I’m back and with a new pattern

Posted on July 28, 2015 by poppyandbliss

Well hello there my blog buddies. It’s been a long while since I’ve been here hasn’t it! I’ve been up to my elbows in paint and plaster for the last 3 months renovating and ‘jooshing’ up our home. So not much time was had for crochet but happily life has gone back to normal now and I’m back in my cosy little crochet zone.

Now that my house is finally spruced up I’m attacking my very (very) long ‘Poppy & Bliss To-Do’ list. Top of the list was getting the pattern written for this Tunisian Triangles cushion which, according to my Instagram feed, first made an appearance some 82 weeks ago …. ahem … nothing like the present moment hey 😉

The original is long gone to a new home so I dug deep into my huge WIP pile and finished off another two that I’d started in different colour-ways and had been patiently waiting for some love and attention.

Fuelled with lots of coffee, I finally sat down and got the pattern onto paper and hopefully for you to enjoy. I hate to get all ‘buy my stuff’ but if you’d like to buy the pattern then you can find it either in my Etsy or Ravelry stores.

This is not a difficult pattern, using only Tunisian Simple Stitch (TSS) but some patience and concentration may be required for the colour changes at first. Once you get going though you will be powering along, excited to get to the next set of colours. If you’re comfortable with the basics of Tunisian crochet then you will be able to do this easily.
Charts are included for two different colour-ways plus pictures of even more to inspire your own creation.
I hope you like it!

Until next time

Michelle x

Crochet Basket DIY

Posted on April 27, 2015 by poppyandbliss

Hello friends

It’s been awhile since I was last here … once again, life and work have got in the way of all my good blogging intentions.

A few weeks ago my yarn basket snuck into a few of my pics over on instagram and fb and requests for the pattern were made. I nearly didn’t post this as there are so many fab crochet basket patterns out there already but here is my version. Enjoy!

What you’ll need:

Hook: 5mm

Yarn: Worsted weight cotton – 2 strands held together

I’ve used one ball each of Drops Paris: Medium Pink, Shocking Pink, Light Mint Green, Opal Green, Light Purple, Medium Purple, Light Turquoise, Dark Turquoise, Orange

And 2 balls of Strong Yellow which was also used for the base

Size: 20 cm diameter x 26cm height

(You can make this basket any size you want by stopping when you are happy with the size then continuing on to the next set of directions and adjusting the stitch count to suit)

Abbreviations:

US Terms used (if you prefer UK/AUS terms just replace the sc with a dc throughout)

blo back loop only

ch chain

pm place marker

sc (dc) single crochet (double crochet)

ss slip stitch

st/s stitch/es

Special techniques and stitches:

Standing sc (tutorial can be found in my post over here )
Invisible join
Crab st
Crochet ends in

1. Cut yarn and pull through last stitch

2. Insert your hook front to back under both loops of next st (first st of round), tail end over hook and pull through st

3. Working from back to front, insert hook through the centre of the previous stitch (last st of round),

4. tail end over hook and pull through st

To secure the join, crochet the tail end in working in the opposite direction you have just been. Your tail end will be locked in after you have woven them in this way and then crochet over them in the next round.

Okey dokey, now we’ve got all that sorted let’s start making!

Base:

Worked in a spiral i.e. don’t join with a ss at end of each row, but continue on with a sc into next st and place a marker in this st

Note: to keep your circle nice and round, the increases are staggered in alternate rows

Base Round: Using 2 strands of Strong Yellow, make a magic circle (or ch 3 and join with a ss)

Round 1: 6 sc into ring.

Round 2: 2 sc into each st to end (12 sc)

Round 3: *1 sc, 2 sc into next st. Repeat from * to end (18 sc)

Round 4: 1 sc, * 2 sc into next st, 2 sc. Repeat from * to last st, 1 sc (24 sc)

Round 5: *3 sc, 2 sc into next st.. Repeat from * to end (30 sc)

Round 6: 2 sc, * 2 sc into next st, 4 sc. Repeat from * to last 2 sts, 2 sc (36 sc)

Round 7: *5 sc, 2 sc into next st.. Repeat from * to end (42 sc)

Round 8: 3 sc, * 2 sc into next st, 6 sc. Repeat from * to last 3 sts, 3 sc (48 sc)

Round 9: *7 sc, 2 sc into next st.. Repeat from * to end (54 sc)

Round 10: 4 sc, * 2 sc into next st, 8 sc. Repeat from * to last 4 sts, 4 sc (60 sc)

Round 11: *9 sc, 2 sc into next st.. Repeat from * to end (66 sc)

Round 12: 5 sc, * 2 sc into next st, 10 sc. Repeat from * to last 5 sts, 5 sc (72 sc)

Round 13: *11 sc, 2 sc into next st.. Repeat from * to end (78 sc)

Round 14: 6 sc, * 2 sc into next st, 12 sc. Repeat from * to last 6 sts, 6 sc (84 sc)

Round 15: *13 sc, 2 sc into next st.. Repeat from * to end (90 sc). Finish with invisible join. Fasten off.

Sides:

Note: All colour change rounds are worked into the back loop only (blo) and the second row of the same colour is worked into both loops as normal.

I’ve used the following colour sequence (bottom to top):

Once you’ve used all your colours, repeat the sequence (almost) once again … I’ve stopped at Dark Turquoise the second time around and continued on in this colour to complete the handles

Round 1: Join Medium Pink with a standing sc , working into the blo, sc 90

Round 2: PM in first st, sc 90. Cut yarn, finish with invisible join and crochet ends in.

Rounds 3–36: Repeat Rounds 1 & 2, changing colour every 3^rd round.

Round 37: PM in first st, sc 15, ch 15, skip next 15 sts, sc 30, ch 15, skip next 15 sts, sc 15

Round 38: PM in first st, sc 15, sc 15 over chain handles, sc 30, sc 15 over chain handles, sc 15

Round 39: PM sc 90. Cut yarn, join with invisible join and weave ends in.

Round 40: Using only one strand, rejoin yarn in either the same colour or a contrast colour if you prefer. Work in Crab Stitch to end (see below for instructions)

How to: Crab Stitch (Reverse Single Crochet)

This stitch is worked the same as a single crochet but is worked from left to right instead.

Chain 1 for the start of the row
Insert hook in first stitch on the right
Yarn over hook
Pull through stitch (2 loops on hook)
Yarn over and pull through both loops
Insert hook in next stitch on the right and continue from step 3 onwards

My original version of the basket. This one is shorter and wider than the above pattern. It was also made using only one strand of yarn so it’s floppier than the new and improved version.

Until next time, happy hooking!

Michelle x

Fleur Motif free pattern

Posted on February 9, 2015 by poppyandbliss

*** MAY 2019 UPDATE *** : I’ve just published a modified version of this motif and pattern for a blanket. Read more about it here

Fleur Baby Blanket by poppyandbliss.com

Hello lovely bloggy friends. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you. How have you been?

I’ve been missing in action working on a now kaput project. I won’t go into what it was but it was an interesting experience that sucked me dry creatively and sent me into the land of frustration and insecurity. However I did learn a lot about myself along the way and what direction I wanted to take Poppy & Bliss so all was not lost. Onwards and upwards! So now I’ve dusted myself off and jumping back in the saddle again and working on lots of new patterns and trying to get my blogging mojo back on again.

Here’s a quick and easy little motif pattern for you today. Enjoy!

Size: aprox 7 cm (3 inches)

What you’ll need:

8ply cotton in 2 colours
3.5mm hook

US terms used

Abbreviations:

ch chain

dc double crochet

hdc half double crochet

sl st slip stitch

sp space

tr treble crochet

yo yarn over

Special Stitches Used:

2DC CLUSTER

yo, insert hook into ring and draw up loop,
yo draw through 2 loops (2 loops on hook),
yo, insert hook into ring, yo, draw up loop (4 loops on hook),
yo, draw through 2 loops,
yo, draw through remaining 3 loops on hook

Instructions:

Start:

Using contrast colour make a magic ring (or ch 3 and join with a sl st)

Round 1:

Ch 3, dc 1, ch 1, 2dc cluster, ch 3 (corner space)
*2dc cluster, ch 1, 2dc cluster, ch 3
repeat from * twice more
Join with a sl st into top of starting ch3

Round 2:

Sl st over and into to next ch 1 sp
*[2 dc,3 tr, 2 dc] into next ch 3 sp
sl st into next ch 1 sp **
Repeat from * to ** 3 more times, working the last sl st into the top of the first
Fasten off

Round 3: Note – all stitches in this round are worked into back loop only

Join White yarn into the centre st of any corner from previous round
(ch 3, 2 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) into same stitch
dc into next 3 sts , tr down into the ch 1 sp below in Round 1, dc into next 3 sts
*(3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) , dc into next 3 sts, tr into ch 1 sp below in Round 1, dc into next 3 sts
Repeat from * twice
Join with sl st into top of first ch 3. Fasten off

Round 4:

Join contrast colour into any corner space
[ch 2, 2 hdc] into same space
hdc into next 13 sts
*3 hdc into corner sp, hdc 13
Repeat from * to end
Join with a sl st into top of first ch 2. Fasten off

Make lots! Joined together, they make a cheerful cushion (or blanket if you’re game)

Even the motif centres look pretty cute just as they are. A pretty flower garland perhaps?

Until next time, happy hooking.

Michelle x

Tunisian Crochet Washcloth

Posted on October 22, 2014 by poppyandbliss

Hi there bloggy friends

Can anyone tell me where this past month has gone? Time is whizzing by this year isn’t it! Despite all good intentions no blog posts have been written or many goals achieved yet I’ve been busy, busy, busy but with nothing much to show for all my busy-ness.

Here is one thing I’ve been working on though; a free tutorial to make a Tunisian Crochet Washcloth, it’s now up over at My Poppet. Have you tried Tunisian Crochet yet? It’s a fun new addiction to add to your bag of crochet tricks.

This is a quick and easy project combining Tunisian crochet to make the washer then finished off with a crochet border.

With Christmas just around the corner these would make a great stocking stuffer wrapped around a nice smelly soap.

And just when you thought you won’t see me again for another month complaining about how fast time is flying, I’ll be back in a couple of days with a feature story, a book review and a giveaway.

See you then

Michelle x

New Pattern – Squircles

Posted on June 25, 2014 by poppyandbliss

Wow it’s been nearly a year since I released my last pattern. Oops! Time kind of got away from me there …. I’ve been busy.

But after much crocheting, typing, proof-reading , testing, jiggling and tweaking the Squircles pattern is finally finished. Woohoo!

I really love how the Aqua, Mint and Silver work with the Slate in this blanket. I’ve decided that Slate is the new black and is my new favourite colour.

It also works well in other colours too. Here’s just a few …

I hope you like Squircles as much as I do. If you’d like to make your very own Squircles blanket, the pattern is now available in my Etsy and Ravelry stores.

Until next time – happy hooking

Michelle x