Pattern Release Day! Coupon code for 30% off valid on Tuesday and Wednesday ONLY is at the bottom of the post!
I wish I had a witty anecdote to introduce this pattern release. I don’t. So instead of beating around the bush and going down the memory lane from my first wine bottle carrier almost three years ago to today’s collection, I’ll just jump right in.
After 14 months of home learning, my son returned to class almost a month ago. It was a rocky readjustment, but just a few nights ago, as he was falling asleep, he told me, “Mom, I can’t believe I am actually saying this but… I like going to school now.” With that, my worries of long-term consequences of an extremely long isolation faded. A little.
In the month that he has been getting used to his new normal in Mrs Chestnut’s first grade class, I took on the largest project I had ever completed. I am so, so excited and proud to introduce the result of this hard work.
My 2021 pattern collection of six (not just wine) bottle carriers in the fan-favorite combination of jute and cotton. And, of course, in my favorite combination of jute and cotton.
Back Story
You may have read a little about the words behind the pattern names on my Instagram. If you’d like to skip this part, go ahead and jump to the Pattern Details section. Otherwise, read on for some personal stories and explanations.
I don’t normally name my crochet patterns, but to keep this collection organized, it was a necessity. Even though they work perfectly as wine bottle carriers or gift bags, I began to see them more as water bottle carriers. With that in mind, I chose to name them with words that, to the best of my knowledge, all mean WATER. If I got any wrong, PLEASE let me know!
💧 EAU is water in French.
💧 MBISH is water in Potawatomi.
💧 MUL is water in Korean.
💧 SHUI is water in Chinese.
💧 WAI is water in Hawaiian.
💧 VODA is water in Slovak, Czech, Ukrainian, Russian, Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian, and Polish.
Why did I choose these particular languages?
Well, the Slavic choice will hardly surprise anyone. That’s how we say water in my native Slovak. What is really amazing about this word, voda, is that it is virtually the same across all Slavic languages. The unifying force, indeed.
To pay respect to my second homeland, I chose French. In addition to English, French is the second official language in Canada, the country to which my family immigrated more than 20 years ago.
And as I myself migrated further south still – to Indiana – over the years I have found myself seeking information about the people who not that long ago called the earth I walk on today their home: the Potawatomi.
My husband and I married in Hawaii (it was a practical solution to us living in South Korea at the time, not a traditional destination wedding), so I included the words for water in both Hawaiian and Korean.
And I left the Chinese word for water last. I chose to include it because calling to order drinking water delivery was my weekly chore while we lived in Beijing – a chore that was as necessary as it was petrifying. I had a script written and practiced it and then pretty much recited it into the telephone. It was a sweat-through-my-shirt kind of ordeal but I know it worked because a gentleman would knock on our door an hour later and deliver six 5-gallon water bottles. Every time except once. That once, there was a follow-up question on the other end of the line. I panicked, froze – and after what seemed like an eternity of silence, I hung up! Which was the only logical thing to do: I knew exactly 5 words in Chinese. I waited for my heart rate to slow, practiced my lines over and over, and dialed the number again later that day. Sure enough, there were no questions asked this time. And an hour later, the delivery man delivered our water.
I am quite grateful that water is drinkable straight from the faucet where I live now.
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But no matter what you like to drink, if you bottle is about 7 cm (2-3/4 in) wide and up to 13-14 in tall, it will fit any of these bottle carriers!
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Bottle Carriers Pattern Collection Details
This collection of patterns is in essence an e-Book. It is beautifully designed (if I may say so myself), logically organized, and it contains everything you may need to know to complete any of the included designs.
For the first time, I am also including crochet charts! Creating them was a whole new learning process and took some time at first, but I am so glad I took it on and persevered. Out of all forms of crochet instructions, I find charts to be the easiest to follow.
In addition to the written patterns with detailed notes there are over 180 annotated photos that leave no room for guessing or uncertainty. Just take a look!
Skill Level
Patterns in this publications will appeal to a wide range of crochters as it contains 3 easy-level designs; 2 intermediate-level designs; and 1 complex-level design. Still, I would not recommend the collection to a complete novice crocheter – especially if they intend to work with jute. I’d recommend that they at least look at my post that provides some helpful tips about working with jute. You hear me say it often: jute is no cashmere, and working with it takes some getting used to.
To provide options, I have included a list of materials other than jute with which you could make these bottle carriers. These alternative materials might provide a more suitable jumping off point for a beginner crocheter eager to give these patterns a try.
Materials You Will Need
- 3 mm 3-ply jute (I use this jute by Hobby Lobby), or other yarn that will give you the recommended gauge, such as:
- Softee Chunky by Bernat / Yarnspirations
- Hometown USA by Lion Brand Yarn
- Bernat Maker Home Dec by Yarnspirations
- Snowstorm wool by Hobbii Yarn
- 3mm cotton rope (twisted or macrame)
- Sugar’n Cream cotton or similar weight yarn
- 9 mm (M) hook (I use this 9 mm hook by Susan Bates)
- 5 mm (H-8) or 5.5 mm (I) hook
- 4 mm (G) hook
- Needle
- Scissors
- Stitch marker (optional)
Photo Gallery
Coupon Code
If you’d like to give this collection a go, I invite you to use the coupon code WINE21 at checkout to get the e-Book with a 30% discount. You are welcome to share this blog-exclusive coupon with friends, but know that it is only valid on Tuesday, May 18 and Wednesday, May 19, 2021.
