Crochet Mug Cosies - Free Patterns

It has been good to get some instant gratification from smaller projects.  I played around and made these Mug Cosies.  I do not like cold tea so I will find these very useful.  Also I think they look cute.  Anything that adds more crochet to the home can't be bad.  I used my trusty 'Stylecraft Special DK'

 The Granny Stripe Cosy is a touch too large I used a chain of forty, I would only use a chain of 34 next time. Also because I love to drink tea, these are my largest, fattest mugs, so you would alter the size to fit your mug.

I only discovered crocheted rib when I made the cuffs on my socks.  This stitch is ideal for a cosy as it has lots of 'stretch'.

A Duo of Crochet Cup Cosies

These cup cosies are ideal for taking into the garden.  I am going to use one at work because somehow my tea always gets cold before I get to it.  One is worked in a traditional Granny Stripe, the other in Crocheted Rib.  These are very quick to make for a gift for ‘Someone who has everything.’  They would also be good fundraising makes.

Hook: 4.5mm

UK crochet terms:

Chain = Ch

Treble crochet = trb

Double crochet = dc

Granny Stripe Cup Cosy

Instructions

Make a chain to fit around your mug with multiples of 3 plus 1 ch for turning.

Work the foundation row by making 3 trb into the second stitch from the hook and then every alternate stitch along the row.  1 chain to turn.

Change colour and make 3 ch, make three trb into each cluster space of the previous row to the end, end with 1 treble in the last stitch, 1 ch to turn.

Repeat these two row three times.  Work 1 more row to end with your main colour.

To Make Up

Sew in the ends and add two buttons, I used the spaces between the granny clusters as button holes.

Crocheted Rib Mug Cosy

Instructions

Make a chain of 13 stitches. Turn,

In the second stitch from the Hook working through the back strand only, work a row of Double crochet, 1 chain to turn at the end of the row.

Repeat this row, changing colour as required until your cosy will stretch around your mug.  Remember rib is stretchy.

Work two rows of double crochet loosely and evenly around the whole cosy to finish off.

To Make Up

Sew in the ends and add to buttons.  Work button loops out of chain stitch and sew these to the cosy.

Granny Stripe Owl - Pattern Free Download

Granny Stripe Owl Pattern - Free Pattern

Materials: Stylecraft ‘Special’ Double knit.

Colours:

Col 1: Border colour, wings and tail.

Col 2 and 3:  for body

Col 4: for the beak

Col 5:  Eye centre.

Col 6: Eye outer colour

2 buttons for eyes.

Hook Size:  4.5mm

Abbreviations:

Chain - ch

Double Crochet – dc

Treble Crochet – tr

Single Crochet – sc

The main body of the owl is worked in treble clusters.

Instructions:

Base of Tail:

With Col 1:

Make 6ch,  

In 2^nd ch from hk make a 3 trbcl, *5 ch, sk 1 ch. 3trbcl into next chain, Rep from * once more. Do not fasten off.

Body:

Turn work upside down. Work as follows into the unused loops of the beginning chain.

Row 1:             With Col 2, ch 1, 2 dc into 1^st lp, 1 dc into next lp, 3 dc in next dc, 1 dc in next lp, and 2 dc in last loop. (9dc). Turn.

Row 2:            Beg trbcl into 1^st dc, * ch 1, sk 1 dc, trbcl into next dc. Rep from * to end. ( 5 trbcl including beg trbcl.) Change colour on the last stroke of the trbcl to alternate colour of body. Turn.

Row 3:            Ch3, * trbcl into 1 ch space, ch 1. Rep from * three more times, 1 tr into top of last trbcl from Row 2. ( 4 trcl). Change colour on the last stroke of the tr. Turn.

Row 4:            Beg trbcl into tr,  * ch 1, sk 1 dc, trbcl into next 1 ch sp. Rep from * twice more, ch 1, trbcl into 3ch space. ( 5 trbcl including beg trbcl.) Change colour on the last stroke of the trbcl to alternate colour of body. Turn.

Repeat Rows 3 and 4  four more times. (11 rows of clusters)

Border

Row 1:          With Col1 – from tail, make 1 dc evenly around the body of the owl, making two dc in each corner to ease, 1 dc in each of the chains in tail. It is important to keep the dcs evenly as you should be able to get two dc’s in each of the sides of the trbcl rows.

Join to first dc with sl st.

Row 2:            In this row you will make the ears.

Ch 1, 1 dc into same space as joining, 1 dc into each dc from prev round, making 2 dc in each corner dc. Continue until you reach the stitch just before the corner of the ear, and work as follows: ch, 1 trbcl into dc, 2 ch, 1 trbcl into same dc, ch 1, continue with dc until the next ear.

Continue round, and joining with sl st into first dc. Fasten off.

Wings:

In Colour 1, join col into dc in line with base of third row of body and work as follows:

Row 1:             Work 1 beg trb cl into 1 dc, * ch 1, sk 1 dc, trbcl into next dc. Rep from * twice more. (4 trb cl including beg trbcl.) Turn.

Row 2:            Work 1 beg trbcl into 1^st trb cl, *ch 5, 1 trcl into 1 ch space. Rep from * twice more, 5 ch, 1trbcl into last trb cluster. Fasten off.

 Repeat for other side of Owl being careful to match alignment of wing.

Eyes:

Make two the same:

With colour no 6, Chain 5, join with sl st to form a ring.

Row 1:             Make Make 9 dc into ring. Join with sl st to first dc, changing colour in the sl st.

Row 2:            Ch1, 1 dc into same ch as joining, * 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into each of the next 2 dc, Rep from * once more, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into last dc. Join with sl st to first dc.

Row 3:            Ch1, 1 dc into same ch as joining, * 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into each of the next 3 dc, Rep from * once more, 2 dc into next dc, 1 dc into each of the next 2 dc. Join with sl st to first dc. Fasten off.

 Beak:

Make 7 ch.

Row 1:             1 dc into 2^nd chain from hook, 1 dc into each ch to end. (6 dc) Turn.

Row 2              Ch 1 (counts as a dc), skip next dc, 1 dc into each dc to end) (5 dc).

Repeat Row 2, decreasing 1 st on each row until only 1 st remains.

Fasten off.

Making up:

Sew in all ends.

Sew on the eyes and the beak positioning as per the picture.

Make Ear tufts using weaving in ends made into little tassels and sewing

to the front of the ears.

Block carefully under steam paying attention to the wings and tail. Pin out if necessary. 

Crochet Dishcloth (Pattern Download) - Kinder to the environment and Thrifty, Reduce Your Paper Towel Usage

This is my latest finished project.  It has been my portable project.  I have worked on it when I have been a passenger in the car.  I have also worked on it in waiting rooms for appointments with my son.  My proudest 'public' crochet moment has to be last week, I took it to the Cinema when my six year old and I went to watch 'Rio'. (Which is a fabulous movie by the way.)  I crocheted in the dark wearing 3D glasses, so please forgive any technical errors you may spot!  It is made with two strands of 4 ply cotton and a 5mm hook and is a simple double crochet square.  It turned out rather larger and thicker than intended, but it should be durable and last a long time. I am trying to cut down on Paper Towel usage for thrift and environmental reasons.  I intend to make a collection of these.  I remember my Grandmother knitting garter stitch 'String' dishcloths when I was a child.  They would then be boiled to clean them on the top of the oven.  I will chuck mine in the washing machine. 

Download Pattern for 'Simple Durable Double Crochet Dishcloth' Here

Remember These

Come From Trees!



I took this photograph standing inside my front door.  We love this huge Sycamore Tree.



Paper Towels - 3,000 Tons of Landfill Waste Each Day by Sam Greyhawk

"With over 90% of US households taking advantage of the convenience of paper towels we produce over 3,000 tons of waste each day. Is this problem insurmountable? No - if each home simply replaced one roll of their traditional paper towels with paper towels made from recycled paper, we could avoid wasting 3.4 million cubic feet of landfill space and prevent 864,000 trees from being cut down.

The Benefits of Recycled Paper Towels

By using recycled paper towels we are doing much more than just reducing landfill waste. According to Ideal Bite, "For every ton of 100% recycled paper that is bought, about 4000kWh of energy and 7,000 gallons of water are saved. It also avoids releasing 60 lbs of pollutants into the air."

Reducing Paper Towel Waste

Even using recycled paper towels people tend to have wasteful habits. What can you do to graciously help remind people to reduce their paper towel consumption? You can participate in campaigns against consumer paper waste. It is these very wasteful habits that motivate projects like "These Come From Trees."

"Remember... These Come From Trees"

(Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1070655)

'Meadowsweet' Crochet Cot Blanket - Free Pattern

I have been meaning to write the 'Pattern' up for this blanket for a couple of months.  It is a simple Granny stripe.  The stripes are alternating 'Granny' treble clusters and double crochet. (UK Crochet)  The colour combinations are endless and very much down to personal preference.  I have a 'thing' for pinks and sage green at the moment.  The main colour I used is called 'Meadow', Hence I named the blanket 'Meadowsweet'.  I liked the effect of breaking the 'Granny Stripe' rows with a contrasting main colour in Double Crochet and as it is a three row pattern, the Double crochet row's appearance alternates in width.

I edged the blanket with Double Crochet and 'Carnival Edging' it looks like rows of mini bunting.  Once you have the basic blanket you could edge it in any number of ways.  If you make any mistakes it is a very forgiving pattern and the edging evens out the finish.

‘Meadowsweet’ Cot Blanket

Granny Stripe with alternate Double Crochet

I used seventeen colours of Stylecraft DK purchased as a ‘Lucy Pack’.

Colour pack contents: 
1422 : aspen 
1065 : meadow 
1316 : spring green 
1003 : aster 
1019 : cloud blue 
1068 : turquoise 
1188 : lavender 
1034 : sherbet 
1432 : wisteria 
1061 : plum 
1084 : magenta 
1390 : clematis 
1132 : shrimp 
1083 : pomegranate 
1241 : fondant 
1246 : lipstick 
1081 : saffron

Hook Size:  4.5mm

This makes a large Cot Blanket.

Abbreviations:

Chain - ch

Double Crochet – dc

Treble Crochet – tr

Slip stitch - slst

Instructions:

Chain 181.

Turn and crochet 3 trebles into the second chain from the hook. (This forms a treble cluster)

Miss 2 chain and repeat 3 tr miss 2 chain to the end of the row.  Turn and make 3 ch.  3 treble into every tr cluster space of the previous row, repeat to the end to form the second row.

Third row choose your main colour (in this case Meadow Stylecraft DK ) and crochet 1 dc into each of the previous tc.  This forms a solid row of double crochet.

Fourth row change colour again and make 1 chain.  Crochet 3 tr into the first dc of the previous row.  Miss two stitches and repeat 3 tr in every 3^rd dc.   3ch to turn.

Fifth row: tr in each of the spaces between the tr clusters from the fourth row.

Repeat these five rows changing colour to the main colour for a double crochet row after each two rows of treble clusters.

Repeat striping for 37 pairs of treble cluster rows.

For The Edging:

Double Crochet around the entire blanket 3 times.  At the corners use 1ch to turn the corner, 1dc, 1ch.  For the ‘Carnival Edging’ Slip stitch into first stitch.

*Into the next stitch make single crochet, one double crochet, chain 3

slip stitch into the third chain from the hook (you have just make a picot stitch)

one double crochet, one single crochet, Slip stitch into the next two stitches*

Between the * and the * is the sequence, so repeat the ** instructions until you have finished the round!