Cherub Comfort Crib Base, Breakdown with Pics

It appears that the base for the cradle is a little hard for beginners, and I didn't add enough instruction. I'm sorry, I guess now that I'm past beginner myself I forget to slow down and add more images, I just assume everyone knows how an oval is created. This is a reminder to myself that I need to make sure I add extra instructions!

Now the cradle pattern is already quite long, hence why this is in a new post. I've taken images for every small step of stitches so hopefully everyone can see easily now what goes where. A reminder too that it can be a little tricky working with doubled yarn and you may need to do some practice, just do some chains and go back and forth a few times. It doesn't take much to start to feel comfortable with the 2 strands. Its
something I do quite alot to compensate for Australia's lack of worsted weight yarns!


HDC = Half Double Crochet in American terms. This is a Half Treble (htr) for UK folk.


How to do it - Wrap yarn over hook and insert the hook into the work, yarn over the hook draw through work. Wrap yarn over hook and draw through all 3 loops in the hook.


You will also need to know how to do a hd2tg (half double crochet decrease) when you make it to the HOOD section, it is just going to be easier to link you to an excellent YouTube video for this stitch as writing all the steps may be a little confusing. View it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf7b9Nqbz4U




Ok lets get started on the base! Remember, we're making 2 of these.

Take your 2 strands of DK weight yarn and a 6.5mm hook.

 1. Chain 10 

2. Make THREE hdc stitches in the  second chain from the hook.

 3. Make 7 hdc stitches in the next 7 chains

4. In the last chain make THREE hdc stitches. We will not be turning our work, we will now be working on the opposite side to the stitches we have just completed.

Like this

5. hdc in the next 7 stitches

6. hdc in the last st (this gap is where our skipped ch1 from the beginning is)

Join with a slip stitch to the first hdc.

7. Chain 2, make TWO hdc in each of the next 2 stitches

8. hdc in the next 7 stitches

9. Make TWO hdc in each of the next THREE stitches (this will give you 6 in total on the end)

10. hdc in the next 8 stitches and join with a slip stitch to the top of the starting chain. Round complete!

11. chain 2, hdc in the next stitch, then make TWO hdc in the next stitch

12. hdc in the next stitch, then make TWO hdc in the next stitch. Repeat this step again. (When you count stitches from step 11 and 12 you will have a ch2 and 9 stitches in total. I have marked the 2hdc stitches in the above image)

13. hdc in the next 7 stitches

14. Place TWO hdc in the next stitch, hdc in the next stitch

Repeat this step TWICE more (you will have just made NINE stitches in total, I have marked the positions of the hdc2 stitches in the image above)

15. hdc in the next 8 stitches

and join to the top of the starting chain.

Last round. W00!

16. chain 2, hdc in the next 2 stitches, then hdc TWICE in the next stitch (you will have made 3 stitches in total)

17. Repeat step 16 twice more. (That is, hdc in the next 2 stitches, hdc TWICE in the next stitch, hdc in the next 2 stitches, hdc TWICE in the next stitch. The hdc2 have been marked in the above image)

18. hdc in the next 7 stitches

19. hdc TWICE in the next stitch, then hdc once in the next TWO stitches.

20. Repeat step 19 TWICE more.

21. hdc in the next 9 stitches

22. Slip stitch to join. Finish off and weave in ends, thats it, your done!

Don't forget to make a second one!

I hope this step by step guide has helped anyone thats having problems with the pattern. If you need further advice do not hesitate to contact me. 

Cherub Comfort Cradle

Hello lovlies. I hope everyone is having a fine weekend.

I have a new pattern for you all today. I've been working on this on and off for some months. The idea at least. I knew what I wanted but my drafts didn't work and I kept revisiting it. I didn't want to release it until I was happy with it. Well now I am! I sat down this weekend and knew I wanted to get this little beauty finished, photographed and sorted. It is, as most of my patterns are, untested. However I have made it myself 3 times to make sure it works and I have no issues. If you find one please let me know.

This pattern was born from frustration at not being able to find one. I know a lot of people out there use the cradle purse patterns to make angel baby beds, and thats great. I've done it myself and while they do work, I always had this nagging thought, that its just an afterthought using a toy pattern. I wanted something that was made FOR angels, the afterthought can be for play. I'm sure these would delight any little girl and make excellent shower gifts too but primarily, they are designed to gently hold the resting bodies of tiny angels and to give comfort to parents.

Onto the logistics!
Ok so, this cradle is roughly 7 inches in length and 6 inches tall from base to the highest point of the hood. It is designed for the smallest of the small. I promise Ill have larger ones up soon, right now tho lets roll with this.
Anyone that can adjust easily, just add a few extra chains to the start and it will come out larger.
As always, AMERICAN terms for crochet, Ive tried to remember to use both inches and cm throughout for measurements tho.

Base Photo Tutorial with step by step instructions for beginners is here

You will need 
DK weight yarn (held doubled, so 2 balls or roll half a ball off so you can use 2 strands) for the cradle
DK weight yarn in contrasting colour for version 1
6.5mm and 6.00mm hook for the cradle
3.00mm hook for the flowers on variation 1
5.00mm hook for ruffles and edges on version 1
Flat colourless or one colour plastic for the base. I've tried a few different things all with success. Firstly, the clear lids from rectangle takeaway containers work wonderfully. Plastic plates (the oval disposable kind) work well too. You can also use plastic lids from ice cream containers once you clean the sticker off and plastic canvas (the kind you cross stitch with) So long as its lightweight and doesn't have bright colours or patterns on it (you'll see that through the yarn) then your good.
Ribbon for version 3
1 meter (40 inches) of lace and 2 satin bows or flowers for version 3
a sewing needle and yarn needle
stitch markers, these are a must. If you have none pins work just as well.

The Base - Make 2


NOTE: 2hd = make 2 hdc in the same stitch
hdc2tg = hdc 2 together.

6.5mm
1. ch10

2. hdc 3 times in the second from hook and the next 7 chains, work 3 hdc into the last ch. Now working on
the other side, hdc in the next 7, hdc in the last (same as starting chain), join

3. ch2, hdc in the same st as chain, 2hdc in the next 2 st, hdc next 7, 2hdc next 3 st, hdc next 8, join

4. ch2, hdc, 2hdc, hdc, 2hdc, hdc, 2hdc, hdc in the next 7 stitched, 2hdc, hdc, 2hdc, hdc, 2hdc, hdc in the next 8 stitches, join

5. ch2, hdc in the next 2, 2hdc, hdc in the next 2, 2hdc, hdc in the next 2, 2hdc, hdc in the next 7, 2hdc, hdc in the next 2, 2hdc, hdc in the next 2, 2hdc, hdc in the next 9, join.

Finish off, weave in ends

You should have this after 3.

Putting the base together.


Cut out your insert slightly smaller then the base size. We are going to sandwich the plastic between the 2 base pieces to make the whole bed alot more sturdy.

Holding the pieces so the plastic is on the inside, join your yarn on any stitch on an end piece, towards the centre. Stitching through both pieces, single crocher the entire way around. I find it helps if I use stitch markers in each corner to hold everything in place while Im doing this round, to stop the plastic sliding out.

The Sides


1. ch2, hdc in the back loops only all around, join
2. Drop to a 6mm hook and from here on out we'll be sc in a continual round, no joins. sc in each st around until the sides measure roughly 2.5-3 inches tall

The Hood


Find the centre of one of the ends and count off eight stitches either side (mark them with stitch markers), sc around until your last stitch is in the 8th st you marked to the left of the centre.

1. ch2, turn, hdc across to the 8th stitch on the opposite side of the centre
2. ch2, turn, hdc in each hdc across (16)
3. ch2, turn, hdc in the next 6, hdc2tg twice, hdc in the last 6 (14)
4. ch2, turn, hdc in the next 4, hdc2tg 3 times, hdc last 4 (11)
5. ch2, turn, hdc, hdc2tg 4 times, hdc in the last 2. finish off leaving a 6 inch tail to sew the top closed

Flip the hood inside out and line up the centre seam. sew it closed and turn the hood back in the right way.

That completes the basic cradle. You can choose to decorate it your own way or you can read on for 3 decoration variations.

Version 1.  Ruffles and Flowers

Take a contrasting yarn (Im using Baby Belle Lullabye which is a DK weight yarn in bamboo which has a lovely light drape) and a 5mm hook. We're going to create a ruffle on the bottom of the cradle using the leftover loops from our bacl loop only row. You can see them sticking out. Take your hook and slide it under the stitch and join your yarn with a sl st. ch3, dc three more in the same stitch. Then dc 4 times in every stitch around the bace. When you get back to the start join with a slst to the top of the ch3 we started with. Finish off and weave in ends.

With the same colour join the yarn to the edge of the cradle and sc around the entire opening, being careful to evenly space the stitched when you work your way around the hood section. join to the forst st and finish of, weaving in ends

5 point mini flowers
Using the same yarn and a 3mm hook ch7, slst to the 1st chain. ch5, sl st to the first chain. Repeat 3 more times so you have 5 petal. sl st to the first and leave  along tail for sewing to cradle. Attach one to the corner of each side of the hood.

Version 2. Ribbons and Bows

Using thin satin ribbon to crochet with, and leaving a long tail (8 or so inches) join 2 stitches to the left of the front center and single crochet around the entire cradle, careful to space the stitches out over the hood. Crochet around until you are 2 stitches to the right of the front center and finish off leaving a long tail. Using both tail pieces make a bow. Trim the ties.

3. Sewn with lace.

Take a piece of lace or ribbon that is long enough to go around the entire cradle and then with extra for gathering, my piece is about 36 inches or 90cm long and was just long enough, if you prefer more ruffles aim for a meter long. You can also get pre ruffled laces, the kind used for bed dolls is especially good for this. I fold over small sections and sew them down as Im going. 

Starting on the side just below the hood corner attach your cotton and sew the lace around the edge, gathering or pleating as you go to create ruffles. Sew a small satin flower or bow to the center of both the hood and the front of the cradle.

RAVELRY PAGE HERE

Thats it guys. Honestly there are so so many more ways you could decorate these, unfortunately my embellishment box is a bit low on supplies so I just used what I had on hand but I'm sure you can think of alot more. The best part is they can be as simple as you like and still look stunning, and are very gender neutral! Feel free to share your finished ones on Ravelry. I know Ive said it before but adding projects on there means more people will see the pattern, become aware of the need for these items and maybe make some themselves and thats a massive win/win! Massive thanks to Amie and Coco for helping me name it <3