Inch by Inch and Row by Row

Introduction:

When creative women around the globe apply their knitting, crocheting, sewing and needle felting skills to a challenge, you get delightful surprises! Follow along to enjoy a veritable garden, menagerie and patisserie of TMCs (tape measure covers) by 18 talented gals on ravelry.com in the Good Things Together group.

For several days when I was thinking about writing this blog, certain lyrics began running in my head. I knew these particular lines must have been important to this story because they were so persistent. I went around the day humming or singing the opening lines of the Garden Song:*

Inch by inch, row by row

Gonna make this garden grow…

After googling, I found more of the lyrics and ultimately why this song was meaningful to our event. Here are of the lyrics as they continue:

All it takes is a rake and hoe

And a piece of fertile ground.

Inch by inch, row by row

Please bless these seeds I sow…*

Then I got it! This encapsulates what happened in our event! Instead of tilling the ground and growing seeds, we made our fiber creations grow. Instead of rakes and hoes, we did it inch-by-inch and row-by-row using our crochet hooks, knitting needles, sewing needles, roving and thread. And our gardens grew… as well as our menageries, patisseries and other unique TMC creations, too.

Now, after about six weeks, our garden is fully matured so come and celebrate our harvest by enjoying our beautiful, fun and interesting TMCs, which you can view “inch by inch and row by row” as you scan below. 

Our TMC Garden:


 


 “Simple Flower” by Sandramaria

–crocheted (pull leaf for tape measure) 

“Hot Pink Flower w/ Variegated Leaves” 

by JanetMB

–crocheted 




“Orange Popcorn Flower w/ Green Tendrils” by JanetMB

–crocheted

“Sparkly-centered Rose” by JanetMB

–crocheted, button center

(pull leaf for tape measure)




“Wild Rose with 
Variegated Leaves” by JanetMB

–crocheted

“Felted Flowers” by auchgan
–crocheted with needle-felted flowers pressed into cookie cutters  CLICK HERE for a youtube tutorial on the how-to.




“Needle-felted Flowers” 

by maryootsy

–needle-felted, button bee

“A Bouquet for You” 

by KnitaStitch

–crocheted using embroidery thread, buttons, beads and ribbon







“Rosettes” by delights

–crocheted

“Yellow Rose of Texas” by delights

–crocheted using plarn (strips cut from plastic bags to use in place of yarn)




“Plarn Flowers” 

by RecycleCindy and delights

–crocheted using plarn (strips cut from plastic bags to use in place of  yarn)

“Daffodil” by RecycleCindy and delights




–crocheted using plarn (strips cut from plastic bags to use in place of yarn)

“Flower Power” by Sophietd

–crocheted with a cluster of flower buttons

Above: These are the tape measure covers that inspired our group to host a tape measure cover happening. These are by JuleeQue. You can access her blog and free pattern. CLICK HERE

Our TMC Menagerie:

“Elephant” by Sophietd

–crocheted with applique feature

“Pink Pig” by Bailey121208

–crocheted, wiggle eyes




“Luv U Sheep” by Bailey121208

–crocheted, wiggle eyes

“Flappy Flounder” by spotdogabby

–knitted with pom pom eyes




“Flounder” by 2MayBoys

–knitted, pom pom eyes

“Sock Monkey TapeSter” 

by ChickWithSticks

–crocheted
If you are a member of ravelry.com, you can access this $4 Sock Monkey TapeSter pattern: CLICK HERE







“Sock Monkey” by auchgan

–crocheted (pull left ear for tape)




“Whale of a Tail” by Sueazhari

–crocheted (pull tail for tape measure)




Some of our participants created animal TMCs prior to our group event. Here are personal menageries by 2MayBoys (first group photo) and joyfrog (second group photo)

Our TMC Patisserie:


 


“Strawberry Pie” by JustJune

–crocheted

“Tiered Cake” by 2MayBoys

–crocheted




“Cherry Pie” by girliecurls

–crocheted 
CLICK HERE for $2 pattern for ravelry.com members

“Cherry Pie” by Bailey121208

–crocheted




“Oreo Cookie” by Bailey121208

–crocheted

“Chocolate Chip Cookie” by Bailey121280

–crocheted







“Cupcake” by Bailey121208

–crocheted with applique. Pull cherry for tape measure.

“Sushi” by 2MayBoys 

–crocheted




Our Uniquely Individual TMCs:


 


“Quaint Cottage”

by Sophietd
The cottage TMC is pattern available as a PDF (not free)
To access the pattern: CLICK HERE

“Fancy Blue Hat”

by JustJune




“Beaded Boo Boo”

by Spinayarn

“Multi-colored TMC” by Bailey121208

–crocheted




“Olympics 1” by joyfrog

–crocheted during the Olympics

“Olympics 2”

 by joyfrog




“Cherries on Top” by delights

–fabric covered, hand sewn. For access to a blog and free pdf download CLICK HERE








Most of the TMCs were knitted or crocheted but there were some unique uses of materials and interesting approaches that are specifically noted here. Needle-felting: auchgan and maryootsy, needled-felted their flower TMCs. Plarn: RecycleCindy and delights worked together to create plarn TMC’s. Plarn is the name given to long, continuous strips cut from bags (like grocery bags) to make plastic yarn. Fabric: Sophietd duplicated a fabric cottage TMC that she saw and liked. delights also covered a cherry-themed tape measure with fabric. Stones: Spinayarn creativiely covered up a mistake with a unique top of gem stones.

Overview: Eighteen members of the Good Things Together group contributed 35 TMCs during the six week event. Thanks to all for their participation, creativity and generous sharing of ideas and links.

______________________________

*The Garden Song is by David Mallett in 1975. It was performed/recorded by various artists including John Denver, Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Paul Stookey of Peter, Paul and Mary. It was also recorded and made popular by The Muppets in 1995.

TMCs: Tape Measure Covers

Introduction:

Hi and welcome! Here's a tutorial for a seven rosette TMC (tape measure cover) pictured below. It's a fun and fast project—done in one sitting. 

Warning: Making TMCs can be addictive. I know because I have now made over 40 of them in a very short time.

This "addiction" all started because one of my fiber friends, maryootsy, kept coaxing me to try a flower pattern created by JuleeQue.* Well, I didn't have one of the little retractable tapes to execute it, so Mary finally sent me two of them all the way from Michigan and that meant there wasn't any excuse left not to try Julie's free pattern. (Link provided at the end of this blog page.) 
      [*ravelry names]

Once I made Julie's single flower TMC, I was off and running with all kinds of ideas—flowers, sweet treats, fruits, veggies, even a frying pan with bacon, eggs and pancakes. The possibilities were seemingly endless.

For some time I wondered what I would offer as a pattern here on my blog and then a few days ago, when I was completing a sweet little girl's knitted set of mittens and a hat and wanted to jazz up the mittens, I came up with crocheted rosettes at the wrists and it clicked. That's what I would share—a rosette TMC. 

Description:

The instructions given here are for a tape measure cover with seven crocheted rosettes on the top like the one pictured above. The crocheted main body will just be a springboard, however, because once you crochet the bottom, sides and top to cover the retractable tape measure, you will have the basis to make all kinds of TMCs. Just let your imagination run free—that's what I did. You can see some of my one-of-a-kind TMCs in a later photo on this page. 

What You Will Need:

• A small (2 inch diameter) retractable tape measure.

• Yarn in various colors: regular 4 ply yarn for this pattern, 3 ply is best for the leaves and some of the rosettes**

• Crochet hook, size G or F, depending on the yarn

• Scissors

• Tapestry needle and a sharper needle with a larger eye, if you plan to stitch on your rosettes, rather than glue them

• Glue gun or heavy-duty glue

** For U.S. residents, you can find little retractable tape measures for 99 cents in the notions department at Hobby Lobby. Other possible sources: some dollar stores carry them; a box of 20 can be ordered from JoAnn's, but be sure to use a coupon for percents off to defray the cost. 

*One of the advantages of creating small projects, such as this, is that you can use up bits of yarn. Even if you decide to use yarn from your large skeins, one TMC takes so little, you will have plenty left for big projects.

Making the TMC body:

Foundation, Bottom

Ch 4, slip st to form a ring.

Round 1: Ch 2. For most yarns you will hdc into the ring 12 times. Sl st to the top of the first hdc. If you are using a heavier or coarser yarn, such as Red Heart Super Saver, you will need to do fewer hdc’s to start. If you are using a finer yarn, such as sock yarn, you will need to make more hdc’s into the ring to start.

Round 2: Ch 2, hdc into the same st. 2 hdc’s in the tops of each of the st’s around. Sl st join/end the round. If you are crocheting with a heavier yarn, you might need to assess if you will need to make the next row hdc’s or sc’s.

Round 3: Ch 2, hdc into the same st. *(1 hdc into the next st, 2 hdc’s into the following st). Repeat from * around. Sl st to join. If you are using thinner yarn, you will likely need to add a row of sc’s after round 3 to make the circle large enough to accommodate the 2 inch (5 cm) diameter of the retractable tape measure.

SIDE

Row 1: Working in the back loops of the last row, hdc’s around minus three st’s evenly placed. In other words, you will reduce this round by 3 sts. DO NOT JOIN when you reach the end of the row. The purpose of not joining is that an opening is being left for the end of the tape to protrude.

Row 2: Ch 2, turn so that the wrong side is facing and hdc in the tops of each of the st’s around. (See photo right.) If you are crocheting with a thinner yarn, you may need to add a row of sc’s after row 2.  Join the last st to the starting st with a sl st to join. Cut yarn and secure tail.

Place tape measure inside with the retractable button on the bottom and with the pull tab protruding from the side opening created for it. (See photo left which is the inside of the piece.)

Foundation, Top:

You are going to make the top the same as the bottom. No sides on the top piece. When done, leave a yarn tail, about 20 inches (50 cm) long, which will be used to whip the top piece to the already completed bottom and sides with the tape inside. (See photo right.)

For future TMCs, if you are decorating the top, don’t whip together until you assess whether or not it will be easier for you to decorate the top while it is separate.

Leaves:

It is preferable to use a slightly lighter weight yarn for the leaves. These leaves were made using Red Heart Soft yarn which is almost the same as sports weight (3 ply) yarn. Using your F hook, if you have one, ch 9. Sl st in third st from hook, sc in next 2 st, hdc in the next 2 sts, dc in the next st, 4 hdcs in the last st. Now you are going to go back up the other side to start or tip of the leaf. Hdc in the next st, sc in the next 2 sts, sl st in the next st. Cut yarn and with the yarn tail of about 10 inches (25 cm), make a sl st into the top. 

With your needle, bring the yarn back up to the front just under the leaf tip and make stitches along the center to the base of the leaf. Backstitches will make a nice stitch down the center (see photo right) plus end your yarn at the base end where you can easily tie it off without it being seen on the underside when you glue it in place. If, however, you want to stitch your leaf to the top of your tape measure, you would leave yarn tails for this purpose.

Rosettes:

You will need 7 rosettes for the top of your tape measure. If you have slightly lighter weight yarns, such as sports weight (3 ply yarn), it will be best to make all or some of the rosettes from this yarn. If not, your rosettes might be a little large for the top. Even if you can make some of 3 ply and some of 4 ply, it would help. For each rosette, using your G hook, ch 12. Then make 2dcs in the third ch from the hook and 2 dcs in each ch to the end. The rosette will naturally curl like the photo in the left. This is how it looks without doing anything to it. With your yarn tail and tapestry needle, stitch the rosette with a few stitches so that it stays together. If you plan to stitch the rosettes on the top, leave yarn tails. If you plan to glue or glue gun, fasten off your ends.

You might want to make more than the seven rosettes so you can choose which ones seem to go best. Then generally position them to see how they look before transferring to your tape measure, like in this photo below.

Assembly:

Place your leaves in an arrangement that seems satisfying and attach them first by gluing or tacking into place with yarn ends. Next attach your center rosette. This one is the largest of the rosettes in the final ones chosen. (It wouldn't have worked well to be an outer rosette because of the size.) After the center rosette is secure, place the remaining 6 rosettes around it. All done!

Variation:

Another way to make rosettes or roses, is from strips of felted wool rolled up and then attached with needle and thread at the base. Actually, I made these before the crocheted kind but, knowing that not everyone has felted wool from old sweaters in abundance, as I have, I came up with the crocheted version. However, you might want to see how beautifully this variation of wool roses turned out. Most of the leaves are simply cut from felted wool but a few are crocheted. Nice, huh?! 

Varieties:

Here are about a third of the TMCs I have made. The free pattern by JuleeQue is the rose, upper left between the frying pan and the turquoise hat. I sent this one to maryootsy because this is the one she wanted me to try. Other TMCs in this photo: oreo cookies, cherry pie, lemon, orange, grape (2), watermelon, cupcake, dog, flower with a yellow button center and the frying pan complete with breakfast.

CLICK HERE for Julie's Ups A Daisy TMC

Patterns on Etsy:

I have an inexpensive pattern for making the grape, watermelon and citrus TMCs in two of my Etsy shops. Here are the links.

CLICK HERE to access my fabriq shop.

CLICK HERE to access my 2Good2Eat shop.

Gingham & Daisy Potholders

Introduction:

I don’t know about you but I like trying new stitches. I found a three-color stitch in my favorite crochet book* that I decided would make the basis of a great potholder. The book uses three very different colors but I thought by using two colors in the same family (example, light blue and medium blue) with white, the stitch would resemble gingham. With that thought, a new potholder pattern began to come to life.

The purpose of this blog post is to share this new potholder pattern with you. You can follow the information with step-by-step photos to make your potholder with ease. 

Once the basic gingham potholder is joined with the back, you may find it could use a little bit of jazzing up to complete it. By crocheting a thinner white edging, weaving in some grosgrain ribbon between the posts, and finally attaching a little daisy in the upper corner, you will be very satisfied with your new, fun and fresh potholder. 


You are welcome to make, share or sell as many of these potholders as you like. However, please refrain from claiming the pattern as your own or selling the pattern.
Gingham and Daisy Potholder. 
Copyright 2011, C. Lowman. All Rights Reserved.  

About the three-color stitch:

This stitch looks more difficult to execute than it really is. Once you get through the first few rows, you won’t even need to refer to the directions until you reach the last row. The only real challenge is keeping three balls (or skeins) of yarn from getting tangled because you will be working one of three colors on each row and then picking up the waiting color at the other end. In other words, you won’t cut off your yarn until you are done with the three-color front.

*I want to mention my favorite crochet stitch book right now before going further. It is called The Complete Photo Guide to Crochet. The author is Margaret Hubert. I highly recommend this book for learning new stitches to inspire you in your work. 

Are you ready?  
Okay, let’s get busy and make 
a Gingham and Daisy potholder.

You will need:

A. Hook: sizes G (4mm) or H (5mm) and a smaller hook, size F (3.75mm).

B. Yarn in 2 thicknesses:

1. Thicker (worsted weight cotton): White and two shades of the same color (one lighter, one darker) of heavier cotton, such as Lily’s Sugar ‘n Cream, Pisgah’s Peaches & Crème or Lion Brand cotton. Don’t forget you will need just a little bit of yellow for the center of the daisy, too.

2. Thinner: This thinner white is for the edging. Use a yarn such as Patons Grace, J&P Coats Royale Fashion Crochet thread size 3, or something that is also thinner. Perhaps pabilo from South America. I am using Patons Grace because it is soft, slightly shiny and very flexible.

C. About 42 inches (1 meter plus 3 mm) inches of 3/8-inch (10 mm) grosgrain ribbon in a coordinating color for each potholder.

D. Optional: plastic or metal ring* for potholder hanger.

*I use steel 1–inch rings (2.5mm) that I purchase in a package in the jewelry/bead department at a fabric or craft store. Normally you would use these split rings for key chains but I find they are perfect for potholder hangers. I like the size and can buy 48 in a package for a very small amount of money.

E. Sewing items: scissors, blunt nose tapestry needle, a larger sharp needle and a little matching thread for securing the bow in place

Which hook?

Establishing gauge is not necessary for this project. For most people I would recommend the G hook. I have used both the G and H hooks successfully on this project but I liked the final size of the potholders I made using the G hook. I thought the two I made with the H hook were a little large and, as a result, I did not add on the edging and grosgrain ribbon.

Description: 
This potholder has a front and a back. The front resembles gingham fabric using two colors with white. The backside is all white. The two layers together make this potholder extra thick and ideal for handling hot pans and dishes.

Part One: Front of Potholder, the Gingham Side

Foundation row: With Color A (white), ch 29

Row 1:  Color A. dc into the 4th st from the hook. By doing so you will already have 2 dc's completed because the last ch stitches from the foundation row make up the first dc of this row and the actual dc into the 4th st is the second dc. Then dc in the next st for a total of three dc's. Next *(ch 3, skip next 3 sts and dc into the 4th st, dc into the next 2 sts) Repeat from *across row ending in three dc’s. Instead of completing the last dc, start color B by drawing through the last 2 loops of Color A to complete the dc. Let color A drop. DO NOT BREAK OFF. (You will pick up color A again in row 4.) Turn. 

Row 2: Color B. ch 3, skip three sts and, now working over the chain and down into the stitches below the open space, *(dc in the top of the first ch st below [for this row only, do not dc into two sts, just work into the chain st], dc in the tops of the next 2 ch sts in the open space, ch 3) repeat from * to the end of the row. You will end with a ch 3. When poking your hook into the last dc from the previous row, draw Color C through this poke and through the last ch. Drop Color B. (You will pick up color B again in row 5.) Turn.

Row 3: Color C. ch 1 *(dc in next three dc sts below the open space, ch 3). Repeat this sequence from * across. You will end with a dc. Draw color A through the last 2 loops of your unfinished dc. Drop color C. Turn.

About now you might want to detangle your colors. Do this periodically.

Row 4: Color A. *(ch 3, dc in the next three dc sts below the open space.) Repeat this sequence from * to the end. You will end with a ch 3. When poking your hook into the last dc from the previous row, draw Color B through this poke and through the last ch. Drop Color A. Turn. (same as in row 2)

Row 5: Color B. ch 1 *(dc in the next three dc sts below in the open space, ch 3.) Repeat this sequence from * to the end. You will end with a dc. Draw up Color C through the last two loops on your final dc. Drop Color B.

Most likely you have mastered the sequence of the rows and colors. Continue building rows until your “gingham” measures almost the same in height as the width. You will do one last short row to complete the front.

Note: I prefer to start and end with white.

Last row: With Color A, ch 1, *(sc in next 3 sts, hdc in tops of the next three sts of the open space) repeat from * across. End with 3 sc’s. Break off all three yarn colors.  Secure all yarn ends in the back.

The height and width of my finished front section is 6.5 inches (16.25mm). Yours may be a little larger or a little smaller. When the joining, edging and ribbon are completed, my potholder measures 7.75 inches (19.5mm)

Part Two: Backside of Potholder

The back of the potholder is simple. It is all-white rows of dc’s.

Foundation row: ch. 27 sts.

Row 1: dc in third st from the hook. This counts as the first dc. dc across to the end. (25 sts)

Row 2: and all rows until the piece measures the same as the front (gingham) side: dc across, ch 2, turn.

Do not cut your yarn. You will continue on with the white to join the front and back sides together with sc’s.

Part Three: Joining the Front and Back

— If you haven’t already, now is the time to secure all yarn ends on the backs of the two layers. Do this before joining them together.

— Position your plain back (Color A, white) so that the attached yarn is at the upper left hand corner. Place the gingham right way up on top of it and match the corners of the gingham front to the corners of the all-white back.

— With large straight pins (I use corsage pins) secure the corners through both pieces, making sure to tuck in the sharp ends so they will not poke you as you sc around.

— With the gingham side facing you, sc through both layers starting at the side and going down. You will make 2 sc’s into each dc on the sides (going through both layers) and 1 sc into each stitch at the top and bottom. Remove straight pins (or corsage pins) as you come to them. Crochet 2 sc’s into the corner st on all four corners. Sl st to beginning st.

— If you intend to crochet a loop, rather than attach a ring, then there is no need to cut the yarn until you are done with your loop. If you are going to do a blanket st around a plastic or metal ring, leave a four foot (1 and ½ meter) yarn tail to finish your ring. Finish your loop or ring before continuing and secure your loose yarn ends.

Part Four: Edging and Ribbon

Using your finer white yarn, such as Patons Grace, attach your yarn about ½ inch (1.5 mm) from the upper left hand corner where your bow and daisy will be attached. (See photo.)

Ch 5, dc into next st, *(ch 1, dc in the next st) repeat from * around until you reach your first corner. ch1, dc twice into the corner st. Continue *(ch 1, dc in the next st) repeat from * around until you reach your second corner. ch1, dc twice into that corner and repeat this pattern with the third corner. Continue wit your ch 1, dc sequence until you reach. ½” (1.5 mm) from the final corner where you began.

It may seem like your posts for the edging are very close together but remember that you are going to weave your ribbon in and out so that only every other one of these posts is in the front. The spacing will look wider on both the front and back after your ribbon is in place.

Break off yarn and secure the ends.

Note: If you are using grosgrain ribbon that is wider than suggested, you may have to make your edging posts longer, perhaps a tc, instead of a dc.

Using your blunt nosed tapestry needle, thread your ribbon and weave in and out of the edging posts starting at the upper left hand corner. Weave a few inches at a time and stop to make the ribbon lie flat without any twists. Complete your weaving around. Position the ribbon so that you have enough left over at each end —at least 7 inches (18 mm) for making a bow. Take a little time to pretty up the ribbon so that it looks just right on your edging and is neither too tight or too loose.

The bow: I wish I had a great way to explain how to tie a perfect bow. I don’t. I play with it a few times until I get it to look okay. Usually I wind up tying the bow with the potholder ring closest to me and the rest of the potholder further away. This seems to ensure that the ends will be below the bow and not up by the ring. Just play around with your bow until you get it the way you want it. Then cut the excess ends on a diagonal. I like to use fabric glue dabbed on the very ends so they won’t fray.

Secure the bow to the gingham by hand tacking it place to secure it. Try to make your stitches as invisible as possible.

The daisy:

The daisy is easy and comes from a book. (See photo on the right.) I am offering the directions for a 5–petal flower from Crochet Flowers for Every Wear by Kooler Design Studio, Inc., page 27. My added notes are in brackets.

[Using yellow for the daisy center], ch 5 and join with a sl st in beg ch to form ring.

Rnd 1: 5 sc into ring and join with sl st in beg sc.

Rnd 2: [Break off yellow and start white] *(sl 1, ch2, 2 dc, ch 2, sl 1) in next sc; repeat from * around ending with a sl st in beg st—5 petals.



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