doily — Blog — Megmade with Love

***You can find the PDF version for all THREE patterns in my shop by clicking here. Great for easy printing!***

Hey there! I've got the next installment of the Rustic & Elegant pumpkins for ya today, and it's baaaasically my favorite one. So get pumped.

This post I'm sharing the ol' how-to for the oh-so-elegant doily pumpkin. It's a unique piece for sure, and would "dress up" any entry way table! ;)

After I had created this pumpkin I thought I totally should have made the doily in black thread, because then it could have looked like a spider web! Man, that would look really cool. So if you do end up using black thread for your doily, you better share it with me so I can live vicariously through you and admire your awesome pumpkin. Also, don't let the doily intimidate you, I tried my hardest to make it easy to understand. And I think it'd be a good "first-timer" doily to create.

I really hope you enjoy making this gem.. :)

What you'll need:
Pumpkin-
-worsted weight yarn (I used Red Heart Super Saver in Cafe Latte)
-size i hook (5.5 mm)

Doily-
-size 9 (1.4 mm) hook (a set like this would be perfect for a beginner)
-cotton crochet thread, size 10 (I used Red Heart Classic Crochet Thread in Natural)

-yarn needle
-sewing pins
-approx 2 inch stick or stem of choice
-hot glue gun
-other adornments of your choice (raffia, felt, burlap, jute..)

Measurement:
Finished pumpkin is approximately 9 inches wide by 4 inches tall

Notes:
-I use two strands of worsted weight for the entire pumpkin
-ch's at the beginning of the pumpkin do not count as sts
-as for the doily, the ch's at the beginning will be indicated what they count for
- I provide the doily pattern first, as I think it'd be easier to do that first so you can have it ready to sew on the pumpkin
-I thought I'd include a photo of the doily in case it may help you visualize some of the instructions of the pattern:

-in the photos you may see a little crocheted leaf on top of the pumpkin - there's a pattern for that leaf in this post

Pattern:
Doily-
1) make magic circle, ch 3 (does not count as stitch), work 14 dc in circle, join to first dc with sl st (14)
2) ch 9 (counts as tr plus ch 5), [sk st, tr, ch 5] repeat [ ] around, join to 4th ch from beginning to join (7 total tr)
3) sl st into the first "ch 5" sp, ch 3 (counts as dc), work 7 dc in same sp you sl st'd into, ch 1, [work 8 dc into next "ch 5" sp, ch 1] repeat [ ] around, join to 3rd beginning ch with sl st (56 total dc)
4) ch 13 (counts as sc plus ch 12), sc into next "ch 1" sp, [ch 12, sc into next "ch 1" sp] repeat [ ] around- on last one, join to the 1st beginning ch with sl st, do not sc into the last ch 1 sp (7 total sc)
5) sl st in first 6 ch's, ch 17 (counts as dc plus ch 14), [dc into the 6th ch of the next "half circle", ch 14] repeat [ ] around, join to 3rd beginning ch with sl st (7 total dcs)
6) sl st in first 8 ch's, [ch 6, tr into next dc, ch 3, tr into same dc, ch 6, sl st into 8th ch of next "half circle"] repeat [ ] around-on last one, sl st into the last sl st you made at the beginning of this round (the 8th sl st) (14 total tr)
7) sl st into first "ch 6" sp, ch 3 (counts as dc), dc, ch 1, dc, dc, ch 1, dc, dc, ch 6, dc into next ch 6 sp, dc, ch 1, dc, dc, ch 1, dc, dc, [into next ch 6 sp: {dc, dc, ch 1} 2 times, dc, dc, ch 6, into next ch 6 sp: {dc, dc, ch 1} 2 times, dc, dc] repeat [ ] around, join to 3rd beginning ch with sl st (84 total dc)
8) ch 12 (counts as tr plus ch 8), [sk 5 dc, tr into next dc (the 6th dc from hook), ch 8, tr into next dc, ch 8, sk 5 dc, tr into sp after, ch 8] repeat [ ] around, join to 4th beginning ch with sl st (21 total tr)
9) sl st into first 4 ch's, ch 11 (counts as sc plus ch 10), [sc into 4th ch of next "half circle", ch 10] repeat [ ] around, join to 3rd beginning ch with sl st (21 total sc)
10) sl st into first "ch 10" sp, ch 3 (counts as dc), work 11 dc into same "ch 10" sp, [work 12 dc into next "ch 10" sp] repeat [ ] around, join to 3rd beginning ch with sl st (252 total dc)
11) ch 8 (counts as sc plus ch 7), sc into sp between 6th and 7th dc's of the first "half circle", ch 7, sc into sp after 12th dc of the same "half circle", [ch 7, sc into sp between 6th and 7th dc's of the next "half circle", ch 7, sc into the sp after the 12th dc of the same "half circle"] repeat [ ] around-except on the last one, join to 1st beginning ch with sl st (42 total sc)
12) sl st into first 4 ch, ch 12 (counts as sc plus ch 11), sl st into 7th ch( that you just made) from the hook (this makes a little picot"), ch 4, [sc into 4th ch of next "half circle", ch 11, sl st into 7th ch (that you just made) from the hook, ch 4] repeat [ ] around, join to 1st beginning ch with sl st (42 total picots)

Finish off, and leave very long tail to sew to your pumpkin.

I chose to block my doily by lying it on a towel (and flat surface), and spritzed it with this diy "yarn refresher" (recipe here) I made recently. I just stretched it out and moved it around until it was nice and even and pretty. You could really just use water for this, but I couldn't find my plain water bottle for the life of me!

Pumpkin-
Round 1) using two strands: make magic circle, ch 2, then work 12 dc into the circle, join to first st with sl st (12)
Round 2) ch 2, work 2 dc into every stitch around, join to first st with sl st (24)
Round 3) ch 2, [2 dc, dc] around, join to first st with sl st (36)
Round 4) ch 2, [2 dc, dc, dc] around, join to first st with sl st (48)
Round 5) ch 2, [2 dc, dc, dc, dc] around, join to first st with sl st (60)
Round 6) ch 2, [2 dc, dc, dc, dc, dc] around, join to first st with sl st (72)
Rounds 7-10) ch 2, dc around, join to first st with sl st (72)
*at this point I sewed on the doily - you can see more on this below*
Round 11) ch 2, [dc2tog, dc, dc, dc, dc] around, join to first st with sl st (60)
Round 12) ch 2, [dc2tog, dc, dc, dc] around, join to first st with sl st (48)
Round 13) ch 2, [dc2tog, dc, dc] around, join to first st with sl st (36)
Round 14) ch 2, [dc2tog, dc] around, join to first st with sl st (24)
*at this point I stuffed my pumpkin full of polyfil
Round 15) ch 2, dc2tog around, join to first st with sl st (12)
Round 16) ch 2, dc2tog around, join to first st with sl st (6)
sl st into a st across hole to close

finish off, and leave very, very long tail to make the indentations.

Sewing on the doily:
After the doily is blocked, and the pumpkin is worked through row 10, you will sew on the doily.

On the right side of your pumpkin, you will lay your doily right side up on top of it, aligning the center points (see below). Make sure it's where you'd like it then pin it together using sewing pins.

The ends of the doily should reach about row 6. I sewed the doily on with the long tail of thread and needle connecting only the little picots.

I would just come up on the next picot with my needle and go down in a different spot in the same picot. Then on to the next one-- all the way around. I ended up spacing them about every other stitch on the pumpkin.

After that I secured the center by sewing a couple of passes through the middle.

Then tie a couple of knots to secure, and weave in ends.

To make the indentations, you will take your long tail of yarn from your pumpkin (I just used both strands) and needle, then come up through the center. Take the yarn over the side and back to the bottom of the pumpkin. Then you will go back through the center to the top, repeating that until you get the desired look you're going for. I made six indentations.

After you're done with the indentations, tie a couple knots, then weave in ends to hide.

Then you'll attach your stem by putting a glob of hot glue in the center and press the stick on it firmly until the glue cools. Then you can attach or tie on any other decorations your heart desires!

And that, my friend is how you make one BA crocheted pumpkin. It's just so darn cool...

If you make your own rustic doily pumpkin, let me see it and tag me over on Instagram!! I'd so enjoy it. :)

The last pumpkin of the series, the striped pumpkin, will release soon so keep an eye out for it!

Happy making!!
-Meg

***You can find the PDF version of this pattern in my shop by clicking here. Great for easy printing!***

Let me start this post by saying that I am SO excited to get this rug out into the world. Ever since I spotted those beige sheets in Walmart on sale for $4.50, I knew I could come up with a cool project with them. And so here I am!

Seriously, its just a killer rug, perfect for a little nook, corner or in an office. And guess what? It's totally not that hard to make. I think the most time consuming part of this project was simply cutting up the sheets. Which by the way I used two sets of 120 thread count TWIN bed sheets (see below).

If you've never cut sheets or fabric to make your own yarn, I explain how to do it in this post. I cut my fabric at two inches wide, and used a 15 mm hook (find one here on Amazon).

Seriously, is this not just the coolest thing?? I think you need to make one. It's like rustic meets bohemian. And not to mention that you can say, "Yeah, I made that!" when someone swoons over it (am I the only one who gets a lot of satisfaction out of saying that when someone compliments a thing you made?).

Doesn't my friend's little girl look cute on it? I thought so. :)

The rug measures roughly 34 inches in diameter. And don't let me forget to mention that it only cost me 9 bucks! Yeah, if you can't tell... I'm pumped. And you may have sheets ALREADY in your house that you have in mind to use for this, so it may cost you nothing!

My living room floor, mid-sheet yarn cutting.

Since I used two twin sheet sets (two flat sheets, two fitted sheets) I'm betting that you could get away with using one queen set if you didn't have twin sized sheets.

This is what one twin sheet looks like rolled into a ball. :)

What you'll need:
two twin sheet sets, or equivalent in larger sheets cut into 2" diameter yarn (tutorial here)
good sharp pair of scissors (you could even rip your sheets for more of a shabby look if your fabric allowed)
15mm crochet hook

Dimensions:
Rug measures approximately 34 inches in diameter

Abbreviations:
st(s)=stitch(es), sc=single crochet, dc=double crochet, sp=space, ch=chain, sk=skip, 3dcl=3 double crochet cluster, 4dcl=4 double crochet cluster, yo=yarn over

Stitch Explanations:
3dcl= (yo, insert hook into next st, yo, bring back through st, yo, draw through first two loops on hook), repeat () 3 times, yo, draw through remaining four loops on hook

4dcl= (yo, insert hook into next st, yo, bring back through st, yo, draw through first two loops on hook), repeat () 4 times, yo, draw through remaining five loops on hook

Notes:
-To join the ends, you could always just join how you usually do. But I followed this way of joining together ends found over on Oh You Crafty Gal:

-ch at the beginning of the rounds DOES NOT count as a st, unless otherwise noted
-since the yarn is so large, I found I had to change the way I held onto it while crocheting to make it more comfortable. Also, I found it kind of hard on the hands/wrists after awhile, and just took a little break when it became too much.
-I worked the majority of my stitches in the back loop only, only because I found it easier, I don't think it looks much different at all whether you do both or back only

Pattern
ch 10, join to 1st ch with sl st to form ring
1) sl st into the ring, ch 3, work 15 dc in circle (15)
2) ch 3, work 2 dc in each st around, join to 3rd ch with sl st (30)
3) ch 3, (2dc, dc) around, join to 3rd ch with sl st (45)
4) ch 5 (counts as dc, ch2), sk st, (dc, ch 2, sk st) around, join to the 3rd ch with sl st (23 total dc)
5) ch 3, (2dc, dc in next 3 sts) 16 times, 2dc, dc in last 2 sts (84)
6) ch 2, 3dcl (counts as 4dcl), ch 4, (4dcl, ch 4) 20 times, join to the st of the 3dcl with sl st (21 total clusters, 105 total sts)
7) ch 3, in same sp as ch 2: 2dc, dc in next 5 sts, (2dc, dc in next 5 sts) 16 times, 2dc, dc in last two sts, join to 3rd ch with sl st (123)
8) ch 3, dc around, join to 3rd ch with sl st (123)
9) ch 7 (counts as sc, ch 6), sk 3 sts, sc in next st, (ch 6, sk 3 sts, sc in next st) 29 times, ch 6, sk 2 sts, join to 1st of beg ch

To weave in ends, I used my fingers and just wove them back and forth a few times, then tied a knot and cut the yarn. I tied the knot because you can't see it on the back side and for added assurance it won't come undone.

You may have to stretch/block the rug to make it lay flat. You could use a little water, and tug it until it lays flat. All I had to do was tug it around a bit and it laid flat!

And there you have it! A beautiful new adorably shabby rug! I didn't even think it took that long to whip up. The massive size of yarn totally helped that out.