This is a free crochet pattern for how to crochet a modern cactus coaster featuring surface slip stitches and reverse single crochet edging.
Find the free crochet pattern instructions below, or purchase a printer-friendly, ad-free PDF on Ravelry by clicking here.
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My October Pinterest Challenge post is going to be cactus themed, and include these coasters.
The design is inspired by this Stuck On You Cacti Mug I got from MoonwakeDesignsCo on Etsy. I was drawn to the teal planter with the green cactus.
I would like to go back, and add a pretty pink flower over the left arm of my cactus, just like the cactus in my mug has, but haven’t done so at this time.
I chose to surface slip stitch around the planter and cactus to add definition. Without it, the cactus looked fuzzy to me.
Fun Facts About Saguaro Cactus:
1. They are exclusive to the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, some of California, and Mexico, and they are everywhere! I visited Arizona several years ago, and it’s an incredible site!
2. Their flowers are white with a yellowish center, and bloom in the Spring, and their fruit is red, and comes in the Summer.
3. They only grow arms after 50 to 75 years, so the saguaro in my coaster is “at least 50 years old”.
4. It is the largest cactus in the US growing from 40 to 60 feet tall.
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Materials:
- 30 Yards of Worsted Weight Cotton Yarn Per Coaster – I used WeCrochet/Knit Picks Dishie in White (16 Yards), Jalapeno (12 Yards) and Kenai [Teal] (2 Yards)
- H8/5mm Crochet Hook
- Tapestry Needle
- Optional, Jewelry Pliers
Material Notes:
Yarn Alternatives: Lily Sugar n Cream, Red Heart’s Smoothie
If you are only making a coaster that will house a cold or hot beverage, you can use acrylic as an alternative with an I9/5.5mm hook – just do not put anything fresh from the oven on the acrylic coaster, or you will melt the fibers and risk burning yourself.
Other Recommended Yarns (with I9/5.5mm Hook): Red Heart’s Super Saver, Caron’s One Pound, Bernat’s Super Value
Weaving in ends of a tough yarn, like cotton yarn, can be hard on the fingers. Sore thumbs and frustration can be a thing of the past by simply using jewelry pliers to [carefully] help pull the tapestry needle through the work.
Time Spent:
I worked up one coaster in just about an hour. The actual coaster took around 30 minutes, and then I had 20 ends to weave in.
Measurements:
4.13″ (4 1/8″) Wide at widest point by 3.75″ Tall
Gauge:
6 SC = 1.63″ (1 5/8″) OR In Pattern, 13 SC = 3.5″ Wide
Abbreviation (US Term):
- SC – Single Crochet (Photo Tutorial)
Pattern Notes:
Beginning chain 1 does not count as a stitch.
This pattern is written in colors and the number of stitches worked per color. The entire pattern is worked in single crochet so for example, “5 White” means work 5 white single crochets.
To change colors, do so in the last yarn over of the previous stitch. Here is a photo tutorial.
I worked from both ends of each of my skeins of yarn. When I got to a point where I needed to introduce another strand of a particular color, like in Row 6 where there are 3 white sections, I pulled a long tail from one end of my yarn, and fastened off using this long tail until I ran out, and attached the newly cut yarn where needed. Working this way gave me 20 ends to weave in in the end. To avoid tangling while you work, create butterfly bobbins with your yarn strands, and take time to untangle the yarn as you turn with each row. I did not do this, I just went with it, and found tangling to be minimal.
As outlined below, my recommendation for the surface slip stitching is to work the teal area after completing Row 6, then fasten off, and for the green cactus stitching, wait until you finish Row 14, then fasten off and work the final border.
If you are not interested in the reverse single crochet border, work a regular single crochet border with one single crochet per row on the sides, and a (single crochet, chain 1, single crochet) in each corner.
This is the back of my coaster.
Saguaro Cactus Coaster Video Tutorial:
Saguaro Cactus Crochet Pattern:
With White, chain 15. SC into the 2nd chain from the hook, and each chain across. (14 SC)
R2: Chain 1, and turn. 5 White, 4 Teal, 5 White. (14 SC)
R3 – 4: Chain 1, and turn. 4 White, 6 Teal, 4 White. (14 SC)
R5: Chain 1, and turn. 5 White, 6 Green, 3 White. (14 SC)
R6: Chain 1, and turn. 2 White, 2 Green, 1 White, 4 Green, 5 White. (14 SC)
This is a great time to surface slip stitch the teal area. Pull up a big loop in the white so you don’t lose that stitch, then turn to the right side of the fabric, and insert your hook into a stitch near where the teal yarn is currently resting. Yarn over with the teal yarn, and pull through the fabric. Working along the inside of the stitches so not to work over any of the white fabric and following the shape of the teal planter, surface slip stitch around by inserting your hook into the next stitch working from the right side down to the wrong side, yarn over with the teal and pull through the fabric. Once back around, work one last surface slip stitch into the 1st stitch, and fasten off the teal. Pull the tail end to the wrong side.
R7: Chain 1, and turn. 5 White, 4 Green, 1 White, 3 Green, 1 White. (14 SC)
R8: Chain 1, and turn. 1 White, 3 Green, 1 White, 6 Green, 3 White. (14 SC)
R9: Chain 1, and turn. 2 White, 2 Green, 1 White, 4 Green, 1 White, 3 Green, 1 White. (14 SC)
R10: Chain 1, and turn. 5 White, 4 Green, 1 White, 3 Green, 1 White. (14 SC)
R11: Chain 1, and turn. 1 White, 3 Green, 1 White, 4 Green, 5 White. (14 SC)
R12: Chain 1, and turn. 5 White, 4 Green, 1 White, 3 Green, 1 White. (14 SC)
R13: Chain 1, and turn. 6 White, 2 Green, 6 White. (14 SC)
R14: Chain 1, and turn. 14 White switching to Green in the last stitch. (14 SC)
This is a great time to surface slip stitch the green cactus area. Pull up a big loop in the green so you don’t lose that stitch, then turn to the right side of the fabric, and insert your hook into a stitch near where the green yarn is currently resting. Yarn over with the green yarn, and pull through the fabric. Working along the inside of the stitches so not to work over any of the white fabric and following the shape of the green cactus, surface slip stitch around by inserting your hook into the next stitch working from the right side down to the wrong side, yarn over with the teal and pull through the fabric. Once back around, work one last surface slip stitch into the 1st stitch, and fasten off this green tail. Pull the tail end to the wrong side.
Border: In Green, chain 1, and turn to the right side of the fabric. SC into the 1st stitch, then evenly reverse SC down the side of the coaster working one stitch per row, reverse SC into the corner stitch, chain 1, hold the fabric from the previous reverse SC and chain between your left hand thumb and middle finger so you can work one more reverse SC into the same stitch, then reverse SC across the opposite side of the beginning foundation chain, (reverse SC, chain 1, hold the fabric and reverse SC) into the next stitch, then evenly reverse SC up the side of the coaster working one stitch per row, (reverse SC, chain 1, hold the fabric and reverse SC) into the next stitch, then reverse SC across the top of the coaster. Reverse SC into the 1st stitch, then slip stitch join to the 1st SC. Fasten Off.
Weave in all ends.
Please feel free to make and sell your own Saguaro Cactus Coaster using this pattern, but please DO NOT claim this pattern as your own nor should you sell my pattern, and DO NOT re-publish my photos as your own. DO NOT copy and paste my pattern anywhere, link to it instead.
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What a cool design for a square. Thanks for sharing at Ginx Woolly Linx Party for October
Thanks, Ginny!