Doily-Along !!!

…. Last Thursday, KATE gave a Doily-Along Announcement ….

…. mmmm …. what to do ??? I was just stating to unpack all my boxes …. where is the yarn ? …. where are all my hooks ? …. and other thoughts like that …. especially this one : are you nuts ? ….
…. well, I've never been in a CAL before and Kate is a dear bloggy friend, so I decided to enter in !!!!

No 1,65 mm hook for me, no thread …. I prefer to use my 100% acrylic yarn 8 ply ( MODA Vera by Marvel) in bright colours …. with a 3,5mm hook …. even if the yarn calls for a 4mm hook …. how brave am I ??? ;oD

So this morning, just after reading the Doily-Along Part 1 posted by Kate, I started to crochet my first motif …

Honestly, I'm not a great fan of doilies ( even mandalas, but I crocheted one for Yarndale anyway !!!!), but I like new challenges and I'm always eager to learn something new in crochet …. and when the right colours combo is at your hands, why not ?

So, it was easy to complete the first 3 rounds ….

…. the 4th round ….

…. and the 5th round, that is the last round of the motif chosen by Kate ….

So, I confronted my work with the one made by Kate ….

…. and I have to admit that it was fun !!!!

Do you wanna join, too ??? ;oD

xxxx Alessandra

Make it !!! Crochet a circle in a rectangle!!!!

Why???
Well, I need to crochet some flags (not big, for a bunting) for an upcoming event in school : International Day !!!! Being Italian, I have to think about a decoration good for all Europe, so I thought about some blue european flags….
No problem to crochet the flags : a rectangle is fast done with some single or double crochets, but the Europe flag has in its centre a circle made of stars….
So I started a research on Pinterest for a crochet pattern including both a circle and a rectangle, but no luck…. sigh! I found, instead, patterns for circles in squares….. Then, I decided to develop one of this patterns into a rectangle : I obtained what I needed !!!!
….. still need to think about the stars to embroider on my blue flags, but I think some little straight stitches will do !!!! ;oD

WHAT DO YOU NEED ???

• a hook : 4mm for my yarn. Choose the right hook for the yarn you intend to use for your   rectangles!!!
• yarn : I've worked two strands together of this "royal" blue of MIRAGE, a 4 ply yarn from Elle yarns (100% acrylic) from South Africa. Each ball weighs 25g.
• a pair of scissors
• a yarn needle
• a stitch marker (optional)

About the pattern that I've followed for the circle in a square, you can find it HERE. It's a brief photo tutorial written by Dorien (thank you!!!), who owns a blog named after herself : Just-Do. If you want, Dorien wrote even a tutorial for a bigger square : large circle in a square, tutorial.

I've followed the pattern/photo tutorial ( but I didn't use the magic ring : chained 4 and made a ring with a slip stitch in the first chain ) and these pics will show you my progress :

The first 5 rounds are done, but, as I told you before, I need a rectangle ….

…. to have the same one on the left in the above picture, I've added 2 extra rounds to Doriens' pattern : round 6 and 7 ! Note that : I follow US crochet terms and that, in this specific case, I don't change colours in my work, because my flags all have a blue background! Obviously, you can adapt the pattern for a colourful version, instead!!!
My photo tutorial starts from :

ROUND 6 :

After the last slip stitch, used to close the last round (5th), you need to chain 3

then, crochet 1 DC into next 7 stitches (total : 7 DCs)

now 1 DC in the corner (2 DCs, chain1, 2 DCs of 5th round)

chain 1 

rotate to the right (90˙) your work

and crochet 2 SCs along the last DC you worked (the one in the corner)

add 1 SC in the first stitch you find (that is the top of the 3rd DC of the corner !)

and work 1 SC into the following 12 stitches (total : 12 SCs)

In the corner, crochet 1 SC

chain 4

and crochet 2 DCs in the same corner

then, crochet 1 DC into the following ( I skip the first DC of this side!) 12 stitches (total : 12 DCs)

add 1 DC in the next corner

chain 1

rotate to the right (90˙) your motif and work 2 SCs along the last DC done

and crochet 1 SC in the stitch of the corner

work 1 SC in the following 12 stitches (total : 12 SCs)

1 SC in the corner

chain 4

work 2 DCs in the same corner

crochet 1 DC in the following 4 stitches (I skip the first DC!) (total : 4 DCs)

make a slip stitch at the top of the initial chain 3

and this is what you have (on the right) compared with what you need to reach (on the left)

This is end of round 6 !


ROUND 7 :

chain 3 to start the round

crochet 1 DC into the following 7 stitches (total : 7 DCs)

work 1 DC in the corner (kind of)

then crochet another DC in the space between the previous chain 1 and first sc of round 6

chain 1

rotate to the right (90˙) your motif and crochet 2 SCs along the last DC done

work 1 SC in the following 16 stitches (total : 16 SCs)

crochet 2 SCs around previous chain 4

chain 4

crochet 2 DCs in the corner

work 1 DC in the following ( I skip set first DC) 13 stitches (total : 13 DCs)

crochet 1 DC in the corner (kind of)

then another DC in the space between the previous chain 1 and SC

chain 1 and rotate to the right (90˙) your work

crochet 2 SCs along the last DC and crochet 1 SC in each following stitch (total : 2+16=18 SCs)

work 2 SCs around chain 4

chain 4

work 2 DCs into last corner

crochet 1 DC in the following (I skip the first DC) 5 stitches (total : 5 DCs)

work a slip stitch on the top of the chain 3 of the beginning of the last round : YOU DID IT !!!

round 7 is completed as your rectangle, too ….

…. next week, I will add the stars !!!!! ;oD

You can find my Ravelry notes HERE !!!

xxxx Alessandra

Today links : Link your Stuff !, Craft Schooling Sunday and Busy Fingers Showing Off #60 !!!!