Base for sewing on a button

The base is designed as a complement to the “Lacing Button” developmental toy. You can crochet a round or square button following the corresponding instructions. Combined with the button, the base turns into a real training tool that helps your child master sewing, build fine motor skills, and learn to focus.

Have fun crocheting!

Materials and tools for crocheting

• 4-ply sport weight yarn of any color. I used YarnArt Jeans (55% cotton + 45% acrylic), 174 yards (160m), 1.76 ounces (50 g): light brown 87. Yarn consumption ~ 25 grams. *Yarn consumption can increase up to 1.5 times when crocheting with yarn over (YO) way.
• Hook size 2 mm (or another suitable for yarn).
• Needle for sewing on details, scissors, stitch markers.
• Polyester stuffing (5 grams).

Abbreviations

• sc — single crochet
• inc — increase — crochet 2 sc in one stitch
• dec — single crochet decrease
• ch — chain stitch
• slst — slip stitch
• st — stitch

Dimensions of the finished toy: ~11 cm x 10.5 cm.

All pieces, unless otherwise indicated, are crocheted in turned rows.

Hide yarn ends between stitches as you crochet.

Before crocheting, unwind 3 meters of yarn from the main ball, or use the yarn from the other end of the ball.

Chart for the Base (text description below)

Crochet pattern

Foundation chain: Using main color yarn, ch36. 

Row 1: Beginning in 2nd ch from hook, 35 sc, ch1, turn.

Rows 2-8: 35 sc, ch1, turn. (7 rows)

Row 9: 10 sc, mark the next st with the first st marker, 11 sc, mark the next st with the second st marker, 14 sc (Photo 1) (i.e. we marked the 11th and 22nd stitches counting from the beginning of the ninth row), ch1, turn.

First part:

Row 10: 9 sc, dec, ch1, turn. (10)

Row 11: dec, 8 sc, ch1, turn. (9) 

Row 12: 9 sc, ch1, turn.

Row 13: 9 sc, ch1, turn.

Row 14: 8 sc, inc. (10)

Fasten off. (Photo 2)

Join the yarn to the 22nd stitch of the Row 9 (second stitch marker, photo 3), ch1 and starting from the same stitch, crochet the central part:

Central part:

Row 10: dec, 5 sc, dec, ch1, turn. (7) 

Row 11: dec, 3 sc, dec, ch1, turn. (5)

Row 12: 5 sc, ch1, turn.

Row 13: 5 sc, ch1, turn.

Row 14: inc, 3 sc, inc. (7)

Fasten off. (Photo 4)

Third part:

Join the yarn to the 11th stitch of the Row 9 (first stitch marker, photo 3), ch1 and starting from the same stitch, crochet:

Row 10: dec, 9 sc, ch1, turn. (10) 

Row 11: 8 sc, dec, ch1, turn. (9)

Row 12: 9 sc, ch1, turn.

Row 13: 9 sc, ch1, turn.

Row 14: inc, 8 sc, ch1, turn. (10)

Row 15: 9 sc, inc, ch2 (Photo 5), continue crocheting on the central part: inc, 5 sc, inc, ch2; continue crocheting on the first part, inc, 9 sc (Photo 6), ch1, turn.

Row 16: 35 sc, ch1, turn.

Repeat Rows 9-16 one more time. That is, crochet Rows 17 to 24 as Rows 9 to 16.

Note: You can optionally repeat Rows 9-16 three more times (i.e. work 5 rows of holes instead of two) if you are crocheting a base for two buttons instead of one.

Rows 25-31: 35 sc, ch1, turn. (7 rows)

Row 32: 35 sc.

Fasten off. (Photo 7)

Second piece

Make the second piece the same as the first piece, but do not fasten off after Row 32. For convenience, place a stitch marker in the working stitch to prevent the fabric from accidentally unraveling. Photo 8.

Assembly

Align pieces, matching up all sides and holes (Photo 9). Check that the sequence of rows is the same on the outside of the front and back pieces (in mirror image). Join main color yarn to any st on any inner hole (use the yarn from the prepared ball or from other end of the skein), ch1, starting from the same st, work 1 sc per st/row through both pieces to join around the inner hole, invisible fasten off. Photo 10. Repeat for all holes. Photo 11.

Video: how to work through both pieces to join around the inner hole:

Then work 1 sc per st/row through both pieces to join around the outside edge (Photo 12-13). Add some stuffing to the inside as you assemble. Invisible fasten off. Secure yarn ends and hide them between the two layers. Photo 14-15.

I will be glad to see your work! Please, when you post your finished toys on Instagram, could you tag my profile @zenknit_toys or use the tag #zenknit_toys so that I can see them and maybe repost them to my story? Thank you!

If you enjoyed this pattern and would like to support the release of new ones, please consider purchasing my other patterns in the store. It’s thanks to you that I can keep creating new designs. ❤️

If you have any problems crocheting, please contact me through the feedback form or leave a comment on the article. Thank you!