Crochet Poof with fabric combo

[Amy C]

Hey everyone!

I live in Japan and unfortunately wool and yarn in general is pretty expensive over here. I'm still learning, so am maybe around an advanced beginner level for crocheting. I was looking to make a floor poof and have seen some fabulous patterns online, but with supplies and logistics being as shaky as it is with this pandemic, I'm trying to think of some alternatives that are cost and time effective for making it (in the end I hope it will be used similar to a bean bag ). Since it is a bit expensive to get actual wool, I have been playing with the idea of crocheting a flat pattern such as for a rug, and attach it to fabric for the bottom as a beanbag...Has anyone seen something like this where the crochet pattern is only for a portion of the design, and the rest is fabric? Does it sound like a horrible idea (such as setting the chair off balance, etc)? I have seen some pillows where the front was a crocheted pattern and the back was a fabric, but I don't know if this would look awful as a poof...

If I do the whole poof in yarn it would probably need to be in tshirt fabric as I can fabric relatively cheaply still which are stretchy, but most of the patterns require extensive amounts of fabric too (perhaps no avoiding it though?)

Any advice or patterns which might fit my current situation would be greatly welcome! 

Cheers!

[ReniC]

I've not seen a mixed media ottoman pouf before but, I suppose you could maneuver some fabric on the top and bottom of something like this pattern. However, I wouldn't cut the fabric out until the side is completed. Or, use fabric on the side and yarn circles on the top and bottom. Either way, you would need to use a sturdy fabric such as canvas, upholstery fabric or denim for stability, And to attach the yarn to the fabric, holes would need to be punched out evenly for each stitch crocheted on. Seems like quite a major project to me that might wear down easily. Maybe another member has some more ideas for you. Whatever you decide, I hope it's successful.

Edited May 13, 2020 by ReniC

[Granny Square]

Welcome to the 'ville!

Ah, bean bag chair, that brings back memories.  When I first moved away from home to my own apartment my furniture consisted of my bed & dresser, kitchen table & chairs I bought at a 'flea market', and a new (faux leather covered) bean bag chair.

If you are literally thinking bean bag, don't think crochet, because it won't contain the 'stuffing' which is thousands of tiny (about 1/2 cm or so) 'beans' of styrofoam.  

I have made pillows with crochet covering on both sides, but I've made plain fabric 'inside pillows' filled with stuffing, so I can take the crocheted cover of to launder the crochet covers.  Over time and a lot of abuse the crochet cover has gotten a bit 'baggy/saggy', I used plain acrylic yarn in a not-super tight stitch design; if made another everyday use crochet cover I'd probably use a large size mercerized cotton (doily-type thread, there are sizes up to about sock or sport weight) and more solid/tight stitches.  I'd think that the same baggy'saggy thing might happen to the crochet half of a crochet front/fabric back pillow.

But back to poufs, if you made the crochet cover in tight SC, I suppose there is no downside to put a fabric cover on the underside if you wanted.....  

Edited May 13, 2020 by Granny Square

[Granny Square]

Meant to also add, how big of a pouf were you thinking?  I've poked around patterns a little, and a lot of them (both fabric & crochet) seem to be about an 18" cube or oval, and I've seen  fabric ones that size taking only 2 yards of fabric.  Considering the price of the least expensive but hard-wearing yarn (acrylic) and something like quilt fabric which is relatively lo-cost, in the US a fabric one would probably be cheaper, even throwing in the spool of yarn you'd need to hand-sew them together. The stuffing cost would be equivalent...

[Amy C]

Thanks both for writing back!

I am thinking of a rectangle maybe around 70cm x 40cm (27 inches x 15 inches)...definitely could change the dimensions though. If I were going to add a zipper to the fabric I should keep it around there to make it easy to purchase domestically. Perhaps I would try to mount the crochet on top of the fabric as mentioned by ReniC, but I imagine it is going to be a difficult feat...

Thank you again for the suggestions!

[USpolishgirl]

I do think that yarn crochet & fabric can be mixed together. IF everything is done the right way.

Talking about bin-bags. I remember I bought a very beautiful big bean-bag from Carson when my daughter was very young. It was beautiful all white vinyl with colorful vinyl dots sewn to that. After a while each time I was moving that bean-bag when vacuuming under I seen little Styrofoam balls (stuffing) coming out of that bag with time more of them were coming out. And I just couldn't figure it how & why that stuffing is coming out??

And I finally was able to find out WHY??. I caught my son who was little younger stabbing that bin-bag with his tiny knife! :(. He got that tiny knife from one of those little trinkets machines (like a Bobble Gum machines for 0,25cents) or so. I was very angry at him because that was expensive & very beautiful bin-bag. That knife was tiny no longer than 1". I did NOT knew he had that!.

Later on I made for his room something like a "bin-bag" chair/cube out of vinyl (blue & red) it was square shape. I sew that vinyl chair/poof. I made all sides out of blue & red stripes. One top/bottom red the other blue (it was reversible) with zipper around. I did not used those tiny round Styrofoam pallets. I used those cushions like they are using for sofa cushions. I did use spray/glue them together, one on top of another (i think it was 5 of them maybe 6?). That cube was the same high as a top  mattress on his bed. It was a lot of work and it looked very nice. I even got 2 big buttons wrapped that in that vinyl & synched each one in a middle of top & bottom. When my son got older I give that thing to one of my friends for her little son.  I remember that thing was pretty big, even an adult could sit on it   And it was very strong. Before I give that away it still looked like brand new.

Those were my experiences when it comes to bin-bags or chair/cushions

Krys 

Edited May 16, 2020 by USpolishgirl