Crochet Yoga Mat Strap

It’s amazing how many things you can crochet if you put your mind to it. I needed a strap to carry my yoga mat, but I didn’t particularly care for the velcro-y patterned ones sold at places like Target.

All together it’s only three rows of SC, with one adjustment: on the second row, SC two, chain 3 & skip 3, and then continue your SC until 5 from the other end, then chain 3 & skip 3, then SC two and turn for the final row. This gives you two gaps, one on each end. When you’ve finished and tied off, pull an end through each gap so you have two adjustable loops on each end. Wrap over your mat and enjoy!

I made mine out of jute, but if you want to use a normal yarn without sacrificing strap width, all you need to do is add more rows. Just make sure you do an odd number and the row with the gaps is in the middle.

Yoga Thoughts

I’d like to start this post with a disclaimer: I’m not a designer. My color theory sucks, and I’m generally not very visually imaginative. About the only thing I have going for me in the design department is my insistence that everything be understated and properly aligned. That’s it.

But when I was in yoga class the other day (as part of the DFW Free Day of Yoga — look for it next year!), I heard a phrase that really hit home. And when I got home, I had an insatiable urge to make it into a Pinterest-like typographic quote so I could look at it for inspiration. And here it is.

I often struggle with thinking too much during yoga or meditation or when I’m trying to sleep or just… any time. So when the instructor said this,  it just worked for me. I envisioned myself doing a downward dog in the middle of a quiet, italicized e, and my mind was quiet, contemplating the space. Not the letters, words or phrases, but the space.

I hope this helps you find your space.