Cuddly Pockets Toy Holder

My daughter has a huge collection of cuddly toys and very limited space in her room so I created this patchwork hanger to house some of them and use up oddments of yarn.  It was designed so a length of dowelling can be inserted in the top and it can be hung from an over-door hanger; but you could substitute a spring-loaded curtain rod of suitable length and hang it in an alcove or wardrobe. or miss off the hanger and add a simple edging to make it into a throw for a small bed or chair.  I decorated each pocket with things I had around - crochet flowers made from yarn scraps, sew-on motifs, badges and beads and buttons.  You can personalise it for your child with a colour or decor scheme, or by sewing on their name in felt letters.


REQUIRES
Yarn -  approx 20g DK per pocket, 20g DK for top edging on hanger, 100g for edging on throwover
Hook / Needles - 3.5mm
Sundries - buttons, badges, motifs etc for decorating pockets; dowelling, over door hanger (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS (Given in UK notation)

You can use these pockets  as a hanger.  For this  you will also need a length of dowelling at least as wide as your finished hanger and something like an over-door hanger or other hooks.  Or it can be a throw for a bed or chair, in which case you will need extra yarn for the edging.

To make the pockets, take any colour of DK and make 55 chain.  Dc into second chain from hook, dc to end (54 stitches).  Turn. Work 18 rows of dc on this foundation.  Fold pocket in half and work dc evenly through the row ends of both sides and thus creating a side seam.  Work through both sides in dc along the bottom edge, then work up the opposite side so it has a seam to match the first side.  You can make any number of pockets but I would recommend four to a row,  and six rows if you intend to hang it up; once the toys are tucked into their pockets, it will weigh quite a lot and  you will find it may stretch or even break.

Joining pockets: to join two pockets, do not fasten off when you have completed the seam on the second pocket but put the side edge you have just completed against the side edge of the previous pocket, making sure the opening is at the top.  Dc the two pocket sides together (there should be a ridge at the back of the pockets).  If you are working the first row, fasten off.  If not, continue to dc along the bottom edge of the pocket just made, linking it to the top back edge of the pocket below.  You may find it helps to put something in the lower pocket as you work to ensure you do not accidentally crochet it shut; I used a rolled up pair of socks.  Fasten off when you have joined these two edges and sew in the ends as you go.  Decorate each pocket if desired as you complete them.  

Top edge (hanger): dc along the top back edge of the final row of pockets, making sure you have an even number of stitches, and keeping a note of this number.  You can use any colour for this - I used one that had not been used for any of the pockets, but  you could if you have enough yarn simply carry on with the colour of the last completed pocket.  Work at least six rows of dc depending how many pockets you have to support (I made 10 rows).   To make the support loops,  turn and dc 5.  On these five stitches work as many rows as there are in your top edging band.  You can either fasten off, leaving a long tail, or if the last row brings you to the opposite side as the unworked top edge stitches, slipstitch the bottom of the loop to the back of the second row of the top edge, then slipstitch up the side of the loop and dc along the top edge to make a gap, then work another loop row.  As long as you space your loops evenly and make sure there is a loop at each end of the edge,  there is no strict rule for how many you need or how wide the gaps should be; I had 116 stitches along the top edge,  and ended up with 12 loops and ten spaces in between.  Slide your dowelling rod into these loops and hang it over your hooks making sure the hooks go into the gaps and not through your stitching.  

Edging (throw): dc evenly around all four edges of the complete pockets, working three dc into each corner stitch.  On the next row work three trebles into each dc (five into the centre of the three corner dc) to create a ruffled effect.