Magic Decanter Crochet-A-Long

Mosaic Crochet:
Yardage and Foundation Rows

Magic Decanter CAL Schedule

To follow along with the free written pattern you’ll need to complete about 36 rows per week. I know this is completely unattainable for some people but we don’t mind if you take longer to get it done! You can show off your progress at any stage and at any date!!

If you share on Instagram, tag me @AshleesLint so I can see your pretty projects!

If you are in Facebook groups that allow it, share your progress and let others know they can come join in the fun!

If you’re in my Facebook group, share your progress at any time and upload the photo(s) of your finished blanket in the album!

Free Release Schedule

(click here to go back to the main landing page with the links to each section)

June 27, 2023: Yardage and Foundation Rows

July 4: Rows 4 – 40

July 11:  Rows 41 – 77

July 18: Rows 78 – 114

July 25: Rows 115 – 151

August 1: Rows 152 – 181

Introduction

If you’re unfamiliar with the overlay mosaic crochet technique, I suggest you start with some smaller tutorials and practice squares first.

Overlay mosaic crochet is the one where you cut the yarn at the end of every row. There are tutorials out there for adjustments if you don’t want to cut your yarn, but I don’t personally have any tutorials on those techniques yet.

Magic Decanter

This throw blanket was designed to be made with worsted weight yarn (4 – medium) and a 4.5 mm hook.

You can use any weight yarn and an appropriate hook and you’ll still end up with a square that shows the design!

If you use bulky yarn you’ll get a slightly larger blanket and if you use fingering weight yarn you will get a square that could hang on the wall.

Yardage amounts will be different if you use a different weight yarn. A gauge swatch will be your friend.   😉

Why Yards?

A common question asked is ‘why do you give yardage amounts, why not tell us how many skeins we need?’

The simple answer: it depends on which yarn you use.

For example, 100 grams of cotton yarn is a lot less yardage than 100 grams of acrylic yarn.

However, the length of cotton yarn compared to acrylic yarn will be nearly the same.

But, even if I specified acrylic yarn only, I can’t tell you how many balls you’ll need because some brands sell larger balls than other brands.

Ravelry lists almost every yarn out there with information on its yarn weight (thickness), fiber, yardage/meterage, and how much a single skein weighs.

You can use this information to figure out how many skeins you will need in your chosen yarn.

Yarn Choice

You’ll notice I don’t have a specific yarn brand or color listed for this pattern. I am not sponsored by any yarn companies, so I don’t need to advertise for any of them.

Some people prefer natural fibres like cotton and wool, whereas others prefer the more cost-effective acrylic yarns. The design will work with any type of yarn.

I do suggest a darker yarn (such as black, dark blue, or deep purple) for the Main Color / MC and a lighter color or multi-colored yarn for the Contrasting Color / CC. But, even that is just a recommendation and not a rule.

Look at these sample images below to help you decide which colors to use.

Keep in mind, if you use a gradiant yarn or a multi-colored yarn you’ll need to make sure ALL the colors in it contrast well with your other yarn.

This sample image above uses light blue as the MC (the first color used, the outer border line) and a darker blue for the AC.

Comparing Interlocking and Mosaic

You’ll notice that these images above show dots in the ‘solid’ areas. These are the natural byproduct of the interlocking crochet mesh. I use the same chart for both techniques with this pattern.

Newer patterns have an adjusted mosaic crochet option where the solid areas are truly solid.

You can read more about that here: https://ashleeslint.com/tutorials/interlocking-and-mosaic-crochet/ (scroll down to the part where I compare my techniques).

This blanket will use less yarn and have more flexibility than a blanket where there are a lot of solid areas. These interlocking mesh dots are even preferred by some crocheters because it makes counting easier too!

Overlay Mosaic Crochet Details

• US crochet terminology
• Chart 181 x 181
• Gauge: 16 sc in blo x 16 rows = 4”
• Finished square 45″ / 115cm
• 4.5 mm (US7) crochet hook
• Worsted weight yarn (2505 – 3005 yards total)
  • Main color (MC) – 1230 yards
  • Contrasting color (CC) – 1275 yards
  • Optional envelope border – 500 yards

Key (US terminology)

CC = Contrasting Color: second color used; light blue or rainbow yarn suggested
ch = chain
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
ES = End Stitch: single crochet under both loops, chain 1, cut yarn and pull through tightly
FSC = foundation single crochet: chain 2, insert hook in first chain, yarn over and pull a loop through, yarn over and pull
through one loop (chain made), yarn over and pull through remaining 2 loops (SC made); to make the next stitch insert
your hook into the chain made previously
JS = Joining Stitch: create slip knot, insert hook under both loops, complete a normal single crochet
SC = single crochet: insert hook, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through both loops on hook
sc = SC into Back Loop only
MC = Main Color: first color used, black or dark yarn suggested

Mosaic Technique

Please see the YouTube tutorial for more details. I use a single-row mosaic technique.

• 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 a 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)
• I prefer using a foundation SC to create my foundation row because then I have tails on both sides of my work just like all the other rows will have
• Even-numbered rows use MC; odd-numbered rows use CC

In the written pattern, I write “dc” for double crochet but we know it is really a Double Crochet in the Front Loop Only Dropped Two Rows Below.

Bracket Help

For an explanation of how to use the brackets: https://ashleeslint.com/2020/08/29/brackets-in-crochet-patterns/

Foundation Row (Row 0)

Use Main Color (MC) (black or dark suggested).

Use a foundation SC technique to create 183 SC.

Or chain 184, SC in 2nd from hook and all the way back across. Cut and tie off.

Switch to Contrasting Color (CC) {Even- rows use MC; odd-numbered rows use CC}

CC 1 – JS, sc181, ES
MC 2 – JS, dc1, sc179, dc1, ES
CC 3 – JS, sc181, ES

Next Week

Next week we will continue at row 4. These foundation rows count as the first 3 rows of the design.

Wait, 3?

If you lay your foundation rows down so that the MC is at the bottom, and then there’s a row of CC, and then you can see a row of MC again and at the top we have another row of CC… shouldn’t that mean we have done 4 rows?

For some weird reason, we count the very bottom MC row as row 0. Every time we are crocheting with the MC it will be an even-numbered row.

Right Side / Wrong Side

It’s difficult to tell which side is the right side with such a small piece so I suggest putting a stitch marker somewhere.

The two dropped double crochets belong on the right side – that’s the only cue we have at the moment.