ADORABLY
CUTE CAT WALLET
This
is my second kitty cat clutch purse inspired by a cross stitch pattern.
Check
out my earlier patterns as well – links given at the bottom of this blog.
What
I love about these cross stitch inspired crochet patterns is that they are like
unfolding a lovely puzzle.
We
need to use two colours to showcase the beauty of this adorable startled-looking
kitten.
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Materials used : One cone each of polyester purse
yarn in cones , with a 3.5 mm crochet hook ; fabric glue to seal ends
General yarn info : This polyester yarn is available only in India.
The yarn used today is not specific to this pattern.
You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.
International yarns : Among the international yarns I have used in this thickness, 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.
Skill level : Intermediate.
You must know how to read a cross-stitch
chart for this project.
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
Foundation Single Crochet : fsc : To refresh your skill on the fsc, please view this video https://youtu.be/mcT85fwh4mA
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
What is a slip stitch : Here is a neat video tutorial at https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw
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
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
As
usual, before we head off into our project, let’s take a quick look at what
we’re working on today.
I
am going to share all the links I have shared on my first cross stitch inspired
crochet creation once again, just in case you have joined me for the first time
today.
In
case you have seen / worked my first project along these lines, skip on past
the links below to the pattern ideas.
For
this lovely project, there is a bit of work that we all need to do. I read through and watch the video by Mikey
at http://thecrochetcrowd.com/crochet-graph-afghan-series/ on how to
read a crochet graph and https://www.happilyhooked.com/reading-crochet-graphs/
How to change colors seamlessly : Here’s an easy video tutorial to show you how to change from the Main color to the Contrast or second color of yarn seamlessly. View it at https://youtu.be/fRzSBja9jno
How to carry your yarn when using two colors : Here’s an easy video tutorial to show you how to carry your yarn along when working with two colours.
View it at https://youtu.be/NuascBU3pxQ
The
cross stitch pattern is going to be our chart.
Each
black darkened square represents one sc in MC OR Colour 1 ; each white square
also represents one sc in CC or Colour 2.
Right
then.. let’s now waste any more time.
If
you count the stitches from one end to the other (side to side), we need 25 sts
for the cat pattern in one colour.
The
length (top to bottom) of the kitten cross stitch pattern is 30 sts
So
calculations :
a) Work a
swatch with your yarn and suitable hook to see how many inches you get with a
rectangle 25 (across) x 30 high) rows of work in sc.
b) Then decide
how many stitches you want all around (as border) (i.e : Say you want 5 sts on
each side, you will start with 25 + 10 = 35 sts). Got it?
c) Finally
decide on the border for the top (above the cat)
I
am going to work my project in sc all through.
We
start with a foundation (fsc) chain and work in sc all the way till you reach
the front.
I
am going to work this lovely cross stitch pattern only on the front side of my
wallet , hence I will be working only in sc for the back half.
Why
are we working the pattern so much later?
Well, if you start with the pattern, it will be upside down when you are
done.
Oh,
I added a few beads (for bling and to show off the blue of the eyes) for our
lovely startled kitty cat – and used an embroidery needle to add them in after
I’d finished my work. I did this as an
after-thought, and anyway the beads I chose would not go through my yarn.
Right
then, let’s start.
Start
Row 1 : (Using Colour 1 ) : with a (25 +
the number of stitches you want for border) in fsc. Turn.
Row 2 :
sc in the 1st fsc and in each fsc till end. Turn
Row 3 :
sc in the 1st sc and in each sc till end. Turn
Rep
Row 3 till you have the length needed for the back.
We
will now start with the cross stitch pattern for the front.
I
hope you have gone through all the links above on “how to read charts” to work
this pattern.
We will read the pattern chart / embroidery from right to left
We will read the pattern chart / embroidery from right to left
As
we may have different borders, I will ONLY be writing the chart for the actual
embroidery. (i.e for the 25 fsc we started with). If you have started with say 35 sts, that
means 25 for this pattern + 5 each for the two sides of border. So when I say sc in the 1st st,
you will work 5 sc for the border in CC and then start the pattern on the 6th
sc in MC. Got it?
I
am sure you will get the hang of how we are reading this chart really
quick, so I am just going to take you past the first few rows.
We
start reading the pattern from the right hand side of the chart / embroidery
Cat pattern Row 1 : (Using Colour 1) : sc in the
border sc ; sc in the next 8 sc ;
(Using
Colour 2) : sc in the next 4 sc ;
(Change
to Colour 1) : sc in the next 5 sc ;
(Using
Colour 2) : sc in the next 4 sc ;
(Using
Colour 1) : sc in the next 3 sc ; sc in the border sc. Turn.
We
are now on the left hand side of the chart / embroidery
Row 2 :
(Using Colour 1) : sc in the border sc ; sc in the next 2 sc ;
(Using
Colour 2) : sc in the next 5 sc ;
(Change
to Colour 1) : sc in the next 4 sc ;
(Using
Colour 2) : sc in the next 5 sc ;
(Using
Colour 1) : sc in the next 8 sc ; sc in
the border sc. Turn.
You
see how we did this? So let’s work the
next row together and then you can carry on.
We
are back at the right hand side of the chart / embroidery
Row 3 :
(Using Colour 1) : sc in the border sc ; sc in the next 9 sc ;
(Using
Colour 2) : sc in the next 4 sc ;
(Change
to Colour 1) : sc in the next 5 sc ;
(Using
Colour 2) : sc in the next 4 sc ;
(Using
Colour 1) : sc in the next 4 sc ;
(Using
Colour 1) : sc in the next 2 sc ; sc in the border sc. Turn.
And
we are now on the left hand side of the chart / embroidery. Got it?
Carry
on with the pattern, interchanging colours till you are done with the pattern J
The
easiest way to work this, as you may have seen on the video is to mark the rows
off as you go along.
Finishing
Join
the sides of your wallet / clutch purse, using one of the joining techniques
given at the top of this blog.
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
a) How to line the bag : View the link below to see how to easily line your handbag. http://pattern-paradise.com/2014/06/12/tutorial-how-to-line-a-crocheted-bag/
b) Easiest I-cord : Check out this video for a really easy I-cord at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_AQ9m0QeZI
c) How to attach a zipper : Check this link at http://frogknitting.blogspot.se/2013/08/att-sy-i-dragkedjor-installing-zippers.html?m=1
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