Sweet Nothings Crochet: POINSETTIA TABLE COASTERS

POINSETTIA TABLE COASTER

( #Blogaday 01/365 )

Christmas is around the corner .. and I thought I’d add a few Christmassy cheery ideas to my blog.. so welcome back and let’s have fun.

Yes, I am aware that by the time I've written out this blog, Christmas is behind us.. but then we're going to have one in 300+ days, so why not start well in advance and not panic this year? ;) .. AND these table coasters are an "all the year kinda gift" too. If you attach on a shiny thread, you can hang it onto the tree as well.. so this is quite a useful pattern, don't you think?

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Inspired by this photo with its attached graph / chart , here are my pattern notes.

Materials used : Today I have used ~ about a little bit of our lovely Indian Red ros e cotton yarn with a 1.3 mm crochet hook ; fabric glue to seal ends and Mod Podge for stiffening & protecting your project.

This yarn is not specific for this project.

You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.

For Indians : You could use Anchor ; Red rose metallic or unbranded knitting cotton as well

One quick note : I found that my Indian Red Rose bled a bit, so if you too are using two colors, one of which is light, please ensure that the darker color does not bleed. Lesson well learned

International yarns : Among the international yarns I have used, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn.

Size : 6.5" across

Size depends on the yarn used.

Difficulty level : Advanced Skill level

Abbreviations used :

ch : chain ch-sp : chain space

sp : space rep : Repeat

fsc : Foundation single crochet

dc : Double crochet

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

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. For your convenience there video tutorials through the blog too

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.

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

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

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

Start (with Color 1) with a magic circle and 12 hdc in that circle.

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

Fasten off Color 1. Attach red.

In the following round, we’re going to make the base for our poinsettia petal. For that we will work a long chain, and this forms the base.

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

Round 1 : (with red) :

hdc in the 1^st hdc ;

(ch 18, sk next 16 ch, sl-st in the next ch ;

ch 2, sk next hdc, hdc in the next hdc) ;

rep (to) all around ;

ch 4, join with a sl-st to the 1^st dc.

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

Triple Crochet : trc : wrap yarn twice around hook, insert hk into st ; yo (4 lps on hk); [yo, draw through 2 lps] three times. One trc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/A0y4BbgDTbs

Round 2 : (with red) :

sc in the 1^st hdc ;

*2 sc in the next ch-2 sp ;

(1 hdc ; 5 dc ; 5 trc ;

ch 5, 5 trc ; 5 dc ; 1 hdc) all in the ch-16 sp ;

2 sc in the next ch-2 sp ;

sc in the next hdc* ;

rep *to* all around ;

2 sc in the last ch-2 sp ;

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

Fasten off red. Attach Color 1 (or another color).

So before you attach your new yarn, let’s look at your poinsettia flower petals, and see where we re-attach.

Place down the motif and look at the chart.

So we will attach your new yarn in the 5^th dc (of the ch-16 sp).

We will be working in between two petals, so you will re-attach your yarn in the right hand side petal between two petals in the dc mentioned above.

Right now that we’ve worked out where we’re attaching our yarn, let’s figure out which are the two sts that we will work a dc 2-tog with.

So your yarn is attached at the last dc on that set, correct?

You will now mark the last dc on the petal to it’s left, and the dc 2-tog will be worked in these two marked dc.

Triple / Treble crochet 2-tog : trc 2-tog : [yo, insert hk in st or ch-sp, yo and pull up a lp ; yo and draw through 2 lps] 3 times (4 lps on hk) ;

{yo, draw through 2 lps on hk} 3 times. One trc 2-tog made.

This video tutorial at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0y4BbgDTbs shows you how to use the dc 2-tog to decrease

And this video shows you how to use it a decorative stitch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCQOBc83Vxo

How to work a picot stitch : Traditionally for a ch-3 picot, you work (ch 3, sl-st in 3rd ch from hook). For a ch-5 picot, you will do (ch 5, sl-st in 5th ch from hook).

Here’s a great video https://youtu.be/8s3zVaBcn4s

We will also work in a ch-3 picot in the following round.

Our ch-3 picot is (ch 3 ; sl-st in the 3^rd ch from hk)

Finally we’re working our next set of {to} sts in a really unusual way.

Now usually you work your stitch in the st of the round below, right?

But here, as we want this little Xmas tree-like shape, we will be working our st in the vertical bar of the earlier st. So what does this mean? You will work your first dtr + picot, and then work the next trc in the vertical bar of the dtr you just made ; then you will work the next dc in the vertical bar of this trc you’ve just made, so on and so forth.

There are a total of five dc at the top of this little creation… the 1^st dc is worked in the vertical bar of the trc ; the next three will be worked in the same point on the vertical bar of the dc ; the last dc will be once again worked on the earlier trc vertical bar.

As you continue to complete the mirror image of the for the second part of this little creation, we will work in the same spaces for the same stitch. This means that where ever you worked your dtr for the right side, you will work the dtr in the same point / st / sp for the left side of this little creation.

Sounds terribly confusing? It isn’t. Look at the chart .. look at the instructions.. and slowly follow.

Once you’ve done one, you’ll know why this sounds a lot more confusing than it is!

Triple Crochet : trc : wrap yarn twice around hook, insert hk into st ; yo (4 lps on hk); [yo, draw through 2 lps] three times. One trc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/A0y4BbgDTbs

Double Treble /Triple Crochet : dtrc : wrap yarn three times around hook, insert hk into st ; yo (4 lps on hk); [yo, draw through 2 lps] three times. One trc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/XyPrnAtOs3U

Round 3 : (with new color) :

trc 2-tog over the two marked dc ;

(ch 2, as turning ch to facilitate working the dtr) ;

*{dtr + picot ; ch 1, trc + picot ;

[ch 1, dc + picot] ;

rep [to] 4 times ;

ch 1, trc + picot ; dtr} all on top of the trc 2-tog ;

ch 2, < 3 sc + picot + 3 sc> all in the next ch-5 sp ;

ch 2, sk next 10 trc , trc 2-tog over the next 2 dc* ;

rep *to* all around

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st dtr.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

We’ve completed one beautiful poinsettia table coaster ready to go.

I have an idea (which I have not actually done), but I thought that if one used a thicker yarn, one could actually get a fantastic centre piece that would neatly match these tinier coasters... but that's for another day.. OR if you try it out, do add your comments to this blog, so that we can help someone else along.

Finishing : I'd suggest you block your finished product. I would suggest you lightly iron it out on completion, and then use either a light start, stretch all the outer points out so that it stands out like the star flower it is meant to be and then allow it to shade dry flat.

The other blocking method is using a white glue (or Mod Podge) in the proportion of 1 portion glue : 2 portions water ; and then applying this paste on the back of your product with a brush. Once again ensure that you have all the peaks and ridges of your work neatly accented (pinning it down on a blocking board if need be) and allow it to flat shade dry.

Oh, and as I said right at the start of this blog, if you add on a small thread onto one side, you can hang this off your tree.. of course, add bling (beads, nice shiny ones) and you got yourself an eye-catcher ;)

Happy holidays, and wish you a wonderful New Year too.

Have a fun creative time.

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