Théière au crochet (Crocheted Tiny Teapots)

I started doing translation of knitting and crocheting patterns awhile back when the Internet was more of a Wild West and resources like Babelfish and Google Translate weren't available. That way I could share fiber arts fever with the rest of the world, or at least to my non-English speaking neighbors.

Once in awhile, an opportunity develops to help out once again. Yes, you can translate patterns with Google Translate, but you end up with a text that sounds like its talking about swords, mesh, and air stitches. Its just not set up to do the specialized language of translating knitting and crocheting language. Tsitsa Tsitsa on Ravelry has a wonderful blog called Bulle de tut'Oz where she shares patterns with the French speaking world. Seriously, check out her adorable dog crown! A Ravelry user asked her permission to get one of her patterns translated, and so I am posting the translation here.

Never used a translation before? Here's what to do. Load up the original pattern in one window. Put that on the side of your monitor. You'll need it to see the copyrighted illustrations and photos from the original. On the other side of the window, keep this screen open. You'll then be able to follow both, side by side.

Please go see her adorable teapots when you get a chance. They are so tiny and lovely! I have intentions to get to them after my class is over - my mother would love a teapot chain decoration like them. If you like them and intend to do a project, go to her page on Ravelry and enter the project.

All terms are translated into American crochet terminology.

The Micro-Teapot by Tsitsa Tsitsa

Abbreviations:
sc = single crochet
sc2tog = single crochet two together (decrease)
sl st = slip stitch
ch = chain
sts = stitches


The body of the teapot (to start at the top of the pot)
Row 1: Chain 3 stitches and close round with 1 sl st.
Row 2: Ch 1, 6 sc, with 1 sl st.
Row 3: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc from previous row, close with 1 sl st (= 12 sc).
Row 4: ch 1, * sc in 2 sc from previous row, 1 sc *, repeat from * to * until end of row and end with 1 sl st (= 18 sc).
Rows 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9: Ch 1, 18 sc, with 1 sl st.
Row 10: ch 1, * sc2tog, 1 sc *, repeat from * to end of row and end with 1 sl st (= 12 sc). Put the stuffing in.
Row 11: Ch 1, sc2tog until the end of the row and then close with 1 sl st (= 6 sc). Cut the thread and pull to tighten in the stitches at the base of the teapot.

The lid
Make a chain of 3, close with 1 sl st.
Crochet in the circle 4 sc, with 1 sl st at the end of the round.
Sew the small lid on top of the teapot.

The handle
Make a chain of 12 sts + 1 ch to turn the work and crochet back to 12 sc

The spout
Row 1: Chain 4 stitches + 1 turning ch
Rank 2: 4 sc, ch 1
Rank 3: 4 sc, ch 1

Assembly and decoration
Assemble the various small parts, bringing the ends to the base of the teapot.
Tie them together and then bring down the ends in the body of the teapot, and pull them a little flush before cutting so they are hidden in the teapot.

Photo caption
Insert the needle from side to side to make decorative French knots. Finish by directing your ends to the base of the teapot.

Saucer
Row 1: Chain 3 sts, end with 1 sl st
Row 2: Ch 1, 6 sc in ring base with 1 sl st
Row 3: Ch 1, 2 sc in each sc from previous row (= 12 sc)
Row 4: ch 1, * 2 sc in the previous row, 1 sc *, repeat from * to end of row and end with 1 sl st (= 18 sc)
Row 5: ch 1, * 2 sc in the previous row, 2 sc *, repeat from * to * until end of row and end with 1 sl st (= 24 sc)
Sew the saucer at the base

To turn the teapot into a ring, as seen in the photos at her blog:
Chain 3 stitches + 1 ch to turn and crochet go to the desired size. Sew the two ends discreetly in the saucer.

If you want to do the even smaller teapot, here's the directions for it as well:


The Mini-Micro Teapot

The body of the teapot (to start at the top of the pot)
Rows 1-4: Proceed in the same way as for the micro-teapot
Row 5: ch 1, * 2 sc in the previous row, 2 sc *, repeat from * to * until end of row and end with 1 sl st (= 24 sc).
Rows 6-11: Ch 1, 24 sc, with 1 sl st.
Row 12: ch 1, * sc2tog, 1 sc *, repeat from * to end of row and end with sc2tog with 1 sl st. Put the stuffing in.
Row 13: Ch 1, * sc2tog, 1 sc *, repeat from * to * until end of row and end with sc2tog with 1 sl st.
Row 14: Ch 1, sc2tog until the end of row with 1 sl st.
Cut the thread and pull in to tighten in the stitches and bring down through base of the teapot

The lid
Chain 3 with 1 sl st.
Crochet 6 sc in ring with 1 sl st and sew the lid on the top of the pot (see explanations from micro-teapot above)

The handle
Proceed in the same way as for the micro-teapot on a chain of 14 stitches

The spout
Proceed in the same way as for the micro-teapot. Assembly and decoration: see explanation in pictures micro-teapot

Saucer
Rows 1-5: The same procedure as for the micro-teapot
Row 6: ch 1, * 2 sc in the previous row (for 1 increase), 3 sc *, repeat from * to * until end of row and end with 1 sl st (= 30 sc)
Sew the saucer at the base.

What's the Deal?

Okay, so I haven't written a post in forever.

I bet you thought the blog was dead, and nothing new was going up.

Weeelll, not exactly.

There's been a lot of personal turmoil going on.

1. I got a new job.
2. I got into a scooter accident.
3. My husband's job is being shut down.
4. I got an insulin pump finally!
5. I've been doing Yarn Smackdown all summer.
6. There's this little addiction called Ravelry...

So I've been out, but not necessarily about for the past couple months. Luckily, none of these things are particularly bad - I walked away from the accident with only an arm injury that's much better now, and the husband is looking for new work - so I'm around.

Here's what I have planned for this blog for the rest of this year:

1. Updates on the Dolce Cabo dress started this summer. I started it, then had to drop it after gauge problems. I want to get that one done before next summer!
2. The Happy Okra pattern. He's cute and cuddly and I want to make him a star!
3. China's Sweater pattern. China the stuffed panda and I share the same birthday, and I always make her a knitted or crocheted item each year. This year, I've got an adorable cotton sweater almost done for her.
4. Some new loom patterns. Inspired by what I've seen the Spanish and Argentinians doing, I've seen some *interesting* new ideas and want to get some internationally inspired patterns up here!
5. Some holiday stuff...not sure what yet, but the Halloween --> Christmas time of year is great and I want to share the joy!

So, in short, stick with me, guys and gals, and I'll be back strong soon!

The Day of, it storms, again

So its once again the Relay for Life, and once again its storming and there's a tornado watch.

Sigh.

There's storms abrewin' at work too, so I'm just not happy. I was up until nearly 2, so I really was hoping for a calm and pieceful day. Of course, that won't happen when the bosses who were going to go golfing today don't.

Then, my addiction reared its ugly head. I saw this when I tried to log onto Ravelry this morning!



AWGHHHHHRHKHJHGKKJHJKJJJJJHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Its one of those things. I don't log on for a day or two at a time sometimes, but I always know its there. Its like a fiber arts community blanket, that keeps everyone in it warm all the time.

Then they take it away to get it washed. And then people go crazy!

So I ended up with a bag and part of a box full of stuff to sell at the Relay. I'm hoping to get more done during lunch today.

I really just want to go home and go to bed, but obligations arise, I suppose. I'll have some new patterns off of what I did last night - a couple new scarves. And we'll see what I get done between the time I get to Relay, the time it starts, and the time I'm probably going to spend in the car, waiting out the rain.

The El Paso Bolero

If you're on Ravelry, you've already read of my trials and tribulations with this pattern.

The sizing is crazy, the gauge is way off and its written in the most confusing way possible.

So if you choose to attempt it, and you've read my other notes, this is the shaping for the right front. As Lion says, work the same way on the other side, just "reverse". (*&*((&&&(*

Row 2 N2A: 2dc in first stitch, dc
Row 3 A2N: 2dc in first stitch, dc
Row 4 N2A: dc
Row 5 A2N: 2dc in first stitch, dc, 2 dc in last stitch
Row 6 N2A: dc
Row 7 A2N: 2dc in first stitch, dc
Row 8 N2A: 2dc in first stitch, dc
Row 9 A2N: 2dc in first stitch, dc
Row 10 N2A: dc
Row 11 A2N: 2dc in first stitch, dc, 2 dc in last stitch
Row 12 N2A: dc
Row 13 A2N: 2dc in first stitch, dc
Row 14 N2A: 2dc in first stitch, dc
Row 15 A2N: 2dc in first stitch, dc
Row 16 N2A: dc
Row 17 A2N: 2dc in first stitch, dc, 2 dc in last stitch
Row 18 N2A: dc
Row 19 A2N: 2dc in first stitch, dc
Row 20 N2A: 2dc in first stitch, dc
Row 21 A2N: dc
Row 22 N2A: dc
Row 23 A2N: dc, 2 dc in last stitch
Row 24 N2A: : dc
Row 25 A2N: dc
Row 26 N2A: : 2dc in first stitch, dc

When the piece measures the same as the back to armhole (aka the place where the marker was on the back piece, not called the same thing here), place a marker on each side. Decrease 1 stitch at the neck edge every row 4 times, and then every other row 3 times.

The work it until it measures the same length as the back, and do the funky neck shaping that they've developed.

Friday Funny!

He he... I'm waiting on the boss to come take a look at what I'm affectionately calling the "kitchen sink" powerpoint (as in, "everything but the ...).

I'm randomly surfing Ravelry and in This Week in Ravelry #14, there was this project posted:



Yes, that's right...its a chicken wearing a sweater. I had a good laugh over it, and then I saw how nice the photos were in the users account.

So without further ado, thank Squiddles from Flickr for the lovely chicken sweater (and her photograph thereof) and I highly encourage you to waste some time on this lovely Friday looking at her other excellent photographs.

A beautful scarf pattern - Harry Potter colors?

I was surfing the Interweave Knits forum over at Ravelry and a girl posted this lovely pattern based off of a design she saw in IK two summers ago.

Shazam Scarf

That's her image above - so, so pretty!

So I got looking at it, and it immediately brought to mind Gryffindor - can you imagine this in burgundy with gold (the color hue, not the metal or shiny) beads?

It totally brings it to mind. If I ever get through my current slog of projects, this one will be on the list!

Continuing on - More Stuffie Clothes!

So I also added another stuffie to the swap package to replace her little lost frog. Okay, so the one I added is not little :-)

But he's SO cute! All he needed to make him perfect was a cute little bow tie. And I couldn't find one without all this ridiculous sewing. Okay, if you want a perfect bow tie, you really do have to sew it. But since I was looking for cute, not perfect, here's how it ended up:



And since I'm really nice, I even wrote out a pattern of what I did!

Starting with the right side of the bow, chain 8 and then make 6 treble crochets into chain #4. Slip stitch and secure into chain #1. Slip stitch up the outside of the shape to chain #4.

Then, chain 3 and single crochet into each chain on one side, and then stick your hook and loop through the other side and single crochet into each chain on the other side.

To make the left bow, its a bit different. Chain 4, and do 3 treble crochets into chain #1. Then, make 3 treble crochets into the last single crochet instead of the chain.

Next, you're going to create the strap and its security. Single crochet in a box shape around the "ball" in the middle of the tie. After completing the sc box (you should be on the bottom of it), chain 20 (or the appropriate neck size for the animal). Single crochet back to the bow tie. Make sure to single crochet into the bottom depending on where you started. Anchor a single crochet into the top of the box and slip stitch into each single crochet until the end of the strap.

Secure the strap to the bow by single crocheting into the top corner of the box, and then single crochet into the bottom corner. Fasten off and you've got a cute bow tie!