Mother's Day is on Sunday, May 9th, this year in the U.S. and I thought what better way to celebrate it than to host a FREE Crochet Along! We will make the "Ocean Spray Spa Set" that can be given to the Mother of your choice whether she is your biological mother or a mother figure in your life on May 9th!
We will break the spa set up into 4 parts over the next 4 Saturdays! That means it will be done just in time for the big day! Fortunately, most of the items are small and work up pretty quick so you will still have time for your other projects! Woohoo!
The spa set that we will crochet together will include 2 washcloth designs in two size options, 3 textured face scrubber designs, a soap holder, a wash mitt and a back scrubber! There is a bonus item in this set and that is a pattern for an optional matching bath rug!
So what will be the schedule be for the CAL? So glad you asked! Here is the tentative plan, I'll let you know if anything changes but fingers crossed I will be able to stick to my plan lol!
Wednesday - April 7th (today) - CAL Announcement, Material List, Gauge, Bath Mat
Saturday - April 10th - Washcloths (2 designs)
Saturday - April 17th - Scrubbies (3 designs)
Saturday - April 24th - Wash Mitt
Saturday - May 1st - Back Scrubber, Spa Set Assembly
Post your finished photos between May 8th & May 14th in the comment section of the corresponding post in the VIP Facebook Group to get your Final draft pdf with ALL 7 patterns! Click here for post!
The prize at the end of this CAL is a downloadable PDF from the Orchid and Bee's Ravelry Shop with all 7 patterns! If you do not have a Ravelry account you will need to contact me between May 8th and May 14th for other arrangements.
In addition to earning all 7 CAL patterns, you will also have the chance to enter the photo contest! Post your final photos in the Orchid and Bee's VIP Group and the photo with the most likes, hearts, unique comments will win every pattern in my Ravelry Shop to date!
That's nearly 80 patterns! Woo Hoo! For this prize you will need to have a Ravelry Account. Also if you have won a photo contest before, that had this same prize, you will not qualify for this prize this time but I will make arrangements for an alternative prize if that does occur!
For today, so that everyone has time to prepare for the rest of the CAL, I will just post the materials needed, the gauge/swatch info, and the pattern instructions for the optional Bath Mat.
This way you have a little time to plan out your gift set and decide what items you want to get to make it extra special in advance! Next Saturday I will post the pattern instructions for the washcloths! Yippee!
The Bath Mat matches the Washcloth design #2 named the "Wind Sail Washcloth." This design uses the primrose stitch. It is one of my favorite stitches! I feel like it has a simple elegance to it and I enjoy how quickly the stitch seems to work up.
For the overall spa set the following materials will be needed:
Materials:
100 % cotton- color(s) of choice
I used “Lily Sugar `n Cream”
Yellow
Beach Glass (Aqua)
White
I used approximately 8 oz of 100% cotton or approximately 400 yards to make a set that includes (2 5x5 washcloths, 3 face scrubbers, back scrubber, wash mitt, and soap holder - you will need more if you are making the 9 x 9 washcloths and the bath mat)
Hook - G or 4mm
Needle
Scissors
Drawer liner or rug gripper if you want the bath mat to be non-slip
Basket *optional for your spa set
Tissue Paper *optional for dressing up your spa set
Extra fillers of choice (soap, chocolates, essential oils, etc) *optional treats for your spa set to show a little extra love to your giftee
Shrink Wrap Gift Bags *optional to make your spa set gift extra fancy
Spa Basket Gift Set:
To turn this into a spa gift set you can purchase a small basket from a thrift store or dollar tree. With some tissue paper or other decorative filler line the bottom and sides of your basket. Fill the basket with your crocheted spa items in a decorative way to your liking. To make the spa set gift basket extra special you can add some bars of soap, chocolates, candles, gift cards, etc.
To go one step further you can purchase some shrink wrap bags from the dollar store and put a bow on the top! I made this set for a friend and I grabbed a basket, tissue paper, soaps and chocolates from the dollar tree along with a shrink wrap bag and it turned out super chic'! It looked like something you would buy from a fancy spa gift shop!
I wish I had gotten a picture of it but this was a last-minute thing as she had spontaneously popped into town unexpectedly and was only staying for a night so I needed something quick that I had on hand. She had just bought a new house in her home state and I thought this would be a great home warming gift! Ironically the colors I had already made the set in was in the colors of her new bathroom!
If you are an Amazon Prime Member and love getting everything sent to you here are a few ideas from Amazon to make your gift basket with!
Anywho, here are the stitches you will need for the bath mat!
Stitches:
MR - Magic Ring
Ch - chain
Sc - single crochet
Sl st - slip stitch
Dc - double crochet
Sp - space
#st - complete # number of sts in same space
St # - complete stitch in next # number of spaces
( ) - do all in the same stitch
Primrose Stitch- this is an easy 2 row repeat using chains, sc, and dc stitches. It is a variation on the shell stitch. Instructions for this stitch are in the pattern instructions.
Shells - will equal 3dc
Sets - will equal (sc, ch 2, sc)
Pattern Info- The sizing is not critical for most of the items. However if you are wanting an exact match in size for the washcloths and are making both designs you may want to make a swatch using the gauge info in the next section to get both designs to come out to the same size.
Gauge Info -
4hdc = approx. 1 inch
3 rows = approx. 1 inch
Swatch = approx 4 x 4:
Begin: Ch 17
Row 1: Hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc next 15, ch 1. (16st)
Row 2 - 12: Turn, 16 hdc, ch 1. (16st)
Bath Rug Option approx. 20 x 30 :
Note: This design is using the primrose stitch, refer to the diagram for assistance or there are several youtube tutorials on the primrose stitch that can help
Primrose Stitch Diagram
Diagram Key:
Black Circles = Beginning Ch
Red X’s = skipped chains or stitches
Vertical Blue ovals and pink diamonds = *(sc, ch 2, sc), sk 2*
Green double loops (set of 3) = *3dc in each ch 2 sp* (ch 2 space = pink horizontal diamonds
Note: The ch for the foundation row is done in multiples of 3 + 2
Note: shell = 3dc, set = (sc,ch2,sc)
Note: depending on your tension you may need to repeat rows 4&5 an additional time until you reach 30 inches or to your desired length
Begin: Ch 80
Row 1: (Sc, ch 2, sc) in 3rd ch from hook, sk 2, *(sc, ch 2, sc), sk 2*, repeat *to* to end, hdc in the last ch. (you will have 26 sets of (sc,ch2,sc) and 1 hdc)
Row 2: Turn, ch 3 or ch 2 for a tighter/sharper edge, *3dc (shell) in the next ch 2 sp* repeat across, 1 dc in top of the beginning ch. (26 shells and 1 dc )
Row 3: Turn, ch 2, (sc, ch 2, sc), into 2nd stitch of shell, sk 2, *(sc, ch 2, sc), sk 2*, repeat across, hdc in last st. (you will have 26 sets of (sc,ch2,sc) and 1 hdc )
Row 4: Repeat Row 2. (26 shells and 1 dc for 5 x5 size and 13 shells and 1 dc for 9 x 9 size)
Rows 5 - 60: Repeat rows 3 & 4, fasten off after the last stitch of the last row or sc around for a simple border, weave in ends. (26 shells and 1 dc)
Slip Resistance Options: To make it slip-resistant you can put thin lines of hot glue on the back of the rug. An alternative is to grab some inexpensive drawer liner or rug gripper from a dollar tree or department store and cut to size. With invisible thread or your cotton yarn sew or glue to the back of the rug.
And that's it for today! I will post the two washcloth design patterns on Saturday! If you have any questions about the bath mat please feel free to ask them in the comment section of this post or in the Orchid and Bee's VIP Facebook Group!
You are also welcome to share your progress photos in the VIP Group!
Also, make sure you are subscribed to the Orchid and Bee's Blog so that you do not miss any of the notifications for free patterns and CAL instructions! Click here to subscribe.
If you have other crochet friends who would enjoy doing this crochet along with you be sure to invite them! The more the marrier!
Thanks for visiting and I look forward to seeing you back on Saturday!
Love and Blessings,
Karen E.
Orchid and Bee's