LillaBjörn's Crochet World

I have been secretly working on this project for a very long time... I can’t even tell you how much time it took me to figure out this pattern. And how many times I frogged and remade each repeat before it looked exactly like I wanted it to be. The idea of this Mandala was born last summer. And six months later Joana’s Mandala pattern was released (you read about this design HERE). But from the very beginning I knew I want to grow it into something bigger. And I wanted it to be of a circle shape. So ta-dah! Let me introduce a Joana’s Border to you!

Joana's Mandala and Border - overlay crochet pattern by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

Using this pattern you can enlarge existing Joana’s mandala into a medium-sized throw or a rug. I say medium-sized, because my mandala turned out to be 85 cm (34in) large across. I used 3.25mm (D) Clover Soft Touch* hook and Stone Washed yarn by Scheepjes (Sport weight). But if you decide to go for a thicker yarn and larger hook, your mandala will become even bigger. If you would like to use the same shades, have a look at this yarn on Woolwarehouse* and Deramores* (both retailers are shipping internationally) and in local Scheepjes shops. And if you have never seen and touched this yarn for real – please read my review HERE.

Joana’s border pattern is available for purchase in my Ravelry store HERE. If you would like to buy it separately, please use coupon JoanasBorder to get 25% discount (the offer is valid through Monday, April 25). You can also purchase both Joana’s Mandala and Joana’s Border and save 2$. To use this offer, please put BOTH patterns to your cart (DON'T type in any codes) and the discount will apply automatically. If you have already purchased Joana’s Mandala before – it will still count for a discount and you will not pay twice for it, but you should still put BOTH patterns into the cart. But please, note if you purchased Joana's mandala with a discount before - you will now get a smaller discount on Border. 2$ is a total discount for Joana's set of patterns. Please, follow the instructions carefully and decide which discount is better for you.

Add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue

What are the main features of this design? As well as Joana’s Mandala the Border is made in overlay crochet technique with lots of front post stitches and cabling. The structure of crocheted fabric is very textured. But at the same time it is pliable, as I tried to use long (double crochet – US terms) stitches for the background everywhere it worked. And I believe this mandala can also be used as a baby throw/blanket.

I tried to stay with the same theme as mandala and used the same colours. But this border will work excellent for any mandala with 248 stitches on the last round. For example it will perfectly suit Dandelion Mandala and Sophie’s Mandala by Dedri Uys.

When I first started to work on this design, I wanted it to look Celtic – with many knots and crosses. But when the central mandala was finished it didn’t refer to Celtic theme anymore. But I didn’t stop at that point and added some more knots to the border.

This pattern is aimed for the intermediate crocheters, as lots of overlay (front post) stitches are used here. You will need lots of attention and concentration while working with it, and lots of counting will be involved. The bigger mandala is, the longer repeats are getting and it is really helpful to use stitch markers to mark each repeat on every round. It will definitely save you lots of time and prevent from remaking.

This is not the quickest project, but I promise you will be happy with the result! :)

You can subscribe to weekly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

As a member of Scheepjes Bloggers group I am receiving samples of different yarns to try, test, play with and maybe to design something. I have been keeping an eye on Bloom yarn for quite a long time and first used it for Minimalist Cabled Mandala potholders. Since then my inspiration about using this yarn was a bit silent. Until recently, when I suddenly got an idea of a small but practical bathroom accessory. And Bloom yarn was just the right choice for this project (which will stay a secret for a while, but I promise to reveal it very soon!).

Bloom from Scheepjes - yarn review by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

So, Bloom… It is 100% cotton, but not just that “ordinary” yarn you are probably used to. It is spun in a very special way – around, which helps it to be very light and at the same time prevents from splitting. I was trying very hard to make as clear close-up picture as possible so that you see its structure. In fact it is a tube “knitted” with stockiette stitch. Very interesting.

Bloom is a very strong yarn. I cannot imagine the cases when it can be torn… It is impossible to break it with hands, and it makes this yarn even more durable. I normally hand wash all crocheted items but I would not be afraid at all to use machine wash for this yarn.

Not being a mercerized cotton, Bloom has a very nice natural gloss, and the crocheted fabric turns out to be stretchy. As any other cotton yarn, Bloom is hyperallergenic and can become a wonderful substitute to wool or wool blend.

Because of not very long yardage (this yarn comes in 50g/80m balls and in 28 gorgeous shades – each inspired by a flower) you will probably need many skeins for a large project. But at the same time this yardage works very good for small accessories, as you can purchase exact amount of yarn you need not worrying about many leftovers. Bloom yarn is available at a range of prices between 2.59£–2.79£ per skein HERE on Wool Warehouse* and HERE on Deramores* – both retailers ship orders internationally, or in local Scheepjes shops.

It is recommended to use 5mm crochet hook to work with Bloom, but for my own project I chose a smaller (4mm) one, because I wanted to achieve an effect of very dense fabric. You can see an example of my Minimalist Cabled Mandala potholder in a picture below (this pattern is available in my Etsy and Ravelry stores).

Minimalist Cabled Mandala potholder - crochet pattern by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

But larger hook will for sure work better if you want your crocheted piece to be more “open” and draping better. Kimberly Slifer (from Just a Girl and a Hook) used it for her I Love This Bag CAL, and I like the definitions of her stitches very much. By the way this pattern is free and you can find it HERE on Ravelry.

Photo credit: Kimberly Slifer (Just a Girl and a Hook)

Which kind of project is Bloom yarn suitable for? Because it is sturdy and quite thick, I would probably not use it for garment, with an exception of solid coats. Light weight is a huge advantage of this yarn: you can create a big project but it will not weight too much. This is the reason why Bloom can also be used for blankets. But they will not have a soft and cozy effect. In my opinion, this yarn is just great for different kinds of interior accessories - pillows, organizers and even rugs (though be sure to always use an anti-slip fabric or sprays, as rugs may be very slippery).

For my new project I chose two shades of grey: 421 (Old Lily) and 422 (Grey Thistle). Have a look at Bloom colour chart* and make your own floral composition!

You can subscribe to weekly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

To tell I am excited is to tell nothing today. Yesterday I got a mail from the Netherlands which I was patiently waiting for a month already. And when I finally got it and opened it, I jumped up to the ceiling, and then screamed loudly, and then made a happy dance. The first issue of “Yarn” book-a-zine was here. And I could finally touch it. And smell it. And read it.

Knitted Mohair Top - by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

While writing reviews I usually try to get rid of emotions and to be as objective as possible. But today, I am afraid, there is no way for me to be objective, as my dream came true and my designs were published for the first time! And in such a beautiful edition.

Yarn - a new book-a-zine published by Scheepjes

“Yarn” book-a-zine is published by Scheepjes and all designs use their yarns. The first issue was inspired by the sea (and it is actually called “The Sea Issue”) with everything related to this topic. So if you are as much in love with the sea as I am, this book-a-zine is right for you.

There are 13 crochet, knitting and even macramé patterns collected together, along with interesting articles about how to choose cotton yarn, Scheepjes story and inspiring insights into designer’s work and creative process.

Honestly, I enjoyed every single page, and not because two of my designs are featured (and my knitted top is on both front and back covers, yay!!). But I enjoyed the whole concept and quality of this edition. Every detail was taken into consideration, the photography is amazing and the whole issue is “tied” with one and the same color scheme.

Here are a few interesting facts about “Yarn”:

“Yarn” has the size of a computer tablet and perfectly fits the handbag. And in fact it looks and feels more like a book (with 74 pages), than a magazine. Though at the magazine’s price – €6.95/ £4.95.
Both copies in English and Dutch are available.
It is published on a thick matte paper. The pages are not glued, but stitched and it allows the book-a-zine to lay almost flat.
There are several blank pages for you to make notes or even use them as inspiration boards.
At the back you will find a very practical flap with all the abbreviations used in the patterns. So every time you knit or crochet something, you have all abbreviations in one place. And there are also punched holes for your yarn samples.

Two my designs are featured in the first issue – an airy and light Striped Top made with Rhythm Alpaca and Mohair yarns. It is a variation of my first ever knitted Blue Feather Sweater. And Stepping Stones (made with Mini Noodle* T-shirt yarn) which are actually the covers for ready poufs. For example they perfectly suit ALSEDA poufs from IKEA.

And I have my own favourites. For example this summer sweater with open back desinged by Annelies Baes from Vicarno! I definitely need it in my own life (and I still hope we will find an opportunity to go to the sea this summer...).

I don’t really know what else I can say about this wonderful publication. You better grab your own copy and read it yourself :) Book-a-zine “Yarn” is available for purchase HERE on Wool Warehouse* and in local Scheepjes shops. Enjoy!!

You can subscribe to weekly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Hello and welcome to my blog! Today I feel lots of responsibility as my blog is hosting Scheepjes CAL 2016 “Last Dance on the Beach”. We have already visited Esther from Happy in Red and Kirsten from Haak Maar Raak. And I can’t wait to introduce you Square 3 which I called “Sunset in the Waves”.

Scheepjes CAL 2016 - Last Dance on the Beach - Week 3 - Lilla Bjorn Crochet

When I first was contacted with an offer to participate in this project I didn’t hesitate a single second. I just knew I want to be a part of it. This CAL is filled with many feelings. It’s about Marinke Slump (aka Wink from A Creative Being) and her creative life. It’s a celebration of her talent. During the last months of her life she had been working on a new design which was supposed to become a new CAL. Her idea was to create a solid blanket made of squares – each with a new crochet stitch used. Wink wanted to create a kind of space for educational adventure, to work with different structures and textures, and to teach different crochet techniques. I saw a picture of a sample Marinke left with some cabling involved. And I decided to develop this in my own design. You can download the pattern HERE.

If this is the first time you hear about Scheepjes CAL 2016 – please, check THIS post with all general information. And HERE you can find the description of the kits available for purchase (though, of course, you can create your own color combination!). All yarns are available via Wool Warehouse* and Deramores* (both ship orders internationally), Paradise Fibers* (US) and in local Scheepjes shops.

So here is what I’ve come up with. This square uses a lot of front post stitches. If you haven’t worked with them before, they might seem very tricky and maybe scary at the first glance. But in fact these are just “normal” crochet stitches, but attached in a bit different way. Instead of inserting the hook under two loops on the top of each stitch, you will work some of them around the post (vertical part).

Esther from It’s All In A Nutshell has made fantastic, very detailed and clear video's (check them HERE) which will guide you through each and every stitch made in this square. So please, take your time, grab a cup of coffee, tea or maybe wine, relax (try not to work late at night as Esther’s voice is soooo soothing and you can easily fall asleep) and just enjoy your adventure!

As mentioned above, I used front post stitches to design my square, and also clusters. As I imagined it, front post stitches would form textured waves, and clusters would be the “suns” slowly going down into the waves. For the first time in my life I saw a sunset by the sea last year, in Belgium. It was amazingly beautiful!..

So what is important to know about this square?

I understand there is probably lots of information here, but please take your time to read it through.

For my blanket I use Merino Soft yarn in custom colors. I am "dancing in the rain" but without browns and whites. Because they don't really fit the interior of my living room. I also use Amour Clover hook 4.5mm*.

The first row is made on the wrong side. This is important to know for understanding the chart. So all rows on right side are read from left to right.

You will see “sdc” abbreviation in the pattern. It is just ordinary double crochet stitch (UK term), but the hook is inserted between two stitches of the previous row under all three loops (instead of two, as you usually work it). I chose this stitch on purpose, because it helps to avoid “ridge” on the right side. And your work will look neat.

When you make front post stitches, please, try to make them to the height of the working row. They should not be too tight or too loose. Because it may lead to a deformation of the square shape. In the picture below you can see what is the difference between wrong and right tension. And please, remember about your gauge in general. It should fit the test swatch which you have probably made. If not, please also check THIS tips&tricks document.

Front post stitches in crochet and correct tension

Front post stitches “overlay” the stitches of a previous row, that’s why stitches behind front post stitches must be skipped (!!). It is necessary for a correct stitch count. So every time you make 2 front post stitches – you should skip 2 stitches behind them. Esther did a great job explaining it in the video. Just follow her instructions carefully. And counting stitches after every row will help a lot. Then you will know for sure if you worked each row correctly or not.

And the last important thing is that ch1/ch2 in the beginning of each row DON’T count as a stitch. I used them only as turning chains to make the edge straight and neat.

And here is a small tip from me about how to prevent holes while crocheting around the square:

When you make an edge, try to insert the hook “inside” the stitches, and not just under them. And try to avoid inserting the hook under one loop only, because in the process of blocking these single loops are pulling too much, and as the result you can get visible holes on the edges.

Seems like that’s all I wanted to share with you… This week’s square will require lots of your attention and concentration. Please, take your time and be patient. And I am sure you will like the result and will be proud of yourself! See you on Facebook in Scheepjes CAL and Shceepjes CAL – International groups.

Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

My new project with Bloom yarn by Scheepjes is growing every day. I am still not disappointed with colors, and still think that grey was a great choice. I’ve changed my mind about the crochet stitch a few times, and finally decided to stick with this version. I made up this crochet stitch myself, but if it exists already (because you never know…) and you know its name – I will be happy to hear that. Please, comment on this post below.

Last week I published a review about Bloom yarn by Scheepjes (read it HERE), which is 100% cotton and has a very interesting structure. I still like working with it and in my opinion the definition of the stitches is very good. I am using 4mm hook for my new design, which is too small for this exact yarn. But from the very beginning I wanted to get very dense fabric. So for me this size of the hook works just perfect.

Bloom is available for purchase via Wool Warehouse* and Deramores* (both with international shipping), via Paradise Fibers* (US) and local Scheepjes shops.

As you can see in the pictures, I am also using needles for this project. For what reason? I will not tell you yet. I am so bad at keeping secrets, but I need to practice. But you probably can guess from the pictures. And I can only tell you it will be a bathroom organizer. :) And that it will be a FREE pattern very soon published here, on my blog.

Crochet project with needles - Lilla Bjorn Crochet

This post is a little bit short, as crochet is keeping all my attention. I need to finish a few designs, and write the patterns down… So, I am off to my crochet again.

See you next week!!!

Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Today is week 4 of Scheepjes 2016 CAL – Last Dance on the Beach, featuring a wonderful square design by Atty from Atty’s. This square is one of my favourite – with two layers of crochet fabric and amazing structure. I was patiently waiting for its releaseand was so “hungry” to start making it at once, that it didn’t take long before all 4 squares were finished. Oh, and if you missed week 3 (with my Sunset in the Waves square) you can find it HERE.

Week 4 by Atty - Scheepjes CAL 2016 - Last Dance on the Beach

You can download the pattern HERE and also check video tutorial by Esther from It’s All in a NutshellHERE.

Atty is a wonderful designer with a very unique style (she is a lovely person, too. I was very lucky to get acquainted with her in person on Scheepjes Bloggers Day). If you haven’t heard of her before – make sure to check her blog with lots and lots of free patterns. I am not sure I would have the patience myself to make all those small colorful motifs and to weave all yarn tails in, and join them together. But if someone would make Atty’s flower scarf for me, with her colors – I would be the happiest in the world!

Flower Scarf with leftovers - free crochet pattern by Atty's

Photo credit: Atty's

Today’s square has a very clear meaning. It represents the waves. But at the same time, as Atty mentions on her blog in a letter to Wink– the waves symbolize the life cycles, with their ups and downs. We all have different periods in our lives. Sometimes they are very tough, and difficult to come through. But when I look at Atty’s square, I imagine that after every deepest “down” there will be for sure the highest “up”. And we just need to find inner sources to cope with temporary problems.

As in the previous weeks I was a bit struggling with the gauge on the first square. I am a pretty tight crocheter, I always choose the smaller hook than recommended on the yarn label. So for me it is not very easy to obtain correct tension every week. The first square became a bit smaller than it should be. And even blocking didn’t help. But I didn’t give up and just started to crochet looser than usually. And ta-dah, my gauge is where it should be. I am not sure I will remake the first square… At least not now. :)

If you have never worked in back and front loops, this design might seem tricky, but don’t worry. It is not difficult at all. You can check THIS post about crocheting in back and front loops, with several progress pictures. And hopefully they will help you to understand the idea.

And here is my Dance in the Rain blanket so far! I chose custom colors (just excluded browns and whites from the kit) and still very happy with this decision.

Scheepjes CAL 2016 (Last Dance on the Beach) - first four motifs are done. Looks great so far!

I am using Merino Soft yarn and Amour Clover hook 4.5mm*. If you also would like to create your custom palette – you can have a look at color chart and pick your shades at Wool Warehouse*, Deramores* (both retailers ship orders internationally), Paradise Fibers* (US) or in local Scheepjes shop (NL and BE). There are also ready kits available for purchase (with Merino Soft and Colour Crafter yarns) – you can read more details about them HERE.

Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Ta-dah (…and this is how all my posts with reveals of new finished projects begin)! My Bloom Bathroom Organizer is finally finished. It took a little bit longer to put everything together as I was distracted by other crochet projects going on… And then I suddenly got pain in my hands and wrists and was not able to crochet for 3 (!) days. But as soon as my hands felt better again, I came back to my organizer immediately. And here is what I made.

Crocheted Bathroom Organizer - a unique and stylish accessory for every bathroom. Designed by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

I was hoping that by the day my new organizer is finished, we will finally move to another apartment with a nice bathroom with walls covered by white and grey tiles. But it seems like our move is delayed and my dream to put new organizer onto the wall should wait a bit… But anyway. Here it is. I used 100% cotton Bloom yarn by Scheepjes to make it in two grey shades: 421 (Old Lily) and 422 (Grey Thistle). They were meant to suit the interior of my new bathroom in the best way, and they definitely will!

I also used wooden knitting needles for this project. When a sneak peek was posted on my Facebook page a week ago, it was fun to hear your ideas about what exactly needles were used for. I learned a few interesting tips (like, to use needles for keeping stitches “alive” for future joining, or use needles for spacing the stitches, so that they are a bit longer but all of the same length). This is very interesting, and maybe I will use some of your tips for my future projects. But this time the task of knitting needles is very simple: I used them to strengthen one of the long sides of each pocket, so that it keeps its shape well.

Bloom yarn comes in a variety of shades. You can read my review about it HERE. And you can also have a look at color charts on Wool Warehouse* and Deramores* (both retailers ship order internationally), Paradise Fibers* (US) or at Scheepjes website (NL and BE).

I didn’t want my organizer to be very long and large, and I made only two pockets. The upper one is divided into two sections for some smaller bathroom accessories or pieces of make-up. And bottom pocket can be used for larger pieces, and maybe even small extra towels.

But you can of course make your own organizer much longer (free pattern for this project will published next week here on my blog) by adding one or even two pockets. Then you will probably want to use metal needles instead of wooden. As you can see in the picture below, when I put my fen to the bottom pocket, the upper needle started to bend, so I suppose if I fill the pocket with something heavier it can simply break.

I like the look of natural wood in combination with grey yarn, but practical aspects should also be taken into consideration. But I also think that even if my needle is broken, I can easily replace it with a new one. Bloom yarn is very strong, it’s not delicate at all and it allows a variety of manipulations with already finished project.

I used my own crochet stitch for this pattern. I mean I came up with it myself, but who knows – maybe it is an existing stitch, and it’s just me who doesn’t know about it. I also used Clover Soft Touch 4 mm crochet hook

*, and it’s smaller than recommended for Bloom yarn. But I wanted my crochet fabric to be dense, with no obvious holes in the lace parts. I want to store my make-up in this organizer, and it would be not fun at all if my eye-pencils would slide through the holes…

So this is my Bloom Bathroom Organizer. What do you think? :)

You can subscribe to weekly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

I can finally share the pattern of my new Bloom Bathroom Organizer with you! This project is very flexible (quick and easy to make) and can be easily adjusted according to your needs. You can make the pockets wider and deeper. You can make additional pockets, if you wish. And you can use any colors you like to match your bathroom interior. We will hopefully move to another apartment in a few months, and my new bathroom will be grey and white. And my new organizer will fit it just perfect! Enjoy! :)

Bathroom Organizer - free crochet pattern by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

You will need:

Bloom yarn by Scheepjes in shades 421 (Old Lily) and 422 (Grey Thistle) - 130g (3 skeins) of each.

Bloom yarn comes in a variety of shades. You can read my review about it HERE. And you can also have a look at color charts and purchase this yarn via Wool Warehouse* and Deramores* (both retailers ship order internationally), Paradise Fibers* (US) or at Scheepjes website (NL and BE).

Crochet hook Clover Soft Touch 4 mm crochet hook*
Curtain rings 4-5 cm - three pieces
A pair of wooden or metal needles 35cm long
Scissors and tapestry needle to weave yarn tails in.

Important note: I used wooden needles to strengthen back side of each pocket. But when the pockets are filled with something heavy, the needleы start to bend, and can even broken. So if you plan to use this organizer for heavy stuff, please, consider usштп metal needles instead of wooden.

Level: Beginner

Size. The size of each finished pocket will depend on yarn and hook you choose and also on your personal gauge. My pockets are approx. 30cm (12in) and 18cm (7in) large.

Stitch guide and Abbreviations

US standard abbreviations are used in this pattern. But if you are used to other terms, please check this Crochet Translation Project which might be helpful in translation to your native language.

st(s) - stitch(es)
ch - chain
sp(s) - space(s)
yo - yarn over
sk - skip
*…* *crochet following directions* as many times as indicated
sl st (slip stitch) – insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw yarn up and pull 2nd lp through the 1st lp on hook.
sc (single crochet) – insert hook in indicated stitch, yo, draw up a lp, yo and pull through both lps on hook.
hdc (double crochet) – yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, yo, pull through 3 lps.
dc2tog (double crochet 2 together) - *yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, yo, pull through 2 lps* twice in same st, yo, pull through all 3 lps on hook.
dc3tog (double crochet 3 together) - *yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, yo, pull through 2 lps* 3 times, yo, pull through all 4 lps on hook.

Copyright LillaBjornCrochet 2016. All rights reserved. This pattern is for unlimited personal use only. Do not reproduce or sell the pattern. The pattern may not be copied in any way (print or digitally), in part or in full. Items may be sold that are made from this pattern as long as the designer is credited. Shop owners, if you wish to make a kit with yarn using this pattern, please request permission and copyright details from me before offering any kits for sale. Please, read Copyright page for more information.

Instructions

Add this Pattern to your Ravelry Queue

Rnd 1. With yarn 421 - ch56, beginning in 2nd ch from hook make sc in 54 next ch, 3sc in last ch, using the other half of chain sc in next 54ch, 2sc in next ch (the same ch where 1st sc of this rnd was made), join with sl st in 1st sc. (113sts)

Rnd 2. *Ch3, sk 1 st, dc3tog in next st, ch3, sk 1 st, sc in next st* 28 times. (28 dc3tog's + 28 sc +56 ch3-sps).

Rnd 3. Ch2 and dc2tog in base ch (= 1st dc3tog), *ch2, sc in next dc3tog, ch2, dc3tog in next sc* 27 times, ch2, sc in next dc3tog, ch2, sl st in 1st dc2tog. (28 dc3tog's +28sc + 56 ch2-sps)

Rnd 4. ch2 (= 1st sc + ch1), *hdc in next sc, ch1, sc in next dc3tog, ch1* 27 times, hdc in next sc, ch1, sl st in 1st ch. (28 hdc + 28 sc + 56 ch1-sps)

Rnd 5. ch1 (doesn't count as st), sc in base ch, *sc in next ch1-sp, sc in next st* 55 times, sc in next ch1-sp, sl st in 1st sc after ch1 in the beginning of the rnd. (112 sts)

Rnd 6. ch1 (doesn't count as st), sc in base ch, sc in next 111 sts, sl st in 1st sc after ch1. (112 sts)

Repeat rnds 2-6 four more times.

Rnd 27. ch1 (doesn't count as st), sc in base ch, sc in next 4 sts, sc in next 60 sts AND around a needle at the same time, sc in next 47 sts, sl st in 1st sc after ch1. Fasten off, weave yarn tail in. (112 sts)

First pocket for your organizer is finished! Make another one with yarn 422.

Putting organizer together

Crochet around curtain rings using THIS tutorial (base round and then one round with sc). Make two with yarn 421 and one with yarn 422.

Using tapestry needle and yarn of matching color, sew 2 rings to the sides of one pocket, and to the bottom corners of another pocket. Find the center of upper pocket and sew 3rd ring to the stitches made around the needle.

If you would like to divide the pocket into two smaller parts, you can sew through it with runnning stitch using tapestry needle and yarn of matching color.

Congratulations!! Your new Bloom Bathroom organizer is now finished!

You can subscribe to weekly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

CAL’s (crochet-a-long) are extremely popular today. Almost every week I can see announcements about new CAL’s coming up. Some of them are quick and small, and some of them are very long, taking weeks. And even months. What is so special about the CAL phenomena? And why people like them? I was trying to think of possible reasons. From my own experience.

Last Dance on the Beach Blanket and 10 reasons to follow the CAL.

Disclosure: this blog post contains affiliate links (marked with *). I may be compensated with a very tiny amount for purchases made via these links – with no extra expenses for you. Thank you for support!

The first CAL I came across was Sophie Universe designed by Dedri Uys from Look At What I Made. It is about epic large blanket with lots of colors and structure. And later last year I run my own first ever CAL Circles of the Sun, which is about 9 small squares in overlay crochet technique joined together into a pillow cover. But I have never followed any CAL’s myself. Until recently, when Last Dance on the Beach was released by Scheepjes. And I am a part of it.

Last Dance on the Beach. Weeks 1 and 2.

So what is CAL? As the definition "crochet-a-long" says, it’s an event connecting several (or many) people together who crochet one project at the same time.

CAL’s can be mystery and regular. In mystery CAL you don’t see the finished project till you come to the end: every week a new part is released and your wip is growing, but there is still a secret about the final look. And in regular CAL’s you can see the final product at once. Both variations have their advantages. Mystery CAL has a kind of secrecy and excitement. And in regular CAL there is more space for choosing right shades and thinking about possible color ways.

Last Dance on the Beach. Week 1 and creative chaos.

Some CAL’s make choosing yarns even easier, because there are ready kits available for purchase with exact amount of each shade you need. Sophie Universe and Last Dance on the Beach are very good examples, as both offer a variety of kits. You can check them on Wool Warehouse* (Sophie, Last Dance), Deramores* (Sophie) and Paradise Fibers* (US) – Last Dance.

Do you follow the CAL? 10 reasons you should!

By the way today a new square from Last Dance on the Beach was released, and it’s week 6 already!! It was designed by Carmen from Crafty Queens in corner-to-corner technique (you can download the pattern HERE, and video tutorial is available HERE). I am also following this CAL and here are my finished squares (blue):

This CAL is a kind of a challenge for me as I am learning new techniques and stitches every week. Last time I heard about seagull stitch, which was used by Nerissa from Miss Neriss in her design (here are the pattern and video). Isn’t this square filled with meaning and emotions? I LOVE it!

So what are the reasons to follow the CAL? I have created a list of 10 thoughts. The numbers don’t mean some of them are more or less important. But if you have never followed any CAL’s, I hope you will find a good enough reason for yourself.

New fresh design. Many CAL’s involve newly created designs which have never been published before. And joining the CAL gives you an opportunity to be on the top of the trend. But it’s also true that sometimes designers decide to run a CAL with already existing pattern. Just for fun.
Designer’s support. Because CAL is run in real time, the designer is also available for answering questions and giving help and advice if needed. Many designers have their own groups on Facebook and Ravelry, and it is very easy to reach them. By the way you can have a look at my own Ravelry group HERE. I will be happy to hear from you and see your finished projects. Or you can also share your pictures with me on Facebook HERE.
Support from other crafters. Very often CAL’s unite hundreds and of thousands people, all passionate and excited about crochet. They hang around in specially created groups and are happy to help each other when there are any problems with understanding the pattern.

Making new friends. Online community is amazing. When I started to design I got many new people to know from all over the world. And surprisingly many of them became my friends (though I am a total introvert, yes).
Learning new tricks and techniques. As mentioned about I learn a lot from following Last Dance on the Beach CAL. It is all about new techniques and stitches. Every week I am introduced to something I have never known before. And feel how my general crochet level is increasing.
A chance to (finally) finish your WIP. Do you have the same problem as I? Lots of unfinished wips and new projects coming in all the time. And CAL is really great in this situation because it motivates to finish what you’ve started. Because of the huge energy coming from the craft community and wish to interact with other people. It’s a little bit sad to give up and abandon the project when others are going on and their projects are growing.
Crochet therapy. During the CAL you are forced (in a way) to crochet regularly. And great healing power of crochet is well known. When you follow the CAL, you are never alone. You can talk to other people and share not only your projects, but also your feelings and concerns. And it helps you to stay in line when you mostly need it.
Discovery of new resources, designers and blogs. Following the CAL opens a window to the whole new world of resources and ideas you haven’t probably heard about… When I see a new CAL coming up, first thing I do is checking designer’s page and blog. And often I make wonderful discoveries and start following inspiring blogs.
Building self-confidence. Because of the permanent support from designers and other fellow crocheters during the CAL, the problems with reading and understanding the pattern are being resolved themselves. And I believe with this support you can very often cope with something you would not be able to do on your own. And this definitely helps to raise self-confidence.
Giving birth to your own creative child. Working altogether with one and same pattern, people sometimes begin to think of their own tricks and variations. I believe that following the CAL can help develop the freedom of crochet, and give space to some self-designed elements. You should though be aware of the copyright issue! :)

Here are my reasons to join the CAL. What are yours?

And here is how my Last Dance on the Beach blanket looks so far:

You can subscribe to weekly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

My new Mandala design is here! And it’s in overlay crochet again! I wanted to create a very thick piece, heavily covered with overlay stitches, so that background is not visible at all. And it worked! Let me introduce a Spanish Mandala to you!

Spanish Mandala. Overlay crochet pattern by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

Add this pattern to your Ravelry Queue

Spanish Mandala pattern is available for purchase in my Ravelry shop HERE and you can use a coupon code SpanishMandala to get 30% discount for this single pattern throughout Monday, May 30. And there is a giveaway running on my Instagram HERE till 9:59pm, May 28 – feel free to enter to win your free copy of the pattern.

Quite often I am asked what inspires me to create mandalas… so here is a story behind Spanish mandala design. Several months ago I occasionally saw a picture with ceramic plate in one of the Facebook groups. Oona Lynnett (another group member) posted it with a caption “If only I was clever enough to turn this into a pattern...” Well… I can’t even explain what I felt at that moment. This pattern, those colors! It was one of the hundreds handmade plates available in numerous gift shops in Cordoba (Spain) where Oona goes every winter to see her parents. Did I hesitate for a moment? Not really. I dived into my stash immediately, picked the colors and started to crochet at once.

Photo credit: Oona Lynnett

I have never been to Spain myself and I don’t have any knowledge about Spanish traditional art, so if you are from Spain, please correct me. I was trying to dig over internet to find more pictures with ceramics, and plates in particular to see more examples of this art and to recreate my own “collective” image of a Spanish plate. Nowadays handmade tiles, vases and dishes are very popular among tourists visiting this country. But for Spain it is more than that – it is a very old tradition that has been cultivating over the centuries.

Spanish Mandala was inspired by ceramic handmade plates. Overlay crochet pattern by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

“The typical colors used in the decoration of ceramics are those associated with the sunny Mediterranean coast: cobalt blue, deep yellow, red, purple, pink, and white. Since a good deal of the ceramics made in Spain are individually hand-spun on a wheel or molded by hand, and then fired, glazed, painted and fired again, you will often find that although common in resemblance, no two pieces are exactly alike. Their lively bright colors - which are trademarks of Spanish ceramics - mask these “imperfections” and make these artworks great for table use or simply as decoration!”(Sourсe)

So this is how my mandala was born. Surprisingly, the design was finished in two days… And then I decided to recreate it with plain, pastel colors and turn it into a round pillow cover. I chose Soft Fun yarn by Scheepjes, because the range of its shades is very wide, and I could pick exact colors I wanted.

The color possibilities of this (and any) mandala design are endless! During the test I was so much inspired by work of Cindy Douglass, and felt like “stealing” her color palette for my third mandala. So yes, the full credit for “catching” the right shades goes to her!

Photo credit: Cindy Douglass

You will need 1 ball of Soft Fun yarn in each shade – and it will be enough for making the pillow. You can purchase Soft Fun via Wool Warehouse* (international shipping), Deramores* (on sale till May 30), and in your local Scheepjes shops. You will also need a 4mm (G) crochet hook to go together with this yarn (I used Clover Soft Touch*), though it might be needed to change to a smaller size in the middle of the mandala to prevent it from curling. Everything depends on your personal gauge.

And then you will need a tapestry needle to weave yarn tails in and a zip in matching colors and long enough to create a comfortable opening for a round pillow form. Oh yes! You will of course need a round pillow form! You can purchase it or make it yourself. Next week I will publish a tutorial to show you how to do that (and you don’t even need a sewing machine!).

My two bright mandalas are made with scraps of blend wool yarns from different brands. I am not even able to name them all. I bought them in Belarus several years ago and I am not sure they are available for purchase worldwide. But if you would like to recreate one of these two Spanish mandalas, you can use Soft Fun as well. I looked into the chart to give you an idea of shades (though of course you can always choose your own).

So, mandala 1 (blue and orange): C1 (2427 or 2449), C2 (2518), C3 (2401), C4 (2432), C5 (2511), C6 (2492), a bit of 2426 or replace it with C5.

Mandala 2 (purple and green): C1 (2449), C2 (2518), C3 (2491 or 2532), C4 (2511), C5 (2531), C6 (2515)

The colorway for pastel version is given in the pattern.

There are many ways to use this mandala. I turned mine into a round pillow cover with zip. You will find instructions for the back part in the pattern and also tutorial about how to put your cushion together. But this mandala can also be used as a separate flat piece – for example as a wall hanging, front decoration for a fabric pillowcase (round or square). You can turn it into a stool cover. And you can also square it up using Dandelion Border pattern (check it HERE) which will perfectly work with Spanish Mandala’s stitch count! If you would like to keep this mandala round but to enlarge it, you can add a Joana’s border (the pattern is HERE). But please, be aware that Spanish Mandala has quite a thick fabric while Joana’s Border is more pliable…

Lisa Kasper wrote on my Facebook page: “I love almost anything with colors. Mandala patterns are my latest obsession. I am no longer content to make "granny" afghans. I like to create pieces of art. The mandala is the perfect art form for bringing the old, but respectful, utilitarian workmanship of crochet into the 21st century. I love all of your creations!”

I used this quote because I wouldn’t say better myself. Mandalas are my huge obsession, too. And I do think each and everyone is a small piece of art (crochet, ceramic, fabric or painted).

Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

I am a true believer that pillows can never be too many. I mean they can be of course, but if you have pillows in different colors, and sizes, and with different patterns, you can change them on the sofa regularly. And give a new look to your livingroom every time. Crocheted mandala’s are still very hot in interior design and they can make wonderful round cushions. I’ve recently finished two with my new pattern Spanish Mandala (available for purchase in Ravelry and Etsy shops). When you make a round crocheted pillow, it is very important that stuffing fits the size very well. Sometimes it is really hard to find a pillow form of an exactly needed size. But good news is that it is very easy to make it! And you don’t even need a sewing machine for that!

Spanish Mandala Cushion

Disclaimer: this tutorial is in no way a professional sewing guide. Quite the opposite! It is aimed to absolute beginners. I am not a professional sewer, but I find this way of making a round pillow form very easy to follow.

What you will need:

There are two ways: You may either purchase fabric and stuffing separately OR you can buy a ready square pillow form, which can be probably found in any store with home accessories. I purchased mine in Ikea. It was cheap and large enough: 50cm x 50 cm (20” x 20”). Many different square pillow forms are also available on Amazon. For exmaple, you can check them HERE*. But please, make sure you choose the right size!!

You will also need scissors, sewing pins, a needle and sewing thread of matching (or any) color.
And then you will also need patience and time :)

4 Easy Steps to remake a square pillow into a round insert form. Tutorial by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

STEP 0.

Before you start remaking a pillow form, make sure that your crocheted mandala pillowcase is properly blocked and stretched, and its size is final!

STEP 1.

If you are, like me, using a ready square pillow, frog one of the seams a bit and take ALL the stuffing out. Please, be prepared. Even if your pillow is small, you can get LOTS of it. And if you have pets, you should better hide somewhere to finish this step, as very shortly the stuffing, like snow, will be all over your house… What actually happened to me thanks to my wonderful and curious dog.

I got a real mountain of stuffing!

STEP 2.

Put the stuffing away (you may want to put it in a box, or a big plastic bag), and turn fabric pillowcase inside out.

Now place your crocheted mandala pillowcase onto the fabric and center it. Draw a circle around the mandala stepping approx. 3-3.5cm/1 (1 ½)” from edge. (Note: in the second picture below you can see that I drew a line just around the crocheted piece. DON’T do that! If you cut it like that, your pillow form will appear to be very small, and it will not suit perfectly).

Remove crocheted mandala and pin fabric along the line with a few sewing pins.

Cut fabric along the line with scissors. Now your new round pillow form is ready to be put together.

STEP 3.

If you have a sewing machine – great! But if not, don’t worry – you can sew your pillow form by hand. Take a needle and sewing thread and start sewing along the edge stepping away approx. 0.7cm/ ¼” with running stitch. Every time insert the needle on the top of previous stitch and make small stitches, so that your sewing is dense. (see pics below) Sew around the edge leaving approx. 10-15cm/4-6” opening.

You can also secure the edge with blanket stitch to prevent fabric from unweaving.

STEP 4.

Turn fabric inside out and put the stuffing inside. You will most likely need less stuffing than there was in a square pillow. Stuff the pillow according to your taste (I prefer the pillows to be not very firm).

Now wrap the egdes of the opening inside, pin them with 2-3 sewing pins and close the opening with the same running stitch.

Ta-dah!!! Your new pillow form is finished! And you can now put it inside your crocheted Mandala Pillowcase!

Spanish Mandala Cushion

Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Last Dance on the Beach by Scheepjes is still going on. And today Week 8 has already started! It seems like we are half way done. My pile of the squares is growing and I truly enjoy how the blanket is turning out. Can’t wait to finally join them together and add a border. But it seems like I will have to wait for a while. This week I tried a new crochet stitch again. And more then that, I used Eucalan concentrate for the first time. It was a nice experience, I studied information about it and decided to share it with you. Maybe you know already about Eucalan* and why it is used. But for me it was something new. And if it was new for me – maybe this information will also help you.

Last Dance on the Beach CAL by Scheepjes. Week 7 - Heart Square made with bobbles. Free crochet pattern.

But before I jump to review, let me show you the squares I made last and this week. Last week design belongs to Maria from 50 shades of 4ply. She created a very tender square with a heart made of bobbles.

And today a new stitch pattern was introduced to me by Jellina from Jellina’s Creations. I have always wanted to learn how to do a Waffle crochet stitch. I couldn’t figure it out from the picture, and was very surprised that in fact it is much easier than it seems. As for the rest of the patterns you can find the videos for both designs on It’s All in a Nutshell website.

And here is how both squares look together. In two shades of grey. I like them a lot!

Last Dance on the Beach CAL by Scheepjes. Weeks 7 and 8. Squares are made by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

Review

And now let’s talk about Eucalan. I’ve got a 100ml bottle with lavander aroma as a gift from Scheepjes together with Merino Soft yarn for my Last Dance on the Beach blanket. I have never used anything like this before and I thought it was probably the right time to try, as half of the CAL is done already. I blocked almost all my finished squares already, but it didn’t stop me at all, and I was happy to reblock them again.

Disclosure: This post is in no way sponsored by Eucalan and it was my idea to write it. This blog post contains affiliate links marked with *.

So what is Eucalan? At first I thought it is a kind of ingredient helping to fix the colors and prevent them from running in the future. But Eucalan has nothing to do with it, and it is used for absolutely different purpose – to lanolize (add Lanolin), or “re-oil” wool yarn.

Eucalan is used to add lanolin to wool yarn.

What is Lanolin? Also called wool wax or wool grease (from Latin lāna, ‘wool’, and oleum, ‘oil’), it is a wax secreted by the sebaceous glands of wool-bearing animals.

"Lanolin is the natural oil that keeps the sheep’s coat dry in damp weather. It serves a similar function as the oil on the feathers of waterfowl. The oil keeps the feathers dry and maintains their insulation. In years past fisherman and other individuals working off shore would go so far as to increase the lanolin content of their wool clothing by dipping them in heated liquid lanolin. This made their clothing very water repellant; however, the down side is you smell like a herd of wet sheep."

So Lanolin is a natural component in all wool and blend wool yarns. But during the process of manufacturing (and in particular during cleaning and scouring stage) the wool is scoured in a series of alkaline baths containing water, soap, and soda ash or a similar alkali. And it “frees” wool of lanolin – its quantity is reduced very much. Lanolin is then saved and used in a number of household products. However, handspun fibers that haven't been heavily processed usually still have lanolin (that's why those yarns are often much more “greasier”).

Constant wearing and washing (and even walking under the rain) washes out lanolin from garments, shawls, blankets and other projects made with wool yarn. They become less water, dirt and dust repellent, the static comes back and then it’s good to refill them with lanolin again.

Eucalan is a natural concentrate which helps to refill wool (and other natural yarns) with Lanolin. Review and test by Lilla Bjorn Crochetilla

Of course, there are different ways to add oil to wool (or any other natural) yarn again. Crafters use different concentrates, and even several drops of oil while washing. But why Eacalan is a good choice (in my opinion), because it is specially created to lanolize wool, it is very easy to use, it is non-toxic and not harmful for kids, pets (you can even bath dogs and other animals with Eucalan, as fleas do not like it! :) and environment, and it comes in a range of aroma’s (lavender, eucalypt, grapefruit, jasmine and Natural - with no added chemicals to hide the natural scent of the product). And it has already been on the market for 25 years!

Before writing this blog post and trying Eucalan myself, I decided to ask my fellow designers, brilliant crocheters and bloggers: what do they think about it.

“I am a big Eucalan addict,– says Annelies Baes, a crochet mind behind Vicarno brand. - I block everything with it: wool, woolmix, cotton, linen, acrylic. I sometimes even use it to wash my luxe bras. I use Eucalan to take care of the yarn, to make the stitch work “even” (Eucalan does magic to your stitch definition), to make it soft, to wash it (after working several hours or even weeks or months I like the idea of a clean and fresh finished item. :) So much nicer for the publisher to receive a fresh clean item!”

Esther de Beer from Happy in Red uses Eucalan for most natural fibres, like tweeds, alpacas, wools: “I think that these fibres can sometimes be a little “prickly” for the sensitive skin. A rinse in Eucalan before locking really deals with fibres that are a little rough and tough. And I really like the smell, although that's a personal thing, of course”.

And Kirsten from Haak Maar Raak recommends using Eucalan every time while washing and before blocking. So even for freshly finished items: “I think it's necessary for each “machine processed” yarn”.

Eucalan is a “no rinse” product, it means you don’t need to rinse your knitted or crocheted fabric after soaking in water with Eucalan. I was wondering if washing with Eucalan and without rinsing will help the dirt go out, but Annelies assures that “it removes stains perfectly. When I have a sweater or shawl with a spot or a stain it just goes away. I use it to block all my new items and afterwards to wash all my woolen items by hand. It works great. (Although I can imagine if you go rolling in the mud with a sweater, you need to 'refresh' your Eucalan water a second time to get all the dirt gone :)" I think I (myself) would wash a very dirty item with a mild shampoo first and rinse it. And then wash it once again with the Eucalan water.

You can read interesting facts about Eucalan on the official product web-site HERE. And you can find Eucalan on Amazon*, Wool Warehouse*, Paradise Fibers* (US) and most likely in your own local craft and yarn shops.

Instructions

And here is my own experience of using Eucalan:

Fill basin with tepid water (it should be not hot and not cold, I tried to reach a room temperature).
Add Eucalan. Instructions say to add 5ml/1tbsp for 4l/1 gallon of water. I filled my basin with 2l of water, so I thought 1/2tbsp should be enough. After a little bit of shaking a nice foam appeared on the surface of the water. And I used just a tiny amount of concentrate. So even a small 100ml bottle will be enough for a long time, or to wash lots and lots of items.

3. Soak your project for minimum 15 minutes. I forgot about my squares and left them for 30 minutes, probably.

4. After taking square out I carefully squeezed them a bit to get rid of huge amount of water, but still leaving them wet enough.

5. And I blocked them in a usual way, on blocking boards and with sewing pins. Instructions ask to leave the project dry naturally with no direct heat and sun.

After bathing my squares, it was still lots of water left and it was a pity to poor it out, so I used it to lanolize my Autumn Winds Cowl also made with Merino Soft yarn.

Washing Autumn Winds Cowl in water with Eucalan. Review by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

My squares are almost dry and I can feel a nice aroma. I am not fond of perfumes at all, and I don’t use them. But this one is very gentle, and not so bright. I would say it’s a smell of freshness! And after bathing in Eucalan water my hands were covered by a pleasant oily film. Not greasy but just naturally moistening.

What is my conclusion? I will definitely use Eucalan again. Again and again.

Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

Let’s talk about inspiration :) As a crochet designer I am very often asked what does inspire me to create new designs. Usually inspiration comes from what you see, read or hear, right? But then I asked myself, what is actually an inspiration? What are its symptoms? And how (and when) does it come?

Overlay crochet motifs and mandala by Lilla Bjorn Crochet (lillabjorncrochet.com)

For sure everyone has her own subjective feelings when “it finally comes”. It can be a kind of a stroke, heart starts to beat irregularly, it is hard to breath, the hair on the head and body goes up.
What I personally feel is like a door suddenly opens above my head with invisible stairs to the universe. And then I know: I have too little time to sleep and eat. Because in an hour or even sooner this door may close again and everything will be gone. And I will not have enough time to bring new idea to life.

Sometimes it is necessary to run to the very end, and sometimes it’s enough to only “throw an anchor” to the door opening to keep it open till next morning/day. Just by crocheting several new rows to fix an idea.

But what I know for sure – it’s absolutely useless just to sit and wait for an inspiration to come.

Back to my twenties, when I studied journalism at the university, almost all my group-mates found work already and were either writing for newspapers or making reportages for TV. And I just continued studying with this terrible feeling that journalism is not the right path for me, and I will never be able to write a decent article in whole my life. Because I know nothing about writing. And journalism in general.

I submitted several articles to different newspapers, and they were rejected. And this didn’t really help to raise my confidence up. So I calmed down with a thought I permanently lack inspiration and just need to wait till it comes to me.

But the thing is that journalism is not really “writing” and often (if not always) it has nothing to do with inspiration. A journalist receives a topic and needs to cover it. He needs to create a piece of written text with opinions of people showing different angles and points of view. And when it comes to news, sometimes a journalist has half an hour to produce the text. In good quality. Does she have time to wait for an inspiration? Not really. She is pressed by a strict deadline, so she grabs a cup of coffee, distracts from the whole world (still sitting in a room with many other people talking and making calls) and starts writing.

I experienced the same situation many times. When I worked at the newspaper I didn’t deal with news so much. But very often I had to submit article to the editor next morning.

…And so I came up with my own creative method of calling inspiration. And it’s very close to one described in the book Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert* about living a creative life (in wide and general sense).

Big Magic. Book about creative living by Elizabeth Gilbert

Whether I was inspired or not (and very often I felt quite the opposite – I was very tired after a hardworking day with lots of meetings and interviews), I just sat down in front of my computer and started to type anything and everything that came to my mind. With no introduction, no lead, no structure. That could be a quote of a person I had an interview with, or just some random thoughts that could be in a way connected with a given topic.

Sometimes it took 20 minutes, sometimes an hour. But sooner or later my thoughts and writing were getting a certain shape. And suddenly I could feel that: inspiration was standing behind clapping my shoulder. And my writing was beginning to flow… and then? Then it was very important not to stop and not to let inspiration go back to the universe. After a while I could see that some parts (already written) could be used in the finished article. And it was only needed to edit them a bit, to maybe cut or rearrange. And then after a while the article was finished. Suddenly!

What is inspiration and how to call it by actually doing something? by Lilla Bjorn Crochet (lillabjorncrochet.com)

Why do I talk about writing and not crochet? Because it’s pretty the same. I mean creative process is the same. You probably work from the patterns most of the time. But sometimes you may also feel like making something small on your own. But you may not feel inspired, or you don’t know where to begin.

And my answer is very simple: you don’t need to wait for an inspiration to come. But instead you can “call” it by acting and doing.

100% cotton Bloom yarn by Scheepjes*

Designing has become my daily job. It’s not a hobby anymore. So I cannot really wait for an inspirational stroke to happen. I just start to play with yarn, combine colors, think of possible stitches. And at some point a new design starts growing in my hands. It took several months to create Joana’s mandala and border. I had quite a few bits of inspiration there… And my Spanish Mandala was born in just 2 days.

But it’s not important how long it takes to bring your idea to life. Important is to stay tuned and continue calling your own inspiration by actually doing something. For me it sometimes takes hours of crochet (with endless frogging) or writing a blog post with no evident result. But at some point inspiration comes. Not always. But very often.

Overlay Crochet Mandala by Lilla Bjorn Crochet (lillabjorncrochet.com)

Don't forget to subscribe to my Newsletter not to miss a single post. And you can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

*This blog post contains affiliate links marked with *. Thanks for your support!

I’ve got a wonderful news this week! My blog hit 1.000.000 views!!! Thank you so much for staying with me over these years and reading my posts. To celebrate I decided to release a new free pattern. My friend asked to crochet a cozy for her new mobile phone. And I thought I can come up with something simple, colorful and then share the pattern with you. So here it is! (And you can also use this pattern to make a new cozy for your tablet.)

Easy to make crocheted cozy for a mobile phone or tablet. With small mandala decor. Free pattern by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

You will need:

Yarn in one main shade and several leftovers for stripes and mandala. I used Catona by Scheepjes in shades 113 (main color – 13g), 246, 397 and 399.

Catona is available in balls of 25g and 50g and in a wide variety of shades. Please, read my review about this yarn HERE. You can choose and purchase your shades via Scheepjes local shops (NL), Deramores* or Wool Warehouse* (both retailers ship yarn internationally) and Paradise Fibers* (US).

Crochet hook Clover Soft Touch* 2.5mm or 2.75mm (C)
One button
Scissors and tapestry needle to weave yarn tails in.

Level

Beginner

Size

You can create your own cozy in any size.

Gauge

Gauge is not critical for this design. But I would recommend to crochet with tight stitches.

Stitch guide and Abbreviations

US standard abbreviations are used in this pattern. But if you are used to other terms, please check this Crochet Translation Project which might be helpful in translation to your native language.

st(s) - stitch(es)
ch - chain
sl st (slip stitch)– insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw yarn up and pull 2nd lp through the 1st lp on hook.
sc (single crochet)– insert hook in indicated stitch, yo, draw up a lp, yo and pull through both lps on hook.

Important notes

1. Mobil cozy is worked in one continuous spiral, so do not join rounds.

2. Use a marker to make it easier to find beginning of each round. Insert a piece of yarn approx. 20 cm (8 inches) long into the top of the last stitch of the first round and move it to the last stitch of each new round as crocheting progresses.

3. Change colour on the last yarn-over of the last sc of the relevant row. You can make colur changes invisible if you use THIS wonderful crochet tip by Needle Noodle.

INSTRUCTIONS

Add this pattern to Ravelry Queue

Step 1

Before you start crocheting this cozy, please, carefully measure your mobile phone and decide how many stripes you would like to make and which part will be made in one color. My friend’s phone is 14 cm high, and I decided to make it 9 cm in one main color and then add colorful stripes on top. I also decided to decorate it with a small crocheted mandala. But if you are not fond of this décor, you can make the whole cozy in one shade, or completely cover it with stripes (and use up your leftovers).

Step 2

To begin make slip knot and make enough chain stitches to cover your phone’s width. You might try different number of chains – to make your cozy not too wide and not too narrow.

Row 1. Beginning in 2nd ch from the hook make sc in every ch and 3 sc in last ch. Then turn your work and using other half of the base chain, continue making sc in every ch and 2sc in the last ch (where 1st sc of this rnd was made). If you are not sure how to begin – please check 1st round for Bloom Bathroom Organizer HERE.

Row 2 and next rows will be crocheted in one continuous spiral (don’t forget to insert marker in the last st of the rnd and move it as you progress).

Step 3

When you reach the desired height you can add several colorful stripes. If you intend to repeat stripes in one color several times, don’t cut the yarn after each of them. You can use it again when you need to make another stripe.

Because you work in spiral, the beginning of each new rnd will be twisting a bit. So before joining new color for a stripe, you may want to crochet to the side, and then attach new yarn. Again don’t forget to mark the last st of each round so that your colorful stripes line up neat.

Step 4

When you reach the desired height of your cozy – make a loop for a button clasp. Continue crocheting till the center of one side, make as many chain stitches as needed (to fit your button well), make sc in next st and continue with sc till the end of the round.

When you come to the end of this rnd, crochet back with reverse sc (or “crab stitch”). When you reach the loop continue crocheting in front the loop around the cozy’s top till you come to the beginning of the rnd. Finish with sl st, cut yarn and weave all yarn tails in.

Step 5

Crochet a mandala using THIS pattern. After last rnd cut the yarn leaving approx. 40cm (15”) tail and sew mandala onto cozy using this yarn tail and a needle.

Sew the button on the back (adjust its position for the loop).

Congratulations! A new cozy for your mobile phone is now finished! If you would like to crochet a cord for this cozy, please, check a wonderful tutorial by Felted Button HERE.

You can subscribe to weekly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

How many unfinished wip’s do you have at the moment? How many new ideas are on your to-do list? Mine is growing every day. I have several new designs in mind, I also promised to submit several project to different magazines (yay!) and I am also secretly working on one exciting project. My summer seems to become very busy. Together with some traveling and visiting my parents and friends in Belarus. And this summer seems to give many promises as well. My dreams are coming true! I have finally bought a trolley I was dreaming about for a very long time. It’s from IKEA, it’s called Råskog and it’s aimed to serve in the kitchen. But I will use it to store my current wip’s and yarns I am working with at the moment.

Trolley from IKEA is perfect to store current crochet and knitting wip's and yarns

You know I am a little bit addicted to Sweden in general and everything Swedish. I thought I know everything about local IKEA, but I haven’t paid any attention to this kitchen line before. Before I saw it in use by amazing guys from The Crochet Crowd. They made a lovely video showing this trolley full of yarns and wip’s in action. And I fell in love at once. I have been staring at this trolley for a year already, but it was a bit expensive and I was trying to hold on. But last Sunday I saw it with a very nice discount and… and I bought it immediately, of course!

It was put together yesterday late in the evening and I couldn’t wait to take the pictures and share with you. I really like a turquoise version, but I chose grey instead because it is better for my current interior palette. At the moment it doesn’t look messy at all but I can’t wait to fill it up with all my wip’s up to the ceiling… But the work behind the scenes is a kind of a secret for now. So you can enjoy the tidy look of my new yarns. I will use the upper basket for most recent projects and yarns.

My squares for Last Dance on the Beach blanket will be kept in the middle basket. And I haven’t decided yet what I will use the bottom basket for. But as life shows baskets and boxes are never enough!

Last week I got a new box from Scheepjes full of gorgeous Stone Washed yarns in different shades. I would like to try design something new in tapestry crochet and I think this yarn will be great for this project. I chose 10 shades (and I will use them all!) and now I need to combine them in pairs.

Will it look good, what do you think?

Stone Washed is my favourite yarn by Scheepjes. When I crochet with it, I feel like my mind and body are filling with harmony and silent happiness. The projects are growing very fast and the stitch definition is so even. I have already used this yarn for my Windy Morning Shawlette, Floral Ear Muffs and Joana's Mandala.

You can read my review about Stone Washed HERE. And you can also have a look and colour chart and purchase this yarn via Wool Warehouse* and Deramores* (both retailers ship orders internationally), Paradise Fibers* (US) or in your local Scheepjes shop.

I can’t wait to finish my new design. It will be a free pattern :) And I hope it will turn out just like I imagine it! Stay tuned!

You can subscribe to weekly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

*This blog post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Notes from the Netherlands. Part 4

This post should have been written and published long ago. It was planned as last, forth, in my series about trip to the Netherlands in April. But in fact it should have been the first one, because the main reason why I went to Holland was to meet with other members of the Scheepjes Bloggers group and to visit Scheepjes Head Quarter in Tynaarlo.

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links marked with *. Thanks for your support!

This was my first excursion around warehouse and I was very much impressed by the scales and amounts of yarns and craft supplies. I have never seen so much yarn before. And Scheepjes warehouse in Tynaarlo we visited is one of 6 (in total) located in the Netherlands. Can you imagine? A huge ocean of yarn you can dive in. And maybe even be drowned :)

Tynaarlo is a small place in the North of the Netherlands with slightly more than 1.000 inhabitants. This is definitely not a sightseeing spot and tourists hardly know about its existence. But if you are obsessed with yarns and crafts you may probably want to visit it. As this is the place where Scheepjes yarns come from. It takes only 15 minutes by car to come to Tynaarlo from Groningen (which is known as one of the most beautiful cities in the whole Netherlands). And here you can find Scheepjes HQ - a place where customers come to see the products, and where all the orders are carefully packed and shipped to retailers.

An excursion about Scheepjes Warehouse in Tynaarlo

The story of Scheepjes yarns goes back to 1799 and name “Scheepjeswol” was introduced in 1930’s. In 2010, after twenty-two-year hiatus, “family-owned business De Bondt, a haberdashery wholesaler located in Tynaarlo, Drenthe, took over the Scheepjeswol brand name and gave it a new lease of life so that today we can again use the yarn of this famous Dutch brand”. (Source: First, “sea”, issue of “Yarn” book-a-zine where you can read more about the history of this yarn brand and also find 15 crochet and knitting patterns. Mine as well!)

Today the leader of the company is Job – a nice and modest man with obviously strong will and vision and a father of three lovely children – who took the family business over from his parents. Over last few years Scheepjes has grown a lot and began to ship yarns to US (Paradise Fibers*) and South Africa. Scheepjes yarns are stocked by Wool Warehouse* and Deramores* – two main retailers located in UK which deliver orders internationally.

YARN book-a-zine published by Scheepjes contains 15 knitting and crochet patterns.

YARN book-a-zine*. First "Sea" issue

But regardless of the fact that Scheepjes is constantly growing, it still remains a business with family spirit, with relatives and friends working together. And with a team of bloggers who were also accepted to friendly and warm Scheepjes family.

As we were told, Scheepjes harbedashery warehouse is one of the largest in Europe. So any zip or ribbon you can think of can be most likely found here. By the way except of long rows with yarns I was very impressed by the amount and variety of zips and buttons. There are even buttons with real dried flowers inside. Very interesting.

Buttons with real dried flowers in Scheepjes Warehouse

One of the facts I liked about Scheepjes is their desire to be as “green” as possible. And this is very close to my own mode of thinking. I do care a lot about the future of the planet and try to do my best to save water and electricity, and to recycle garbage. The first thing we saw when we parked by the warehouse building was a charge spot for electro mobil. And the roof of warehouse is covered with sun batteries which produce enough energy for lighting the entire building (offices and storages).

So this is what warehouse looks like from the inside. Endless yarns, craft supplies and tools, fabric, bag handles, books… Just everything you can think about. And this is not everything. After a half an hour excursion we were invited to look behind the scenes. Here we saw an extra storage place with boxes standing up to the ceiling. And they all were filled with the yarn kits for Last Dance on the Beach CAL. I could imagine hundreds and hundreds of beautiful blankets hidden inside, which will be soon finished.

Extra storage place in Scheepjes Warehouse with kits for Last Dance on the Beach CAL

First Scheepjes yarn I’ve heard about was Stone Washed*. For the first time I saw it in the Sophie Universe CAL (by Dedri Uys from Look At What I Made) and since then I have been wanting to try it. Last summer I found a local yarn shop in Gent (Belgium) selling this yarn and could touch it for the first time. So Stone Washed is the yarn which is associated with Scheepjes in my head. But after becoming a lucky member of Scheepjes bloggers group I got an opportunity to try more and more of their yarns.

Today my favourites, except of Stone Washed, are Catona (best choice for overlay crochet, in my opinion) and Merino Soft. But I can totally imagine that my preferences may change over the time, as Scheepjes is constantly releasing new yarns. And I’ve already seen something new though I am not free to tell you anything about it. But believe me – it will be exciting!

Stone Washed yarn by Scheepjes is my favourite

I like to hear the stories behind designs and yarns. So I thought it might be a good idea to tell you about my excursion to Scheepjes warehouse. So that every time you purchase their yarns – you can imagine the place where they are carefully packed and shipped from.

You can subscribe to weekly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

If you follow me on Facebook, you may already know that I have started to work on a new project. And it is in Tapestry crochet. I tried this technique a few times and I mainly used charts for cross stitch embroidery and translated them into crochet to make pillow throws. Every time I post about tapestry crochet it’s a huge success, but very often I hear you don’t know how to do it. So I decided to create my own design in this technique and to show you its basics.

Pillow cover in tapestry crochet with circles pattern - by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links marked with *. Thanks for your support!

Tapestry crochet is used for designing many different kinds of projects. Those can be bags, rugs, pillows, wallets, and even some garments – like stiff coats, scarves. Every time I search for an inspiration I come across many mandala’s made in tapestry crochet with multiple color changes. These are truly advanced projects, but maybe one day I will become brave enough to design my own.

But to begin I decided to choose something not so intricate. So I am making a pillow cover with repeated circle pattern. I chose Stone Washed yarn for my project in 10 different shades. The definition of stitches with this yarn is great and I believe it is a very good choice to start mastering tapestry crochet. The yarn is thick enough, and stitches become very neat and even.You can see my chosen palette HERE.

Striped pillow cover made with Stone Washed yarn by Scheepjes. Free crochet pattern by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

You can purchase your own shades of Stone Washed yarn via Wool Warehouse* (international shipping), Paradise Fibers* (US) or in your local Scheepjes shop.

Tapestry pillow cover made with Stone Washed yarn by Scheepjes. Free crochet pattern by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

This project is a kind of challenge for me, as probably for the first time I didn’t think much about the colours. I wanted them to be bright, contrast and, how to say, not so matching. I wanted this pillow to become a bright accent. But it is of course possible to make in just 2 shades. And with not so many contrasts…

Next week I will show you finished pillow (fingers crossed that you will like it). And there will be also a photo-tutorial published about the basics of tapestry crochet. Stay tuned!

Colorful stripes with Stone Washed yarn by Scheepjes

You can subscribe to weekly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

Ta-dah!! I love the days of these “big reveals” so much! Because I can finally share new design with you. And because I don’t need to keep silence any longer. Let me introduce my new Tapestry Circles Pillow. It is made in tapestry crochet and it is also reverse, as patterns for front and back differ and you can turn the pillow the side which speaks to your mood at any time.

Crochet tapestry pillow cover with colorful circles. Free pattern by Lilla Bjorn Crochet

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links marked with *. Thanks for your support!

I have been thinking about trying tapestry crochet for 3 years already. I did learn it some time ago and used for reproducing cross stitch embroidery charts into crochet pillow covers. I liked the effect very much but was not sure if I can ever write my own pattern in tapestry crochet. But you know… I love challenges. So I took this one. And here is what I’ve come up with.

When I was thinking about pillow cover, I imagined it as a mixture of different shapes and colors. I wanted to include triangles, diamonds, circles and squares. But sometimes what seems great in your mind is not so great in real life. The magic rule “less is more” works pretty well for me (though sometimes I still continue to struggle and argue) and I gave up all the shapes except of the circles. And I don’t regret it at all!

With the colors it was a bit different. Here I didn’t measure myself at all. I just wanted to use as many shades as possible, and mix them in unpredictable way.

This pillow is made with Stone Washed - one of my most favourite yarns by Scheepjes. In my opinion it is great for making interior decorations. The pillow cover turned to be thick enough and stiff. Just with a very good feel of “tapestry fabric”. I am very happy with the choice.

You can have a look at Stone Washed yarn at Wool Warehouse* and Deramores* (both ship worldwide), Paradise Fibers* (US) or in your local Scheepjes shops.

My pillow cover consists of two parts with different patterns (circles on front and stripes framed into a square – on the back), but you can duplicate tapestry circles on both.

I also used zip to make it easier to take care of the pillow. But you can use buttons, if you wish!

Free pattern of this pillow will be published here, on my blog next week. And later this week I will also share with you a photo-tutorial on how to do tapestry crochet.

See you soon!

You can subscribe to weekly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

If you haven’t tried tapestry crochet technique yes, you definitely should. You have probably come across lots of wonderful pictures of projects made in tapestry crochet. And they may have looked too advanced or tricky to you. Mainly because of multiple color changes and detailed images. But the truth is tapestry crochet doesn’t differ much from traditional one. It uses ordinary single crochet stitches (US term) but with yarns of several colors used at the same time. So you crochet in usual way but change yarns from time to time to create a colorful pattern. I've tried to explain tapestry process with pictures in a photo-tutorial below. And I hope it will be helpful!

How to do Tapestry crochet. Detailed tutorial with step-by-step pictures. By Lilla Bjorn Crochet

Disclosure: This blog post contains affiliate links marked with *. Thanks for your support!

Usually there are two types of instructions available for tapestry crochet patterns: written explanations and charts. I personally find it easier to work from the charts. They are the same as for cross stitch embroidery: you can clearly see where the change of the color happens and it’s easier to count.

The majority of tapestry projects are worked in round – so all the rounds are made on the right side. But you can also work in back and forth (as I did for my Tapestry Circles Pillow). Some very skillful crafters crochet all the rows on the right side, changing right and left hands. I am not so skillful, so I just crocheted my pillow cover in usual way. I got stripes on each side (as you usually do with single crochet), but I kinda like them!

Copyright LillaBjornCrochet 2016. All rights reserved. This tutorial is for unlimited personal use only. Do not reproduce it. The tutorial may not be copied in any way (print or digitally), in part or in full. Please, read Copyright page for more information.

What you should keep in mind:

If you are new to tapestry crochet, choose thick yarn and larger hook to learn this technique. The yarn should not be fluffy, as you will not be able to see each and every stitch.

Don’t crochet loose. I would say you should crochet tight. You will use several yarns at the same time, and crochet with one color over another one. And if you crochet too loose, another color will be seen through the stitches. And you want to avoid it.

Your crochet hook should match yarn very well. If you feel like you don’t get the right tension, try to change hook to a smaller (or larger) one until you are satisfied with the look of your tapestry fabric.

Tapestry process and Important Notes:

1. Put yarn C2 on the top of previous row. Now you will continue crocheting with yarn C1 in the usual way - but at the same time over C2. Hold C2 with your left hand (if you are right-handed) together with crocheted piece, so that it’s easier for you to insert the hook.

2. The color is always changed when you still have 2 loops on the hook. So you will do it on the last yarn over (to finish last stitch in previous color). Now, after color is changed, place yarn C1 on the top of crocheted piece and continue to crochet with C2 over it.

3. If you do everything correctly, the yarn of different color will not be seen either on right or wrong side.

4. If you see the yarn through the stitches, try to pull the (inside) yarn a bit before every color change. But don’t pull too much, as your work may wrap! The width of your project should stay the same after every row.

5. You should crochet over yarn of different color while making EVERY stitch. Don’t miss any. Otherwise you will get floats of yarn on the right (or wrong side).

6. When you work in rows it is important that you decide on which side is right and which is wrong. It has nothing to do with the pattern, as it will be reversible. But it is important to know how you should begin each row. When starting row on the wrong side, you should hold second yarn in front of your work. And starting row on the right side - hold 2nd yarn behind the work. It will give small colorful waves on the wrong side, while right side will look nice and neat.

Instructions (Triangle Tapestry Sample)

For this tutorial I used Stoned Washed* yarn by Scheepjes in shades 815 (C1) and 820 (C2). And 3.25mm Clover Soft Touch* crochet hook. The definition of the stitches with this yarn is very neat. And I would say it is great for tapestry crochet. The only disadvantage is that it is a bit difficult to frog. So you may want to use other yarn (scraps) to practice. But I would definitely recommend Stone Washed for your finished projects in tapestry crochet. I used it for my newest Tapestry Circles Pillow design. You can see the pictures HERE. And HERE is my review about Stoned Washed yarn.

I will show you the basics of tapestry crochet on the example of simple triangle. Here is the chart:

This small sample uses 2 colors of yarn. As you see first 4 rows are made in one color (C1 - aqua), and then the triangle pattern with C2 (pink) begins. Ch1 in the beginning of each row doesn’t count as sc, so make 1st sc of each row in 1st st of previous row.

So, let’s try? :)

Row 1. Ch22 with yarn C1 (aqua). Beginning in 2nd ch from hook, sc in every ch till the end. (21sc) Turn.

Row 2-4. Ch1 (doesn’t count as sc here and throughout), 21sc. Turn.
Row 5. On this row and next rows till 11th you will use C2 (pink) together with C1. Place C1 along the top of your crocheted piece and start crocheting over it, as shown above.

Ch1, 5sc with C1 (change color on 5th sc), 11sc with C2 (change color on 11th sc), 5sc with C1. Turn.

Row 6. Ch1, 6sc with C1, 9sc with C2, 6sc with C1. Turn.
Row 7. Ch1, 7sc with C1, 7sc with C2, 7sc with C1. Turn.
Row 8. Ch1, 8sc with C1, 5sc with C2, 8sc with C1. Turn.
Row 9. Ch1, 9sc with C1, 3sc with C2, 9sc with C1. Turn.
Row 10. Ch1, 10sc with C1, 1sc with C2, 10sc with C1. Turn.

Now you can either cut C2 and work next rows with C1 only, or you can continue crocheting over all the stitches with C1 (over C2). In this way your crocheted fabric will have the same thickness.

In my sample I cut C2, because Stone Washed yarn seems thick enough to me, and the difference in thickness between the parts is not critical at all.

Row 11-14. Ch1, 21sc with C1. Turn.

Congratulations!!! Your first sample in tapestry crochet is finished! Did it work well for you? Please, share your opinions with me!

If you would like to learn more about Tapestry Crochet and try some free and paid patterns – be sure to check art work of Carol Ventura and her web-site HERE. And FREE pattern of my Tapestry Circles pillow will be very soon available here on my blog.

You can subscribe to weekly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.

Last week I showed you a photo-tutorial on how to do tapestry crochet. You can check it HERE. I hope it was helpful and if you have never tried tapestry crochet technique, it was easy for you to master it. And today I would like to share my newest pillow pattern.My pillow cover consists of two squares joined together, with zip for easier taking care. Front part is made in tapestry crochet with circles pattern. And back has simple stripes made with single crochet stitches. I wanted this pillow to be reversible. But you can make both sides with tapestry circles if you wish.

Crochet pillow cover with colorful circles made in tapestry crochet. Free pattern by Lilla Bjorn )with step-by-step pictures)

You will need:

Yarn in 10 shades. I used Stone Washed by Scheepjes in shades 802, 820, 816, 815, 806, 817, 808, 813, 805 and 801. One skein of each shade (but you can create your own color combination if you wish).

Please, read my review about this yarn HERE. You can choose and purchase your shades via Scheepjes local shops (NL), Deramores* or Wool Warehouse* (both retailers ship yarn internationally) and Paradise Fibers* (US).

Crochet hook Clover Soft Touch* 3.25mm
One zip – 30cm.
Scissors and tapestry needle to weave yarn tails in.

Finished Measurements

The size of finished pillow cover will depend on yarn and hook you choose, and also on your personal gauge. My pillow is approx. 44cm x 44cm (17 ½” x 17 ½”).

Gauge

Gauge for front and back differs a bit, because of additional yarn going through front.
Front: 20 sts x 21 rows = 10cm x 10cm (4” x 4”)
Back: 19 sts x 21 rows = 10cm x 10cm (4” x 4”)

Level

Intermediate (though I believe advanced beginners can absolutely try tapestry crochet as well).

Stitch guide and Abbreviations

US standard abbreviations are used in this pattern. But if you are used to other terms, please check this Crochet Translation Project which might be helpful in translation to your native language.

rnd(s) - round(s)
st(s) - stitch(es)
ch - chain
sl st (slip stitch)– insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw yarn up and pull 2nd lp through the 1st lp on hook.
sc (single crochet)– insert hook in indicated stitch, yo, draw up a lp, yo and pull through both lps on hook.
NJ – needle join
*…* *crochet following directions* as many times as indicated

Important Notes

If you have never tried tapestry crochet before, please, study THIS photo-tutorial first and make sure you understand the technique and can read the chart.
Ch1 in the beginning of every row doesn’t count as sc. So 1st sc of every row is made in 1st sc of previous row.
Change colour on the last yarn-over of the last sc of the relevant row. In the same way as in Windy Morning Shawlette (HERE).

INSTRUCTIONS

Add this pattern to Ravelry Queue

Copyright LillaBjornCrochet 2016. All rights reserved. This pattern is for unlimited personal use only. Do not reproduce or sell the pattern. The pattern may not be copied in any way (print or digitally), in part or in full. Items may be sold that are made from this pattern as long as the designer is credited. Shop owners, if you wish to make a kit with yarn using this pattern, please request permission and copyright details from me before offering any kits for sale. Please, read Copyright page for more information.

FRONT

Front part of the pillow is made in tapestry crochet. Each repeat consists of 16 sts + 5sts to finish (for symmetry). I made 5 repeats, but you can make more (to make the pillow larger).

Each stripe with dots (18 rows) is made with yarn in 2 colors.

Row 1. Ch86 with 802 (C1). Starting in 2nd ch from hook sc in every ch to the end. (85sc) Turn.
Rows 2-3. Ch1 (doesn’t count as sc here and throughout), 85sc. Turn.
Row 4. You will start working with shades 802 (C1) and 820 (C2) at the same time.
Ch1, *8sc with C1 (change yarn on 8th sc), 5sc with C2 (change yarn on 5th sc), 3sc with C1* 5 times, 5sc with C1. Turn.

Row 5.Сh1, *7sc with C1, 5sc with C2, 2sc with C1* 5 times, 5sc with C1. Turn.
Row 6. Сh1, *6sc with C1, 9sc with C2, 1sc with C1* 5 times, 5sc with C1. Turn.
Row 7-12.Сh1, *5sc with C1, 11sc with C2* 5 times, 5sc with C1. Turn.
Row 13. As row 6.
Row 14. As row 5.
Row 15. As row 4. Cut C2 leaving 15cm (6”) tail.
Row 16-18. With C1 as row 2. Change to 816. Cut C1 leaving 15 cm (6”) tail.

Next stripe (rows 19-36) will be worked with shades 816 (C3) and 815 (C4).

Rows 19-21. With C3. As row 2.
Row 22. Ch1, *5sc with C4, 11sc with C3* 5 times, 5sc with C4. Turn.
Row 23. Ch1, *6sc with C4, 9sc with C3, 1sc with C4* 5 times, 5sc with C4. Turn.
Row 24. Ch1, *7sc with C4, 7sc with C3, 2sc with C4* 5 times, 5sc with C4. Turn.
Rows 25-30. Ch1, *8sc with C4, 5sc with C3, 3sc with C4* 5 times, 5sc with C4. Turn.
Row 31. As row 24.
Row 32. As row 23.
Row 33. As row 22. Cut C4 leaving 15cm (6”) tail.
Rows 34-36. With C3 as row2. Change to 806. Cut C1 leaving 15 cm (6”) tail.
Rows 37-54. Repeat rows 1-18 working with shades 806 (C1) and 801 (C2).
Rows 55-72. Repeat rows 19-36 working with shades 808 (C3) and 813 (C4).
Rows 73-90. Repeat rows 1-19 working with shades 805 (C1) and 817 (C2).

Note: after row 90 you should get a square shape.

After row 90 change to shade 808 and crochet around the whole square making 85sc on each side and 3sc in each corner (for even and neat work - make 17sc into every stripe on the sides). Finish with sl st in 1st sc of this rnd or with NJ in 2nd sc. Cut yarn and weave all tails in.

BACK

You have two options for the back. To make it easier, you can begin with the same stitch count as for front (ch86 and 85sc on each row) and make necessary amount of stripes to match the front in height. Since you will have the same stitch count on the bottom and top, it will be easy to join both parts together.

I wanted the back of my pillow to be composed of stripes which are later squared up with simple striped border. To imitate quilt. So I began with a smaller stitch count. Here is what I did:

Row 1. Ch75 with 802. Starting in 2nd ch from hook sc in every ch to the end. (75sc) Turn
Row 2-90. Ch1 (doesn’t count as sc here and throughout), 75sc. Turn.

Color way:

Rows 1-9. Shade 802
Rows 10-18. Shade 820
Rows 19-27. Shade 815
Rows 28-36. Shade 816
Rows 37-45. Shade 806
Rows 46-54. Shade 808
Rows 55-63. Shade 817
Rows 64-72. Shade 813
Rows 73-81. Shade 801
Rows 82-90. Shade 805

After row 90 the back is approx. 40cm x 39 cm (16” x 15 ½”). To bring stitch count of the back to the same amount as front, change yarn to 808 after row 90 and start working around the whole square.

Rnd 1. 75sc on the top, 3sc in the corner, turn quarter and work 75sc on next side (you will make 7sc and 8sc in every other stripe), 3sc in next corner, 75 sc on the bottom, 3sc in corner, 75sc on next side (same as previous), 3sc in corner. Join with sl st in 1st sc of the rnd. Mark central sc in every corner.

Rnd 2. Ch1 (not a st), sc in same st. Continue crocheting around the square and make 3sc in every marked st in the corner. Join either with sl st in1st sc after ch1, or with Needle (invisible) Join into 2nd st after ch1 (see tutorial HERE). Fasten off. (77sc on each side + 3sc in every corner)

Rnds 3-4. Join shade 815 in any st after central st in the corner (by simply pulling a loop and making ch1) and sc around making 3sc in central st in each corner. Join as on rnd 2. Fasten off. (After rnd 4 you’ll get 81 sc on each side + 3 sc in every corner)

Rnds 5-6. With shade 817 repeat rnds 3 and 4. (After rnd 6 you’ll get 85 sc on each side + 3 sc in every corner. And this is the same stitch count as on front!)

After rnd 6 back part should be the same size as front!

JOINING

Place front and back with wrong sides facing (I liked the wrong side look of the border on the back, so I decided that wrong side will be right. But you may join the pillow as you like). You will crochet joning row on the back! With shade 813 start joining both parts on the bottom approx 5cm (2”) before the corner – for an appropriate size of the zip opening.

Important! Find central sc in the corner on both front and back and make sure you begin joining in the right st on front and back (the amount of sts till the corner should be the same!)

Crochet with sc till the 1st corner (insert the hook under all 4 loops), continue crocheting along 3 next sides, and make the same amount on another edge of the bottom as in the beginning. Don’t fasten off and continue to crochet with sc on the back only. When you come to the beginning of joining row, cut yarn leaving approx 50cm (20”) tail and NJ in 1st sc of joining row.

Now crochet with sc along unworked part of the zip opening (on the wrong side of the Front part).

When you come to the beginning of joining row, again - cut yarn leaving approx 50cm (20”) tail and finish with NJ to the beginning of joining row.

INSERTING ZIP

Pin zip to the opening on the bottom of the cover with a few sewing pins and sew it along the opening using yarn tails with running stitch. Secure the tails and cut yarn.

Ta-dah!!! Your very own Tapestry Circles Pillow cover is now finished!

You can subscribe to monthly newsletter not to miss a single post. You can also follow me on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram.