Crochet baby blanket patterns

New Primavera Flower Tunic

12/11/2015 by Dada Filed Under: Free crochet patterns 31 Comments

Do you remember my post about New Primavera Square, in which I was talking about how I had started a poncho? Yes, I started a poncho, but somehow it turned out into a tunic. And I’m pretty happy with the result! This is my first tunic ever, which I made without any pattern, just playing around with the squares, using trial and error method, which works quite well for me. Almost all of my color combinations and designs are results of using this method. I’m not afraid of errors. I consider them just as indicators that something didn’t work. Let’s do it again, to see what will work! It’s that simple.

New Primavera flower granny square free pattern

For this tunic I used 100% cotton yarn “Golf” from St. George, and 3.5 mm crochet hook. The yarn is 125m/50g. The square measures approximately 12 x 12 cm (4.7″ x 4.7″)

My New Primavera granny square is almost the same as the old Primavera flower square. I just make some small changes, because I wanted a little bigger square, which in the end proved unnecessary, because the tunic turned out a little to big for me. If I used my old Primavera square it would probably suite me better.

I made this crochet chart and written pattern in case you’d like to use the square for one of your own crochet projects. It’s very easy and quick to make, and you can use it for variety of things, like blankets, pillows, bags, scarfs… And one more good thing. It looks good in two colors as well as in 4 colors (old Primavera Flower square)

Color A is gold, color B is brown

Begin with a magic ring.
Rnd 1: Color A
ch-4 in ring (counts as dc and ch-1), * dc in ring, ch-1; repeat from * 6 more times. Close the ring. Join with slip st to initial ch-4 space (8 dc)
Rnd 2: Color A
Make Beginning Popcorn, then ch-4; * Popcorn in next ch-1 space, chain-4; repeat from * six more times, join with slip stitch to Beginning Popcorn. (8 Popcorn stitches with ch-4 between each Popcorn)
Rnd 3: Color B
Join color B in any ch-4 spaces of the second round, make beginning Cluster (tr3tog – treble crochet three together), ch-3, tr3tog in same ch-4 space, ch-3, * (tr3tog, ch-3, tr3tog) in next ch-4 space, ch-3; Repeat from * 6 more times; Join with slip st to top of beginning Cluster (16 tr3tog with ch-3 between each tr3tog)
Rnd 4: Color B
Make slip st to next ch-3 space, ch-3 (counts as dc), 2 dc in same space, ch-1, * 3 dc in next ch-3 space, ch-1, (3 tr, ch-3, 3 tr) in next ch-3 space, ch-1, (3 dc in next space, ch-1) twice; repeat from * 2 more times, 3 dc in next space, ch-1, (3 tr, ch-3, 3 tr) in next space, ch-1, 3 dc in next space, ch-1, join with slip st to top of initial ch-3.
Rnd 5: Color B
Make slip st in 2 next dc, (sc in next ch-1 space, ch-5) twice, * (sc, ch-5, sc) in next ch-3 space of the corner, (ch-5, sc in next ch-1 space) four times, ch-5; Repeat from * 2 more times, (sc, ch-5, sc) in next ch-3 space, (ch-5, sc in next ch-1 space) twice, ch-5, join with slip st to first sc or make an invisible join.

When I joined all the squares together, the collar looked a little, I don’t know, maybe boring, or somehow unfinished, so I added 6 additional rows. In that way I decreased the collar and added a little finishing touch, which in my opinion raised the collar and the whole tunic to a higher level. I made a crochet chart for the collar, and wrote the pattern, so who knows, maybe some of you will find it useful.

Row 1: sc in ch-5 space, ch-4
Row 2: sc, hdc, dc, ch-1, dc, hdc, sc in ch-4 space
Row 3: sc in ch-1 space, ch-3
Row 4: 5 sc in every ch-3 space
Row 5: sc in third sc, ch-4
Row 6: sc, hdc, dc, Picot-3, dc, hdc, sc in each ch-4 space

In case you aren’t familiar with my “old” Primavera flower square, you can find the detailed step-by-step tutorial with lots of photographs here.

Click here to check out all of Dada’s place free crochet patterns.

This is the end of the story about poncho, I mean, tunic. Till the next story, have a beautiful, colorful and creative week!

Secret Garden Shawl free tutorial: Part III

05/11/2015 by Dada Filed Under: Free crochet patterns 9 Comments

Secret garden crochet shawl free step by step photo tutorial

And now it’s time for the last part of our Secret Garden Shawl tutorial. First, a few words about the yarn. For this shawl (as for majority of my projects) I used “Tango” yarn. It’s 100% cotton yarn 125m/50g. The manufacturer is St. George from Serbia.

I used these colors:

1. light yellow 0303

2. yellow 0004

3. lime green 0113

4. light green 0350

5. light blue 0404

6. light pink 0394

7. light lavender 0408.

8. light grey 0025

9. grey 0370

These are the Secret Garden Flower elements. There are 5 different elements. You need to make 66 elements in total, 14 pieces of element A, and 13 pieces of all the other elements.

This is the chart of the whole shawl. You can see that you need to make 65 small square elements (little blue squares in the picture), and 10 small flowers (pink circles), five on each side of the shawl. Now you think: “It sounds like a lot of work!” Yes, it is, but I think the shawl is worth the effort.

Flowery crochet motif free step by step photo tutorial

The last lesson you have to learn is how to make and join the small flowers on the sides of the shawl. So, let’s get started!This is the place where we will join our small flower.

Beautiful crochet motif step by step photo tutorial

Complete the first three rounds of the Secret Garden flower. Work through the fourth row, make one complete petal, and stop once you’ve worked the third dc of the second petal.

Beautiful crochet flower free step by step photo tutorial

The arrow in the picture indicates the place where you should join the first petal.

Beautiful crochet flowery motif free step by step photo tutorial

So, just make slip stitch in that ch-9 space

Dadas place crochet flower free tutorial

then make 2 dc and sc in the same ch-5 space (these are remaining stitches of the petal)

Make sc, then 3 dc in the next ch-5 space, and then again, join the petal to the next ch-9 space with slip stitch. Make the rest of the petal – 2 dc, sc in the same ch-5 space.

Beautiful crochet free step by step tutorial

Now, join the third petal to the next ch-9 space in the same way you’ve already joined the two previous petals.

Beautiful crochet shawl free step by step photo tutorial

Join the fourth, the fifth and the sixth petal to the next 3 ch-9 spaces. Now we just have to make one more petal.

Free crochet flower tutorial for beginners

So, make the last petal (sc, 5 dc, sc in the last ch-5 space), and join with slip stitch to the first sc, or make an invisible join. Fasten off. Join 9 remaining flowers in the same way. Now, when you’re done, you can enjoy your shawl and be proud of yourself!

Dadas place free crochet shawl photo tutorial

Hope you will like this tutorial! If you do, and decide to make one for yourself, please send me a picture, I would be delighted to see it!
The first part of the Secret Garden Shawl tutorial you can find here. The second part is available here.
Have a creative week!

DIY: Phone Pouch Free Tutorial

30/10/2015 by Dada Filed Under: Free crochet patterns 10 Comments

When I posted the picture of my newest cell phone pouch on Facebook I saw that you really liked it, so I decided to show you how to make one for your own phone. So, I sat down, and made this DIY free tutorial.

Before we start, I want to look back at my brief history of making phone pouches. These guys are my first pouches. I made them at the beginning of my crochet obsession, and wrote a post about them here.

This pouch was made in October of 2013. It’s very easy to make, and you can find the link to the free pattern in this post.

If you’re familiar with the basics of sewing you will be able to easily make this cute phone pouch. Just one more note before we start. Plaid fabric on the pictures always represent the inner bag (lining) and plain fabric the outer bag. So, let’s get started!

Supplies needed:

* crochet thread for doilies
* 2 rectangular pieces of medium or heavyweight fabric for the outer bag
* 2 rectangular pieces of lightweight fabric for the inner bag (lining)
* one small piece of Velcro tape (hook & loop tape)

1. First decide which flowers you want to crochet. I found the pattern for my flowers in this Japanese craft book, but there are so many beautiful and free flower patterns on the Internet. If you spend some time on Pinterest, you will find plenty of beautiful flower patterns. Make as many flowers as you wish. I made only three, but you can make a whole bouquet of flowers.

2. Measure your phone.

3. Cut out the fabric for the outer and inner bag. For the outer bag, as well as for the inner bag you need to cut out 2 rectangular pieces of fabric which are 4 cm (1,6″) wider and 6 cm (2,4″) longer than your phone.

4. Finish raw edges with Zig-Zag stitch to protect them from fraying. It isn’t necessary step, so you can skip it if you want.

5. Sew on your previously crocheted flowers on the right side of the fabric for the outer bag. Arrange them as you like, play with them a little to find the best possible composition.

6. Embroider the stems and the leafs. Decide on how many stems and leafs do you want. Don’t make too many leafs though. You know the phrase: “less is more”, and I totally agree with that. I embroidered my stems and leafs with back stitch. If you don’t know how to do it, you can learn watching this video.

Cell phone pouch with crochet flowers tutorial

7. Cut the small piece of velcro tape approximately 1.5 cm (0,6″) tall and 4 cm (1,6″) wide. You should sew on the velcro tape on the right side (if the fabric has the right and wrong side) of the inner bag’s fabric. So, place the loop side of the velcro tape on one piece of the fabric, abut 2 cm (0,8″) below the top. Make sure to place it in the middle, in the same distance from the left as well as from the right side of the fabric. Then place the hook side on the second piece of the inner bag’s fabric. Carefully sew around all four sides of the velcro tape. It might be a little tricky, so sew slowly.

8. Take the pieces of the outer bag’s fabric and place them facing right sides together. Sew around the sides and bottom edge. Do the same with the inner bag.

9. Trim the corners at the bottom of your inner and outer bag.

Crochet flowers cell phone pouch free tutorial

10. Fold the seams inward and press them with iron.

11. Turn the outer bag right side out.

12. Place your outer bag inside the inner bag (lining). The right side of the outer bag should be facing the right side of the lining.

Crochet flowers iphone pouch free tutorial

13. Sew a 1.5 cm (0,6″) seam around the top of the pouch.

14. Leave the small opening on one side.

15. Turn the pouch right side out through the opening you left, and push the lining inside the bag.

Crochet flowers pouch free photo tutorial

Press the opening closed and top stitch around the opening of the bag, very close to the edge. This will close your opening and make everything look nice. Introduce the pouch to your phone.

Hope you will like this tutorial. Sewing is not my area of expertise, especially sewing terminology (yet in English!), and it is quite possible that I’ve made some mistakes, so if you encounter any, please let me know in the comments.

Enjoy the tutorial and have a nice week!