Toilet roll cover-free crochet pattern in Scheepjes Catona

One of my Christmas presents this year was a box of 109 mini balls of Scheepjes Catona yarn. When we were in the Wool Zone in Oakham a few weeks ago, MTM pretended to be reading a text on his phone whilst I enthused over it with Julie, the shop owner. I hoped he was listening to my heavy hints!

So 109 ... one ball of every single delicious colour in the 100% cotton range ... I couldn’t wait to get started; my first project uses nine colours!

I made a prototype first, many rows were unpicked time and again getting the details right. I had to change hook size on the final article but eventually it was made and I love the cheerful rainbow colours I have selected to chase away the overcast skies so redolent of December 2017. My new year gift to you is the first free crochet pattern of 2018 (see below). I wish all my blog readers health and peace of mind in 2018.

Happy New Year!

TOILET ROLL COVER - free crochet pattern

The pattern is written using UK terms throughout and will fit a toilet roll measuring 11.5cm (4 and a half inches) diameter

MATERIALS
3mm hook 
10g each of nine different colours of Scheepjes Catona 
Pom Pom maker or cardboard to make your own 
Sharp scissors

ABBREVIATIONS
ch - chain
tr - treble
sp - space
beg - beginning
st - stitch
col - colour
sk - skip
comm - commencing

col 1 - light green 513
col 2 - aqua 397
col 3 - blue 261
col 4 - lavender 520
col 5 - purple - 282
col 6 - red 516
col 7 - pink 256
col 8 - orange 411
col 9 - yellow 280

GAUGE (measured over pattern)
21sts x 14 rows = 4 inch square

Row 1
With col 1, ch 5, (1 tr, 1ch) 9 times into 5th ch from hook, ss into 3rd ch of beg 5 ch to form a circle (10 spokes and 10 ch sps) 

Row 2
ss into first ch sp, 3 ch to count as 1 tr, tr into same sp, 2 tr into each ch sp all the way round, ss into top of beg 3 ch (20 tr) fasten off col 1 

Row 3 
Join col 2 inbetween any two trs, 3 ch to count as 1 tr, tr into same sp, *2 tr inbetween next two tr, repeat from * all round, ss into top of beg 3 ch (40 tr)

Row 4
3ch (to count as 1 tr), tr into same st, *tr into next st, 2 tr into next st, repeat from * until 1 st remains, 1 tr in final st, ss into top of beg 3 ch (60 tr) fasten off col 2 

Row 5 
Join col 3 in sp inbetween any 2 tr, 3ch to count as tr, tr into same sp, ch 1 *(sk 2 tr, 2 tr in sp before next tr, ch 1) twice, sk 3 tr, 2 tr in sp before next tr, ch 1 repeat from * 7 times (sk 2 tr, 2 tr in sp before next tr, ch 1) ss into top of beg 3 ch (26 groups of 2 tr+1ch)

Row 6
ss into top of next st, ss into ch sp before next group of 2 tr, 3 ch (to count as 1 tr) 2 tr in same sp, *3 tr in next ch sp, repeat from * all round, ss into top of beg 3 ch (26 clusters of 3 tr) fasten off col 3

Row 7
Join col 4 in sp between any cluster, repeat row 6 comm with 3 ch but do not fasten off col at end of round

Row 8
(ss into top of next st) twice, ss into sp inbetween clusters, repeat row 6 comm with 3 ch, fasten off col 4 

Rows 9-22
Repeat last two rows, changing col as appropriate. 

Sew in yarn tails.

Make a pom pom using a Pom Pom maker (see instructions below if you don’t have one). Stitch Pom Pom to top


MAKING A POM POM

Draw two donut shapes on the back of an empty cereal packet. Use a wine bottle for the outer circle an a 10p piece for the inner. Cut the shapes out.

Place the two donuts together and wrap lengths of cotton around them. I used a few yards of each colour in the same order used to make the cover.

At first, you’ll be able to use your fingers to pull through the hole but when it gets thicker, use your crochet hook to do it.

 When you can’t fit any more yarn onto the donuts, push aside some of the strands to expose the edge of the two cardboard donuts.

  

Insert the scissors inbetween the cardboard donuts and cut the strands all the way round.

Wrap a length of yarn around the middle of the pom pom very tightly and tie securely. Remove the cardboard donuts and fluff up the finished pom pom using your fingers. 

Leave the ends of the yarn long enough to stitch to the middle of the top of the toilet roll cover.