Crochet Football Coaster: 2015 Crafty Football Blog Hop

It's that time of year again. Time for the Crafty Blog Hop! Instead of something tatted, I decided to make something crocheted this year. It might allow more people to actually follow along. For anyone not familiar with a blog hop, each participant creates a tutorial that they share on their blog. At the bottom of this post (and the posts of each participant) are links to the other participants. Make sure you check out their tutorials as well. There will be a new participant each day, so be sure to check this post often (ie: daily!) to see a new tutorial until the end of next week.

Probably because footballs are pretty easy to make in many different crafts, I made a football again.

I'm not really a fan of patterns turned into tutorials, but here we go anyway.

Crocheted Football Coaster ©2015 Jeff Hamilton

Materials

You will need:

Worsted weight yarn in two colour (team colours would be great but brown and white work well)
Size H / 5.0 mm crochet hook
Stitch marker, safety pin, or even a scrap of contrasting coloured yarn
Scissors, yarn needle
Felt to back coaster (optional-I didn't do it but you are welcome to if you want)

I used Bernat Super Saver yarn in Tea Leaf and Bernat Cot'n Corn in Oatmeal for the green/white coaster for the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The brown/white coaster used Lion Brand Fishermen's Wool in brown (I lost the label) and Bernat Cot'n Corn in Oatmeal. I used yarn from my stash since I didn't want to buy anymore. I should have used a brighter coloured green for my Rider coaster.

The finished coaster is about 6 inches by 4 inches. Gauge isn't really important for this project. If anyone is curious, the brown coaster above is a little different (and larger) than then the one I'm going to share below. I tweaked the pattern as I went during the photo shoot. If you find any errors, please let me know. It works for me, but I've memorized the pattern and any possible errors.

OK. Let's begin.

Abbreviations (US):

Sc     =  Single Crochet
Hdc  =  Half Double Crochet
Dc    =  Double Crochet
Sl st  = Slip stitch
Trc   = Treble (Triple) Crochet
Ch(s)    = Chain(s)
St(s) = Stitch(es)
**    = Marks sections of stitches that are repeated

Starting with round 2, you'll want to mark the first stitch so you know where to join. Also, the ch 1 at the start does not count as a stitch.

Round 1: Using your main colour, start with a magic ring. Ch 1, make 6 sc in ring and close ring. Join with sl st to top of first sc. Ch 1. (6 sc)

You can learn the magic ring technique from here: www.planetjune.com/magicring . This isn't essential to the pattern, I just find it looks better. Feel free to substitute Ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd chain from hook if desired. Join with sl st to top of first sc. Ch 1.

Round 2: 2 sc in each st around.  Join with sl st to top of first sc. Ch 1. (12 sc)

Round 3:  *2 sc in next st. 1 sc in next st*. Rep between ** around. Join with sl st to top of first sc. Ch 1. (18 sc)

Round 4: *2 sc in next st. 1 sc in next 2 sts*. Rep between ** around. Join with sl st to top of first sc. Ch 1. (24 sc)

Round 5: *2 sc in next st. 1 sc in next 3 sts*. Rep between ** around. Join with st st to top of first sc. Ch 1. (30 sc)

Round 6: 2 sc in next st. 1 sc in next 4 sts. 2 sc in next st. 1 hdc in next st. 1 dc in     next 3 sts. 2 trc in next st. 1 dc in next 3 sts. 1 hdc in next st. 2 sc in next st. 1 sc in next 4 sts. 2 sc in next st. 1 hdc in next st. 1 dc in next 3 sts. 2 trc in next st. 1 dc in next 3 sts. 1 hdc in next st. Join with sl st to top of first sc. Ch 1. (36 st).

Round 7: 2 sc in next st. 1 sc in next 5 sts. 2 sc in next st. 1 hdc in next 2 sts. 1 dc in next 3 st. 1 dc, 1 trc, 1 dc in next st. 1 dc in next 3 sts. 1 hdc in next 2 sts. 2 sc in next st. 1 sc in next 5 sts. 2 sc in next st. 1 hdc in next 2 sts. 1 dc in next 3 st. 1 dc, 1 trc, 1 dc in next st. 1 dc in next 3 sts. 1 hdc in next 2 sts. Join with sl st to top of first sc. Fasten off. (44 st)

Football Stripes (Make 2)

With your second (contrasting) colour ch 10. Sc in second ch from hook and in next 3 chs. 2 sc in next ch. 1 sc in the remaining 4 chs. Fasten off leaving a long tail.

Assembly

You should have your crocheted football coaster and two stripes finished.  Awesome! Feel free to hide the yarn ends on the coaster either now or after you have added the stripes. Position one stripe onto one end, doesn't matter which side you start; I started with the left stripe. Position the stripe across round 6, so the pointed part of round 7 is mostly visible. It doesn't have to be exact; the stripe should fit across the football almost perfectly, so just play around and see where you like it. You'll want to leave space in the middle of the coaster for glasses, mugs, cans, etc.

Using one or both yarn ends, sew the stripe as best you can onto the coaster. It doesn't have to be perfect, just make sure it is attached securely.  Repeat for the other stripe. Hide the yarn ends after you are done to make it less frustrating for the next step.

Embroidering The Stitches

This is pretty basic embroidery, if you can even call it that! The positioning is up to you. I had them across the centre on the brown coaster and higher up on the green one. The stitches are fairly flat so they shouldn't cause any issues with glasses, etc, placed on top of them. Attach a length of white (or contrasting colour) yarn at approximately round 4 and take a long straight stitch across the coaster to the opposite side and take the yarn down at approximately round 4. Anchor the yarn and come up though the same stitch as you went down. Hopefully that makes sense.

Take another long straight stitch roughly across the same stitch as before and go down in the same spot you started at. Anchor the yarn underneath and come up again. Take a third straight stitch again across the two previous stitches as before. You should end up with a three yarn wide straight stitch.

With the yarn still underneath the coaster, come up about one quarter of the way and slightly above the long stitch from before. Go across the long stitch and come down a little below the long stitch. Repeat twice more making the stitches approximately equally spaced apart. Hopefully that all made sense. Hide the final end, or all of them if you haven't already. Now would be the time to back the coaster with felt, if you desire.

There, you should have a football coaster of your very own! Enjoy! Much like the last Crafty Football Blog Hop I participated in, which you can find here: click here, I made a green football coaster for my local CFL team, the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Who, um, aren't doing so well right now. Come on guys!

Here is what everyone else has done for the 2015 Crafty Blog Hop. Check back everyday until the end of next week as a new participant will appear each day.

Are You Ready For Some Football!

Football related tatting that is. I am kinda nervous and excited to be part of The Football Blog Hop, organized by Catherine of Ancora Crafts. This is the first time I've been involved with a blog hop. For anyone not familiar with a blog hop, each participant creates a tutorial that they share on their blog. At the bottom of this post (and the posts of each participant) are links to the other participants. Make sure you check out their tutorials as well.

OK. My project is a tatted motif. Obviously, you'll need to know how to tat in order to make the motif. YouTube has a growing selection of tatting tutorials if you wish to learn. Alright, we got that out of the way, so now we can begin.

You will need:

• 1 or 2 tatting shuttles or tatting needles
• 1 ball of size 20 thread in the colour you want your football, I used Lizbeth #692 (Brown) and Flora #230 (Green)
• 1 ball of size 20 thread in white, I used DMC Cordonnet
• fine crochet hook (optional if your shuttle has a hook or pick)
• a safety pin (coil less preferred), or a paperclip
• scissors

 
At this point I should mention that I haven't tested the pattern using needles. It should work though.

Abbreviations

R       Ring
SR     Split Ring
CH    Chain
vsp    Very Small Picot
LJ      Lock Join (AKA Shuttle Join)
-        Picot
---     Large Picot
J, +    Join (a normal join)
SLT    Shoe Lace Trick

Let's begin!

Wind a couple yards/metres of brown (or colour you want) thread continuously onto each shuttle. You can use just one shuttle and the ball if you are not comfortable with making split rings and split chains. I have noted the changes needed when necessary. Don't wind more than one yard/metre if you take this route.

Tatted Football ©2013 Jeff Hamilton

Round 1

R1: 3-3---(10mm)3-3 RW
Ch: 4-4-4 RW
R2: 3+3+3-3 RW
Ch: 4-4-4 RW
R3: 3+3+3-3 RW
Ch: 6-6 RW
R4: 3+3+3-3 RW
Ch: 4-4-4 RW
R5: 3+3+3-3 RW
Ch: 4-4-4 RW 
R6: 3+3+3+3 RW
Sch: 6/6 Flip work. Do not cut thread

If you don't know how/don't like to make Split Chains, you can make the last chain 6-6, join to base of first ring. Cut, tie, hide ends.

Round 2

Now, if you made the split chain in round 1, leave a short length of thread before starting SR1. You are making a mock picot. If you didn't make a split chain, then make SR1 a regular ring like so: 8+8 RW. Make sure you join to one of the chains with only one picot.

SR1: 8/8 RW
Ch: 8-8 RW
R2: 4+4 RW (The join goes above the next ring on the previous round)
Ch: 2-2 LJ 3-3 LJ 3-3 LJ 3-3 LJ 2-2 LJ RW
R3: 4+4 RW (The join goes above the next ring on the previous round)
CH: 8-8 RW
R4: 8+8 RW
Ch: 8-8 RW
R5: 4+4 RW (The join goes above the next ring on the previous round)
Ch: 2-2 LJ 3-3 LJ 3-3 LJ 3-3 LJ 2-2 LJ RW
R6: 4+4 RW (The join goes above the next ring on the previous round)
Ch: 8-8 LJ to base of SR1. Flip work. Do not cut thread.

Hmmm. Kinda looks like a dog biscuit, doesn't it? Don't worry, it won't stay that way for long.

Round 3

Alright, I have to say pretty much the same thing here as above. If you will make a split ring, leave a short length of thread before starting SR1. You are making a mock picot. If you don't know how/don't like to make split rings, then make SR1 a regular ring like so: 8+8 RW. Make sure you join to the space above the first ring you made in the previous round.

SR1: 8/8 RW
Ch:13 LJ 8 LJ 5 LJ 6 LJ 6 LJ 5 LJ 8 LJ 13 RW
R2: 8+8 RW
Ch:13 LJ 8 LJ 5 LJ 6 LJ 6 LJ 5 LJ 8 LJ 13 Join to base of SR1. Tie, cut, hide.

Still with me? Good. We're almost done.

Stripes (Make 2)

Wind a couple feet of white thread onto a shuttle and leave attached to the ball. Slip a paper clip or safety pin on the thread to begin. It will give you a place to hold onto and a picot. A twofer! You may find it easier later to make the first stitch a lock stitch.

Ch: 8vsp8 SLT, RW
Ch: vsp8LJ8 LJ to p made using paperclip, SLT, RW
Ch: LJ to previous Ch, J(to 1st picot on the football marked with a green dot, don’t make the join too tight )9LJ to space above previous LJ,9 LJ to last vsp on previous Ch, J(to the picot on the football marked with a red dot, don’t make the join too tight). If you have trouble with the joins don't worry. I don't think there is a right way or wrong way here. join as best you can.

Tie the shuttle and ball threads together then cut the threads. Take the threads to the back of the football and tie the threads together again. Hide them as you wish, or cut them close to the knot and leave them. Repeat for second stripe joining the stripe to the football using the second green and red dots.

Awesome! We now have a tatted football to use as you wish. I'm sure someone might mention it, but I didn't add stitches to the football. They would be easy to add if someone wants to. I think a pair of footballs would look pretty cool as earrings for the football loving lady. Strategic picots on the outer round could allow them to join to become something larger. Football doily, anyone?

I hope everyone had fun tatting the football. And of course, if anyone has any questions, don't hesitate to ask. I've tested the pattern pretty extensively (I have quite a few tatted footballs now), but if anyone finds an error or doesn't understand something please let me know. I will be releasing the pattern in PDF format soon. I hope to do so over the weekend. And to incorporate my favourite football team, The Saskatchewan Roughriders:

You can buy green footballs for the Roughriders apparently. Hopefully, that's not cheating.

Thanks for playing along. And be sure to check out the other crafters in the blog hop!

CraftyPod

InLinkz.com