Crochet ‘macrame’ footstool pattern for Knitcraft

Crochet ‘macrame’ footstool pattern for Knitcraft

If there’s one thing I love, it’s trying to make crochet look like something else - knitting, weaving, macrame..! I don’t know why, partly it’s because I love texture and unusual stitches, and partly because I love the challenge! So when Knitcraft, the yarn arm of crafty superstore Hobbycraft, asked me to create a crochet footstool that looked like macrame, I jumped at the chance.

Their new yarn, Return of the Mac, is a lovely cotton cord ideal for macrame, but also well suited to more hardwearing and structural crochet items (think rugs, stools, wallhangings). I also used a 9mm hook to make this, so it works up really quickly!

(I was paid to create this pattern but not to promote it as it’s being published under the Knitcraft label, rather than my own, I’m just keen to share the pictures I took and a bit more about my design process! ☺️)

You can find a digital copy of the pattern here on the Hobbycraft website.

I’d love to know what you think of the pattern, and do let me know if you make it by tagging me as @lottieandalbert and #lottieandalbert on Instagram 😘

Love Heart Belly Basket - Free Valentine's crochet pattern

Love Heart Belly Basket, a free tutorial 💕

This chunky belly basket is worked in the round and uses six strands of yarn held together, for a fun and quick make. Finished with heart-shaped pompoms! Scroll down for step by step pictures, instructions and stitch descriptions. 

Please do tag me with #lottieandalbert or @lottieandalbert to show me what you've made on social media! 💕

This project was originally created for the Knitcraft blog, the post can be found here. The yarn for the project was kindly gifted to me by Hobbycraft.

Materials

Knitcraft Cotton Blend 100g in Pink, Red, White

8mm hook

5cm pompom maker

Abbreviations - written in UK terminology

blo       back loop only

ch        chain

dc        double crochet (US single crochet)

rep       repeat

rnd       round

slst      slip stitch

st(s)     stitch(es)

inc       increase (two double crochet in one stitch)

dc2tog double crochet two stitches together

Stitch descriptions

Slip Stitch: Insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, pull new loop through first loop on hook

Double Crochet: Insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops

Double Crochet Two Together: Insert hook into stitch, without yarning over insert hook in next stich along from front to back, yarn over and pull up a loop through both stitches, yarn over and pull though both loops

Preparing the yarn

Taking your three balls of yarn, hold the three strands in your hand, and slowly wind them into a ball of three strands. Continue until you have wound around half of the yarn, or until the new ball weighs around 150g. Now cut your yarn, and hold the three strands of what’s left of your balls, plus the three strands of the yarn ball you just wound, and wind all six strands into a ball. You will now have a six-strand yarn ball to make the blanket with.

Work all six yarns together and treat them as one thread.

Basket Pattern

Rnd 1   Create a magic loop and make 6 dc into the loop, pull loop closed (6)

Rnd 2   2 dc in each stitch around (12)

Rnd 3   *1 dc, inc. Rep from * until end of rnd (18)

Rnd 4   *2 dc, inc. Rep from * until end of rnd (24)

Rnd 5   *3 dc, inc. Rep from * until end of rnd (30)

Rnd 6   *4 dc, inc. Rep from * until end of rnd (36)

Rnd 7   dc in back loop only of each stitch around (36)

Rnd 8   *5 dc, inc. Rep from * until end of rnd (42)

Rnd 9   *6 dc, inc. Rep from * until end of rnd (48)

Rnd 10 *7 dc, inc. Rep from * until end of rnd (54)

Rnd 11 *2dc, inc. Rep from * until end of rnd (72)

Rnd 12 In BLO *2dctog, 2dc. Rep from * until end of rnd (54)

Rnd 13 *7dc, 2dctog. Rep from * until end of rnd (48)

Rnd 14 *6dc, 2dctog. Rep from * until end of rnd (42)

Rnd 15 *5dc, 2dctog. Rep from * until end of rnd (36)

Rnd 16 *4dc, 2dctog. Rep from * until end of rnd (30)

Rvd 17 *5 ss, ch 10 and skip 5 sts, 5 ss. Rep from * once more (30)

Fasten off and weave in ends

Pom Pom Hearts

To make the pompom hearts, use just one strand of yarn at once.

Taking your pompom maker and one colour, wrap the pompom maker and create a round pompom as normal. Holding the pompom by the strings at the top, start to shape the bottom of the heart into a pointed cone shape.

Now cut a sharp V in the top of the pomp om, being careful not to cut the strings.

This will give you the basic heart shape, but will probably look very fluffy! Continue to trim, fluffing and turning the pompom regularly to refine the heart shape.

Attach your pompoms to your basket in between the handles and rounds 15 and 16.

I hope you have enjoyed this free pattern from Lindsey of Lottie and Albert. Find me on Instagram, Etsy, Ravelry and YouTube as @lottieandalbert, and find more free patterns on lottieandalbert.blogspot.com

Cotton Basket Bag - Free Crochet Pattern

Make your crochet a statement part of your outfit and personalise it with pompoms in your colour palette. See you at the market, or park, or beach…

Worked with Aran yarn held double, this cotton bag grows quickly. With the option of adding cardboard to a channel around the edge, the bag is also sturdy and keeps it's shape!

Materials

Wooden bag handles, 18cm – I used these. 

5 balls of Women’s InstituteCotton Aran Yarn in Cream, 100g/160m 

7mm crochet hook

Length of thick cardboard approx. 90cm (L) x 8cm (W) – I cut up a cardboard box!

Assorted pompom makers and acrylic yarn scraps for pompoms

Finished bag size

Approx. 40cm (W) x 24cm (H – without handles) x 9cm (D)

Gauge

10cm square = 12sts x 11rows in rows of dc with yarn held double, though gauge is not essential

Abbreviations

ch        chain

dc        double crochet (US single crochet)

inc       increase – work two double crochet in one stitch

st(s)     stitch(es)

ss         slip stitch

Stitch descriptions

Slip stitch: Insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, pull this loop through first loop on hook

Double crochet: Insert hook into stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop, yarn over and pull through both loops

Bag pattern – MAKE 2

Foundation row

Using a 7mm crochet hook and the yarn held double, make 24dc around the bottom bar of the bag handle, turn. (24 sts)

Row 1 

Chain 1 (does not count as a stitch throughout pattern), 6dc, inc, dc until 7 sts remain, inc, 6dc. (26 sts)

Rows 2-13 

Repeat row 1. (50 sts at end of row 13)

Row 14

2ss, 6dc, inc, 6dc, inc, sc until 16 stitches remain, inc, 6dc, inc, 6dc, leave last two stitches unworked, turn. (50 sts not including slip stitches)

Row 15-26

Repeat row 14, do not count slip stitches from previous row as stitches. Cut and fasten off yarn. (50 sts)

Row 27

Turn your work 90 degrees clockwise, as shown in picture. 

Reattach yarn to the first slip stitch of row 14, and ss in each of the 2ss. Next, dc in the unworked dc stitches from row 15, ss in 2ss from row 16, dc in unworked dc stitches from row 17. Continue in this way, working ss in the slip stitches, and dc in the unworked double crochets until you reach the bottom of the bag at row 26. Work one dc in each stitch around the bottom until you get to the other side, work back up the bag in the same way you worked down the opposite side. Stop when you have worked the last of the unworked stitches for row 14. Cut and fasten off yarn. (102 stiches)

This will neaten off the edges of the bag panels ready for joining with side panels.

Side panel 1

Having made two bag panels, using a 7mm crochet hook and two strands of yarn held double, choose one panel and place it wrong side up (you can choose which is wrong and which is right). Reattach the yarn to one end of Row 27 in the back loop only.

Row 1

Ch1 (does not count as a stitch) and, working in the back loop only, make one dc in each stitch, turn. (102).

Rows 2-8

Repeat row 1. (102)

Row 9

Take second bag panel and place it right sides together with the one you are working on. Ss in the front loop only of each stitch from second bag panel row 27. At the end of the row, cut and fasten off yarn. Your two bag panels should now be joined by a side panel.

Side panel 2

We are now going to make a second side panel to sit on top of the first. This will create a channel through which we will slide the strip of cardboard to stiffen the bag.

Reattach the yarn to one end of Row 27 in an unworked loop.

Row 1

Ch1 (does not count as a stitch) and, working in the unworked loops only, make one dc in each stitch, turn. (102).

Rows 2-8

Repeat row 1. (102)

Row 9

Ss in the unworked loop only of each stitch from the second bag panel along row 27. At the end of the row, cut and fasten off yarn. Your two bag panels should now be joined by two side panels.

Turn your bag right sides out. Now slide the cardboard in between the two side panels. To close the tops of the side panel channels, whip stitch using a tapestry needle and one strand of yarn, or slip stitch using your crochet hook. Repeat on both sides.

Weave in ends, make and attach pompoms of your choice to one side of the bag!

I hope you enjoyed this pattern! Find Lindsey and more free Lottie and Albert patterns at @lottieandalbert and www.lottieandalbert.blogspot.com