Zeens and Roger

Mixtape Medley Crochet Blanket Pattern – US terms!

January 16, 2022July 18, 2023crochet4 Comments

Mixtape Medley Crochet Blanket. A great crochet pattern to learn new stitches. — Mixtape Medley Crochet Blanket

The Mixtape Medley Crochet Along has been such an exciting CAL and I cannot tell you how thrilling it is that so many of you have taken part in making this crazy crochet blanket pattern. There have been some brilliant brilliant brilliant versions made and it is such a lovely thing to see. Check out the Instagram hashtag #MixtapeMedleyCAL to see a variety of colour combinations that will make you swoon.

It’s about time I shared the pattern here on the blog (keep scrolling – it’s below!). I thought it would be a good idea to publish my biggest crochet project to date, right here, using US crochet terminology.

As well as scrolling down in this post, to full pattern with the US terms, you can find the UK pattern broken down in its CAL parts on the Hobbycraft website HERE. There are links to the video tutorials there too (I use UK terms in the videos).

If you’d like a glimpse into how I designed Mixtape Medley, I talk about it HERE in a Youtube video about designing crochet and getting your work published.

Yarn and Other Things you Need to Know

You need any DK (or similar) yarn. That’s in the number 3 category. I used Knitcraft Everyday DK 50 gram balls (100% Acrylic, 137m/150yds) in the following colours:

Purple (YA) x 3 balls, Mint (YB) x 4, Hot Pink (YC) x 2
Beige (YD) x 5, Orange (YE) x 2, Teal (YF) x 2
Light Blue (YG) x 4, Brown (YH) x 2, Peach (YI) x 3
Barbie Pink (YJ) x 2, Red (YK) x 2, Blue (YL) x 2

I used a 3.75mm hook as my tension is quite loose. A 4mm (G/6) works great too.

Blanket Measurements

This blanket measures 125cm x 195cm / 49 x 77 inches

Stitch Tension/ Crochet Gauge

Whilst tension isn’t a major issue it does have an affect on the amount of yarn used. The shade Peach for example, uses nearly every scrap of yarn of the three 50g balls listed. You would run out if your tension is looser.

If you’ve got the energy, make this small swatch to check you gauge.
Row 1: Using a Foundation Start (see Special Stitches), work 25fdc sts, turn – 25 sts
Row 2: 1ch, hdc to end, turn.
Rows 3 – 17: Rep Row 2.
10cm should equal 14 rows /19 sts

Notes for Mixtape Medley

Changing colour: change yarn on the last pull through of the st before the new colour is needed.
For colour block/plaid rows, carry non working yarn along the row, working over the yarn as you go. Remember to regularly untwist your yarn to prevent tangles!
C2C rows can sometimes pull in slightly. You can adjust the tension by going up a hook for these sections. Although, I didn’t bother.
It’s a lovely big blanket and is a generous single bed size.
To adjust the size of your blanket, use multiples of 36. This blanket uses 6 multiples of 36 (plus 1) to get to 217 stitches. Add or subtract 36 stitches to make adjustments to the size.
The Hobbycraft video tutorials use UK terms but provide a really good visual so they’re still valid and helpful.
At the bottom of this page you’ll find a printable PDF to download for free!! ….
If you have enjoyed all the Mixtape Medley delights thus far and appreciate the work that has gone into the project, then I would totally do that happy dance if you bought me a Ko-fi!

Crochet Abbreviations

ch = chain, ch-sp = chain space, dc = double crochet, folls = follows/following,
fdc = foundation double crochet, hk = hook, hdc = half double crochet,
lp/s = loop(s), rem = remain/ing, rep = repeat, sc = single crochet
sl st = slip stitch, st/s = stitches, tr = treble crochet, yrh = yarn around hook,
YA/YB etc = yarn A/yarn B etc, JAYG = join as you go,
C2C = corner to corner crochet, RS/WS = right side/wrong side

Special Crochet Stitches

Foundation Start (fdc): ch4 (counts as a st), yrh, insert hook in 4th ch from hook, yrh, draw through, yrh, draw through 1 lp (to create 1 ch into which the next st will be worked), yrh, draw through 2 lps, yrh, draw through 2 lps. Work next fdc (foundation double) into the 1ch created and the lp behind it.

Bobble stitch: (made on the wrong side of blanket):
[yrh, insert hook into st, yrh, pull through, yrh, pull through 2 lps] five times in same st, yrh, pull through all 6 lps.

Puff stitch: [yrh, insert hook into st, yrh and pull up yarn] three times in same st, yrh, draw through all 7 lps on hook.

hdc join: (joining a round with a hdc means you finish in the very centre of a corner):
yrh, insert hook into 1st st of round, yrh, pull through, yrh, pull through all 3 lps.

Mixtape Medley is a Hobbycraft collaboration for a 2021 Crochet Along

Mixtape Medley Blanket Pattern

Week 1

Row 1 (ws): With YA and 4mm hook, 217 fdc, turn – 217 sts.
Alternatively work 219ch and work 1 dc in 4th ch from hk and 1dc in each ch to end.
Row 2: 1ch (does not count as a st here and throughout), dc to end, turn. Change to YB.

BLOCKS

Row 3: 1ch, 9hdc in YB, *9hdc in YC, 9hdc in YB; rep from * to last 10 sts, hdc in YC to end, turn.
Row 4: 1ch, 10hdc in YC, 9 hdc in YB, *9hdc in YC, 9hdc in YB; rep from * to end, turn.
Row 5: rep Row 3.
Row 6: rep Row 4.
Row 7: rep Row 3.
Row 8: rep Row 4 changing to YC on last st, turn.
Row 9 -14: continue in pattern, repeat the last 6 rows but switch colours around to begin with YC followed by YB.

BOBBLE ROWS

Rows 15 & 16: with YD, 1ch, hdc to end, turn.
Row 17 (ws): with YE, 1ch, 4sc, 1bobble, *8sc, 1 bobble; rep from * to last 5 sts, 5sc, turn.
Rows 18 & 19: with YD 1ch, hdc to end, turn.

Week 2

JAYG C2C

This C2C section represents the next 6 rows of the blanket: Rows 20-25.
Working on the diagonal, each row is anchored with a slip stitch to the main body of the blanket.
You may wish to use a 4.5mm hook for this section.
Increases
Row 1 (rs): with YF, 6ch, 1dc in 4th ch from hk, 1dc in each of rem 2 ch (1 block made), miss 2 sts of main blanket, 1sl st, 3ch, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, turn – 1 block
Row 2: 3ch, 3dc in 3ch-sp, 1sl st in ch-sp of first block, 3ch, 3dc in same sp, turn – 2 blocks.
Row 3: 6ch, 1dc in 4th ch from hk, 1dc in each of next 2 ch, *1sl st in 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc in same ch-sp; rep from * once, miss 2 sts, 1sl st in next st, 3ch, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, turn – 3 blocks
Row 4: 3ch, 3dc in ch-sp, *1sl st in next 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc; rep from * to end, turn – 4 blocks.
Row 5: with YG, 6ch, 1dc in 4th ch from hk, 1dc in each of next 2 ch, *1sl st in 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc in same ch-sp; rep from * to end, miss 2sts, 1sl st, in next st, 3ch, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, turn – 5 blocks.
Row 6: rep row 4 – 6 blocks.

Work even as folls:
Row 7: 3 sl sts across dc sts and into 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc in 3ch-sp, *1sl st into next 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc in same 3ch-sp; rep from * to end, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, in next st, 3ch, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, turn – 6 blocks.
Row 8: *3ch, 3dc in ch-sp, 1sl st in next 3ch-sp; rep from * to end, turn – 6 blocks.
Row 9: Rep Row 7, changing to YF on fourth sl st into first ch-sp.
Rows 10 – 71: rep Rows 8 & 9 to last st, alternating between YF & YG every four rows.
Row 72: Rep row 8.

Decreases
Row 73: 3sl st across dc sts and into 3ch-sp, *3ch, 3dc in 3ch-sp, 1sl st into next 3ch-sp; rep from * to end, turn – 5 blocks.
Rows 74 – 77: rep row 73.
Fasten off and sew in C2C ends (and all other ends so far)!

Row 26: with RS facing, attach YG in corner, work 217sc across main blanket: 1sc in top of the 3 vertical dc sts and 3sc around the bar of horizontal sts, plus an additional 1sc st at the beginning.

HOUNDSTOOTH

Row 27: with YH 1ch, hdc to end, turn.
Row 28: 1ch, 1dc, *1sc, 1dc; rep from * to end, turn.
Row 29: with YI, 1ch, 1sc, *1dc, 1sc; rep from * to end, turn.
Row 30 – 33: Rep Rows 28 & 29 alternating colours.
Row 34: with YH rep Row 28 once more.
Row 35: rep Row 27.

BOBBLES x 3

Rows 36- 38: with YB 1ch, hdc to end, turn.
Row 39 (ws): with YJ, 1ch, 4sc, 1bobble, *8sc, 1 bobble; rep from * to last 5 sts, 5sc, turn.
Rows 40 – 42: rep row 36.
Row 43: with YE, 1ch, *8sc, 1 bobble; rep from * to last 10 sts, 10sc, turn.
Rows 44 – 46: rep row 36.
Row 47: with YK, rep row 39.
Row 48 – 50: rep row 36.

Week 3

PLAID

Row 51: with YL 1ch, 4hdc, *change to YG, 4hdc, change to YL, 4hdc; rep from * to last 5 sts, 5hdc in YG, turn.
Row 52: 1ch, 5hdc, change to YL, 4hdc, *change to YG, 4hdc, change to YL, 4hdc; rep from to end, turn.
Row 53: rep row 51.
Row 54: With YL 1ch, 5hdc, change to YD, 4hdc, *change to YL, 4hdc, change to YD, 4hdc; rep from to end, turn.
Row 55: 1ch, 4hdc, *change to YL, 4hdc, change to YD, 4hdc; rep from * to last 5 sts, 5hdc in YL, turn.
Row 56: rep Row 54.
Rows 57 – 59: rep rows 51- 53.
Rows 60 – 62: rep rows 54 – 56.
Rows 63 – 65: rep rows 51 – 53.

CLOSED SHELLS

Row 66: with YJ, 1ch, dc to end, turn.
Row 67: with YH, 1ch, 3dc in first st, miss 2 sts, 1sc, miss 2 sts, *5dc in next st, miss 2 sts, 1sc, miss 2 sts; rep from * to last st, 3dc in last st, turn.
Row 68: with YE,1ch, 1sc in first st, *miss 2 sts, 5dc in sc, miss 2 sts, 1sc in next st; rep from * to end, turn.
Row 69: with YK rep row 67.
Row 70: with YA rep row 68.
Row 71: with YB rep row 67.
Row 72: with YJ, 1ch, dc to end, turn.

Week 4

PUFF WAVES

Row 73: with YF, 1ch, hdc to end, turn. Row 74: 1ch, 3sc, 3hdc, 2dc, 3tr, 2dc, 3hdc, *5sc, 3hdc, 2dc, 3tr, 2dc, 3hdc; rep from * to last 3 sts, 3sc, turn.
Rows 75 & 76: with YI, 1ch, sc to end, turn.
Row 77: 1ch, 4dc, 3hdc, 5sc, 3hdc, *2dc, 3tr, 2dc, 3hdc, 5sc, 3hdc; rep from * to last 4 sts, 4dc, turn.
Row 78: 1ch, 4dc, 3hdc, 5sc, 3hdc, *miss 3 sts, 1ch, (1puff, 1ch) three times in next tr, miss 3 sts, 3hdc, 5sc, 3hdc; rep from * to last 4 sts, 4dc, turn.
Row 79: 1ch, 1sc in each st and 1ch-sp to end, turn.
Row 80: 1ch, sc to end, turn.
Row 81: 1ch, 3sc, 3hdc, 2dc, 3tr, 2dc, 3hdc, *5sc, 3hdc, 2dc, 3tr, 2dc, 3hdc; rep from * to last 3 sts, 3sc, turn.
Row 82: 1ch, 3sc, 3hdc, miss 3 sts, 1ch, (1puff, 1ch) three times in next st, miss 3 sts, 3hdc, *5sc, 3hdc, miss 3 sts, 1ch, (1puff, 1ch) three times in next st, miss 3 sts, 3hdc; rep from * to last 3 sts, 3sc, turn.
Row 83: rep row 79.
Row 84: rep row 80.
Row 85: rep row 77.
Row 86: rep row 78.
Row 87: rep row 79.
Row 88: rep row 80.
Row 89: With YF, rep row 81.
Row 90: 1ch, hdc to end, turn.

GRANNY BLOCKS

Row 91: with YD, 1ch, sc to end, turn.
Row 92: 1ch, 4dc, *miss 1 st, 1ch, 3dc; rep from * to last st, 1dc in last st, turn.
Row 93: With YK, 1ch, 1sc, 3ch, miss 3 dc, *1sc in ch-sp, 3ch, miss 3 dc; rep from * to last st, 1sc, turn.
Row 94: with YD, 1ch, 1dc in first st, 3dc in ch-sp, *1ch, miss sc, 3dc in ch-sp; rep from * to last st, 1dc in last st, turn.
Row 95: with YC, rep row 93.
Row 96: with YD, rep row 94.
Row 97: with YL, rep row 93.
Row 98: with YD, rep row 94.
Row 99: 1ch, 1sc in each st and ch-sp to end, turn.

Week 5

BLOCKS

Row 100: with YB, 1ch, dc to end, turn.
Row 101: 1ch, 9hdc in YA, *9hdc in YG, 9hdc in YA; rep from * to last 10 sts, hdc in YG to end, turn.
Row 102: 1ch, 10hdc in YG, 9hdc in YA, *9hdc in YG, 9hdc in YA; rep from * to end, turn.
Row 103: rep Row 101.
Row 104: rep Row 102.
Row 105: rep Row 101.
Row 106: rep Row 102 changing to YG on last st, turn.
Rows 107 – 112: continue in pattern by repeating the last 6 rows but switch colours around to begin with YG followed by YA

BOBBLE

Rows 113 & 114: with YD, 1ch, hdc to end, turn
Row 115 (ws): with YH, 1ch, 4sc, 1bobble, *8sc, 1 bobble; rep from * to last 5 sts, 5sc, turn.
Rows 116 & 117: with YD 1ch, hdc to end, turn.

JAYG C2C

This C2C section represents the next 6 rows of the blanket: Rows 118-123.
Increases
Row 1: with YK, 6ch, 1dc in 4th ch from hk, 1dc in each of next 2 ch (1 block made), miss 2 sts of main blanket, 1sl st, 3ch, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, turn – 1 block.
Row 2: 3ch, 3dc in 3ch-sp, 1sl st in ch-sp of first block, 3ch, 3dc in same sp, turn – 2 blocks.
Row 3: 6ch, 1dc in 4th ch from hk, 1dc in each of next 2 ch, *1sl st in 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc in same ch-sp; rep from * once, miss 2 sts, 1sl st in next st, 3ch, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, turn – 3 blocks
Row 4: 3ch, 3dc in ch-sp, *1sl st in next 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc; rep from * to end, turn – 4 blocks.
Row 5: with YJ, 6ch, 1dc in 4th ch from hk, 1dc in each of next 2 ch, *1sl st in 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc in same ch-sp; rep from * to end, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, in next st, 3ch, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, turn. – 5 blocks.
Row 6: rep row 4 – 6 blocks.

Work even as folls:
Row 7: 3sl sts across dc sts and into 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc in 3ch-sp, *1sl st into next 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc in same 3ch-sp; rep from * to end, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, in next st, 3ch, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, turn – 6 blocks.
Row 8: *3ch, 3dc in ch-sp, 1sl st in next 3ch-sp; rep from * to end, turn – 6 blocks.
Row 9: rep Row 7, changing to YK on fourth sl st into first ch-sp.
Row 10 – 71: rep Rows 8 & 9 to last st, alternating between YJ & YK every four rows.
Row 72: rep row 8.

Decreases
Row 73: 3sl sts across dc sts and into 3ch-sp, *3ch, 3dc in 3ch-sp, 1sl st into next 3ch-sp; rep from * to end, turn. – 5 blocks.
Rows 74 – 77: rep row 73.
Sl st to corner, fasten off and sew in ends!
Row 124: With RS facing, attach YJ in corner, 217sc across main blanket: 1sc in top of the 3 vertical dc sts and 3sc around the bar of horizontal sts, plus an additional 1sc st at the beginning.

Week 6

HOUNDSTOOTH

Row 125: with YE 1ch, hdc to end, turn.
Row 126: 1ch, 1dc, *1sc, 1dc; rep from * to end, turn.
Row 127: with YB 1ch, 1sc, *1dc, 1sc; rep from * to end, turn.
Rows 128 – 131: Rep Rows 126 & 127 alternating colours.
Row 132: with YE rep Row 126.
Row 133: rep Row 125.

BOBBLES x 3

Rows 134 – 136: with YI, 1ch, hdc to end, turn.
Row 137 (ws): with YF, 1ch, 4sc, 1bobble, *8sc, 1 bobble; rep from * to last 5 sts, 5sc, turn.
Rows 138 – 140: rep Row 134.
Row 141: with YL, 1ch, *8sc, 1 bobble; rep from * to last 10 sts, 10sc, turn.
Rows 142 – 144: rep Row 134.
Row 145: with YG, rep row 137.
Row 146 – 148: rep Row 134.

PLAID

Row 149: with YK 1ch, 4hdc, *change to YC, 4hdc, change to YK, 4hdc; rep from * to last 5 sts, 5hdc in YC, turn.
Row 150: 1ch, 5hdc, change to YK, 4hdc, *change to YC, 4hdc, change to YK, 4hdc; rep from to end, turn.
Row 151: rep row 149.
Row 152: with YK 1ch, 5hdc, change to YD, 4hdc, *change to YK, 4hdc, change to YD, 4hdc; rep from to end, turn.
Row 153: with YD 1ch, 4hdc, *change to YK, 4hdc, change to YD, 4hdc; rep from * to last 5 sts, 5hdc in YK, turn.
Row 154: rep Row 152.
Rows 155 – 157: rep rows 149 – 151.
Rows 158 – 160: rep rows 152 – 154.
Rows 161 – 163: rep rows 149 – 151.

Week 7

CLOSED SHELLS

Row 164: with YH, 1ch, dc to end, turn.
Row 165: with YB, 1ch, 3dc in first st, miss 2 sts, 1sc, miss 2 sts, *5dc in next st, miss 2 sts, 1sc, miss 2 sts; rep from * to last st, 3dc in last st, turn.
Row 166: with YL, 1ch, 1sc in first st, *miss 2 sts, 5dc in sc, miss 2 sts, 1sc in next st; rep from * to end, turn.
Row 167: with YG rep row 165.
Row 168: with YE rep row 166.
Row 169: with YI rep 165.
Row 170: with YH, 1ch, dc to end, turn.

PUFF WAVES

Row 171: with YA, 1ch, hdc to end, turn.
Row 172: 1ch, 3sc, 3hdc, 2dc, 3ddc, 2dc, 3hdc, *5sc, 3hdc, 2dc, 3ddc, 2dc, 3hdc; rep from * to last 3 sts, 3sc, turn.
Rows 173 & 174: with YG, 1ch, sc to end, turn.
Row 175: 1ch, 4dc, 3hdc, 5sc, 3hdc, *2dc, 3ddc, 2dc, 3hdc, 5sc, 3hdc; rep from * to last 4 sts, 4dc, turn.
Row 176: 1ch, 4dc, 3hdc, 5sc, 3hdc, *miss 3 sts, 1ch, (1puff, 1ch) three times in next st, miss 3 sts, 3hdc, 5sc, 3hdc; rep from * to last 4 sts, 4dc, turn.
Row 177: 1ch, sc in each st and 1ch-sp to end, turn.
Row 178: 1ch, sc to end, turn.
Row 179: 1ch, 3sc, 3hdc, 2dc, 3ddc, 2dc, 3hdc, *5sc, 3hdc, 2dc, 3ddc, 2dc, 3hdc; rep from * to last 3 sts, 3sc, turn.
Row 180: 1ch, 3sc, 3hdc, miss 3 sts, 1ch, (1puff, 1ch) three times in next st, miss 3 sts, 3hdc, *5sc, 3hdc, miss 3 sts, 1ch, (1puff, 1ch) three times in next st, miss 3 sts, 3hdc; rep from * to last 3 sts, 3sc, turn.
Row 181: rep row 177.
Row 182: rep row 178.
Row 183: rep row 175.
Row 184: rep row 176.
Row 185: rep row 177.
Row 186: rep row 178.
Row 187: With YA, rep row 179.
Row 188: 1ch, hdc to end, turn.

GRANNY BLOCKS

Row 189: with YD, 1ch, sc to end, turn.
Row 190: 1ch, 4dc, *miss 1st, 1ch, 3dc; rep from * to last st, 1dc in last st, turn.
Row 191: With YF, 1ch, 1sc, 3ch, miss 3dc, *1sc in ch-sp, 3ch, miss 3dc; rep from * to last st, 1sc, turn.
Row 192: with YD, 1ch, 1dc in first st, 3dc in ch-sp, *1ch, miss sc, 3dc in ch-sp; rep from * to last st, 1dc in last st, turn.
Row 193: with YJ, rep row 191.
Row 194: with YD, rep row 192.
Row 195: with YK, rep row 191.
Row 196: with YD, rep row 192.
Row 197: 1ch, 1sc in each st and ch-sp to end, turn.

Week 8

JAYG C2C

This C2C section represents the next 6 rows of the blanket: Rows 198- 203.
Increases
Row 1: with YH, 6ch, 1dc in 4th ch from hk, 1dc in each of next 2 ch (1 block made), miss 2 sts, of main blanket, 1sl st, 3ch, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, turn – 1 block
Row 2: 3ch, 3dc in 3ch sp, 1sl st in ch-sp of first block, 3ch, 3dc in the same sp, turn – 2 blocks.
Row 3: 6ch, 1dc in 4th ch from hk, 1dc in each of next 2 ch, *1sl st in 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc in same ch-sp; rep from * once, miss 2sts, 1sl st in next st, 3ch, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, turn – 3 blocks
Row 4: 3ch, 3dc in ch-sp, *1sl st in next 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc; rep from * to end, turn – 4 blocks.
Row 5: with YB, 6ch, 1dc in 4th ch from hk, 1dc in each of next 2 ch, *1sl st in 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc in same ch-sp; rep from * to end, miss 2sts, 1sl st, in next st, 3ch, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, turn – 5 blocks.
Row 6: rep row 4 – 6 blocks.

Work even as folls:
Row 7: 3sl sts across dc sts and into 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc in 3ch-sp, *1sl st into next 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3dc in same 3ch-sp; rep from * to end, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, in next st, 3ch, miss 2 sts, 1sl st, turn – 6 blocks.
Row 8: *3ch, 3dc in ch-sp, 1sl st in next 3ch-sp; rep from * to end, turn – 6 blocks.
Row 9: rep Row 7, changing to YH on fourth sl st into first ch-sp.
Row 10 – 71: rep Rows 8 & 9 to last st, alternating between YB & YH every four rows.
Row 72: rep row 8.

Decreases
Row 73: 3sl sts across dc sts and into 3ch-sp, *3ch, 3dc in 3ch-sp, 1sl st into next 3ch-sp; rep from * to end, turn – 5 blocks.
Rows 74 – 77: rep row 73.
Sl st to corner, fasten off and sew in ends now.
Row 204: With RS facing, attach YB in corner, 217sc across main blanket: sc in top of 3 vertical dc sts and 3sc around the bar of horizontal sts, plus additional 1sc st at beginning.

BOBBLE ROWS

Rows 205 & 206: with YD, 1ch, hdc to end, turn.
Row 207 (ws): with YF, 1ch, 4sc, 1bobble, *8sc, 1 bobble; rep from * to last 5 sts, 5sc, turn.
Rows 208 & 209: with YD 1ch, hdc to end, turn.

BLOCKS

Row 210: 1ch, 9hdc in YE, *9hdc in YJ, 9hdc in YE; rep from * to last 10 sts, hdc in YJ to end, turn.
Row 211: 1ch, 10hdc in YJ, 9hdc in YE, *9hdc in YJ, 9hdc in YE; rep from * to end, turn.
Row 212: rep 210
Row 213: rep 211
Row 214: rep 210
Row 215: rep 211 changing to yarn J on last st, turn.
Rows 216 -221: continue in pattern, repeat the last 6 rows but switch colours around to begin with YJ followed by YE
Rows 222 & 223: with YA, 1ch, dc to end, turn.

THE MIXTAPE MEDLEY BORDER

Continue around the rest of the blanket and join with a sl st to the first st, do not turn.
If you are just a few stitches out on the sides, don’t worry, it won’t have an effect on the overall look.

Rnd 1: With YD, 1ch, sc to end – 217 sts, work along the side of the blanket as folls: 1sc in first dc, 2sc in 2nd dc (& further dc sts), work 3sc for every two rows in hdc, 1sc in each sc row. For C2C sections, work 3dc across vertical dc sts and 2sc in horizontal posts. – 334 sts.

Rnd 2: 1ch, 2dc in first st, dc to next corner st, *(2dc, 1ch, 2dc) in corner st, dc to next corner; rep from * twice more, 2dc, join by working 1hdc into the first st, do not turn.

Rnd 3: 1ch, 2dc in corner sp, dc to next corner, *5dc in corner sp, dc to end; rep from * three more times, 3dc in first corner sp, join with sl st to first st .

Fasten off and sew in the many many ends!

Mixtape Medley Blanket — Mixtape Medley lounging at home.

Wahoo, you are done! How does it feel? Honestly, I was so pleased when this one came off the hook. It was many months of planning and swatching. What a relief and a joy to see it finished.

You’re probably down at the botom of this page to find a totally free PDF that you can download and print. Well, you can find that just below. It’s one document with the pattern fully laid out week by week (obvs you can ignore the weeks and work it up as quickly as you like but they’re useful markers).

You are also most welcome to pop HERE to my Ko fi account. That’s if you fancied buying me a lil treat! Or check out my other patterns on the Free Pattern Page here on my blog, as well as Ravelry, Etsy and Lovecrafts.

Cheers! xxx

The downloadable PDF is here:

US TERMS Mixtape Medley Blanket Final Pattern Download

Easy C2C Crochet Cowl. Free Pattern

January 8, 2022January 8, 2022crochet1 Comment

Corner to Corner Cowl

This c2c crochet cowl pattern featured in a Mindful Makes supplement from Mollie Makes magazine a few years ago. I had forgotten about it entirely. The other day, however, I was chatting with a couple of fellow designer friends and both of them said they intended on revisiting past patterns this year. It’s a really good New Year intention and I fancy jumping on that bandwagon! (Most designers have a backlog of projects they sit on that aren’t quite ready for whatever reason).

With the feeling of the January doldrums rolling in, I have found the perfect pattern to revisit. It’s a gentle introduction to the crochet c2c stitch, which is ideal for a beginner crocheter, or it’s also a really nice pattern if you’re just looking for something easy and calming to work on for a few hours.

Please pop down to the bottom of the post for a quick C2C guide.

What you need to Crochet a Cowl

I used a variegated, colour changing yarn: King Cole Cotswold Chunky (80% acrylic/20% wool, 100g/130m per ball). You will need four balls in Broadway (2381), which should leave some leftovers, I used the leftover to make pom poms. I wish I had a photo of them against the cowl to show how lovely they looked!

A 5.5 mm (US I/9) crochet hook. If you find your fabric is a bit stiff try a 6mm.

Don’t forget a darning needle to sew in any ends and sew the ends of the cowl together.

Additional Info

Finished size: 43 x 40 cm (17 x 16 inches).

Abbreviations (UK terms – see notes below on swapping to US terminology):
beg beginning, ch chain, ch-sp chain space, dc double crochet (US SC), prev previous, rep repeat, ss slip stitch, st(s) stitch(es), tr treble (US DC), yrh yarn round hook.

Tension
Tension is not particularly important for this project. If after a few rows, the fabric works up a bit stiff, try going up a hook size to create looser stitches.

Special Stitches: The Crab stitch
This is used to snaz up the edging a bit. Essentially it’s a double crochet stitch worked in reverse. Crocheting from left to right can feel slightly skewy at first but once you have a consistent rhythm it’s actually quite good fun to do. And it’s quick!
Here’s how to do it: Insert hook in the st to the right, yrh and pull through st, yrh and pull through both loops.

Notes

Make your cowl by crocheting a long rectangle and sewing ends together.
Once the main piece is complete, the crab stitch is added to both lengths before pinning out and steam blocking the fabric. (I like blocking as I think it improves most crochet but you can probably get away without doing it here).
1 block = 3ch and 3tr.
C2C is incredibly versatile and keeping the stitch plain showcases its beautiful texture. But there’s nothing stopping you from adding stripes of different colours, or how about adding a fancier border to give it a whole new personality?!
You can make it as long or as deep as you like by adding more rows before reaching the second corner. In addition, chuck in more rows before starting to decrease to the final corner.
The pattern is written in UK terms but, I promise, c2c is the easiest of stitch patterns to swap to US terms. Just remember that the main pattern is US double crochet stitches and not trebles. When you work row 1 of the edging, that’s a foundation of SC stitches you’re working, not dc.

C2C Crochet Cowl Pattern

Row 1: Ch6, 1tr in 4th ch from hook, 1tr in next 2 sts, turn. [1 block]

Row 2: Ch6, 1tr in 4th ch from hook, 1tr in next 2 sts, ss into the 3ch-sp of prev row, ch3, 3tr into same 3ch-sp, turn. [2 blocks]

Row 3: Ch6, 1tr into 4th ch from hook, 1tr in next 2 sts, *ss into next 3ch-sp of prev row, ch3, 3tr in same 3ch-sp; rep from * to end, turn. [3 blocks etc]

Row 4 -18: Rep Row 3. [18 blocks at Row 18]

Row 19: Ss along the first 3 sts and into the first 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3tr in 3ch-sp, continue making blocks in each 3ch-sp to the end, turn. [18]

Row 20: Repeat Row 3, ending with 1ss in the last 3ch-sp (ie. do not make the last block), turn. [17 blocks & dec by 1 block each row]

Rep Rows 19 & 20 six more times

Row 33: Ss along the first 3 sts and into the first 3ch-sp, 3ch, 3tr in 3ch-sp, continue making blocks ending with 1ss into the last 3ch-sp, turn. [17 blocks].

Row 34 – 49: Rep Row 33 (decreasing by 1 block per row).

Ss into each of the last 3 sts and into the corner.

Edging
Work along the length of the piece.
Row 1 (a foundation row to work the crab stitch into): Ch1 (does not count as a st), 2dc in horizontal bars of each tr, 1dc in each of the 3 vertical tr, do not turn. [80]

Row 2: Ch1(does not count as a st), crab stitch along to end.

Fasten off and reattach yarn to the other side. Rep Rows 1 & 2. Fasten off.

Blocking and Finishing

For extra drape it’s good to block your work. Pin the crochet onto foam blocking boards, (I used to lay a towel down on the carpet to pin on that but please don’t do this because you might ruin your carpet or poshest towels). Then, using an iron or steamer, carefully steam block ensuring not to melt any acrylic fibres. Hold an iron too close to acrylic and you’ll have ruined all your hard work. Once it’s dry, fold it in half with the right sides facing. Then, using a mattress stitch or whip stitch, sew the short ends together. Turn right side out.

Voila! You now have a finished corner to corner crochet cowl to snuggle into! Wahey!

If you enjoyed this free crochet pattern, please feel free to check out some of my other free patterns HERE.

How to Crochet the C2C Stitch: A Guide

This is just a quick glance at the Corner to Corner stitch. I hope you can see that the C2C stitch is just about building blocks. As the name suggests, start in one corner, make loads of lovely blocks and then decrease to finish at the opposite corner.

Although it might look tricky, it is actually one of the easiest and quickest crochet stitches to work up. The down side though is that it is the very first few stitches that can discombobulate. I know cos I remember learning!

Basically, each block is made up of three chains and 3 UK tr (US dc) stitches. When building blocks row by row, the first block of the row is in an increase and worked into a chain of 6. Each subsequent block is then anchored to the work by slip stitching into a 3ch-sp of the previous row.

Once you have the width you need, you can either decrease from this point to create a square, or carry on working rows without adding a new block every row. Continue the increases but balance them out by ending one block early on the other end of the row (a decrease). This keeps the block count to the same number of blocks per row for as many rows as you need.

Decrease to the other corner by chaining 3 at the beginning rather than 6. Finish with the row with a decrease too, and make 3 slip stitches across and slip st into the neighbouring block’s 3 ch-sp to get to the start of a new row.

Clear as mud?!

If time allows I would love to record a tutorial for this one day. A super simple beginner’s vid. But in the meantime, I do have a video tutorial for a different c2c cowl (the Apres Ski hat & cowl set) I made a few years ago. It has colour work and I assume you know the basics when talking through how to make it.

8 Top Tips for Working with Mohair Yarn.

January 4, 2022January 5, 2022crochet11 Comments

Mohair Yarn is the Fluffiest!

Over the last couple of years the popularity of mohair yarn has grown monumentally. Creating the very best of halos, it is the ultimate in warm and fluffy yarn.

Yarny projects can be expensive due the mix of fibres used (mohair is angora goat, with a blend of silk), costs can go stratospheric when holding the yarn double. Therefore, spending money on, and using, mohair can take quite the leap of faith, especially when it’s not always the easiest to work with (hello frogging!). But it’s brilliant and totally worth the risk. Soft, warm and fluffy, the comfort levels are to the extreme!

My fave, holding mohair with a non fluffy yarn.

Alternative Yarns to Mohair

Mohair isn’t compatible with everyone. Affordability aside, it can cause allergies and itching, which is no fun at all. Fluffy yarn is fluffy yarn and the tips below apply to yarns that are others fibres too. Over the last few months I’ve tried a few alternatives and you definitely can get the floof without using mohair. Alpaca is great and easily available. The yarns similar to mohair are often brushed alpaca. You can also get brushed acrylic too but I’ve not tried that yet. The options are quite plentiful. Would a blog post about the ones I’ve used be helpful?

Anyway, if you have decided on a fluffy crochet or knitting project then check out these useful tips…

Fluffy Yarn Top Tips

Frogging Yarn

Let’s start with a painful one because if you make a mistake in your project then frogging (undoing all your beautiful stitches) is a frustrating and sometimes impossible process. If you find that you have to rip back your work, do it slowly. Really really slowly. Never rip/yank/tug. Doing so will tighten the grip of all those flyaway fibres and you will end up with a horrible knot. Or it will break because you’ve pulled too hard. Instead, slowly coax each stitch apart at a snail’s pace. It seems ridiculous but it’s worth being super patient over.

Lace-weight on its own is hardest to undo. Chunky yarn is a bit easier. When held double with a non-fluff yarn, it’s almost tolerable! It’s best done “fresh,” the longer you leave it, the more likely it is that the fibres will felt together.

I’ve heard that putting it in a freezer before frogging helps but I haven’t tried it.

Choose Simple Patterns

This tip helps to avoid any fractious frogging. Complicated stitches are easy to mess up and difficult to undo. The main star of the show when using fluff is the fluff itself, therefore a simple garment or shawl shows off the yarn without any distractions.

Go Up a Hook/Needle Size

With all that crazy halo, stitches can be hard to see. So, for example, try a 5.5mm instead of a 5mm. A larger hook/needle is often required for mohair patterns anyway but do play around to see what you prefer. I found it also creates a nice lacy look too. Plus the flyaway fibres sort of fill in gaps.

Hold the Yarn Double

After trying a few different ways of using mohair and brushed alpaca, I have discovered that this is my favourite way of using it. A gossamer lace-weight held with a merino 4ply or DK produces a beautifully soft fabric that feels super luxurious.

I used this method in the Wheatfields shawl and I love it!

a crochet shawl made with mohair yarn and 4ply merino — The **Wheatfields shawl** is Austermann lace-weight mohair held with a hand-dyed 4ply merino from **Flyy Dyed Yarns**.

Use Stitch Markers

If I can get away with not using stitch markers then I will. I am lazy, life is too way short for undoing, moving, and rejoining a stitch marker. Or worse, multiple stitch markers! However, they are really useful for when stitches are hard to see. Use the stitch markers!

Try Budget Yarn First

If cost is an issue, try a cheaper yarn to experiment with (and a smaller project ). If you like it and you’re happy, move on to bigger goals. The Drops brand have both mohair and alpaca yarns that are budget friendly. I recently made hair scrunchies with a yarn from Flying Tiger that was perfect for a cute hair accessory. It was about £2.25 for a ball of 25 grams (the standard sized ball for mohair yarns). I used a scrunchie pattern from Lottie & Albert’s new crochet book.

crochet hair scrunchies made with different types of mohair yarn — Trying different types of fluffy yarn. Going clockwise from the top: Mustard (“curry”) is Drops mohair, the green is chunky kid silk from MYPZ, lilac and peach both Flying Tiger, the Coral is brushed alpaca silk, the teal (“verdigris”) is Rowan Alpaca classic

Buy an Extra Ball of Yarn

If budget allows, it might be useful to buy an extra ball for swatching. When designing, I will buy an extra ball so I have the freedom to work up a few swatches without the fear of using up yarn that will go into the final sample. I can play around with hook sizes and stitch patterns to see what works and what doesn’t before getting stuck into the actual sweater or shawl.

Or, buy one ball first, swatch it and see if you actually want to use it before buying a sweater quantity! It might save a few quid if you learn that it’s a bit too scratchy against your skin.

Try Simpler Stitches

This one is for those of you who might want to design with mohair and is personal preference rather than a hard and fast rule. With a larger hook size than normal the stitches work up looser and drapier. A loose single crochet stitch or perhaps an extended SC look really effective, much more than you might think. By all means, go for different stitches if that’s your aesthetic but the nature of the yarn is that it does the talking and overly intricate stitches confuse things too much. Think small, dainty stitches as opposed to treble heavy. Whatever floats your boat.

And those are some tips I’ve come up with from my adventures of working with mohair yarn. Oh, and alpaca fluff too! I hope you find them useful. Have you got any tips you’ve like to share? Perhaps I’ve missed something that would be super useful to add. Let me know in the comments below!

Cheers. x

I used a chunky mohair from MYPZ to make this version of the **Perfect Cardigan**.

Z&R Crochet Podcast 96. Tatty Pom Pom

December 21, 2021December 21, 2021crochet1 Comment

Argh, it’s nearly Christmas! How did that happen?! Quick, hit the pic above to watch some festive crochet stuff before the end of the year! Or, go HERE to the Zeens and Roger crochet YouTube channel.

Links to Crochet Good Stuff

To Join the Patreon Gang, go HERE. We’ve had a blast this last year. There’s been lots of chat, free patterns and behind the scenes secrets!

The Crochet Christmas Collection is HERE on Ravelry. Don’t forget to use the code mentioned in the vid to get a 30% discount. The code is valid until the 31st of this month.

For colourful things that aren’t crochet related check out Laura-Jane’s art at Zinome. There were no baubles this year but there’s lots of other stuff to fall in love with.

I bought my yarn advent from Loom Wool. Still deciding on the design I want to make with all those minis!

Other stuff you might be tempted to look up, go and explore Supergran, Crochet Cakes and Molla Mills

Thank you so much for all of your support over the last year. Cheers. x

Z&R Crochet Podcast

December 8, 2021December 8, 2021crochetLeave a Comment

Hello, how are you? Prepped and ready for a crochet Christmas, I hope?! We;come to episode 95 of the Zeens and Roger Crochet Podcast (I seem to have given up calling it a vlogcast and/or blogcast!)

For this episode please click on the pic above or pop over to my YouTube channel HERE.

Crochet good stuff:

Christmas C2C sweater

Join the Patreon gang HERE

Lindsay from Lottie & Albert wrote a book!

And so did Esme from Red Sparrow Crochet!! It’s called The Mosaic Crochet Workshop

This Long Thread, by Jen Hewett

Along Avec Anna, a Devon based knitwear designer who has just started her own beautiful yarn range. I bought some!

Stitchfest Southwest promises to be even bigger next year.

I bought the giant Wool bag and my super attractive new hook set from Tribe.

Wivey Weaver is from Somerset, which is neither Dartmoor or Exmoor. Oops!

My Cosy Slipper Socks pattern can be found HERE. And there is a video tutorial too

And finally, how cute are the pigs in granny blankets?! So cute. I found them on Ravelry HERE

Crochet Christmas Sweater. Festive C2C!

November 27, 2021November 27, 2021crochet8 Comments

Oh Christmas sweater, oh Christmas sweater, how lovely are your pixels!

Sweater? Jumper? Either way, here we have a free crochet pattern (borderline recipe) to satisfy your festive corner to corner compulsions.

I have finally managed to put together a video for you so that you can make your very own crochet Christmas sweater / Christmas jumper using the C2C crochet stitch. It’s super easy to make if you’re familiar with the corner to corner stitch. I would argue that this is an intermediate project and suitable for beginners who are patient and keen to learn a few new techniques.

Below, I have broken down all the essential info you need to make your own crochet jumper but please beware, I haven’t written this as a traditional pattern. It’s a guide, similar to the JW Anderson cardigan that I worked up last year. Actually, tell a lie, this one has waaaay more detail. The video tutorial is HERE. I have also created an ad-free PDF you can download including charts for 9 sizes. You can find that HERE on Ravelry and HERE on Etsy.

Yarn, Hooks and other Things you Need

To make a jumper of your own, you will need Paintbox Woolmix Aran [this is an affiliate link so if you buy via the link I receive a minimum of 5% of the cost]. I bought 10 balls of the main colour for size 3, Vanilla Cream, and used nearly all of it! The numbers below are estimates based on the weight of the sample size.

Size	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Est. yarn weight in grams	749	883	985	1005	1167	1230	1369	1540	1606
Balls needed	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	16	17

Also required are a few metres of each of the five contrasting colours for the motif section. You could always use just one colour for the motif if you don’t want to buy whole balls of each colour just for a few metres.

I used a 3.75mm hook. I have average tension. This hook, with this particular yarn, creates a closed fabric that is not so tight that it feels stiff.

Oh, and stitch markers are helpful. I use them to pin pieces together.

Ideally you want to print out the C2C colour chart. Grab a pencil for crossing off each row as you go.

A decent needle for sewing everything together is also required.

Grading & Sizing your own Crochet Christmas Jumper

It is pretty important to make sure your Christmas sweater is going to fit before picking up a hook and buying loads of yarn. Let me try and provide you with as many tools as possible to work out a size that will fit you.

The sample I made is nearest to a UK 12 but after a bit of wear I suspect it may stretch to a 14. I broke the rules and didn’t block! If you are in between sizes you may wish to make the smaller size.

First things first, it is a very good idea to work up a swatch. You can use this swatch to determine how many C2C blocks you’ll need to work. Bear in mind that every 6.5 blocks is a measurement of 10 cm (4 inches). This will help you work out how many C2C blocks across you need your jumper to be. Work up a C2C square that’s 12×12 blocks to ensure you have a decent amount of fabric to get an accurate measurement. To be fair, you might get away with 11×11 if you’re feeling lazy!

A useful trick is to find a favourite jumper and measure it. How many blocks will you need to get the same width and length?

Size	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
To fit Bust (inches)	28 – 30	32 – 34	36 – 38	40 – 42	44 – 46	48 – 50	52 – 54	56 – 58	60 – 62
To fit Bust (cm)	71 – 76	81 – 86	91.5 – 96.5	101.5 – 106.5	111.5 – 117	122 – 127	132 – 137	142 – 147	152 – 158
Width (back) in cm	41	47	53	59	65	71	77	83	89
Length in cm	50	52	56	52	54	54	54	56	56
Body Blocks across	29	33	35	37	39	41	43	45	47
Body Blocks down	27	27	29	29	29	31	31	31	31

Corner to Corner Chart

Stitchfiddle is such a good tool for creating crochet C2C charts. If you’re making a different size to mine you can find the charts in the ad-free PDF on either Ravelry or Etsy. Or try creating your own design chart. Be careful, chopping and changing design ideas is addictive and before you know it, you’ll have lost hours by fiddling about!

Working the Corner to Corner Stitch

If you’re an absolute beginner, then this actually isn’t too bad of a C2C project. However, I do assume you have the crochet basics under your belt. I don’t plan on writing specific corner to corner instructions, instead, I demonstrate how to work a swatch in the video.

The basics of of corner to corner are that you build up each row one block at a time. When it’s time to stop building your blocks, you decrease until you reach the opposite corner. However, none of the pieces are exactly square. After building enough blocks to reach the first corner, you then work even by only increasing on one side to create the rectangle shape. Decreasing is my fave bit as it’s the race to the finish line!

Crochet Sweater Pieces

The pieces of your Crochet Sweater are made separately and sewn together.

Main body

The front and back are the same except for the colourful motif on the front. As you know from diligently watching all of the video, I made my front panel upside down to get the colour work done & dusted before the easy stuff could commence. This is why the charts are upside down.

Once you have the corner to cornering done, you can work a Join As You Go rib. I love this bit! Check out the video for the demo on how it’s done. I’ll try and remember to add the timestamps on YouTube for all these useful sections.

For the front piece I snipped the yarn from the main body piece and reattached to the right top corner. Work 3 sc in each vertical block and 2 sc in the bar of the stitch that lays horizontally. When working the back you can just turn, you don’t need to cut the yarn.

Snip again (both front & back) to reattach to the top right side. I think I decided on 11 stitches for the ribbing, so chain 12 to begin. All hdc (UK htr) sts are worked into the front 3rd loop of the st below.

Row 1: 1hdc in 2nd ch from hook and the rest of the chains to end, slip stitch in next 3 stitches of main body, turn to work back up the ribbing.

Row 2: Miss 3 sl sts, 11hdc in front 3rd loop of sts, turn.

Row 3: 1ch, 11hdc in front 3rd loop of sts, sl st in next 3 sts of main body, turn.

Rep Rows 2 & 3 across. You might end on Row 2 or Row 3 depending on how many stitches your foundation row is. It doesn’t matter which!

Sleeves

My sleeves (size 3) are 23×28 blocks. Look at the chart below and you’ll see how many blocks wide to make your sleeves. Don’t worry too much about sleeve length for different sizes. I often make the sleeves the same length across several sizes because our arms aren’t drastically different in length. If you know you have shorter arms, or they’re longer than average, then allow for that, add or remove a row. However, you will want wider sleeves if you’re after a bigger jumper.

Size	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Sleeve Length (from under arm to wrist) in cm	48	48	48	48	48	48	48	48	48
Sleeve depth at underarm in cm	18.5	21.5	21.5	21.5	25.5	25.5	29.5	33.5	33.5
No. of Blocks for sleeve length (cuff not inc)	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23	23
No. of sleeve blocks across (total)	26	28	28	28	32	32	38	42	42

Cuffs

Make 2, obvs. I worked a foundationless chain of 25 stitches and worked 22 rows in hdc (UK htr) in the front third loop. It’s in the vid but you can also find the foundationless start HERE as a separate video tutorial.

My wrists are a skinnyish 14cm circumference. Add 2 rows for every centimeter.

Sew the cuff ends together to get them ready to ease into the sleeve.

Waistband

Whatever your size jumper, make the waist band approx 10cm (4 inches) smaller than the circumference of the main body of the jumper. Reducing the circumference here brings the jumper in to create a bit more shaping. I worked 11 stitches for 120 rows of ribbing for my size 3, hold it up against the main body to check you’re happy with the length of yours. This was very much an eyeballing task.

Work the ribbing in one length to go around the circumference of the jumper, then sew the ends together.

Jumper Construction

All your pieces are finished, now it’s time to put it all together. So near yet so far! Exciting stuff!

Make sure all sewing is done on the wrong side of your jumper. Pay attention. Double check. Triple check that right sides are facing each other. It is guaranteed I will get this wrong at least once in any garment I make! Unpicking is par for the course for me but please try and do better than my efforts!

Below is a visual image of the steps of construction. Basically, sew the shoulders together first. I went for 10cm at each shoulder tab and I’m happy with that. More or fewer stitches will be required depending on what size you make.

Then sew the open sleeves to the shoulders. I don’t need to spell it out to make this evenly, equally spaced and at the centre of the shoulder. Fold the whole lot over, right sides facing, so you can sew the arms and body together. Voila!

Next up is to attach the ribbing on the sleeves and waistband.

For the sleeves, gather them at the wrist by creating a foundation round of sc stitches (UK dc) around the opening. Work 1 sc over each bar of the horizontal dc (UK tr) stitches and 2 sc into each of the vertical blocks. This brings in the sleeves a bit to make it easier to attach the ribbing. Then use plenty of stitch markers to hold the cuff in place whilst you sew it on. You will probably find the video useful for this bit.

Easing in the waistband is far easier. Use stitch markers to hold it in place here too.

I forgot to draw the neck ribbing on the top two pics. It’s supposed to be there. Sorry!

Overview: How to Crochet a C2C Sweater

Much like the GB Bake Off final, I have taken away some of the instructions. Please refer to the charts to determine how many blocks across & down you need to work to make your size. And watch the video to see how to make everything! Purchase the ad-free version on Ravelry or Etsy.

Step 1: Make a gauge swatch! 12×12 blocks should do it.

Step 2: Make your C2C pieces – 1 back, 1 front (both the same number of blocks), sleeves x2.

Step 3: Add join as you go ribbing to the tops of the main body – see video tutorial.

Step 4: Make ribbing for cuffs and waistband. Work the waistband so that it’s roughly 10cm (4 inches) shorter than the main body of your jumper.

Step 5: Sew shoulders together.

Step 6: Sew sleeves to shoulders.

Step 7: Fold in half, right sides facing, sew along sleeves and down body, both sides.

Step 8: Add the foundation to the sleeves and ease in the cuffs.

Step 9: Ease in waistband. There’s no need for a foundation round here.

Step 10: Blocking? You can if you want. A light steam block is my recommendation but I’m going to let the wearing of it do the job.

The End

How did you get on with your C2C Christmas sweater!?

Alright me Ansome?

November 14, 2021November 14, 2021crochet2 Comments

Well, hello and good day! Or, if you’re from the West Country, alright me ‘ansome?!

There are unsubstantiated rumours that the Ottery St Mary born poet, Samuel Taylor Coleridge would often greet people with “Alright, me ‘ansome” as a way of saying hello. Whether he actually addressed people with this local greeting is a mystery; it’s fun to think that he might have but my money says it’s a made up lie!

Ansome is a crochet hat pattern that is essentially two hats in one. Having made a hat with my new obsession, the puff stitch, I had plenty of yarn left to make a second hat. Both hats start with the same pattern but end up as two different styles.

The written pattern for Ansome is available on Ravelry HERE and Etsy HERE. There is 25% off until the last day of November.

Crochet Puff stitches

Ansome is now available on Ravelry & Etsy but it has been a couple of months in the making. For a while I have been sketching lots of designs using different sorts of crochet puff stitches. The first idea came to me at the beginning of the year. That one turned into the Wheatfields shawl, which is now a fully fledged pattern in its own right. You can find it HERE and HERE. It’s a fabulous combo of hand dyed 4 ply merino and lace weight mohair.

Working up puff stitches is really calming and rhythmic and they are awesome in all kinds of projects. They look fancy but are relatively fun and easy to do. However, do make sure you have a good crochet hook. I used a Knitpro hook, which is not normally my first choice as my hands are too big for the short handle, but it does have a good hooky bit! It helps when pulling through all the loops so try some out before you begin your project.

Potentially there are more puff stitch designs waiting in the wings for me but I think I will revisit those next year. For now I’m happy to focus on these crochet hats, which have come together in a way that felt like a breeze. They’re just meant to be!

The Wheatfields shawl also uses the crochet puff stitch

Devonia Yarn

We’re in November now and headed towards chillier weather in the northern hemisphere. When is a better time to release a hat pattern!? It has worked out quite nicely; I don’t think I had any intention of coming up a hat design. It wasn’t on my list of things to do but sometimes things just work out that way.

The catalyst was a single picture shared on Instagram. I saw a collection of Devonia mini skeins from John Arbon Textiles and fell a little bit in love with the colours. Instantly I knew they should be a crochet hat. So I made one!

Devonia is what I call a proper woolly wool. Warm, comforting and with the essential sheepy smell that I could breathe in all day. It’s a combination of Bluefaced Leicester (an all time fave) and Blueface Exmoor (from Devon, proper job). It also has Wendsleydale & Romney lustre breeds, which, if I’m right, add the shiney sheen that I always think looks super pretty and works really well with crochet.

I am very lucky in that, when I left a comment on the IG pic, to say it was a stunning combo of shades, the super smashin team from JAT asked if I would like to try them. This doesn’t happen everyday. I have no idea why they are willing to support my crochet adventures, I just know that I am very grateful to get the yarn support. Thanks Sonja!!

Maybe it is because it isn’t the first time. Remember the Grainbow shawl from a couple of years ago? And the infamous Dreckly mittens? That’s a triple whammy of JAT yarns: Knit By Numbers, Yarnadelic, and now Devonia! How about Harvest Hues next!?

Devonia comes in DK and 4 ply weights, and 25g minis and 100g skeins. That is one of the best things about JAT yarns, lots of options and versatility. For Ansome, you need 100g of DK for the main colour plus your colourful minis for the contrasts. Oh and I almost forgot! One of the reasons that the guys were sharing Devonia pics is because there are news shades that have just been released. I used Wood Smoke as my main colour, which is one of the new ones.

Crochet Hats

Having that much yarn meant there was too much left over to do my usual trick (hide it in the cupboard and struggle for stashbusting ideas). There was only one thing for it, if JAT can have all the options, so can I! Ansome mainly refers to the star of the show, which is the puff stitch hat but the remaining yarn was calling out too. It wanted to be striped up as a “plain” crochet hat. So there are two patterns here and you can make both!

The pattern has three size options and there’s freedom to add more rows if you want extra slouch. I made the medium size for both hats and the puff hat has just a little bit of slouch as there are more rows. A few subtle changes like that and you have two different styles of crochet hat! How good is that?!

The puff stitch hat was blocked too, and that added to the drape. Unsure about blocking crochet hats? I certainly was. So I did what I normally do and guessed. I blew up a balloon inside Ansome to what seemed like my head size and then gave the hat a light spray of water. Once it had dried, boom, perfect hat!

The End

And that is pretty much all you need to know about these new crochet hat designs! Can you think of anything you’d like to know? If so, please do get in touch. In the meantime check them out of Ravelry HERE and Etsy HERE.

Ta very much. I would end by using a Devon way of saying goodbye but I can’t remember any phrases.

Z&R Crochet Podcast 94. Cinnamon

November 2, 2021November 2, 2021crochetLeave a Comment

Halloooo! How are you? A bit of an unexpected episode is this one. I had no idea I wanted to chat about crochet with you until a few minutes before I hit record. I’ve been missing the waffle!

To watch episode 94 of the Zeens and Roger crochet podcast, please click the pic above, or go HERE to my YouTube channel to find all the crochet good stuff.

Links to crochet good stuff

I bought two things from Loop in London. The yarn? It’s Schoppel Wolle. My Mind (Yarn) Palace is clearly crap! I almost got it right, I’d just blended the two words. I also bought a cute set of Rico crochet hooks.

I used John Arbon Textiles, Devonia in DK for my new hat designs. Lovely earthy yarn as always. Beautiful shades and truly warm and woolly. I love that their minis are 25 grams. I can do so much more with 25 g than 20 and always manage to use it all up! (all my own words, I have decided to gush cos I love it so! although, yes, I did get yarn support to make my new hats).

For Stashtober 21 I made Fay Dasher-Hughes’ Positivity Spiral hat. I made the Tam version in a beautiful neppy 4ply from Ripples crafts.

Wheatfields, my new shawl and wrist warmer design is OUT NOW!! There is 25% off until the second Sunday of November. Buy it from Ravelry or Etsy to get the automatic discount. It is also now on Lovecrafts at full price. To make Wheatfields I had 2 hanks of 4ply/fingering weight yarn from Flyy Dyed. I bought it last year and new it was destined for this shawl! My shawl is unique because more often than not, Rachel’s’ creative colourways are OOAK! (One of a Kind). I also held it double with a lace weight mohair. I chose Austermann Kid silk, which is super nice too.

I briefly showed you a crochet symbol stencil from the Crochet Cypher. I was rudely interrupted by the cat so didn’t actually finish. I am sure I would have gone on to say that you can use it to create neat, hand drawn charts. It travelled all the way from Australia!

I will be making lots of new garments over the coming months. Whether I finish then or not is another matter! Too many ideas and no focus. That’s my problem. My head is always turned by a new idea. You’ll never change me! But do expect some progress on a couple of them.

Z&R Crochet Podcast 93. Pop a Puff in.

September 29, 2021September 29, 2021crochetLeave a Comment

Welcome to Episode 93 of the Zeens and Roger Crochet Podcast. To watch the episode please click on the picture above. Or hop over to the whole You Tube channel HERE.

Links to the Crochet Good Stuff

Stashtober 21 CAL in the rush to film the podcast I forgot to mention many things. I forgot to tell you that throughout October you can get 25% off all my patterns on Ravelry and Etsy. The code is in the Stashtober blog post.

Mixtape Medley CAL

Flyy Dyed Yarns

Moorit magazine

My Ravelry designs. Please add your Zeens and Roger makes on your projects page.

My Etsy shop

Join the Patreon community!!

Thank yooooo! x

Stashtober 21. Stash Busting Crochet!

September 28, 2021September 28, 2021crochet2 Comments

Stashtober 21

Do you know what will never not be popular? Stash busting! The art of using up yarn scraps and leftovers so nothing is wasted. We all have stash hidden somewhere in the house and rather than keeping it tucked away, how about getting the whole lot out and using it!?

Busting your stash can be a real feel good experience. It can also lead to an absolute dog’s dinner of a disaster but let’s just say that we all learn from those situations and move on. Using up every last scrap is hugely satisfying and there are a number of crochet patterns out there to aid you in your exciting mission.

I was watching Claudia Carpenter’s crochet vlogcast on You Tube the other day (I’m sure you know Crochet Luna). I am pretty sure she said “No CALs”. It made me laugh when, just a couple of days later, she got in touch with a handful of designer friends to ask, how about a stash busting Crochet Along? We’ll call it Stashtober!

Crochet Along

For a general overview on what a CAL is go HERE .

Crochet Alongs are extremely popular these days, in fact, I’m taking part in another one right now. Have you seen the Mixtape Medley? It’s a crochet blanket I designed with Knitcraft and I see it as the ultimate stash buster. We’re currently on Week 2 and I’m mentioning it as it fits in perfectly with Stashtober 21.

But I’m not going to talk about that CAL because this post is about Stashtober 21! So, should you wish to partake, Claudia’s idea is for crocheters to choose a pattern or many patterns from the selection of designers she has invited to take part. One of them is me! To make life a bit easier I’ve put together a bundle on Ravelry especially for this event. You can find it HERE. I added patterns (both free and paid) that I thought would be great for using up lots of lovely stash. Especially for Stashtober, during the month of October, you can get 25% off any of my patterns on either Ravelry or Etsy. At the checkout please use the code: STASH21

If you don’t fancy making one of my designs, there are other contributing designers with the perfect pattern waiting for you.

Mixtape Medley, a blanket perfect for stash busting

The CAL Designers

Other crochet designers taking part are some of my absolute favourite people in the crochet community. A lot of us have known each other for a long time and are firm friends.

Claudia is the brains behind it all and has a couple of designs that would work brilliantly for Stashtober. I really enjoyed making Encanto, a scarf with lots of lovely twiddly stitches. Pop over to her Etsy shop to peruse the good things.

Fay of the Crochet Circle Podcast is a champion of artisanal crochet design. I wouldn’t mind working up Loft in a collection of colourful yarn. Crochet and stripes are a brilliant match.

Hannah from the Cozy Cottage Crochet is so lovely. Lovely Hannah! Pop over to the Cozy Cottage crochet for a Ravelry chatter thread for the CAL. And check out her designs while you’re at it.

Caleisha of the Quirky Monday Craftcast designed my favourite scarf of last year (or was it the year before?), the Just Feel Festive shawl. I used loads of DK acrylic scraps. It was totally worth all the ends.

Clarisabeth from Crochet Cakes has fab designs to choose from. If I have the time, I absolutely have to make some of Clarisa’s Vintage Wave socks. Check them out.

Michelle aka Dora Explored/Dora Does, has garment making savvy by the bucketful. I might find myself making her latest design dedicated to busting stash, the Waste Not, Want Not sweater. There a couple of other designs that are perfect for stash busting too.

Heather from HG Designs is all about the granny square. The granny square is the most famous stash buster of all time and Heather has some awesome granny designs out there. Making Revival was an absolute joy!

We are an eclectic bunch, it’s guaranteed that you will find a huge variety of crochet styles between us and therefore, you are bound to find the perfect pattern.

Stash Bust Rules

Fear not, there aren’t really any rules other than the projects you make must be made from yarn you already have. Do not buy new yarn! That is it! Also please ensure that your project is not already over 50% complete before the 1st October. So WIPs do count as long as it’s not close to being finished. And don’t forget to choose designs from the crochet champs above.

On the 23rd of October Claudia is also hosting a live Zoom chat. It’s 8pm BST. I have something else in my diary that day but I would love to be there so I’m going to see if I can pull some strings!

Double whammy. My Dreckly mittens with Heather’s Revival jumper.

Crochet Community

There are no prizes for this CAL, that’s not the point. But there are loads of other great reasons to dive right in.

This is an opportunity to create the satisfying feeling of putting old yarn to good use. It’s about community. And also, perhaps it’s introducing you to a designer who you were previously unfamiliar with. There are so many good reasons to take part that prizes aren’t needed! These aspects are rewarding enough, don’t you think? What’s usually used as a CAL prize? It’s new yarn! That’s the total opposite of stash busting!! Not gonna happen for Stashtober!!

I love that Crochet Alongs are community led, it’s better than any other prize I know. You can be as active or as quiet as you choose. Perhaps you’re happy to just loiter and see what others are making. Or, you might fancy chatting on Ravelry or Instagram, or wherever else! It’s entirely up to you. This should be the ultimate No Pressure CAL.

Hopefully we will see you and your makes throughout October! Let us know what you’re making, what stash you’re using etc. We would all love to hear from you. #Stashtober21

Cheers. x