What do you think of when you picture a hammock? A late summer afternoon, or perhaps a pitcher of lemonade, a soft breeze, the sound of someone mowing the lawn? Hammocks are the epitome of relaxation, the ultimate in luxury. But most of us don’t have access to a large hammock and a couple of trees, or even a porch or backyard to put a hammock stand in. Our next best recourse, then, is to find a smaller version that we can hang up inside, like a chair swing.
Ramador Custom Crochet has created a beautiful mandala-like chair swing to this end, using paracord instead of yarn to make it tougher and more stable. You can purchase paracord at your local hardware store. You’ll need a super bulky option (about 170 yards of it), and a P or Q size crochet hook. You’ll also need to ensure that the gauge is correct – two stitches, one row to equal one inch.
If you’d like to try something smaller, however, with more familiar materials, there are quite a few options for chair swings, hammocks, and similar items for fruit, pets, and babies (for photography props, not actual use).
We found a fruit hammock from Heart, Hook, Home that provides a safe place for fruit to avoid bruising, while also opening up counter space. It can hang beneath cabinets or adorn the wall.
If you’re looking for a way to give a pet somewhere to relax, the pattern at Ashley Knits & Crochets is just the right size for mice, hamsters, gerbils, and rats. It can attach to the bars of their enclosure. Using worsted weight yarn and an F size hook, this works up quickly and brightens up a bland space.
As a photography prop, baby hammocks are pretty popular – and there’s a free pattern from Sunset Family Living that’s the perfect size (please note: there is a warning about leaving a baby unattended in the hammock. Supervision required). A soft yarn is a must (Sunset Family Living suggests a chunky weight yarn like Lion Brand Homespun), and with an N size hook and the special stitch information, this cute prop will be ready in no time.
You can find inspiration for hammocks, chair swings and more at Retextil and Pecsma (Hungarian language), or purchase the PDF pattern for the mandala crochet swing from Ramador Custom Crochet at their Ravelry site. If you want more mandalas to crochet, you can check out ideas and patterns at Craftsy. You can find the free fruit hammock pattern at Heart, Hook, Home, the animal hammock at Ashley Knits & Crochets, and the baby hammock at Sunset Family Living.
