Thursday 5 November 2015

FLORAL TEA LIGHT CANDLE HOLDER 6

Sweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog ; photo of the Floral tea light candle holderSweet Nothings Crochet free crochet pattern blog ; photo of the Floral tea light candle holder

FLORAL TEA LIGHT CANDLE HOLDER 6

Navratri is a festival of nine nights https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Navratri when we ladies get a chance to show off our craft and decorative skills, have friends and family come home and enjoy some different foods.  This is closely followed by Diwali, our festival of lights https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diwali

During both these festivals, we decorate our homes with lights.  In the old days, we used mud lamps – now with the advent of tea lights and candles, these are the simpler, easier, and cleaner lamps that we use.
Remember that tea light candles are a fire hazard, so ensure that you keep this at a safe height.  Better still, do look at the new range of flameless battery operated tea light candles, that are available on Amazon (a link for which is in one of my earlier tea light candle holder blogs)

This is a flower pattern that I’ve wanted to make for a long time.. and here I’m going to try and adapt it to make a flower inspired tea light holder.  

Now after having made it, I found that I was unable to figure a way to make this all in one simple movement, as I have for my earlier five tea light holders.  That said, I am still thrilled with how this has turned out.

May I also add that if you are thinking of making this, then do go for two shades or yarn, as when we fold and turn it to make the floral petals, the mix of colours makes it look that much more beautiful. 

I have, as you see, only tried to play with blue / blue-silver and silver yarns and find that the pattern does show through, but is not as dramatic.

Finally, I must also say that this lovely creation also doubles up as a decorative flower if you 'squish' the basket that should hold the tea light candle.  (photograph on top right of this blog)

Thank you for joining me.
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Materials used : Indian Polyester yarn with a 4 mm crochet hook.

Difficulty level : Intermediate  to advanced skill level

Abbreviations used : (Using U.S terminology)
lp(s) : Loop(s)                sc : Single crochet
dc : Double crochet       sp : Space                                 
sl-st : Slip stitch             ch : Chain
st(s) : Stitch(es)             hk : Hook
yo : Yarn Over                                              
MC : Main Colour
CC : Contrast Colour                            
Sc-blo : Single crochet back loop only


Stitches used(Using U.S terminology)
Starting slip knot : Here’s how you start with a slip knot.  https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : This is a neat new way to start your work without a slip knot.  https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs


Instructions : 
Please note that I start all my rows with a ch 1, turning chain for ease.
Please check the top of this blog for easy video tutorials on all stitches used in today's pattern.
Please read through all my notes before you pick up your hook, so you know just where we're heading in our pattern.
In my patterns I work with the principle of stitch count and body measurement.  This means that you need to work the stitch count in pattern, till you get the measurement (length and/or width) that you need for your project. 

For your convenience, there are easy video tutorials not just at the top of this blog, but sometimes just before you need to use that stitch.

So before we jump into the pattern, let’s see what we’re going to do here.
This is a pretty straight forward pattern.  We start with a magic circle and the base of our little holder, and work till we get a round base that we’re happy with… i.e the size of the tea light candle holder we’re going to put inside.  

Ensure that the round we’re making here is a little larger than the tea light, to prevent the flame from jumping out and creating a fire hazard.

We will then continue to create the top and sides of our little container holder.  This part is the constant for all our tea light holders.

As we turn to work the sides of our holder, we will be working one round in back loops only. 
Very conveniently, the other loop (i.e un-used front loop) will be the one we will re-attach our yarn onto to work the lower round portion of our tea light decoration.

Easy enough, right? So let’s move on..

So our pattern here is in two parts. 
One part is making of the motifs, and the second part is the basket like central part.  After we join the motifs, we will sit the basket on top of the absolutely lovely floral motif.
So after having completed this, here’s my addition.  I am going to indicate yarn colour change, just in case you are using two colours of yarn.
So let’s start with our motifs


Part 1 : FLORAL MOTIF

Magic circle : To refresh your skill, please view this easy video https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);
[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice.  One dc made. 
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.
Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

What is a slip stitch : Here is a neat video tutorial at https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

What is a chain stitch ? Here is an easy video tutorial https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXx5ukBjKkY

Start (using MC) with a magic circle and 4 dc in that circle ; 
(ch 7, 4 dc in the same magic circle) ; 
rep (to) 2 times ; 
ch 7 and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.  
Pull lightly to close.

If making it two toned, change colours now, and attach your next colour in the ch-7 sp.

Round 1 : (using CC) 12 dc in the 1st ch-7 sp ; 
(sk 4 dc and 12 dc in the next ch-7 sp) ; 
rep (to) 2 times 
and join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Single Crochet : Sc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (2 lps on hk); yo, draw through both lps.  One sc made.  Check out the video at https://youtu.be/ghACqBpA-3k

First stitch for Single Crochet : This is how I like to start my row of sc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/6pVYRfsf4_M 

Round 2 : (using MC) sc in the 1st dc ; 
and in each dc all the way around. 
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Now joining of the motifs is a little tricky.  
There is a pretty good photo tutorial, but I still struggled with it.  
So here’s what I did.. and if you managed it via the photo tutorial and have suggestions, do tag them on here, so the next person can benefit.  Thanks.

Ok, so our motif is a weird shaped diamond of sorts.  
You will join the right hand side corner of Motif 1, to the left hand side corner of Motif 2.  Motif 2, right hand to Motif 3 left hand and so on, till Motif 5 is attached to the left side of Motif 1 completing a circle.  
There is a hole in the centre at this point.
I’ve done a (really poor) rough sketch, which I hope helps.



Second join is for the centres.  
So the corners that are between the ones that you’ve joined now get joined together, such that the diamond shape now looks triangular when you flip your work over.



Third join is between the two joined points per diamond.  
So on each diamond, you will fold and join in such a way that the top bits of your diamond will stand up and out like folded petals and you are completing the triangle at the bottom.  
Hmmm, does that make sense?  
Ok, here’s a picture.. and of course do take a look at the original charts/photos from the Pinterest link too.


Now that we have our little flower made, let’s work on the little basket that will hold our tea light holder.



Part 2  : Tea light candle holder 'basket'

Our stitch count is in multliples of 5. 

Start with a magic circle and 5 hdc in that circle.  
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.  
Pull lightly to close.

Base Round 1 : 2 dc in the 1st hdc and each hdc till end.
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Base Round 2 : dc in the 1st dc  ; 
2 dc in the next dc ; 
*dc in the next dc ; 2 dc in the next dc * ; 
rep *to* all the way around.  
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st. (15 sts)

To create a nice rim, and a deciding line where we can attach the rest of our pattern to, let’s work one round in single crochet, using back loops only or sc-blo.

Single crochet back loop only (sc-blo) : Here is an easy video tutorial

Base Round 3 : sc-blo in the 1st dc and each dc till end. 
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

We will now work one round without increase that will work the sides of our tea light holder.

Side Round 4 : hdc in the 1st sc and in each sc all the way around. 
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

For regular tea light holders, just Side Round 4 should suffice.

However, depending on how high you want the sides for your lamp holder, continue without any increase till you have the height you are happy with.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

We’ve completed the little ‘basket-like’ portion of our tea light holder.  This is where we’ll place our little tea light.


Finishing :
We have to now attach the flower motif to the bottom of the basket we’ve made.  

So using an embroidery needle, attach the flower motif to the free front loops of the bottom of the basket in such a way that it sits atop the folded petals.

Now I know this is not the *usual* way we’ve made for our earlier tea light holders, but I do like the end result.. and we also made a really nice flower that we can replicate for other uses too.. so all in all, win win, I’d say.

Fasten off and weave in ends.
Yet another absolutely stunning little tea light candle holder done.

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Have a great day and see you soon. 

I have five earlier tea light holders that I’ve made and here are the links, just in case you have missed them.











... and some miscellaneous home use project ideas ...