This post is part of a series of tutorials on how to create your own unique crochet pixie pocket belt – to read more about this series visit the Intro page.
One Piece Circular Pocket
Most of the crochet utility belts I make have circle pockets – I love their potential as a canvas for other shapes like mandalas, simple embroidery, or shell flower petals. Plus, I’m just really into circles.
While I’ve created a tutorial for circle pockets that utilize two flat circle shapes sewn together, I often prefer to create them in a single piece – this tutorial shows how!
Begin by working a colorful, non-continuous circle as shown in this section of the tutorial series. Shown here is my version for the belt I’ve been working on, “Dogwood”.
As you can see, I’ve got some crazy stuff going on in there, including some overlay stitches and textural bobbles, plus a resin cabochon that I appliqued on with a crochet cover. But the basic structure is the same, using regular increases to make a flat circle and going up to 60 or so stitches, which means following in pattern until you Inc on 10 (see Circle Pockets Part 1 for more on creating flat circles).
Once I reach my desired size, I prepare to shape the circle. To do this, I’m going to add a few rows of sc even in the round, meaning I’ll just crochet around the circle without adding any increases or working any joins. This will add depth to your circle so that the pocket is rounded and not flat. BUT, you have to keep in mind you’ll need an opening in your pocket, so at some point you’ll chain a number (I think I did around 13-15) and skip the same number of stitches before continuing to crochet.
On the next round, single crochet right over the chain as normal. Now you have the opening worked out, so you will work a few more rounds of sc even, then begin to decrease at the same rate that you increased in the front.
If you plan on adding a button fastening, don’t forget to crochet either a loop or a buttonhole into one of the rounds behind the opening on the back of your pocket! I almost forgot, which is why my loop is larger and set further back 😉
Since my pocket went up to “Inc on 10” I’ll start shaping the back of my pocket by decreasing on 10, using the same counting strategy as the increases:
Dec on 10 (or count out 9 stitches, then use the 10th and 11th sts to work a sc decrease)
Dec on 9 (count out 8 sts, use the 9th and 10th sts to dec)
Dec on 8 (etc…)
The back of the circle pocket will start to close up. When you can’t decrease anymore, you’ll need to cut a long yarn tail and tie off your stitches. Thread the yarn tail on a tapestry needle and secure the closing circle by stitching through it back and forth a few times.
Weave in all your ends, and sew on a button or fastening, beads, or anything you like!
Hope you enjoyed this little bonus edition of the Pixie Belt Tutorial – keep sending me pictures because I love seeing what you make! Hit me up on my Facebook page:
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-MF