Thursday, July 31, 2014

OVER THE SHOULDER YOGA MAT HOLDER!!! Free pattern

Shoulder Holder Yoga Mat Strap Pattern!


This is Little Bug #6, modeling the yoga strap. :-)

From yesterday's post:
Do you ever crochet something, in a pinch, that you need NOW and then realize it was so cool
 that you should have taken the time to photograph the process in order to share the pattern?

Well that happened here...

but at least it gave me the opportunity to make another one for the tutorial
 and make it sturdier than the first. :-)
Now I have an extra. haha.
Who knows it may end up as a gift or a give-away one day.
Hmmmm...perhaps the yoga studio would be interested in these???

OVER THE SHOULDER YOGA MAT HOLDER CROCHET PATTERN
(US terms)


Gather supplies
An "I" hook (5.5 mm) 
Scissors and needle.

Yarn:
Scraps are great for this!
 Maroon yarn was used, as well.
These are all Encore classic - worsted wool blend.
I always make sure that if this is for Little Bug #6 or FDIL #3a
 that the colors chosen are colors that I basically do not like and then I put them in a
 "crazy-nonsensical" combination. (IMHO)
This ensures that I will not like the finished color scheme, but they will. 
Hah! 
I've given up on trying to figure out these young ladies. ;-)

Here we go:
With TWO strands of worsted yarn,
(You will be using two strands throughout except
for shell edges, then you will use one strand.)
ch 8


sl st to first ch to form a loop

ch 210

9 chs back from end sl st into 9th ch.
So you will have one long ch strip with two loops on each end.

sc in the next ch and each ch all the way 
to the beginning of the loop at other end.

*Once you get to the loop, then alternate working 1 sc,
then 2 sc in each st around the loop.
(This will help keep the loop from curling.)

Once you arrive at the other side of the loop,
 continue working a sc in each st back to the other end. 
You will be working the stitches into the other side of the original chs.

Once you arrive at the other loop, crochet around it alternating 1 sc and 2 sc in each stitch.
(same as * above.)

Then it should look like this.

and this.

Weave in those ends.



Measure from the end of the loop down the number of inches you need to 
fit around the circumference of the rolled yoga mat. 
All yoga mats are difference thicknesses - I came up with 15" for this one,
but once it stretched I realized it could have been 14".
14" would be pretty good for most standard mats.

Now with a SINGLE STRAND of an equally lovely coordinating color ;-)
sl st the new color 14 " from the end of one of the loops.
You can ch 1 here if would like...or not.
It doesn't look like I did. 

sk 1 and 5 dc in the next st.
(Sorry photo shows sl st next to loop - which I accidentally photographed first -
ignore this and pretend this photo is 14" away from the end of the loop.
Oh man, it's a good thing this is a free pattern...gee whiz. ;-)  )
like this.

** *Now sk 1 st and sc in the next st,

sk 1 st and 5 dc in the next st.*
This will start forming the "shells".

Continue from * to *
until you are 14 " away from the other end.
This photograph is correct.

This one too. ;-)

Now with a color of your choice sl st directly across 
from where the last shell row ended.

Repeat the same pattern of shells from **above.

The shells should line up like this.

Weave in those ends and you should have something that looks like this.

Now here's the tricky part:
Pull one loop through the other...all the way to where the other shell part ends.
(You'll be pressing some pretty thick stuff through the loop, but it will be OK.


like this.


It will look like this.
Now take this end that you looped and pull through the other loop on the other end.
(This will be even thicker stuff, but once again it will be OK.)




Attach to mat and you are ready to hit
the gym or ready to gift this to someone who will hit the gym.

NAMASTE!!!

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Seems like it's an OVER THE SHOULDER YOGA MAT HOLDER!!!


Over the Shoulder Yoga Mat Holder!
When I gave this to my future daughter-in-law (yoga instructor), I dropped it off on her front porch...sans mat. 
When she opened it, both FDIL and "The Situation" (offspring #3) thought it was something
entirely different. Haha, sort of a ball and chain restraint type system joke for their upcoming nuptials.
Oh brother!
Thank you all for your cute and funny guesses.
A few of you got it including Monica!
I wonder if I am related to Monica? As it seems we must be traveling
 on the same Norsk life vibe. 

Free pattern tomorrow!

NAMASTE!!!

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Seems like it's something that it's not...III

One last clue:
Now, do you know what it is?

One more clue:
It's adjustable!

Haha, all your funny comments and guesses have really made me laugh and smile.
Keep them coming!

Oh and that Monica and I have some kind of mystic universal kindred spiritness going on,
as per her comment on yesterday's post. ;-)

Stay tuned...
tomorrow reveal and the free pattern/tutorial on Thursday!


Monday, July 28, 2014

Seems like it's something that it's not...II

Here's another hint on yesterday's post:
Now, can you guess what it is?
Hmmm....that was not a good hint.

OK, this might help, too:
and it's generally used "On the Go".

More hints coming and then...
The free pattern will be posted this week. :-)

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Seems like it's something that it's not...

I'm almost ready to publish a free pattern:
Can you guess what it is?

Here's a hint:

It's for my future daughter-in-law. ;-)

I'll give you another hint tomorrow.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

La Vie en Rose - Teaser!

Soooooo....back to crocheting!
Yeah!

But before I tell you more, please play the below and listen while reading about what's next
at Apple Blossom Dreams. It will hopefully get you in the right mood.

I love this song - I could listen to it over and over and over and over....
Oh, Louie, thank you!

Uh-hum...OK back to the subject at hand:
I've been writing and testing a new afghan pattern for over two years now,
 it's been sitting for a while.
I am finally getting back into it, it's about 60% done. ;-)

It's called "La Vie en Rose".
I've been learning Microsoft Publisher too,
with the help of Little Bug and my dear friend "K".
I'll use MS Publisher to write this pattern, 
which I'm hoping to finish by the end of the summer.
(I generally write everything in tables in Microsoft Word,
so this will be less burdensome for this application.)

In the mean time, I have a free pattern to post and lots of home and garden projects!
I don't even know where to begin.
I am very excited to share, so please stayed tuned and we'll have
 some fun showing off time. ;-)
Update:
Pattern is now available by clicking here.
Have a Rosie Day!