Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

Take a Bottle and Make It Better

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As sometimes happens, I’m simply blown away by the creativity of an exceptional crocheter.  I only wish I had some of this level of creativity.  I love small bottles and tend to hoard them even though I have no use for them.  I have several dark blue ones (not real Cobalt glass), a couple of real Vaseline glass ones, and an assortment of other bottles that I just found to have appealing shapes.  Now, I know what to do with them!

 


http://lockandspoon.blogspot.com/2010/05/crochet-covered-bottles.html

If you have basic crochet skills, you don’t need a pattern.  You start at the bottom by creating a motif to cover the bottom and work up from there.  You can make it in nice, orderly rows like this one, or go more freeform.

This is how the blogger at lockandspoon started one of hers.  A pretty motif – almost any shape for starters – will work well.

Wouldn’t this be a great way to ‘rescue’ and continue using a lovely piece of china that suffered an unsightly chip?  So, go find yourself a pretty bottle, grab a hook and some cotton thread, and work up one of these for yourself.  Use it on your desk as a pencil holder, as a teeny bud vase, or to hold your toothbrush.  You can’t go wrong!

 

 

Comments

  1. This is absolutely precious. Oh, how I wish I could crochet. I knit, but chrocheting is an alien country for me. Again, this is not only clever, but so charming. Blessings!

Have you read?

Shock Wave Free Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern

This Free Shock Wave Crochet Lap Blanket Pattern from Mary Maxim looks like one of those wonderfully satisfying projects that gives big cozy payoff without fiddly detail. Mary Maxim lists it as a free download, designed as a crochet afghan/lap blanket, with a finished size of 45 x 50 inches.

What immediately stands out is the yarn choice. The pattern is made with Bernat Blanket Extra Thick, using 5 skeins, and calls for a U.S. U/50 (25 mm) crochet hook. That is gloriously chunky territory, which usually means fast progress and lots of squishy texture. If you are in the mood for a project that feels substantial in your hands and grows quickly row by row, this one definitely has that appeal.

Mary Maxim describes the blanket as having a beautifully textured, plush, soft finish and suggests it as a project for home décor or gifting. Based on the materials and oversized hook alone, that sounds about right. This feels like the sort of blanket you make for curling up on the couch, draping over a chair, or giving as a practical handmade gift that will actually get used instead of folded away “for best.”

The pattern is marked Easy, and the listed stitch requirements are straightforward: chain, repeat, double crochet, single crochet, and slip stitch. That makes it sound approachable for confident beginners and very appealing for anyone who wants a relaxing crochet project without too much counting drama.

I also think the lap blanket size is a smart one. Not every crochet blanket needs to become a giant commitment that takes over the lounge room and your will to live. A 45 x 50 inch blanket is a useful, manageable size for gifting, for wheelchairs or reading nooks, or just for keeping on hand for chilly evenings. That practicality gives this pattern extra appeal. The usability point is my own take based on the finished dimensions Mary Maxim provides.

At the moment, the pattern page shows no reviews, so there is not much customer feedback to go on yet. Still, if you enjoy easy crochet blanket patterns, super chunky crochet throws, or quick lap blanket projects, this one looks like a solid freebie to save.

My overall take? This looks like a fast, cozy, beginner-friendly crochet blanket pattern with plenty of texture and instant-gratification energy. Very much the sort of project you start because it looks easy, then keep going because the yarn feels ridiculously soft.