I like crocheting socks from the toe-up. You can try them on as you go and adjust the calf length to the amount of yarn remaining. I also like to crochet the heel as I go; no after-thoughts for me. The custom fit is better and you’re finished when the cuff is done. I designed this pattern so I could crochet socks my way – toe up in one piece with a gusseted heel.

• MC: Gedifra Fashion Trend Sportivoe (70% superwash wool, 23% polyamid, 7% polyester, 200m/50g), color – 5768, 2 balls per pair
• Substitute: About 400m of any sock yarn  
• US F/3.75mm hook for body of sock
• US E /3.5mm hook for cuff
• Yarn needle
• Stitch markers

S [M, L]

Circumference of foot: 8 [8.75,9.5] inches

Length: to fit

20 esc / 20 rows = 4 inches

Gauge is measured over extended single crochet. Row gauge is not terribly important since you will crochet the sock to fit a measured length. If you have trouble obtaining the specified stitch gauge, try following the directions for the next smaller or larger size to ensure a good fit.

Pattern is worked primarily in the round. Do not turn or join rounds unless directed otherwise.

Stitch markers are used to mark the increases in the toe section and then are not used again until you reach the ankle/heel area. Markers should be moved up in the same stitch in each round. Once you complete the toe, you can remove the markers, crochet in the round til you reach the ankle, and then replace them. Or move the markers up with each round if you prefer. It is helpful to use a distinct marker to mark the start of the round, to distinguish it from the mid-round marked stitch. I use 2 safety pins hooked together to mark the start of the round and single pins everywhere else.

For simplicity and symmetry, increases are always made in pairs, before and after each marked stitch. Increases are made by crocheting two stitches (either sc or esc as applicable) in the specified stitch.

When crocheting the first few rows of the heel, I sometimes find it difficult to distinguish between the heel stitches and the next unworked foot stitch. For this reason, I mark the first and last stitch of the heel as well as the next unworked foot stitch on both ends of the heel. While moving the markers can be a pain, it allows for mindless crocheting of the heel. After the first few rows, when the heel is established and it’s easier to tell the stitches apart, I dispense with the markers.

Special Stitch Patterns:

Extended single crochet (esc): Insert hook in next stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through one loop, yarn over and pull through both loops. (Sort of like making a chain stitch at the beginning of your single crochet stitch.)

Fpdc & bpdc (front post double crochet & back post double crochet, respectively): See instructions here.

Toe

With MC and larger hook, ch 11.

Round 1: Sc in 2nd chain from hook and in each chain across, continue sc up other side in free loops of chain (20 sc).

Ah, the sack dress. You remember them. Those baggy shapeless, sleeveless sacks with straight sides that dove to the floor – and just about everyone wore one with a white t-shirt. If you were feeling kind of sexy, yours might have had strings that tied in the back. Ten years ago it was a wardrobe staple. Now it’s a “What was I thinking and why is it still in my closet?” Somehow this dress escaped my last closet purge. Call it the allure of linen. I could donate this dress to charity, but why not give it a second chance as my new spring purse?

• MC: One long, straight sack dress. 20” wide x 45” long (armpit to hem measurement) or about 1 1/4 yds. of 42” wide fabric, which will yield approximately 110 yds of 1/2” fabric yarn. Look for mid-weight cotton or cotton blends. This dress was a 50% cotton/50% linen blend.
• CC1: One silk or satin slip or blouse for lining, or about 1/2 yd of lining fabric.
• US P / 10.0 mm crochet hook
• Yarn needle
• Seam ripper
• Cutting implements to cut up the dress (scissors and a ruler or a rotary cutter, plastic ruler and cutting mat with a grid)
• Scissors
• Washable marking pen/pencil (a regular #2 pencil may also work, for darker fabrics use 1/4” paper tape)
• Pins
• Sewing thread to match the lining and sack fabric
• Sharp sewing needle
• Sewing Machine (optional)
• Iron (optional)

9” wide x 6.5” high x 4.5” deep

7 dc / 4.5 rows = 4”

The raw edges of the strips will fray. This can be very messy when you are working on your sack. If you do not want a frayed look to your sack or you do not want to deal with the mess, you will need to use 5 yds. of fabric cut into 2” strips. Sew each strip together. Press the strip in half and then fold and press each raw edge to the center press line. Using a bias tape maker can help you do this faster. Roll into a ball.

Beginning ch 2 counts as 1st dc.

The body of the sack is worked in the round; use a stitch marker in the first stitch of each round and do not turn at the end of each round.

The flap and strap of the sack are worked in rows. Turn at the end of each row.

Dress Prep

1. Remove the seams, hem and facings of the dress using a seam ripper. Use an iron to press out any creases.
2. Using your cutting implements, cut the front and back of the dress into 1/2” strips from the hem to the shoulders.
3. To join the strips of fabric using one of the following methods:
1. Sew the strips together on a sewing machine. Roll into a ball.
2. Cut a small vertical slit into each end of every strip. Insert strip B 1” into a slit in strip A. Pull the long tail of strip B through the slit of strip B. Pull tight and repeat (see photo). Roll into a ball.

When I was in high school, a push for environmental awareness was sparked by concern over the ozone layer. The US government managed to ban CFCs during this time and recycling programs sprouted up in towns all over the country. And then, well, some other crisis caught the media’s attention and it seems like over the last 15 years, the nation took the proverbial “one step back” after its “two steps forward.”

As attention turns once more en masse to the protection of the environment, it’s important to remember that arguably the most important of the “3 Rs” is not “recycle,” but “reduce.” When we keep resources out of the consumption cycle all together, we don’t have to worry about reusing or recycling them.

It’s with that in mind that I created this mesh tote, suitable for getting groceries home from the store and reducing the need to use store-provided bags. Reusable for years to come, you will prevent the need to recycle many shopping bags over the lifespan of the tote. And, in case you are somewhat of a shopaholic, the base of the bag is a filet-crochet rendering of the Reduction symbol to remind you to consider whether you really need something before you put it in the bag. (If you don’t want to lecture yourself while shopping, I’ve included a blank graph, too, so you can design your own bag bottom.)

The bag has a pocket on the front that can hold your keys and wallet while you shop. When you get home, you can fold the bag up and invert the pocket over it to store the bag until you need it again. (It reduces in size, too!) Also, the mesh construction of the bag makes it perfect for trips to the beach. Stow it in another bag and take it out when you are leaving to pack up sandy clothes, towels and seashells.

Want to increase your earth-friendly impact? Poke around in a thrift store for the ever-present wayward balls of crochet cotton and use those instead of buying new. See if you have some buttons lying around the house either on old clothes that are too damaged to be donated or from the replacement buttons that come with some shirts. The sample bag was made entirely out of thrift-store finds and cost less than $2 in materials. I love when good for the earth is good for your pocketbook, too!

• Copious amounts of scrap crochet cotton in size 10 (to be used double-stranded throughout), size 3, or size 5. Sample used the following:
• MC: Coats & Clark South Maid (100% mercerized cotton, 400 yds per ball), White, 2 balls required
• CC1 Coats & Clark Royale Classic Crochet Cotton (100% mercerized cotton, 350 yards per ball), 401-Orchid Pink, 2 balls required
• CC2: Small amount of size 10 mercerized cotton in brown (about 30-40 yards)
• US E / 3.5mm crochet hook
• Yarn needle
• 4 split ring stitch markers
• 4 half-inch buttons
• Straight pins

18”w x 4.5”d x 15”h (measurements given are taken when the bag is relaxed and exclude the handles)

19 dc / 9.5 rows = 4 inches

While gauge is technically unimportant in a bag such as this, it can have an effect on the size of buttons you can use to secure the pocket flap. So, if you don’t take time to check your gauge, be aware that you may need slightly larger or smaller buttons. And, of course, be sure to work at a consistent gauge throughout.

Any time there is a color change noted in the pattern (or, indeed, anywhere you like) you can switch from using double stranded size 10 crochet cotton to a single strand of size 3 or size 5. The bag was designed to use scraps of crochet cotton, so feel free to get creative. The only suggestion is to use one yarn continuously through the mesh portion of the bag, as it is harder to securely weave in ends over the mesh stitches.

Special Stitch Patterns:

dc2tog (decrease): Yo, insert hook in stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook, yo, insert hook into specified stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook, yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook.

dc3tog (double decrease): Yo, insert hook in stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook, yo, insert hook into specified stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook, yo, insert hook into specified stitch, yo and pull up a loop, yo, pull through 2 loops on hook, yo and pull through all 4 loops on hook.

Note: When working the Motif Pocket, dc2tog and dc3tog are referred to as clusters.

Working a filet crochet chart: Think of each vertical line as one stitch and each block as two stitches. You will always work a dc for a vertical line. A block that is filled in is worked as 1 dc in each of the next 2 stitches. An empty block is worked by chaining two and skipping the next two stitches. To turn, ch 2 (counts as first dc). There's a good tutorial here.

SAVE YOUR SCRAPS!

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: I have a little problem. Unless it's only a few inches long, I cannot throw yarn away. I even bought a bag of scrap yarn and odd balls from a thrift store once! This isn't really a bad thing. I don't like to waste yarn and my efforts to work through my stash of scraps have resulted in many creative ideas, patterns (many of which are on this site), and interesting FOs.

I am not alone in my efforts to use oddments and odd balls -- one may draw inspiration from the Odd Balls Knitting and Crocheting Flickr group.

I never had a hot water bottle until I moved to Glasgow, and now I wish I'd started using one before. I like to keep the heat off at night to save energy, but even under piles of blankets I am always a bit chilly when I first go to bed. A hot water bottle is a great way to keep cozy and warm -- I even like to use mine to keep my toes warm when I'm sitting at my desk at home. The thing is, if you want your hot water bottle to stay warm all night, you have to use really hot water, but then the hot water bottle is too hot to cuddle. That's why you need a hot water bottle cozy.  

I designed two versions. One is Fair Isle-inspired and is worked in the round using the tapestry crochet technique for part of it. The other is a patchwork cozy and is worked flat.

If you don't like the anchor chart provided, find a knitting or crochet chart and work from that. But c'mon, I had to use a nautical theme for my hot water bottle. I just couldn't help myself!

If you don't have a hot water bottle, you can use this pattern to make a bag or a pillow cover instead. Or not. Either way, I'm right. Just don't throw away your scraps!

• Approximately 400 yards (370 m) scrap yarn is enough for either cozy (this is a generous estimation, you might not need that much). Worsted or aran weight is recommended for the pattern -- for thinner yarns, try using two complimentary strands at once; for thicker yarns, I recommend making the cozy a few stitches narrower and a few rows shorter to ensure a proper fit.
• US G/7 (4.50 mm) hook or size needed to obtain gauge
• Yarn needle
• Stitch Marker

Will fit standard size hot water bottle, 8" x 11" (20 cm x 28 cm), not including the 'neck.' The Patchwork Cozy, 10" x 11" (25 cm x 28 cm), is a bit roomier than The Anchor Cozy, 8.5" x 11.5" (22 cm x 29 cm).

The Patchwork Cozy: 16 sts x 17 rows of sc in the round = 4" (10 cm)

The Anchor Cozy: 15 sts x 16 rows of sc in the round = 4" (10 cm)

Pick colors that go together -- your project may be a real eyesore if you use colors or color combinations that don't work well together.

When working color changes from the anchor chart, I find it looks best to change color mid-stitch. For a single crochet stitch, the final yo and draw-through is done with the new color. Additionally, while working with one color, 'carry' the other by crocheting over it. This color-changing technique is known as tapestry crochet and is explained by Carol Ventura. (Ed. note: Also see Carol's Get Your Ducks in a Row pattern from this issue.)

Although I designated the colors for the anchor chart as MC (the background color) and CC (the anchor color), feel free to change either color as often as you'd like. For ideas and inspiration, I like to look at knitted Fair Isle pieces because they have marvelous color combinations and often change color every few rows.  

Also, please note that when working tapestry crochet in the round from the anchor chart, as well as any knitting chart, the finished work will turn out looking slightly italicized, or on a slant. This is normal and is due to crochet stitches being slightly off-set from round to round.  

You may wish to carry a yarn throughout The Anchor Cozy so that the thickness and drape is the same throughout. If you do not wish to carry a yarn throughout the pattern, you may wish to switch to lighter weight yarns, such as DK or sport weight yarns, when working the tapestry crochet section from the anchor chart.

The Patchwork Cozy

Big Squares (make 4, using any colors or combo of colors you like)

Ch 17, turn.  

Nothing says spring like flowers! This belt is a quick and fun “I’m so glad it’s finally warming up” gift for every girl you know! Go chic with a vintage buckle and yarn from a thrifted, recycled sweater. Or, glam it up with shimmery silk yarn and beaded fringe. Make it casual in cotton for a walk in the park. Proper fitting doesn’t get any easier than this measure-as-you-go belt. Wrap your waist (and everyone else’s) in this versatile bouquet.

• Yarn of your choice (shown is Bernat Cool Crochet in Neapolitan shades, 200 yds per 50 g).  Belt shown used ½ a skein)
• Plastic cabone rings by Boye (belt shown used twenty ¾”. rings.)
• Crochet hook of your choice (belt shown used, US H / 5.00mm)
• Yarn needle
• Belt hardware of your choice
• Beads (optional)

Custom

Not important.

Special Stitch Patterns:

Cluster (cl): *Yo, insert hook through ring, draw up loop, yo, pull through 1 loop, yo, pull through 2 loops,* rep from * to * 2 more times. Yo, pull through all 4 loops on hook.

Flower Pattern: Ch 1, drop ring over hook, sl st around ring and pull tight. When making first 3 petals, work over sl st and connecting st between current flower and the previous one.  Ch 4, cl, ch 3, sl st around ring, *ch 2, cl, ch 3, sl st around ring,* rep from * to * 4 more times (6 petals total). Insert hook into ring and draw up loop, insert hook from front to back through the back of first 2 loops on ring, yo, and pull through all loops on hook, pull tight (one flower made).

Bead tapestry crochet and bead spinners were made for each other! Since tapestry crochet is done with a minimum of two threads, each thread may be strung with a single bead color. Only the color that is needed at the time is crocheted to form the motif while the other thread is carried. The bead falls to the back of the stitch and the colored threads contribute to the pattern and the substantial fabric that provides the basket’s structure. This flexible medium offers fantastic design potential since the design is not locked in – colors can be changed at any point!

• MC: Coats and Clark Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet Thread size 3 (cotton, 150 yds / 137 meters per ball) 1 Plum ball required
• CC1: Coats and Clark Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet Thread size 3 (cotton, 150 yds / 137 meters per ball) 1 Bridal White ball required
• CC2: Coats and Clark Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet Thread size 3 (cotton, 150 yds / 137 meters per ball) 1 Warm Blue ball required
• CC3: Coats and Clark Aunt Lydia’s Fashion Crochet Thread size 3 (cotton, 150 yds / 137 meters per ball) 1 Maize ball required
• US Steel crochet hook size 1 (2.25 mm)
• Fire Mountain Gems #8 seed beads, 1098 Light Amethyst required
• Fire Mountain Gems #8 seed beads, 900 Clear required
• Fire Mountain Gems #8 seed beads, 1440 Light Blue required
• Fire Mountain Gems #8 seed beads, 468 Amber required
• Fire Mountain Gems beading needles, 4 heavy twisted wire beading needles required
• Stitch marker

4¾” (12.07 cm) diameter by 4” (10 cm) high

32 stitches / 32 rows = 4 inches (10 cm)

This basket is worked as a spiral, not in concentric rings, so do not join rounds. To keep track of where each round ends, slip a stitch marker into the top of the last st of the round. Remove the marker from the st and slip it into the new last st at the end of each round.

When changing from one color to another in sc, the final yo and draw-through is done with the second color. Additionally, one yarn is "carried" while the other is being crocheted. This technique, which should be applied throughout this pattern, is known as the tapestry crochet stitch and is illustrated in detail here.

To do a bead tapestry crochet st, insert the hook, slide a bead down next to the crochet hook and project, then continue crocheting the stitch, capturing the bead, which will fall to the back of the st. This stitch is referred to as "bead sc" throughout the pattern.  

Either by hand or with a bead spinner, string all the Light Amethyst beads onto MC, the Clear beads onto CC1, the Light Blue beads onto CC2, and the Amber beads onto CC3. Push the beads down, leaving yard-long pieces without beads on the threads.

Pattern

Wi

Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of Madagascar. In its isolation, many species developed that would be found nowhere else in the world – most famously, the Mauritius Dodo. Standing three feet high and unable to fly, how strange it must have looked to the sailors who discovered it! To Europeans it seemed stupid, a bird without the sense to run when humans came near and that laid its one, large egg on the ground without any precautions against predators.

Of course, the dodo was not stupid. There were simply no predators on the island to guard against before the arrival of humans – and while the extinction of the dodo is often laid at the feet of hunters, numerous references to the disgusting taste of dodo meat make it unlikely that the dodo was hunted to its infamous extinction. At least – it wasn’t hunted down by humans, but by the creatures they brought with them. Rats, dogs, and pigs all contributed to the dodo’s doom by hunting their chicks or eating their vulnerable eggs. Less than 100 years after its discovery, the dodo bird was extinct.

The dodo became famous as one of the earliest and most dramatic examples of extinction in recorded human history. Now you can bring the dodo back to life with a little bit of yarn and some stuffing – but remember, folks: extinction is forever.

• MC: Red Heart Super Saver (100% acrylic, 278 yds/ 254 meters per 141 g/5 oz.), Grey Heather – about 30 yds
• CC1: Black – about 5 yds
• CC2: White – about 5 yds
• CC3: Carrot – about 5 yds
• US G/6 4.25mm crochet hook
• Yarn needle
• Small amount Fiberfill or other stuffing
• 2 black 11mm (7/16”) shank buttons
• Sewing needle and black thread (to attach buttons)
• Stitch marker, to keep track of rounds

4¼” tall x 5½” long x 3½” wide

14 sc x 15 rows in sc = 4 inches (10cm)

Note: This pattern may be made in any gauge and yarn combination that produces firm, tight stitches. Using a significantly different yarn weight or hook size will produce a dodo of a different size than the one pictured.

Do not join rounds unless directed.

When assembling a stuffed animal made with small parts, sometimes it is helpful to leave long yarn ends on the pieces themselves and use those ends to sew pieces together. (That is the technique used here.) This is merely one possible method and, as always, your favorite method of assembly may be used.

To help keep track of rounds, place a stitch marker in the first stitch of the round. Move the marker up as your work progresses.

Body

With MC, ch 2.

Rnd 1: Work 6 sc in the second ch from the hook.

Rnd 2: Work 2 sc in each st around. (12 sc)

Rain is almost constant during the winter in the Pacific Northwest, and though most people who live here refuse to use an umbrella on a daily basis, there are times we have no choice. Last Christmas Eve was one of those times on Vancouver Island, BC: my husband and I were visiting Butchart Gardens’ light displays in the middle of a storm that knocked power out to 10,000 people on the other side of the island. After we had our walk in the pouring rain, we stopped in the café for some hot chocolate; as we waited in line to order I watched my umbrella leak all over the floor. I had terrible visions of people walking by and slipping on the water and breaking their tailbones or something. So these Tunisian crochet umbrella covers were borne on the way home that night.  

These brolly covers (brolly is Aussie slang for umbrella) are perfect to take with you on your commute, and when you’re finished you can slip your umbrella inside and the cotton will absorb the drips. Perfect for spring showers!

• Lily Sugar ‘n Cream (worsted weight cotton, 805 yards per 454 grams), 1 skein each of black, light brown, yellow, light blue, dark blue, pink, purple, red
• US F (3.75mm) Tunisian crochet hook
• US F (3.75mm) crochet hook (for base circle & top edge)
• Yarn needle

Cover A fits compact, folding umbrellas that are 11” long when closed.

Cover B fits golf umbrellas that are 37” long when closed.

8 Tss / 6 rows = 1.5 inches

Measure your umbrella before beginning.  You may wish to add or omit a few rows to the top of the cover so it will fit your umbrella better.

If your golf umbrella has a very pointy end, you may want to cut a circle of felt from an old felting swatch (recycle!) or crochet a second circle to attach to the inside bottom of the tube so the pointy end of the umbrella can't poke through.

Special Stitch Pattern

Tunisian Simple Stitch (Tss): See the great tutorial here.

Always change color on a forward pass for this project. You can let the unused color run behind your work, or for spaces where you will carry the yarn for more than an inch or two, make a few small balls of yarn for each color and use them instead.

On a return pass that uses more than one color, the second loop from the end of your hook is the color you want to pull through the two loops.

To increase at the beginning of a forward pass, insert your hook between the first and second stitches and draw up a loop,insert your hook in the second stitch as usual and draw up a loop.  Continue as normal. To increase at the end of a forward pass, insert your hook between the second-to-last and last stitches and draw up a loop, insert your hook in the last stitch as usual and draw up a loop. Continue as normal.

Cover A: Compact Umbrella

With yellow cotton and regular hook, work 6 sc into magic loop and pull loop closed.

Spring can be chilly, so a wool cap ain't out of season. Worked up in oh-so-appropriate green yarn, this one is super simple, with a twist. Textured stitches are worked doubled, through first the back and then the front loop of the stitch. Totally nifty.

• MC: Patons Merino Wool-1 skein (3½ ounces/100 grams, 223 yards) -- I used approximately 1/3 skein. Color Deep Olive
• CC: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes (50 grams, 100 yards) -- I used approximately 20 yards. Color Avocado
• (One skein of each is enough to make at least two skull caps, with lots of leftovers from the Knit Picks -- perfect scrap yarn project)
• J (6.0 mm) hook
• I (5.5 mm) hook
• Tapestry needle

Fits an average sized head (about 21½” in circumference). To make smaller (for a child), skip Round 6. To make larger (about 23” in circumference), add another increase round after Round 6 and work Round 9 twice. For the well above average head, add two increase rounds after Round 6 and work Round 9 three times.

13 dc = 4" using J (6 mm) hook

Back Front Single Crochet (bfsc):  Insert hook in back loop of stitch and draw up a loop, insert hook in front loop of same stitch and draw up a loop (2 loops on hook), yo and draw through all three loops on hook.

You might question the idea of a crocheted apron, but this is not your mother’s apron!  This is an apron with style that reaches beyond the kitchen. You can wear the piece apron-style with it open in the back or you can wear it open in the front like a jumper. Also, it can be worn as a fashion statement, or it can be worn for practical purposes as a “true” apron in the kitchen or garden. Finally, you can wear this garment year round! Wear it in the winter with a sweater under it or with a tank in the summer.

An added bonus is that this apron design supports a sustainable environment. I chose to use hemp, which is one of the most sustainable fibers. According to information from Lanaknits Designs Hemp for Knitting, hemp is one of the strongest and longest-lasting fibers. The plant (cannabis sativa) that hemp comes from is one of the world’s best renewable resources. It can grow just about anywhere, including on land that is otherwise unusable for other crops. Interestingly, hemp does not require pesticides or herbicides because insects do not like it, and it grows even more rapidly than weeds.

This is a simple piece to crochet. It includes only a few different crochet stitches and easy color changes. The wrap style is practical for a tunic-length garment as you can sit down and not worry about quickly stretching out a hand-crocheted item.

• MC: Hemp for Knitting, All Hemp 6, DK Weight, 100% hemp, 165yd/150 m per 100g/3.5 oz.,  color – Avocado, 7 (8, 9, 10, 11) skeins
• CC: Hemp for Knitting, All Hemp 6, DK Weight, 100% hemp, 165yd/150 m per 100g/3.5 oz.,  color – Sprout, 1 skein
• US G/6 (4mm) crochet hook
• Darning yarn needle
• Stitch markers
• 2 – 0.75” (2cm) buttons
• Sewing thread to match chosen buttons

This apron is designed to be fitted with little ease, but it must be able to be “wrapped” over your bust and underarm area. Measure directly under your arms and bust. Take the largest measurement of the two, and use this measurement to decide which size to make.  

Sizes: XS [S, M, L, XL]

Chest (to fit the following chest sizes): 28 [32, 36, 40, 44]” /70 (80, 90,100,110) cm

Actual Finished Measurements: 39 (44, 49, 54, 59) includes 11 (12, 13, 14, 15)” overlap/ 97.5 (110,122.5,135,147.5) cm includes 27.5 (30, 32.5, 35, 37.5) cm overlap

Total Length (including straps): 29 (31, 32, 33, 34)” / 72.5 (77.5, 80, 82.5, 85) cm

16 sts/9 rows of dc = 4” (10cm)

The apron is crocheted in three easy steps:

1. First, a rectangular piece is crocheted side to side primarily in double crochet from just over the bust to the midthigh. This piece forms the main body of the garment. The main body is crocheted from the right center back across the front to the left center back.  
2. Next, stitches are picked up from the top edge of the main piece. These stitches are worked in half double crochet for several rows to form a border at the top of the bust.
3. Finally, thick straps are created by continuing to crochet from the front over the shoulders to the back. There is an overlap in the back to create the “wrap”, and the straps are secured with buttons.  

Right side rows begin at the top edge, or bust, of the apron. Wrong side rows begin at the bottom edge, or hem, of the apron.

Turning chain does not count as a stitch.

Special Stitch Pattern:

Subtle waist shaping is incorporated with several inch-long darts in the waist area in four strategic places. These darts are created by changing the stitch pattern in the middle of the row from double crochet to single and half double crochet.

Main Body

Begin at Right Center Back