Any size water bottle sling carrier

Make this bottle sling carrier with any thickness yarn available with you and for any size bottle. I made this one for my daughter.

Materials

• Cotton yarn (any thickness)
• Crochet hook suitable for your yarn weight (use smaller hook than recommended on the yarn label.)
• Pair of scissors
• Yarn needle

Abbreviations

US terminology

ch = chain

sl st = slip stitch

sc = single crochet

sc-blo = single crochet in back loop only

dc = double crochet

Notes:

1. Use 1-2 sizes smaller hook than the size recommended on yarn label.
2. Ch 1 does not count as a sc.
3. Ch 3 counts as a dc.
4. When crocheting base, do NOT join after rounds, continue working in spirals. Place a st marker in 1st st to keep the track of number of rounds.
5. Shell stitch = 5 dc in same st

Pattern:

Base:

Base is worked in spirals. Do not join after each round. 

Total number of rounds will depend on your yarn thickness, hook size and bottle size. Even though the instructions are given for total 8 rounds, stop when your flat circle ALMOST covers the base of your bottle (i.e. the diameter of the flat circle should be slightly smaller than that of the bottle).  Then proceed to next round (instructions given after round 8).

Round 1: in magic ring, add 6 sc (6 sts)

Round 2: 2 sc in each sc (12 sts)

Round 3: (2 sc in 1 st, 1 sc in next st), repeat total 6 times. (18 sts)

Round 4: (2 sc in 1 st, 1 sc in each of next 2 sts), repeat total 6 times. (24 sts)

Round 5: (2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in each of next 3 sts), repeat total 6 times. (30 sts)

Round 6: (2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in each of next 4 sts), repeat total 6 times. (36 sts)

Round 7: (2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in each of next 5 sts), repeat total 6 times. (42 sts)

Round 8: (2 sc in 1st st, 1 sc in each of next 6 sts), repeat total 6 times. (48 sts)

Next round: sc-blo in each st. Join with sl st.

Shell rounds:

Round 1: Ch 1, sc in same st as ch, *skip next 2 sts, 5 dc (shell) in next st, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st**, repeat from * to ** all around, join with sl st to 1st sc.

Round 2: ch 3 (counts as a dc), 2 dc in same st as ch 3, *skip next 2 sts, sc in next st, skip next 2 sts, shell in next st** repeat till there are 5 sts remaining, skip next 2 sts, sc in next st, skip 2 sts, 2 dc in next st (where there is intial ch 3), join at the top of ch 3 with sl st.

[For shells round, sc is worked in the middle st of shell from previous round and shell is worked into sc from previous round]

Repeat last 2 rounds till carrier is 1/2" shorter than the desired length, ending on round 2.

Leveling round:

Ch 1, sc in same st, *hdc in each of next 2 sts, dc in next st, hdc in each of next 2 sts, sc in next st**, repeat from * to **, hdc in next 2 sts, dc in next st, hdc in next 2 sts, join to sc with sl st. 

[For leveling, add sc in the centre st of the shell, hdc in other 4 sts of the shell and dc in sc.]

Next 2 rounds: add sc in each st. After completing 2 sc rounds, join with sl st to 1st sc of 2nd sc round. 

Do not fasten off.

Strap:

Row 1: Ch 1, insert hook in 1st st, pull up a loop, *insert hook in next st, pull up a loop**, repeat from * to ** for 4 more times (total 7 loops on the hook. To adjust the strap width, you can pull up fewer or more loops), yarn over, pull through 1 loop, * yarn over, pull through 2 loops**, repeat from * to ** untill only 1 loop remains on the hook.

Row 2: Insert hook through 2nd bar from hook, yarn over and pull up a loop, *Insert hook through next bar, yarn over and pull up a loop**, repeat from * to ** to end of row. yarn over, pull through 1 loop, * yarn over, pull through 2 loops**, repeat from * to ** untill only 1 loop remains on the hook.

Repeat row 2 until strap is of desired length. I made 25" long strap for my 6 year old daughter. Note that strap will strech a little bit after placing a water bottle.

Joining the strap:

Join the strap on the opposite side either with sl sts OR whip stitch. There should be equal number of sts in between the strap ends on both the sides.

To join with sl st, insert hook through 1st sc and make a sl st. Insert hook through the 1st bar, insert hook in next sc, make a sl st. Repeat to the last st. Fasten off. Weave in yarn ends. And you're done!!!