Saturday 22 December 2018

SOAP DISPENSER COVER 11: Ms. CLAUS DRESS - 2


free crochet pattern, free crochet dress pattern, free crochet strapless dress pattern, free crochet Ms. Claus dress pattern, free crochet fish-style dress pattern, free crochet Christmas gift idea, Shyama Nivas, sweetnothingscrochet, blogaday, spreadsmiles, Pradhan Embroidery stores, Oswal Cashmilon yarn, 4-ply yarn,
SOAP DISPENSER COVER 11
Ms. CLAUS DRESS - 2

I made my first Ms. Claus dress a few days back, and thought this fitted off-the-shoulder / strapless one was pretty snazzy too – so here comes Ms. Claus again. 

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Cheers.  Enjoy 

Materials used : Just a little bit of Oswal Cashmilon acrylic 3 and 4-ply yarn, with a 3.5 mm crochet hook.
You can work in knitting cotton too – I just had the coolest little bits of acrylic handy so am using up my little bits and stash.
You can make this project with any yarn and a hook that suits it.

Skill level : Intermediate
The stitches are basic.  The placement of stitches towards the end of this pattern are complicated and warrant a better crochet skill level.

Stitches used : Using US 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.  
  
Abbreviations used : Using US terminology
sc : single crochet               dc : Double crochet
ch : chain                            ch-sp : chain space
sp : space                           rep : Repeat
hk : hook                             lp (s) : loop(s)
yo : yarn over                     sl-st : slip stitch  

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.

I found this photograph (below) for a knitted project, but am unable to find any written pattern for it.  Inspired by this photo, here are my notes for what I have done.


Before we start off, there are a few measurements we need to take.
1.        Measure your bottle(s) and figure out what approx length and width you’d like.   As you can see, this pattern works for a soap dispenser bottle as well as a wine bottle.
2.      Find the halfway (or just above halfway)point of your bottle, which will be the ‘waist’ of our dress.   Just like a dress or top that you’d make for a human, check the measurement for the base of your bottle too – so you can decide which way you will dress up your bottle.  Ensure that you make your first row a little more than the half round measure of the largest part of your bottle – for ease of slipping the bottle in.
3.      Check the round ‘neck’ (neck of bottle) measure for your bottle.

Exactly like my  first Ms. Claus pattern, for our dress we will start at the ‘waist’ and head up to the neck.  We will then come back down to this waist start row and work down for the skirt portion of our dress.      
This pattern is easy to follow when you have a slightly more ‘straight-line’ bottle.  You also need to use a little bit of logic and calculation.

If your bottle tapers a lot around the ‘neck’ of the bottle and then is steadily large around the lower part, then I’d suggest you keep your ‘yoke’ a little less – that way you will get a nice frilly long dress and still not have to calculate too much.

The upper portion of the dress has no stitch count – you can work in sc / hdc or dc, without affecting the pattern.  We will work one front and one back for the upper part of our bottle.
The lower part of the dress has a stitch count in multiples of 3.  We will be working this part in a round, in one piece.

The biggest difference between yesterday’s creation and today is the length of the bodice / yoke.  As we are working on a smallish bottle (my bottle stands at about 9” which I think is about standard), we need to either work with a really thin yarn or reduce the bodice size. 
As my yarn has been decided (4 ply and not thin at all ;) ), I’m going to reduce the bodice size.  This way we will get more length on the skirt and can work in one layer.
I also decided to work the bodice in sc – so let’s start on this cutie project , shall we?

free crochet pattern, free crochet dress pattern, free crochet strapless dress pattern, free crochet Ms. Claus dress pattern, free crochet fish-style dress pattern, free crochet Christmas gift idea, Shyama Nivas, sweetnothingscrochet, blogaday, spreadsmiles, Pradhan Embroidery stores, Oswal Cashmilon yarn, 4-ply yarn,

free crochet pattern, free crochet dress pattern, free crochet strapless dress pattern, free crochet Ms. Claus dress pattern, free crochet fish-style dress pattern, free crochet Christmas gift idea, Shyama Nivas, sweetnothingscrochet, blogaday, spreadsmiles, Pradhan Embroidery stores, Oswal Cashmilon yarn, 4-ply yarn,

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

Start Row 1 : with as many fsc as you’d need for half the ‘waist’ measure of your bottle in multiples of 2.

Single crochet 2-together : sc 2-tog :  
Insert hk into st, yo and pull up a lp (2 lps on hk) ; insert hk into next sc, yo and pull up a lp (3 lps on hk); yo and draw through all 3 lps.  One sc 2-tog complete.  Visit this video tutorial at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=whlsMemDHLc

Row 2 : sc 2-tog over the 1st 2 fsc ; 
sc in the each sc till the last 2 sc ;
sc 2-tog over the last 2 sc.  Turn.

Now check your gauge.  See how many inches you have worked in these two rows.  This will tell you how many more inches you need to get to the ‘neck’ of your bottle.  As I said before, if there is a huge gradient between the neck and whichever part you are starting your 1st row, you either need to lessen the yoke portion, or you need to decrease.

Rep either Row 2 till you are one row away from the neck of your work.

For the neck of the bottle, find the halfway point and calculate how many stitches you need to skip on both sides of this centre point to allow your bottle nozzle to slip through the neck of your dress.  Place markers on these two side points.

To decrease for neck : 
sc in each sc till 2 sts from the 1st marker ; 
sc 2-tog over the last 2 sts.  Turn and leave the rest of the stitches unworked.

Next row : sc in each sc till end.  Fasten off and weave in ends.

Re-attach your yarn at the 2nd marker for the other side.

To decrease for neck for the other side of front of work : 
sc 2-tog over the 1st 2 sts from the 2nd marker ; 
sc in each sc till end.  Turn

Next row : sc in each sc till end.  
Fasten off and weave in ends.

One side done – let’s call this the Front of your dress.

Repeat all these instructions for the back of your dress too.

Once done, attach your dress along the shoulder and leaving an ‘armhole’ opening, attach along the sides too.

You now have a small yoke done.  Let’s work on the frilly base of the dress.

For the base you can work in one color or two. It totally depends on you.

Now turn your work away from you and go back to working on that first fsc row.  We will work on the other side of this first fsc row.  As back and front are joined, we will work in one round.

We will use a Shell stitch which is (2 dc ; ch 2, 2 dc) all in the same st or ch-sp.


Part 2 : Skirt of dress
First let us work in a ‘hole’ row where you can later thread in your waist cord.

Start Round 1 : by re-attaching your yarn in any fsc ;  
hdc in that fsc ;
(sk next fsc ; hdc in the next fsc) ;
rep (to) till end.  
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Now we will work our Shell st in each ch-sp / “hole” that we have created all around to get a nice frilly base.

Round 2 : sl-st into the 1st ch-1 sp , Shell st in that same 1st ch-1 sp ;
Shell st in each ch-1 sp all around ;
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Round 3 : sl-st into the 1st ch-2 sp of the 1st Shell st ; 
Shell st in that same 1st ch-2 sp ;
Shell st in each Shell st all around ;
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Rep Round 3 till you are three rows before the length you need for your dress.
How do you know if you are three rows before the length? Check gauge.  
Calculate how many inches you are adding per row and see how many rows you need to finish.  Easy enough, right?

For our first row of frill, we will work the Shell st in the space between two shell stitches.  
So go ahead and attach your contrast yarn (do not fasten off the main yarn) in the space between two shell stitches, and work a full round of shell stitches in the space between two adjacent shell stitches.  

Fasten off the contrast colour and move your main colour down.
Check the top of this blog for how to work with multiple colors if needed

Once you have finished the row of contrast colour, you will work one round of Shell sts in the main colour, and once again, you will work the stitches in the space between each Shell st as you have been doing all along.

Just changing where you place your shell will give it a layered look.

Next round : (Using the contrast colour) :
sl-st into the 1st sp between two Shell sts ; 
Shell st in that same 1st sp ;
[sk next Shell st , Shell st in the next sp between 2 Shell sts] ;
rep [to] all around ;
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

Next round : (Using the contrast colour) : 
sl-st into the ch-2 sp of the 1st shell that you just worked using contrast colour ;
5 dc in that same 1st ch-2 sp ;
(sc in the space between the 2 Shell sts ; 
5 dc in the next ch-2 sp of the next Shell st) ; 
rep (to) all around ;
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.    

With this we finish the frill.  
Now you will go back to working with the main colour and in the work below this frill. 

Next round : (Using the main colour) :
sl-st into the 1st ch-2 sp of the 1st Shell st ; 
Shell st in that same 1st ch-2 sp ;
Shell st in each Shell st all around ;
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.

For our final round, you may want to change colour. If you do, then use this contrast colour for this border, as well as the sleeves, the edging of neck and the lacing that goes around waist.

Last Round : sl-st into the 1st ch-2 sp of the 1st Shell st ; 
5 dc in that same 1st ch-2 sp ;
(sc in the space between the 2 Shell sts ; 
5 dc in the next ch-2 sp of the next Shell st) ; 
rep (to) all around ;
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.     


Round neck finishing : Re-attach your contrast yarn (if using contrast) to any stitch in the neck.  Sc in that st and in each st all around.  Use this round to neatly weave in all your ends and hide them away.


Armhole finishing : Re-attach your contrast yarn (if using contrast) to any stitch in the armhole (preferably right in the bottom centre).  
Work a round of sc all around in multiples of 3

Now let’s work a round of Shell st all around.
Shell st in the 1st sc ;
(sk next 2 c ; Shell st in the next fsc) ;
rep (to) till end.  
Join with a sl-st to the 1st st.


Waist cord : You can either make one with the contrast yarn, or just get a satin ribbon that you will pass through the hole row between yoke and skirt portion of your dress.

In case you are making it, then just work a sc chain for as long as you need to go around the body of you dress and have sufficient to make a nice bow.  
Then work a sc in each st all the way back to the end to give your cord a little body.

A simpler way would be to work a fsc chain for the length needed for your cord. If you work the fsc chain, you just finish off and weave in ends when you have got the length needed.  Weave it neatly through the holes and make a lovely bow.
Weave in all ends and glue them all down.

Ta da ! One absolutely beautiful dressy soap dispenser cover ready!

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