Garden & Outdoor

Daffodils of Spring

Categorized As:

Author

Rachel Borello

Daffodils of Spring

Introduction

I was inspired to make this by the spring flowers coming up in my yard. Daffodils have a really neat shape that translates well into crochet. You could sew a pin onto the back of one to make a brooch, sew one onto a tote to make a nice spring bag, or twist a green pipecleaner through the back to make a stem and stick a bunch into a vase.

Materials List

Size F US/4.0mm crochet hook
Yarn needle
Caron Simply Soft acrylic yarn in white (petals) and yellow (cup)

Finished Size

Flower is about 5" wide

Gauge

Gauge is not important in this project, just be sure that the fabric is tight enough so you do not have large holes in your petals.

Notes

I crocheted these in yellow and white, but daffodils come in a wide variety of colors, so use your imagination!

The Pattern

center (make 1):
Ch 12, join to beginning to make a circle.
Sc in each of 12 chs. Do not join rounds, and work in a spiral instead, single crocheting in each stitch around until center piece is a tube about an inch long.
daf 6
(sc, hdc, dc) in each stitch around for one round to make the ruffled edge. Tie off yarn and weave in ends.
daf 5

petals (make 6):
Ch 4
Sc in second ch from hook and in each ch across - 3 st. ch 1 and turn.
Sc 2 in first stitch. sc in next stitch. sc 2 in last stitch. There should be 5 stitches. ch 1 and turn.
Sc 2. sc in next 3 stitches. sc 2 in last stitch. There are 7 stitches in this row. ch 1 and turn.
Work next 4 rows even.
Sc in second stitch from hook. Sc next two stitches together. Sc in next stitch. Sc next two stitches together. Sc in last stitch. Ch1 and turn.
Sc in second stitch from hook. Sc next two stitches together. Sc next two stitches together. Ch 1 and turn.
Sc in second stitch from hook. Sc next two stitches together. Ch 1 and turn.
Sc two remaining stitche together. Tie off yarn. You should have a petal-shaped piece as shown below.
daf 4
The edges of your petal will be rough, so join the yarn at bottom of petal. Working along the edge of the petal, pick up and sc 11 stitches. In the space at the top of the petal, sc 3 times. Pick up and sc 11 stitches down the other side of the petal. Tie off yarn and weave in ends. The edges of your petal should now be even and finished-looking.
daf 3
Sew petals together to create the back of the flower.
daf in progress 2
Sew center onto the flower, and weave in all ends.
daf in progress 1


More Than an Apron

Categorized As:

Author

by Monica Welle Brown

More Than an Apron

Introduction

More Than an Apron

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.

Materials List

  • 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

Finished Size

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

Gauge

16 sts/9 rows of dc = 4” (10cm)

Notes

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.

The Pattern

Apron backMain Body

Begin at Right Center Back


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