Thursday, July 30, 2009

Yarn Leftovers - Free Coaster/Flower Crochet Pattern


Don't throw away your yarn scraps as the previous owner of this lot did! Though maybe the (presumably a) lady gave up her (knitting) hobby altogether as she threw out her cable needle as well, I think it's more likely she just forgot that was still in the plastic bag too that I picked up from the curb about two months ago.

Search the internet and you will find lots of free patterns for flowers, coasters, appliques and such. Tiny projects to use up your leftovers or otherwise keep them for little accents in larger projects.
In the first picture I can't even show all the yarn I found because I've used up some of it already. I made this set of reusable face scrubbies from one of the larger balls of cotton yarn that came with it. This set is currently for sale in my Etsy shop. You can make your own and save money on cotton pads by crocheting flat rounds of dc with a trim in any fantasy stitch you like.

If you don't want to look further here's a crochet pattern for a flat flower shaped round that I like a lot and takes only a few grams of yarn each. The design is not my own, but I translated it in English from a crochet book I had as a child and is at least forty years old. These two are part of a set with a larger variation for sale in my Etsy shop.

You can use them as coasters in a thicker cotton yarn, but thin cotton thread will make great appliques. Or, done in seasonal colours or sparkly shiny material even hang them in your Christmas tree! Weave a ribbon through if you like (imagine that here) and starch if necessary.

My abbreviations (in universal terminology; BE readers pls look up conversion charts USA>>BE):

ch - chain stitch (Dutch: losse)
ss - slip stitch (Dutch: halve vaste)
sc - single crochet (Dutch: vaste)
dc - double crochet (Dutch: stokje)

Start: 6 ch, close as a ring with a ss.

Row 1: 2 ch, 23 dc under the starting ch, close with a ss in the 2nd ch of the beginning of this row.

Tip: Find it difficult to fit 23 dc in? Make about 6 at a time then pull them back tightly between thumb an index finger, make the next 6 and repeat.

Row 2: 4 ch, 1 dc in the closing ss of the previous row; 1 ch. *skip 2 st; in the next st: 1 dc, 2 ch, 1 dc; 1 ch*. Repeat 7x from *to*. Close row with a ss in 2nd ch (of 4) of the start.

Row 3: 2 ch; 1 dc, 2 ch, 2 dc under the 2 ch of the previous row; 1 sc under the 1 ch. *2 dc, 2 ch, 2 dc as before; 1 sc as before*. Repeat 7x from *to*. Close row with a ss in 2nd ch (of 2) of the start.

Row 4: No build up with ch as before; directly 3 dc, 1 ch, 3 dc under the 2 ch of the previous row; 1 sc to the left and right of the sc of the previous row. Repeat 8x and close with a ss in the first st of the row. Bind off or crochet a loop if you want to hang it up, then bind off.

16 comments:

Akua Lezli Hope said...

I use tiny scraps for stuffing. If they're wool, I felt them into necklaces. Other bits are used, as you do, for flowers. I salute your industry and congratulate on your find! If any readers have yarn scraps they don't want, they may send them to me too! LOL! Thanks so much for sharing this lovely pattern. I love flowers. I crochet for charity and for my Etsy shop, AkuaDesigns. Best to you!

Le-Chat said...

Thanks, Akua. You have some lovely items in your shop too! Have you ever considered reusing yarn by unraveling unwanted/old knits?

AngelMc said...

Hi from the State of Mississippi in the USA--I don't remember through what blog site I surfed into yours..but I really enjoyed it. Please come visit mine and take a look around.

Le-Chat said...

Thanks for visiting, AngelMc. Your blog is quite funny and I really enjoyed your auction finds! Not your mainstream picks, love it. Keep on 'junking'!

Mold Damage Howard County, MD said...

wow its amazing how many things you find!

<3 Lindsay

RecycleCindy said...

Oh I love your free crochet pattern. I had admired your coasters when you posted about them earlier this year. Thank you for sharing your pretty little pattern. I want to make up some for Christmas gifts.

Le-Chat said...

Thank you, Cindy. I think they will make great hotpads/trivets in t-yarn too!

Down Comforter said...

Great idea! I make dishrags out of my leftover yarn.. They are great for scrubbing!

Le-Chat said...

Hey there Down Comforter,
You really have become my truest follower and must apologize for not having responded to your regular comments before. They are very much appreciated and always make me smile. Great to hear you're in the yarn crafts as well. Thanks again!

Doris Sturm said...

I'm glad you found this and that you love to conserve and recycle. I'm always asking my neighbors if they find some that's being discarded, to let me have it. I have tons of little projects, like coasters, flowers, ornaments and if I need to embroider something on my crocheted work, I use the worsted weight yarn scraps and split it to make it 2-ply for my embellishments.

I enjoy reading your blog :-)

handysandy said...

Thank you for sharing the pattern. Next week I will show the coasters on my blog http://www.handysandy.web-log.nl with a link to yours! Regards from Holland , Sandra

Le-Chat said...

Thank you so much for the post on your blog, Sandra.
Groetjes uit Amsterdam!

Crochet with Raymond said...

thank-you for the "recipe"!!! I made one right away and love it! I'm going to make another one and sew in onto the top of a beret! It will look seper-groovy!
Good work with the upcycling, I love finding like-minded people!

Yarnyokel said...

I am so glad you posted that. I now know what I can do with the large dresser drawer of bits and pieces. I was putting them together and making hats for the homeless.
I may try some of these also.
Thanks for posting this.

Monali Mishra said...

wow...i was wondering what to do with all my scrap yarns...and i stumble across your blog...you inspired me a lot....thanks for these wonderful ideas and the beautiful flower pattern...i love it..

Libby said...

I am confused about the 3rd row. It says to do a double crochet under the second chain of the previous row. Are you supposed to put the crochet hook in the big hole on the bottom? Or what? Please answer! I am going very good so far.