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Saturday 8 March 2014

Hooky Blog Award Entry for Deramores Blog Awards 2014 - Free Crochet Pattern

I have decided to enter the Deramores Blog Awards 2014


So please wish me luck & here's what I would like to share with you all.

I am going to share a pattern, which I have updated / edited to include new  learning / information,  from my book "Crochet for Beginners who want to Improve" which is available in both UK & US crochet terminology.

Using a Traffic Light Crochet Teaching System (c), this pattern will take Crochet Beginners through an easy to understand pattern, which will help to build confidence in pattern reading and Crochet techniques.  

I found that beginners are often left to fend for themselves when it comes to pattern reading.  Once they've learnt a few basic stitches, where do they go next?  How do they learn to read patterns?  This can be SO frustrating & could break a newly self taught crocheters confidence.  That's why I wrote this book, with 10 easy to follow projects including hats & socks!!

This pattern is written as it would be in magazine / book or on the internet in BLACK text, however, the difference is my unique Traffic Light System (c) will help you. 
 This pattern is in UK crochet terminology.

 All tips, tricks of the trade, cheats & a longhand explanation of the black text will be written in GREEN as green is for "GO"

All abbreviations will be explained, longhand,  in AMBER when first used in a pattern as this will help you to recognise them

&
WARNINGS will be in RED as Red is for STOP, so STOP & do what it says!!

Remember to read through each section e.g. each round, before you get hooking.



Flower Headband

For the flower:  Using a 6mm Hook & Chunky Wool / Yarn   Use a 6mm Hook and some Chunky wool or yarn - I would suggest a light colour in plain, not varigated or multi coloured wool / yarn for your first go - try Stylecraft Chunky  - available from Deramores


To Start or Foundation Ring    4ch chain & join with a sl st slip stitch into the first ch the one nearest the knot to form a ring.

Before you continue:  Keep the tail end to the left, simply let it sit over the top of the chain  (if you are right handed & to the right if you are left handed) and make the stitches in Round 1 “over” this tail end so that you darn it in as you go! 

When you get to the end of the pattern pull this tail end to tighten the hole!! That’s how it’s done. If you forget this step, you’ll have to darn it in at the end, which is to be avoided if possible – hence the tip!

We are now going to be working in ROUNDS - for right handers that means working your stitches in and anti clockwise direction - for left handers work in a clockwise direction into the foundation ring. 

Round 1     3ch chain (counts as a tr treble)  11tr into ring so put your hook into the middle of that big hole you created in the Foundation Ring round.  Join with a sl st slip stitch into 3rd ch of the 3ch.  (12st) The 3rd ch of the 3ch is exactly that.  It’s the chains that you made right at the beginning of Round 1.  If you have difficulty in picking up both the back and front loops when slip stitching into the 3rd chain – simply use a smaller hook to do this bit, but remember to change back to the correct hook before you continue to work.  (12st) The numbers in brackets are the amount of stitches you should have at the end of each round or row.

Round 2     *3ch join with sl st to the next st stitch – repeat from * 11 times You will be making 3 chains or  "bumps" around the outside of the circle of 12 trebles you made in round 1 – think of it as making little petals all around. Do Not Fasten Off. *when you see a star, ignore it at first, until you get to the 2nd * This is the point where it will tell you what to do e.g. repeat from *

Round 3      sl st into the 3ch space This is the space between  the “little petal” and the stitches you made in round 1  1dc double crochet, 1htr half treble, 2tr, 1htr, 1dc into each 3ch space 12 times repeat it all from the beginning 12 times – no need for a * as it’s all included!

Join with a sl st, put your hook into the next stitch to make your slip stitch.  If you find that it looks a little "strange" then place your hook  into a more suitable place & make your slip stitch there!   fasten off and sew in end.

To fasten off & sew in end: simply snip the working wool leaving a 4 to 6 inch tail end, WOH Wool Over Hook and pull that tail end through the loop on the hook & pull gently to the left to fasten to a knot.  Use a darning needle to sew in your end – for a more invisible finish, put your needle into the middle of the “V” of the next stitch & slide the needle in diagonally down the body of the work towards the middle.

I hope you are getting more familiar with the abbreviations now?

To finish off:  Sew or attach a hair clip or brooch clip to the back of the flower.  By doing this you can attach the flower to the headband you make OR use it on its own as a fashion accessory!

For the Headband: Using a 6mm Hook & Chunky Wool / Yarn  You can use the same wool / yarn for the headband OR change your colour choice - make the pattern your own- but remember to stick with a light colour.

Foundation Chain     58ch. Join with a sl st into the 1st chain made (the one nearest the knot) taking care NOT to twist the chain.  Measure the chain around your head - if it's too big, go back a few chains - if it's too small, add a few chains.  This patter is based on an average womans' head size of 22.5 inches.

Row 1 1ch (counts as a stitch) mark this ch with a stitch marker - If you don’t have stitch markers then use a contrasting piece of wool/yarn  DO NOT USE A SAFETY PIN as the wool/yarn could get snagged in the “spring” so that you know to work into the ch at the end of the row  dc to end.  Join with a sl st (57sts) The numbers in brackets are a guide to the amount of stitches that you SHOULD have at the end of each round or row as previously mentioned.

This is how Row 1 would look when written out properly - do not repeat these instructions again as it's purely to give you an idea of how it would look.

Row 1:  1ch (counts as a stitch), dc to end. Join with a sl st (57st)  

Go straight to Rows 2 - 7 to continue ....

Rows 2 – 7  Repeat Row 1. Join with a sl st & fasten off & sew in end.

Although tension is not important / essential for this pattern, do try this headband on your own head to ensure a snug fit.  You can adjust the width of the headband by making fewer rows & remember you can adjust the circumference of the headband by making fewer chains.  E.g. If you want to make this for a child then reduce the number of chains that you make in your Foundation Chain!

Remember that the writing in BLACK is as a pattern would appear in a magazine, book or on the internet. 

Turning Chains Explained – Each Stitch has a height.  Double Crochet is the shortest stitch, Half Treble is the next up & Trebles are the tallest of the basic stitches in Crochet.  There are of course longer stitches, but let’s concentrate on these 3.
                  
To replicate a stitch instead of a dc double crochet we use 1ch chain to create the same amount of height as the stitch itself.

For htr half treble stitches we use 2ch chain & for tr treble crochet  it's 3ch  chain – these are called Turning Chains.

In some patterns you may be working in treble crochet but the designer is telling you to only work 2ch at the beginning of a row or round – this is used in certain pieces that are crocheted to close the gap that is more obvious in some pieces than in others, so
simply follow the pattern.

This blog entry is my submission to the Deramores Blog Awards 2014. Deramores is the UK’s number one online retailer of knitting and crochet supplies. 

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