I’m in the process of making different coasters and, as I like overlay crochet, this pretty pattern looked a good choice (My hubby says the pattern has a celtic look which is very effective).

Anyway…I have lots of Drops Safran yarn and this design originally being for sport weight yarn looked ideal.

Only one coaster made so far - the one I make errors on before I have a clear run at it

UPDATE: 2 made now and the 2nd one is much neater!
(first one made is now the bottom picture of the 5 and the back one in the two coasters picture)

The above pictures are also more blue than the coasters actually look in daylight, but never mind!

Size made:
With 3mm hook and sport weight yarn:
5.5 inches (14 cms)

Pattern:
I bought the e-book with 3 patterns and will use them all.

The pattern is well-written, with loads of pictures next to the text (so you know which picture goes with which round).
Clear instructions and relatively easy to do….
However…
You do need to concentrate!
And keep counting

(I was half watching the TV and kept forgetting to do the sc inc stitches, so had to go back a couple of times because the stitch count is vital to getting the pattern right).

Only part which was a little unclear was that the pattern stated BLO on most rounds, but the last two or three, but the pictures appeared to show work continuing in back loops, so I did them all that way.

Overall an enjoyable pattern, once you concentrate.
(And it works out much better on the 2nd attempt!)

Yarn:

It doesn’t take a lot of yarn at all.

I have loads of Drops Safran to use, but I’m finding it’s not ideal for coasters, or for more intricate work.
It’s lovely, soft cotton, but it splits…a lot!

Also, being a soft yarn, it’s not ideal for a coaster (which I like to feel a little sturdy - might be just me though!).
I was hoping that this overlay design would help give strength to the coaster, but it’s still a bit floppy…
May starch it later…. or back it….
(But that’s not the pattern’s fault - just choice of yarn to use).

Now I know the pattern well enough, I will make more coasters in different colours as the pattern is very well worth doing!

Pattern Changes made by me:

Because I used rather soft yarn, I decided to make a backing section (see below)

For my 2nd and subsequent coasters, I have chosen to go up a hook size as follows:

Main coaster - 3mm hook
Outer slip stitch row - 3.5mm hook (stops it pulling/cupping)
Surface crochet around the centre (row 2) - 3.5mm hook (makes the stitch size fit better with the overall pattern - for me, anyway).

Backing Section if required:
The coasters would usually need no backing (as long as the back of the coaster is finished off well), but the yarn I used is a bit ‘floppy’ as a coaster, so I designed a backing just for these, as follows:

The aim is to start with and end with the same number of stitches and rows as on the original pattern.

Backing Pattern
(pic 3)
(3mm hook for all but the last - slip st - round which uses 3.5mm hook)

MC (Magic Circle)
16 dc into mc (includes 3ch as 1st dc) (16)
SC inc into each st (32)
SC around (no increase) (32)
SC inc every 2nd st (48)
SC no increase (48)
SC inc every 6th st (56)
SC inc every 7th st (64)
SC inc every 8th st (72)
SC inc every 9th st (80)
SC inc every 10th st (88)
SC around no increase (88)
SC inc every 11th st (96)
SC inc every 12th st (104)
SC inc every 13th st (112)
Slip st around. Weave in ends and fasten off (112)

Backing section is then sewn to front section by sewing inside edge of each sl st together (using same yarn).
(See pic 4)

This will need blocking, but not too much.

NB: This increase method does give slight ‘points’ in the circle due to constant incs in the same area.
If you like, you could vary the incs (same count, but in a varying order).
But the points actually line up with the picots on the main (front) section, so it really doesn’t matter!