Crochet Parfait: January 2013

At our last craft fair at church one of the ladies made Quillows, a quilt that folds up and fits into a pocket to become a decorative pillow. So I thought, why not make a lapghan with the same concept.

If you would like to make a more masculine pillow, check out this post.

Materials:

Loops and Threads Impeccable--Soft Fern, 3 skeins
Bernat Softee Chunky Twists yarn--Tropic Twist--1 skein
Red Heart Soft--Turquesa
J Hook
Tapestry needle

Gauge:
1 9 tr shell = 3", 6 dcs = 2", 3 dc rows = 2"

Measurements:
Pillow top without edging measures 12"x12"
Lapghan measures 45"x30" with 3 balls of impeccable, one ball of impeccable adds 10 " in height.

Special Stitches:

tr--triple or treble stitch--Yarn over (YO) hook 2 times, insert hook into stitch (st), YO, pull up a loop, 4 loops on hook. *YO, pull through 2 loops* 3 times.

YO 2 times

Insert hook in st, YO

Pull up a loop, 4 loops on hook

pull through 2 loops

Pull through 2 loops again

pull through last 2 loops

fdc--foundation double crochet--chain(ch) 3, YO, insert hook in beginning ch, pull up a loop, 3 loops on hook. YO, pull through first loop on hook, YO, pull through two loops, YO, pull through 2 loops. Next st, YO, insert hook in bottom of fdc, YO, pull through first loop on hook, YO, pull through 2 loops, YO, pull through 2 loops.

Fdc has one extra step that a regular dc doesn't have. That extra step is in red. Also, instead of inserting the hook in the next chain (ch) of the foundation ch
you insert it in the bottom of the last fdc.

Ch 3

Insert hook in first ch

pull up a loop

Three loops on hook

YO, pull through last 2 loops

first fdc made

Insert hook in loop at bottom of first fdc

Pull up a loop, 3 loops on the hook

YO, pull through 1 loop

Now you do the rest like a regular dc, YO, pull through 2 loops

2 loops left on hook, YO pull through last 2 loops

2 fdcs made

Abbreviations:

fdc--foundation double crochet dc--double crochet
ch--chain sc(s)--single crochet(s)
tr(s)--triple or treble crochet(s) sk--skip
* *--repeat instructions in between asterisks

Lapghan:

With Impeccable Soft Fern ch 3, fdc 120 times
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in next st and in each across. Turn. (120 sts)
Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), dc in next st and in each st across, including the top of the turning ch. Turn. (120 sts)
Repeat row 3 until blanket measures 45" in width and 30" in height. (If you would like to make a bigger blanket you can use a 4th skein of Impeccable Soft Fern, it will add about 40" in height. This will make your pillow fatter.

If you don't feel comfortable doing the fdc you can
ch 122,
Row 1: dc in 4th ch and in each across. Turn (120 sts)

Then repeat the pattern from Row 3.

Pillow Top

There is a stitch diagram at the end of this pattern for the Pillow Top.

With Bernat Tropic Twist ch 32.
Row 1: sc in second ch from hook, *ch 4 sk 3 chs, sc in next 3 chs, ch 4, sk 3 chs, sc in next ch* repeat to end of ch, you should end with one sc. Turn.

Row 2: ch 1, sc in sc, ch 2, sc in ch-4 sp, *ch 4, sc in middle sc of 3 scs, ch 4, sc in ch-4 sp, ch 3, sc in next ch-4 sp* 2 times, ch 4, sc in middle sc, ch 2, sc in last sc. Turn.

Row 3: ch 4, do 4 trs in ch-2 sp, *sc in ch-4 sp, ch 4, sc in next ch-4 sp, do 9 trs in next ch-3 sp, * 2 times, sc in next ch-4 sp, ch 4, sc in next ch-4 sp, do 5 trs in next ch-2 sp. Turn.

Row 4: Ch 1, sc in top of first two trs, ch 4, *sc in next ch-4 sp, ch 4, sc in 4th tr and next 2 trs, ch 4* 2 times, sc in next ch-4 sp, ch 4, sc in 4th tr and in top of turning ch. Turn.

Row 5: Ch 1, sc in first sc, ch 4, sc in ch-4 sp, *ch 3, sc in next ch-4 sp, ch 4, sc in middle sc of 3 scs, ch 4, sc in next ch-4 sp* 2 times, ch 3, sc in next ch-4 sp, ch 4, sc in last sc. Turn.

Row 6: Ch 1, sc in sc, ch 2, *sc in ch-4 sp, do 9 trs in next ch-3 sp, sc in next ch-4 sp, ch 4* 2 times, sc in next ch-4 sp, do 9 trs in next ch-3 sp, sc in next ch-4 sp, ch 2, sc in sc. Turn.

Row 7: Ch 1, sc in sc, *ch 4, sc in 4th tr and in next 2 trs, ch 4, sc in next ch-4 sp* 2 times, ch 4, sc in 4th tr and in next 2, ch 4, sc in last sc. Turn.

Rows 8 to 12: Repeat Rows 2 to 7.

Rows 13 to 15: Repeat Rows 2 to 4. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Here's a diagram of how to do the rows for the pillow top.

How to Read a Diagram

Each symbol represents a stitch. On the diagram above I have drawn a symbol and given the written name of the stitch. The pattern at the bottom with the foundation chain that is represented by the ovals.
The first row (1) starts on the right. The oval next to the 1 is actually part of the foundation chain you just made, because in the patterns it says to do the first single crochet (represented by a cross) in the second chain from the hook. Follow the pattern to the end of the foundation chain.
For the second (2) row you read the diagram from right to left, however you will still turn your work and be crocheting from right to left (opposite for lefties). The oval after the 2 is the chain 1, then you single crochet in the top of the single crochet on the opposite row.
Row 3 is read in the same direction as Row 1 (as well as the other odd numbered rows). The tall line with bar on top and the 2 bars through it is the triple or treble crochet symbol. Since you are making shells with the trs in this pattern they are shown attached together (somewhat the way they look once they are crocheted.)
All even numbered rows are read left to right. I tried to make them a different color so they would stand out better, unfortunately it's a little hard to tell.
I find that it helps sometimes to read the pattern and then look at the diagram to help me understand the written instructions better.

Shell Edging
With Red Heart Soft Turquesa Bottom: Insert hook in the bottom right corner(foundation ch) of the pillow top.
Ch 3, do 2 dcs in same st, *sc in middle of ch-4 sp, dc 6 times in second sc, sc in middle of next ch-4 sp, dc 6 times in next sc* 2 times, sc in middle of ch-4 sp, dc 6 times in second sc, sc in middle of ch-4 sp, dc 6 times in corner ch.

First Side: Sc in the side of the next sc, dc 6 times in the top of the post of the next tr, sc in the side of the middle sc, dc 6 times in the bottom of the next tr, sc in the top of the same tr, dc 6 times in the second sc, sc in the bottom of the next tr, dc 6 times in the top of the same tr, sc in the first sc, dc 6 times in the 3rd sc, sc in the middle of the last tr, dc 6 times in the corner.

Top: *Sc in middle of ch-4 sp, dc 6 times in next sc, sc in next ch-4 sp, dc 6 times in middle sc* 2 times, sc in middle of next ch-4 sp, dc 6 times in sc, sc in next ch-4 sp, dc 6 times in corner.

Second Side: Sc in the middle of the next tr, dc 6 times in side of next sc, sc in the third sc, dc 6 times in the middle of the next tr, sc in the first sc, dc 6 times in the third sc, sc in the bottom of the middle of the next tr, dc 6 times in the first sc, sc in the third sc, dc 6 times in the middle of the last tr, sc in last sc, dc 3 times in the beginning corner, sl st in top of beginning ch 3 fasten off.

You should end up with 5 shells on each side and 4 corner shells.

Assembly

Fold the edging to the inside on the front of the pillow top.

Pin the pillow top with the shell side down onto the left bottom corner of the blanket.

Using yarn and a tapestry needle, sew the pillow top to the edges of the blanket on three sides (left, right and bottom). Don't tie a knot in the blue yarn, leave a long tail for weaving in, just as you would if you were crocheting. Try not to catch the blue shells in the sewing. Weave in ends.