of measurement as my garment turned out a bit sloppy, but I rather that than a tight fitting one as I also wanted room under neath it to wear a singlet/tank/t shirt.

I made a center piece in the form of a V to give the garment a bit of shape and to allow for the extra size I wanted in the center.

I filled in the back piece with some Tunisian crochet for a little bit of different texture.

All I had to do next was to give it more length, I pondered abut this for some time and I decided to crochet a few rows in the same stitch I had been using, I  tried it on and decided that would look the best for the rest of the garment, I don't like too many frills and the shape was very good.

Below is the front view of the picture of the garment finished

And here is the back view finished.

As I mentioned it is a little bit large, but looks quite alright on, it passed the hubby test, so that's fine in my book.

Here is a link to a free baby hexagon pattern, granny stitch and dc stitch.