Zooty Owl Trivets: Pattern

I have been messing around with the font style and size on my blog and for some unknown reason extra line spaces have started inserting themselves.    No matter what I do I just cannot seem to get rid of them.    So please excuse the weird spacing - I am trying to figure it out!    Blogger does seem to be misbehaving today - wrongs dates and all sorts of funnies!!

Whilst on my Autumn cleaning mission my ideas got a bit of a clear out too !

This was initially supposed to be a cushion (made from Chunky yarn), but after about six attempts at the gusset I gave it up as a bad job.    I was about to frog the idea altogether then I thought - HEY!!! -  Owl Trivets for my daughter's kitchen! Could work??

The Owl Body I had designed for the cushion was a "solid" circle.    Since I was a bit Mandala Crazy at the time of making these trivets I designed a Mandala Body for the Trivet

(I will add directions in the pattern for those who would rather use the "solid" version)

The feet and the beak on the first one were a bit of a production.   I was happier with the second trivet, which I made while writing out the pattern:

Made a third trivet for the photo tutorial - sewed the beak on really skew.   I was about to unpick it and re-attach it when my son said I must leave it - he reckons that is how I pull my mouth when I am unimpressed with something!!   (Apparently that was exactly what I WAS doing when I saw how skew the beak was!!)

and a fourth while running through the pattern with the testers:

Eleanor Thomson, who has a lovely blog called NELNANANDNORA, was one of the ladies kind enough to test this pattern for me (Thank you so much Eleanor!!).  Here is her Zooty Owl Trivet:

HANDMADE BY:   ELEANOR THOMSON

ZOOTY OWL TRIVET

PATTERN TERMS:   US

My patterns are all written in US terms - I have included this little chart to make it easier for my UK readers to reference the difference in stitch terms.

Skill Level:  Easy

Approximate Time:  3 hours

I would recommend any DK 100% cotton if this IS going to be used as a trivet (or in the kitchen) - if not, any yarn whatsoever can be used - from 2ply to t-shirt yarn (depending on what you would like to use it for!!)

Use whatever hook size suits your choice of yarn and your tension.

MANDALA VERSION: 

Yarn:  Raeesah Cotton Soft DK (100% cotton)

Hook Size:   4.00mm 

Size:  Top of head to foot = 30cm;   Mandala diameter = 23cm

BODY

Foundation:   4ch, sl st to form circle OR make a magic circle 

Row 1:  3 ch (counts as 1 dc), 11 dc into circle (12 dc), sl st into top of 3ch to join, break off yarn

Row 2:  join yarn in any dc; 3ch, 1dc into same place as join;  2dc into each of next 11dc  (12 x 2dc groupings = 24dc), sl st into top of 3ch at start to close, break off yarn.
  
Row 3:  Join yarn in sp bet any 2dc grouping;   3ch, 2dc in same sp as join; 3dc into each of next 11 sps bet 2dc groupings; sl st into top of 3ch at start to close (12 x 3dc groupings - 36dc);  break off yarn

Row 4:  Join yarn in sp between any 3dc grouping;   3ch 1dc, 2ch, 2dc into same space as join;  (2dc, 2ch, 2dc into each of next 11 spaces between 3dc groupings)  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close;   break off yarn

Row 5:  Join yarn in 2ch sp in the middle of any grouping;   In same sp as join 3ch (counts as 1dc) 2dc, 1ch, 3dc, 1ch;   (3dc, 1ch, 3dc into middle 2ch sp of next grouping; 1 ch) x 11;   sl st into top of 3ch at start to close;   break off yarn

Row 6:  Join yarn in any 1ch sp;   3ch (counts as 1dc), 2dc into same sp as join, 1ch;  (3dc into next 1ch sp, 1ch) repeat to end;   sl st into top of 3ch at start to close;   break off yarn

Row 7:   Join yarn in 1ch sp between any 3dc grouping;   3ch 1dc, 2ch, 2dc into same space as join;  (2dc, 2ch, 2dc into next  space between 3dc groupings) repeat to end;   sl st into top of 3ch at start to close;   break off yarn

Row 8:  Join yarn in 2ch sp in the middle of any grouping;  in same sp as join 3ch (counts as 1dc), 3dc, 1ch;   (4dc in 2ch sp in the middle of next grouping, 1ch) repeat to end;  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close;   break off yarn

Row 9:  Join yarn in sp bet any 4dc grouping;   in same sp as join 3ch (counts as 1dc), 3dc, 1ch;   (4dc in next sp between groupings;  1ch) repeat to end;   sl st into top of 3ch at start to close;   break off yarn

Row 10:  Join yarn in 1ch sp between two 4dc groupings;  3ch (counts as 1dc) in same 1ch sp as join;  1dc into each of next 4dc;  (1dc into 1ch sp bet two 4dc groupings; 1dc into each of next 4dc) repeat to end;  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close.

HEAD

In same colour as Row 10;

Note:  Head worked over 37 stitches

Row 11:    4ch (counts as 1trc) in same sp as sl st;  1trc into each of next 6dc;   1dc into each of next 7 dc;  1hdc into each of next 4dc;  1 sc into next dc;  1hdc into each of next 4dc;  1dc into each of next 7dc;  1trc into each of next 7trc;   turn

Row 12:  4ch (counts as 1trc);  1trc into each of next 6trc;  1dc into each of next 7dc;  1hdc into each of next 4hdc; 1sc into sc; 1hdc into each of next 4hdc;  1dc into each of next 7dc;  1trc into each of next 7trc,  turn

Row 13 - 15:   Repeat Row 12

EYES 

MAKE 2

Foundation:  navy, black or dark brown yarn - 4ch, sl st into first chain to form a circle or make a magic circle.

Row 1:  2ch (counts as 1hdc) into same place as sl st;  9 hdc into circle;  sl st into top of 2ch at start to close (10hdc);  break of yarn.

Row 2:  blue or green - Join yarn in top of any hdc,  2ch (counts as 1hdc), 1hdc in same sp as join;  (2hdc into top of next hdc) x9, sl st into top of 2ch at start to close (10 x 2hdc groupings = 20hdc);   break off yarn.

Row 3:  white - Join yarn between any two 2hdc groupings;  3ch (counts as 1dc), 2dc into same sp as join;  (3dc into each next space 2hdc groupings) x9;  (10 x 3dc groupings = 30dc);   sl st into top of 3ch at start;  break off yarn.

Row 4:  beige - Join yarn between any 3dc grouping;  3ch (counts as 1dc), 3dc into same sp as join;  4dc into each sp between 3dc groupings;  sl st into top of 3ch at start to close;   break off yarn

Row 5:  grey - join yarn in any dc;  1ch, 1sc in same dc as join;  1sc into each dc;  sl st into 1ch at start to close;   break off yarn

Row 6:  (same colour as the last round of the Mandala Body) - join yarn in any sc; 1ch, 1sc in same sc as join;  1sc into each sc;   sl st into 1ch at start to close;   break off yarn leaving a long tail to work eyes on to head

BEAK

Foundation:   4ch, sl st to for circle OR make a magic circle 

Row 1:  3 ch (counts as 1 dc), 12 dc into circle (13 dc), sl st into top of 3ch to join

Row 2:  1ch, 1sc into same place as sl st; 1sc into each of next 3dc;  2hdc into next dc;  2dc into next dc;   (1dc, 1trc, 1dtrc, 1trc, 1dc) into next dc;  2dc into next dc;   2hdc into next dc, 1sc into next 4dc;  sl st into 1st sc to close

Row 3:  1ch, 1sc into same place as sl st;   1sc into each of next 3 stitches;  2sc into next st;  1sc into next st;  2sc into next st;  1sc into next 3 st;  (1sc, 1hdc, 1sc) in next st;    1sc in next 4st;  2sc into next st;  1sc into next st;  2sc into next st, 1sc into next 4st;   sl st into first sc to close.   Break off yarn.

Detail:  Rejoin yarn in a contrasting colour with a sl st.    sl st into each st around beak, break off yarn at last sl st.  

With a tapestry needle, pull the yarn through from front to back on the first ss, pull to tighten neatly. then thread the yarn through the back loops on the next few ss.   Weave in to secure.
  

FEET

5dc spikes worked into Row 9 as follows:

Right Foot is worked over a 4dc grouping and the space directly after the 4dc grouping
Left Foot is worked into the space directly before a 4dc grouping, and then over the 4dc grouping.

The centre of each foot will be worked in line with the centre of each eye

Row 1:  Join yarn to hook with a sl st;   Working on right side of work crochet standing dc into sp between 4dc groups on Row 9; 1ch;   (1dc spike into top of dc in four dc group on Row 9) x4

Turn (working on wrong side)

Row 2:  Ch 3, 3dc into first 1ch sp;   sl st into next 1ch sp,   4ch, 3trc into same sp as sl st;  sl st into next 1ch sp,  3ch, 3dc into same sp as sl st;   sl st into next 1ch sp,  break off yarn.

SOLID VERSION:

Yarn:  Strawberries & Cream (50% recycled cotton / 50% Acrylic)

Hook Size:   4.50mm

Size:  Top of head to foot = 34cm;   Mandala diameter = 25cm

BODY

Foundation:   4ch, sl st to form circle OR make a magic circle

Row 1: 3ch, 11 dc into circle, sl st to close

Row 2:  3ch (counts as 1dc) 1dc into same dc as sl st from Row 1;   (2dc into each dc) x 11 = 24dc;   sl st to close

Row 3: 3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into same dc as sl st;  1dc into next dc;  (2dc into next dc;  1dc into next dc) x 11 times = 36dc;   sl st to close

Row 4:  3ch (counts as 1dc), 1dc into same dc as sl st;  1dc into each of next 2dc;  (2dc into next dc, 1 dc into each of next 2dc) x11 = 48dc;   sl st to close

Rows 5 - 10:  For each subsequent round continue to do 2dc into top of 1st of "double" dc of the previous row;   1dc into top of 2nd of "double" dc;  1dc into each single dc.    This means that every row increases by 12 stitches - thus keeping the work flat.

EYES and BEAK worked as for the Mandala Version.

FEET as for the Mandala Version, but the 5dc spikes are worked into the spaces between 5 consecutive dc.

A FEW IDEAS:

The Solid Version would make a great rug.    For this you could use sheet yarn, t-shirt yarn or even plastic yarn (plarn)

The Trivets are a little bit floppy - you could add a quilted backing to make them firmer and more heat resistant.    I am going to sew mine onto a layer of very heavy denim.    (I always wash the crochet and the denim first - just in case there is any shrinkage!)

You could decorate the owls (especially the Solid Version) if you wanted to use it as a wall hanging.  I have added ear tufts and MAGIC RING FLOWERS (with 5 petals instead of 6).   Think I might add a few beads and buttons too ......

Will post a photo when I have had enough fun decorating this one!

Road Trip Scarves: Pattern

Friday I went on a little spur of the moment road trip with hubby and I wanted a fuss free project to keep me busy during the drive.   Scissors are banned on road trips as hubby is paranoid that I accidentally stab myself again (during a road trip a couple of months back I was snipping a thread, we hit a pothole, a very common occurrence on South African Roads, and I embedded the scissors in my left wrist).      While hubby was planning the route I quickly grabbed some variegated yarn, started two triangles to make "scarfy" versions of a shawl I made a few weeks ago, and popped them into my SHABBY PROJECT BAG

I managed to finish both scarves, edge them and make a few little flowers - with a few cm of yarn to spare - before we arrived back home.    Yesterday morning I sewed the flowers on with some beads and a few braids and Ta-dah!

For the greenish scarf I used 2 x 50g Elle Family Knit Classic (Courtelle) colour "Sushi" with a 4.50mm hook and a 5.00mm hook.

For the pinkish scarf I used 100g Elle Escapade DK (Acrylic) colour "Fuschia Falls"  with a 4.00mm hook and a 4.50mm hook

Spinning my wheels a bit yesterday - waiting for the ladies to finish testing the patterns for my Zooty Owl Trivets and my Dahlia Mandala - so I thought I would make another one of these while I wait.

For the brightly coloured scarf I used Elle Family Knit DK Classic (Courtelle) 2 x 50g with a 4.50mm and a 5.00mm hook.

I worked up the pattern and crocheted yet another Road Trip Scarf while making the photo tutorial

ROAD TRIP SCARF PATTERN 

  

YARN:   Elle Pullskein Print DK (100% Acrylic)  (any soft 8 ply yarn would work well)

COLOUR:  Hunter

HOOKS:  4.50mm and 5.00mm

EXTRAS:  Wooden beads

SIZE:  106cm Wide;   48cm long

(The pattern is of such a nature that you could easily make the scarf bigger - even shawl size - by just adding more rows!) 

SKILL LEVEL:   Easy 

PATTERN TERMS:   US

Using 4.50mm hook 

Foundation:   6ch

Using 5.00mm hook:

EDGING

I made a video to demonstrate this edging (no sound),
which I first used for my BABY GROOVYGHAN
 (Note:   I use single crochet for the baby groovghan and for the Road Trip Scarf I use Double Crochet!)

If you are having trouble watching the video here - I have saved it on my Zooty Owl Facebook page too - you will find it under "Photos"

NOTE:   If for some reason you are unable to view the video on this page - I have it stored on my Zooty Owl Facebook page - go to photos and then Videos

EMBELLISHMENTS 

I made 8 flowers, attaching 2 at each point and 4 randomly around the "v"

 

Attach the flowers to the scarf, with a small wooden bead as the centre of the flower

I have been messing around with my camera settings for indoor photos - the days are way too short now as we approach winter solstice.    I don't quite know what I have done but I seem to have achieved a bit of a "neon" effect?!

I LOVE variegated yarn and I LOVE these scarves!!

My elder daughter is very petite and she really feels the cold.    I made her a scarf with Colormatic Aran, and embellished it with my SUNFLOWER APPLIQUE

(A few of you lovely crafty people are having trouble getting started with the Road Trip Scarf - I have put together a little TUTORIAL WITH CLEARER PHOTOS (I used solid colour yarn - as it is sometimes difficult to see the stitches especially on smaller screens)

The print friendly version of the pattern can be found HERE 

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THE DAY TRIP SCARF

In 2014 when I created my Road Trip scarf I had no idea that it would be so ridiculously popular. I had a lot of requests for a longer scarf along similar lines. I finally got around to it - the result is a long “baktus style” scarf with two possible edgings. Either a frilly edge for a whimsical look or a zig-zag bobble edging. (The original Road Trip Scarf edging and trims would also work well with this design) 

The Day Trip Scarf differs from the Road Trip Scarf in that it increases steadily in length and gradually in width, whereas the Road Trip Scarf increases evenly in length and width.

This version can also easily be made on a day journey as a passenger. The project is small and lightweight and can be squeezed into bag, making it a wonderful “take-along” project for a journey by car, plane, train or bus.
The Day Trip Scarf is a very economical project requiring just under 300 metres or 330 yards of DK / 8ply / light worsted weight yarn.
Because the pattern works up so quickly and is so economical to make, it is the perfect end of year / Christmas gift. 

ALONG THE WAY CROCHET

January has flown by in such a flurry of activity, with the build up to my youngest daughter's wedding and  being appointed a STYLECRAFT BLOGSTAR, that I just realised I had forgotten something very important......

A big calico bag full of 100% cotton DK bits and bobs went with along on the long 690km road trip up to Johannesburg for baby girl's wedding. I always put hot dishes onto a crochet trivet, ever since a little accident one night many, many moons ago when just married. I roasted some chicken pieces in a glass dish, and put it straight from the oven onto the heat proof counter top.   The dish shattered into a hundred little pieces, ruining our supper.  The ZOOTY OWL TRIVETS made in 2014 have been used so much that they have started looking really sad, so for starters I made three new trivets.

The African Flower pattern was on the cover of a magazine at the supermarket checkout, and I reproduced it from memory.

The Easy Round Trivet is exactly that - just a simple circle..   Leave it as it is or add a simple border.   Follow the instructions for the base of the SHABBY PROJECT BAG to make a perfectly flat circle.

The Sunflower Trivet was a sudden flash of inspiration!

Due to health issues, long journeys leave me in excruciating pain, so both the to and from trips were done over two days.   Harrismith is a quaint "dorpie" (small town) 416km from Port Shepstone.   We slept over at DE OUDE HUIZE on the first leg of the journeys.  Do go and have a look at the lovely photos the owners have on their page.    The place has a wonderful nostalgic feel to it and the hosts could not be more welcoming or gracious!

Although the bathrooms have all the modern comforts, they still have that olde world charm which immediately inspired me to hook up some wash cloths.

The cloths are far from perfect as the cottons, although all DK, were not all the same thickness - but that just adds to their charm.   

This easy pattern is a great way to use up cotton scraps and to test out colour recipes or stripe compositions.

A double crochet (UK treble ) stripe is crochet at its simplest and is the best way to practice neatness and tension.  Even tension is probably the most important aspect of crochet in any form. 

My gran made me crochet row after row after row (after row...) of double crochet until my tension was spot on, before she would let me move on to anything more complicated.  If your tension is even you can be sure of neat, perfectly shaped pieces.  If you are new to crochet or have experienced wobbling or curling, it is worthwhile to make a couple of these to check that your tension is even.

What to do with all these cloths.......

• For a quick in-the-bath "spa treatment" take a handful of sugar, mix it with a bit of shower gel - just enough to make a paste.   Only make enough for immediate use as the sugar will soon dissolve in the shower gel.   Soak the cloth in the water while you rub the sugar mix over your body.   Wring out the cloth, rub it in circles over your skin to gently exfoliate, rinse off and then wash as usual.  Arms, hands, legs and feet take a bit of a beating in our hot climate.   (This works just as well with a packaged scrub.)  A gentle exfoliation is needed at least once a week to allow my skin to better absorb body lotion and keep it soft and hydrated. 

• Spray a few cloths with some scented linen spray, fold neatly and leave in a small basket in the guest bathroom, along with a bigger empty basket for used cloths.   It makes for a nice touch for each guest to dry off their hands with a fresh cloth (and these are way more environmentally friendly than paper towels)

• Fold and tie up two or three cloths with a pretty scented soap for a quick gift.

OH SO EASY WASH CLOTH PATTERN

Yarn:  100% cotton, DK (eg Stylecraft Classique Cotton;   Raeesah;   Strawberries & Cream)

Hook Sizes:  4.00mm and 4.50mm

Pattern Terms:  US (see conversion chart for UK terms)

Skill Level:  Beginner / Easy

Pattern Notes:  
Each stitch is worked into the top of the corresponding stitch on the previous row.   You will see that there is a "v" at the top of each stitch.   When working into the stitch insert your hook under both loops of this "v" and then complete your stitch.

Along the sides of the cloth the border stitches are worked around the post of the stitch at the end / start of each row.

Foundation:   Using 4.50mm hook, chain 37

Switch to 4.00mm hook

Row 1:   1dc into 4th chain from hook (counts as 2 dc);  1dc into next each of next 33ch (35dc);  turn work

Row 2:   3ch (counts as 1dc);  1dc into each of next 34dc,  turn work

Rows 3 - 17:   Repeat Row 2, break off yarn

Border:

Round 1:  Working along the top of the cloth, join yarn with a sl st into 2nd dc on Row 17.   1ch (does not count as a stitch), 1sc into each of next 32dc.   Do not work into the top of the next (last) dc, but insert your hook into the space between the last 2dc on Row 17,  work 5sc around post of the end dc;

Working down the side of the cloth, 2sc around each dc post at the end of the next 15 rows,.  5sc around next dc post;

Working along the bottom of the cloth, 1sc into the chain at the base of next 33dc;  5sc around post of last dc;

Working up the side of the cloth, 2sc around each dc post at the start of the next 15 rows;  5sc around next dc post.   Sl St into top of start sc to close,   Turn cloth.

Round 2:   Join yarn in 3rd sc of any corner 5sc;  1ch (does not count as a stitch); 3sc into same place as join;  (1sc into each sc to 3rd sc of next corner;  3sc) x3;  1sc into each sc to corner;   sl st into start sc to close.

Note:   Your workpiece should be perfectly square and flat.   Depending on type of yarn used, you may  have to block.  If you find your border is slightly wavy use a hook 1 or 2 sizes smaller. 

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A special thank you to my friend Kim Ryan for testing this pattern for me!