Crochet Tutorial · Tiny Houses

There’s been a lot of use of The “C” Word in our house and on my feed over the last few days. No, I’m not talking the word of the Middle English sweary ladies part variety, but the word that cannot be uttered in company until at least the beginning of November. The word that sends people into fits of rage. The word that Shakin’ Stevens owes his life/millions to…

CHRISTMAS. CRIMBO. CRIMBLE. NAVIDAD. JUHL. CRIMBY BADIMBY (I may have made that one up).

I admit that I used to be one of those DON’T MENTION CHRISTMAS UNTIL DECEMBER YOU T**T folks, but since getting heavily into crafting I have started to enjoy the idea of prepping early for the festive season. I say enjoy, I mean bloody love it. So, without further ado, I’d like to share this tutorial with you, heavily based on Christmas but also adaptable for any time of the year or any time you need a cosy decoration or tag.

These little houses are a lovely way of adding an unusual but cosy accent to your home, tree or even as a gift tag. They’re a wonderful half-hour make, with the added bonus of using up scraps. I recommend using glittery or lamé yarn combined with matte for a really modern look, or even yarns with sequins woven into them, or how about yarn held double with glitter thread? The sky – or rather your tree – is the limit!

Fully customizable, these houses can be crocheted to any height or width you choose and have different roof styles.

Tiny Houses

This is a CONFIDENT BEGINNER level crochet tutorial.

You will need: A 3.5mm crochet hook, yarn needle, scissors, a blocking board or similar, rust-free pins, liquid nylon or starch, a small pot, water. Optional: felt and a hot glue gun.

Yarn: Sport weight cotton yarn (I used Rito Hobby’s Infinity Hearts Lotus 8/4) in your chosen colours for roof and house body, plus combinations of Rico Creative Lamé and Drops Alpaca in Coral, plus scraps of DK/Sport weight yarn for embellishments and embroidery.

Skills (US terminology): Chain stitch, single crochet, double crochet, half double crochet, triple crochet, quadruple crochet, simple embroidery, weaving in ends, wet blocking.

Method:

Chain 9 using the cotton sport weight yarn.

2. Chain one (does not count as first stitch) and work a single crochet into each chain stitch. Chain one, turn. Repeat until you have nine rows of single crochet. If you would prefer a taller house, just carry on working as many rows of single crochet as you’d like.

3. When you reach the final single crochet stitch on the last row (when you have two loops on your hook), pull through the new colour that you are using for the roof. You have now changed colour. Chain one and turn.

4. Now we’ll make the roof! Work one single crochet into the first stitch, a half double crochet into the second, a double into the third, a triple into the forth and a quadruple into the fifth. Then work another triple crochet into the sixth, a double crochet into the seventh, a had double crochet into the eighth and finally a sincgle crochet into the ninth. Break yarn and pull the loop up to finish off. Weave in all ends.

5. Now comes the best part – the details! Feel free to copy my embroidery to create windows and the door, but this is a great chance to use your imagination and create some wonderful detailing and give your little house personality!

6. Make a stiffening mixture by combining two parts liquid nylon to one part water. Soak your house in this for five or ten minutes, gently squeeze out the excess and pin to dry on a blocking board. Take special care to ensure that it’s pinned evenly, and pin the top of the roof up so it is a pointy as possible. To do this I find the tallest stitch (the center quadruple crochet stitch) and pull it up as much as I can before pinning securely.

7. Once dry you can create a felt backing by glueing or sewing on a piece of thin felt that fits the back of your house. This is recommended if you plan to use them as decorations. Thread a small amount of glitter thread through the top of the roof and display as desired.