Biting the Bullet!
Jan 01, 2015
Kia Ora, hello, welcome!
Well, I've been dragging my heels on the launch of this website as my knees were knocking at the prospect of having to write my first blog post! It's crazy and totally silly as I'm online writing and chatting to people all the time, but this somehow seems more formal to me, and therefore scary. But I've dragged myself out from my hiding place under the bed and decided I'm going to bite the bullet, so please bear with me while I find my way....
The last few days I've been having fun playing with various bits and pieces of crochet related materials (yarn, hooks, needles, buttons, garlands... ) to make fun little images, or yarn doodles as I like to call them. It's been my way of procrastinating and getting out of packing all our things away ready to move house! A few days ago I posted my latest yarn doodle on Instagram and Facebook, 'ADdiCT', which of course refers to my addiction to crochet and yarn, but also colour and coffee too! Someone asked if I had a pattern for the simple wee flower and leaf garland that is featured in the pic. I didn't. Like most of the things I do, I just make them up as I go along. So I thought, why don't I write up this simple little pattern and offer it as a freebie in my first blog post? So here goes...
Cotton & Twine Flower Garland
Materials:
- Small amounts of yarn in colours of your choice. I used three colours of Lily Sugar & Cream cotton plus the green for the leaves. It's a worsted weight but this pattern will work fine with DK as well (please see notes for using DK).
- H - 5mm hook
- Twine for the garland string (enough to suit your space. I used approximately one metre for these three flowers)
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
Abbreviations (US terms):
Rnd - round st - stitch ch - chain sc - single crochet hdc - half double crochet dc - double crochet
Notes:
- For a tidy finish when changing colours this pattern uses an Invisible Join instead of the usual sl st.
- As DK yarn is a little thinner you may need to either use a double strand, or increase the number of dc stitches in your starting round. This will affect the stitch counts but not the pattern, as increasing the initial number of dc's will simply add extra petals.
Flowers (Make 3):
Round One (Colour #1): Begin with a magic circle, ch 2 (count as the first dc) and work 6 more dc stitches into the magic circle, make an invisible join in the top of the initial ch 2. Pull the tail from the magic circle tight. (7)
Round Two (Change to colour #2): Attach with a sl st to the first st from Rnd 1, ch 1 (do not count as a sc), work 2 sc into the space between the first two dc stitches, work 2 sc into the spaces between the remaining stitches in the round, make an invisible join in the top of the first sc st. (14)
Round Three (Change to colour #3): Attach with a sc to the first st from Rnd 2, *ch 3, skip 1 sc st, sc in next*, repeat this sequence to the end, join with a sl st to the top of the first sc st. (28 or 7sc 21ch)
Round Four (Continue working in colour #3): Do not ch, *into the ch3 space make the following stitches {sc, hdc, 2dc, hdc, sc}, sl st in next sc st*, repeat this sequence for the remaining 6 petals, fasten off and weave in ends. (49)
Leaves (Make 4):
Ch9, sl st in 2nd chain from hook, sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc in next 2 sts, hdc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in last st, ch2 and turn your work to make your next stitches down the opposite side of the chain (into the same chain spaces you worked your first side into so that your leaf is symmetrical), sl st into the same ch st as the previous sl st, sc in next st, hdc in next st, dc in next 2 sts, hdc in next st, sc in next st, sl st in last st. Fasten off and weave in ends. (18)
To assemble:
Arrange your flowers and leaves in the order you like best. Thread the twine into your yarn needle and run it through the top underside of your flowers and leaves so that it is not too visible (I threaded my flowers through the back of Round 2). Slide your leaves and flowers along the length of the twine and space approximately 10cm apart. Tie loops on the ends of your twine for easy hanging or leave them free for tying to furniture, trees etc...
So there you have it! My first blog post almost done... that wasn't so bad after all! I have a full photo tutorial partly finished for a larger flower garland especially for beginners. Hopefully it won't be too far away.
I'll leave you with the other two yarn doodles I've made... 'CRoCHet'
And 'LOVE'...
Much love,
Alia xx
p.s. If you're wondering about the gorgeous hanks of yarn that feature in the doodles... they come from two talented indie dyers here in NZ ~ Koru Designs Aotearoa & Meraki Studio NZ. And those gorgeous hooks, they're my pride and joy from Furls Crochet (yes, they're absolutely delicious to use too!).
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