Wednesday 16 September 2015

Summer Crochet

Summer crochet slows to a snail's pace at meo my crochet. I like to make things that are easy. I like to keep it simple and practical too. 

With this in mind, I decided to use my stash of Bernat Handicrafter cotton yarn making dish cloths and coasters. They are great to have on hand as hostess gifts. I have been working slowly, but steadily for the past six weeks. It takes one hour to crochet a dish cloth. A large ball of cotton yarn costs ~$16 at Lens Mills and will make about eight dish cloths. 

My pile has grown to the point where I have enough to consider selling. I wonder if people would pay $8 for a set of two dish cloths or perhaps four coasters? It's a good thing I crochet for fun and relaxation, otherwise I might be disappointed making less than $2 an hour for my efforts.
Summer crochet mostly happens in the living room. I sit on this sofa with my laptop to my right and my work piling up on the table in front of me.
 
All those dish cloths and coasters form a colourful display while I work. As you can see, I have more cotton yarn, so will continue making coasters. 
 
In case you would like to make your own dish cloths or coasters, I've included instructions below.

DISH CLOTH

Supplies Used:
Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Yarn
5.5 mm crochet hook
yarn needle
scissors

Stitches used:
ch (chain)
sc (single crochet)
flsc (front loop single crochet)
blsc (back loop single crochet)

Starting chain - 29

R1 - sc in 2nd ch from hook (28) 
Note: I like to crochet in back bump of starting chain as shown here.
R2 - ch1 turn, sc in 1st sc, flsc, blsc (repeat across), sc in last sc
R2 - ch1 turn, sc in 1st sc, flsc, blsc (repeat across), sc in last sc
Continue until dish cloth is square (fold diagonally to check)

Border: sc around, 3 sc in corners, finish off and weave in ends

Finished size: 8.5" x 8.5"

COASTER

I followed this free pattern by designer Nancy Livengood. I like the look and simplicity of this coaster. Using Bernat Handicrafter cotton yarn and a 5.5 mm crochet hook - the finished size is 4.5" across.


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2 comments:

  1. Well it keeps you busy doing something you enjoy. Pretty colours.

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  2. It's an active form of meditation for me. The colours are left over from all the fun baby blanket projects I've done in the past.

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