I Love California Rolls!

When I was in elementary school, my mom worked at a preschool.  One day at lunchtime she realized that one of her students was choking on his lunch.  He wasn't able to breathe, and he started turning blue.  She quickly gave him the Heimlich Maneuver and out popped an un-chewed piece of sandwich.  The next day, the boy's mother brought my mom a present.  She had made California Rolls for my mom because she appreciated my mom's quick thinking that saved her son's life.  
I was not excited about the gift.  I couldn't get my mind around the blackness of the nori (which I associated with the stinky ropey strands of seaweed that washed up on the beaches nearby), and the raw fish in the middle (which I didn't realize wasn't actually raw at all).  But I liked rice, and I liked soy sauce, and my mom was reluctant to share her treasure, which made me determined to try one. One bite, and I was hooked.
Now, almost thirty (gasp! I'm not that old!)  years later, I adore sushi.  I adore raw fish.  I buy packages of seaweed in bulk at Costco for evening snacking.  Last summer I had an awesome opportunity to make some fresh salmon sashimi with some wild salmon that I caught myself in Alaska.  But my first love, and my truest love, will always be with the California Roll.  Filled with crab and avocado, rolled tightly and sliced in to single bite pieces, topped with pickled ginger and a smidgen of wasabi, I am hungry just thinking about it!  

So, this is my take on California Roll Coasters. I am really happy with how they turned out. In fact,  I loved them so much, I made myself a scarf as well.  What I think I like best about them is that they're not perfectly round. They're a little misshapen and more oval than perfectly round, which is exactly like how my homemade California Rolls always turn out. 


The California Roll Coasters
Each coaster is approximately 4" across
Make 4 for a set, or if you're really feeling generous 6 or 8 for a really cool gift.


Supplies:
Loops & Threads
Snuggly Wuggly baby sport
Color 01512 Perfect Peach

Red Heart Soft
Tangerine

Loops & Threads
Impeccable
Color 01223 Grass
Color 01243 Forest
Color 01005 White

Red Heart Soft
Dark Leaf

Size G hook

Instructions:

Crab
Using Perfect Peach chain 4.
R1: Sc in second ch from hook, sc in each ch, ch 1, turn. (3 st) 
R2-3: sc in each st across, ch 1, turn. (3 st)
R4: sc in each st across, switch to Tangerine, ch 1. (3 st)
R5: 2 sc in corner, 2 sc down side, 3 sc in corner, 1 sc across bottom, 3 sc in corner, 2 sc along side,  3 sc in corner, 1 sc across top, 1 sc in first corner, sl st to first sc of round. (18 st) 
Fasten off. Weave in ends.

Avocado
R1: Using Grass, pick up and sc 5 st along side of crab piece, ch 1, turn. 
R2: 5 sc, switch to Forest, ch 1, turn.
R3: 5 sc. 
Fasten off, weave in ends.

Rice and Nori
R1: Using White, pick up and sc 31 st around edge of crab/avocado piece, making sure to put 3 sc in each corner, and sl st to join round. (31 st) 
R2: ch 1, (2 sc in next sc, 2 sc) 10 times, sc,  sl st to first sc to join round. (41 st)
R3: ch 1, sc in each st,  sl st to first sc to join round, switch to Dark Leaf. (41 sc)
R4: ch 1, (2 sc in next sc, 3 sc) 10 times, sc,  sl st to first sc to join round. (51 st) 
Fasten off. Weave in ends.


The California Roll Scarf
Approximate length 66" long
Follow instructions for The California Roll Coasters and make 16 coasters.  Using Dark Leaf yarn, sew coasters together right sides facing up, matching stitches along the edge.  I used a whip stitch, matching the edge of 8 stitches, to sew mine together.

xoxo