Category Archives: Tutorials

Furls Odyssey Crochet Hook – A Review

Posted on October 12, 2015 | 7 comments

So, I was sitting here, happily getting started on this week’s GREG Mystery CAL and thought that perhaps I could try using my new Furls Odyssey crochet hook which has been waiting patiently in my hook case.

I ordered the hook ages ago, and it had to be made and shipped. So it took quite a while in the end, and is it worth the wait? Let’s see, shall we?

When I first unpacked the hook I thought: wow! It’s beautiful and shiny and heavy.

I ordered the 4mm, or G hook, but in the time I was waiting I had forgotten which size I had ordered. Strangely, there’s no stamp on my hook to tell me which size I have, so luckily it was in the packing list.

The hook is still taking me a bit of getting used to. It feels a-mazing in my hand, but the round tip is a bit different to my trusty Clover Amour’s tapered top. It makes getting into back loop stitches a bit more of a challenge, but that’s only because it’s what I’m used to.

I worked up two squares today for instalment three of GREG, the first with my Clover and the second with the Odyssey. The tension was pretty much exactly the same.

You can see, the square I crocheted with the Odyssey just peeking out from behind.

I would say that my Clover square is a bit tidier though, but I’m putting that down to practice and getting used to the rounded tip.

Here’s the Odyssey next to my Clover. Quite a size difference!

Over all, I’m very happy with the Furls Odyssey. I’ve wanted a Furls hook for a long time, but the price tag has put them firmly out of reach, especially with shipping, and then customs charges on top. (Dutch customs love to charge VAT then “administration costs” which are usually double the VAT value.) The Odyssey is the perfect compromise. A great hook, affordable, and beautiful!

If you want one, they’re available from Furls directly for $24.95 USD (plus shipping of course).

Do you have an Odyssey? What do you think?

7 Comments

Posted in Monday, Tutorials, Uncategorized

Tagged crochet hook, furls, furls odyssey review, gregmysterycal

How-To: DIY Photography Backdrop

Posted on July 6, 2015 | 8 comments

If you’re anything like me, you have backdrop envy. You see photos all over Pinterest and ask yourself: How do they have such beautiful surfaces? How come my yellow flowery tablecloth isn’t this nice? Well, that’s because it’s magic. Magic and lies I tell you!

It had never occurred to me for one second that people were faking it, I honestly thought I was the only person in the entire world with an ugly table/floor that was totally unsuitable to use for photographing my projects. (I have a lovely floor, by the way. My husband laid it himself which makes it all the better!)

Well, no more! I’ve just finished my own fabulous “Fakedrop” and I’m going to show you how I did it. I spent weeks searching Etsy and other sites for perfect vinyl sheets to use as backdrops, but they’re fairly pricey and I couldn’t find anything local, meaning I’d likely be stung for import duty on top of the cost of the backdrop and then shipping.

So I decided that I could do this and I jumped on my bicycle and headed to the local hardware store to see what was on offer. I went straight to the wallpaper aisle and found a great white worn timber print, along with a roll of seriously strong double sided tape and a sheet of the cheapest lightweight plywood I could find. It was the sort of wood that you find in caravans, you know the stuff?

I then proved to the world how dutch I am by carrying a huge sheet of wood home under my bike under my arm. I should have picked up a bunch of flowers on my way home, just for fun.

Here’s what you need:A sheet of lightweight plywood, a roll of wallpaper that you love, a stanley knife to cut it all, plus some double sided tape. You could also use wallpaper glue, but I didn’t want to wait around for it to dry, or clean up the mess. You’ll also need some gaffer tape to hold it down on the back.

So what I did first was cut the length of ply in half, because it was about 1mx2m, so I really didn’t need something that large. I just used the Stanley knife for that, so you don’t need a saw or anything, but watch your fingers! Then I edged the ply with the double sided tape before cutting lengths of the wall paper (about 10cm overhang at each end).

Then I carefully laid the wallpaper out so that it was square to the plywood then made sure it was pulled tight. I folded it over the edges and taped it all down with gaffer tape.

I also used some clear tape at the corners to protect the paper a bit – it might not last too long kicking around my living room otherwise!

And all that was left was to start taking photos!

And see how fake it is?

You’re welcome!

All in all it cost me about 30 euros to make. The wallpaper wasn’t cheap, but I’m sure you can find it cheaper at a large hardware store or online. I wanted to make it while I was motivated, so didn’t mind the price tag. And plus, if this one wears out I can make another. Or I can use the wallpaper to cover something else! I did use the leftover piece of timber to create a white reflector board too actually. I just attached the wallpaper facedown instead. Perfect!

Don’t forget to follow me on Social Media. Instagram is where I hang out most, so I’d love to see you there! Come share your Fakedrops if you have any, don’t forget to tag me: @miss__neriss

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8 Comments

Posted in Tutorials

Tagged DIY, how to make a photography backdrop, photography backdrop

How to Use IFTTT to Share an Instagram Photo to Your Facebook Page

Posted on June 15, 2015 | 5 comments

We all have our little tricks to make our social media life easier, and this one is my absolute favourite. If you haven’t heard of IFTTT (if this then that) then you need to get onto it straight away. You can connect pretty much any channel thanks to the wonderful world of APIs.

One of the most common themes that came up over the weekend I’ve just had with an amazing group of bloggers (more about that later), is “How do I share my crochet photos from my Instagram to my Facebook page, rather than my own private Facebook?” Instagram only allows you to choose either your timeline OR your Page, and if you’re like me you don’t always want to choose. I don’t want to bombard my friends with crochet photos – they see enough! Just like my crochet family isn’t that excited about toddler pics.

So, what you need is an IFTTT recipe. And lucky for you, I have set one up that works perfectly.

https://ifttt.com/recipes/299465-if-instagram-crochet-then-facebook-page

Basically what you need to do is click that image above (thanks for providing it ifttt.com), create an account within a few quick steps, and activate your Instagram and Facebook pages there as channels. I won’t tell you how to do this because IFTTT is so intuitive you don’t need my help.

All you have to do is check that recipe, double check the hashtag you want to use, and activate it. I have set #crochet as my hashtag, so whenever I post an Instagram and tag it on the image itself or in the comments, it will automatically upload to my MissNeriss Facebook page.

Here’s an example:

I posted the below photo on Instagram while on holiday, and because I thought those people who follow me on Facebook but are not on Instagram might like it, I tagged it #crochet.

And here you see it, also on Facebook, with the same caption and a link to the original Instagram.Now, I know that it’s possible to choose your Facebook page as your connected Facebook account rather than your timeline, but this tool allows you to have both your timeline and your page linked and you don’t have to do anything. You don’t have to click the little Facebook button on the image editor in Instagram, you don’t have to rely on a good enough wifi connection for the image to upload to both locations (like I was on holiday). IFTTT is a background rules engine, and will take care of everything for you.

Consider this little how-to an introduction to the engine, because once you dive in, you’ll be hooked. Trust me. Want to save your Instagrams to your Dropbox? Want to congratulate yourself when you meet your Fitbit goal? Want a message if it’s going to rain tomorrow? IFTTT does it all.

5 Comments

Posted in Monday, Tutorials

Tagged Facebook, how to, how to post instagrams to facebook, IFTTT, instagram

Peek-a-Boo Button Wrap Pattern Size S-XL

Posted on April 30, 2015 | 187 comments

Here it is, what you’ve been waiting for – the pattern for the Peek-a-Boo Wrap!

I’ve made this for you in four different sizes, from Small through to XL.

Here you can find a written pattern for size Medium, and below you can find a chart which will give you the measurements and stitch counts for sizes Small, Large and XL.

For the Dutch speakers among us, I’ve also had the design translated. You can find it here. Veel plezier!

You can pick up the yarn at Scheepjes retailers all over the Benelux including Caro’s Atelier*, or internationally from Wool Warehouse* and Deramores*.

And even better, Esther from It’s all in a Nutshell has created a video tutorial, which is enormously helpful!

Are you ready?

What You Need

Scheepjes Stone Washed XL in 850 (Garnet) – 12 balls for size M (I used 11, but get an extra to be safe)
S = 10 balls (each ball of Stone Washed XL has 75 metres)
M = 12 balls
L = 15 balls
XL = 17 balls
7cm bamboo button – you can pick these up at any good craft store, or online
Size 5mm hook (or hook to obtain gauge)
Measuring Tape
Scissors
Tapestry Needle
Eucalan wool wash

Gauge

8 stitches x 5 rows = 5cm x 5cm

Stitches

Note: All stitches are in US terms
Chain (CH)
Half Double Crochet (HDC)
Half Double Crochet Back Loop Only (HDCBLO)
Half Double Crochet Front Loop Only (HDCFLO)

Size Medium

Chain loosely 119 stitches. If you’re a tight crocheter, consider going up a hook size to make sure that the chain isn’t too tight.
HDC into the third chain from the hook, and all the way across (a total of 117 stitches across). CH2, turn.
HDCBLO in the first stitch, HDCFLO in the next. Repeat this front and back (HDCBLO/FLO) format all the way across, CH2, turn. Note: It’s important to ensure that you have an odd number of stitches to make it easier to achieve the texture of the stitches. If you finish the row in the back loop, when you start the next row, start in the front loop and vice versa. You’ll find very quickly as you go that the look of the wrap will be different if you don’t maintain the BLO then FLO stitch pattern in alternating stitches.
Repeat this pattern building rows for 25cm.
Now we are going to make the first sleeve. Follow the HDCBLO/FLO pattern for 20 stitches, then CH 35, skip 35, then continue the HDCBLO/FLO pattern all the way to the end. Make sure you double check that you stitch into the BLO or FLO correctly (if the stitch in the row below was FLO, you need to stitch into the BLO).
HDCBLO/FLO to the chain from the previous row, then HDC 35 into the chain, then continue the HDCBLO/FLO to the end. the short end becomes the collar of the wrap.
Repeat step 3 for a further 37cm and then we will make the next sleeve. Making sure you start from the top of the collar and work down (add a row if you need to), repeat steps 5 and 6.
Continue building the final front panel, for 25cm, then we will make the button hole.
Starting from the top of the collar, repeat the HDCBLO/FLO pattern for 37 stitches. Chain 7, skip 7 stitches, then repeat the HDCBLO/FLO pattern all the way to the end.
HDCBLO/FLO to the chain from the previous row, then HDC 7 into the chain, then continue the HDCBLO/FLO to the end.
Build a further 7 rows, or complete your ball of yarn. Tie off, weave in ends.
Sew button on the opposite end of the garment to the button hole 9cm from the end, 25cm from the top.
Block, stretching a little (especially the length) and you’re done!

Size Chart

You can switch out the stitch counts and centimetres in the written pattern above for the numbers in the chart below, depending on your required size.

	SMALL		MEDIUM
	CM	Rows	CM	Rows
Length	70	Chain 117 + 2	70cm	Chain 117 + 2
Back	32	32	37	37
Front (button)	20	20	25	25
Front (button hole)	27	27	32	32
	CM	Stitch Count	CM	Stitch Count
Start Sleeve	12.5	20	12.5	20
End Sleeve	20	32	22.5	35
Start Button Hole	23	37	23	37
Button Hole Size		7		7

	LARGE		X-LARGE
	CM	Rows	CM	Rows
Length	75cm	Chain 123 + 2	75cm	Chain 123 + 2
Back	42	42	47	47
Front (button)	30	30	35	35
Front (button hole)	37	37	42	42
	CM	Stitch Count	CM	Stitch Count
Start Sleeve	15	24	17.5	28
End Sleeve	25	39	27.5	43
Start Button Hole	25	40	25	40
Button Hole Size		7		7

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187 Comments

Posted in Free, Pattern, Patterns, Projects, Scheepjes, Stone Washed, Tutorials

Tagged crochet, crochet garment, crochet tutorial, crochet wrap, design, free, free pattern, gratis haakpatroon, haken, MissNeriss, scheepjes, scheepjeswol, stone washed, tutorial, yarn

Christmas Bunting

Posted on December 10, 2014 | 1 comment

Today is the very last day of the Scheepjeswol Christmas Blog Hop and I’m so sad that it’s over, yet very happy to be able to send it off, hopefully in style!

How incredibly beautiful is Heike from Made with Loops bag? Fair Isle, I promise you, will be absolutely THE biggest yarn trend of 2015, so get onto it!

Here’s today’s project from me, some lovely and very simple Christmas Bunting.

I had some left over yarn once I had finished my Christmas Wreath and I wanted to use it up for something fun to decorate the house with this Christmas, and I just love bunting, so bunting it was!

I came up with a very simple half double crochet pattern that works up in a jiffy. Each flag can be made in under ten minutes! It’s a great scrap project too, so you don’t have to worry too much about how much yarn you have lying around.

What you’ll need:

Scheepjeswol Stone Washed in five colours. I used the same as in my wreath: 801, 807, 815, 813 and 814.
4mm hook
Scissors
Tapestry needle
Measuring tape

How To:

Choose one of your colours, then start with a slip stitch, and chain 2. Half double crochet into the second chain from the hook and there you will have the foundation of the triangle to start building your bunting.
From here on, you will need to increase at the end of each row with 2 half double crochets into the last stitch.
Row 2: Chain 2, 2 HDC (half double crochet) into the next stitch (3 stitches in total), turn.
Row 3: Chain 2, HDC into the next stitch, 2 HDC into the last stitch (4 stitches), turn.
Row 4: Chain 2, HDC into the next 2 stitches, 2 HDC into the last stitch (5 stitches), turn.
Continue this pattern until you have a stitch count of 17 (16 rows in total), then tie off and weave in the ends, making sure you keep the nice point at the bottom of the triangle.

Make 3 of each colour (or more if you’d like to make it longer)

Here’s a chart to help make it a bit easier:

To join the bunting, take your lightest colour (801) and start chaining, working the end in as you go. Chain for 60cm to create a long enough tie, then attach to the first bunting triangle by single crocheting into the first and then all 17 stitches along. Continue to chain, leaving about 8cm in between triangles. Repeat this pattern until you have attached all your triangles to the chain, then to finish off, chain a further 60cm before cutting the yarn and weaving in the end. The finished bunting will measure about 4m in length.

And you’re all done! Now all that’s left to do is find the perfect spot to hang it!

On a wall…

Or in a window…?

And that’s it. The Christmas Blog Hop is over for this year *sob*. I hope you found some wonderful inspiration – I certainly did. But before I go, here’s a recap of what we’ve seen in the last ten days:

The beautiful Knitted Star motif from Crafts from theCwtch

The seriously cute Reindeer Mug Cozy (including fluffy butt – haha!) by Haak Maar Raak

Jellina-Creation’s lovely Christmas Tree Garland

Atty’s cool Bauble Coasters

My Christmas Wreath

The most beautiful Christmas Baubles you’ve ever seen, by 50 Shades of 4 Ply

The deliciously warm Fair Isle mittens by Canadutch

Vicarnos adorable little snowman

and finally,

This spectacular Fair Isle Christmas gift bag from Made with Loops.

What a collection of designs, I’m so happy to have been involved – surrounded by such talent!

Merry Christmas.

1 Comment

Posted in Christmas, Scheepjes, Scheepjeswol, Stone Washed, Tutorials

Tagged 50 shades of 4 ply, attys, canadutch, Christmas, craft, crafts from the cwtch, crochet, crochet pattern, DIY, free pattern, haak maar raak, Jellina-creations, made with loops, MissNeriss, Obsessed with Crochet, pattern, projects, Santa, scheepjes, scheepjeswol, stone washed, vicarno, yarn

Seriously Simple Granny Square

Posted on October 20, 2014 | 15 comments

And now for the tutorial I promised of the granny I created while on holiday recently.

It’s really so simple, you will be whipping these up in no time!

First of all, I’ll share a quick step by step photo to show you how it grows, then below I’ll give you the row by row.

Simple, right? Now, let’s go.

For this project I used Scheepjeswol Cotton 8*. It’s a sport weight yarn and I used a 3mm hook. You can use whatever yarn you like, and the hook to match. Gauge isn’t important in this one. If you use my recommended yarn and hook, your finished square should measure 5.5 x 5.5 cm.

First of all, chain 4 and join with a slip stitch. Usually I prefer a magic ring because I like the centre to be as tight as possible, but in this case it doesn’t matter. There are a lot of stitches into the ring, so the chain 4 foundation will have a nice tight circle anyway.

Now, for row 2 (I’m counting the ring as the first row), chain 2 and double crochet 11 times into the ring, joining with a slip stitch to finish with 12 stitches into your ring. This is because we want to make a square eventually, so need a total that is divisible by 4. Finally, almost 20 years after I left school I’m using maths!

If you’re changing colours after each row, you’ll want to cut and tie off your yarn, leaving a tail to weave in. I like to work the ends in as I go, to minimise the amount of weaving in at the end – I hate weaving in ends, have I mentioned that?

Row 3 – chain 2, double crochet into the same stitch so you have two double crochets in one stitch and stitch two double crochets into each stitch around, leaving you with 24 stitches once you slip stitch to join. If you’re not changing colours, chain 2, stitch two double crochets into the next stitch and each stitch around, with one into the last stitch, which is the same stitch that your starting chain came from.

Row 4 – here we create the square. Chain 3, two double crochet stitches into the next stitch, chain 2, and two more double crochets into the same stitch. This creates the corner. Double crochet into the next, half double crochet into the next three stitches and then double crochet into the next. Now comes the time to repeat the corner stitch (two double crochets, chain 2, two double crochets into the same stitch), then repeat the row (DC, 3xHDC, DC) until you come back round to the start. Slip stitch into the top of the chain of the first stitch.

Row 5 – Single crochet in each stitch around, with two stitches, a chain 1 and two more stitches into each corner, and you’re done!

I joined the top side of my camera strap using single crochets, and the back side with a whip stitch so that it would sit flat and not annoy my husband’s neck, but you can use your favourite joining method. Once I had made enough squares to cover the entire length of the camera strap (13 in my case) I joined the two sides together with a single crochet into each corresponding stitch up each side, leaving the ends open so you can feed the strap through once you’re finished. This size granny is a perfect size for a camera strap, and it looks fantastic!

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15 Comments

Posted in Pattern, Projects, Scheepjes, Scheepjeswol, Tutorials

Tagged free granny square, free pattern, granny tutorial, tutorial

Miniman’s Nursing Necklace – The Tutorial

Posted on October 14, 2014 | 14 comments

As promised, I’ve put together a tutorial on how to make your very own nursing necklace, which is designed to keep small ones occupied while nursing, saving mama’s sensitive skin from sharp fingernails, hair from being yanked, and general mischief making while baby is nursing. Of course this is not only for nursing mamas; it’s such a lovely necklace that it looks stylish on everybody!

What you’ll need

Scheepjeswol Cotton 8* in four shades. I used 527, 711, 652 and 700. In the Netherlands you can pick Cotton 8 up at just about any great yarn seller, and internationally you can buy via deramores.com*.

A 3mm crochet hook, scissors, and you’ll also need wooden beads in varying sizes. I used five 35mm balls and two 25mm balls. For added interest, you can also add a wooden ring or two – babies love the different elements and textures.

Abbreviations

(American terms)

CH – chain stitch
SC – single crochet (UK double crochet)
INC – increase; two single crochet stitches into the same stitch
DEC – decrease; two single crochet stitches together
STS – stitch count

Notes

This project is worked in the round. You will also need to crochet your stitches very tightly to ensure that they keep the form of the beads. If you crochet loosely, use a smaller hook.

Don’t forget, I’m a leftie so you might have to flip the images in your mind. I like to keep the images for us lefties because there just aren’t that many left handed tutorials out there. If you need help, ping me using the contact page or on Facebook.

Make one ball in the darkest colour, two in the second darkest, two in the third darkest, and two in the lightest (the 25mm balls).

35mm Bead

Round 1

CH 5, close with a slip stitch, CH 1.

Round 2

SC x 6 into the ring (6 STS)

Round 3

INC in each stitch around (12 STS)

Round 4

(INC, 1 SC) x 6 (18 STS)

Round 5

(INC, 2 SC) x 6 (24 STS)

Round 6-10

SC x 24 (24 STS). Insert the bead to measure how progress is going at each round.

Round 11

(DEC, 2 SC) x 6 (18 STS). Make sure the bead is inserted here and continue working around it.

Round 12

(DEC, 1 SC) x 6 (12 STS).

Round 13

DEC in each stitch around (6 STS)

Finish off and hide the tail.

For the 25mm bead, follow the same instructions, skipping round 5 (and round 11 as a consequence).

Once you’ve finished all five balls in the colour combination of your choice, it’s time to thread them onto a chain. First you need to make yourself one. I used the lightest shade and chained stitched until I had about 90 cm. This way the necklace would have plenty of room to become longer or shorter as necessary.

Thread the beads and tie the ends into a little knot and then together using a slip stitch so that one end can slip easily (but not too easily) to adjust the length of the necklace.

And you’re all done! Looks beautiful, doesn’t it? I love seeing projects by others, so don’t forget to brag about what you’ve made on my Facebook page or upload to Pinterest, tagging me @missneriss. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram while you’re at it!

*Affiliate link

14 Comments

Posted in Pattern, Patterns, Scheepjes, Scheepjeswol, Tutorials

Tagged amigurumi, baby, baby necklace, cotton 8, craft, crochet, crochet pattern, DIY, free pattern, haken, hand crafted, hand made, handcrafted, handmade, jewellery, MissNeriss, nursing beads, nursing necklace, Obsessed with Crochet, pattern, projects, ravelry, scheepjes, scheepjeswol, teething, teething necklace

How a Granny Became a Hexie

Posted on September 25, 2014 | 2 comments

A couple of months ago Simply Crochet magazine launched a brand new Granny Square app which I discovered via creJJtion on Instagram and although I don’t often make Grannies – as you know, I hate weaving in ends and changing colours on each round creates a tonne of ends – I loved the pics people were sharing using the #GrannySquareMonday and #SimplyCrochetApp hashtags that I wanted to join the fun!

Of course, it all went wrong right from the start! I decided to begin with Granny Audrey as she was the prettiest so far and off I went, following the chart. Or so I thought! Towards the end I started scratching my head wondering why it wasn’t looking like the picture until it hit me – I can’t count! Instead of creating a Granny Audrey, Hexie Audrey was born instead!

I decided that I may as well run with it and added a border round so I at least had something to show for the effort before going back to the chart and actually reading the instructions and counting my stitches instead of acting like the proverbial bull in a china shop.

But at the end of the day, I have to say that I like Hexie Audrey better than Granny!

So just because I love the end result so much, I’ve created a chart of the pattern for you. Bear with me, chart making is NOT my forte, and I don’t have any fancy software to do it (yet), so my hand drawn version will just have to do.

Don’t forget to check out Granny Audrey on the Simply Crochet Granny app and download the free weekly squares. And then you must share them on Instagram! You can follow me here

2 Comments

Posted in Monday, Pattern, Tutorials, Uncategorized

Tagged crochet, free pattern, granny, granny audrey, granny square, granny square app, hexie, pattern, simply crochet

Jasper V Pattern – All the Sizes!! (S, M, L, XL)

Posted on August 19, 2014 | 6 comments

Here it is! The biggest and most daunting crochet project I have ever undertaken, completely finished!

I have to say, I’m a bit sad that it’s all over and I can move on to focus on the next big project, but I’m so relieved to have all the sizes worked out and ready to go.

What I have done for the smaller sizes is to update the diagram only. I’m not re-writing the entire pattern; instead that can be used as a guide to get started, and the diagram has all the stitch and row counts, which is the clearest description. The edging is so straight forward that I feel what is written in the original pattern will get you through.

Remember though, if you need any help at all, please just contact me. I’ve added a contact form below so you can do it painlessly.

Here we go!

The original pattern post with all the written instructions is found at this link.

The attachments with the different sizes are all attached to this post as pdf files. You will need a program such as Adobe Reader (or similar) to be able to read this file.

Jasper V Size Small

Jasper V Size Medium

Jasper V Size Large

Jasper V Size XL

Please, please do note: the only size that has been tested by me is the XL – the smaller sizes have been created using mathematical magic and are not tested. I’m relying on your help for that! If you’re making the top and it feels like it will be a little tight, please don’t panic – the stitch has a lot of give; a good 5-10 cm! Think about the yardage of the smaller sizes, you won’t need as much as I did making the XL size (about 1100 metres).

I do value any and all feedback, but please don’t be mean. And remember above all that this is a free pattern – together we can improve it.

This is an original design by Nerissa Muijs. Please do not reproduce this pattern or sell this pattern as your own work. Please share it on your social networks, linking it back to the original source. Please also feel free to sell items made from this pattern and please credit me by linking my website: missneriss.com. All images are the property of Nerissa Muijs, and if you would like to repost the originals, please send me a message to ask my permission before the fact.

Most importantly though, please share pictures of your work with me, by adding them to Ravelry or to my Facebook page, or even via an email.

Enjoy!

Need help, or want to ask a question, go for it here:

6 Comments

Posted in Pattern, Patterns, Projects, Scheepjes, Scheepjeswol, Tutorials

Tagged crochet, crochet pattern, crochet v-neck, DIY, free pattern, haken, handcrafted, handmade, MissNeriss, Obsessed with Crochet, pattern, projects, ravelry, scheepjes, scheepjeswol, stone washed, tutorial, v-neck, yarn

Jasper V Pattern – XL

Posted on August 12, 2014 | 1 comment

The Jasper V! I loved all the ideas so much that everyone came up with, but one that stuck with me was the use of Jasper and V-Neck. In the end it was simple and the Jasper V has been born!

Today I’m sharing the pattern for the XL size with you. This is the first garment pattern I’ve written and stay tuned for more sizes. I just wanted to get this out to you as soon as I possibly could!

So without further ado, let’s get to it! For any questions, please send me an email using the contact form and I’ll get back to you to assist, OK? If you find mistakes, please do the same. Because it’s a free pattern, I’m the only tester so I’m relying on your help – thanks in advance!!

You can also find a printer version right here:

Printer Friendly Version of the Jasper V

This pattern assumes that you know crochet basics, like Chain, Single Crochet, Half Double Crochet and Double Crochet stitches. You will also need to know how to do the Foundation Single Crochet stitch (FSC). If you’ve never seen an FSC, you can find a great tutorial video here. Alongside the FSC, you will also need to know how to do the Mesh Stitch, which is essentially Double Crochet, chain 1, skip 1, Double Crochet into the next stitch.

To keep a beautiful clean straight edge going up the sides, I use this brilliant technique that I found; I recommend you use it too.

All measurements are in centimetres and crochet terms are US based.

Written Instructions

Abbreviations

FSC:    Foundation Single Crochet
SC:      Single Crochet
HDC:   Half Double Crochet
DC:      Double Crochet
CH:      Chain
SK:      Skip 1 stitch
MS:     Mesh Stitch

Gauge

21 stitches across x 9 rows high = 10cm²

Materials

Scheepjeswol Stone Washed (or similar 4 ply/sock) yarn – 1080 metres
5mm hook; or hook to obtain gauge. I crochet tightly, so consider this when making your gauge swatch, which you will need.
Tapestry needle to sew in ends and seams.
Stitch markers.
Measuring tape to ensure that the sizing is correct for your body.
Pins (either ordinary pins, or even stitch markers will do).

Size

This pattern is for a size XL garment. The finished circumference (bust/hip measurement) is 110cm (43 inches) around and the length from top to bottom is 68cm (27inches).

Instructions

Row 1: FSC x 105 (55cm)
Row 2: CH 3 (counts as first DC and chain), skip 1 stitch, (DC, CH1, SK1) x 50, DC in the last. Turn.
Row 3: CH3, SK1, (DC, CH1, SK1) x 50
Repeat row 3 until your work is 43 cm long (41 rows).

Begin the sleeves:
Chain 35 (18cm), tie off and cut the yarn.
Re-attach at the other side, chain 37. DC into the 3^rd CH, CH1, SK1, DC into the next. Repeat across to the last stitch of the other sleeve (179 stitches, or about 90cm end to end). Repeat this row for a total of 3 rows and then start the V-neck.

Mark the middle stitch and crochet to the 2^nd DC before the marker. This becomes the decrease. CH3 and turn (this counts as DC and SK1). DC into the next DC stitch. Crochet across to the edge of the sleeve. CH3, turn. Repeat that row, always stopping at the top of the CH 3 from the previous row, for 24 rows (23cm). Tie off and attach yarn to the other sleeve, repeating the action again.

Once the V is complete, do not tie off. Instead, MS across to the centre edge of the V. Chain 48, attach at the first stitch on the other sided of the V and MS to the far edge of the sleeve. This is now the beginning of the back of the top.

Repeat the MS rows for 26 rows in total; essentially the reverse of the front without the V. After 26 rows, tie off and re-attach the yarn 37 stitches in. CH3, SK1, (DC, CH1, SK1) x 50 for 105 stitches, turn and repeat for 41 rows (or 43cm).

Now the body of the top is complete and it is time to create the edging and sew it all together. Lie the top flat, so that the front and back edges all line up, pin the top together and whip stitch it up both sides and under the sleeves. Try it on and admire your reflection. You look awesome.

For the edging, Attach the yarn at the join on one side of the bottom of the top and HDC all the way round (210 in total). Join, CH2 and repeat. The final row will be a SC row, just to firm it up and prevent excessive stretch.

The sleeves follow much the same rule. Join at the seam and HDC around. HDC in the side of each stitch, and also in each space between rows. Repeat the HDC row, then complete a SC row to finish it off. Do the same for the other sleeve.

With the edging, be sure that you keep your tension to be consistent with the shape of the top. If the edging is too loose, crochet a little tighter or considering going down a hook size. Same for if it is too tight. Blocking will help, but can only do so much if the edging is too tight.

The final piece is the V. there should be 2 DC posts each side of your centre stitch marker. Attach your yarn to the top of the DC furthest from the centre (this will replicate a CH1 and bring the two edges together) and SC into the first stitch of the V. SC all the way up the side, crocheting into each stitch and into each gap, ensuring you stitch into the stitches, not around them. The final stitch should be a Slip Stitch into the top of the DC stitch on the body of the top. Turn, SC into each stitch around, with the final stitch being a Slip Stitch into the next DC space on the body of the top. Turn and repeat for a total of 5 rows. Tie off and whip stitch the V together for two or three stitches, to keep the rows at the bottom of the V straight while wearing the top.

Tie off, sew in all the ends as securely as possible, soak in Eucalan for a couple of hours then block until dry. Because it is two layers, allow for a long drying time.

Don’t forget to parade around in front of your friends in your new top, you look amazing!

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A peek at what's on the blog tomorrow, don't forget to stop by and check it out! #BigReveal #crochet

A post shared by Nerissa | Crochet | Haken 🇦🇺🇳🇱 (@miss__neriss) on Aug 4, 2014 at 11:42am PDT