Howto Crochet & Free Pattern: Water Bottle Cozy

ROUND 1: CROCHET IN ABBREVIATIONS

ch 4. Work 11 dc in 4th ch from hook. Join with sl st to top of beginning ch 4. (12 dc)

(note: click on the images if you need them enlarged to read the text on them)

ROUND 1: CROCHET IN PLAIN ENGLISH

Chain 4. (Make the first chain fairly loose, so that you will have room to put all the stitches in it.)

Make 11 double crochets in that big loop. Now count the outside loops of your beginning chain. You should have 3 of them. Slip stitch into that 3rd loop. (How to slip stitch video below). This will close your beginning ring, and give you a solid foundation to work off of.

Now, when you count your stitches, the beginning chain 3 will count as one double crochet. When you count, you will have 11 stitches and the 3-chain bar. This counts as 12 completed double crochets.

NOTE: Counting is important!

If you don’t have the right number of stitches to begin with, the entire pattern will be skewed.

 

This is not as critical if you are using only one stitch, but if you choose to get fancy with shells or other patterns, having the right number of foundation stitches is crucial.

ROUND 2: CROCHET IN ABBREVIATIONS

Rnd 2: ch 3. Dc in same st as joining. 2 dc in each st around. Join with sl st to top of beginning chain. (24 dc)

ROUND 2: CROCHET IN PLAIN ENGLISH

Round 2: chain 3. This will count as your beginning double crochet. Now, in the same loop as the joining, work a double crochet. You now have two stitches in the top of the stitch from the previous row. This is also known as an INCREASE.

Do this all the way around. When you get to the end of the row, count to be sure that you’ve only worked 24 double crochets (don’t forget the beginning chain in that counting!) Now, join the last double crochet to the top of the beginning chain 3, as you did before.

ch 2. Hdc in same st as joining. Hdc in next st. *2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc in next st. repeat from * around. Join. (36 hdc)

Round 3: chain 2. Work a half-double crochet in the same stitch you just joined into. Again, this gives you a little V.

Now work a half-double crochet in the next stitch. Work two half-doubles in the following stitch, and one in the stitch after that.

Keep doing that until you’ve worked your way around. Now join as before. Seeing a pattern here?

You should now have a total of 36 stitches, including the beginning chain-2.

Rnd 4: ch 3. Working in the back stitch loop of each hdc, work one dc in each stitch around. Join with sl st to top of beginning ch.

Now we’re going to get tricky! This is where you stop increasing and just go straight up to form the sides of your tube.

You don’t HAVE to get fancy with this part, but I like the affect.

Round 4: ch 3. Now look at the back of your stitches. You have the top two loops, which are what you normally work in.

There’s a little bar right below the back loop on a half-double crochet. It’s a bit of getting used to, but once you’ve learned how, this creates a very nice little side-ways chain stitch.

Now, wrap your yarn around your hook, just as for a regular double crochet, then insert your hook from the front to the back, through that little bar.

Draw up a loop. Wrap around and draw through two loops, wrap around and draw through the last two loops on the hook.

See the little chain?  That’s what you’re going for. You’re still working a double crochet, but in a different place than before. Continue doing that around to the end. Join as before. You should now have 36 stitches.

If you don’t, either take one out, or look carefully at your work. You may have put a stitch in the beginning chain spot, making an increase there.

No need to tear out your work. Just undo the last stitch made, then join. You’ll have a little space there, but that’s okay for a practice piece.

ch 1. Sc in same st as joining and in each st around. Join with sl st to beginning sc. (36 sc each row)

Chain 1.
Work a single crochet in the same stitch as the joining chain. Now work a single crochet in each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch to the first sc.

Join at the end of each row, but work a total of four rows in single crochet. This should give you some decent practice at single crochet.

ch 2. Hdc in next stitch and in each st around. Join to beg ch 2 . Work even* for four rows. (36 hdc each row)

chain 2. Work a half double crochet in the next stitch (not the same stitch as the joining!) Now work one half double crochet in each stitch around. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain 2.

* ’Work even’ means that you won’t increase or decrease for that amount of rows. You’ll see this a lot in patterns, which is why I am giving you a reference here.

ch 1. Sc in same st as joining. Sk next 2 sts, 5 dc in next st. *sk next 2 sts, sc in next st, sk next 2 sts, 5 dc in next st. Repeat from * around. Join to beg sc. (6 shell groups, 6 sc)

Chain 1. Work a single crochet into the same stitch as joining. (this is not an increase, if you recall.) now leave the next two stitches unworked (skip two stitches).

In the third stitch from the one you just made, work 5 double crochets. As you work them, they will fan out.

NOTE: if you work these too tightly, the whole pouch will pucker here. Now skip two stitches and in the third stitch, work a single crochet. Skip two stitches, work 5 double crochets in the next stitch. See the ripple effect? That’s what you’re trying to do! Good job! Continue this around. Join with a slip stitch to the beginning sc. You should now have a total of 6 shells with a single crochet between each shell group.

This fancy & impressive crochet shell pattern may appear hard, but it’s easy & quick. It is impressive, though, which is why I use it.

sl st to top of shell. Ch 1, sc in same st, sk two dc, 5 dc in next sc. *sk 2 dc, sc in top of shell, sk 2 dc, 5 dc in next sc. Repeat from * around.

slip stitch in the next 3 stitches. This will put you in the 3rd double crochet of the shell, or the ‘top of the shell’. Now chain 1 and work a single crochet in this same stitch. Skip the next two double crochets, and work 5 double crochets, or a ‘shell group’ into the next single crochet. This fills in the little valley from the previous row quite nicely. Now skip the next 2 double crochets and work a single crochet in the next stitch. Continue this pattern around to the end. You should have worked 6 shell groups. Now slip stitch into the beginning chain-1 to finish this row.

ch 3. Working in BLO of previous row, *hdc in each of next 2 sts. Sc in stitch at top of shell, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next st.

Repeat from * around. Join with sl st in 3rd ch of beg ch. (36 stitches)

This is easier than it looks. Look at the top of the stitches from the previous row. Usually, you’re working each stitch under both loops of the ‘chain’. This time, you’re going to work only in the back loop of the stitch. This will leave a small ridge that makes a nice dividing line between pattern stitches. Be careful not to pull too tightly when working the stitches, or you’ll distort the row.

Now work one half-double crochet in each of the next two stitches. You should be at the top of the shell now. Work a single crochet into the stitch there. Work one half-double crochet into each of the next two stitches.
This puts you at the bottom of the ‘valley’ between shells, and you’re going to work a double crochet into the single crochet there.

See the pattern here? Double crochets get worked in the sc from the previous row, single crochets get worked in the top of the shell, and half-doubles go between.

When you get to the end of the row, you should end with the last two stitches as half-double crochets. Join with a slip stitch to the top of the beginning chain 3.

ch 2 . Working in BLO, hdc in next st and in ea st around. Join with sl st to top of beg ch. (36 hdc at end of ea rnd)

NOTE: round 26 is the row you will weave drawstrings through, if you’re going to use them.

Slip stitch into each single crochet around. At the last stitch, slip stitch to join, as you normally would. Snip the yarn a few inches past the joining, and then draw yarn through the last loop on your hook.

You now have a loose end. Weave it in.

This row is not absolutely necessary. I just think it gives the pouch a ‘finished’ look.