Robot, Rocket & Castle bookmark patterns

I have a brand-new pattern for a little set of bookmarks. The robot bookmark pattern is available for free below and has a complete video tutorial. The Rocket and Castle bookmarks are included in the paid PDF version of the pattern. If you have never tried inset mosaic crochet before this is a good small project to learn with.

I made the video tutorial specific to show you how to read an inset mosaic crochet chart. Once you get the hang of it, they are quite simple to read but I know that it took me a while to understand this particular type of chart. My hope is that once you have watched the video and followed along, you will be able to read any inset mosaic pattern chart.

I have also made matching gift cards that you can print out and color. They would be great as a valentine’s day card or for various occasions. The files and printing instructions are free below.

Important Links

• Purchase the pattern on Ravelry
• Buy the pattern on Etsy

• Video Tutorial (Right-handed/Left-handed)
• Free Robot Bookmark pattern (jumps to pattern below)

Yarn and Materials

This pattern was designed to be made with two colors of size 10 cotton thread. I used: Scheepjes Maxi Sweet Treat (100% Mercerised Cotton; 25g/140m). Each bookmark takes 5-6g in total.

• Robot: 245 Yellow Green & 514 Jade
• Rocket: 253 Tropic & 390 Poppy Rose
• Castle: 399 Lilac Mist & 128 Tyrian Purple

You can check for a Scheepjes Retailer in your area, or you can use my affiliate link below. Shopping through this link earns me a small commission to support my design work at no additional cost to you. Thank You!

My Amazon shop, Jimmy Beans Wool, and Yarn Addicted & Co. on Etsy (US only)

Pattern Support

Video Tutorials: I have made a complete video tutorial for the Robot Bookmark pattern. The tutorial focuses on teaching you how to read an inset mosaic crochet chart and walks through the first few rows of the pattern in great detail as an example. I also make a second video that that I am calling a “crochet with me” that shows every row of the pattern in real time. I recommend watching the tutorial video first, after which you can switch to the crochet with me video to follow along if you like for the remander of the pattern.

I have also made mirrored left-handed versions of both videos. I recorded crocheting “Beep” separately mirrored for the left-hand video so that it would be correct when flipped.

Tutorial (watch first): Right-handed / Left-handed

Crochet with Me Video: Right-handed / Left-handed

Jessica Wifall’s Crochet Studio: This is the group where I will be hosting this year’s Snowflake CAL/MAL. Joining the group is not required to participate but it is a great place to ask questions of me and the community and share your creations and works in progress.

Printable Cards

I designed three matching cards that you can print out, color and attach your bookmark to. These card designs are for your personal use only. There are both A4 and US-Letter sized files.

When printing, make sure you are using the correct file for your paper size and that it is printed at actual size (100%). Your printer may trim a small margin around the edges, which is perfectly fine. Be sure to allow the print to dry completely before coloring (I left mine overnight just to be sure).

To make a sturdy greeting card, print these designs on cardstock or printable watercolor paper. If you’re using a home printer, be sure to check the printer specifications to see the maximum paper weight it can handle. If you don’t have a home printer, or if your printer can’t handle heavier paper, a local library or print shop is a great alternative.

The OfficeMax near me has a self-service printer that can handle paper up to 110 lb (300 gsm) and offers black-and-white prints for $0.22 USD each.

I printed and colored several test versions of these cards. The final examples shown here include the A4 version printed at home on cardstock, and the Letter version printed on watercolor paper at OfficeMax.

My recommendation is to use the heaviest paper weight that the printer available to you can comfortably handle and if looking for watercolor paper make sure it is loose leaf. I’m not linking the exact paper I used, as it worked but I feel iffy about the quality and paper availability seems to vary widely by country.

Fun and Coloring

The main purpose of these cards is simply to have fun, so feel free to color them however you like or not at all. I experimented with three different mediums: watercolor, markers, and colored pencils, and added a few sparkly accents to a lot of them using gel pens*.

Watercolor was the medium I was most excited to use, since De Bondt sent me some lovely Pan Art watercolor brushes to try out. I paired them with a set of watercolors* I received for Christmas. While I really enjoy working with watercolor, I’m not sure it complements the strong, two-color look of the bookmark as well as the other options. That said, I do think the card itself turned out nicely, and I may give these to someone with the bookmark tucked inside the card rather than attached to the front.

I also colored some cards with markers; I planned to use both my fancier alcohol markers* and the Crayola washable markers* I share with my kids but I ran out of time so just have ones colored with my alcohol markers. I like working with the alcohol markers because they are easy to blend and can produce a nice strong solid color. However, the Crayola markers would work nicely too and are a great option particularly if that is what you have available.

Finally, I colored a set of cards with colored pencils. This is the medium I felt most comfortable with as I’ve had most of my Prismacolor set* for 18–20 years, though I’ve replaced some favorite colors over time and at some point I must have picked up a second set, because I now have two of most colors—and about half of the pencils are labeled Sanford while the others say Mexico.

Very random side note: I hold my crochet hook in a pencil grip, but I noticed that sometimes when I am coloring with colored pencils, I hold the colored pencils in a “knife grip”.

If you are looking for some new art supplies, I have added affiliate links for most of what I have mentioned above (marked with *) I have also created a list on my Amazon Affiliate list page here. This contains all the links from above plus some variations, for example above I have linked the big 120 marker set that I have but, on the list, I also have links to the smaller (and thus much cheaper) 24 marker set. This list might also be updated in the future with other art supplies that I really enjoy.

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Inspiration and Design

The inspiration for this design goes back to the “the Story of the Yellow Purse” from my blog about the Squiggle Squares Purse or Pillow Pattern which is a story about how sometimes when things go wrong you end up with even more and better ideas. When I came up with the Squiggle Squares pattern my first iteration had a pair of robots on it. For the purse I decided to go with a simpler geometric design, but I really love the Robot characters. I put the Robot design aside for later and when I picked it back up the project experienced some scope creep.

A lot of Scope Creep

When I started out with the design with a pair of robots, I planned to make an adorable little pillow pattern (don’t worry it is still coming soon). And then I had this really cool idea that involved a little blanket (also still coming but be patient). Then I thought it would be good to have a video showing people how to read an inset mosaic crochet chart, so I made the little Robot bookmark. I usually am a written-out pattern designer but for mosaic crochet I find a chart to be an easier way to express the information. I do however always include fully written out version of the pattern too because I use to find inset mosaic crochet charts really hard to wrap my head around.

The little Robot was cute, so I also made little Rocket and Castle designs. Then I procrastinated and got distracted by other ideas. At first, I thought these would be released as an end of the school year gift idea and then maybe start of the school year. Finally, I settled on Valentine’s Day because I had an idea for cards.

A Little Extra Scope Creep.

The final idea that I have squeezed in here was to have matching printable coloring cards. I had this idea because I got an iPad for my 40th birthday last year and learned how to use Procreate for digital art (also a source of distraction) and De Bondt sent me some Pan Art watercolor brushes. I thought, “how can I incorporate digital art and watercolor into my crochet work so I can justify spending more time them?”. Now this is a silly thought because I am aloud to have hobbies that are just hobbies, but it did give me this idea.

I don’t think these cards are perfect, but they are fun and I hope that you enjoy them.

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About Inset Mosaic Crochet

Inset mosaic crochet has a distinctive surface texture because instead of overlaying dc stitches over sc, a space is left for the dc by skipping stitches and working a chain space, thus all stitches of the pattern are on the same plane.  Here are some notes to keep in mind when reading the pattern. 

• The pattern is worked in 2 colors, and the non-working color is carried up the side.  Do not cut yarn between any rows of this pattern.
• Rows are worked in pairs.  You will work the pattern on the right side (RS) of the fabric then turn and complete an “a” row that echoes the pattern on the wrong side (WS) of the fabric. 
• Dc’s are made only on RS, working in front of the chain space into the skipped stitch below. 

• The number of chains made will always be 1 more than stitches skipped, this allows the chain to rest behind the dc stitches without pushing them out. 
• Rows worked on the WS will have a sc in every stitch and chains over each chain. 

To Change Yarn Colors:

When making the last stitch of the return row, stop when 2 loops are on hook, drop working yarn and pick up yarn for the next row.  Yarn over and finish stitch with a new color. 

* To keep the edge tidy, pay attention to which color is on top when switching and keep the over/under the same throughout.  

Robot Bookmark Pattern

Crochet Abbreviations

US terms used throughout.

• st(s) stitch(es)
• sk skip(ped)
• yoh yarn over hook
• RS right side
• WS wrong side
• ch chain
• ch-1 sp(s) chain 1 space(s): number denotes number of chains in chain space
• ch-sp(s) chain space(s)
• ss slip stitch(es)
• sc single crochet
• fsc foundation single crochet (see special stitches)
• dc double crochet

*…….; rep from * once more/twice more/3 more times Work instructions after * and then repeat that section as specified.

(…….) twice/3 times Work instructions between brackets the total number of times stated.

Special Stitches

Chainless foundation single crochet (fsc): ch2 ❶, insert hook in first ch made ❷, yoh, pull up loop ❸, ch1 ❹, yoh, draw through both loops [first sc made] ❺, * insert hook in 1-ch of previous st ❻, yoh, pull up loop, ch1 ❼, yoh, draw through both loops ❽; repeat from * until you have number of sts stated.

Copyright

Copyright © by Jessica Wifall.  All rights reserved. Please do not sell, redistribute, republish, or edit this pattern in any way. Translations and video tutorials are NOT allowed. You may sell any finished products personally made by you but may not use my photos to promote them.

Charted Instructions 

How to read the chart. 

• Each row of the chart is two rows of stitches, one right side (RS) and one wrong side (WS). 
• For RS, start each row with a ch1 in the new color, this does not count as a st.  The first st of the row will always be a sc in the working color. 
  • If the square is the working color,
    • If the space below is a st, make a sc.
    • If the space below is a ch-sp, make a dc in the st below in front of the ch.
  • If the square is the non-working color,
    • make 1-ch for each square plus one extra and skip those stitches (ex: if there are 2 squares of non-working color make 3-ch).
• For WS, ch 1, turn, and work the same color back, making a sc in every st and ch above every ch.  Change yarn color in the last st of the row.
• For the First Row, make a ch the width of the pattern, ch1 and turn [does not count as st], sc in each st across OR make a fsc the width of the pattern
• For the Final row, on the RS there will be no chains and on the WS it will be sc in ever st across.

Video tutorial on reading the chart: Right-Handed Video / Left-Handed Video

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Written Instructions

Row 1 COLOR A: ch17, ch1 and turn, sc in each st across OR 17fsc.

Row 1a (WS): Ch1 and turn, sc in each st across.  Change to color B.

Row 2 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch4, sk 3 st, 1sc, (ch2, sk 1 st, 2sc) twice, ch2, sk 1 st, 3sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc.

Row 2a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 3sc, (ch2, sk ch-sp, 2sc) twice, ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc, ch4, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 3 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 3dc, (ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, 1sc) twice, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, 1sc.

Row 3a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 2sc, (ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc) twice, (ch2, sk ch-sp, 2sc) twice, ch2, sk ch-sp, 4sc. Change to color B.

Row 4 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 2sc, (1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc) twice, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, 1sc, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc.

Row 4a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 3sc, (ch2, sk ch-sp, 2sc) twice, ch2, sk ch-sp, 3sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 5 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, (1sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc) 3 times, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, 1sc.

Row 5a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 2sc, (ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc) twice, (ch2, sk ch-sp, 2sc) twice, ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 2sc. Change to color B.

Row 6 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, (1sc, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st) 3 times, 1dc, 1sc, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc.

Row 6a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 3sc, (ch2, sk ch-sp, 2sc) twice, ch2, sk ch-sp, 3sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 7 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 1dc, 3sc, (1dc, 2sc) twice, 1dc, 3sc, 1dc, 1sc.

Row 7a (WS): Ch1 and turn, sc in each st across.  Change to color B.

Row 8 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, sk 2 st, 5sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 5sc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1sc.

Row 8a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 5sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 5sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 9 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 2dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 3sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 3sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 2dc, 1sc.

Row 9a (WS): Ch1 and turn, (3sc, ch2, sk ch-sp) twice, 1sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 3sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 3sc. Change to color B.

Row 10 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1dc, 2sc, (ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc) twice, ch2, sk 1 st, 2sc, 1dc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1sc.

Row 10a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 3sc, (ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc) twice, ch2, sk ch-sp, 3sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

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Row 11 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 2dc, 2sc, (ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc) 3 times, ch2, sk 1 st, 2sc, 2dc, 1sc.

Row 11a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 5sc, (ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc) 3 times, ch2, sk ch-sp, 5sc. Change to color B.

Row 12 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch5, sk 4 st, (1dc, 1sc) 3 times, 1dc, ch5, sk 4 st, 1sc.

Row 12a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch5, sk ch-sp, 7sc, ch5, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 13 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 4dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 5sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 4dc, 1sc.

Row 13a (WS): Ch1 and turn, (5sc, ch2, sk ch-sp) twice, 5sc. Change to color B.

Row 14 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 3sc, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 3sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, 3sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc.

Row 14a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 4sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 3sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 4sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 15 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 2sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 2sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, 1sc.

Row 15a (WS): Ch1 and turn, (2sc, ch2, sk ch-sp) twice, (1sc, ch2, sk ch-sp) 3 times, 2sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 2sc. Change to color B.

Row 16 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, 2sc, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, 1sc, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, 2sc, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc.

Row 16a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 4sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 3sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 4sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 17 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 1dc, (1sc, ch2, sk 1 st) twice, 1dc, 3sc, 1dc, (ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc) twice, 1dc, 1sc.

Row 17a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 3sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 5sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 3sc. Change to color B.

Row 18 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1dc, 1sc, 1dc, 2sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 2sc, 1dc, 1sc, 1dc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1sc.

Row 18a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 5sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 5sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 19 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 2dc, 4sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 4sc, 2dc, 1sc.

Row 19a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 7sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 7sc. Change to color B.

Row 20 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch4, sk 3 st, 3sc, 1dc, 1sc, 1dc, 3sc, ch4, sk 3 st, 1sc.

Row 20a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch4, sk ch-sp, 9sc, ch4, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 21 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 3dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 7sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 3dc, 1sc.

Row 21a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 4sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 7sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 4sc. Change to color B.

Row 22 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1sc, 1dc, (ch2, sk 1 st, 2sc) twice, ch2, sk 1 st, 1dc, 1sc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1sc.

Row 22a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, (sk ch-sp, 2sc, ch2) 3 times, sk ch-sp, 2sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 23 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 2dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc, (1dc, ch3, sk 2 st) twice, 1dc, 1sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 2dc, 1sc.

Row 23a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 3sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 2sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 1sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 2sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 3sc. Change to color B.

Row 24 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1dc, 1sc, (ch2, sk 1 st, 2dc) twice, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc, 1dc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1sc.

Row 24a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, (sk ch-sp, 2sc, ch2) 3 times, sk ch-sp, 2sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 25 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 2dc, 1sc, ch2, sk 1 st, (1dc, 2sc) twice, 1dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc, 2dc, 1sc.

Row 25a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 4sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 7sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 4sc. Change to color B.

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Row 26 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch4, sk 3 st, 1dc, 7sc, 1dc, ch4, sk 3 st, 1sc.

Row 26a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch4, sk ch-sp, 9sc, ch4, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 27 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 3dc, 4sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 4sc, 3dc, 1sc.

Row 27a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 8sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 8sc. Change to color B.

Row 28 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1sc, ch4, sk 3 st, 1sc, 1dc, 1sc, ch4, sk 3 st, 1sc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1sc.

Row 28a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 1sc, ch4, sk ch-sp, 3sc, ch4, sk ch-sp, 1sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 29 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 2dc, 1sc, 3dc, ch2, sk 1 st, 1sc, ch2, sk 1 st, 3dc, 1sc, 2dc, 1sc.

Row 29a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 7sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 1sc, ch2, sk ch-sp, 7sc. Change to color B.

Row 30 COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1sc, ch4, sk 3 st, 1dc, 1sc, 1dc, ch4, sk 3 st, 1sc, ch3, sk 2 st, 1sc.

Row 30a (WS): Ch1 and turn, 1sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 1sc, ch4, sk ch-sp, 3sc, ch4, sk ch-sp, 1sc, ch3, sk ch-sp, 1sc. Change to color A.

Row 31 COLOR A: Ch1 and turn, 1sc, 2dc, 1sc, 3dc, 3sc, 3dc, 1sc, 2dc, 1sc.

Row 31a (WS): Ch1 and turn, sc in each st across.  Change to color B.

Border COLOR B: Ch1 and turn, sc in each st across,  2sc in the same st as last to form corner, (sk 1 row, 3sc in side of rows)15 times, sk last row, 3sc in the first ch of foundation to form second corner, sc in each ch of foundation across, 2sc in the same ch as last to form third corner, (sk 1 row, 3sc in side of rows)15 times, sk last row, 2sc in the first st of top row to form fourth corner, ss in first sc to join, Fasten off.

Weave in ends and block lightly to flatten.