Mosaic Sunglasses Strip
This Sunglasses design is my 2nd contribution to the free Friends Around the World 6th Anniversary (FATW6) Crochet-A-Long!
Overlay Mosaic Crochet
This multi-designer Crochet-A-Long (CAL) is designed for overlay mosaic crochet only.
I’ve also created an interlocking crochet version which you can view at https://ashleeslint.com/2021/08/19/interlocking-version-of-my-sunglasses-strip/.
Free PDF & YouTube Video
You can follow along with the written pattern here on my website or grab a PDF off Ravelry.
I also have a complete step-by-step walk-thru available on YouTube!
Background ocean photo: Joshchamas, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Quick reminder (probably telling the people that don’t need to know): copyright status applies to free patterns as well.
You can see my copyright statement here: https://ashleeslint.com/2021/03/23/copyright/
Quick Links
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You’ll also have access to my Doctor Who blanket pattern!
Introduction
This is a pattern for an overlay mosaic crochet strip that belongs in the Friends Around the World 6th Anniversary CAL (FATW6) “Adventures in Mosaic Crochet” hosted by CAL – Crochet A Long. Links to all past and future patterns can be found on their blog: https://calcrochetalong.com and you can join their facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/668646249929007/
First Section of the CAL
When I first designed this piece I didn’t know I would be the first section in the blanket.
That’s why my Coral video mentions that you will be joining to a project you already have. But I have created a video on crocheting the foundation rows now!
Pattern Options
My section (this Mosaic Sunglasses Strip) can be found here on the blog (scroll down) or downloaded on Ravelry.
You can also crochet with my YouTube video to guide you!
Quick Bio
I wanted to put different details than the bio I wrote up for my Mosaic Coral Strip.
I have loved making so many new friends online through this past year as a new designer. One of the funny things about making friends online is how we get to choose what parts of ourselves we reveal. We usually go over the big general things first, like:
- I’m Canadian, born and raised in Saskatchewan and have lived here for basically all of my life (minus 3 years)
- I’m a stay-at-home mom to three amazing kids: Alice (7 as of yesterday!), Remington (4.5), and Melody (2 as of last week!)
- My husband is a Mechanical Engineer which means he does a bunch of math and office work and problem-solving
- I have a psychology degree (nearly a double major in sociology) and I dropped out of law school
- I’ve been designing patterns for over a year now and I think it’s my forever-job!
If you met me in person, you might be surprised to see how boring I am:
- I wear my hair in a ponytail/messy bun everyday
- I don’t wear makeup (but I did buy some basics for fancy photos and YouTube videos)
- I own one pair of heels and I don’t think I’ve worn them in the last 5 years
- I have one pair of black canvas shoes that I wear everywhere (unless I take the kids to the spray park, and then I wear my water shoes)
- I prefer to be barefoot – even in the winter I don’t often wear socks
- I usually wear a pair of black yoga pants and a tank top; if it’s cold I put on my favorite cardigan
- I have at least 6 sweaters that I never wear
- I have peanut butter and honey on bread for breakfast every morning
- I only drink water 90% of the time; sometimes I will have an iced cappuccino if we have a long car ride
- I am a creature of routine and habit and definitely would not call myself adventurous
- I am pretty bad at idle chit-chat
- I would never wear sunglasses like the ones in this design
THE SUNGLASSES
This is my second pattern in this group Crochet-A-Long. I had the privilege of being the first pattern in the Ocean-themed blanket with my Coral strip and now I get to finish things off with some cool sunglasses!
When I was invited to join this CAL I started thinking about how I now have friends around the world and yet, I am lonely. Between being a stay-at-home mom to little kids and moving to a new city when nearly everything is closed, I feel very isolated. It is also the middle of winter here in Saskatchewan, Canada (well, it was when I designed these – it is now the middle of summer; we are in a big heat wave!). I would love to meet up with my new friends and what better place to meet than a beach!? Hot sun, a bright beach ball, some cool sunglasses; let’s all go to my happy place, please!
I created my sample in bright colors but the great thing about your project is that you can use whichever colors you prefer! You can do one dark color and one light color or you can use a rainbow of colors as your contrasting color like I did. You can use any yarn medium (4) weight yarn.
Like the other patterns in this CAL, each repeat is 48 stitches wide. An extra stitch is added at the beginning of each row, and two extra stitches are added to the end. Each designer may have different ways of explaining things but all the pieces in this CAL are designed to work together!
X-Marked Chart
My chart does not show those extra 3 stitches (the joining stitch, balancing stitch, and end stitch), it only shows the repeated section.
For more information on how to read a chart: https://ashleeslint.com/2021/09/24/how-to-use-an-x-marked-chart-for-overlay-mosaic-crochet/
Chart is also included in the ravelry download and may be easier to see.
If you share your works on Instagram, I would love for you to tag me: @AshleesLint
Important Details
- US crochet terminology
- Chart is 48 x 19, add 1 extra stitch at the beginning of each row and 2 extra stitches at the end of each row. Repeat is 48 + 3 stitches wide.
- 5 mm hook (H-8)
- 18 g / 21 yards of Main Color (MC) = purple
- 12 g / 30 yards of Contrasting Color (CC)
- 5 g Tomato (CC1)
- 4 g Robin’s Egg Blue (cc2)
- 3 g Ray Yellow (CC3)
- One repeat finishes at 10” x 4” / 26 x 10 cm
- Gauge: 18 stitches x 18 rows = 4” / 10 cm
Key (US terminology)
MC = Main Color: purple in chart
CC = Contrasting Color: red, blue, & yellow in chart
ch = chain
SC = single crochet: insert hook, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops on hook
sc = SC into Back Loop only
DC = double crochet: yarn over, insert hook, pull up a loop, *yarn over, pull through two loops* twice
dc = dropped double crochet: skip next single crochet, and instead double crochet into Front Loop of stitch in the row below
JS = Joining Stitch: create slip knot, insert hook under both loops, complete a normal single crochet
ES = End Stitch: single crochet under both loops, chain 1, cut yarn and pull through tightly
Mosaic Technique
Please see my YouTube tutorial for a quick view of these stitches.
I use a single-row mosaic technique, also called ‘overlay’ mosaic crochet.
Each square on the chart corresponds to one stitch. There is an additional stitch (not visible on the chart) on each side of the chart for joining and ending (for this pattern only, add an extra balancing stitch at the end of each row before doing the “ES = end stitch”).
You start at the bottom-right corner of the chart.
Some Notes
The front of your work is always facing you (this is the right side, the side showing the design).
You are always working from the right to the left (opposite for left-handed crocheters).
You tie on a new yarn at the beginning of each row and cut it at the end.
Tails don’t need to be longer than an inch and a half (unless you want to use them as fringe, like on scarf).
Yarn colors can be anything you like. They need to contrast well (try a black and white photo to see if they are too similar). They need to be the same weight (size/thickness).
Odd-numbered rows use MC (coral), even-numbered rows use CC (light blue).
Optional “Locked Double Crochet”
To prevent the small flaps on the back of your work, consider locking-in your stitch.
Begin like a dropped double crochet: skip the next stitch, and work into the Front Loop of the stitch in the row below; yarn over, insert hook into front loop below, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through two loops, insert hook into back loop of skipped stitch, yarn over and pull through all three loops on your hook.
See my tutorial with photos for more information on this optional technique.
Time to start crocheting!
This is not the first section in the FATW6 CAL, so I don’t think you’ll need to do the foundation row this time. I’ve included it just in case, but make sure you start wherevere it’s appropriate for YOU!
The Key is found above. You’ll also find yardage information and tips for the overlay mosaic crochet technique.
You can also view the chart here online but I recommend getting the free PDF for that as well.
Foundation Row
If you’re starting a new project, you need to start with a foundation row. I’ve written it as row 1 in this design but many of my other designs count the foundation row as row 0.
Repeat between *’s as many times as required for your project.
Foundation Row:
Row 1 MC – Can use a chainless single crochet foundation or you can chain the desired number of stitches, plus one for turning chain. Turn, skip turning chain, single crochet into each chain.
Repeats of 48 +3 = desired number of stitches
For example, if you want to repeat the design twice: (48 x 2) + 3 = 99 sc needed (chain 99 + 1 = 100, skip 1 stitch, sc into the rest of the 99)
Or, if you want to repeat the design three times: (48 x 3) + 3 = 147 sc needed (chain 147 + 1 = 148, skip 1 stitch, sc into the rest of the 147)
OR when added to another project
Skip the foundation row above if you’ve already got a project and you’re just adding this section to it.
Repeat between *’s as many times as required for your project.
1 MC (purple) – JS, *sc48*, sc1, ES
2 CC1 (red) – JS, *sc48*, sc1, ES
3 MC– JS, *sc7, dc1, sc11, dc1, sc9, dc1, sc11, dc1, sc6*, sc1, ES
4 CC1 – JS, *sc8, dc1, sc9, dc1, sc11, dc1, sc9, dc1, sc7*, sc1, ES
5 MC– JS, *sc5, dc1, sc3, (dc1, sc1) x2, (dc1, sc3) x2, dc1, sc5, dc1, sc3, (dc1, sc1) x4, dc1, sc3, dc1, sc4*, sc1, ES
6 CC1 – JS, *sc6, dc1, sc9, dc1, sc3, dc1, sc7, dc1, sc13, dc1, sc5*, sc1, ES
7 MC – JS, *sc3, dc1, sc3, (dc1, sc1) x2, (dc1, sc3) x3, dc1, sc1, dc1, sc3, (dc1, sc1) x6, dc1, sc3, dc1, sc2*, sc1, ES
8 CC2 (blue) – JS, *sc4, dc1, sc9, (dc1, sc3) x3, dc1, sc17, dc1, sc3*, sc1, ES
9 MC – JS, *sc3, (dc1, sc1) x5, (dc1, sc3) x2, dc1, sc5, (dc1, sc1) x9, dc1, sc2*, sc1, ES
10 CC2 – JS, *sc4, dc1, sc11, (dc1, sc3) x2, dc1, sc13, dc1, sc5, dc1, sc3*, sc1, ES
11 MC – JS, *sc3, (dc1, sc1) x16, dc1, sc3, (dc1, sc1) x3, dc1, sc2*, sc1, ES
12 CC2 – JS, *sc4, dc1, sc31, (dc1, sc3) x3*, sc1, ES
13 MC – JS, *sc3, (dc1, sc1) x15, (dc1, sc3) x2, (dc1, sc1) x2, dc1, sc2*, sc1, ES
14 CC3 (yellow) – JS, *sc4, dc1, sc29, dc1, sc3, dc1, sc5, dc1, sc3*, sc1, ES
15 MC – JS, *sc3, (dc1, sc1) x14, (dc1, sc3) x2, (dc1, sc1) x3, dc1, sc2*, sc1, ES
16 CC3 – JS, *sc4, dc1, sc31, dc1, sc7, dc1, sc3*, sc1, ES
17 MC – JS, *sc3, dc1, sc3, (dc1, sc1) x13, dc1, sc3, (dc1, sc1) x2, dc1, sc3, dc1, sc2*, sc1, ES
18 CC3 – JS, *sc6, dc1, sc35, dc1, sc5*, sc1, ES
19 MC – JS, *sc5, dc1, sc37, dc1, sc4*, sc1, ES
Trim the fringe, if needed.
