Corin Crochet Cowl

There's a place just outside my home town of Canberra called Corin Forest.  In summer it's a lovely place to go for a picnic. In winter it gets cold enough to snow a little bit. They have a snow play area which is supplemented by a snow-making machine and a really fun 1.2km alpine slide.

It's no Chamonix, that's for sure! But we used to take day trips up there when Sonofagun No.1 was little. We'd take a big thermos of piping hot soup for lunch and make snow men, have snowball fights and slide down the hill on plastic toboggans.

I have had these chunky yarns tucked in my stash for a few years. I'm not big on chunky yarns as you have probably seen all my little birds which use super skinny cottons!

The first thing I made with the chunkys was a new dog coat for Chuck Norris the pugalier. He loves it!

With the rest I made something for myself. A chunky, granny square cowl. Named it the Corin Cowl as it will keep you warm in Alpine temperatures with those lovely soft alpine colours!

It's super easy to make. 

It's made up of 2 rows of 11 granny squares sewn into a loop. You can make more or less depending how tight or loose you want it to be. So let's get started!

Yarn & Notions

Your choice of colours in chunky acrylics. I have used Moda Vera Mawson.
8mm crochet hook

Scissors

Needle for sewing in ends

Choose your own colours!

Round 1: Starting with a magic ring, chain 4 (counts as 1st dc and ch1), then {dc, ch1} x 7. Join with slip stitch to top of beginning ch3. Finish off. [8dc, 8 ch]

Round 2:  Join your 2nd colour in any Ch1 space. Ch3 (counts as 1st dc), 2dc in same space. Then 3dc in each ch1 around. Join with a slip stitch to top of beginning ch3. Finish off.  [8 x 3dc]

Round 3: Join your 3rd colour in between two 3dc clusters.
Ch3, then 2dc in same space. Sk 3 dc, *in space between next 2 clusters {3dc, ch3, 3dc}, sk 3dc, in next space between 2 clusters {3dc}. Repeat from * three more times. Sk 3 dc, then in space between next 2 clusters {3dc, ch3, 3dc}. Join with a slip stitch to top of beginning ch3. Finish off.
Your completed square should look like this:

Make another 21 squares or more if you wish but in multiples of 2.

Sewn together in 2 rows as per the photo below.

Then sew the two short ends to form a loop.

This cowl is so thick, chunky and soft and SUPER warm!

Amazona Parrot

You all know I am obsessed with birds. I just adore them, don't you? 

Quite a few months ago I started creating a little bird.
First he looked like this...

 His beak is kind of knobbly and he was small and sweet but not quite what I wanted.

 So I tried using a 4ply cotton, but he was kind of clunky.

 Over lots of cups of tea...

 This adorable creature emerged...

 But he still wasn't quite right.

Then this one popped off my hook. Better! But for months I played around with body shapes.

 I was probably being too fussy but I didn't like any of these bodies. They didn't feel 'birdlike'.

 My little Willow TV tray table became a bird production line...

 

Chuck was getting feed up with me. I must admit I probably wasn't giving him enough attention (nevermind there are 4 other people in the house he was ignoring) 

 And finally I made this one...

 He was perfect!
But Chuck was trying to take matters into his own paws by stealing my workspace!

But at last I'm happy with the result!

 

I'd like to introduce you to my newest addition:

This is a crochet pattern for a sweet little Amazona Parrot.

The body is made in the amigurumi style with the wings and tails feathers crocheted separately, then stitched on.

Amazona Parrot is approximately 20 cm from the top of her head to the tip of her tail and is made using five different colours. 

The little parrots have been cheekily perching in my blackberry bush!
 

The preferred yarn is Scheepjes Maxi Sweet Treat or any other compatible 2ply crochet cotton and a 2mm crochet hook.
You will also need a darning needle, scissors, thread for sewing the pieces together, a little clip (if you'd like to make it into a clip on), 6mm safety eyes, and polyfill stuffing.

As you can see from the photos, you can choose whatever Amazona Parrots colourways for your own colour choices you want. He can be monotone, tonal or you can make ones like mine: little feathery rainbow explosions!

You can attach a ribbon and hang her from wherever (she makes a perfect Christmas decoration!!), stick a skewer up her butt and plant her in a pot or vase with some flowers or sew an alligator clip below her tail and clip her onto ALL OF THE THINGS!
 

So does this mean you'll take me to the park now??

You want to make one, don't you! 

The pattern is available for digital download in my Etsy and Ravelry stores for the wee price of USD$5 (exclusive of any sales tax, GST or VAT that applies in your country).



 

Granny Square Stubby Holder (Can Cooler)

Down here in Kangarooland, the only thing that breeds faster in kitchen drawers and Men Shed shelves than piles of bread bag tags or rubber band balls are neoprene Stubby Holders.

I've heard they're called 'can coolers' in certain parts of the world.

Here's the Bears collection. It has been culled many times. 

This collection speaks of multiple trips to car racing and Bali...

My work colleague Gilbert (name changed to protect the innocent) told me a couple of weeks ago about a friend whose wife crocheted a hot pink stubby holder for him. The friend was extremely proud of this Hot Pink Stubby holder. In fact he pulls it out at every drinking opportunity, adorns his bottle or can of craft beer with it and has somehow attained chief Hipsterdom with his craft beer swathed in a Hot Pink Crocheted Stubby Holder.
 
Geoffrey, I mean Gilbert was a tad jelly and wanted to take a stab at out-hipstering his friend.

So Geoff, I mean Gilbert asked if I would be interested in making an outlandish Hipster Stubby Holder for him.
Challenge accepted!

I asked him if he wanted a bottle style holder that goes all the way up to the neck or a shorter one for a can. He said can.
I asked him if he had a style or colour preference. He said I had complete artistic freedom. The more retro and colourful the better.

Would you like to make one? I knew you would!

You can follow this easy- peasy tutorial to make your own. It is constructed of 10 small granny squares and rounds on the outside, and a simple sleeve inside to insulate the can . It can also be used for bottles which are normally a little narrower.

I also used 8 ply cotton yarns so it can be thrown in the machine for a wash if necessary. I have a bunch of cotton placemats which I crocheted several years ago. They've been though countless machine washes and still look great!

What do you need?

Yarns & Notions

Your choice of colours of 8 ply cotton yarns.
3mm crochet hook
Darning needle
Scissors

Abbreviations (US terms used)

ch:  chain
dc:  double crochet
mr:  magic ring 
sc:  single crochet
sl st: slip stitch
st:   stitch

Let's go!

Outer sleeve

The first step is to make 10 granny squares of just 2 rounds. Each granny is made of 2 different colours.

Round 1: Starting with a magic ring, ch 3 (counts as 1st dc), then continuing to work into the MR: 2 x dc, *(ch 3, 3dc) x 3. Ch 3. Join with a slip stitch to the top of beginning Ch3 then slip stitch over to the next 3ch space. You should now have 4 little 3dc clusters each separated by a 3ch space. Join your 2nd colour.

Round 1 finished.

Round 2: Ch3 (counts as 1st dc), in same 3ch space (2dc, ch3, 3dc), *(skip next 3 dc stitches and in next 3ch space: 3dc, 3ch, 3dc). Repeat from * three times. Skip next 3 dc stitches and join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning ch3. 

The first chain 3 of round 2

Nearly finished round 2!

Slip stitch over to the next 3ch space and finish off. I usually finish off here because it looks a little tidier, but if you prefer to finish off at the join, it's up to you!

Tah-dah! Now make 9 more!

Make 10 little grannies in total of differing colours. They can be funky brights, retro browns, your favourite teams' sports colours. Whatever you like!

Sew in your ends if you haven't already.

10 bright little grannies!

Sew them together in a 2 x 5 grid. Then sew the 2 short ends together to form a tube.

Now we are going to work in SC for a few rounds at the top and bottom of the tube. You can choose whatever colours you like. You can use different colours for each round, or 1 colour.
 I have chosen to use 1 colour for the rounds, with my last joining round in a contrasting colour.

Round 1:  Starting at the bottom of your tube, join your colour and single crochet in each stitch, including 1 sc in the corner of each granny square and 1 stitch in the bit where the 2 grannies are sewn together.

Look at the photo below for detail. Essentially this will be 8 single crochet stitches along the edge of each granny and 1 between each granny. 

At the end of Round 1, join with a slip stitch to the beginning sc, Ch 1.
Round 2: 2sc in 1st st, sc x 22, 2sc in same stitch, sc in each st to the end. Join with a sl st to beginning Ch1. Ch 1.

Round 3: 2sc in 1st st. sc in each stitch to the end. Join with a sl st to beginning ch. Finish off.

Now turn your tube around and we'll crochet around top the of the tube!

Repeat Rounds 1 and 2 only. Finish off.

Inner Sleeve.

The inner sleeve is simply worked first as a flat circle in the amigurumi style. This means at the end of each round, you do not stop, join and chain up to the next round. You simply start the first stitch of the next round directly in the top of the first stitch of the last round. So you're crocheting in a spiral.

Round 1: Crochet 6sc in MR. [6]
Round 2:  2sc in each st. [12]
Round 3: (2sc, 1sc) 6 times. [18]
Round 4: (2sc, 1 Sc in each of the next 2 stitches) 6 times.[24]
Round 5: (2sc, 1 Sc in each of the next 3 stitches) 6 times.[30]
Round 6: (2sc, 1 Sc in each of the next 4 stitches) 6 times. [36] 
Round 7: (2sc, 1 Sc in each of the next 5 stitches) 6 times. [42]
Round 8: (2sc, 1 Sc in each of the next 6 stitches) 6 times. [48]

Now we are at the end of the flat circle part we will stop, join with a slip stitch to the 1st sc in round 8 and chain up for the 1 round, but afterwards continue to crochet in a spiral.
 
Work in front loops only for Round 9:
Round 9: Sc in each stitch around. Join with a sl st to beginning sc. Ch 1. Do not turn. [48]

It helps to keep track of the beginning of each round if you use a stitch marker! 

Round 10- 33: Sc in each stitch around in the amigurumi style as a continuous spiral. At the end of Round 33, slip stitch into the next stitch (1st sc of R33) and finish off. 
Sew in ends.

Here we're up to round 14.

Remember Round 9 where we worked in front loops only? That was to create this nice bottom ridge.

Now we're halfway! See how snuggly it fits!

Nearly there! (Psst! You can see my hands reflected in the aluminium...)

The inner sleeve is finished!

Assembling the Stubby Holder.
Now insert your inner sleeve into the outer sleeve and ensure the ends match up at the same level on each end. If not add or frog a row of single crochet.If it differs, this may because because your tension differed on each sleeve.
  Starting at the top opening of the stubby holder, add a contracting colour and working through both loops of both sleeves, chain1, then single crochet around the rim. Join with a slip stitch to beginning Ch1. Finish off.

Now turn the piece around and work on the bottom of the tube.

Starting at any stitch, join the contrasting colour, then chain 1 and single crochet in each stitch working through 2 loops on the outer tube, and back loops on the inner tube around to the end. Join with a slip stitch to the beginning st and finish off.
See photo below for close up.

Sew in ends and you're done!

Cheers!

 
What do you think? Now not everybody wants a bright, zany coloured stubby holder, believe it or not!

I also made one for my brother the Red Haired Raider in his team colours for the Canberra Raiders NRL team. 

For the colour purists, I apologise for the lack of yellow. The Raiders seem to change up their colours every season!

The Bear wants one in Blue and White for Ford as he is a V8 Supercar fan.

But for those moments I'm sipping on a can or bottle of pear cider, this is mine although Bear has been using it until I make his Ford one.


And the one I made for Geoffrey I mean Gilbert?

Tah-dah!

And the artistic hipster pic... (well not really. Just a photo of a bottle of Kirin in the stubby holder lying on Oregano.)

 

xox

Louise

The Red Haired Amazona