Octopus purse

Design by Vendula Maderska

July 2018

• fine yarn/ sport/ 5 ply/ 12 wpi/ calls for 3 mm hook
• hook 3 mm and 3,5 mm
• scissors, common sewing needle and threads and the tapestry needle
• Glass beads – “Toho beads”, beads size 6/0 in pink and white colors, spangles/ sequins



Hooks: 3,5 mm for all purse and 3 mm for last round of the upper brim.

Use two threads of yarn, hook 3.5 mm, use light blue color. Crochet in rows, back and forth.

Row 1: starting in the 2nd chain from the hook, SC in every chain along (51 SC), CH1 as a turning chain, turn.

 1 HDC in next 24 stitches, 2 HDC in one stitch, 1 HDC in next stitch – place the stitch marker in this stitch, 2 HDC in next stitch, 1 HDC in next 24 stitches, (53 stitches), CH 1 for turning the work, turn

Fold the piece in half and crochet the edges together using SC into each of the 25 stitches, 1 SlSt in next stitch, end the work. Turn the purse to the right side.

Crocheting together

                                                Wrong side view                                 Right side view

Just tie up the octopus Annie on the purse and that's it! :-)

I hope, you enjoyed crocheting with me ♥

Do you like it?

And do you know what? 

And because I love summer and I love you,

 - this is my freebie for you ♥

• fine yarn/ sport/ 5 ply/ 12 wpi/ calls for 3 mm hook
• hook 3 mm
• scissors, common sewing needle and threads and the tapestry needle
• a little amount of toy filling
• one pair of safety eyes or sew-on wiggle/google eyes average 10 mm
• 2 buttons average 6 mm
I used this yarn:
100% mercerized cotton Catania Solids by Schachenmayr SMC
Yarn weight: Sport / 5 ply (12 wpi), Yardage: 136 yards (124 meters), Unit weight: 50 grams (1.76 ounces)
Gauge: 26.0 sts = 4 inches – using one thread

I used these colors:
Dark blue number 164 about 20 g, the little amount of pink number 225, light blue number 173 and sand number 404.

Hook: 3 mm



Needed skills: easy/ intermediate
Abbreviations used – US terminology:
Chain (CH)
Slip stitch (SlSt)
Single crochet (SC)
Double crochet (DC)
Increasing (inc): crochet 2 stitches in one stitch
Decreasing (dec) crochet 2 stitches together
Front post single crochet (FpSC)
BLO – crochet in back loops only
[ ] ...x times = repeat instructions in in brackets ... times
( ) = the number of the stitches at the end of the row/round



Use dark blue yarn, hook 3 mm and crochet continuously in spiral circle rounds – it means that you will NOT join the rounds and you will not turn the work at the end of the round.

Round 1: CH 2, 7 SC in the second stitch from the hook (7 SC)

Round 2: inc in each stitch around (14 SC)


Round 3: [1 SC in next stitch, inc] – repeat it 7 times totally (21 SC)



Round 4: [1 SC in next 2 stitches, inc] - repeat it 7 times totally (28 SC)



Round 5 -12: 1 SC in every stitch from previous round (28 SC)



Round 13: [dec, 1 SC in next 2 stitches] - repeat it 7 times in total (21 SC)

Tip: if you will use the safety eyes, insert the eyes in this round.

Round 14 - 16: 1 SC in each stitch from previous round (21 SC). Begin with the filling of the octopus with the toy filling.

Round 17: 1 SC in each stitch from previous round, but crochet in back loops only (21 SC)



Round 18: [dec, 1 SC in next 1 stitch] - repeat it 7 times in total (14 SC)

Round 19: [dec] - repeat it 7 times in total (7 SC), end the work. Let longer thread for sewing. Sew the rest of the stitches, use the tapestry needle. Neaten free thread.

Make 8 different tentacles in these colors: dark blue, pink, light brown and light blue.

Row 1: make CH 23

Row 2: insert a hook in the second stitch from the hook and make 1 SlSt, then make 1 SlSt in every stitch from the previous row, end the work (22 SlSt). Tie up the tentacles in the middle part under the scallops.

Shop at Amazon from the US

Shop at Amazon from the UK

So, my dears - my July KnitCrate arrived!

The July Topic:

I opened it, and this time, I can't believe my eyes. Look at these colors! 

I was speechless :-) This time like KnitCrate read my mind.

As you can see alone - that match with my skirt ♥

And what a treasure I found:

My favorite Knitology exclusive hand dyed for KnitCrate in colorway School Zone. 

Worsted weight 

2 skeins of 100% Superwash Merino Wool, 180 yards in one skein, it means 360 yards in total.

Wow!

As always, there are two patterns included in this KnitCrate, 

a knitting pattern and a crochet pattern. 

C R O CH E T   P A T T E R N

Designer Laura Bail designed this funny and practical Yoga socks. It perfectly fits the July topic. 

K N I T T I N G   P A T T E R N

Designer Virginia Sattler-Reimer designed this colorful Beach Ball Cowl.
Both patterns are easy to follow and beginners friendly. 

 I can't resist and..

Made a ball and ..

Made the swatch of the lace stitch in the cowl pattern.

So pretty!

But do you know what? I guess, will combine it with another color. I would like to make a sweater for myself, using these colors. And I really hope that the result will be nice. What do you think? :-)

P.S.: My honey girl helped me with taking the pictures of a new KnitCrate

 ♥

This KnitCrate was made for me, really! :-) I like the texture of the yarn, and the colors are amazing! The retail value of this KnitCrate is 63 USD, 48 USD is for the yarn only - the yarn worth that price, 10 USD is for the patterns and 5 USD is the postage. BUT you will pay only 24.99 USD - and you will get 200 g of this amazing yarn, two patterns including postage. So that is a great price! The color is always surprising - but you know, what would be live without the fun? :-)

If you like that kit, pick your KnitCrate here now. The July kit is available at the end of the July! They have many types of subscription e.g. by the month (a one-time purchase), 3-months, or even a full years etc. The KnitCrate offers the sale for my followers and friends :-) Using this unique code: MAGIC20, you will get 20% Off the first month of your subscription. I love the sale codes! Thank you very much, KnitCrate! 

The technical note: I need to say, that if you will subscribe to KnitCrate through my link, I will get some small commission. But I will recommend this yarn even I did get nothing :-)

Thank you for reading, my dears.

Enjoy your summer!

Yours,

Vendulka

Hi, my dears,

let's talk about the patchwork. I love it! I am wearing my patchwork summer dress all the time. They are really long and I look like I am the traveler in time from 80' :-). Well, I don't care - I love these dress and I feel like a fairy, wearing them. And what to wear to the patchwork dress? That is the question! :-)

Do you remember some of my patchwork bags? If not, I will remember you a few designs :-) I think, that some of them I never shared before and some are still hidden from the world - oh, mystery mood today - haha ...

. . . ♥ . . .

Are you searching some bag handles?

You can find the patterns of some of my bags here: www.vendulkam.etsy.com 

And it was the first one. 

My gently love bag. Made in October 2011 as my colorful therapy.... and me and my gypsy skirt. 

I hope you like my little trip to the past. 

  And do you know what? I am on the patchwork wave again...

I am working on the update of my gently love bag pattern - actually, I am just waiting for final testing, so my wonderful tester crocheter say the last words :-) and then I will share the pattern again. 

And I hope, I will add a new one soon! 

Thank you for reading, my dears!

. . . ♥ . . .

One

Two

Three

Go! 

The first day of the holiday is here ♥

I know, that the holiday starts somewhere over the ocean already, but in our country today it is that day! So tell me, how are you enjoying your holiday and if it starts today in your country - what plans for the holiday do you have :-) ? 

Well, I have not many plans for traveling etc. Two weeks ago we were with Natalka in Croatia, where she took apart the European Championship majorettes sport. She got that bronze, anyway! :-) In the group formation in her category. I think, that majorettes - it is her sport - she looks so beautiful and natural by making these wonders with her baton! Oh, and I don't have to forget to tell you, that Nelinka is the Silver Czech Champion in the group formation in her category :-). We are so proud of both fairies ♥ and we are very happy, that they love, what they are doing ♥ 

But we are not planning any longer holiday, because our honey girl has some health issues... Last summer, we were afraid of Natynka's health and this summer about our honey girl's health... Well, still something. But we really hope that she will be alright  ♥. We are planning some small trips, so I hope, that it will be fun also. I think, that there is no need to have still some super exciting entertainment to be happy, am I right? 

Anyway - no school, no training for all month! We love that, but I think, that the fairies need some rest too. I really hope I will have a time for my blog and work and writing these patterns!! Last months I made really a lot of new designs, but the truth is, that I didn't write any single pattern for it. So, it looks, that I should bite that sour apple!

So with the end of the school year, I was busy as a bee. Every year we made some small presents for the teachers. I think, that we had luck and we met amazing teachers and my fairies really like them and it is happiness! So except for some flowers and something sweet to eat, I made some small gifts for them.

And I also finished some owls from the beginning of the post 

and custom orders for my beloved customers 

♥ Thank you ♥ 

And another will come! My hook is on the fireeeee! And I love that!

H A P P Y    H O L I  D A Y,  M Y D E A R S ♥