Twee Cup & Saucer

Why Not? It may not always be time for tea, but it is always time for twee. Contained of course: I will keep my penchant for twee inside this cup. (These crocheted cups also look very well with a shot glass inside! Boozing can be kawaii too.)

Materials:
3 balls No.10 Crochet Cotton as follows:
1 ball MC (ecru)
1 ball CC1 (Light Pink)
1 ball CC2 (Pink)
* This project takes a scant amount of each colour and is very inexpensive to make
1 Metal Crochet Hook, size 1.35mm

Crocheting the Saucer Section

Begin with a Magic Loop and sc 1 and ch1.
30 hdc into loop and sl st to join.
Here is a great offsite guide to this, the most lovely way to start a circular project.
Don't believe in magic? Avoid this technique by chaining 4 and slip stitching to 1st st to form a loop. Work the 30hdc into this ring, starting with a ch2.

Magic Loop construct with half of the preliminary stitches worked.

Pull the thread *not attached to the ball* to tug the first stitch alongside the second stitch, and experience the Magic of this technique. oooooooo!

Ch 5, hdc into sl st *ch 3, skip 2 hdc s, hdc into next st, ch3, hdc in same stitch* [1x1 cluster made]

Your row of 1x1 clusters will look rather loosey-goosey.

Ch 3 and sl st in 2nd stitch of starting chain to join.
Ch 2, hdc in ch 3 space, ch 3, 2hdc in same space.
* ch 3, 2hdc in cluster, ch 3 2hdc in cluster, skip ch 3 space* [2x2 cluster made] sl st in 2nd ch to join, sl st again and leaving nice long tails, change to CC1



Lt pink [CC1]
ch 2, 2hdc into 2x2 cluster, ch 3, 3hdc into same 2x2 cluster, skip ch 3 space, *3hdc into 2x2 cluster, ch 3, 3hdc into same cluster (3x3 cluster made), skip ch 3 space* sl st to 2nd st of starting chain to join, sl st once, with CC1 and again, changing to CC2

A Close-Up of Changing Colours

Trap your ends inside of your chain stitches. Use this technique through out the project for a nice finish.

A Close-up of how bizarre things can look while you 'work over ends'. Always try to use the initial chain stitches of a row as a step in your finishing.

Very Nice!

Pink [CC2]
ch 2, in next, 2dc in 3x3 cluster, space, ch 1, 2dc, hdc, hdc, sc,*in next 3x3 cluster (3hdcs, ch 3 space, 3hdcs) sc, hdc, hdc, (2dc, ch1, 2dc) in ch3 space, hdc, hdc, sc* join with sl st to starting chain.

Hide your end to finish off the Saucer Section of the Cup

Saucer Complete

Crocheting the Cup Section

sc into any 3ch space of the 2nd row

Please do work under both bars of the stitch. A Secure Stitch here will give your Cup something to Project evenly from.
Ch15, sc in next 3ch space around row.
Sl st to 1st sc to join.

Does yours look coo-coo like this? Good.

Sl stitch up to 6th chain stitch of next loop.

This Process of Slip Stitching half way up a loop is a technique central to Doilies and Crocheted Meshes. Don't skip it in other patterns because it seams fussy; your joins will never be clean if you do.

ch 2, hdc into next 2 ch sts, *ch1, hdc, skip to last 6 stitches of loop and 1st 6 sts of next loop. hdc into next 3 sts* rep *to*round

This first round of mesh can look strange. Insert the hook under the two top bars of the chain stitches as if the chain loop were your foundation chain.
If counting 6 chains up on the next loop is difficult, try finding the apex of the loop and working one stitch to the right, the apex stitch and the next stitch as the 3 hdcs.

Slip Stitch to join the round, and then slip stitch over 2 stitches. ch 2 and 2hdc into ch 3 space. *ch 1, 3hdc into next ch 3 space* rep*to* round.

Repeat last step for 3 rows of hdc mesh.

Leave a long tail here, please.

Close up of where to start each row of mesh after sl sts.

Lt Pink[CC1]
Work single crochets in each hdc and once in each ch 3 space.
Work one row of single crochet.
Leave long tail.

Pink[CC2]
Work one row of single crochet.

The Handle

Ch 24
Attach to Saucer with single crochet. Place this single crochet in the MC sc of the Cup’s foundation.

Ch 1, single crochet along Handle to top of Cup


Slip Stich to first stitch to the left of the Cup’s last row.
Ch 1, and sc 12, sl st.

Ch 1, turn and sc back up to the top of the Cup

To finish the handle, sl st into the base of the next stitch to the left.

"Oh My Goodness, I We're Almost Done."

Cut Your Ends and Hide Them

Are you unhappy with the floppyness of your Cup? Try Spray Starch.

You are done!