Sweet Nothings Crochet: YOGA MAT BAG with an IRISH ROSE GRANNY SQUARE

YOGA MAT BAG

IRISH ROSE GRANNY SQUARE

A friend asked me for a yoga mat bag using the Irish rose. She has an extra large and extra thick yoga mat, and I thought that rather than having a tube-like bag, this open and button-down shut bag would be a better idea.

Here’s what I have done for my original creation and design for this yoga mat bag.

I am going to create an Irish rose granny square and then join squares together.

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Materials used : Today I’ve used our lovely Indian polyester purse yarn with a 4 mm crochet hook.

General yarn info : This yarn is available only in India, but it is not specific for this pattern. It is a 4-ply thickness.

It does not matter what yarn / hook you use. Use any yarn, to make this project to any size you want.

Skill : Intermediate to Advanced skill level

Abbreviations used :

sc : single crochet dc : Double crochet

ch : chain ch-sp : chain space

sp : space rep : Repeat

trc : Treble / triple crochet

dtrc : Double triple crochet

fpsc : Front post single 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.

For our project today, we will work one granny square with an Irish rose as the centre.

You can start with a magic circle, or a set of chain. With the magic circle, you can pull the work close and not have a hole in the centre, as you would with the ‘fixed’ chain. You decide how you are starting that first round.

The rest of the pattern is common for everyone (no matter how you start).

Basic Granny Square pattern

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

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

Start Round 1 : with a magic circle and we will work 1 dc ;

(ch 3, dc) ;

rep (to) 4 times.

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

Pull together (6 dc ; 6 ch-3 sps)

In case you want to start with chain, work ch 4.

Join with a sl-st to the 4^th ch from hk.

Then work 1 dc ; (ch 3, dc) ;

rep (to) 4 times.

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

Pull together (6 dc ; 6 ch-3 sps)

Now pattern is same for everyone, no matter how you started.

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

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

(1 sc, 1 hdc, 3 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc) all in the same 1^st ch-3 sp ;

*sk next dc, rep (to) in the next ch-3 sp* ;

rep *to* all around

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

Now here’s where it gets a bit complicated and this is what makes it an Irish rose. We will be working our next round from behind this first round of petals and into the first round of dc we have made.

We will work a fpsc (Please check the top of this blog for a ‘how to’)

Round 3 : From behind your petals of Round 2, work an fpsc around the 1^st dc from Round 1 ;

(ch 5, sk next set of petal sts,

fpsc around the next dc from Round 1) ;

rep (to) all around

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st. (6 dc ; 6 ch-5 sps)

Round 4 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-5 sp ;

(1 sc, 1 hdc, 5 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc) all in the same 1^st ch-3 sp ;

*sk next dc, rep (to) in the next ch-3 sp* ;

rep *to* all around

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

In case you want something a little cuter but a little more work and increased difficulty, add a picot in the middle of this round of petals.

If you so decide, here are the instructions.

Oh, check the top of this blog for a ‘how to’ work a picot.

May I suggest though that you work the picot only if you are making these into Irish flower motifs and not the square.

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

Round 4 A : sl-st into the 1^st ch-5 sp ;

(1 sc, 1 hdc, 3 dc + picot + 2 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc) all in the same 1^st ch-3 sp ;

*sk next dc, rep (to) in the next ch-3 sp* ;

rep *to* all around

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

In case you want to just make an Irish rose motif, you stop right here.

For creating our Irish rose granny mitered square, come along.

Visualise what we are going to do now.

We will be joining the tips of the petals and the base of the petals to make one continuous round.

So we will work a trc into the base of each petal and a sc into the tips of the petals.

To get it all even, for the base of each petal, we will work between the 2 sc that form the base of 2 adjoining petals. Got it?

In case you have worked a picot in Round 4, you will be using the top of this picot to join in Round 5.

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

Chainless start for Triple / Treble Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of trc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/f42MO0cGYC0

Round 5 : trc in the 1^st st ;

(ch 5, sk next 4 sts, sc in the next dc or picot ;

ch 5, sk next 4 sts, trc in the next sp between the next 2 sc) ;

rep (to) 5 times ;

join with a sl-st to the 1^st st. (12 ch-5 sps ; 6 sc ; 6 trc)

Ta da! And just like that we’ve created a square!

In our following round, we will work a Shell stitch, which is (dc 3-tog ; ch 3, dc 3-tog) all in the same st or ch-sp

Double crochet 3-tog : dc 3-tog : Here is an easy video tutorial at https://youtu.be/qlnqXDB3OUM

Round 6 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-5 sp ;

Shell st in the same ch-5 sp ;

*(ch 5, sk next st, sc in the next ch-5 sp) ;

rep (to) once ;

ch 5, Shell st in the next ch-5 sp* ;

rep *to* all around ;

ch 5, and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Place your work down and check that you have a square with four corners of Shell stitches and three ch-5 sps between them.

This is the basic Irish rose granny mitered square.

Round 7 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-3 sp of the 1^st Shell st ;

Shell st in the same ch-3 sp ;

*(ch 5, sc in the next ch-5 sp) ;

rep (to) 2 times ;

ch 5, Shell st in the next Shell st* ;

rep *to* all around ;

ch 5, and join with a sl-st to the 1^st st.

Now depending on how large a square you want, you can go ahead and increase the size of your square.

Remember you will work ch-5 sps between the corner shell sts, and work the corner shell st in the earlier corner shell st.

Easy enough? Now go ahead, create something beautiful.

Once again, before you start on your 2^nd square, please read through joining instructions.

So for the purpose of this yoga mat project, how do you decide how large a granny square you want?

Before we go there, let’s see / visualize how we are going to join our squares to make our bag.

We will first make a rectangle and then we will roll it round to make it into a cylinder.

The cylinder needs two squares each end as well.

So with this visual in mind, read what measurements you’ll need.

The diagrams are for representation only and are not to scale.

1. Roll your mat tightly and check the length and circumference of your mat.

2. As we are working a rectangle, you will calculate the ‘flattened width’ of the circumference.. i.e how many inches you will need when making this a rectangle. This means that your circumference becomes the ‘width’ of your bag.

3. Measure the size of your square.

4. Calculate how many squares you’d need to get the length and width of your mat.

5. I’d suggest that you use either the size you need to get your L x B of mat or the circumference you’d need. Remember that we have large ch-sps, so it will afford a lot of stretch and movement, so either calculation / measurement should work.

Two End rounds :

For the two ends of our bag, we need a similar pattern, but in a round.

Here’s where this gets a bit complicated.

I have made two rounds, and worked them for as large a round needed to fit against the rolled ends of my mat. So first roll your mat up and calculate the diameter (across round of the rolled end) of your mat ends and worked these two ends for that measurement.

These are just ideas of how to get doing that – and not actual calculations.

Rounds 1 - 4 : Work exactly as you did for the granny square to make that Irish rose in the centre.

In the following round, we will work sts in the centre stitch of each petal, and then in the space between two petals

Round 5 : dc in the 1^st st ; ch 3, dc in the same 1^st st ;

*ch 3, sk next 4 sts of petal, sc in the next st ;

ch 3, sk next 4 sts of this petal, (dc ; ch 3, dc) all in the space between the petals* ;

rep *to* all around and join with a sl-st to the 1^st dc. (18 ch-3 sps)

Now you will basically work with just these 18 ch-3 sps, till you get to the diameter you need.

Round 6 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-3 sp ;

sc in the 1^st ch-3 sp ;

(ch 3, sc in the next ch-3 sp) ;

rep (to) all around

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc. (18 ch-3 sps)

Round 7 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-3 sp ;

sc in the 1^st ch-3 sp ;

(ch 4, sc in the next ch-3 sp) ;

rep (to) all around

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc. (18 ch-4 sps)

Round 8 : sl-st into the 1^st ch-4 sp ;

sc in the 1^st ch-4 sp ;

(ch 4, sc in the next ch-4 sp) ;

rep (to) all around

and join with a sl-st to the 1^st sc. (18 ch-4 sps)

See how your circle has slowly grown in size.

Now continue working it till you get the size needed.

Increase as needed every two rounds and keep checking against your measurement requirement.

When you reach the diameter needed, join it to one end of your rectangle to close that end up.

Read joining and finishing instructions below.

Joining and finishing :

Once you have all your calculations in hand, go ahead and create your squares.

To join, I’d suggest the seamless way to join is to join as you go.

There are several links (and lots of photos of my work) given above, do check them out.

Basically, you will join the ch-5 sps and the ch-3 corner sp of adjoining squares.

To get the join in the centre, with every ch-5 sp, you will work ch 2, join to the adjoining square ; ch 2 and join to the square you are working on.

For every corner join, you will work a dc 3-tog ;

ch 1, join to the corner of the adjoining square,

ch 1 and dc 3-tog in the square you are working on.

Using this technique create a flat rectangle that will cover the length and width of your yoga mat.

Once done, roll it to create the cylinder, and attach one of the circles on each end of your rectangle.

This then rolls the flat rectangular mat into a cylinder.

If you are using the continuous join method to join, you should ensure that you join 18-ch sps neatly till end – and they will neatly line up.

It does not matter if you do not have ch-5 sps on both the ends (i.e of the circle and the square).

You just join the centre of each ch-sp together and it will still be a neat seamless join.

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

Rather than adding a zipper at the end, I have opted to work a row of buttons and button holes along the open end of the bag.

Whatever you decide, you would need to work a row (or a few rows) of hdc all along the two ends of your work, to tighten it up before you attach in a zipper or set of buttons.

If working buttons, ensure that work in button holes along one end.

Here’s a link for attaching a zipper http://frogknitting.blogspot.se/2013/08/att-sy-i-dragkedjor-installing-zippers.html?m=1

Finally you could decide to make this a closed cylindrical bag and have it open only one end.

If you so decide, then you will work only one circular end piece and leave the top end such that you can slide in your yoga mat. I’d suggest that you work in a tie for this end – and you also run a round of hdc all around this opening, with holes to allow you to thread in your tie rope for this end.

Cord : I did not make a cord as the yoga mat already had a carrying cord. This cord is the basic one that just wraps around the mat and cinches tight. (This is why my client wanted this bag, as you can see)

However, if you decide to make a cord, check this link

Easiest I-cord : Check out this video for a really easy I-cord at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_AQ9m0QeZI

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https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2019/08/zeeba-coin-purse.html