suddenwhimsies: Happy Mother's Day-A pattern for you!

It's my latest whimsy--a needle case! It combines the best of both worlds, crocheting and recycling! Yes dears, that IS a paper towel tube in there! The really cool thing about this is that if someone rudely steps on your needle case and squishes it, you can just pop the old tube out and insert a new one!

Before I get to the pattern, I have to share my Mother's Day gift! I, ahem,"received" this wonderful book:

Okay, actually, I had to go purchase it for myself after I realized that several of my "bombshell" hints had totally missed the mark. Anyway, Julie is my new hero. She is so incredibly creative! My jaw dropped several inches as I flipped through this book in the bookstore. Really! She takes crochet way beyond the usual and expected. This book will totally change the way you "see" this craft. The projects are absolutely brilliant! Julie also has a wonderful blog at http://skamama.blogspot.com/. I don't know which to do first--the Patchwork Handbag or the Pacific Coast Basket.....hmmmmm.

Enjoy the pattern! And Happy Mother's Day!

Crocheted Needle Case

Supplies:

3 different colors of Crochet Cotton Size 10 or fingering weight yarn (this is a thinner yarn than the worsted weight stuff)
crochet hook: size D
paper towel tube
small piece of sturdy cardboard
white sheet of paper (the tube shows through in parts, and white is just prettier than that brownish color)
yarn needle

Gauge:
1 square should measure approximately 1-3/4" across.

Make the circles (make 2):
Make a slip knot and chain 1.
Round 1: 8 sc in the beginning slip knot. Join with sl st to first sc. Ch 1, do not turn.
Round 2: 2 sc in joining st, and in each st around, 16 sc. Join with sl st to first sc. Ch 1, do not turn.
Round 3: 1 sc in joining st, * 2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next st *. Repeat from * to * all the way around, 24 sc. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off. Ch 1 with a new color, do not turn.
Round 4: 1 sc in joining st, 1 sc in next st, 2 sc in next st. *sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st*. Repeat from * to * all the way around, 32 sc. Join with sl st to first sc. Ch 1, do not turn.
Round 5: 1 sc in joining st, 1 sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in next st. *sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st*. Repeat from * to * all the way around, 40 sc. Join with sl st to first sc. Fasten off.

Yippee! You have finished a circle! Now make another one more for the other end of the tube.

The Circle Square (make 8):----I know it sounds funny, but I didn't know what else to call it.
Make 8 more of the circles described above. The next round will turn your circles into squares.

Round 6: Join and ch 3 with white (or some other color as desired). * Hdc in next 2 sts, 5 sc in the next 5 sts, 2 hdc in the next 2 sts, in the next st make 1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc (this makes a corner) *. Repeat from * to *, 3 more times. On the last repeat, you will end with a 1 dc, ch2, and then sl st into the second chain of the beginning ch 3.

Joining:

Stack 2 squares with right sides facing.
Sc along one edge through both pieces so that you are joining the two squares together.
Repeat this step 3 more times.

Top:

Choose one of the sets to be the top. Repeat the "Joining" step on the other side of the squares to make a tube.
Turn inside out and whip stitch one of the circles to one end of the tube.

Bottom:

Repeat the "Joining" step three more times along the long edges of the joined squares to make a piece that is 2 squares across by 4 squares down.
Fold the piece in half long ways and repeat the "Joining" step along the long edge to form a long tube.
Turn inside out and whip stitch the other circle to one end of the tube.

Putting it all together:

Note: the shorter of the two crocheted tubes will be the "top" and the longer one will be the "bottom".
From the sturdy piece of cardboard, cut 2 circles (1-5/8" diameter). Insert these circles into the bottom ends of the two tubes you just crocheted.
Cut off a 1-3/4" section of the paper towel tube. Cut a piece of white paper to measure 1-3/4" x 6". Tape this white sheet to the outside of the tube.Insert the tube into the "top" crocheted piece. This may take a bit of stretching but if your piece is crocheted to gauge, it should fit nice and snug. Note: If it absolutely will not fit, don't despair! You can simply cut the length of the tube, remove 1/4" or so and re-tape it.
Cut off a 7" section of paper towel tube for the "bottom". Before covering this tube with a piece of white paper ( 6-1/4" x 6-1/4"), make sure to slice the tube along it's length and remove about 1/4". Re-tape the tube and tape on the paper. Making this piece a little narrower than the top piece ensures that the top slides easily over the bottom when closing up your needle case!
Insert the tube into the bottom crocheted section. A slight twisting motion helps if it is a little bit snug.The crocheted edge should come up to the edge of the white sheet of paper
Fill 'er up crocheters!

Comments

It is so much fun to be scrolling through my blog reader, sipping my coffee, then come across a cute crocheted needle case. "Great idea", I say to myself. Then I pop over to the blog to read the whole post, scroll down and see my book cover there. Thanks for the compliments!
The needle case is an absolutely resourceful, practical, and stylish application of crochet. Well done.
Happy Mother's Day! I bought myself some yarn.

Posted by: Julie | May 12, 2008 at 09:02 AM