Sophie's Knit Stuff features hand knit accessories I've designed, free and paid knitting patterns and crochet projects I am working on.
Jun 27, 2014
People Make Etsy: Etsy UK TV Ad
Have you seen the Etsy ad on UK TV?
I'm hoping this will increase awareness on the great marketplace that is Etsy, where you can find beautiful handmade products made by people like you and me, with real people in mind.
Etsy was good enough to let sellers have their own personalized version of the ad, so here is mine, enjoy!
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Jun 11, 2014
Etsy Shop Feature: Monofaces
In my last blog post I mentioned that I had been partnered with another Irish Etsy shop for the SEO course so today I wanted to write a little bit about Monofaces.
I was lucky to have such a nice shop to work with and a bit worried when having to do their critique because I didn't think my humble little knitting self had much advice to give a team of talented artists like Edita and Mel!
Quoting Monofaces About page: "Our mission is to give visual pleasure, original presents & striking interior detail. MONOFACES unique paintings range from legends of the past to people of today".
The paintings and apparel that can be found in Monofaces feature mainly people, you can see a lot of celebrities and legends of the past being represented in their art but they also do customised paintings using photographs: great idea for a gift or if you want a beautiful painting of your children to feature on your wall.
Monofaces's style can be described as Art-deco, Pop Art, and mainly black and white stencil monochrome art, they paint on various surfaces such as wood or canvas and have their art reproductions available for people on a tight budget. For wearables they also do tote bags, T-shirts, they have recently started doing phone cases and even rugs!
I've tried picking my favourite item from their shop but it's really hard to choose just one so here are a few of my favourite items from Monofaces:
First up is this beautiful painting of Audrey Hepburn on canvas:
Because I'm a child of the 80's (born in the 70's but too young to appreciate good music then;), I also love this painting of Morrissey on wood:
To finish, I think I would look very cool sporting this Walter White from Breaking Bad tote bag (for carrying my laundered money, erm...knitting WIPs, perhaps?):
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I was lucky to have such a nice shop to work with and a bit worried when having to do their critique because I didn't think my humble little knitting self had much advice to give a team of talented artists like Edita and Mel!
Quoting Monofaces About page: "Our mission is to give visual pleasure, original presents & striking interior detail. MONOFACES unique paintings range from legends of the past to people of today".
The paintings and apparel that can be found in Monofaces feature mainly people, you can see a lot of celebrities and legends of the past being represented in their art but they also do customised paintings using photographs: great idea for a gift or if you want a beautiful painting of your children to feature on your wall.
Monofaces's style can be described as Art-deco, Pop Art, and mainly black and white stencil monochrome art, they paint on various surfaces such as wood or canvas and have their art reproductions available for people on a tight budget. For wearables they also do tote bags, T-shirts, they have recently started doing phone cases and even rugs!
I've tried picking my favourite item from their shop but it's really hard to choose just one so here are a few of my favourite items from Monofaces:
First up is this beautiful painting of Audrey Hepburn on canvas:
Because I'm a child of the 80's (born in the 70's but too young to appreciate good music then;), I also love this painting of Morrissey on wood:
To finish, I think I would look very cool sporting this Walter White from Breaking Bad tote bag (for carrying my laundered money, erm...knitting WIPs, perhaps?):
***Follow me on Twitter and Like Sophie's Knit Stuff on Facebook for more updates***
May 30, 2014
Learning SEO and a Bit of Knitting and Crochet
It's been nearly 10 days since my last post: so much for the 2 posts a week I had been aiming for!
All this month I have been following an Etsy course on SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), which in plain English is the science of getting found on the Internet.
I've learned some new things and worked on some things I already knew but there is more structure learning from a course than trying to gather bits of information here and there, which doesn't always work, as it inevitably ends with information overload (and in some cases misinformation).
For this SEO course, I've been partnered with another Etsy seller based in Ireland: I think if I didn't have a partner I probably wouldn't bother with half of the things I'm supposed to do for the course, because I don't like to let anyone down, and I think whoever thinks up these Etsy courses knows that, which is why we are being teamed up. Ultimately, Etsy gains in helping their individual sellers, since we are their bread and butter.
In between working on the SEO course, I have been crocheting 8 coffee cup cosies that would make great Father's day gifts and that are now available from Sophie's Knit Stuff on Etsy, drove myself half crazy trying to think of different keywords to describe them with as part of the SEO course, and trying to take better pictures (do you like my little coffee bean shapes?):
I have also managed to knit a wonderfully soft blue cabled tube cowl and matching fingerless gloves with my Merino wool which should be ready for the shop next week as they are at the blocking stage and I'm taking the week end off:
This weekend in Ireland is a long one, due to the June Bank holiday on Monday (don't ask me what that is for, I'm just glad it's there!), so whether you have a long or regular weekend, enjoy it and make the most of the sunshine if you're lucky enough to get some!
***Follow me on Twitter and Like Sophie's Knit Stuff on Facebook for more updates***
All this month I have been following an Etsy course on SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), which in plain English is the science of getting found on the Internet.
I've learned some new things and worked on some things I already knew but there is more structure learning from a course than trying to gather bits of information here and there, which doesn't always work, as it inevitably ends with information overload (and in some cases misinformation).
For this SEO course, I've been partnered with another Etsy seller based in Ireland: I think if I didn't have a partner I probably wouldn't bother with half of the things I'm supposed to do for the course, because I don't like to let anyone down, and I think whoever thinks up these Etsy courses knows that, which is why we are being teamed up. Ultimately, Etsy gains in helping their individual sellers, since we are their bread and butter.
In between working on the SEO course, I have been crocheting 8 coffee cup cosies that would make great Father's day gifts and that are now available from Sophie's Knit Stuff on Etsy, drove myself half crazy trying to think of different keywords to describe them with as part of the SEO course, and trying to take better pictures (do you like my little coffee bean shapes?):
I have also managed to knit a wonderfully soft blue cabled tube cowl and matching fingerless gloves with my Merino wool which should be ready for the shop next week as they are at the blocking stage and I'm taking the week end off:
This weekend in Ireland is a long one, due to the June Bank holiday on Monday (don't ask me what that is for, I'm just glad it's there!), so whether you have a long or regular weekend, enjoy it and make the most of the sunshine if you're lucky enough to get some!
***Follow me on Twitter and Like Sophie's Knit Stuff on Facebook for more updates***
May 21, 2014
The Importance of Good Photography to Sell Products Online
Last week-end as I was listing some new phone cosies in my Etsy shop, I realised how one simple change could make my photos look much better.
Take this picture of one of my latest crochet phone cosy for example:
Now look at the photo below:
The lighting and background are similar (as white a background I can get using Picasa photo editor while keeping the color true to the original item), the item is the same, the only difference is the angle in which the photo has been taken.
Which one do you be more tempted to buy? I know if I was a potential buyer I wouldn't stay very long looking at the first picture.
I am still wondering how did I manage to sell 3 knitted phone cosies with pictures looking similar to the first photo, and the obvious thing I need to do now is do another photography session with all my other phone cosies before too many potential customers see the bad ones!
***Follow me on Twitter and Like Sophie's Knit Stuff on Facebook for more updates***
Take this picture of one of my latest crochet phone cosy for example:
 |
| Phone cosy photo taken straight from above |
Now look at the photo below:
 |
| Phone cosy photo taken from an angle |
The lighting and background are similar (as white a background I can get using Picasa photo editor while keeping the color true to the original item), the item is the same, the only difference is the angle in which the photo has been taken.
Which one do you be more tempted to buy? I know if I was a potential buyer I wouldn't stay very long looking at the first picture.
I am still wondering how did I manage to sell 3 knitted phone cosies with pictures looking similar to the first photo, and the obvious thing I need to do now is do another photography session with all my other phone cosies before too many potential customers see the bad ones!
***Follow me on Twitter and Like Sophie's Knit Stuff on Facebook for more updates***
May 13, 2014
How To Crochet A Cushion And Make An Insert Using An Upcycled T-Shirt
Once again, I am doing some crochet for our local school: the crochet class is crocheting cushions that they will sell in a fundraising event next week in the school.
It all started with a bake sale: every year now for a while, the 6th class girls organize a bake sale in order to raise money for the school (don't get me started with why we need to help our schools on top of paying our taxes; I don't want to involve politics or I would need to start a whole new blog and make a lot of enemies in the process! I still want you to think I'm a nice person:)
As the girls' crochet skills have been improving, the teacher decided that they would make 2 cushions each: one to keep and one to sell at the Bake Sale (which should be now called the Bake and Craft Sale).
The teacher had a pattern for the crochet circles, but that pattern just didn't make sense to me, as the increases were not regular and I ended up with a volcano shape when I tried to follow the exact instructions, so I followed my daughter's advice (who does not read patterns and in this case it served her right!) and crocheted 2 basic treble crochet circles.
For the crochet circles, I used 2 colours of DK acrylic yarn, and crocheted flat circle shapes, 16 rounds for each. Here are some quick instructions for the beginners:
For each circle:
Chain 4 and slip stitch in the first chain to join in a circle.
Round 1: chain 3, work 11 trebles in the circle and join with a slip stitch to the top of the first chain 3. (12 sts)
Round 2: chain 3 (counts as 1 treble), 1 treble in the same stitch, work 2 trebles in each stitch and join with a slip stitch to the top of the first chain 3 while at the same time changing colour (if you are using just 2 colours, keep both balls attached to the circle, it will save you cutting and weaving in ends when finishing). (24 sts)
Round 3: chain 3, (counts as 1 treble), 1 treble in the same stitch, * 1 treble in next stitch, 2 trebles in following stitch * repeat from * up to the last stitch, 1 treble in the last stitch, join with a slip stitch to the top of the first chain 3 while at the same time changing colour.
Round 4: chain 3, (counts as 1 treble), 1 treble in the same stitch, * 1 treble in each of the next 2 stitches, 2 trebles in following stitch * repeat from * up to the last 2 stitches, 1 treble in each of the last 2 stitches, join with a slip stitch to the top of the first chain 3 while at the same time changing colour.
For every new round, you need to space the increases (2 trebles in the one stitch) by 1: for example for round 5, there are 3 stitches with 1 treble, then 2 trebles in the next stitch....
Continue in this way until you have reached the desired size (for a medium cushion using DK yarn I had 16 rounds, but you may want yours larger or smaller).
When you have both circles finished, all you need to do is join them: place them both together with wrong sides facing and using a colour in contrast with the last round, first chain 1, then double crochet (that's Single Crochet for people in the US) in both sides together about halfway before inserting the stuffing or cushion insert, then keep joining until you have the whole circles done and bind off.
Weave in the ends, and Voila! Cushion done and ready to ship to the Bake Sale (or cuddle with).
As it's the school children who are buying the goods, the cushions have to be affordable: I spent a good few hours myself crocheting my cushion, and I would be quicker than most of the girls in the class (I am ashamed to admit that my own 12 year old is quicker than me at crochet: she just whips it up with her skinny little fingers and it comes out perfect even though she hardly even looks at a pattern!). As I was saying, a lot of time and effort is going into crocheting these cushions but sadly, we need to compete with cheap mass-produced items if we want to attract buyers for them, so even though I'm not sure of the definite price yet, they will have to be cheap if the school wants to sell them.
In order to cut down on cost, I made my first cushion insert using an old clean T-shirt and some toy stuffing. I had the stuffing in the house so that's what I used but I won't have enough for the 2 cushions my daughter is making, so I washed an old pillow and will open it up to get the stuffing out of it and into her cushions.
Because the cushions are made using treble crochet (double crochet in US terms) which tends to give gaps in a finished item, I decided to cut up an old T-shirt, making an insert from the suffing and the upcycled T-shirt.
First I used some chalk to trace the outline of the cushion on my t-shirt, and then I cut it up: it looks a bit rough because I was trying to do this quickly, I should probably have ironed the T'shirt first:
Then I started sewing it about 3 quarters before starting to insert the stuffing inside. Even though my fabric cutting skills are atrocious and the 2 circles didn't match one another very well, adding to that the fact my hand sewing skills about the same as that of a 7 year old (I don't own a sewing machine, but judging from my home economics class in school, I wouldn't have done a great job either if I had one), I managed to get a nice round shape: a bit bumpy because the stuffing was quite compact, but nothing a bit of thumping can't correct!
As you can see from the above picture, the insert is far from being perfect, but watch what happened when I put it in between my 2 crochet circles:
Not bad for a first!
I will try making another one (I hope I won't have to tear out another pillow) and I'll also have to bake a few quick treats - There will be chocolate involved, but for now, I need to go and make a new cushion insert for my daughter's cushion before she comes back from school or I'll be in trouble!
This blog entry is my submission to the Deramores Blog Awards 2014. Deramores is the UK’s number one online retailer of knitting and crochet supplies.
It all started with a bake sale: every year now for a while, the 6th class girls organize a bake sale in order to raise money for the school (don't get me started with why we need to help our schools on top of paying our taxes; I don't want to involve politics or I would need to start a whole new blog and make a lot of enemies in the process! I still want you to think I'm a nice person:)
As the girls' crochet skills have been improving, the teacher decided that they would make 2 cushions each: one to keep and one to sell at the Bake Sale (which should be now called the Bake and Craft Sale).
The teacher had a pattern for the crochet circles, but that pattern just didn't make sense to me, as the increases were not regular and I ended up with a volcano shape when I tried to follow the exact instructions, so I followed my daughter's advice (who does not read patterns and in this case it served her right!) and crocheted 2 basic treble crochet circles.
For the crochet circles, I used 2 colours of DK acrylic yarn, and crocheted flat circle shapes, 16 rounds for each. Here are some quick instructions for the beginners:
For each circle:
Chain 4 and slip stitch in the first chain to join in a circle.
Round 1: chain 3, work 11 trebles in the circle and join with a slip stitch to the top of the first chain 3. (12 sts)
Round 2: chain 3 (counts as 1 treble), 1 treble in the same stitch, work 2 trebles in each stitch and join with a slip stitch to the top of the first chain 3 while at the same time changing colour (if you are using just 2 colours, keep both balls attached to the circle, it will save you cutting and weaving in ends when finishing). (24 sts)
Round 3: chain 3, (counts as 1 treble), 1 treble in the same stitch, * 1 treble in next stitch, 2 trebles in following stitch * repeat from * up to the last stitch, 1 treble in the last stitch, join with a slip stitch to the top of the first chain 3 while at the same time changing colour.
Round 4: chain 3, (counts as 1 treble), 1 treble in the same stitch, * 1 treble in each of the next 2 stitches, 2 trebles in following stitch * repeat from * up to the last 2 stitches, 1 treble in each of the last 2 stitches, join with a slip stitch to the top of the first chain 3 while at the same time changing colour.
For every new round, you need to space the increases (2 trebles in the one stitch) by 1: for example for round 5, there are 3 stitches with 1 treble, then 2 trebles in the next stitch....
Continue in this way until you have reached the desired size (for a medium cushion using DK yarn I had 16 rounds, but you may want yours larger or smaller).
When you have both circles finished, all you need to do is join them: place them both together with wrong sides facing and using a colour in contrast with the last round, first chain 1, then double crochet (that's Single Crochet for people in the US) in both sides together about halfway before inserting the stuffing or cushion insert, then keep joining until you have the whole circles done and bind off.
Weave in the ends, and Voila! Cushion done and ready to ship to the Bake Sale (or cuddle with).
As it's the school children who are buying the goods, the cushions have to be affordable: I spent a good few hours myself crocheting my cushion, and I would be quicker than most of the girls in the class (I am ashamed to admit that my own 12 year old is quicker than me at crochet: she just whips it up with her skinny little fingers and it comes out perfect even though she hardly even looks at a pattern!). As I was saying, a lot of time and effort is going into crocheting these cushions but sadly, we need to compete with cheap mass-produced items if we want to attract buyers for them, so even though I'm not sure of the definite price yet, they will have to be cheap if the school wants to sell them.
In order to cut down on cost, I made my first cushion insert using an old clean T-shirt and some toy stuffing. I had the stuffing in the house so that's what I used but I won't have enough for the 2 cushions my daughter is making, so I washed an old pillow and will open it up to get the stuffing out of it and into her cushions.
Because the cushions are made using treble crochet (double crochet in US terms) which tends to give gaps in a finished item, I decided to cut up an old T-shirt, making an insert from the suffing and the upcycled T-shirt.
First I used some chalk to trace the outline of the cushion on my t-shirt, and then I cut it up: it looks a bit rough because I was trying to do this quickly, I should probably have ironed the T'shirt first:
Then I started sewing it about 3 quarters before starting to insert the stuffing inside. Even though my fabric cutting skills are atrocious and the 2 circles didn't match one another very well, adding to that the fact my hand sewing skills about the same as that of a 7 year old (I don't own a sewing machine, but judging from my home economics class in school, I wouldn't have done a great job either if I had one), I managed to get a nice round shape: a bit bumpy because the stuffing was quite compact, but nothing a bit of thumping can't correct!
As you can see from the above picture, the insert is far from being perfect, but watch what happened when I put it in between my 2 crochet circles:
Not bad for a first!
I will try making another one (I hope I won't have to tear out another pillow) and I'll also have to bake a few quick treats - There will be chocolate involved, but for now, I need to go and make a new cushion insert for my daughter's cushion before she comes back from school or I'll be in trouble!
This blog entry is my submission to the Deramores Blog Awards 2014. Deramores is the UK’s number one online retailer of knitting and crochet supplies.
May 9, 2014
My Failed Knitting Project
I was excited about an extremely soft bandana style scarf I was knitting last week end using James C Brett's Pure Merino Yarn. I had 1 ball in 5 different shades, plus 2 in Royal Blue. I wanted to knit the same scarf in all 6 different colours for my Etsy shop and I decided to use the blue first in case the scarf would use more than 1 ball (it did), and quickly ordered whatever I could get my hands on from the other colours I had, before this yarn would be completely gone out of stock from most places and impossible to reorder.
I loved how soft the 100% merino wool felt and after a few trials, I was finally happy with its shape. Then I gently handwashed my royal blue scarf, my pride and joy: it felt loose and squishy in the water, and I was really careful not to stretch the fibre while washing it, squeezed the excess water in a dry towel and left it out on a flat surface in my hot press to dry yesterday.
When I checked it this morning, to my shock and horror, my previously beautiful perfectly shaped triangle bandana scarf looked a bit wider than I remembered when I had been knitting it, but the length looked similar to what it was before. It was still as soft if not more than before washing, but the scarf had gone all floppy and didn't hold its shape when I tried it on.
I could nearly kick myself for not knitting a sample square and washing it before going on to knit a scarf that needs a yarn that needs to be rigid, not a yarn that has drape like this beautiful merino yarn.
I think I learned my lesson: ALWAYS knit a sample and wash it before starting a knitting project! Unfortunately, a yarn you really love may not always be suitable for a knitting project that you really want to make. For some yarns it doesn't make a difference, but it's always better to be safe than sorry, so preparation might save you from disappointment.
I still want to make this bandana scarf come to life somehow, but I will have to find a more suitable yarn from my stash (I have a bulkier one with Merino but NOT 100% merino, so hopefully this one will do).
No point crying over wasted time: I have some ripping to do and a new project to think of using my Pure Merino because I have ordered so much of it (my first order arrived today:): I'm thinking cabled tube cowl, what do you think?
***Follow me on Twitter and Like Sophie's Knit Stuff on Facebook for more updates***
 |
| Yummy Soft Pure Merino from James C. Brett |
I loved how soft the 100% merino wool felt and after a few trials, I was finally happy with its shape. Then I gently handwashed my royal blue scarf, my pride and joy: it felt loose and squishy in the water, and I was really careful not to stretch the fibre while washing it, squeezed the excess water in a dry towel and left it out on a flat surface in my hot press to dry yesterday.
 |
| Soft blue bandana scarf before washing and shaping |
When I checked it this morning, to my shock and horror, my previously beautiful perfectly shaped triangle bandana scarf looked a bit wider than I remembered when I had been knitting it, but the length looked similar to what it was before. It was still as soft if not more than before washing, but the scarf had gone all floppy and didn't hold its shape when I tried it on.
 |
| After washing: unwearable floppy mess |
 |
| This yarn really shows off imperfections: must apply myself more! |
I could nearly kick myself for not knitting a sample square and washing it before going on to knit a scarf that needs a yarn that needs to be rigid, not a yarn that has drape like this beautiful merino yarn.
I think I learned my lesson: ALWAYS knit a sample and wash it before starting a knitting project! Unfortunately, a yarn you really love may not always be suitable for a knitting project that you really want to make. For some yarns it doesn't make a difference, but it's always better to be safe than sorry, so preparation might save you from disappointment.
I still want to make this bandana scarf come to life somehow, but I will have to find a more suitable yarn from my stash (I have a bulkier one with Merino but NOT 100% merino, so hopefully this one will do).
No point crying over wasted time: I have some ripping to do and a new project to think of using my Pure Merino because I have ordered so much of it (my first order arrived today:): I'm thinking cabled tube cowl, what do you think?
***Follow me on Twitter and Like Sophie's Knit Stuff on Facebook for more updates***
May 3, 2014
Free Crochet Heart Pattern
My daughter's class is studying the heart at school, and I know that the love heart shape is not very realistic, but it's cute, so I looked for a crochet heart pattern online.
I found a few crochet heart shape patterns, but they were always too small: for some reason it seems impossible to find a crochet heart bigger than 2 or 3 inches, so I had to put my overactive brain to work, and after a few trials, I came up with this:
I'm sure I'm not the only person who has been looking for one of these, so here is my Big Heart crochet pattern:
Notes:
I used some pink acrylic DK yarn and a 4mm (G) crochet hook ; it would look great in cotton too, and you can use thicker/finer yarn with a bigger/smaller crochet hook for different results.
I am using UK/Ireland crochet terms so if you are more familiar with the US crochet terms, here is a list of the terms and abbreviations used in this free heart crochet pattern:
ch = Chain (same for US and UK)
sl st = Slip stitch (same for US and UK)
dc: UK Double Crochet = US Single Crochet
tr: UK Treble Crochet = US Double Crochet
htr: UK Half Treble Crochet = US Half Double Crochet
Important:
Instructions (in UK crochet terms):
ch4, join with sl stitch in the 1st ch to make a ring.
Round 1: ch1, 11 dc into the ring, join with sl st to beg. ch1 (11 sts).
Round 2: ch1, dc and htr in first st, 2 tr in each of the next 4 sts, 5 tr in the next st, 2 tr in each of the next 4 sts, htr and dc in last st, join with sl st to beg ch1 (25 sts).
Round 3: ch1, 1 dc in each of the first 2 sts, 1 dc and 1 htr in next st, 1 htr and 1 tr in next st, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr in each of the next 5 sts, 5 tr in the next st, 1 tr in each of the next 5 sts, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr and 1 htr in next st, 1 htr and 1 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of the last 2 sts, join with sl st to beg ch1 (39 sts).
Round 4: ch1, 1 dc in each of the first 2 sts, 1 dc and 1 htr in next st, 1 htr and 1 tr in next st, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr in each of the next 12 sts, 5 tr in the next st, 1 tr in each of the next 12 sts, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr and 1 htr in next st, 1 htr and 1 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of the last 2 sts, join with sl st to beg ch1 (53 sts).
Round 5: ch1, 1 dc in each of the first 2 sts, 1 htr in next st, 1 tr in each of the next 2 sts, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr in each of the next 18 sts, 5 tr in next st, 1 tr in each of the next 18 sts, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr in each of the next 2 sts, 1 htr in next st, 1 dc in each of the last 2 sts, join with sl st to beg ch1 (63 sts).
Row 6: 1 sl st in first st, 1 dc in each of the next 2 sts, 1 htr in next st, 1 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr in each of the next 21 sts, 5 tr in next st, 1 tr in each of the next 21 sts, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 htr in next st, 1 dc in each of the next 2 sts, 1 sl st in last st, join with sl st to the back loop of the first sl st (73 sts).
Here is the link to the free Ravelry PDF download: Big Heart Crochet Pattern.
If you share this big heart shape crochet pattern, please include a link to my blog or my Ravelry Designer page!
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I found a few crochet heart shape patterns, but they were always too small: for some reason it seems impossible to find a crochet heart bigger than 2 or 3 inches, so I had to put my overactive brain to work, and after a few trials, I came up with this:
 |
| Big Crochet Heart |
Notes:
I used some pink acrylic DK yarn and a 4mm (G) crochet hook ; it would look great in cotton too, and you can use thicker/finer yarn with a bigger/smaller crochet hook for different results.
I am using UK/Ireland crochet terms so if you are more familiar with the US crochet terms, here is a list of the terms and abbreviations used in this free heart crochet pattern:
ch = Chain (same for US and UK)
sl st = Slip stitch (same for US and UK)
dc: UK Double Crochet = US Single Crochet
tr: UK Treble Crochet = US Double Crochet
htr: UK Half Treble Crochet = US Half Double Crochet
Important:
- Insert a stitch marker into your starting chain at the beginning of each row.
- When counting your stitches, do not count the slip stitch at the end of the rows, or the starting chain at the beginning of the rows.
Instructions (in UK crochet terms):
ch4, join with sl stitch in the 1st ch to make a ring.
Round 1: ch1, 11 dc into the ring, join with sl st to beg. ch1 (11 sts).
Round 2: ch1, dc and htr in first st, 2 tr in each of the next 4 sts, 5 tr in the next st, 2 tr in each of the next 4 sts, htr and dc in last st, join with sl st to beg ch1 (25 sts).
Round 3: ch1, 1 dc in each of the first 2 sts, 1 dc and 1 htr in next st, 1 htr and 1 tr in next st, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr in each of the next 5 sts, 5 tr in the next st, 1 tr in each of the next 5 sts, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr and 1 htr in next st, 1 htr and 1 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of the last 2 sts, join with sl st to beg ch1 (39 sts).
Round 4: ch1, 1 dc in each of the first 2 sts, 1 dc and 1 htr in next st, 1 htr and 1 tr in next st, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr in each of the next 12 sts, 5 tr in the next st, 1 tr in each of the next 12 sts, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr and 1 htr in next st, 1 htr and 1 dc in next st, 1 dc in each of the last 2 sts, join with sl st to beg ch1 (53 sts).
Round 5: ch1, 1 dc in each of the first 2 sts, 1 htr in next st, 1 tr in each of the next 2 sts, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr in each of the next 18 sts, 5 tr in next st, 1 tr in each of the next 18 sts, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr in each of the next 2 sts, 1 htr in next st, 1 dc in each of the last 2 sts, join with sl st to beg ch1 (63 sts).
Row 6: 1 sl st in first st, 1 dc in each of the next 2 sts, 1 htr in next st, 1 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr in each of the next 21 sts, 5 tr in next st, 1 tr in each of the next 21 sts, 2 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 tr in each of the next 3 sts, 1 htr in next st, 1 dc in each of the next 2 sts, 1 sl st in last st, join with sl st to the back loop of the first sl st (73 sts).
Here is the link to the free Ravelry PDF download: Big Heart Crochet Pattern.
If you share this big heart shape crochet pattern, please include a link to my blog or my Ravelry Designer page!
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