Free pattern for a Christmas Tree Ring

14 Friday Nov 2014

Posted by Natasja in My crochet, Pattern, Ta-daah!

Tags

Christmas, christmas crochet, crochet jewellery, free crochet pattern

It’s almost Christmas (shock, horror) so I decided to design a free Christmas crochet pattern for all my lovely readers, Facebook followers and Instagram followers.

Christmas tree crochet ring

The christmas tree ring is a cute accessory to wear on Christmas day, it’s a great stocking filler, or wear it throughout December to spread the Christmas cheer every day.

crochet thread crochet christmas tree

I use crochet thread for this ring. Please don’t be afraid of using crochet thread and the required 1.5 mm crochet hook. I used crochet thread for two of the projects in Crochet Pretty. Out of all the patterns in Crochet Pretty, the Oh What A Cute Oval Brooch is my favourite and that’s all down to the use of crochet thread for tiny flowers and picots. I’m falling in love with crochet thread more every day.

We are spoilt with choice when it comes to yarn weights and most of the time we go for the double knits or 4 plies, but crochet thread is made for us! Literally! Making something with thin yarn and a tiny crochet hook is just like regular crochet, you just need to look a bit closer when you’re crocheting. That’s all there is to it.

crochet thread crochet christmas tree with seed beads

Hopefully this tiny crochet christmas tree will give you the confidence to also use crochet thread more and see the 1.5 mm crochet hook as your friend.

crochet thread seed beads ring blank

You will need

1.5 mm crochet hook

Anchor Freccia ticket no. 6 in green

Ring blanks like this one sold at Hobbycraft

Clear super glue or use a mini glue gun

5 x size 8 red seed beads. I bought this pack of mixed colours at Hobbycraft and just picked out the red beads.

Notes and abbreviations

This pattern is written in US crochet terms. The sc (single crochet) in this pattern is the equivalent of a dc (double crochet) in UK crochet terms.

Bsc is a Beaded Single Crochet. You make a beaded crochet stitch by moving the bead up against your crochet before doing the last “yarn over” of the stitch. Watch this video to see how to make a beaded treble – the technique is the same no matter what crochet stitch you use.

Beads have to be threaded onto the yarn before you begin crocheting. Watch this video to see how to thread the beads onto yarn.

Turn your work after every row.

ch = chain

sc = single crochet

bsc = beaded single crochet

st = stitch

Pattern

Thread 6 seed beads onto yarn.

Foundation row: Work 2 chains.

Row 1: 1 sc into second ch.

Row 2: 1 ch, (1 sc, 1bsc, 1 sc) into next st. (3 st.)

Row 3: 1 ch, sc in each st to end. (3 st.)

Row 4: 1 ch, (1 sc, 1 bsc) into next st, 1 sc, 2 sc in next st. (5 st.)

Row 5: 1 ch, 1 sc in each st to end. (5 st.)

Row 6: 1 ch, 2 sc in first st, 1 sc, 1 bsc, 1 sc, 2 sc in last st. (7 st.)

Row 7: 1 ch, 1 sc in each st to end. (7 st)

Row 8: 1 ch, (1 sc, 1 bsc) into next st, 4 sc, 1 bsc, 2 sc in last st. (9 st)

Row 9: 1 ch, 1 sc in each st to end. (9 st)

Row 10: 1 ch, 4 sc, 1 bsc, 4 sc (9 st)

Row 11: 1 ch, 3 sl st, 1 ch, 3 sc (last 3 st remain unworked). (3 sc)

Row 12: 1 ch, 3 sc. (3 sc)

Fasten off and weave away the ends.

Glue the christmas tree to the ring blank.

xxxxxx

Christmas tree crochet ring

Delicate Daisy Square pattern

14 Thursday Aug 2014

Posted by Natasja in My crochet, Part 3, Pattern, Photo Tutorial

≈ 11 Comments

Tags

free crochet pattern

We can’t have a new Crochet For Kidneys, without a new pattern can we? Part 1 had the Kidney Granny Square, Part 2 had Hexagon In Bloom and now Part 3 has the Delicate Daisy Square.

Delicate Daisy Square crochet pattern

You will need double knit or light worsted acrylic yarn in four shades and a 4 mm crochet hook.

I wrote the pattern in US crochet terms. In UK crochet terms, the SC = DC, HDC = HTR, DC = TR, TR = DTR.

Make an adjustable ring (also known as a magic ring). Ch 1, 16 SC in ring, slip stitch to first chain.

Round 1: Chain 11, slip stitch into same sc, *slip stitch into next SC, chain 11, slip stitch into same SC* repeat 14 more times (16 chain loops). Fasten off yarn. Round 1 of Delicate Daisy pattern

Round 2: Join new colour in chain space of any loop. Ch 1, *SC in chain space, ch 3*. Repeat from * to * 15 more times. Join with a slip stitch to first chain.

Round 2 of Delicate Daisy pattern Round 3. Chain 3 (count as DC), *3 DC in 3 chain space, DC in SC. Repeat from * to end. 64 DC. Join with a slip stitch to top of turning chain.

Round 3 of Delicate Daisy pattern

Round 4: Chain 2 (count as HDC), 2 HDC, 5 SC, 3 HDC, *[1 TR, 2 DC, 3 chain, 2 DC, 1 TR] in same stitch. Corner made. Skip 2 DC, 3 HDC, 5 SC, 3 HDC, skip 2 DC*. Repeat from * to * three more times. Join with a slip stitch to 3rd chain of turning chain. Fasten off.

You can use this method to turn any circle of 64 stitches, into a square shape.

Turn a crochet circle into a square

Round 5: Join new colour to any corner space. Ch 1, *3 SC in corner space, 6 SC, Long SC, SC, Long SC, SC, Long SC, 6 SC.* Repeat from * to * 3 more times. Join with slip stitch to first chain. Fasten off. (Long SC is worked into the DC of round 3).

Round 5 of delicate daisy pattern

Round 6: Join new colour to 2nd SC of the three SC worked in corner space. [Chain 3 (count as DC), 2 DC, 3 chain, 3 DC]. Corner made. *DC in each SC and Long SC along to first SC of the three SC worked in the corner space (19 DC). [3 DC, 3 chain, 3 DC] in corner space.* Repeat from * to * two more times. Fasten off and weave away tail ends.

Delicate Daisy round 5

PLEASE NOTE: The squares in these photos are 13cm. To make the square suitable for the Crochet For Kidneys blanket, they need to be 15cm. If your tension is looser than mine, you may reach 15cm by Round 6. If not, do not fasten off round 6 and work as follows:

Round 7: [Chain 3 (count as DC), 2 DC, 3 chain, 3 DC]. Corner made. *DC in each DC of Round 6, [3 DC, 3 chain, 3 DC] in corner space. * Repeat from * to * two more times. Fasten off and weave away tail ends.

I hope you enjoy making this daisy flower square and that you won’t just use it for the Crochet For Kidneys blankets. These squares will make lovely cushions too! With three colours (plus the white border) the pretty colour combinations are endless!

The pattern is also listed on Ravelry here.

Delicate Daisy square

Striped crochet coaster for Fathers Day

31 Saturday May 2014

Posted by Natasja in My crochet, Pattern

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

crochet coasters, Fathers Day gift, free crochet pattern

I was chatting to my mom yesterday and she reminded me that Fathers Day was on the 15th of June. Living in the UK, with parents living in South Africa I always have to plan far ahead to get presents and cards to them in time. (Mothers Days is even more of a planning mission because Mothers Day in South Africa is on a different day than Mothers Day in the UK. Very confusing and easy to forget about!) Thank goodness for Moms who remind us about Fathers Day, making it possible to crochet a gift for Dad in time.

I whipped up this easy striped coaster with DAD embroidered in cross stitch in an afternoon.

striped crochet coaster for Dad

With this quick pattern and two weeks to go to Fathers Day you won’t have any excuse not to make him a crocheted gift. And if, like me, you need to post the gift, the coaster is ideal to pop inside a greeting card.

Here is the pattern:

Yarn: Rowan Handknit Cotton in three shades. Ecru (colour A), Ice Water (colour B) and Linen (colour C). The cross stitch is done in Rico Creative Cotton Dark Blue

Crochet hook: 3.5 mm

The pattern is written in UK crochet terms. For US readers, the DC is SC.

Using colour A, chain 20.

Row 1: DC in 2nd chain from the hook, DC to end (19 DC).

Continue working in DC as follows:

Row 2 – 4: colour B

Row 5: colour A

Row 6: colour C

Row 7: colour B

Row 8 – 9: colour C

Row 10: colour A

Row 11 – 12: colour B

Row 13: colour A

Row 14: colour B

Row 15 – 17: colour C

Row 18 – 19: colour A

Row 20: colour B

Block the square using the wet block technique. Use dark blue to cross stitch DAD down the left side of the coaster. Leave two rows unworked at the top and bottom, and one DC stitch unworked on the side.

cross stitch pattern for DAD

If you want to know more about cross stitching onto crochet, I explain it more fully in this post.

I hope you enjoy making this striped coaster for Dad. The pattern is listed on Ravelry, so please link your projects so that I can see your coasters!

Granny Square In Bloom pattern

04 Sunday Aug 2013

Posted by Natasja in My crochet, Pattern, Photo Tutorial

≈ 17 Comments

Tags

crochet flower, crochet pattern, free crochet pattern

Here is the Granny Square in Bloom pattern, as used in Liezel’s cushion that I blogged about here.

If you click on the picture, it will open as a PDF document which you can print. The PDF contains step by step photos. The pattern also appears on the Photo Tutorials tab of this blog.

If you don’t need step by step photos, here is the written pattern. I use US crochet terms*:

With colour A chain 5, slip stitch in first chain to form a ring.

Round 1: Chain 1, 8 SC in ring, slip stitch in chain. 8 SC

Round 2: Chain 1, 2 SC in each SC, slip stitch in chain. 16 SC. Fast off colour A.

Round 3: Join colour B. Chain 3 (count as DC.) *Popcorn stitch, 1 DC* Repeat from * to *. Join with slip stitch in chain. Fasten off colour B.

Round 4: Join colour C to any Popcorn stitch. Chain 1, 2 SC in same stitch. *Long SC in DC, 2 SC in Popcorn* Repeat from * to *. Join with slip stitch in chain. 24 SC. Fasten off colour C.

Round 5: Join colour D to any Long SC. Chain 3 (count as DC). 8 DC in same stitch (9 DC shell made). *Skip 2 SC. 9 DC shell in Long SC.* Repeat from * to *. Join with slip stitch to chain. Fasten off colour D.

Round 6: Join colour E to SC of round 4. You will need to fold over the shells of round 5 in order to reach the SC of round 4. Chain 3 (count as DC). DC in same stitch. DC in next SC. *Chain 2, 2 DC, 1 DC*. Repeat from * to *. Join with slip stitch to chain.

Round 7: Chain 4 (count as DC plus 1 chain). *3 DC, 2 chain, 3DC* in chain 2 space of round 6. Corner shell made. 1 Chain. 3 DC in chain 2 space of round 6. Shell made. 1 Chain. Continue working *corner shell, 1 chain, shell, 1 chain* around in each 2 chain space of round 6. Join with slip stitch to chain.

Round 8: Continue working shells in chain 1 spaces and corner shells in chain 2 spaces around, each shell seperated by 1 chain.

I hope you enjoy making your Granny Square in Bloom squares. The pattern is in the Ravelry pattern database, so please link your projects so that I can see what you make!!

*Shelley has translated the US crochet terms into UK / Australian terms over on her blog. You will find it here.

Granny Square In Bloom cushion

04 Sunday Aug 2013

Posted by Natasja in My crochet, My ramblings, Pattern, Ta-daah!

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

crochet, crochet cushion, crochet flower, free crochet pattern, granny square

You know that square motif I’ve been telling you about that had me so excited? Well, here it is. It’s called Granny Square In Bloom.

I used the squares to make a cushion for my very good friend Liezel, as a birthday present (you can see her photography blog here).

She reads this blog and follows me on Instragram so I couldn’t post regular photo updates. I gave her the cushion yesterday which means I can finally reveal it to my lovely blog readers. The cushion was a huge hit! I’m so glad that I could make her happy with something handmade.

Liezel went home and took these photos of the cushion in it’s new home.

As you can see, she has a bird theme for the cushions on her bed. I wanted to stick to her theme, so I used three Red Robbin buttons. Aren’t they cute?!

Nitty-gritty of the cushion:

Yarn: Stylecraft Cotton Classique in White, Rowan Handknit cotton in Ice Water, Raspberry, Linen and China Rose.
Crochet hook: 3.5 mm
Pattern for the front: Eight traditional granny squares of 4 rounds each in white, finished off with a row of SC. (Each of the four colours were used for two squares.) Plus the eight 3-dimensional flower squares which are my own design. I call it Granny Square in Bloom squares. The pattern is available for free on the Photo Tutorials tab, in this blog post and also on Ravelry. I didn’t add a row of SC on the flower squares.
Pattern for the back: Traditional granny square of 19 rounds. Each colour round is seperated with two white rounds. I edged the granny square with SC in Linen.
Construction: The 16 squares which together forms the front, and the three side seams were sewed together with a slip stitch seam as described here on the Simply Crochet website. For the opening I slip stitch-joined up to the first shell on each side so that it would form neat corners.
Inner: Microfibre 16″ inner bought from Design-a-Cushions. Design-a-Cushions recommend purchasing an inner one inch bigger than your cover. I therefor made sure my covers were 15″ squared. Doing it this way gives you a perfect puffy cushion. I can highly recommend Design-a-Cushions. They are my favourite cushion inner supplier in the UK.
Red Robin Button: Natural Shell Zakka buttons that I bought on eBay from this seller.

I thoroughly enjoyed designing the square, knowing that my friend will be the very first person to own something made in that design. Liezel, I hope you have the sweetest of dreams when you’re resting your pretty head on the cushion.

Lots of love

Jou maatjie, Natasja