11/01/2018
Wanted Pattern Testers. I have finished my first attempt at writing this pattern, just need a couple of people to pattern test it or read thru it to see if it works and makes sense. In this humidity my brain is having trouble to think clearly, so there maybe some errors I haven't spotted. I've crocheted from the pattern, adjusting as I went, so I'm hopeful its nearly ready to be shared and printed out, for Dr Mary Gardner to take along to the conference in February, along with the Oyster Reef we've made, up til that point.
Crochet Oyster Reef Pattern
Using Plarn, made from grey supermarket shopping bags (Aust),
Plarn Making Instructions
Get a grey plastic shopping bag tuck the gusset in, flatten out, cut the bottom 'heat sealed edge' off, cut the handles off. (Keep these for use as the Oyster within)
Flatten into one rectangular piece, and fold up, not quite in half, leave about 2cm/3quarters inch showing above, on underneath layer.
Keep folding the rectangle upwards, always leaving the 2cm of lower layer, showing.
Cut a narrow 1.5cm strip up the folded part, stopping short of cutting thru the top 2cm top section, of the lowest layer. Cut similar strips right the way across folded bag, leaving them all attached thru the top single layer.
Shake out the folded strips. Gently open the top single, joining layer, gathering the length into one hand.
Begin snipping from one side, in a diagonal direction, to the first topside edge of first strip, then from the lowerside top of cut, cut again diagonally across to next topside strip. Work all the way across the bag in your hand, and finish off by another diagonal cut, at far edge. Roll up your ball of Plarn.
See video tutorials on Youtube
Crochet Oyster Shell (Freeform) Pattern, (for those who need a pattern to start with)
As a freeform crocheter, I write this 'pattern' …. but as all Oyster Shells are grown by their own oyster within, there is always room for a bit of Freeform-ing, as you crochet 'your' oyster shell. (The unifying qualities in our Communal Crochet Oyster Reef, will be in using Gray 'Plarn' – Plastic Yarn. Or a combination of gray, white & black plastic bags, for those feeling creative, and willing to experiment with shades of colour, to achieve even more 'Oyster-like' crochet shells)
Using UK/Aust Crochet Terminology and a Size 3 - 4 Hook, or your choice
dc UK/Aust = sc US
tr UK/Aust = dtr US
*bptr – Back Post Treble …. work a treble from the back of work, around the 'pole' of the treble in previous row. Tip, fold the top of row over as you complete the stitch, it helps see what you're doing.
*fptr – Front Post Treble .... work a treble from the front of work, around the 'pole' of the treble in previous row. Easier than the bptr, and keeps the 'texture rows' on the same side of work (for this pattern).
Crochet beginners, don't worry if you can't do texture rows, and don't worry if you miss a stitch or two, you can always add them in another row, it just makes your oyster truly unique. Don't worry if you don't have the exact number of stitches at the end of each row, they're just to give you an idea of the rate of increase or decrease.
If you can't do magic loops,just chain 4, join with sl st (slip stitch)
Row 1 Magic Loop (wrap plarn twice around 2 fingers, make 2 chain ) into, 4 tr into loop, Gently pull tail of plarn to draw loop tight, 2 ch, turn, (5 stitches)(beware when drawing magic loop tight, as plarn can/will stretch and break mine did, so I just left the second loop, working over it later on.)
Row 2 1 tr in next 4 stitches, 2 tr in last stitch, 2 ch, turn, (7 stitches)
Row 3 1 tr in next 6 stitches, 2 tr in last stitch, 2 ch, turn, (9 stitches)
Row 4 1 tr in next 8 stitches, 2 tr in last stitch, 2 ch, turn, (11 stitches)
1st Texture Row Work1 bptr around the Back Pole of every 2nd tr of previous row 2 bptr around last stitch, 2 ch, turn (8 stitches)
Row 6 1 tr in next 3 st, 2 tr in next 2 st, 1tr in next 2 st, 2 tr in last st,2 ch, turn
Row 7 1 tr in every stitch, 2 tr in last stitch, 2 ch, turn (12 stitches)
Row 8 1 tr in every stitch, 2 tr in last stitch. 2 ch, turn (13 stitches)
2nd Texture Row 1 fptr around front pole of every 2nd tr of previous row, 2 fptr, around last tr from previous row, 2 ch, turn, (9 stitches)
Row 10 2 tr in every stitch across, (increasing like Hyperbolic Crochet to get a ripple starting). At the end, make another 2tr around onto the side of work into the row below, and 1 htr all into the same stitch, 1 ch, turn (19 stitches)
Row 11 2 dc in every stitch, at the end make 2 tr 1htr into edge stitch below, 1ch turn (36 stitches)
Row 12 2 dc in every stitch, carry on around the end of row & begin Round 1 (72 stitches or near as).
Round 1 make 2 htr down along one edge, then 3 or 4 dc, then switch to 4 or 5 sl st, 5 dc around point, between the first row tr, (or work around loop at bottom with with the middle one going 'long' into the middle of Row 1's tr, to close the loop a bit), work over any tails of plarn, carry on sl st-ing along second side till it begins to widen, make dc up to where the hyperbolic crochet changes the shape, make 2 htr into the curve, 1dc, join with sl st to edge of ripple, 1 sl st to top of work.
Row 13 Here's where 'You' get creative. *1 ch, 1 dc, pinch a small ripple together, missing 5 or 6 stitches, 1 bpdc
across underneath ripple 1 dc* Repeat from * to * creating the fluted edge of an Oyster Shell (26 stitches approx)
Slip Stitch around edge to pointy end of shell. (14 stitches approx) Don't cut plarn yet
Smaller Shell
Working onto first half of shell, make the adjoining smaller shell, working away from top half.
Row 1 3 ch, 1 tr in next 3 st, 2 ch, turn, (4 stitches)
Row 2 1 tr in next 4 st, 2 ch, turn, (5 stitches)
Row 3 1 tr in next 5 st, 2 ch, turn, (6 stitches
Row 4 1tr in next 6 st, 2 ch, turn, (7 stitches)
Row 5 1tr in next 7 st, 2 tr in last st, 2 ch, turn, (9 stitches)
Row 6 1 tr in next 9 st, 2 tr in last st, 2 ch turn, (11 stitches)
Row 7 1 tr in next 11 st, 2 tr in last st, 2 ch, turn, (13 stitches)
Row 8 1 tr in next 13 st, 2 tr in last st.
Slip stitch the two sides of oyster shell together, keeping the smaller one well inside the larger one. Cross over with sl st at the point working up the second side, close the mouth of oyster slightly with a few stitches, work slip stitches along lower shell to get to the other side, to close mouth a bit there. Stuff it with some discarded plastic bag handles, (from making 'plarn'), to make it look like an oyster, and there you have it.
