Great Wave Off Kanagawa Mini
Three of my favorite things to combine are art, crochet and functionality. That’s why this crochet mini masterpiece is the perfect quick project for anyone wishing to bring a bit more art to their daily life. This free pattern will help you to create your own "The Great Wave of Kanagawa" by Hokusai, reimagined as a stunning miniature bag charm. This iconic artwork, originally created as a woodblock print during the Edo period in Japan, has captivated hearts for centuries. Now, you can carry a piece of this masterpiece with you wherever you go!
This bag charm is in fact a smaller remake of the larger, full version of the Great Wave that I had designed for my mini masterpiece series, where I have been making tapestry crochet patterns for all of the world’s most famous art pieces. They are all a maximum of 10cm in size! Some people have suggested turning them into a masterpiece blanket, but I’m not sure I have the motivation for that! For now they are adorning my wall in what I’ve affectionately named “Pixel Gallery.”
The full Great Wave contains the full original print with intricate colour changes, more true to the artwork. It also has a written and charted pattern with full colour codes, suggested yarn and colour substitutions, and links to video tutorials for the tapestry techniques. You can find the pattern on Ravelry and Ko-Fi.
"The Great Wave of Kanagawa" is hands down one of the most recognizable and beloved pieces of Japanese art. This masterpiece was crafted by Katsushika Hokusai, a painter and printmaker of the 19th century. The print is part of Hokusai's series "Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji" and depicts a powerful wave towering over fishing boats and Mount Fuji in the background.
While the miniature version doesn’t contain Mount Fuji or the boats, it does have the most recognizable part of all - the wave. I mean come on… it has its own emoji!
So let’s dive right in!
What you’ll need:
2.25mm hook (or hook to suit your yarn)
Darning needle
Scissors
Medium Blue, White, Tan, Dark Brown colored yarn (I use sport weight cotton, preferably mercerized for that “crisp” finish)
Notes:
This pattern is written in US terms.
It is worked in rows, with a chain 1 and turn at the end of every row.
There is only a charted version of the front panel.
All odd rows will have the right side facing you, all even rows will have the wrong side facing you. Be sure to keep all yarn tails and carried yarn on the wrong side of the work!
For this charm I made two wave panels and joined them back to back so that if the charm turns on my bag it will still have the image. Alternatively you could make a plain sc panel that is 18 stitches wide and 15 rows to use as the back piece.
Do not share this pattern or its parts. You are, however, permitted to sell finished objects made from this pattern.
The right side and wrong sides! When you join them it should be wrong sides together, to hide all your yarns ends.
Chart Pattern:
Start with a chain of 19 and work into the second chain from the hook. Your first stitch will be at square (1,1). At the end of each row, chain 1 and turn.
Joining:
Hold the two panels with wrong sides facing each other. Join with a slst (through both panels) into the central stitch on the top edge (see picture below). *Sc along to corner, sc + ch 2 + sc into corner.* repeat ** around. Join to first st with a slst
To make into a charm, ch 60, and join to first sc with a slst. Slst into base.
Sew in all ends, and you are done!
Thank you so much for visiting the free pattern and I hope you enjoyed making!
I would love to see any of your Great Wave remakes so please tag me on Instagram: @enchanted.threads or on TikTok @amber.jf
Stay tuned for so much more exciting content coming soon!
Isn’t she cute!