Sweet Nothings Crochet: BABY COCOON 3

BABY COCOON 3

I’m making my third baby cocoon for a baby photo shoot. For this particular one, I was asked to use a stitch with a “plump feature” that would show through nicely in photo shoots. So I thought of using a bobble stitch. Just as I was trying to work the stitch in a circular form, “Providence” stepped in and someone shared this lovely pattern for a slouchie , written by the expert +Kim Guzman.

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I am hoping to use as a base for this pattern, and then I hope to make this into a baby cocoon. Thanks for coming along with me on my creative journey.

The original free crochet pattern for the superb slouchie by Kim Guzman is at http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/berry-patch-slouchie OR http://crochetkim.com/freepatterns/berry-patch-slouchie/

Please visit this link to make your slouchie as well as to see the Pop stitch, which forms the most integral part of our pattern. Thank you

Materials used : Today I’ve used about 400 gms of our lovely Indian Wendy 4-ply acrylic yarn, with a 10 mm crochet hook

Stitches used :

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

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

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

Foundation Single Crochet : fsc : To refresh your skill on the fsc, please view this video https://youtu.be/mcT85fwh4mA

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

Half Double Crochet : Hdc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk) ;

yo, draw through all 3 lps. One hdc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/sDiELJdB2Dg

Chainless start for Half Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 start, and this is what I do to start my row of hdc. Check out the video at https://youtu.be/lWXpl1KdbZ8

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

Whipstitch to join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the whipstitch at https://youtu.be/wZ-9LNzftMA

Invisible join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the embroidery needle and whipstitch to get an invisible join at https://youtu.be/a6XZQ6VzJFM

Single crochet to join : Here’s a quick tutorial on how to join using the single crochet at https://youtu.be/6FXoW_47_dI

Abbreviations used :

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

Instructions : (Using U.S terminology)

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.

We start our little circular cocoon at the centre bottom and work our way in rounds. I am going to work in continuous rounds as I do not want the end line which will mar the effect of a photograph. However, as it is difficult to gauge where the end is, here are two options

1. Keep a marker at the end of each round, moving it each round so that you keep a count of where you’re at

2. Do a sl-st at the end of each round

Now for convenience, I am going to write it like we’re doing a sl-st at the end of each round.

I’ve used the basic pattern of the original slouchie to start, but have made a few changes, and here are my notes for those changes.

Please visit the blog link given above for the original slouchie pattern and the Pop Stitch. Thank you.

Our lovely Kim Guzman has beautifully explained the “Pop” stitch or Popcorn stitch.

The only difference is that as I’m using 3 strands of my 4-ply yarn, I’ve only done 3 dc and then worked the popcorn or Pop stitch.

i.e My Pop stitch here = 3 dc in the st or ch-sp and then remove hk from st, slip under the 1^st dc and pull the lp through to complete the popcorn or Pop stitch.

Now as I’ve used 3 strands of yarn, I found 3 dc sufficient to get my “Pop” right – but if using just a single strand of yarn (DK or otherwise), please follow instructions for the original Pop stitch.

Start : Round 1 : with a magic circle and 8 sc in that circle.

Join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc.

Round 2 : ch 2, pop stitch in the 1^st sc ;

(ch 2, pop stitch in the next sc) ;

rep (to) all around ;

ch 2, and join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc. (8 sts)

Round 3 : sl-st into in the 1^st ch-2 sp ;

(pop st ; ch 2, pop stitch) in the next ch-2 sp ;

*ch 2, rep (to) once in the next ch-2 sp* ;

rep *to* all around and join with a sl-st to the 1^st pop st. (16 sts)

Now let me quickly explain how we’re increasing here.

This is exactly like we do all our hat/cap increases when working in a round.

So in our Round 3, we’ve doubled our stitches.

In the next round (i.e 4) we will work 2 sts in the 1^st ch-sp and then 1 st in the next ch-sp, so we will increase by half the number of stitches from the previous round.

In the following round (i.e 5), we will work 2 sts in the 1^st ch-sp and then work 1 st each in the next two ch-sps.

See, this is how we increase our rounds all the time, right.

The only difference will be that our stitch is a pop stitch , so we increase using our pop stitches.

Inside and outside of our pop stitch - it looks beautiful both sides, doesn't it?

Round 4 : sl-st into in the 1^st ch-2 sp ;

(pop st ; ch 2, pop stitch) in the next ch-2 sp ;

*ch 2, pop st in the next ch-2 sp ;

ch 2, rep (to) once in the next ch-2 sp* ;

rep *to* all around and join with a sl-st to the 1^st pop st. (24 sts)

Round 5 : sl-st into in the 1^st ch-2 sp ;

(pop st ; ch 2, pop stitch) in the next ch-2 sp ;

*[ch 2, pop st in the next ch-2 sp] ;

rep [to] once ;

ch 2, rep (to) once in the next ch-2 sp* ;

rep *to* all around and join with a sl-st to the 1^st pop st. (32 sts)

I am sure you’ve figured out our increases now.

I just continued repeating Round 5, increasing 8 pop stitches every round till you have a diameter that you are happy with for your lovely little cocoon.

I am going to work till I have a 20 – 22” diameter for my project and then do last row of finishing.

Last Round 5 : sc on the 1^st pop st ;

(2 sc in the next ch-2 sp ; sc on the next pop st) ;

rep (to) all around ;

2 sc in that last ch-2 sp and join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc.

Optional Round : IF you want, you could do a final round and work an sc in each sc all around.

Inside and outside of our cocoon .. I just love it

And that’s done.. yet another project brilliantly executed !

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https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2019/02/b-is-for-crochet-motif.html