Crochet Update

My step dad's coaster

In addition to working on my knitted KAL afghan, I've also been practicing my crocheting skills! I did end up frogging that dishcloth I was working on, but I've completed a few projects to make up for it. 
I started with my step dad's requested coaster. The first pattern I tried used single crochets, and it ended up taking a long time and being too small- frogged that! I found a different pattern (here) that used double crochet stitches, and it worked out perfectly! I also learned how to make and use the magic adjustable ring, which is aesthetically pleasing (since you can adjust it to close the first hole), and very useful, as it's used in many circular crochet patterns. I found this video very helpful in explaining how the ring is made. 
My mom was my next coaster requester, but I really wanted to make her a flower-shaped coaster. I looked at a few different patterns, but my favourite involved treble crochet stitches, which I tried but have thus far failed at, so I favourited it on Ravelry to attempt again later, and moved back to the circular coasters. 

My coaster

I really meant to let her have the next one I made, but I put my glass of water on it on my desk, and it's stayed there since! (My poor desk is all bubbly and water-marked in the corner I put my drinks in).


Looking a the two coasters now, I can already see that my crocheting skills have improved! :) The second coaster is more uniform in it's tension, and more circular.


Anyways, my mom decided that she wanted her coaster made out of black yarn, so while I was at Jo-Ann's yesterday in the USA (we don't have that store in Canada), I looked for some black, cotton yarn. I didn't actually find any, but my mom picked out a clearance ball of yarn (the colour caught her eye). It was a ball of Lion Brand, Lion Cotton yarn in Orchid. 
With the new yarn in hand, I went onto Ravelry and found a flower-shaped coaster that starts out in much the same way as the two above, and whose petals don't involve anything more complex than double crochets (pattern can be found here). 
She really likes the coaster, and I've offered to make her one for work as well, but I think I'll try my hand at another pattern for it. I found two other flower coaster patterns that are within my skill set but that use two different colours of yarn. I figure I'll use some scrap potpourri ombre yarn for the middle, which is what the circular coasters are made out of, and then use the orchid yarn for the petals!

My mom's coaster

Things I learned:

• how to make and use the magic adjustable ring
• how to recognize double crochet stitches (to count how many are in one stitch)
• how to weave in the ends
• how to finish a circular crochet project without a slip stitch so that it lies flatter
• how to crochet a circular coaster
• how to crochet a flower-shaped coaster