Candy Corn Bow ~ Free Pattern!!!

 I have noticed the first Aspens starting to turn gold. It's hard to believe summer is almost over! Here is a pattern to help usher in Autumn.  Based on one of my favorite Halloween candies! Enjoy!
Download on Ravelry for free at this Link

No Sew Ruffle Rose & Ribbed Headband

I used worsted weight yarn and an H (5mm) Hook for both the headband and rose.

First the headband -

This is super easy. Ch to the width you want your headband to be plus 2.  In the picture I chained 8 because I wanted the headband to be 6 stitches across. It can be any width.

** I never count the chain up at the beginning of a row as a stitch and I crochet into each st across. Even the first one that the chain up is connected to. This is an assumption in the pattern.***

R1: Hdc in the 3rd chain from hook and in each chain across. Turn

R2: Ch2, hdc in the back loop of each stitch until the last stitch, hdc in both loops of the last stitch.

Repeat R2 until your desired length. It's best to measure the head of the person who will wear this, but here is a general guide. 

Newborn = 13"

0-6 Months = 15"

6-12 Months = 17''

Toddler =  19"

Preschooler = 20 -21"

Child = 21-22"

Teen to Adult = 22-23" or more

I have a big head and it measures about 25" (It's true, I do. When I was born I was only 6 pounds but when people saw me wrapped up they all thought I was huge - like 10 lbs. from the size of my head. Like you needed to know that about me! ;-)

Once you reach your desired length fold the headband matching up the 2 short sides. Both sides of the headband are the same so there is no right or wrong side to worry about. Now you can either slip stitch these 2 ends together or cut a long tail, get out your tapestry needle and whip stitch them together. Tie off and weave in the yarn ends and the headband is done. You will be sewing the flower over the seam.

Now for the Flower. 

Most roses have you crochet a long scalloped strip, roll it up and sew it together. This one is different. It's not scalloped or sewn. I got the idea from making fabric roses out of gathered material strips.

Join each round with a sl st in first st as indicated.

R1: Magic Loop. Ch 1, 6sc in magic loop, pull loop tight

R2: Ch1, 2 sc in front loop of each st around, join in front loop

R3: Ch1, * sc in front loop of the first st, 2 sc in the front loop of the next *, repeat * to * around, join in front loop

You have made a circle that will be the base to the rose. Turn your circle over. You will see a spiral made up of the back loops of each st and the joining slip stitches. I will now refer to each loop in the spiral as a loop. 

Working in these loops - ch 2, crochet 3 dc in each loop, following the spiral all the way around to the last loop. In the last loop work - dc, hdc, sc.  Tie off with a long tail for sewing. Sew the tail through the center of the flower. This will make the ruffle curve nicely into the center. Sew on the headband over the headband seam.

Crocheting into the spiral of loops can get tricking. I find it helpful to fold the base of the flower at the loop you are trying to work into. 

Enjoy this pattern. Please email me if you have any questions! mail.oodles4noodles@gmail.com

***** You may do anything you like with items you make using my patterns.  If you sell them on-line I only ask that you link back to the post. You may also link back to this post on any blog or website. Please do not copy any part of this pattern and claim it as your own or copy and re-post it elsewhere. Thank You ***** 

Spring Chick Applique Pattern

Aren't the little chicks cute! Here is how you can make one!

So Cute on a Little Hat!!!

You can use any yarn with appropriate size hook for this.  The yarn type & hook size will determine the finished size of the chick. The yellow one is made with worsted weight yarn & a 5mm hook. The finished size is 2.75 inches beak to tail & 2.5 inches top to bottom.

Here is the basic technique.
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
hdc = half double crochet
trc = triple crochet
quadc = quadruple crochet, yo 3 times, insert hook into st, pull up loop, yo pull through 2 loop 4 times
pentc = penta crochet, yo 4 times, insert hook into st, pull up loop, yo pull through 2 loops 5 times

Sorry for the weird names of quadc & pentc, but I don't know the names of these stitches, so I called them what made sense to me. Does anyone know their official name? Couldn't find it on google.

R1 - 10 sc in a magic loop. If you don't know how to crochet in a magic loop you can watch a video here.  Tighten your magic loop but do not join with a slip stitch as you may be accustomed to doing. Instead just make the first stitch on the second round in the first sc of the first round.

R2 - 2sc in the first st (you may want to mark the first sc with a stitch marker), sc in 2nd, hdc then dc in 3rd, 2dc in 4th and 5th, 2sc in 6th, sc then dc in 7th,  2 trc in 8th, 2 quadc in 9th,  2 quadc in 10th. Again do not join.

R3 - Now your next stitch should be the first sc of the second round. In this stitch do 2 quadc & 1 pentac. Ch1, sl st in the same space (this will give a tiny point to the tail feathers). Now sl st down the side of the pentc going right to left. Join when you meet up with the next stitch.  It will look like this.

Now you should see the shape of the chick, but the tail part has such long stitches that it doesn't hold together.  So, tie off leaving a long tail to sew with. Flip the chick over and sew up and down the backs of all those stitches.  You will see little loops going up the back of each stitch.

Sew up and down under these little loops in rows to secure your stitches together.

For the eye sew a french knot between the 7th & 8th stitch of the second round. I first sewed a small straight stitch between the two catching a few threads from each and then sewed the french knot into the straight stitch to give it something to hold on to.

For the beak - join beak yarn in the 10th stitch of the second row. sc in the same stitch. fasten off and weave ends.

Hope you enjoy making these chickies! If you do please let me know! I'd love to see pic's! If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask in comments or email me at mail.oodles4noodles@gmail.com

 © 2011 Carrie A. Piper
****You may do anything you like with items you make using my patterns.  If you sell them on-line I only ask that you link back to the post. You may also link back to this post on any blog or website. Please do not copy any part of this pattern and claim it as your own or copy and re-post it elsewhere. Thank You ****

Luck O' The Irish - Shamrock Tutorial

My Etsy shop is up & so is my Facebook Fan Page. What better way to get things started than with a tutorial on how to crochet a shamrock & 4-leaf clover. So in honor of St. Patrick, March & my Irish ancestors - here it goes!

L- 4-Leaf Clover in Worsted Weight,   R- Shamrock with Bulky yarn

Materials - Any weight yarn with hook to match it's weight. You will need a very small amount of yarn.

To start you have 2 options - work in a magic ring or chain 3 and join with a slip stitch.

For Leaves - work the following into the center of the magic or chain ring you just made - ch3, tr, dc, tr, ch3, sl st - do this 3 times for a shamrock & 4 times for a 4-leaf clover.

Stem - after last sl st chain 5 to 7 (depending on how long you want your stem, I did 5). Sc in second chain from the hook. Sl st in each ch up the stem. fasten off & weave in ends.

Note - if you used a magic ring you should tighten it up before crocheting the stem.

Now you can make it into a pin, a magnet, put it on a hair clip or head band!
Hopefully some Irish luck will rub off on both you & me!

Until next time - Erin Go Bragh!