Making a Flat Circle

Often when crocheting you will want to create a lovely circle that will sit nice and flat

Some people say there is a secret formula to creating the perfect flat circle. But it's not really a secret, it's just a clever way to evenly increase around to keep it flat

When crocheting in a circle, if there were never any increases, the crochet would form a tube. 

To make it a flat circle, you need to increase stitches in each row

Here is the formula to use.

Formula

Increase by the starting number of stitches in every row.

Here's an example or the number increase:

Row 1: 12 stitches.

Row 2: 12 + 12 total 24 stitches,

Row 3: 24 + 12 total 36 stitches

Row 4: 36 + 12 total 48 stitches

Row 5: 48 + 12 total 60 stitches

Row 6: 60 + 12 total 72 stitches

The usual way to create this into a circle is by crocheting like this:

Row 1: Magic circle, 12 dc in circle. (12 stitches)

Row 2: 2 dc in each stitch around (24 stitches)

Row 3: 1 dc in next st, 2 dc in next st (36 stitches)

Row 4: 1 dc in each of next 2 sts, 2 dc in next stitch (48 stitches)

Row 5: 1 dc in each of next 3 sts, 2 dc in next stitch (60 stitches)

Row 6: 1 dc in each of next 4 sts, 2 dc in next stitch (72 stitches)

When making a circle in dc (tr UK/Aus) the most common number of starting stitches is 12, but it can be anything between 10 to 14 stitches for best results.

But use less for sc (dc in UK/Aus), 6 to 10 stitches works best

Next week I will explain what to do when things go wrong with the flat circle.

More posts on making circles

Making a Flat Circle
http://craftcove.blogspot.com.au/2017/12/making-flat-circle.html

When The Flat Circle Goes Wrong

https://craftcove.blogspot.com.au/2018/01/when-flat-circle-goes-wrong.html

Which Hook For the Perfect Circle
https://craftcove.blogspot.com/2018/01/which-hook-for-perfect-circle.html



When a Circle is Not a Circle
https://craftcove.blogspot.com/2018/01/when-circle-is-not-circle.html

Gifts for Geeks

Who wants an interesting gift for a geeky friend or family member?

Why not help some Australian writers and artists at the same time.

And also help the Australian comic book industry

Most comic books are the floppy 32 page things you get from the newsagents.

Why don't you get an anthology instead.

Reverie is an anthology of many artists, many writers, many genres.

Lots of fun for the geek

It's a 112 page soft cover book

It contains some big names from DC comics, and Zooniverse. And some new names from Australia.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1263712862/reverie-australias-favourite-comics-anthology/description

Who remembers Reverie?

Australia is full of amazing artists, we need to get behind them!

Back in the 80's a man named Gary Dellar produced a comic book anthology showcasing some of the most amazing writers and artists in Australia. The publication was called Reverie.

Gary himself, is a great writer and artist, and with the help of some of our amazing comic book talent, made this publication an amazing International success.

Reverie, also helped start the international career of some of the best in Australia.

Two of the big names that contributed to the publication are Fil Barlow and Michal Dutkiewicz

Fil Barlow, is now an artist, cartoonist, writer, production designer currently based in Los Angeles and he became the creator of Zooniverse.

Michal Dutkiewicz, is a professional illustrator and comic book artist based in Adelaide, South Australia, Michal went on to work for DC Comics

Gary, with the help of George Hall (another exceptional writer/artist who also contributed to Reverie in its first run), have decided it's time to show off some new talent, there is plenty more to choose from in Australia.

They have spent a lot of time and effort reviving Reverie, and have many new and exciting stories with a new generation of talent, along with some of the originals.

This is an exciting time for Australia, please get behind it by making a pledge in the kickstarter and spreading the word with everyone you know.

Read more about Reverie here: http://comicsdownunder.blogspot.com.au/2007/04/reverie-remembered.html

and here: http://www.oocities.org/ian_thomas_graphics/Reverie.html

Find the kickstarter here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1263712862/reverie-australias-favourite-comics-anthology/description

This pattern is now available to buy. It will automatically come up as half price.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sunburst-mandala-cushion

Join the group for the CAL here: http://www.ravelry.com/groups/craft-cove-crochet

One Week to go

Sunburst Mandala Cushion CAL

 one week to go

With just one week to go, you might want to make sure you have got all the items you need. But if you're ordering it, and it hasn't come in yet, don't worry, the first part is easy and quick. You'll catch up in no time.






Of course the main thing you'll need is the yarn (or wool, as we call all fibers in Australia).

The original pattern was designed with 8 ply yarn, which is DK in US.  I realize it's not easy to get this weight in America, so if you don't want to bother ordering it, you can just use Aran weight, worsted weight (10 ply), you'll have a larger cushion, but it will be lovely. You could also use a finer yarn, or even thread. I'd love to see them done this way.

I chose acrylic, because it's nice and cheap, easy to get in Australia, and it's so easy to wash and dry. It also blocks beautifully with steam. 

But if you prefer, you can use wool or cotton, or whatever your favorite fiber is.

There are 4 colors in this pattern. I originally designed it with yellows eg. white, pale yellow, medium yellow, and a deep yellow. I have also made it with white, pale grey, darker grey, and black. You can use four shades of a color, or choose any four colors you prefer.

If you're using 8 ply acrylic, you will need approximately 120 grams of the palest color, and 100 grams of each of the other colors.

You will also need a 3.25 mm crochet hook, and a 3.50 mm crochet hook.  Or larger, or smaller, depending on your yarn

You might also want to familiarize yourself with these special stitches. (But they really aren't difficult)

Special stitches used:

• Front Loop Only (FLO). Work this stitch in the front loop only, leaving back loop free.
• Back Loop only (BLO). Work this stitch in the back loop only, leaving front loop free.
• Front loop double crochet (fldc). Front loop double crochet is a dc worked in the front loop only.
• Back loop double crochet (bldc). Back loop double crochet is a dc worked in the back loop only.
• Front loop treble (fltr). Front loop treble is a tr worked in the front loop only.
• Back loop treble (bltr). Back loop treble is a tr worked in the back loop only.
• Front post double crochet (fpdc). Front Post Double Crochet is worked around the front of the post of the stitch on the previous round. Insert hook through the right front and back out the left front, yarn around hook, pull through 2 loops.
• Front post treble (fptr). Front Post Treble is worked around the front of the post of the stitch on the previous round. Yarn around hook, insert hook through the right front and back out the left front, yarn around hook, pull through 2 loops, yarn around hook, pull through last 2 loops.
• Front post double treble (fpdtr). Front Post Double Treble is worked around the front of the post of the stitch on the previous round. Yarn around hook, twice, insert hook through the right front and back out the left front, yarn around hook, pull through 2 loops, yarn around hook, pull through another 2 loops, yarn around hook, pull through last 2 loops.
• Back post double crochet (bpdc). Back Post Double Crochet is worked around the back of the post of the stitch on the previous round. Insert hook through the right back and back out the left back, yarn around hook, pull through 2 loops.
• Back post treble (bptr). Back Post Treble is worked around back of the post of the stitch on the previous round. Yarn around hook, insert hook through the right back and back out the left back, yarn around hook, pull through 2 loops, yarn around hook, pull through last 2 loops.
• Back post double treble (bpdtr). Back Post Double Treble is worked around the back of the post of the stitch on the previous round. Yarn around hook, twice, insert hook through the right back and back out the left back, yarn around hook, pull through 2 loops, yarn around hook, pull through another 2 loops, yarn around hook, pull through last 2 loops.

Don't be intimidated by these stitches, they're just basic stitches worked into different places.

And now you should be ready to start.



Get the pattern here:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sunburst-mandala-cushion  (available 13th February)

Join in the discussion here:  http://www.ravelry.com/groups/craft-cove-crochet

Sunburst Mandala Cushion CAL (Crochet-a-long)

Sunburst Mandala Cushion CAL

I will be hosting a CAL (crochet-a-long) for this lovely cushion I have created

The pattern utilizes a lot of back and front post stitches, as well as some front and back loop work. Knowledge of overlay crochet will be helpful

What is Overlay Crochet?

From http://www.lillabjorncrochet.com/p/overlay-crochet.html

"Overlay crochet is a relatively new technique. It was developed by an artist and fantastic jewelry maker Melody MacDuffee in the United States and first introduced in 2003. Melody MacDuffee started to spread her inventions and conducted lots of workshops for hundreds of crochet lovers.

Overlay crochet has its roots in Aran crochet. Though it may look a bit complicated and quite often is offered to advanced crocheters, in fact it uses ordinary crochet stitches, and only few special ones. To master this technique it is necessary to already know how to make a slip stitch, a chain, single, double and treble crochet stitches, how to increase the number of stitches, how to make a long stitch.

What is interesting about this technique is that with changing colors on every round it is possible to achieve an effect as if the colors are actually changed after every few stitches."

This cushion starts with a mandala created to look like a sunburst.

It is then encircled with a border, then changed into a square with a similar border

The back is made as a square with very simplified rays made with overlay crochet

The pattern will be available in sections. There will be 11 sections, a new one available each week, starting on February 13^th. A new file will be added to the original file each week (Ravelry will send you a notification), at the end of the CAL, the whole CAL can be downloaded as one file

Clue 1: Monday, February 13th
Clue 2: Monday, February 20th
Clue 3: Monday, February 27th
Clue 4: Monday, March 6th
Clue 5: Monday, March 13th
Clue 6: Monday, March 20th
Clue 7: Monday, March 27th
Clue 8: Monday, April 3rd
Clue 9: Monday, April 10th
Clue 10: Monday, April 17th
Clue 11: Monday, April 24th

The pattern will be half price while the CAL is going. After the CAL is finished, the pattern will be available at full cost

Buy it here:
Sunburst Mandala Cushion Pattern   This pattern will be active on 13th February, 2017

Please join my Ravelry group http://www.ravelry.com/groups/craft-cove-crochet for help and conversations

Created by Jenny Lawson

http://craftcove.weebly.com/

http://flowercove.weebly.com/

For any questions, email me at: craftcove@gmail.com

More tutorials can be found at: Jewellery from Craft Cove http://craftcove.blogspot.com/

and Craftsy: http://www.craftsy.com/user/50761 and

Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/stores/craft-cove-designs

Please do not distribute, lend or copy this pattern.

Do not mass produce articles made with this pattern.