Caribbean Coasters

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Hello everyone! I’m writing from a Sunny Ireland, it doesn’t even seem like the same country with all the sunshine around these last months. Ok, sometimes it rains but is like Summer, refreshing rain and it kinda feels good actually.

Without knowing how the weather (or the world) would feel like, I offered a cocktails book to my boyfriend for his birthday in March, adding it to the cocktail shaker kit that came some time ago. The idea was trying out some good stuff and also doing something different while staying at home all the time.

Of course, after drinking some Banana Daiquiris, I had to pick up my tools to make some nice coasters to add a fancy touch to the glasses (all crocheters do this, I think, right?)

It took me a while to understand the technique of designing in the round, it can be a little bit more difficult than normal rows but, here it is. Hopefully, the first of many other designs working in rounds, I hope you like it!

The cocktail in the photo is called Moscow Mule, a refreshing mix between Vodka and Ginger beer, the recipe is included in the book. The Banana Daiquiri recipe is not in the book, by the way, but has the Strawberry Daiquiri and you just need to replace one fruit for the other).

The pattern

With this crochet pattern, you will learn how to make a two double crochet bobble, a V stitch, working in rounds, carry the non-working yarn to the next round and create similar stitches. The PDF version available on Ravelry has step by step photos that will help you finish this project. If you have any questions, just let me know, I am always happy to talk about crochet.

If you like these coasters, you may also want to have a look at my “Not so Granny” placemat pattern that will complement each other beautifully. 

Please, read the notes carefully before jumping into the pattern.

Happy crocheting and enjoy your new coasters! 🙂

Materials:

• Any Cotton DK weight yarn – I used Drops Muskat. I bought it from Wooly Castle shop and I totally recommend it. You can also use non mercerized cotton, as long as it is a DK size.
  – Colours:
  23 – Beige
  53 – Apple Green
  49 – Dark Orange 
• Crochet hook 5.00mm
• Stitch marker
• Scissors
• Tapestry needle

Finished size: Aprox. 4″ / 10cm

Difficulty level: Easy

Stitch guide and abbreviations – US terms

Alternative Chain 3 – Alt-ch3
Chain – Ch
Double Crochet – Dc
First – 1st
Half double crochet – Hdc
Magic Circle – MC
Single crochet – Sc
Slip stitch – Sl st
Stitch(es) – St(s)
Two Double Crochet Bobble – 2DC-BO
V-Stitch – V-st
Yarn over – Yo

Important notes:

• We will be working in rounds, never turning at the end of a row.
• Carry the non-working yarn by pulling it to the new row and make the 1st st by inserting the hook inside the designated st and the non-working yarn (see photos right below these notes).
• You can replace the Alt-ch3 by a chain 3 every time it is asked. However, this alternative to chain 3 makes the stitches more similar between them, I invite you to try it to see the differences!
• In row 4, instead of making the 1st st to your left, the alt-ch3 or 3 beginning chains will be made in the last ch space of the previous row. This way, all the clusters will remain similar.

Special stitches:

Alt-ch3 – Is an alternative to chain 3 at the beginning of a row. To make the alt-ch3, loosely make one single crochet + 1 or 2 chains, depending on your tension and how loosely you make the stitch. You can read more about this alternative here. 

2DC-BO – Yo, insert the hook in the designated st, yo, pull through, yo, pull through 2 loops (you have now 2 loops on the hook), yo, insert hook in the st, yo, pull through, yo, pull through 2 loops, yo, pull through all the 3 loops on the hook.

V-st – in the same designated st space: dc, ch 1, dc.

Instructions:

Round 1 – Make a MC with 7 SC, join with a Sl st on top of the 1st SC. – 7 sts

Round 2 – Ch 1, 2 HDC in each st around, Sl st with a new colour on top of the 1st HDC. – 14 sts

Round3 – Alt-ch3, 1 DC in the same space, *Ch 1, 2DC-BO in the next st. Repeat from * until the end of the row, finishing with Ch 1 and Sl st on top of the 1st bobble. – 14 sts

Round 4 – Pull the previous colour, Ch 1, Alt-ch3 in the last Ch space of the previous row (see notes), DC in the next Ch space, Ch 1, DC in the same space (V-st). *[Dc, ch 1, Dc] in the next ch space. Repeat from * until reaching the alt-ch 3, finishing with 1 Dc, 1 ch, Sl st on top of the alt-ch3 (this will form the 1st V-st of the row. – 14 sts

Round 5 – With new colour, Sl st in the 1st space between two V-st, [Sc, ch 2, sc] in the space of the 1st space of the V-st, * Sl st in the next space between 2 V-st, [Sc, ch 2, Sc] in the next space of the next V-st. Repeat from * until the end of the row, Sl st on top of the 1st Sc made. – 14 sts

Fasten off and weave in the ends.

I hope you like these coasters and that you have fun with it while drinking some nice cocktails 🙂

Xoxo,

Mari