Friday, April 26, 2013

Clover Amour Hook Case

I'm 38 years old.  For a long time I really wanted to NOT be 38, or any other age past 24.   In fact, I refused to move past 24 for so long that I celebrated the 10th anniversary of my 24th birthday...  Recently, I've begun to see the advantages that being 38 gives me.  I'm wiser than I was.  I've got mad skillz that the 24-year-old me didn't have.  I've had life experiences.  I'm beautiful in an entirely different way, one that means more than a perfectly unlined face...

Last year, for my birthday, my parents gave me an Amazon gift card, and I bought a set of crochet hooks and a Blue Q tool bag and I used them to start this blog.  So, to continue the tradition, they gave me another Amazon gift card for my birthday this year, with the understanding that I was supposed to do something amazing with it too!  LOL!!!  So I bought a really swanky set of crochet hooks with it, a 10 piece set of Clover Amour hooks.



They took, like, 2 weeks to get here (they were out of stock when I ordered, there wasn't anything wrong with the shipping!), and then I didn't want to actually use them, I just wanted to look at them in the box for another week because they were so pretty.  Finally, this week I got them out and actually crocheted with them, and I am (pun intended) hooked.  The ergonomic handles are rubbery, but not squishy, and they fit nicely in my (on the small side) hands.  I made Katie-bug's hat and booties with them, and I was impressed that my left pinky (the one I broke 6 years ago, and now has arthritis) didn't ache afterwards.  That's the highest praise I can give a crochet hook!

I am not a terribly organized person.  It's my one flaw (LOL!!).  I tend to lose hooks A LOT.  I was determined that I wanted to keep this set together and complete.  So I got out some of my kettle dyed yarn and made a case for them.  It looks (and FEELS!!) as swanky as the hooks that it holds.  I am feeling ridiculously spoiled, which I can say, is one of the perks of being 38.


I added an extra slot to hold a pen, since I tend to take a lot of notes as I crochet even if I'm not writing it up as a pattern.  You don't have to add the extra pen slot, but if you do, I bet you'll love it!  I also used that space to hold a couple of yarn needles, since I never can have enough of those around...

If you'd like to make a swanky case for your hooks, Clover Amour or not, here's the pattern:


CLOVER AMOUR HOOK CASE
Finished size approximately 10" wide x 7" high
Supplies:
Sport weight or DK weight yarn - approximately 180 yards
Size D crochet hook
Yarn needle
Scissors
Pins (optional, to pin pocket in place)

Back:
ch 51
R1: (sc, hdc, dc) in 4th ch from hook, [skip 2 ch, (sc, hdc, dc) in next ch)] 16 times, hdc in last ch
R2-22: ch 2 (counts as hdc), (sc, hdc, dc) in next dc and each dc across, hdc in top of turning ch
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Pocket:

ch 51
R1: (sc, hdc, dc) in 4th ch from hook, [skip 2 ch, (sc, hdc, dc) in next ch)] 16 times, hdc in last ch
R2-12: ch 2 (counts as hdc), (sc, hdc, dc) in next dc and each dc across, hdc in top of turning ch
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Top Flap:

ch 51
R1: (sc, hdc, dc) in 4th ch from hook, [skip 2 ch, (sc, hdc, dc) in next ch)] 16 times, hdc in last ch
R2-6: ch 2 (counts as hdc), (sc, hdc, dc) in next dc and each dc across, hdc in top of turning ch
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Pin pocket to sides and lower edge of back piece.  Pin top flap to sides and top edge of back piece.
Sc around the outside edge of the back piece, placing 3 sc in each corner, to attach pocket and flap.
Using your hooks as guides, stitch seams in the large lower pocket to make individual pockets for the hooks. I made 11 pockets in my case.  Don't sew pockets into the top flap.  It's there to keep the hooks from sliding out of the case and to (slightly) protect the hook heads.

Strap: 

ch 91
R1: (sc, hdc, dc) in 4th ch from hook, [skip 2 ch, (sc, hdc, dc) in next ch)] to end, hdc in last ch
R2: ch 2 (counts as hdc), (sc, hdc, dc) in next dc and each dc across, hdc in top of turning ch
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Sew the strap to the center of the side edge of the hook case, 7" in from the edge of the strap.  You will have one long side of the strap, and one 7" side of the strap.



To fold up your case: Fold the outer third of the case to the center.  Roll that part over onto the last third (by the strap).  Wrap the long side of the strap around the case and tie it to the short side of the strap with a loose knot.  Tuck the loose ends of the strap into the wrapped part of the strap to keep them neat!


While I was at it, I also made a purse-sized To-Go case for my other (skinny, aluminum) hooks (and all the supplies I need for working on a project out in the world) using the Argyle Crochet technique!  I'll post the instructions for it on Sunday!

18 comments:

  1. Great idea I could do with one of those I'm always losing mine might give it a go.
    Thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh Jaime, why do you pick such beautiful colors? I wanna pinch your cheeks for that. They're so cute!!!!! Superlike! I started making a crochet hook case 2 years ago but until now I haven't completed the division to the hook compartments. I just used it anyway...unfinished.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I just turned 38 about 34 mins ago. :) I love this project, so cute!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Congrats, Katie! Happy belated birthday!
      xo Jaime

      Delete
  4. Hi There, Thank you soooo much for the tutorial!!! Will definitely be making one!!! My old one has a broken zip and has simply seen better days!!! Have a wonderful weekend!!
    Love
    AMarie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, AMarie! You're welcome so much!
      Hope you have a wonderful weekend, too!
      xo

      Delete
  5. The hooks are so cheery and bright! I have a set of wooden ergonomic hooks that I bought off a woman on etsy who handcarves them. Ergonomic hooks really do make a world of difference when it comes to comfort and long crocheting sessions. Thanks for the case pattern! I'm pinning that!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, Amber! Wooden ergonomic hooks sound awesome! My husband tinkers around with whittling, but he hasn't gotten around to ergonomics yet. I'll have to make him remedy that! LOL!!
      xo Jaime

      Delete
  6. You deserve to be spoiled! :D
    Those hooks look so fun, and what another great use of your hand-dyed yarn! Fabuloso!
    xoxo!
    ♥ETF♥

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love the crochet hook case. Going to try one. Question on the hooks.....sizes B-K are in the 10 pc set? Thinking of getting a set but at that price I don't want to buy extras to get what I need.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi, I ordered my set of Amour hooks yesterday and cant wait for them to arrive! The case pattern will be my first try!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Cool been waiting for a pattern for my clover hooks can't wait to make it

    ReplyDelete
  10. hi im new here and i want to know how you hand dyed that yarn it looks so pretty and i can never get the right color it always turns up brown and super ugly can you do a tutorial on that even though we only crochet here

    ReplyDelete
  11. I made one of these, but I lined the inside cause the hooks kept falling thru the stitches.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I just finished making the crocheted case for my new Amour hooks. Thank you for sharing your great pattern!

    ReplyDelete
  13. A very Happy Birthday! I am a newbe altho I am well past 38(I stayed 18 until a year ago) thank you for these two great ideas. I have severe RA so will be putting the Amour hooks on my wish list. Thank you So very much Mistylyn

    ReplyDelete
  14. Just finishing mine up. It was a great way to use up some odds and ends that I couldn't get rid of. Made a book a few years ago but gave it to my husband grandmother. Wishing I could some how get it back after she passed but feel bad asking. So I thought I'd make another. I have recently got these hooks for my carpal tunnel and arthritis. I needed a new case that would fit them. I think this will be perfect. Thank you for sharing . Gotta go find my needles so I can sew it up. Now I can lose them again. Lol

    ReplyDelete