Category: Pattern Tests

Ana from One Skein of Love just released the pattern for her latest design: Go with the Flow – a blanket made in Overlay Mosaic technique. The pattern is available in her shops.

Isn’t it lovely?

Actually, I didn’t want to test this pattern.
After the death of my parents-in-law we are still sorting out and dissolving their household. They didn’t live nearby and it’s a longer drive every time – so I don’t have much time at the moment … But I couldn‘t resist …

The pattern has a small repeat and so I was able to make something I wanted to do for a long time: a cover for my iPad.

I used Stylecraft Special DK with my 4,0 mm Clover Amour hook. The colours are Graphite (1063) and Pale Rose (1080). Ok, perhaps a cotton yarn would have been better for this purpose. But I didn’t have any matching yarn on hand and I also think that the colour combination suits the pattern very well.

I used Graphite as colour C1 and Pale Rose as C2. To avoid the yarn tails on both sides I just worked the body of the cover in the round.

For me, 72 stitches made a perfect size in width. Especially as I wanted the cover to be a bit bigger so that my pencil would also fit in.

Unfortunately I have no ‘work in progress’-pictures, but here a short summary of what I did.

Body and flap of the cover

• Width of the cover
  • 72 stitches, worked in the round = 9 repeats (no border stitches, no extra stitches)
• Height of the cover
  • rows 1 – 22 / 1 time
  • rows 23 – 30 / 3 times
  • 46 rows in total
• Flap
  • in continuation of the pattern but only worked over 17 stitches (1 repeat, plus extra stitches, plus border stitches) and worked in rows
  • rows 199 – 219 of the pattern / 1 time

Border

To attach a small border I prepared the edges of the flap in the same way as it is done for the blanket. My slip stitches (only around the edges of the flap) are made in Pale Rose. For back and front layer I used Graphite.

• Back layer
  • The back layer was only worked on the sides and the top of the flap. Therefore it was worked in rows with turning the work in between.
    row 1: double crochet worked in the back of the slip stitches, (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in each of the 2 corner spaces
    row 2: single crochet in both loops, (1 sc, ch 2, 1 sc) in the corner spaces
• Front layer
  • The front layer was worked in rounds over the flap and the upper edge of of the cover. To get a rounded transition from the flap to the upper edge of the body, I skipped the first / last stitch of the upper edge (directly after / before the stitches of the flap) in each round.
    round 1: single crochet, over the flap worked in back loops of the slip stitches, in the corner spaces (1 sc, ch2, 1 sc) like explained for the border of the blanket. Over the body worked in back loops of the stitches of the last round.
    rounds 2 and 3: single crochet worked in back loops, (1 sc, ch2, 1 sc) in the corner spaces of the flap.
• Joining
  • Back and front layer of the flap are joined with a row of slip stitches in Pale Rose. To get a consistent look I continued the slip stitches over the body. A small loop on the upper edge of the flap, made with some chains, serves as buttonhole.

Finishing

I closed the bottom of the cover with some whipstitches and a sewed on a button.

If you want to make one for your own

To get the measurements for a cover that fits your Tablet I would suggest that you make a little swatch first. For this, two or three pattern repeats should be enough. Then you can work out how many repeats you will need in width and also estimate how many rows / repeats you will need in height.
Or – and that was my way :) – you just cast on some chains and put them around your tablet. (I suppose this method will even work better with foundation single crochet but FSC still is not MY thing.) Just keep in mind that your total number of stitches has to be a multiple of the stitches of a pattern repeat.
After you have crocheted a couple of rows, put your tablet next to it and check now and then if you have already reached the required height. It doesn‘t sound very professional but it worked perfectly for me!

Two more points are important:

When starting the flap double check that the pattern is continued as it would be in a blanket. And, before closing the bottom of the body make sure that the flap is in the middle of the backside and take care that the pattern is centered. That‘s all – have fun!

Radiance is the newest pattern from Ana from One Skein of Love. She released it last week and I was just able to finish my test version and take some pictures.

The original pattern is for a blanket made in Overlay Mosaic technique. Ana’s blanket is about 100 cm x 134 cm. With a repeat of only 24 stitches the size of the blanket is easy to adjust. As usual her pattern has written instructions in US terms, a chart and a lot of row by row pictures.
Ana used one solid colour and a colour changing yarn. You can have a look at her design in her Ravelry store, and of course you can get the pattern there too.

I turned my test version in a cushion cover.

It is worked over 3 pattern repeats in width and 4 repeats in height.

For the border I first added a row of slip stitches on the long sides of the panel. Then folded it in the half (so that there are 2 repeats from the height in front and two in back) and sewed the sides together.

I added a border on both sides, hiding all yarn ends and the my sewing. The border is made of 6 rounds single crochet in back loop.The opening at the bottom is – em, will be – closed with a zipper.

I used some left overs from my Midnight Snowflakes blanket – Scheepjes Color Crafter in the colour Rotterdam and Stylecraft Special DK in Duck Egg.

It‘s a perfect match.

One of my crochet tests from 2022 I haven’t shown you yet: Wooly Friends.

I tested this lovely pattern already in April last year. Actually it is a pattern for a baby blanket. It was featured (with UK terms) in issue 125 of Simply Crochet Magazine. Ana now published the pattern herself and it is available in US and UK terms in her Ravelry store.

Through testing, I have meanwhile collected a lot of blankets – although I have already given many away. That’s why I often think about what else to make out of a pattern. With this one I had immediately a bag in mind for all my different projects – but with only a vague idea of how to do it. In the end it took almost 3 months (including holidays and other tests) to get it done, but I am more than happy with the result!

How my bag came to life

Yarn and colours used

Stylecraft Special DK (100g = 295 m) in the following colours

1820 Duck Egg
1067 Grape
1099 Grey
1203 Silver
1061 Plum
1218 Parchment

and a 4 mm hook

I started the bag with two identical panels, worked over 4 repeats.

My panels were about 40 cm in width and 42 cm in height.

At this point I first thought about joining the two panels (with all the tails inside) and lining the bag. But then I decided to give it a little more storage space for yarn. So I made an additional smaller panel that now serves as bottom and sides of the bag.

I worked this additional panel over 235 stitches in single crochet. Like in mosaic technique: each row starting and ending with a border stitch, all the other stitches worked in back loop only, cutting the yarn after each row.
The tails on both sides are hidden in a small double border: front and back layer made with 3 rows of back loop single crochet.
The final bottom/side panel is a little (4 stitches in total) shorter than than the main panels.

Joining

I finally joined the panels with the slip stitches for the double border, just working through both layers- bottom/side panel and main panel – at once.
I have to confess: this was not my favorite part as it took a lot of patience and a lot of time to catch the correct stitches at the same time!

On the upper edge I skipped the middle 39 stitches with a chain to make the handles.

Double Borders

Front and back layers of the borders were made with 3 rows of back loop single crochet, three single crochets worked in one stitch for the corners (note: it‘s always good to use a stitch marker to mark the middle stitch).
At the upper edges the double border was just continued over the chains to form the handles.
All slip stitches and borders were made in Plum.

As I said, I am more than happy with the bag. After it was finally finished, I immediately started using it. Since then it has not been empty for a single day!

Post revised in December 2025

Have you already seen the new pattern by Ana Morais Soares from One Skein of Love?

Oh Xmas Tree is a lovely overlay Mosaic pattern designed as cushion cover. The pattern is available in Ana’s Ravelry shop.

The panel fits beautifully with the Wintry Forest pattern.

Using DK yarn it will be about 40 x 40 cm (16 in). You can either sew it onto a cushion cover, like Ana did, make a wall hanging out of it, a placemat or whatever else comes to your mind.
It works up quickly and is great to use up some leftover yarns.

I made my test version with Cabaret from Stylecraft yarns combined with Stylecraft Special DK in Cream.
Cabaret was one from my extensive single-ball-of-yarn-collection. I ordered it years ago to check quality and colour but never found a project to use it. I am afraid it’s discontinued meanwhile. The colour was Forest Glade – changing in different green shades with a silver metal thread running with it. Unfortunately, you can’t really see the glitter in the photos.

I’m not sure yet what I’m going to do with my panel. I was thinking of sewing it onto a fabric bag. Let’s see if I can find something suitable.

The picture above shows Ana’s work – photo credit goes to her. Below you can see my test version.

Have fun!