I bought a plastic plant in a terracotta pot, perfect for the horrid corner in the bathroom that is just too big and odd to be of any use, except to gather dust. The plant felt out of place, very bare and normal, oh, I wanted something fresh. My solution was to crochet a sleeve with paper yarn. Yes, you read correctly, paper yarn.
Yarn -I had bought some "Creative paper" yarn from Rico Design (discontinued) few years ago with the intention of making placemats........I started and found out very soon that is was not me, so I did the only thing I could do, stash away the unfinished piece, waiting for the perfect project. This yarn is smooth and soft and very easy to use. It doesn't brake or tear, but obviously it can't be washed....so it's perfect for a sleeve for a plastic plant.
Needle - I used 5.0 which is the same as size 6 (English) or H (US). I wanted firm and sturdy loops as the sleeve needs to hold for many years!
Method - Although it looks simple, I had a few tries. It's all about trial and error when I don't really know what I am aiming for, but eventually it all fell into place. The following method gave me the look I was after.
Rnd 1: Make 8 single crochet stitches (sc) into an adjustable loop and then pull to close the hole in the centre (magic ring).
Rnd 2: Make 2 double crochet stitches (dc) into the back of each stitch from previous round. By crocheting into the back of the loop, you get this nice raised line between rows. Total of 16 stitches.
Rnd 3: Make 2 double crochet stitches (dc) into the back of each stitch from previous round. Total of 32 stitches. Continue the same until the bottom has been covered.
Bottom edge: Crochet 1 double stitch (dc) into the back of each stitch. Again making a line between the rows.
Next rows: Crochet 1 double stitch (dc) into each stitch (through both strands). I didn't want any lines between the rows. Repeat this row until you reach the lower edge of the pot. I made seven rows.
Final row: Crochet a slip stitch (sl st) into each stitch to make the edge neat and tight. Sew in all ends.
I had so much fun using this fascinating paper yarn. I wanted to keep on crocheting, so I found three different sizes of vases on offer in Michaels and made some more sleeves in different colours. Perfect to make the bathroom a little bit more cosy. I still have a bit of the yarn left, so the plan is to find some more ideas to make something useful, practical and stylish for my home.
The possibilities to improvise and bring out your creative side with this project are endless. Please share pictures, if you embark on this mission, I would love seeing and learn from your creativity.
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