Ready to Rumble?

Oh my stars!  Ninety-three of you said you wanted to play with me. I feel like a rock star, or at least like a kid with bag of candy on the playground. LOL! 

Let's get started. Today's the day.  The first day of the first week of On The Edge...(insert trumpet fanfare)

This week's task: Gather Supplies

Difficulty Level: 1 Dove Chocolate  

 
 
 For this project you will need:

• 1 bag of Dove Chocolates
• Basic Sewing Supplies (pins, scissors or rotary cutter, sewing machine, iron, thread, etc.)
• 1 1/8 yard of cotton quilt-weight fabric (I will be using two different fabrics. See the fabric requirements for two different prints in the considerations below.)
• Yarn (Weight 3/Light or Baby)
• Crochet Hook (size US f5/3.75mm)
• Yarn Darning Needle (I have a size 15 needle)
• Water Soluble Marking Pen

That's it.  See? Easy. Only one chocolate needed.

Some things to consider:

If you choose to use two fabrics on your pillowcase, you will need 1 yard of focus fabric and 1 1/8 yard of the coordinating fabric.  The downside to using two fabrics...you have to buy nearly twice as much fabric. The upside...you have enough fabric to make two pillowcases.

If your yarn selection is limited, choose your yarn first and match it to a fabric. This will keep you from turning this task into a 2 chocolate job.  If you have a spanky yarn store in your town like Loopy,  you can select either yarn or fabric first. (Click the Loopy link.  I'll wait.  It's positively YUMMY.)

The fiber content of the yarn can be of your choosing.  I like cotton and cotton/bamboo blends.  I have been careful to select yarn that can be washed in the washing machine.  I don't want to have to hand wash my pillowcase.

Crochet stitches you will need to know for this project are chain stitch, single crochet, and double crochet. If you are new to crochet, I highly recommend Linda Perman's book, Crochet Adorned. I saw some copies at JoAnn this weekend.  They were 40% off.  Linda's explanations and illustrations are the bomb.  She also has great crochet patterns and projects. The book isn't necessary, just nice.  Don't forget to play with your yarn and crochet stitches this week if you are new to crochet or need to brush up on your skills.

On the chocolate front...light or dark, filled or solid, nuts or not...it makes no difference.  I choose dark chocolate because no one else at my house likes it.  Is that wrong?

Tip of the week:

On our pillowcase, we don't have to stitch into a foundation chain.  However, if you are practicing this week, you will be using a foundation chain.  It is sometimes a little tricky to insert your hook in the foundation chain.  In Crochet Adorned, Linda suggests turning your chain over and stitching into the underside loops (referred to as "bumps" on my photo) on the back of the chain. This worked like a charm for me. Go ahead. Try it. 

Chain about 40 stitches.  

Flip it over to the backside and single crochet into the underside loop of each chain you made skipping the first stitch next to your hook. Single crochet into the "bump" of each foundation stitch across the row. Chain one (called a turning chain). 

 

Turn your work (flip it horizontally so your crochet hook is on the right-hand side again). Skip the turning chain and single crochet across the row again. This time you will insert your hook under the V's of the single crochets you've already stitched. At the end of the row, chain two (turning chain for double crochet).

  

Turn your work.  Double crochet across the row beginning in the first single crochet. 

 

Look at you go. Stop for a chocolate, girlfriend, then carry on!

 

Until next Monday,

Cassie

New to crochet? Check out this link on how to hold your hook.

Comments

[Roslyn Mitchell]

I am on "The Edge" with excitment, thanks for the invite.

[brigita]

thanks cassie!!!!
cute fabric.
good chocolate choice!
who knew we'd have a reason to look forward to mondays????

[Annette]

Your crochet tutorial is perfect! Love the photographs with arrows - so easy.

[Kim Walus]

I'm really excited to get started. I'm headed to buy what I need after school. Thanks for your help Cassie.

[Trish]

Better make that ninety four matey-i'm in too!

Hope mine turns out as nice as yours! ;-D

[Tracey]

sweet, off to get my supplies today :)

[Renee Lange]

You are a rock star!!! Can't wait to go shopping. Thank you!

[Sophie]

Sounds good to me. You're doing a great job! One question- I am never sure about my thread choices. I am not "savvy" regarding thread weights, etc. You suggest "Yarn (Weight 3/Light or Baby)". Can you suggest a brand/type/name, etc., of yarn so I can be sure I have the right weight? Thanks for the fun- I'm looking forward to it!!

[Janet]

You are the bomb! Great start and wonderful pictures. I'm ready!

[Thimbleanna]

ToldyaToldyaToldya!!! You da bomb! I do have one little problem. I bought my fabric first. Having trouble with yarn. Oh darn. Might have to go buy more fabric. You know I'm heartbroken.

Chocolate with caramel please!

[Debbie S.]

Can hardly wait to get started. Must plan a trip to the fun fabric/yarn store on the other side of town.

[Laurel]

I have been waiting for this post all week. And it was so worth the wait. Permission to buy chocolate and fabric! I am in Heaven.

[Sarah Mitchell]

Help, I've eaten all of my chocolate! Do I have to go out and buy more for next week? Can't wait to get started on this project, thanks for doing a tutorial.

[Laura, Catherine, Sarah, & Madelyn]

We're ready! My girls and I bought our chocolates last night! From our stash, we picked out yarns and fabric for the pillowcase fronts, and we are "re-purposing" some of grandpa's soft cotton shirt backs for use as the pillowcase backs. They can't wait 'til next Monday's post!

[Chanelle]

I'm in love with your fabric! Can you please tell us what it is and where to find it?

[Marie]

WAIT! Is it too late to join in?

[Andrea]

Please tell me it isn't too late to join?!!!! This looks like so much fun - why not start another project before getting all the others done, right?! :)
Love the whole chocolate thing - I LOLed about the Dark Chocolate :) I say Go For It! DC is my fav too and it must.be.DOVE...

[Jennwith4]

WHEW!! I almost forgot about the play along!! Tomorrow I'll go and get my supplies (hopefully). Looking forward to having my very own very cute pillowcase!

[brigita]

you should have sold us kits from your stash.
you'd be a gazillionaire now!
i love the fabric you chose.
i already told you it was 'cute', cuz i didn't wanna gush, but now i'm gushin.

[Sharrieboberry]

I'm digging into my stash and crossing my fingers that I find some matching yarn/thread.

Do we need to prewash the fabric?

[thready]

It is hard to wait until Monday. I have all my supplies but I am not sure if my chocolate will last!

[Brenda]

I am SO excited about this project---my mom has some beautiful things her grandmother crocheted lace on with that REALLY fine thread and a microscopic hook, and I always wondered how she did it. I lucked out when I went fabric shopping; the little store by me had just re-stocked their "super bolt" sale table, and I got some pretty flour sack prints for $1.87 per yard. The yarn was a bit more challenging, but I bought some Paton's "Grace" at Micheal's that is labeled as weight #3. They had some actual crochet thread that is size 3, and it seemed to be just a bit finer. It came in a larger range of colors, so if I get good at this, I may try to make some edgings with it. Thanks for this tutorial, Cassie---I agree with the poster who said you ROCK!

[Roxann Gagner]

I would like to join from Sitka, Alaska. Yarn and fabric was purchased yesterday. I dusted off the sewing machine and began practicing my crocheting. I haven't been sewing much since my return to teaching but this project was too fun to pass up.

[Casey]

This sounds like such a fun idea! I'm definitely going to join in :)

[Missie]

I picked up all of my supplies this past weekend and am ready to attempt to machine stitch. Yikes! No Dove chocolate though, I got Reese's peanut butter eggs instead. :)

[SewLindaAnn]

Don't know how I missed this post, I've always been confused about putting crochet trims on. I've got the book and have been crocheting a lot. Your pictures are great.

[Maria]

Ok, I have all of my supplies...until next monday :-)

Maria

[Patty]

Add one more to that number, I want in too. I did my practice piece last night!!! I can't wait until more instructions come our way!!!!!

[Karen]

I wanta join! I wanta join!

I just finished 2 pillowcases for "pratice" and they are just as cute as can be!
I can't wait to crochet edges.

Your instructions were so easy to follow.
You Go Girl!

I'd love to talk about it on my blog may I use your photos of the finished cases and link back to you?

Hugs, Karen

[Mary]

Your fabric is beautiful. Can you tell us the brand / the designer / is it available on the web? Many thanks.

[A.J. Dub]

I wish I was a crochet-er! You had me at Dove! I will have to get my daughter to do the crochet and I will eat the chocolate. :) Thanks! Oh, and Lori Holt posted about your tutorial on Bee in my Bonnet which is how a non crochet-er came to be here. Lovely tutorial!

[Heather]

I'd really like to print all four related posts out (sans comments) for my 85 /o grandmother. She has been asking me to teach her how to finish the edges of her pillowcases for a few months. Since she is 8 hours away I need to leave instructions behind for her. Do you have a concise PDF of them anywhere?

[Dollys' Cherry Heart]

Screaming with excitment!!!!!
I am so thrilled to be joining in this fun party!

Off to gather my supplies and chocolates too!

Hugs, Dolly

[TSweeten]

Please tell me who the designer of the floral fabric/dot fabric might be! I have looked and looked! I live in a tiny town and have to order everything.

[Cheryl]

I love your directions! I just came back from buying by fabric and yarn at Jo-Anns. The fabric is being washed and then I can start. Thank-you so much for sharing. I think I may make some for gifts. :)

[Cheryl]

I want to join too please. I have my fabric washed and ready to go. My daughter is being induced for my first grandbaby, so I may be flying out real quick to the hospital, but I'll be back to pick up the pieces. Can't wait; this is so cute! Thank-you for the wonderful directions.

[Sarah]

I have a funny question. Could you make these with flannel? Also, do you pre-wash your fabric? Thank you!!

[CAROL HENSCH]

Your tutorial is wonderful - I have searched everywhere for pattern size demensions for king size cases. what do you suggest for king size? thanks again for your time and dedication.

[Linda Klonz]

Cassie your pillow cases are gorgeous! Thank you for the great instructions. I always preshrink all my fabrics. Is there a yarn that is also preshrunk? Also, if you have never tried Milka chocolate bars, you must! They are from Germany and absolutely wonderful. I love your spirit and style. Thank you so much for all you share!

[Whitney]

Do u have fabric measurements for queen sized pillows???

[Ruth Marden]

Have you ever made these pillow cases with flannel? If so, where do you purchase? I love them, you did a beautiful job on tutorial. Wil defininetly be making for Christmas gifts. Thanks for your help. Ruth

[Ellen Scholte]

Came across your blog this morning! Was reading this entry. Love the fact that you started off your supply list with Dove Chocolates!! I like the way you think!!

[meggiecat]

So nice! Thanks for sharing your work. Want them, lots of them.