Simple Crochet Coaster and Placemat Set

I recently started to take up an interest in crocheting again after being taught the basic stitches (chain, single crochet, double crochet -U.S. terms) when I was a kid.  Using the wonderful teacher Ms. Youtube, I was able to really advance my knowledge and skill!  I saw this great placemat that I wanted to try to give as a gift for a housewarming party (Crochet Spring Placemat).  It's adorable and I love it!  However the instructions are not quite written for a beginner (there are some missing steps you have to guess at!) and there are details missing like yarn type and hook size!  When I attempted the placemat using the directions, with my worsted weight cotton yarn and my H sized hook, I was getting something the size of my table and the holes were way too big! There were also no matching coasters. So, I am writing my own pattern using this as inspiration!

You will need:
Worsted weight yarn (4 ply) (for coaster and placemat)
Light weight yarn (3 ply) (for embellishment)
Size H-8/5.00 mm hook (for coaster and placemat)
Size F-5/3.75 mm hook (for embellishment)
Tapestry Needle for finishing off
Needle and thread for attaching embellishment

Terms:
Chain
Slip Stitch-SS
Single Crochet-SC
Half Double Crochet-HDC ( loop on hook, yarn over, go through chain, pull up loop, pull yarn through all three loops on hook)
Magic Loop
Treble (or triple) Crochet-TR (loop on hook, yarn over twice, go through chain, pull up loop, pull yarn through two, pull yarn through two again)



Coaster:  Approximately 5x5 inches or 13x13 cm
Row 1:  Loosely Chain 15. (this allows your piece to remain flat)
Row 2:  HDC in 2nd loop of chain from hook. (14 HDC stitches total)
Rows 3-10: Turn work.  Chain 1. HDC in same stitch and continue in each stitch in row.
Finishing main piece: crochet a single crochet all the way around with 3 single crochet stitches in each corner. Slip stitch to join end. Cut and finish off. Weave in ends.


Placemat: Approximately 12x17 inches or 31x45 cm
Row 1: Loosely chain 55.
Row 2 HDC in  2nd loop of chain from hook. (54 HDC stitches total)
Rows 3-30: Turn work.  Chain 1. HDC in same stitch and continue in each stitch in row.
Finishing main piece: crochet a single crochet all the way around with 3 single crochet stitches in each corner. Slip stitch to join end. Cut and finish off. Weave in ends.

Edging:
This is a modified shell stitch edging.
Slip stitch your color into the third single crochet stitch from the corner.
*Skip SC.
HDC 5 times same stitch. (6 HDC for corners)
Slip stitch in second SC.
*Repeat from * and slip stitch to close.
Cut and weave in ends.

When looking at the embellishment for the coaster and placemat, I didn't want to do the  original design but I did like the idea of something in the lower corner to make it pop.  I immediately thought a butterfly would be perfect because the wings would complement the edging.  After searching for and trying several different butterflies that ended up too big for my project (why don't people tell you the size it will be in the pattern!?!) I found my self looking at the flowers too.  After all, a simple butterfly is basically a flower minus one petal!  I found that they weren't quite right either.  So I got inspiration from the following two free patterns :
Flowergirl Cottage Flower Pattern and Sweet Butterfly Pattern.  That when modified together made the cutest little butterflies perfect for my coasters and placemats (approximate size of butterfly is 1.5x1.5 inches or 3.5x3.5 centimeters)!

Butterfly Embellishment:

Create magic loop.
Pull up one loop.
8 SC around loop
Pull end thread to tighten center ( I leave a little loose and pull completely at end of project.)Slip stitch in beginning chain. Chain one.
HDC 5 times in same stitch. Chain 1. Slip stitch in same stitch.
Skip SC. Slip stitch in next SC.  Chain 2. TR in same stitch 5 times. Chain 2. Slip stitch in same stitch.
Skip next SC. Slip Stitch in next SC. Chain 2. 5 TR in same stitch. Chain 2. Slip stitch in same stitch.
Skip SC. Slip Stitch in next SC. Chain 1. 5 HDC in same stitch. Chain 1. Slip stitch in same stitch.
Slip stitch in starting stitch. Finish off and pull starting loop tight. Weave in ends.

Beach Dreaming Mixed Media Art

About this time of year I think about how much I miss summer already. To push away the September blues, I decided to do a series of three beach themed mixed media art canvas pictures. Its great when you have a storage box filled with all these supplies from other mixed media / paper craft projects because you don't have to go to the store and spend more money. At least this is how I justify it to my husband.

One thing for sure that I keep in my craft box is spray ink. Mixing blue firecracker and pearls mist provides a dreamy sky look. After it dries I stamp it up by painting acrylic paint on my stamps.

I use tan acrylic paint and actual sand to create the beach. I looked a little strange dumping my canvas in the sand at the beach, but not any stranger than the 80 year old man in the tight red Speedo, smoking a pipe while staring at me.  

Curly Stencil

The water is painted with acrylic paint and the idea of waves are created by using a curly stencil with white and blue acrylic paint.

Scrap Book Paper

It was so easy to cut out houses and sailboats since they are simply triangles and rectangles. The umbrella was a little bit trickier, but whats great about using paper is that you can easily toss your mistakes.

Oil Pastel and Paper

To add a little more texture to the houses, I went around the edges of my squares with a darker color oil pastel and blended it in.

I always glue together my paper creations together, outline with sharpie, then Modge Podge them before I glue them to the canvas, with the exception of the really tiny pieces that are too difficult to work with.

   Make sure the final product is sprayed with clear coat to keep the sand from falling off.

Grade: A  
Skill Level: Minimal
Difficulty Level: Low to Moderate 
Frustration Level: Low
Cost: $$