If you’ve ever wondered, “Where can I donate my crochet projects?” Read this!

When I started crocheting years ago, I made a TON of gifts. Shortly after that, I was overflowing with a surplus of handmade items (because crochet is addicting) and wasn’t sure what to do with all the extra. I sold some, but I was also searching for places to donate. I couldn’t find a central list or hub online, and was in a vacuum doing the research on my own. It was frustrating and lots of my finished projects just sat in drawers for years. I was so grateful to find an amazing group of crocheters who are donating their time and talents for some really great causes! Continue reading to learn all about how to donate finished crochet items to some wonderful agencies and non-profits.

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Some of our personal friends run a nonprofit in our area and they just benefitted from a Friday Morning Charity drive in December - it was AMAZING to see how many crochet hats, crochet ear warmers, crochet scarves, and crochet blankets were mailed to Hannah Grace Family. These items were included in the Christmas “Bins of Joy” they prepare and give to families in vulnerable situations, many include children in foster care or parents who are struggling to keep their families intact. For more about Hannah Grace, click here.

Keep reading to learn more and meet Kelly & Amanda!

Friday Morning Charity, Spreading Love and Kindness Through Fiber Arts

My name is Kelly, and I am the one who founded Friday Morning Charity in June 2019. I started crocheting in 2018, and as soon as I became a stronger crocheter, I knew I wanted to use my crafting skills to help those in need. I truly believe that kindness makes the world go round, and I find crocheting for others who are in need as a way to spread that kindness. There is just something so wonderful knowing that I made something with my hands. When I donate an item, it is as if I’m giving the recipient a huge hug.

As the group grew, I asked Amanda to join me, and I was so grateful she said yes!

When I’m not working on things for Friday Morning Charity I’m hanging out with my husband and our 4 animals. I’m also a huge Starbucks connoisseur and love to grab coffee, sit, put some 80’s music on, and crochet. Also, I adore making baby blankets and have very slowly begun to sell some of my work.

Instagram: @fridaymorningcharity

Personal Instagram: @kellcrochets

My name is Amanda, and I help manage Friday Morning Charity with Kelly. I was fortunate enough that Kelly reached out in 2022 and asked if I wanted to be a part of her charity group. We both share the same values of wanting to help those less fortunate than us. What better way than to provide some comfort through warm and cozy handmade blankets, hats, and scarves!

When I’m not helping out with Friday Morning Charity, I run my own crochet boutique called Amanda Crochets. I share beginner tutorials on my YouTube channel and also have my own Etsy store where you can purchase crochet PDF patterns and completed blankets. My husband is super supportive of my crochet endeavors, and is often encouraging me along the way. After a long day of work, I enjoy sitting on my couch crocheting away.

YouTube: @amandacrochets

Instagram: @amandacrochets

Etsy Shop: Amanda Crochets22

How Charity Crochet Drives Work

To become a part of this wonderful group, you can visit our Facebook group. Once you answer our group’s questions and agree to our group rules, you will gain access and can learn about our upcoming charity drives. All charity drives and giveaways are run through our Facebook group, but we also advertise each drive on the Friday Morning Charity Instagram page.

We typically have 4 charities per year, focusing on helping women and children who are experiencing difficult situations. We also plan on helping veterans in a charity drive set for 2024. For each charity drive, we share some information about the organization, the dates the drive is taking place, as well as a list of items we’re collecting. We ask those that are donating to include a Friday Morning Charity donation card with their shipments.

The most requested item we receive from charity organizations are blankets. Whether it be baby blankets or throw blankets, these are always in high demand. However, we also work with organizations that request hats and scarves.

We like to plan our charity drives out in advance, so we can prepare things ahead of time as much as possible. Kelly contacts the organization and gets a little blurb from them that we can share this with our Facebook group. Amanda will create the graphics needed and schedule reminder posts throughout the drive. Sometimes we like to set a goal (say collecting 60 baby blankets) for a particular drive, so providing weekly donation updates is great encouragement. Once we have everything we need, Kelly introduces the new charity drive. We use a spreadsheet to keep track of everyone’s donations as well as how many items are collected throughout each drive.

During each drive, we host a giveaway, which is our way of saying thanks for being kind. We like to work with small business owners as we are big advocates of helping these smaller businesses grow. To enter each giveaway, we ask participants to donate at least 1 item and send us a photo before mailing out the package. Winners are randomly drawn at the end of each drive.

Our hopes for Friday Morning Charity is to grow in members, and with that growth, to have a larger impact on assisting charities and individuals in need. The success of Friday Morning Charity is due to the members we currently have. We have a wonderful group of individuals who donate to every single charity drive we hold. If it wasn’t for them we would not have the success rate that we do. We are extremely grateful to this group of people who make each charity drive such a success.

Crocheters, take action today!

The current drive (January 15 to February 29, 2024) benefits the Tulsa Day Center, an agency that assists the homeless population in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Friday Morning Charity is collecting hats for this agency and I am helping as the featured designer - I’m donating copies of my bestselling patterns as prizes. Anyone who sends a donation (and sends a photo of their donation) is entered to win! More information on the Facebook page. Please Pin and share the image below on social media!

I really hope this information is helpful and you are encouraged to use your crochet for the greater good. Your talents really are such a blessing to those in need. If you donate anything because you read this post, I’d love to hear about it and see your project - find me on Facebook or Instagram @icrochetsohard. Consider sharing this blog post on social media now to include more of your crochet friends in the Friday Morning Charity mission!

If you are looking for inspiration for items to donate, check out free patterns on my blog or from your favorite designer.

Let's stay connected

Don't forget to join my email list for news, exclusive discounts, sneak peeks of new patterns, and more!  Click here to subscribe.  If you don’t have a FB group yet, we’d love for you to join the We Crochet So Hard group! We have crocheters of all skill levels and fun challenges too.

Until next time,

Photos ⓒ 2024 I Crochet So Hard, LLC

This quick project brings a touch of warmth and hygge to your home for fall and winter.

Cozy, welcoming, comfortable. These words can help us understand hygge, the Danish and Norwegian word attached to certain aesthetics and textures. In this pattern, I paired nice thick, cushiony yarn with a well-defined stitch and hope it brings you warm feelings too. Add this simple but beautiful finishing touch to your coffee table, buffet, hall table, dining table and more!

For yarn choice, I love Wool-Ease Thick & Quick, Re-Spun Thick & Quick, or a Super Bulky cotton or cotton blend. You could even use macrame cord. Whatever it is, make sure it's machine washable if you are planning to use it around food and drinks. For more free crochet patterns, follow me on Pinterest, or join my email list. Be sure and Pin the image below if you can’t read the entire post right now.

Before we get into the pattern, I wanted to mention there is an ad-free, nicely formatted PDF version available in my shops! The paid version includes two full color tutorials for working in the back bumps of a crochet foundation chain, and for adding fringe pieces.

• Etsy shop

• Ravelry shop

• Ribblr

• My website

Pattern Notes

This is a crochet pattern written in US terms and measurements.

Skill level: Advanced Beginner

Finished Measurements (before fringe): 13" wide x 13" tall

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

chs = chains

HHDC = Herringbone Half Double Crochet

* * = repeat instructions between the asterisks as many times as directed

Supplies:

• L (8.0mm) hook or hook to meet gauge

• 95-120 yards of Super Bulky (6) weight yarn such as Wool-Ease Thick & Quick, Re-Spun Thick & Quick, or a 6 weight cotton or cotton blend yarn

• Scissors

• Large Tapestry needle

• Measuring tape

• Blocking supplies (optional)

Gauge: 4" x 4" = 9 sts x 8 rows (work up a swatch of HHDC large enough to exclude the edges and starting row). Gauge is not crucial to this project.

Special Stitch Instruction: Herringbone Half Double Crochet

Yarn over, insert hook into stitch. Yarn over, pull up a loop (you should now have 3 loops on your hook). Pull newest loop through second loop on hook (you may have to twist your hook downward to accomplish this). Yarn over and pull through both loops on hook.

Shape & Color Options:

This table mat can be made as a square (as written in the pattern) or a rectangle. If you want to make a rectangle, increase your starting ch. You can also add stripes by changing colors for rows 5-6 and again for rows 21 & 22 if you have 26 rows. If you change your row count, use rows 5-6 and the 5th & 6th row from the end for the stripes (as seen in photos above).

Instructions

Ch 30.

Row 1: HHDC in back bump (see page 3) of 2nd ch from hook and all chs to end (your last HHDC goes into the 1st ch you made). Turn. (29 sts)

Row 2: Ch 1. HHDC across to end. Turn. (29 sts)

Rows 3-26 (or until desired length): Repeat row 2. (If you want to add stripes, see note above.)

Fasten off and weave in all ends. Keep reading for finishing options.

Blocking

If your mat isn't exactly a square or a rectangle you may want to try a light blocking.

Adding Fringe:

After you have woven in all your ends, you can attach fringe on the sides or just on the corners. First, make sure you have the right side facing. The right side is the side where you can see all the rows in pairs, not single rows on the top and bottom and pairs of rows in the middle.

For side fringe, count how many rows you have. Then, double that number. That's how many pieces of yarn you will need. I used 52 pieces (26 rows). I cut them about 10" in length. To attach, I held two strands of the cut yarn together and used my crochet hook to attach them on the left side, then the right side, at the spot where Rows 1 & 2 meet. Then again with Rows 3 & 4 and continue with each pair of rows. For corner fringe, I would use 3-4 strands each and attach at corners using same method, or you can make tassels as well.

Congratulations! You have finished your Hygge Table Mat! I’d absolutely love to see your project - use hashtag #hyggetablemat and tag me @icrochetsohard on Instagram & Facebook!

To care for your new crochet item, always follow instructions on yarn label.

If you love this pattern, try my bestselling Lexington Blanket or the Trina Table Runner and Placemat!

Let's stay connected

Don't forget to join my email list for exclusive discounts, sneak peeks of new patterns, and more!  Click here to subscribe.  Join our Facebook community here to crochet a long with us! We have crocheters of all skill levels and interests and a lot of fun.

Please do not sell or distribute this pattern, or claim it as your own.

You may sell products made from this pattern but please credit the design to I Crochet So Hard. 

Pattern and photos ⓒ 2022-23 I Crochet So Hard, LLC

Help! I have too many WIPs…

For crafters, this overload and overwhelm is a very common experience! It’s real and it’s very often unintentional… One day you look around and take stock and realize just how many abandoned projects you have laying around (or hiding!) and all of a sudden you have this weight upon you and you think, “how am I going to finish all this?” I’ve been researching and testing all year to bring you what I hope is a helpful and encouraging post about this WIP situation. WIP means Work(s) In Progress if you are not familiar with the term. I sure wasn’t until I joined Instagram in 2020 and made lots of crochet friends! Read on and see if you can glean anything helpful from my experience.

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Solutions to our crochet problems really depend on why we have set certain projects aside. I polled my Instagram community and they told me why they set projects aside. I have incorporated their feedback into these categories, see what applies to you! There’s lots of crossover so you may just want to read them all.

#1 // I just want to start a new crochet project! (Bored with current project)

Absolutely no judgement here - new, amazing crochet patterns come out all the time and they are super attractive! If you’re on Pinterest or Instagram, chances are you see some amazing photos, reels & Pins that makes you want to get a brand new thing on your hook. I definitely get sucked in and I know others do too. The first step is really admitting that you don’t have time to make all the things you want to… and that you can’t make every pattern you see that you love. A new potential project usually seems so much more attractive than the one you’re currently slogging through. Maybe you’re on sleeve island, or the stitch pattern on a large blanket just isn’t that interesting anymore. I have two ideas for you to try if you put yourself in this category.

Try this: Challenge yourself to finish two projects for every one you start this year.

I issued this challenge to myself for 2023 and so far I have finished a tank top, a blanket, a drawstring bag (I started that sample and the pattern I was writing 11 months before I finished it!), an ear warmer, a baby sweater and a few other small things that I had in progress. And I have only started 4 new projects. I find that this works for me because it still allows me to start new projects that I really want to make, but I’m also using self-discipline to winnow down my collection of WIPs at the same time. Take inventory of those WIPs and make a list. Cross off each project you finish as you go, and when you have crossed two off, allow yourself to start on a new project! It’s such a great feeling to both finish and start a new project. I’m really enjoying the challenge.

Try this: Take a break from social media/Pinterest for a short time, or cut down on the amount of time you spend looking at all the shiny, new ideas.

Try just taking a day, a week, or more off from scrolling and spend time focusing on your current WIPs. If it works for you and you are encouraged by the progress you’re making, consider making it a habit! I take Sundays off, and sometimes the entire weekend off from social media. It’s a much needed rest and brain break, and allows me to focus on what’s in front of me.

#2 // I’m feeling overwhelmed with the number of projects I have and/or the mess in my space

I don’t know of a single (dedicated) crafter who has just the right amount of everything they need and no excess. Or a perfectly organized space that stays organized all the time. I think part of the experience of being a crafter is collecting ideas and the supplies and tools you need and want, to make all the things. I am 100% guilty of trying to keep supplies around for multiple craft categories at a time, even if I’m not currently making anything related to those supplies. Also, if you have kids, it seems like the craft supplies just multiply exponentially somehow. Plus, if you can’t find what you need, it just takes away the desire to do the project. Very deflating when you want to finish up your current projects and get them out of the queue.

See #1 above for some tips on cutting down the number of projects you have and also check out these ideas.

Try this: Be realistic about your current WIPs.

At times I start a project and I’m not that far in, but I don’t love it. So, I frog the entire thing. If I can tell at the beginning, or even the middle, that I am losing interest and don’t love the final product… I rip out the entire thing so I can re-use the yarn and gain back my valuable time. Honestly, this is just about as satisfying as completing a project. There is no longer a feeling of “obligation” to finish that particular project. Catalog your projects and decide which ones to keep working at and which ones you can let go of. I use my trusty yarn winder to get my yarn back into a neat, usable cake.

It may also help to think of the small wins you make by finishing or frogging a WIP. One of my biggest gains when finishing or frogging a project is getting my tools back where they belong! No more searching for the G hook and my stitch markers that are attached to a project, they are back safe in their home. This also keeps me from buying MORE tools, so I can try and stay organized and simple.

Try this: Get a Printable WIP Organizer >>

If you decide to keep a project “alive",” you may want to grab my printable WIP Organizer where you can keep track of the details of a current WIP and not have to guess which hook size you were using next time you pick it up! Simply fill in the details, fold the paper and store it along with your project. Click the image to learn more.

Try this: Clean/organize/inventory your supplies, including yarn, and make decisions.

Sometimes we need to see what we have in order to decide what to let go of, or what to use. Let’s say you figure out you have a whole stash of worsted weight acrylic or cotton yarn, or a ton of leftover sock yarn. You may want to start a motif blanket or another project that uses up lots of scrap yarn. There are so many ideas for this kind of crazy quilt/scrappy project. It’s one easy Pinterest search away.

You could also try initiating a “yarn fast” to challenge yourself. I have fiber friends who have fasted from purchasing yarn for an entire year in an effort to use up what they have, and it really helps. I think the longest I’ve gone without purchasing yarn in the last few years was 6 months. It inspired me to be more creative with what I had, and got me out of a bad habit of buying yarn that I didn’t really need. I’m working on an African Flower Hexagon motif blanket right now, and it’s very satisfying to use up my scraps! The corresponding blog post is coming soon. Subscribe to my RSS feed now if you haven’t yet or hop on my email list so you don’t miss it.

Try this: Invite a friend over to help you organize your craft space/room.

I don’t know about you, but I feel it’s always more fun to organize or do an unpleasant task if you can visit and have fun while you work. Put on the tea kettle, some fun music, and go to town! Grab some organizing bins or bookshelves from Goodwill to help. I’ve also found some great products from Amazon that might assist you in organizing your stash. This storage cabinet is something I’d love to use if I ever have an actual office/craft room. You have to see the inside, it’s perfect for craft storage!

If you have a smaller space, this cupboard looks useful too!

And another practical item is always a cute bin! These are wonderful for yarn storage.

Try this: If you have yarn that you probably won’t end up using, donate it.

Drop that yarn off at Goodwill or take it to a retirement community or care home if they have crocheters and knitters who will use it. My 95-year-old friend, Marge, crochets hats for the homeless out of yarn that gets put out on the free table at her retirement community. I love the whole thing - people donating the yarn they aren’t using is helping Marge, who is on a low income budget, with her hat donations. It’s probably best to call you local retirement community and ask first, just to make sure they are ok receiving a yarn donation. Here’s a pic of me with some yarn I took to Marge today and one of Marge in a hat she recently made!

#3 // I’m stuck, frustrated with or need help on a pattern

I think we’ve all been there… you just can’t seem to make sense out of a certain direction or line in a pattern. The frustration leads to setting the project aside and you just can’t seem to pick it back up. While, as a designer, I try to make my patterns easily understandable, there’s always going to be language or phrasing that just doesn’t click with everyone. At times, I’ve attempted patterns that were probably over my head in terms of my skill level, and just ended up kicking myself. If you identify with any of this, read below.

Try this: Join a Facebook Crochet Community!

You guys, this is SOOO helpful. I have been a part of quite a few Facebook groups dedicated to crochet since 2020 and I have learned SO MUCH. There is so much wisdom and encouragement in these online groups. You can search for groups by location, skill level, specific interest (amigurumi, etc.) and more! Plus you can make really nice virtual friends. And sometimes you meet them in person! For example, I am part of the Oregon Crochet Community group on Facebook, and sometimes people host local crochet circles. The last one I went to, we met at a tea shop and crocheted for an hour or so together and just talked about yarn, crochet, knitting and all sorts of other things. If you don’t have a FB group yet, we’d love for you to join us in the We Crochet So Hard group! We have crocheters of all skill levels and fun challenges too.

Just a little etiquette - when posting about your project and your issue, be sure not to reveal too much of the pattern. You can isolate a line or two by cropping a photo of the instructions and include that in your plea for help, or you can just include the text of the specific direction that is unclear and see if anyone can assist you. Be sure to include photos so it grabs people’s attention. Also, pay attention to the rules that are posted before engaging and posting! Some groups allow you to post links to patterns and some don’t.

Try this: Contact the designer.

Just putting this out there… some people don’t know that you can contact a designer directly for pattern support. Most designers are happy to help if you reach out through their preferred method. Most designers prefer you to send an email, while some welcome DM’s on social media. If their contact information isn’t listed on the pattern, try looking them up on Instagram and see what their profile says about pattern support. I put my email address on all my patterns with an invitation to contact me if needed.

Try this: Put projects in “time out.”

Set those WIPs aside for an amount of time, and then try bringing them back at a certain time or point in your progress. I have done this before when I was super frustrated with a portion of a garment and close to hating crochet in general. I just put that bad boy in a bag and set it aside until I finished something else. And when I took it out, I didn’t hate it as much. It really helped to allow myself to say “I’m done for now.” You could set it aside for weeks, days, hours, or whatever helps you. Maybe set a reminder on your calendar to re-evaluate and bring it back out. The photo below is the garment that I almost gave up on. I’m so glad I didn’t! The pattern is the Timberwood Tank from Janine at Knits ‘N Knots. The pattern is great if you love making slip stitches (I didn’t mind) and are intermediate level or up.

#4 // Having a million ends to weave in

There’s no way around this one… With some projects, you end up with a bunch of work to do after you finish the main work. While I love projects with colorwork, the downside is definitely the time spent weaving in ends. My Instagram peeps said this is one of the things that makes them set a project aside and not finish it. I’m offering help but it won’t be a magic wand… I wish that was a real thing.

Try this: Weave in ends as you go or a few at a time.

Unless the pattern calls for waiting until the end, weave in those ends as you fasten them off! This can save you a lot of monotony later. It just doesn’t feel as terrible to do a couple at a time, rather than saving it all for the end. Others recommend weaving in 5 or 10 motifs at a time, as soon as you complete that many.

Try this: Weave in ends on the go.

When I have a bunch of pesky ends, I take my project (or stack of motifs) with me in the car. Then, when I’m waiting at the dentist office with my kids, or in the after school pick up line, I get it out and do as much as I can get done. I toted my project along to a baseball tournament last weekend and worked during down times. The Chick-fil-A drive through is another spot where I may be found with my tapestry needle and motifs. The micro crochet sessions really add up over time and it can be encouraging to get any progress made. Speaking of tapestry needles…

Try this: Get a bent tapestry needle!!

My absolute favorite time and frustration saver for weaving in ends is this Clover Bent Needle. It was a total game changer. You’re just going to have to take my word for it until you use one. It makes the weaving process so much easier and smoother.

Try this: Grab a friend for a crochet sesh or watch/listen to a show or podcast

Again, making it a social event somehow makes it better! Maybe they have a craft project they want to finish up to and you can visit and work at the same time. If that doesn’t appeal or won’t work for you, maybe you have a couple of long overdue calls you can make to your college roommates, or a grandparent while you work. Seeing the task as an opportunity to connect with someone might help make it more fun. I like to turn on my favorite show (The Office) or a true crime podcast and listen while I work. This also helps me set a time limit so I can have my ends weaving session and then put it aside when the episode is over.

#5 // I’m working on a “selfish” project with no deadline

This one really resonated with the makers I polled. Many people said they would push a project to the back burner if it was something they were making for themself and something else came up. It could be that they had another project to work on that had an actual deadline, or they put it aside to work on market prep, etc. This happens to me too, I’m guilty of putting projects for me or my home dead last. And sometimes they never get finished at all.

Try this: Reframe the language we use to talk about these types of projects

First of all, why shouldn’t you use your skills, talents and resources to make something for yourself? I’m trying not to call them “selfish” projects anymore. I just call it a “me” project or a personal project. If you’re setting your “me” projects aside for the sake of making gift items, remember this: You don’t owe anyone a handmade gift. One of the designers I follow on Instagram said something to this effect a few weeks ago and it really made an impact on me. If I feel like and want to make a handmade gift, I will. But I am working on not feeling like I have to, just because I usually do. It’s a big time commitment and my time is really limited right now. It’s not where I want to be forever, but that is my current reality.

Try this: Set a goal or reward

It really helps me to have some sort of deadline for a personal project, so sometimes I choose an event that is coming up and make it a goal to wear my garment WIP to the event. You could definitely do this with garments or accessories - if you are taking a trip, make that tote bag before you go so you can use it while traveling. If it’s a wrap and you’re heading to a wedding in a month, wonderful! You can also choose to reward yourself with a little celebration when you finish the project. That could be something as simple as a photo shoot for your Instagram, or you could grab that skein of hand-dyed yarn you’ve had your eye on for a new project.

#6 // I don’t have enough time/life is happening

I relate to this; been there, done that. I have had seasons of life where I haven’t crocheted at all. Zero projects, zero time. But I also really missed having the creative outlet of crochet during those times. And crocheting is great for my mental health so I do want to incorporate it however I can. If you’re in a season of life where there is just a ton going on, or you are a caregiver to young children or a parent/grandparent… I see you and I get it. It’s so hard to make time to do the things you enjoy, especially when you are worn out from giving so much to others.

Try this: Take your projects on the go

In this season of life, I run two businesses and assist in running an additional business. We have two teenagers and a 10-year old who are busy with activities of all kinds - band, orchestra, church activities, art, sports, babysitting, etc. Most of these activities require someone to drive them to and from. Also, we are living outside the school district, and the kids can’t ride the bus, so I’m a chauffeur for a lot of my day. Like I mentioned before, I crochet on the go all the time. I do a fair amount of waiting at these various places. I’m not embarrassed to whip out my hook and work for 5-10 minutes or longer. Any progress is good progress! The main key is to be prepared. I keep a project bag stocked with a set of hooks and basic supplies with me almost always. I at least have a pair of scissors, a yarn needle, and some stitch markers along. I have a friend who wanted to learn to crochet because she has a similar lifestyle to mine, and saw my crochet projects were so portable!

Try this: Give up some TV or scrolling time.

Crochet is better for you anyway! I find it more relaxing and better for my mental health than screen time.

Try this: Be realistic when starting projects and setting goals.

Maybe you only have 2 hours a week to crochet. Try not to commit to a humongous project on a tight deadline - sometimes we just set ourselves up for failure in that way. I just get disappointed and frustrated if I’m not realistic - or I’m putting myself in a situation where I give up sleep to complete a project on time. It’s not good for my health, but I’m still tempted to take on these kind of projects all the time. Maybe set a goal of 30 minutes a day or 2 hours a week for yourself and then stick to it! Set a timer, put a reminder on your calendar, etc. Put 2-3 small projects in your queue. Crochet during your lunch break. Even small progress will motivate you and keep you engaged and inspired. Speaking of being motivation, engagement and inspiration…

Join a challenge!

It’s not too late to join our WIP Challenge! Head to the We Crochet so Hard Facebook Group and check out the pinned post for instructions on how to participate. You can be entered to win some cool prizes and get some WIPs hammered out too! If you are looking for a new WIP, I have free patterns on my blog.

I really hope this information is helpful and you are encouraged to try something new! If you finish a WIP because of anything you read on this post, I’d love to hear about it and see your project - find me on Facebook or Instagram @icrochetsohard. Consider sharing this post on social media if you found it valuable.

Let's stay connected

Don't forget to join my email list for exclusive discounts, sneak peeks of new patterns, and more!  Click here to subscribe.  Until next time,

Please do not sell or distribute this pattern, or claim it as your own.

You may sell products made from this pattern but please credit the design to I Crochet So Hard. 

Pattern and photos ⓒ 2023 I Crochet So Hard, LLC

*Some of the links in this blog may be affiliate links, which means if you shop through the link, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. These purchases support my small business, so thank you!*

I just love a good, roomy tote bag. Bonus if it's as pretty as this one! I am always searching for just the right bag to put stuff in - library books, sunscreen, snacks, a current crochet project, etc. There's an optional interior pocket for your small essentials too (instructions for two kinds of pockets included). I loved adding the macrame tassel, but you could choose a crochet flower, a string of wooden beads, a yarn pom, or any other accent. Keep reading for all the details including a supply list and photo gallery - plus, find out where to get this awesome boho accent!

If you can’t read the full post now, Pin it for later :)

First, I wanted to let you know the PDF pattern includes a basic schematic illustration, and lots of detailed instructions and photos. The PDF pattern is for sale in all my pattern shops, including this site. The pattern is appropriate for intermediate crocheters, as there is seaming required, and attaching the optional interior pocket. Shop for the Joanna Tote pattern at the links below.

Finished Measurements:

Body: 16.5" W x 16.5" H

With Handles: 26.5" H

Supplies:

• I (5.5mm) hook or hook to meet gauge

• 440-480 yards/5-6 skeins of Lion Brand Just Hemp, or other bulky (5) weight yarn OR 950-1200+ yards of a DK weight cotton or blend, using 2 strands together (scroll down for more yarn alternatives)

• Scissors

• Tapestry needle

• Measuring tape

• Stitch markers (different colors)

Optional:

• Sewing needle & thread

• 5/8" - 3/4" button

• Accent piece

I got this lovely rattan and macrame accent piece from Michele over at Millennial Mac Boho-tique. It’s actually a car oil diffuser, so I guess you could have an oil diffuser on your bag if you wanted! Michele makes all kinds of really special gifts, statement jewelry and wall hangings, and customized bracelets for mamas. I have also purchased her handmade pacifier clips as baby shower gifts and they were very well received. Click here to visit her shop.

Okay now it’s time to show off my tester’s wonderful work! I had testers from all over the world, and I loved seeing the colors and landscapes from other places. They are using their bags for all kinds of things including church bag and “mom bag.” I love the look of my Just Hemp sample bag, but it does shed fiber a bit (not good with black pants). I’d love to make another one with a more solid fiber. I would also recommend these yarns as good alternatives (check yardage above in supplies):

• Rewind Tape from Lion Brand

• DK weight cotton or cotton blend such as CotLin from WeCrochet, held double

• Bernat Maker Home Decor

I didn’t block my bag, but you certainly can. Some of my testers did block theirs to open up the texture and stitches. I highly recommend this blocking kit, I’ve been using it for over a year and it has everything I need including extra thick, interlocking foam mats.

If you make a Joanna Tote Bag I’d love to see photos - find me on Facebook and Instagram @icrochetsohard and tag me! I’m also on Pinterest @icrochetsohard. If you’re curious about what else you can make with Just Hemp, check out my spa collection here.

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Photos ⓒ 2022 I Crochet So Hard, LLC

This simple beginner-friendly playmat is great for a first crochet project working in the round!

This cushy, plush portable play mat is also a drawstring bag that totes baby's toys! With the ease of a drawstring, setup and clean up are a breeze. Just pile everything on, pull the string and tie. If you would prefer a flat mat with no drawstring - those instructions are also included. I used a washable/dryable yarn so that it would be baby friendly. If you're new to working in the round, this is a great pattern to get started with!

If you can’t read the full post now, Pin the image below for later :)

I definitely recommend a plush or higher pile yarn for this project, although you can use any Super Bulky (6) weight yarn. My pattern testers who used Bernat Softee Chunky for example, needed to add a few extra rows to get their samples the same diameter as the playmat I made with Big Twist Plush from Joann (a 100% polyester plush yarn). This modification for extra rows can be found in the free pattern below. Another favorite is Cover Story from Lion Brand, available here or at Joann Stores. I haven’t made a playmat yet with a faux fur yarn like Go For Faux, but I’m really curious to see one!

Before we get into the pattern, I wanted to mention there is an ad-free, nicely formatted PDF version available in my shops!

• Etsy shop

• Ravelry shop

• Ribblr

• My website

Pattern Notes

This is a crochet pattern written in US terms and measurements.

Skill level: Beginner

Finished Measurements (approx): 30 3/4” diameter

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

ch sp = chain space

dc = double crochet

sk = skip

st = stitch

sts = stitches

sl st = slip stitch

* * = repeat instructions between the asterisks as many times as directed

Supplies:

• N (10mm) hook or hook to meet gauge

• 250-320 yards of a Super Bulky (6) yarn such as Cover Story from Lion Brand (a plush fiber yarn is recommended). 320 yards needed if you are making an icord for the drawstring.

• Scissors

• Jumbo Tapestry needle

• Measuring tape

Gauge: Follow pattern as written, but stop after Round 2 is complete. Your circle should be 5" across at this point. After Round 3, my mat was 7.5" across. Exact gauge is not crucial to this pattern.

Note: The working side is the outside/right side of the mat.

Safety: Never leave your baby unattended with this playmat! Any string/cord can be a choking or injury hazard.

More Notes…

Chaining & Joining

Ignore the ch 2 at the beginning of each round. Just pretend like it's not there at all. Don't count it in the st count. When you join a round, ignore it completely, and make your join to the 1st st of last round, NOT the top of the ch 2. Also ignore your join st (sl st). If you are just starting to learn working in the round, it may be helpful to use st markers to mark your first and last st of each round so you can see them clearly.

Curling

Your project should be fairly flat as you are working, but the round you’re currently working might curl up slightly. If your project is curling quite a bit, you may be using a hook that is too small, or you need to loosen your tension. Be sure to re-check your gauge if you adjust anything, just to make sure you're on track.

Instructions

Make a slip knot and slide the loop onto your hook or make a magic circle.

Round 1: Ch 2. 12 dc into slip knot loop/magic circle. (Reminder: do not count ch 2 as a st). (12 sts) Join to 1st st of the round with a sl st. Tighten up your knot/magic circle.

Round 2: Ch 2. 2 dc into same (1st) st and each st around. (24 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st.

Round 3: Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st. 2 dc in next st. *Dc, 2 dc in next st* to end of round. (36 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st.

Round 4: Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st and following st. 2 dc in next st. *Dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st* to end of round. (48 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st.

Round 5: Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st and next 2 sts. 2 dc in next st. *Dc in next 3 sts, 2 dc in next st* to end of round. (60 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st.

Round 6: Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st and next 3 sts. 2 dc in next st. *Dc in next 4 sts, 2 dc in next st* to end of round. (72 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st.

Round 7: Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st and next 4 sts. 2 dc in next st. *Dc in next 5 sts, 2 dc in next st* to end of round. (84 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st.

Round 8: Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st and next 5 sts. 2 dc in next st. *Dc in next 6 sts, 2 dc in next st* to end of round. (96 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st.

Round 9: Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st and next 6 sts. 2 dc in next st. *Dc in next 7 sts, 2 dc in next st* to end of round. (108 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st.

Round 10: Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st and next 7 sts. 2 dc in next st. *Dc in next 8 sts, 2 dc in next st* to end of round. (120 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st.

Round 11: Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st and next 8 sts. 2 dc in next st. *Dc in next 9 sts, 2 dc in next st* to end of round. (132 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st.

—> Stop here and measure your mat.

If you are about 4" shy of desired size, and want your mat to have a drawstring, skip down to directions for Rounds 12 & 13 and continue working. If you don't want a drawstring or want to increase the size before final two rounds, continue to the directions for the Extra Rounds below.

**Extra Round 1: Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st and next 9 sts. 2 dc in next st. *Dc in next 10 sts, 2 dc in next st* to end of round. (144 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st.

**Extra Round 2: Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st and next 10 sts. 2 dc in next st. *Dc in next 11 sts, 2 dc in next st* to end of round. (156 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st. (If you do not want a drawstring, you are finished! Fasten off, cut yarn and weave in all ends. Otherwise, proceed to Rounds 12 & 13.)

In Rounds 12 & 13, st counts in italics are for mats with extra rounds.

Round 12 (or second to last round): In this row, ch loosely. Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st and next 3 sts. Ch 2, sk next 2 sts. *Dc in next 4 sts, ch 2, sk next 2 sts* to end of round. (132 sts/156 sts) Join to 1st st with a sl st.

Round 13 (or last round): Ch 2. Dc into same (1st) st and next 3 sts. 2 dc into ch sp. *Dc in next 4 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. Dc in next 4 sts. 2 dc in ch sp* until there are 6 sts left. Dc in next 4 sts. 3 dc in ch sp. (143 sts/167 sts). Join to 1st st with a sl st. Fasten off and cut yarn, leaving a 6" tail. Weave in all ends on the backside.

Drawstring

BRAID: Cut 3 lengths of yarn, 104" each or measure each strand to be double the length needed to go in a circle around your row 12. Knot all 3 strands together about 1” from one end. Braid the three strands together. Stop about 1” from the end and tie a knot there.

I braided mine fairly loosely in order to not crush the pile of the fiber. If you want to braid tightly, you will need more yardage. Weave the drawstring through the holes in round 12 (or your second to last round) in an over/under method. To close your bag up, cinch up and tie the strings.

ICORD: There are many tutorials for different types of icords on Instagram and YouTube. It will take more yardage but results in a thicker, round cord. You just need to make sure it will fit through the holes in your drawstring round.

Congratulations! You have finished your Plush Baby Playmat! I would absolutely love to see your projects - use hashtag #plushbabyplaymat and tag me @icrochetsohard on Instagram & Facebook!

To care for your new crochet item, always follow instructions on yarn label.

If you love this project, try my Emery Drawstring Bag!

Let's stay connected

Don't forget to join my email list for exclusive discounts, sneak peeks of new patterns, and more!  Click here to subscribe.  Come join our group over on Facebook and crochet with us! We have crocheters of many skill levels sharing all kinds of projects and knowledge.

Please do not sell or distribute this pattern, or claim it as your own.

You may sell products made from this pattern but please credit the design to I Crochet So Hard. 

Pattern and photos ⓒ 2023 I Crochet So Hard, LLC

*Some of the links in this blog may be affiliate links, which means if you shop through the link, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. These purchases support my small business, so thank you!*

There are infinite uses for this small drawstring bag! Make sure you don’t miss all the photos in this post because the lovely people helping me test my pattern were super creative with their projects. Check out the option for a lined version that holds even the smallest of toys, or a waterproof lining so you can tote your makeup - it’s truly versatile. Mixing and matching colors and patterns might have been my tester’s favorite part and I hope you love it too.

If you can’t read the full post now, Pin it for later :)

Dishie Cotton Yarn

If you haven’t worked with Dishie before, it’s my absolute favorite worsted cotton yarn. It's super soft, easy to work with, and the colors are amazing! I used Swan, Sunbaked and Inlet for my drawstring bag (pictured at top of post). You can grab some now from WeCrochet (free shipping over $45 every day).

This pattern is great for confident beginners and for learning to work in the round. If you have basic sewing skills, you have the option to make a lined bag! This creates many more opportunities to personalize the look of the bag itself, while also allowing for a ton of creative uses. I was super stoked every time a new bag popped up during testing because everyone was thinking of genius ways to modify their bag!

My testers also had great results with other cotton yarns from their stashes and mixed and matched for fun, colorful results (keep scrolling for photo gallery).

Supplies

Here are the supplies you will need:

• G (4.25mm) hook or hook to meet gauge

• 253-259 total yards of a worsted (4) weight cotton yarn such as Dishie from WeCrochet (approx. 6 yards needed for braided cord option)

• Recommended/Optional: Dritz Cord Lock/Stop (sewing section of craft store) - about 7/8" wide, double hole

• Optional: 68" of 1/8" wide cord

• Optional: Fabric for lining such as waterproof PUL, sewing needle & thread, straight pins

• Optional: Blocking Supplies

• Scissors

• Tapestry needle

• Measuring tape

Above is a selection of my tester’s photos - they were so unbelievably creative. One of my testers made FIVE bags during the testing process! You can choose a fun food theme, match a character fabric to your yarn colors, go neutral and classy, or even draw on the fabric to make a toy car track or a playmat. You can even choose a color scheme based on an outfit and have a cute drawstring bag to carry out and about!

Add a Lining to Your Crochet Bag

Here’s a little more about lining your new crochet drawstring bag. I started by choosing a waterproof PUL fabric. You can find this fabric online or in a fabric store, it’s the same fabric used to line modern cloth diapers. I chose this fabric since I wanted to use my bag for storing makeup. You don’t need a whole lot of fabric, but you need to make sure it’s wide enough to go across from side to side where you want it to be attached. Get creative with your yarn and fabric combos!

First, I measured the diameter of my bag when laying flat across, from the point I wanted the lining to start to end. For this particular project, I wanted the lining to start end end inside the round that has the drawstring. Once I had my measurement, I tried to find a circular object that was about the same size to use as a template. I ended up borrowing a very large mixing bowl from an aunt, and it was perfect! There are other methods to use to cut out a circle when you don’t have something to trace - you can search on YouTube. One involves folding paper into a wedge.

Once I traced the circle onto my fabric and cut the circle out, I pinned it in place with straight pins and started stitching it on using a blanket stitch. In the pattern, I recommend the blanket stitch or a whip stitch. If you need the lining to be very secure, such as making it for a child, I would go with the whip stitch. I tried to go through only the top layer of yarn so there was no thread showing through on the outside of the bag.

Get the Emery Drawstring Bag crochet pattern

Ready to get going? Grab your pattern at the links below!

If you make an Emery Drawstring Bag (or more than one!) I’d love to see photos - find me on Facebook and Instagram @icrochetsohard and tag me! I’m also on Pinterest @icrochetsohard.

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Don't forget to join my email list for exclusive discounts, sneak peeks of new patterns, a free pattern when you subscribe and more!  Click here to subscribe. 

Photos ⓒ 2023 I Crochet So Hard, LLC

This project completes the perfect spa gift basket!

This cute soap sleeve is the perfect partner to a boutique soap bar (and a wonderful gift)! The fiber is naturally exfoliating, so it’s both practical and pretty. The extended single crochet stitch gives it a unique and rustic look, which I love. It feels like a mix of farmhouse and hippie vibes. If you can’t start your project now, Pin one of these handy images for later. For more free crochet patterns, follow me on Pinterest, or join my email list. My favorite soap by far is any kind of goat’s milk soap, it leaves my skin super soft. You can shop your local farmer’s market or try Etsy and search locally.

The unique Just Hemp yarn is from Lion Brand and is available on Amazon.com. You can easily substitute a Bulky (5) weight cotton such as Billow from WeCrochet with beautiful results. Using Billow or another cotton will make your soap sack soft rather than slightly rough (hemp fiber is naturally exfoliating).

Before we get into the pattern, I wanted to mention there is an ad-free, nicely formatted PDF version available in my shops! In some shops, it is a stand-alone pattern, while in others it is bundled with an exfoliating mitt. Check out the rest of the spa collection while you’re there!

• Etsy shop

• Ravelry shop

• Ribblr

• My website

Pattern Notes

This is a crochet pattern written in US terms and measurements.

Skill level: Advanced Beginner

Finished Measurements (approx): 3.75" wide x 6" tall

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

esc = extended single crochet

st = stitch

sts = stitches

sk = skip

ch sp = chain space

* * = repeat instructions between the asterisks as many times as directed

Supplies:

• I (5.25mm) hook

• 26 yards of Lion Brand Just Hemp yarn, bulky (5) weight or 60 yards of a (3) weight cotton or cotton blend yarn such as WeCrochet CotLin (use 2 strands together; won't have the same exfoliating property)

• Scissors

• Tapestry needle

• Measuring tape/ruler

Gauge: 12 sts x 9 rows in a 4" x 4" square. Make the sample large enough that you can exclude the starting rows and edges. Follow pattern and use stitch pattern for rows 1-3 and then repeat rows 2 & 3 until desired size.

Special Instruction: Extended Single Crochet

Insert hook into stitch, pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through closest loop on hook. Yarn over and pull through both remaining loops on hook.

Instructions

Body

Ch 24.

Row 1: Esc in 2nd st from hook and every st across. Turn. (23 sts)

Row 2: Ch 1. Esc in 1st st. *Ch 1, sk next st, esc* across to end. Turn. (23 sts)

Rows 3: Ch 1. Esc in 1st st. *Esc in ch sp, esc* across to end. Turn. (23 sts)

Repeat Rows 2 & 3 until soap sleeve is about 1” taller than your soap bar, or 6” tall, making sure you end on a row 3 repeat. Fasten off, leaving a long tail for seaming (15” or so). Fold soap sleeve in half, bringing the side edges together. Thread the tail onto a tapestry needle and seam down to join the sides and close the bottom as well. Weave in ends.

This pattern can be modified for width, just be sure to chain an even number so you end up with an odd number of stitches for the body.

Drawstring

You can choose a chain or braid for your drawstring.

Braid: Cut three strings of yarn the same length, 14-15” long. Your braid will end up shorter than the strings so be sure to cut them longer than you want your ending drawstring. Knot the strings together at one end tightly and braid to the end. Make another knot at the end.

Chain: Ch to desired length. Fasten off. Pull first and last ch tightly to form a knot.

Weave your braid or chain in and out around the second row from top of sleeve using the chain space holes.

Congratulations! You have finished your Soap Sack! I’d absolutely love to see your soap sleeves - use hashtags #joannasoapsleeve and #joannaspacollection and tag me @icrochetsohard on Instagram & Facebook!

To care for your new crochet item, always follow instructions on yarn label.

If you love this pattern, try the Joanna Exfoliating Mitt, Spa Headband or Joanna Tote Bag! Four patterns are also available in a bundle on Etsy or here on my website. My samples are all crocheted in Just Hemp.

Let's stay connected

Don't forget to join my email list for exclusive discounts, sneak peeks of new patterns, and more!  Click here to subscribe.  Join our Facebook community here to crochet a long with us!

Please do not sell or distribute this pattern, or claim it as your own.

You may sell products made from this pattern but please credit the design to I Crochet So Hard. 

Pattern and photos ⓒ 2021 I Crochet So Hard, LLC

*Some of the links in this blog may be affiliate links, which means if you shop through the link, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. These purchases support my small business, so thank you!*

If you can’t read the entire post now, or want to refer back to it later, use the image below to Pin it. If you find this information useful, please share it with your tester and designer friends to use as a resource.

MODELED PHOTOGRAPHY FOR MAKERS

If you want to design or test garment patterns (or sell finished garments), you will need photographs of those makes - usually modeled on you or whoever you made the item for. There are thousands, if not millions, of these kind of photos on Pinterest, Instagram and the internet in general. What kind of photos catch your attention? What stands out to you? I want people to stop scrolling and actually look at my photos because something caught their eye. I also want to represent the design and/or designer well. I also want to connect with a real person in some way. People love connecting with the human side of an Instagram account. You can show the prettiest pictures of crochet projects, but the most interaction usually comes when you present yourself on camera (stills or video).

While I do have some experience here, I called in two people who have amazing pattern testing abilities and photography skills for assistance. Meet Amy from @BrownEyedCrochetGirl and Jennifer from @texanjenn! First of all, their makes are AMAZING! Totally worth a follow on Instagram. Second, the composition of these photos is perfect - the main focus is the crocheted garment. You can almost instantly tell if the garment they are modeling is something you may want to make. They both pay attention to lighting (natural, indirect light) and below they look relaxed and open. Whatever is going on in the background doesn’t distract from the focus.

Another thing to mention here while looking at these photos, is that Jenn & Amy take many photos by themselves! Many of my testers take selfies, and so do I. There's not always someone around to help me get the photos I need when I need them. Jenn says “I live alone, and while my poodle is very smart, she doesn’t have opposable thumbs, so I rely on a tripod and remote for my camera phone. I was gifted the tripod I use, but you can find a standing height version with a small bluetooth remote for less than $30 on Amazon.” Keep scrolling for ideas on tools.

If you are taking a photo without a stand or selfie stick, hold your phone (or camera) as far away as possible to get some head room so the framing isn't too tight. The best photos usually have some negative space around the subject. Find the camera lens on your phone and try looking directly into it (make sure and clean your lens before you start taking pictures). Use the best indirect light with no weird shadows or glare. Jenn says her best area is her patio - an outdoor area with a cover is wonderful for indirect light! She starts in one location, takes a few photos and checks to see how the lighting looks. She also asks herself, “is the photo accurately representing what my handmade item actually looks like?” She reminds us that people are mainly looking at our photos to closely examine what you made and decide if they want to make it too (especially true for testers). Jenn has also impressed me with her indoor photos next to a large window.

Amy wears glasses like I do, and sometimes I get glare or a blue tint on my lenses in photos, so that’s something to pay attention to as well. Also, hold the phone slightly above your neck and head, not below (no one wants to look up your nose). Amy says, “portrait mode is a wonderful tool” that focuses on and highlights the subject “while blurring the background for a softer, more professional look.” She added that a good background should be “uncluttered and simple.” I totally agree with this - I always try to take photos in a place where there isn’t anything brightly colored behind me that distracts. Once, I took a ton of photos outdoors, only to realize my neighbor had a bright blue tarp over their shed and it was ruining all the pictures.

Amy has some other tips, such as standing at an angle instead of straight on and taking them at a slightly downward angle. Try poses with different hand and head positions, put your hand on your hip, etc. I second this advice - I have had to play around a lot with posing to feel comfortable with it and also to find what is best and most flattering for me and the garments.

Jenn also says to “click that remote with abandon” - taking lots of photos knowing you might delete a ton of them later. This is especially true when taking them yourself when you can’t see the screen preview. She says to “play with different poses, get goofy even, so you have lots of options!” I love this advice and often my favorite photos feel goofy when I took them, but later they looked fun and were useful. I love her use of accessories like the bomber jacket, the cowboy hat and earrings, etc. They showcase her personality without detracting from the crocheted garment or accessory.

In the gallery below, I love how you can see the details and texture of the garments and accessories because of the great lighting and composition. Amy says, “the key is to have fun, and LOOK like you’re having fun!”

Jenn works with hand-dyed yarn in many cases, so part of her purpose is to “ensure those colorways are true.” She edits her photos on a computer after her Pixel phone uploads the images to Google Photos. She goes through and deletes all the firm no’s first, then narrows it down to poses she likes best. She then crops, adjusts lighting if needed, and usually ends up with 4-5 solid photos for herself and the designer (for pattern tests). She says in summary, to get great shots by yourself you should “get a tripod and remote, find your light, snap abundantly and have fun!”

Amy uses a similar system of taking lots of photos and then sorting through them when she’s done. She deletes the “no’s” after getting a good laugh at some of the facial expressions she captured (I’ve totally done this as well!). She sees which angles and poses work best and narrows it down to 3-4 really good photos. She says she also comes away with some ideas for making the next photo shoot even better.

Amy says she used to “dread taking modeled photos” because she thought she needed to invest in a fancy camera, lights and a staged background in her home. The truth is that she gets great photos with her iPhone, “a $20 tripod, my front porch and a willingness to get strange looks from the neighbors.” She also gets compliments from Amazon drivers! I can totally identify with the part about being willing to receive weird looks - in my old backyard, the best place to take photos was in front of a privacy wall that separated my yard from the neighbors’ view (see photo below). If they were in their backyard, they got an eyeful of crochet poses and outfit changes. Amy says her husband helps her with photos. That didn’t go so well for me, but my 14-year-old and 12-year-old take some great photos for me!

I also wanted to highlight a certain photo of Amy’s that caught my attention on Instagram. Many crocheted garments have fun or pretty details on the side or back, and a great way to show them off is to take a photo from an unexpected perspective. Amy says, “for those pieces with a stand out feature such as a lacy border, a strappy back, an intricate stitch patterns, etc., try to take a few photos highlighting the feature.” Another key to keep in mind is to pair neutral clothing colors such as white, cream, grey or black with your colored garments and accessories to “let them shine.” Amy says, “for neutral pieces, use the opportunity to play with some color and brighten the shot, making the pieces stand out.”

Keep reading for tips on taking photos of small and large objects.

TOOLS/SUPPLIES

TRIPOD/PHONE STAND

While you don’t need fancy or expensive equipment, there are a few tools that I find helpful. I use a small, inexpensive camera tripod that’s made for traveling. It folds up small and is similar to the one below. Mine is actually smaller, but I find that it’s too short for some sessions so I have to set it up on a box or two to achieve the right height. The first one pictured can be used on uneven surfaces because of the jointed legs. The legs on mine are stationary which works great most of the time, but not as well when I’m outdoors. The jointed leg stand has almost 5,000 reviews and 4.5 stars on Amazon.

SHUTTER REMOTE FOR SMARTPHONE

This one is super helpful to have if you take modeled photos on your own! I received one of these camera shutter remotes with my larger phone stand that extends up to my height. I have used it several times, and is super useful if one or more of my hands has to be in the picture. If you are taking modeled photos by yourself and you can put one hand behind your back or in a pocket, behind your head, etc. then this could work beautifully. Disclaimer: I do not own this model but it has good reviews (over 17,000 reviews in total).

TAKING PHOTOS OF LARGE OBJECTS

Okay, I called for help on this topic since I don’t have a ton of experience with this. It’s very difficult to photograph large objects such as blankets! Kaitlyn from @sass.and.stitch was gracious enough to send me her tips to share with you all. Kaitlyn has several large projects that really stand out to me, including the famous crochet puff quilt and her alphabet blanket. (Shop patterns here). I think the most difficult part of taking photographs of large objects is how to convey texture or detail at the same time as showing that it’s a large item. Kaitlyn says not to worry too much about that, though.

Here’s Kaitlyn’s advice:

1) Find the space that best suits your object.

If it’s a wall hanging, find a blank wall that has a well-coordinating color. If it’s a blanket, lay it over a couch, railing, or the edge of a bed. If it’s a large item that sits on the floor, consider using a wall corner.

2) Aim for a simple backdrop with minimal distractions.

For me, this is the most difficult look to achieve, because, well… my home is well lived in and I’m not a professional interior decorator. But there are a few things you can do to tidy up the background of a photo. Take those family photos off the wall and side tables. Clear away the coats or anything else hanging in the background. Throw pillows may or may not be useful.

3) Remember the focus of the object - hint: it’s not always about the size.

The best tip I can give for photographing blankets is not to focus too much in capturing the size of the blanket. You don’t always need to worry about squeezing every square inch of it into the photo. Consider draping the blanket over the couch or on the edge of your bed, and focusing in on the detail and the texture, rather than the size. Your audience will be able to assume its full size, given the context of the photo.

4) Move to the level of the item you’re photographing

If you have a blanket draped over your couch or bed, squat down to the level of the surface, rather than standing in front of the surface and aiming your phone or camera down at the item. This will give you a better vantage point to really capture the detail of the item. If you’re capturing a large wall hanging, consider a step stool to put your camera perspective in the middle of the piece! If your item is positioned on the floor, you might need to lay flat on the floor to get the correct angle.

The good thing is that when people see a photo, they will have no idea what your environment looked like behind the camera, or what you looked like getting that perfect shot.

TAKING PHOTOS OF SMALL OBJECTS

I’m delighted to introduce you to Lu from @Luluslittleshop! I have almost zero experience photographing tiny objects, so I called for help once again. Here are Lu’s thoughtful and specific tips for photographing small crochet projects.

1) Lighting

To get natural colors in your photos, use indirect sunlight, I usually shoot on warm, overcast days (cloudy, but no dark rain clouds) in early afternoon with objects placed a few feet from a large window and white mat boards to reflect light (see photo below). Unless you know a lot about photography and equipment, don’t buy fancy lights and reflectors because you can actually get great results simply with warm afternoon sun and anything white as a reflector. I find that light coming from either side of your object creates a soft and dreamy effect vs. lighting from the top or front. (Lighting from the back can be tricky, too much will trick your camera into darkening the object to compensate).

If your space doesn’t get much sun, you can try placing tiny fairy lights in the background for a whimsical look. Make sure your lights are not too bright, or placed too closely to your object, because you don’t want the lights to be the focus in your photos.

2) White Balance

The default camera setting is to auto white-balance, which means if you only have 1 or 2 colors in the frame, your camera will think one of them is grey and that the lighting is off. Then it’ll try to change the overall hue of the photo to compensate.

If you don’t have a color card (a card with many colors on it for the camera to recognize), make sure you have white + lots of different colors in the frame. You can do this with small skeins of yarn in the background, craft supplies like pom poms and buttons, etc. Just make sure the shapes are simple and not too distracting.

3) Background

To bring your object to “life,” you’ll need to create a world or a mini environment for it to live in. Instead of placing your object flat up against a small piece of paper background, try bringing it closer to you and have the background recede back at least a couple of feet. This will take away the hard shadow from your object on the background, which could look like a mug shot. Once you move the background, you’ll see that it needs to be of a larger size to fill the frame. You can get creative with it, and use curtains/existing furniture as a backdrop.

4) Practice

As with any skill, the best way to improve is with practice! Take lots and lots of photos at slightly different angles under different lighting conditions, etc. and pick out the best ones. Then, repeat. After a while, you’ll know exactly what works best for you!

You can find Lu’s patterns here on Etsy.

I’m so thankful for these tips! I have a couple of things I’ll add here. One of my tips is to get as close as your phone or camera will allow, without losing the focus. This is tricky on some older phones/cameras, while newer ones tend to have a much better close-up focus. Also, another trick is to lightly touch the area of the screen you want the camera to focus on. Also, I noticed while scrolling Instagram that when taking photos of small items, the best pictures were pretty simple. You can also incorporate your small item into a grouping instead of showing just a single item. If you make the same object in several colors, consider photographing them all together as well as individually.

One other thing I would suggest if the scale of the item is important is to include a normal, everyday item or something such as your hand/fingers, so it will instantly give the viewer an idea of size.

I’m so glad you took the time to read this post! I have free crochet patterns here on my blog and patterns for sale as well. Thanks for stopping by and let’s stay in touch!

When I was pattern testing (which I still do occasionally because it’s fun!), I always tried to give designers quality photos that were useful. Now that I’m a pattern designer, I really appreciate the effort and time my testers put into giving me those quality images. This blog post has a ton of useful information for both crochet and knit products and pattern testing photography essentials, so keep reading!

Part 2 will include tips on photographing large and small objects as well as modeling your handmade garments and accessories.

In this blog post, I will refer to the finished crochet or knit item as the “product” or “subject” as you can also use these tips to photograph other objects such as yarn or a finished crafted item.

If you can’t read the entire post now, or want to refer back to it later, use the image below to Pin it. If you find this information useful, please share it with your tester and designer friends to use as a resource.

*Some of the links in this blog may be affiliate links, which means if you shop through the link, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. These purchases support my small business, so thank you!*

Here are some terms you might not be familiar with if you’re just starting to test patterns:

• Flat Lay Photos - Photographs of a product/subject taken when the item is laying flat on a surface, sometimes in a composition with other items or textures

• Modeled Photos - Photographs of the product (usually a garment or accessory) on an actual person

• Props - Any items that are used in the photograph, in addition to the product itself, to enhance the photograph

• Negative Space - The space in the frame around the product/subject of a photograph that is uninteresting, bland, or even empty/blank

• Indirect light - Light that is not shining directly on you, usually filtered by something. This would refer to being in the shade or under a cover when it’s sunny outside, being next to a window when there is daylight outside, or being outdoors on a day where there is light cloud cover and the sun is not shining directly on you. If you are indoors, it could mean being far enough away from the light source so it’s not reflecting or bouncing directly off of you or the product.

FLAT LAY PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS FOR MAKERS

Here is a basic description of Flat Lay Photography:

Take a few photos of your subject laid out on a flat surface. Choose a few items as props - decorative beads, yarn, pretty crochet hooks, small seasonal items like pumpkins and leaves, dried or fresh flowers, a snowflake ornament, a boutique bar of soap, etc. Place these things around your subject so just part or all of the prop items are in the frame and the product is still the main focus. This is called a "flat lay." Crochet and knit designers usually ask for these (and love to see them) with an item that isn’t worn on the body, and sometimes in addition to modeled photos.

I asked Lyla Lawless of Terrapin Fiberworks (delicious plant-based hand-dyed yarns, crochet and knit patterns) to contribute some tips about flat lay photography, because her photos of yarn and crochet/knit projects are stunning. Some of my favorites were from her Farmer’s Market Collection of hand-dyed yarn featuring a wooden cutting board and actual food and herb items as props! Here are some examples of photos and her tips too.

SPACE AND PROPS FOR MAKER PHOTOGRAPHY

This is a photo provided by Lyla, and her first tip was about using yarn as a prop: “Sometimes you just don't have great accessories lying around and [yarn] helps the photo feel more fiber crafty.” This photo of an in progress knitted sock is a good example of how to use that tip. She continued, "You take a ball that still looks nice and curl the tail around in a sort of loopy, artistic way and that fills some of the negative space in the shot.” You can see how the sock is still the subject of the photo but other items fill the negative space out in a good way.

Lyla also said: “I like to have a relatively even spread of items across the shot so it feels visually balanced, but you can play around with that, putting more items on one side or the other to create more weight and gravity and make the eye want to travel through the photo in a certain direction.”

There are many other “crafty” items to use as props such as cute embroidery scissors or pretty wooden hooks. I’ve also unwound a pretty measuring tape and used that as a prop. Lyla says “props don't have to be fancy or expensive, but they should be relatively unobtrusive and complementary to what you're trying to photograph.”

More about sourcing props from Lyla: “The pine boughs in [one] shot were snipped off some curbside Christmas trees that my neighbors set out after the holidays, and the plant in the reader/balsam/library shot is just one of my slightly less sad houseplants! Greenery is always a great idea if you don't know what vibe you're trying to go for. It softens the shot to have something natural filling in the corners of the photo. You can also use artificial greenery (grab a few things when Michaels has a sale!), it is impossible to tell the difference in a photo!” I can 100% attest to the fact that you can create beautiful photographs with thrifted or free items (including things from your yard or garden).

The photographs below turned out to be some of my favorites, taken on top of some old deck boards in my backyard. The small purse (Angela Phone Pouch) features branches from my blueberry bush (it was fall) around it, and some rosemary from my herb garden. The back scrubber (Joanna Back Scrubber) photo features blossoms from my plum tree.

You can use anything for a background as long as it’s the color and texture you want in your photo. I have used sheets, blankets, my tile floor, the deck boards, my couch cushions, my bedspread and more. I do not use shiny or glossy items as a background, been there, done that and it doesn’t usually turn out well because of glare, highlights and reflections.

When choosing props, consider incorporating natural elements (even if they are faux), like Lyla mentioned. Several of my testers use props found in nature, or suggestive of nature (see gallery below). This is a concept my cultural anthropology professor lectured about in college but I can’t remember what it’s called… Sorry Dr. Lou! A composition that includes both man-made elements and natural elements is something we instinctively attempt, and it really does bring some kind of feeling of balance to these photos.

Instagram @katilliamarie

Instagram @making.jen

Instagram @katilliamarie

Instagram @cozy.creative.lifestyle

Instagram @crochetbycaitlyn

Instagram @crochet_by_adelemarie

Instagram @crochetbycaitlyn

The above photos were all taken by my testers (used with permission), and I think they are great examples of flat lay photography. Everyone definitely has their own style and mood, and I love the variety and creativity of the photos! One of the most exciting things as a designer is to start getting those beautiful photos back from your testers and see how they brought your pattern to life with their creativity and skill.

Also, take notice of how angles are used in these photographs. Using straight as well as slanted angles together in the photo gives it more visual interest. Try tilting your object to a few different angles to see what looks best. From Lyla: “Having a mix of angles in the shot helps it feel balanced.”

You can use different shapes to create interest as well. If your object is a square or rectangle, try finding props that are circular or organic in shape and vice versa. In the photo below, I incorporated a half circle and my item is at somewhat of a straight angle. Some people seem to have an instinct that helps them do this kind of staging, but you can learn this skill also. I recommend lots of practice! Some of my best shots have been a result of trial and error. If this is all feeling a little overwhelming, there is a printable cheat sheet at the bottom of this post.

I also left room around all edges for cropping into a square. This has remained one of my favorite crochet photographs, mostly because of how simple it is and how it shows off the texture of the blanket to perfection. The prop is a large, primitive wooden bowl that I picked up at a strange antique store in the middle of nowhere on a trip back from the Oregon coast.

It’s good practice to leave some head room and space around all the edges in case the designer wants to crop the photo. Most designers use tester photos for many different purposes. One is for item listings on Etsy, Ravelry and other sites. On some sites, all the photos and/or preview thumbnails are converted to square shape. Also, this is a typical photo size/shape on Instagram. That means if your photo is tall and skinny (portrait orientation) or wide and short (landscape orientation), part of the photo is going to get cut off no matter what. Lyla says: “If you're shooting on your phone, I would shoot in ‘square’ mode so that you can see right away what will be in the photo and what won't.”

I have some wonderful testers who leave space for cropping in their photos, it’s so wonderful to be able to use their photo across sites and apps and to make fun Pinterest Pins with them too. I have some testers that send me photos that are 16:9 ratio (the proportions of a Tik Tok video), and when I try to use them on some of these websites, they are almost cut in half! That means I may not be able to use the photo at all, or that I have to cut off a large portion to turn it into a square.

One more thing - please don’t watermark photos you are providing to a designer! I am not able to use images with logos or watermarks on some pattern listing sites. You can do whatever you want with the photos on your own Instagram account, website, etc., but watermarking or branding can render a beautiful photograph unusable for the designer.

Don’t you just want to reach out and squish the yarn? Here’s what Lyla had to say about this particular photo: “[This photo is of ] yarn I was selling last October, so I wanted a rustic fall look. I used a wicker basket I already had in my house, some leaves and acorns I grabbed out of the backyard, and a turtle-shaped plant tray I got from my neighborhood Buy Nothing group (since we're Terrapin Fiberworks). The map and crochet hook I did purchase on Etsy, but I use them in my fall photos every season because they have that warm and sort of rustic looking tone.”

PHOTO EDITING APPS/SOFTWARE AND PORTRAIT MODE

Here’s another tip from Lyla: “I would get comfortable with photo editing software! You don't need nice photo equipment. I happened to already have a DSLR so I use that, but I edit my photos with a free online software called Pixlr. I know there are similar things for iPhone and Android, so if you only have a phone camera, I would suggest sticking with that and finding a good app to go along with it. Modern cameras are all really great, but they still aren't human eyes, and they sometimes have trouble with high contrast subjects, certain colors, or white balance. The things I usually tweak are raising the exposure/brightness/highlights (photos nearly always start off too dark for social media!), sometimes deepening blacks & shadows, and often moving the tint or white balance a little cooler and purpler since my camera tries to make things weird and yellow-green. Honestly, you can also click "auto-adjust" and call it a day. A lot of the things you would do in a photo app with these finer tools are adjustments to your own personal photography style and you may not want to bother, nor should you feel like you have to.”

In my experience, there are several colors that just don’t look the same to my eye vs. the camera. One of those is gold yellow/mustard yellow and it’s one of my absolute favorite colors. I have several samples of my patterns that I’ve made with gold/yellow yarn and it just never looks quite the same on the screen. Another shade is coral/persimmon types of orange. It’s so helpful to have editing software available to adjust the tint of the photos to match what my eye is seeing.

I use the free edition of Lightroom (an Adobe Photoshop app) on my iPhone for all my photography (because I take photos on my iPhone SE) and it works really well. I can brighten things up, crop, use an autocorrect feature, and manually adjust colors if things are too warm or too cool. You can pay for an upgrade to add more filters and special effects but I’ve never needed any of those things. Just bumping the brightness up a couple of notches can drastically change how your photo appears on social media and/or listings.

If you don’t know how to tell if your photo is more purple/blue or yellow/green tinting something, evaluate how the whites appear. Do they look purple or yellow? Blue, pink or green? Compare the photos side by side to another photo on your phone/camera that contains what you see as a true white. Normally that is a good indicator of how to adjust the tint. This is a really good skill to practice in your down time, it took me lots of playing around to successfully use the color correction tools. And remember - it’s not always necessary. One of the only times I really have to rely on color correcting is with pictures taken in weird light such as a snowy day, or photographing certain colors.

One more nugget here… if your phone has Portrait Mode, use it!! Play around with this setting so you can see how it enhances your images by bringing the subject into focus and the background into fade/blur. This is applicable for product photography as well as modeled photography. Portrait mode works best with a layered photograph where there is a subject in the front and objects or scenery in the background. It really doesn’t do anything when things are one dimensional or fairly flat and you have to be relatively close to your subject(s). I’m going to show you two photos below, one using Portrait mode and one without.

Just take a second and notice the first photo (left) appears more sharp, but the subjects (the people) don’t stand out as much. In the second photo (right) where the background is more blurred, the focus is definitely on the people and you don’t notice the background as much. It looks more like a professional portrait than a point and shoot with your phone. You also want all the objects (or people) you want focused on to be on the same plane as far as depth is concerned. Otherwise, you could end up like my brother-in-law and be just slightly blurry if you’re behind everyone. Thank you to my lovely subjects, my sister and her family!

LIGHTING

My best tip is to use natural lighting, but indirect light. Indirect means the sun isn't shining directly down on you. Sometimes when it's really bright outside, the best place to get photos is the shade. Colors look very vibrant and true to life with this type of light. If you have to take a photograph indoors (which happens due to bad weather, etc.), try to stand next to a large window where there is natural light coming in. With synthetic lighting (light bulbs or camera flash), you will get colors that look very different than they do to your eye and you’ll get glare and harsh angles/highlights. Lighting is the number one difference between usable and unusable photographs that testers have provided to me. For reals!

From Lyla: “…light is absolutely king! The photo will not come out well if the light is bad. You're really wasting your own time if you try to shoot photos at night, under indoor lighting, on a gross rainy day -- it is worth waiting for strong, indirect sunlight. My setup is a TV tray beneath the sunniest window in our house. Direct sunlight is not good because it'll usually just throw weird shadows onto your flat lay, so I like to shoot around 2pm when the sun is about to come around the house. If you don't have a space like that to work with, you can take the shoot into the actual outdoors instead!”

I’m going to second the opinion that it’s 100% worth it to wait for good light. I’ve received many photos from testers who waited until the last minute to take them and it’s nighttime and they can only take photos indoors with artificial light. These are barely usable or unusable photos. So my tip here is if you are a crochet or knit tester, give yourself a cushion of time after finishing the project in order to photograph it in good light.

Here’s what Lyla had to say in a comparison of lighting in these two photographs: “[A] ‘bad’ example is our November yarn club colors, which I had to photograph on a cloudy day kind of late in the afternoon because I was pressed for time. You can see that the photo lacks luster and depth because I didn't have enough light to communicate the texture of the fibers. My camera actually struggled with focusing as well due to the combination of low light and dark subject matter. In comparison, I have a shot of our October club color Pumpkin, which has a similar depth of shade to the November colors so would present the same challenges in terms of camera focus and getting that depth and texture to really come through. But because I did that photoshoot at my usual time of day with proper light, the photo has this lovely depth and character, and the yarn pops! They both went through my exact same photo editing process, and I used my DSLR for both. The only difference between these two photos was that lighting issue.”

Follow me (@icrochetsohard) and Lyla (@terrapinfiberworks) on Instagram for pattern testing opportunities. I have free crochet patterns here on my blog and patterns for sale as well. Thanks for stopping by and let’s stay in touch!

*Some of the links in this blog may be affiliate links, which means if you shop through the link, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. These purchases support my small business, so thank you!*

If you've been searching for the perfect crochet gift item, this beautiful washcloth fits the bill! I made several sets for gifting and have used them myself - they are truly wonderful. The border gives the dishcloth the structure it needs to keep its shape better than other knit and crochet cloths. Keep reading to find out all the details including a supply list and how to get the pattern for free.

If you can’t read the full post now, Pin it for later :)

My favorite part of beginning this project was picking out three coordinating colors to use from the Dishie line. It's my absolute favorite worsted cotton yarn! It's super soft and easy to work with, and the colors are amazing! Pictured above are Swan, Mushroom and Inlet. You can grab some now from WeCrochet at the Big Yarn Sale - Dishie is on sale 20% off during the month of November and they have other Black Friday deals.

This pattern is great for someone who is an advanced beginner/intermediate level crocheter, or who has experience with a linked stitch. My testers appreciate the photo tutorials in the PDF pattern, it helped quite a bit with learning the linked double crochet stitch and border technique.

Here are the supplies you will need:

• G (4.25mm) hook or hook to meet gauge (here’s a link to my favorite ergonomic set!)

• Approx 65 yards of a worsted weight cotton yarn such as Dishie from WeCrochet

• Scissors

• Tapestry needle

• Measuring tape

• Blocking kit (optional)

My testers also had great results with these yarns:

• 24/7 Cotton from Lion Brand

• I Love This Cotton from Hobby Lobby

• Bernat Handicrafter Cotton

• Lion Brand Pima Cotton

• Village Yarn Craft

• Barroco Maxcolor Brilho (Brazilian brand)

Above is a selection of my tester’s photos - aren’t they amazing?

Carrie, one of my testers, says, “the perfect edging technique, rich texture, thickness and great drape (yes, great drape on a dishcloth is important!) are all the things that make this the best dishcloth ever!” She hadn’t done the linked double crochet before and she says it’s a game changer for her. She, like me, has not been a huge fan of edging before. She’s on her 16th dishcloth and I’m happy she loves the design so much.

Included in the PDF pattern are 3 full color photo tutorials for those of you who may not be familiar with some of the techniques/stitches used in this project. This are the tutorials included:

• Tutorial for crocheting in back bumps

• Tutorial for linked double crochet stitch

• Tutorial for finishing the border (linking last stitch to first stitch)

I definitely recommend blocking if you are gifting these cloths or if you want them to be picture perfect. This is totally optional, but it definitely made a difference with the edges and corners on mine. I have a favorite blocking kit that I used for absolutely everything. It comes with extra thick foam mats, T-pins, and some comb-style pins. You can interlock the pieces for concentric circle patterns and use the vertical and horizontal grid lines too. This pattern just needs a light blocking with these foam mats and a spray bottle, my blocking was very minimal but I feel like it was worth it.

Caring for your new washcloths is very easy if you use 100% cotton yarn - just wash and dry like normal! Mine go in the washer and dryer with the rest of the towels and my husband’s work clothes. I also use them like any other dishcloth in the kitchen and bathroom.

Where to get this crochet washcloth pattern

You can also grab this pattern for free on the Sweet Bird Crochet site! This version does not have any photo tutorials, but all the text is included. You can also learn a little more about me and how I got started with crochet.

If you make an Arcadia Dishcloth (or more than one!) I’d love to see photos of them - find me on Facebook and Instagram @icrochetsohard and tag me! I’m also on Pinterest @icrochetsohard.

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Photos ⓒ 2022 I Crochet So Hard, LLC

*Some of the links in this blog may be affiliate links, which means if you shop through the link, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. These purchases support my small business, so thank you!*

1. Hands Free Neck Light for Crafting/Reading

This is an absolute game changer - I LOVE my hands free neck light and use it all the time for crocheting and reading in the car. Here’s a quick run down of the features:

• Three settings: low, medium, and high (brightest)

• Charge lasts up to 8 hours (on low setting)

• Feels like you aren’t wearing anything around your neck

• Perfect for on the go crocheting - in the car or in low light anywhere

• Work with dark yarn without eye strain or angst

• Affordable and comes with charging cord

The item linked below is the exact neck light I have and love. I also bought a case to keep the neck light and cord neat and safe when I travel.

2. Crochet Friends Sweatshirt from Bags by Bento (support a small biz owner!)

Grab this comfy cozy sweatshirt or a tshirt version! Taylor has lots of fun things (including crochet patterns) on her website. I don’t have one yet, but the sweatshirt is on my wish list :)

3. Ergonomic or wooden crochet hook sets

If the crocheter in your life is on Instagram, chances are they would appreciate a set of lovely wooden hooks. Even if they aren’t a go-to for every day crocheting, they look AMAZING for photos. I have one of these sets on my wish list, even though I use my favorite ergonomic hook set for every day crochet sessions (scroll down to see my ergo set, which I absolutely love).

WeCrochet also has marbled wood hooks that are pretty! Shop here to see all the wooden standard and tunisian hooks.

Some things I love about these Boye ergonomic hooks:

• I haven’t broken a single one with almost daily use for 2+ years

• The size markings have not worn off (I have heard complaints about other sets where the size indicator text has worn off over time)

• It’s a fairly complete set, comes with US crochet hook sizes B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, and N

• These helped immensely with my wrist and hand pain when I was having marathon lockdown crochet sessions in 2020 and 2021

• Affordable - the whole set is usually around $20 on Amazon but you can also get them at Joann for the same price if you use a coupon

4. Foldable Scissors for Travel - Keychain or Necklace ready

I have seen these stainless steel folding scissors attached to keychains or necklaces for travel! These are perfect for airplane or car travel and if you attach them to something, there is way less chance of losing them between the seats…

5. Labels for Homemade Items - Funny or Sweet

Of course, my favorite labels are slightly sarcastic… But they really punch up a homemade gift, or bring humor to the fact that you labored for so many hours! These first two Boye brand tag sets are made of real leather so they are slightly more expensive, and they attach on the topside or front side. The set of 40 (Handmade with Love) I have and use as well, they are more affordable for buying in greater quantities and wrap around the edge of a product. All these sets are sewed on with thread. Scroll down for info on a small business that also makes labels.

There are some labels recommended by a crochet friend also - from All This Wood, LLC. They carry a wide variety of wood, leather, faux leather, and cork labels as well as wooden buttons for sewing pom poms onto crochet and knitted hats. Some are sew on, some attach with rivets. There are options for custom labels for your handmade business as well. Find them at their Etsy shop here, they are a Star Seller and have over 41,000 sales with an average of 5 star reviews! Photo used with permission.

6. GIFT CARDS FOR YARN!

Ooookay this might seem like a no brainer, but I’m going to list some of my favorite ways to gift yarn to a maker. I love shopping for yarn at many places, including local yarn stores, online retail brand websites, and from small business owners who are hand-dyeing their own yarn! Gimme all the yarns, please! Here are some ways to shop local or grab a gift card from a larger brand that has a much broader selection.

• Google local yarn stores where the gift recipient lives. You can call a store directly and ask to purchase a gift card (many of them will mail it for you at no cost) or try to order a gift card online from their website. Most small business owners are happy to serve customers in this way and are delighted that someone is trying to shop local.

• Search Etsy for hand-dyed yarn seller that you think the gift recipient would like (you can even search by area if you’d like to shop local there). It’s really tricky to pick out specific yarn if you don’t know all the preferences for weight, fiber content, and quantity they would need for a certain project so see if they had gift certificates available as an Etsy shop listing. These can be delivered electronically in most cases so you could print the receipt/code out and slip it into a pretty card or envelope. To go the extra mile - order a handmade card from a local seller or pick one up at a holiday bazaar/market.

• Purchase a gift card from some of my all time favorites - WeCrochet or Hobby Lobby. WeCrochet carries a wide variety of tools, supplies, yarns, and more. I have been very happy with the customer service I’ve received with WeCrochet - I ordered a yarn swift and it arrived broken. I got a real human on the phone and they shipped a replacement out quickly. WeCrochet has Christmas, Hannukuh, Birthday and other themed gift certificates available for US and Canadian customers. They are delivered electronically to the recipient, so be sure you have an email address for the person you intend to gift it to.

7. Large Project Bag/Tote Bag

Crocheters and knitters love large, useful tote bags to carry their WIPs and tools in! Nearly every crafter I know takes their projects on the go sometimes. I love my roomy canvas bag that has my logo on it, I literally take it all over the country. There are so many useful, lovely bags available everywhere but I like to make sure mine has at least one interior pocket for small notions and tools. I have a couple of I Crochet So Hard project bags ready to ship (click here see more details), or you can find a selection at WeCrochet.

** Please read carefully ** I discounted these bags to cost due to the zipper being cheap. I’ve had my bag for about a year and the zipper no longer functions properly. If you don’t care about the zipper, this is still a great bag. 

This roomy canvas bag will hold nearly any WIP! The measurements while laying flat are 18.5” wide by 14.75” tall by 4.75” wide. Main compartment is zippered and there are two canvas straps. There is a handy zippered interior pocket for your smaller tools and notions. Made from 100% cotton, the bag is washable (will need to be ironed or steamed afterward). Sorry, US customers only at this time. Bags will be mailed out within 5 business days.

8. Crochet Kit

Pictured below is a another great item from Bags By Bento - Taylor has two of her crochet patterns available to purchase in a kit with the supplies needed to make the project. Choose between a clutch or a hexagon purse, both made from natural jute fiber. Both are $34.99 at the time of this post. You can also find crochet kits for some really popular, modern patterns at LionBrand - the selection is huge. Designers include Make & Do Crew (Jess Coppom), Evelyn & Peter Crochet (Rachel Misner), Meghan Makes Do (Meghan Ballmer), Two of Wands (Alexandra Tavel) and more! You can also search “Crochet kit” on Etsy.

9. Pretty Stitch Markers

Every crocheter uses stitch markers - and the locking plastic markers have their place. But on the aesthetic scale… not the best. There are so many pretty stitch markers out there! Some are hand crafted, wood burned or laser engraved, beaded, molded, etc. Etsy is the best place I’ve found for unique and beautiful handmade stitch markers. Do a search for “crochet locking stitch markers” and filter by Item Type -> Handmade. If you like cats, tea, butterflies, coffee, mushrooms, football, skulls, penguins, or literally anything else, there is something there for you. Narrow it down even further by adding your material type to the search. You can also make your own with supplies from the craft store or Amazon - buy some small lobster claw clasps and get creative with charms, beads or even thread (tiny granny square stitch marker anyone?).

10. Yarn Swift and Yarn Winder

Two things that make life easier for any crocheter or knitter. If you’re into hand-dyed yarn from small indie shops, this is a MUST. It takes the hassle out of using those lovely twisted hanks that come from your favorite small batch dyers that never seem to stay neat after being untwisted. I’ve used the backs of chairs, my husband’s hands and lots of other methods before getting my swift and winder. My set is from WeCrochet and I absolutely love them both. I don’t have a good photo of my swift, but here’s a pic of the winder. I set it up on my kitchen counter, which is just the right height for me to stand and feed yarn into it from leftover skeins to make small cakes. It keeps them so much neater than just shoving it all back into a bin or bag. My kids love to help with this part because it’s so fun and satisfying. See more at WeCrochet here.

11. Pom Makers

Okay, here’s a big timesaver - pom makers!! They come in different sizes and make it super easy to create a pretty, full pom with consistency. I’ve seen many fun Instagram videos of people using these to make rainbow and graphic design poms and I love mine. I got a Clover 4-pack from Joann with a small, medium and large like the one pictured below. If you want to learn how to make extraordinary poms, follow @flynnknit on Instagram, you won’t regret it!! So many fun pom reels where a design is revealed at the end.

I hope you enjoyed gathering some ideas to gift your maker friends, or some things to add to your wish list! Just make sure you and up on the “nice” list this year, ok?

To stay in touch and be notified about future posts and pattern releases, join my email list or check out free patterns on my blog here!

Hello everyone!! This is an exciting blog post - I’m going to tell you all about my new pattern and also about my first CAL! I wanted to host a Crochet-A-Long for quite a while and this pattern is fairly beginner friendly and uses widely available yarn so I thought it was a great fit. The graphic below shows a little preview of how pretty the stitch pattern is.

*Some of the links in this blog may be affiliate links, which means if you shop through the link, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you*

Crochet Cowl Details

This pattern is beginner-friendly, so if you know single crochet, double crochet, slip stitches and understand how to work in the round you should be able to accomplish this project. There are basic instructions for working in the round, and some inspiration for choosing buttons. It comes in one size (Adult/Teen) but it’s fairly easy to modify. This Crochet-A-Long is over but you can join future CALs in my Facebook community! Click here to learn more.

Here are the supplies you will need:

• H (5mm) hook or hook to meet gauge (keep scrolling for more yarn info)

• 205+ yards of worsted (4) weight yarn

• Handful of buttons

• Scissors

• Tapestry needle

• Measuring tape

• Stitch markers

• Sewing needle & thread

Yarn recommendations for Button Jar Cowl

Here are my top suggestions for a soft, easy care yarn (affiliate links):

• Brava Worsted from WeCrochet (great colors - I chose Coral)

• Color Theory from Lion Brand

• Heatherly Worsted - acrylic/merino wool blend

• BravaTweed from WeCrochet (my fave is Goldenrod)

• Heartland from Lion Brand

My testers also had great results with Pound of Love, Berroco Comfort and Berroco Vintage, Yarn Bee Soft and Yarn Bee Tweed. I recommend a fiber that you want to wear next to your skin (not itchy), and something that will hold it’s shape fairly well. I also like to use machine washable yarn for anything worn next to my skin. If you’re thinking about a color vs. a neutral, consider your wardrobe and also what kind of buttons you want to use. Also, if you choose a variegated yarn, you may have more trouble seeing the buttons. The variegated yarn tends to become a focus rather than the buttons, which is kind of missing the point. A gradient yarn would probably work great, however.

Fun with Grandma’s Button Jar (or your own)

This is where the fun really comes in, choosing buttons! You can really show your personality or the personality of whoever you are making the cowl for at this point. When I went through my button collection, I found a few different options that would work for the same color of cowl. I could have chosen a complimentary color (blue), a theme (wood/leather), or a more neutral grouping to compliment the saturated hue of yarn (a coral/pumpkin color). For my next cowl, I am going to use a tweed yarn, so I chose gray and black buttons to pick up the tweed flecks in the golden yellow yarn. The photos below show some of the possibilities I found for the coral colored cowl.

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When choosing buttons, there are a couple of other things to consider. If your buttons are metal or too heavy, it can pull down the part of the cowl they are sewn onto. Lighter weight buttons seem to be a better choice overall for the drape and look of the cowl. Also, if you choose buttons that aren’t machine washable, you will be hand washing the cowl. I had a few testers choose lovely vintage buttons from a grandmother’s or mother’s collection, which is so beautiful, but they will have to hand wash their cowls or remove the buttons prior to washing.

Ready to get started on your crochet cowl?

Grab your pattern today on my website, on Etsy or Ravelry. Gather your supplies. Pick a yarn color and raid the button jar. And when you’re done, remember to share it with us! Use #buttonjarcowl on social media and tag me @icrochetsohard (Facebook and Instagram). Find me on Pinterest too!

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Let's stay connected!

Don't forget to join my email list for exclusive discounts, sneak peeks of new patterns, a free pattern when you subscribe and more!  Click here to subscribe.  We also have a wonderful, encouraging Facebook community, click below to join us! We now host CALs here, ask questions, and laugh together.

You may sell products made from this pattern but please credit the design to I Crochet So Hard. 

Photos ⓒ 2022 I Crochet So Hard, LLC

I am so excited to share because of how much I love this modern take on the crochet baby blanket!

Here are a few reasons why:

• This blanket is modern and unique

• It includes tapestry crochet - and once you master that skill you are ready for so many other amazing projects

• You can choose any colors you want and personalize to your heart’s content

• There are tutorials for this pattern, so no stressing!

• Daisy Farm Crafts patterns are free on the website (or you can purchase the new book!)

*Some of these may be affiliate links, which means I may make a small commission at no additional cost to you*

Daisy Farm Crafts has an amazing collection of projects, and one of my favorites is this baby blanket with the staggered triangles.  The triangles are a modern take on a crocheted blanket, it’s not your traditional granny square or stripes and it doesn’t scream “baby” to me.  I made this specific pattern several times during 2020-2021 (hello “stay at home” orders) and gifted each blanket lovingly to expecting families.  I would say this is an advanced beginner or intermediate project. If you don’t have time to start now, Pin this post for later :)

Bernat Softee Baby Yarn & Color

Bernat Softee Baby is my absolute favorite yarn to use for baby blankets. It’s a Sport/3 weight (US), super soft and sturdy as well. It’s also machine washable and dryable because it’s made out of 100% acrylic fiber. However - I tend to hand wash all handmade items in general because even if the yarn is “washable” the project may have delicate parts. I especially recommend this for antique handmades or if you have an agitator in your washing machine. Do not be a victim of this tragedy! I have seen too many photos of an item getting caught by the agitator and ripped to shreds. Your crochet community will cry with you but not everyone will understand.

The skeins of Softee Baby that I use are 362 yards each, so it’s a good value for the amount of yarn.  The project calls for 5 skeins of color A and 1 skein of color B.  I have tested this pattern several times and since I tend to crochet with a tighter tension, I have never actually used that 5th skein, but have used most of the 4th.  The Daisy Farm Crafts gals crochet with a looser tension than mine, so you might be aware of this as you plan your project.  

One more thing about the colors is you may want to pair a darker, more saturated color with a lighter color if you want the triangles to stand out.  If you look at the photos you can see how the triangles really stand out with the teal yarn, but using the pink didn’t provide the same amount of contrast.  Totally personal preference, and you can customize, customize, customize!  I buy this yarn at Love Crafts, and have been really happy with the shipping and communication.

If you're wanting to know the exact colors I used for any of these three blankets they are: 

• Soft Peach (pink)

• Aqua (teal)

• Flannel (gray)

• White

Wide HDC Cluster Stitch & Customization

The main stitch used is the wide hdc (half double crochet) cluster in between the posts of the row below, and there’s a stitch explanation on the pattern as well as the YouTube tutorial. There’s a trick to decrease the amount of yarn it’s eating - you can actually change the stitch to a plain old hdc instead of the wide cluster hdc. If you’re on a budget or want a quicker work up, this is a great hack.

I used this technique on one of my blankets because I only had 3 skeins of the pink yarn in my stash. The only drawback is that you can see the white (or color B) yarn showing through a bit more. You might be able to see this on the picture below. I don’t even think most people would notice, it just looks like the blanket is supposed to be that way.

Another option is to stack the triangles instead of staggering them - it’s another way to make it your own! You do this by repeating the directions/count for the first row of triangles instead of alternating with the indented row. I did this with one of mine by mistake (see below - gray blanket) and it ended up being a happy accident. I was several rows in (I already had at least two or three full rows of triangles completed) when I realized that I had put the triangles right on top of each other - whoops!

I believe this was a direct result of my overconfidence that I had the pattern memorized since I had already made a few of the same blankets! Ugggh. Pride will get ya every time. Thankfully this time it resulted in something beautiful. I shared my photos on Instagram anyway. I did just notice that Daisy Farm Crafts now has a stacked triangles blanket pattern using velvet yarn. Coincidence??

Tapestry Crochet Technique

Let’s talk about tapestry crochet for just a minute. Once I learned this technique of colorwork, it opened up the possibilities to so many other projects that I would not have had the confidence to tackle previously. It was tricky to get the hang of at first, but once I performed the yarn carrying and color changing a few times (I learned from making the DFC gingham blanket!), it got way easier and now I can carry the yarn without really thinking about it.

If you feel intimidated, I totally understand. I was too at first, but now it’s super easy! You can then search for other projects using tapestry, like gingham beanies, geometric shapes, graphic patterns, and fair isle (a little different, makes very crisp color blocks). I’ve seen some stunning scarves, bags, and even wall hangings using tapestry crochet. It’s a really great next step on your way to other more complicated projects.

Getting Started - Tools & Pattern

So, after years of putting free patterns online (I highly recommend so many of them), Daisy Farm Crafts has released their book, 25 Crochet Baby Blanket Patterns, and it’s available on Amazon! It features this triangles banket, a gingham blanket (another one of my absolute favorites), a chevron blanket, a cactus motif blanket, puffs/bobbles, stripes and more!! There’s the paperback print version and also a Kindle version you can view on your iPad or other device.

Daisy Farm Crafts also has a second book available and a third due out soon! Super exciting!

Supply List for Crochet Triangles Blanket:

• Bernat Softee Baby yarn - 6 skeins total, see pattern

• Embroidery scissors

• Size H, 5 mm hook

• Tapestry needles

• Handmade with love tag - (see photo below) optional but a great finishing touch!

• FREE Pattern from Daisy Farm Crafts

Let’s Stay Connected!

I would LOVE to see your finished products if you share on Instagram or Facebook - make sure tag me @ICrochetSoHard and give me a follow so you know when something new comes up! I’m on Pinterest too if you hang out there to look for great crochet projects :) Thank you for reading and happy crocheting!

Join our Facebook Group for encouragement, fun, and challenges. We have crocheters of all ages, skill levels and interests.

When I was trying to come up with a baby shower gift that wouldn’t take forever to make, I thought of my Lexington Blanket pattern first. It’s made with Bulky (5) weight yarn so it works up fairly quick and has a really soothing, relaxing stitch repeat. It’s an easy project to walk away from and pick back up without having to do any counting once you get the stitch pattern memorized. Great for crocheters with a busy life and road-trip approved!

I wanted to switch it up a bit and was thinking of a way to incorporate a second color without just doing solid blocks of color. I thought it would be fun to try a bit of a faux fade technique. I think it turned out great and I’m happy to gift it to a friend and her baby girl on the way. This could also be a good market make since it works up pretty fast.

If you don’t have time to start right now, you can Pin the image below for later.

*Some of the links in this blog may be affiliate links, which means if you shop through the link, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you*

For yarn, I chose two colors of Hue + Me that I had on hand. I made my original Lexington Blanket out of the light pink (Rosewater) so I had a few of those skeins leftover and added the Spicy color from a cowl design that never worked out :) You can find Hue + Me at Joann or here at LionBrand.com. It’s a machine washable/dryable acrylic/wool blend and it’s super soft! With the easy-care, I feel comfortable making baby and kid items. I love it, so squishy!

Supplies:

• Pattern in my shop (or on Etsy or Ravelry)

• L hook (this is my favorite ergo set)

• 565-580 yards (5 skeins) of Hue + Me or other Bulky (5) weight yarn (If you want yours to look just like mine, get 3 skeins of Color A, 2 skeins of Color B)

• Scissors

• Large tapestry needle

• Measuring tape

• Blocking kit

This pattern is great for a confident beginner, so if you have basic skills such as single crochet mastered you can tackle this blanket. It is written in US terms and measurements. The finished size will be about 32” x 32”.

Here are the specifics for the color transition technique I used:

COLOR A: Spicy/COLOR B: Rosewater

Rows 1-39: Color A

Row 40: Color B

Rows 41-42: Color A

Rows 43-44: Color B

Row 45: Color A

Rows 46-61: Color B

Border: Color A

If you haven’t had experience changing colors, I recommend my favorite method: When finishing the stitch before the color change, use the next color to finish the stitch, leaving a 6” tail on both current and new pieces. Whatever the last step is (where you pull through any remaining loops on the hook), drop the first color from your hook, and add the second color to pull through. Weave in the ends later.

If you want a neat square or rectangle shape, and non-wavy sides - you really should block your project. I have a basic tutorial on this post, but here are some photos showing the edges on the blocking mat. Two of the edges had been pinned and the other two had not yet. Yes, even crochet designers have wavy edges! For some reason, the pink color seemed like it worked up fluffier than the brick color, so the pink section was wider. Same hook used, same brand, same line, but the yarn may be manufactured in two different places, or something else is different. It happens! See how magic blocking is? When I was done blocking you couldn’t even tell. This is why I especially like to block gifts for others.

Please tag me on Instagram or Facebook if you make this project (@ICrochetSoHard), and let me know how it went!  I’d love to see your finished product and what colors you chose.  

Subscribe to my email list, find me on Pinterest – whatever it takes to keep getting inspiration for your crochet journey.  Check out free patterns on my blog too! I send an email whenever I post a new blog :)

If you love this stitch pattern, try my Joanna Spa Collection patterns! You’ve already mastered the stitch, so you are ready.

Let's stay connected!

Don't forget to join my email list for exclusive discounts, sneak peeks of new patterns, and more!  Click here to subscribe.  Join our Facebook community here to crochet a long with us! We have crocheters of all skill levels and interests and a lot of fun.

Searching for the perfect gift idea for a tall man who owns a cat? Look no further!

Meet Larry. He’s my brother’s adorable cat. When I was making my brother a blanket for his new home, he requested no tassels, no holes, no border. You know, because of the cat. And it has to be extra tall since he’s about 6’ 3". And it has to be a lighter weight so he doesn’t just sweat all winter under the thing. Voila! I made up my own pattern that hit all the marks and showed off the stunning Mandala Tweed Stripes yarn.

This pattern is super simple, great for beginners, and repetitive. It’s easy to pick up and put down with no counting involved past the first couple of rows. Once you get the rhythm down you are off to the races. When you fasten off and weave in any ends, you are completely finished.

For yarn, I chose Lion Brand Mandala Tweed in Dragonfly, but you can choose any worsted weight acrylic or blend that is soft. You can find Mandala Tweed Stripes at Amazon, or on the Lion Brand website. If you can’t start your project today, Pin the image below for easy access later. You can also follow me on Pinterest for more crochet patterns!

*Some of the links in this blog may be affiliate links, which means if you shop through the link, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you*

Before we get into the pattern, I wanted to mention a few things. This beginner-friendly blanket has wonderful drape, is fairly light for a blanket this size, and you could make it in any colors, even using scrap yarn. It is great for one person to snuggle under from neck to feet, plus a cat (or maybe a small dog).

Also, this blanket took forever to make. I started this blanket in the fall and worked on it every single week. I wanted to have it done by Christmas but it was only half finished… So I presented him with a half finished project, which got some laughs. I was able to give the finished blanket to him in February and he loves it. If you are looking for a quick make, try my Lexington Blanket made with chunky yarn instead. It can be made in baby blanket, full size throw or any other size you choose.

One more note: With all my moss stitch/linen stitch projects, they end up wider on the ends and skinnier in the middle (where I get to my “comfort crocheting”). This may be something to be aware of with your tension throughout the project. I have had to frog many projects (at least one end or the middle) because my tension changed so much. Blocking can also help with the overall shape of your piece. For more about blocking, see this post. Make sure and look up the best blocking method for your fiber.

Supplies:

• G (4.25mm) hook or hook to meet gauge (this ergo set is my absolute favorite!)

• 7 skeins or 2,982 yards (for size specified in pattern) of Lion Brand Mandala Tweed Stripes or other soft worsted weight yarn

• Scissors

• Tapestry needle

• Measuring tape

Skill Level:  Beginner

Language/Terms:  English/US Terms 

Finished Measurements (if following pattern as written): 45” wide x 77” tall

Gauge: 4" x 4" = 20 sts by 20 rows (be sure to work up a piece large enough to exclude the edges and starting row).  Gauge is not essential to this project. Chain 25 and follow instruction for blanket, with a 23 stitch count for each row.

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

st = stitch

sts = stitches

ch sp = chain space

sc = single crochet

sk = skip

* * = repeat instructions between asterisks as many times as directed

If you want to adjust the size of the blanket, make sure you start with an odd number of chains. You can have any number of rows that you want.

Instructions

Ch 227.

Row 1: Sc in 3rd st from hook. *Ch 1, sk next st, sc* across to end. Turn. (225 sts - count ch 2 at beginning of row as 1 st here and at every row)

Row 2: Ch 2. Sc in 1st ch sp. *Ch 1, sc into ch sp* across (your last sc will be placed between the last sc and ch 2 from previous row). Turn. (225 sts)

Row 3 - 385: Repeat row 2.

Fasten off and weave in all ends.

Congratulations! You have finished your Tall Man Blanket!

I’d absolutely love to see your projects - use hashtag #tallmanblanket and tag me @icrochetsohard on Instagram & Facebook. Bonus points if your pics include a cute animal :)

If you love this stitch, try the Modern Striped Table Mat! Click here to read the post.

Let's stay connected

Don't forget to join my email list for exclusive discounts, sneak peeks of new patterns, and more!  Click here to subscribe.  Join our Facebook community here to crochet a long with us! We have crocheters of all skill levels and interests and a lot of fun.

One skein of cotton yarn is all you need to protect a precious book or Bible

This book and Bible cover is so special to me. I created it out of a desire to protect my purse-size Bible, which had a cover that was slowly peeling off. I wanted to keep using it because it was a gift from my family on Mother's Day about 10 years ago. The cover can be made in any size, so hopefully it will fit the Bible or book that is special to you. If you aren't familiar with linked double crochet, the tight weave is useful and versatile. For yarn choice, I love 100% cotton Dishie from WeCrochet. It's super soft and glides right over your hook. Margie is a very special woman in my life - she's a part of our family and a spiritual mentor. She also crochets!  

It's a one skein make (for most small books) and can be used for Bibles, books, journals, planners and more!  If you can't make it now, Pin one of the images below for later.  

*Some of the links in this blog may be affiliate links, which means if you shop through the link, I make a small commission at no additional cost to you*

Before we get into the pattern, I wanted to mention there is an ad-free PDF version available in my Etsy shop (click here) & my Ravelry shop (click here).  The PDF version includes a seaming diagram and a photo stitch tutorial for the linked double crochet.

PLEASE read through all notes before starting! For pattern support and a group of positive, encouraging crocheters to engage with, join our Facebook community today.

Supplies:

• F (3.75mm) hook or hook to meet gauge (this ergo set is my absolute favorite!)

• 130-140 yards medium or light worsted (4) weight yarn such as WeCrochet Dishie (100% cotton or cotton blend). Larger books may need 200+ yards.

• Scissors

• Tapestry needle

• Measuring tape

• Stitch markers

Skill Level:  Easy/Intermediate 

Language/Terms:  English/US Terms 

Finished Measurements (if following pattern as written): 9 3/4" wide x 6 7/8" tall

Measurements before border & seaming: 15 1/4" wide x 6 3/8" tall 

Gauge: 4" x 4" = 19 sts by 9 1/2 rows (be sure to work up a piece large enough to exclude the edges and starting row). 

Abbreviations:

ch = chain

st = stitch

sts = stitches

SC = Single Crochet

LDC = Linked Double Crochet

Just a quick note about Dishie yarn - it slides like butter over my crochet hook. No joke. I have crocheted with a ton of different cotton and cotton blend yarns and this one is definitely on the softer end and glides along. It's the opposite of a hand buster - so much better than other cotton yarns that strain my hands and wrists. It's available at WeCrochet, who has free shipping over $45 every day!

Linked Double Crochet

Stitch Instruction: Linked Double Crochet

Instead of a yarn over to start the stitch, insert your hook in the horizontal bar created by the last LDC. Pull up a loop (you will have two loops on your hook). Continue by inserting your hook into the next stitch and pulling up a loop. You should now have 3 loops on your hook. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops, yarn over and pull through last 2 loops.

Stitch note: When changing colors/adding yarn with LDC, I find it works best to add a new piece of yarn when pulling up a loop in the next stitch, not when finishing the stitch. Otherwise, you may end up with a visible "hole" at the yarn change stitch. Be sure to pull the yarn tight at the add point before finishing the stitch.

Measuring for your cover

To get a perfect fit for your book, here are a few tips:

• You want a snug fit, not a loose fit

• Gauge is very important if you need your project to be the same finished size listed on page 1 and/or you want to use the formula provided for st count

• It's important that your in-progress panel width be the exact measurement you are aiming for, this may take some trial and error with the first few rows

To obtain your width measurement:

For the WIDTH of the piece, measure the HEIGHT of your book and subtract 1/2". Take your measurement and plug it into this formula to determine your STITCH count: 4.75 x height measurement = number of stitches needed. Round to the nearest whole number. Then, add 2 for your starting ch count. (This formula only works if you meet gauge!) The most important thing is that you have the measurement you need (your book height minus 1/2"). You may have to use some trial and error with the stitch count if you don't meet gauge.

Example: My Bible is 6 5/8" tall. The width measurement of my piece will be 6 1/8". So I need to have that measurement from edge to edge horizontally for my rows. You would adjust the STITCH count to change the width of the piece.

To obtain your length measurement:

For the LENGTH of the piece, measure horizontally across the front cover, spine, and the back cover (when the book is closed) and subtract 1/2". I recommend using a flexible measuring tape. For smaller books, add 6" to this measurement so you will have 3" pockets on each side. For books larger than about 8" tall, you may want to add 8" for 4" pockets on each side. This will determine how many inches you need in rows. Work the pattern until you reach this measurement.

Example: My Bible is 9 3/4" from the edge of the front cover, around the spine, to the edge of the back cover. I subtracted 1/2" (for the border) and got 9 1/4". I added 6" to this measurement (for the pockets) to get 15 1/4" which will be the total length of my piece before border & seaming. You would adjust your ROW count to change the length of the piece.

TIP: If your stitch or row measurement doesn't line up exactly, it's better to be slightly under rather than over. Your piece may stretch out a bit after some use.

Instructions

Ch 30 (or your desired number), leaving a long tail (8" or so).

Row 1: Working in the back bumps of the ch for all of row 1, pull up a loop in the 2nd ch from hook. Pull up a loop in the 3rd ch from hook. Yarn over and pull through 2 loops, then yarn over and pull through last 2 loops. LDC in each st to end (the last LDC goes into your first ch made). Turn. (28 sts - or 2 less than your ch count here and on every row)

Row 2: Ch 2. Pull up a loop in the 2nd ch from hook (the bottom ch of your ch 2). Insert hook in first st and pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through two loops, then yarn over and pull through last 2 loops. LDC in each st to end. Turn. (28 sts)

Rows 3-36 (or until desired length): Repeat row 2. Do not fasten off.

Border:

Ch 1 and turn your work clockwise to start working along the long edge. Work evenly spaced SC across all 4 sides, putting 3 SC in each corner as you go around. I had approximately 68 sts across the long sides and 30 sts across the short sides. After the last corner is complete, slip st into the first st of the next side and fasten off, leaving a long tail for seaming (approx. 12").

Seaming:

Flip your piece over and lay it flat lengthwise, long side running horizontally. The side facing down is now the outside. Measure in 3" (or 4" - whatever size you chose for your pockets) from each side on the top (see diagram on pg 4). Place a st marker at each point. Repeat with bottom edge. You should have a total of 4 st markers, placed 3" (or 4") in from each side on both the top and bottom edges.

Fold the edges of the piece at the st markers to create the pockets. Your folds should run from one st marker to another vertically. Using the two yarn tails, seam two of the pocket edges towards the fold with a mattress stitch (see diagram on pg 4). An alternative is a whip stitch. The mattress stitch creates a flatter, neater seam. For the other two edges, add a new yarn piece (about 15") and seam them as well. Weave in all ends.

Blocking & Finishing: If your cover isn't exactly a rectangle or if you need to stretch it a bit, you may want to try blocking. 

Optional: One of my testers added a crochet chain for a bookmark and attached it to the middle of the top edge of their cover (brilliant)! Make it a little longer than your book is tall.

Check out some color choices and options below:

Congratulations! You have finished your Margie Book Cover!

I’d absolutely love to see your projects - use hashtag #margiebookcover and tag me @icrochetsohard on Instagram & Facebook! Remember to join our crochet community here.

Let's stay connected!

Don't forget to join my email list for exclusive discounts, sneak peeks of new patterns, a free pattern when you subscribe and more!  Click here to subscribe. 

Please do not sell or distribute this pattern, or claim it as your own.

You may sell products made from this pattern but please credit the design to I Crochet So Hard. 

Pattern and photos ⓒ 2021 I Crochet So Hard, LLC