Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Crochet Ladybug, Beret and Scarf Set





I have made this set for my Step daughter Bec', it will be her birthday on the 24.04.
I wrote my own beret pattern, as I wanted to use 2 strands of 8 ply yarn for extra thickness (16 ply). You can use any old type of beret pattern available.

I have supplied a free pattern for the Beret and Scarf here.
Enjoy!!!!!












Ladybug Beret
Materials
2 x 50 gm balls of 8 ply red (US light worsted)
2 x 50 gm balls of 8 ply black
Size 5.00 mm hook (US size H hook)
Size 4.00 mm hook (US size G hook)
Sewing needle

Stitch used is US sc

Special instructions
Beret and Peak are made by using 2 strands of yarn together, which gives you a 16 ply Beret
Do not join rounds
The use of a stitch marker between rounds

Alternate increase’s for a more rounded effect, such as, sc then increase, increase then sc.
Instructions are given for only for sc then increase.

Size is for small adult head

Beret, working with 2 strands of red yarn and a size 5.00mm hook
Ch 4, sl st to form a ring
8 sc into ring (8 sc)
2 sc in each sc around (16 sc)
1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of the round (24 sc)
1 sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of round (32 sc)
1 sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of round, (40 sc)
1 sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of round (48 sc)
1 sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of round (56 sc)
work 1 sc in each sc around (56 sc)
1 sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of round (56 sc)
1 sc in next 6 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of round (64 sc)
1 sc in next 7 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of round (72 sc)
1 sc in next 8 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of round (80 sc)
work 1 sc in each sc around (80 sc)
1 sc in next 9 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of round (88 sc)
1 sc in next 10 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of round (96 sc)
work 1 sc in each sc around (96 sc)
1 sc in next 10 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of round (96 sc)
1 sc in next 11 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat to end of round (104 sc)
This should give you an approximate width of 10 inches in diameter, if you want a wider beret, keep increasing in the above manner to get your width. If puckering occurs, work a row with out increases.

Work 1 round of sc in back loops only
Decrease rounds are the reverse of the increase rounds
1 sc in next 11 sc, sc 2 sc together, repeat to end of round (96 sc)
1 sc in next 10 sc, sc 2 sc together, repeat to end of round (88 sc)
1 sc in next 9 sc, sc 2 sc together, repeat to end of round (80 sc)
1 sc in next 8 sc, sc 2 sc together, repeat to end of round (72 sc)
1 sc in next 7 sc, sc 2 sc together, repeat to end of round (64 sc)
1 sc in next 6 sc, sc 2 sc together, repeat to end of round (56 sc)
1 sc in next 5 sc, sc 2 sc together, repeat to end of round (48 sc) Stop decreasing here (row 26) for a medium sized beret
1 sc in next 4 sc, sc 2 sc together, repeat to end of round (40 sc)
work next 5 rows in sc, with 2 strands of black, without decrease or length desired. Fasten off


Peak for beret
Using 2 strands of black and size 5.00 mm hook
Ch 2
work 4 sc into 2nd ch from hook, ch 1 and turn
2 sc in each sc across, ch 1 turn (8 sc)
1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next, repeat to end, ch 1 and turn (12 sc)
1 sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next, repeat to end, ch 1 and turn (16 sc)
keep increasing in this manner until you have 28 sc or width desired. Fasten off
Attach peak to beret, sew in all loose ends.

The back split is worked with a single strand of black yarn in sc through the red beret with a size 4.00 mm hook.

Feelers are sewn in black as pictured.


Make a face on the peak.

Make 2 small dots, using a single strand of black and using size 4.00 mm hook.
Work 4 sc into a ring, do not join,
work 2 sc into each sc around (8 sc), fasten off leaving a length for sewing.


Make 2 large dots, using a single strand of black and using size 4.00 mm hook.
Work 4 sc into a ring, do not join,
work 2 sc into each sc around (8 sc),
work 1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc around (8 sc) fasten off leaving a length for sewing.

Attach dots head.
Sew in all loose ends.






Ladybug Scarf
Materials
2 x 50 gm balls of 8 ply red
2 x 50 gm balls of 8 ply black
Small amount of white yarn, for sewing eyes.
Size 5.00 mm hook (US size H hook)
Size 4.00 mm hook (US size G hook)
Sewing needle

Stitches used are US sc and dc

Scarf is worked beginning at neck part, then the lady bugs are attached to both ends of the neck part.
Instructions given are for a scarf approx 55 inches in length. Using 4 lady bugs on each end of the scarf (8 ladybugs in total)
Turning ch 3 is counted as the first dc in every row


Neck part
Holding 2 strands of black together and using 5.00 mm hook
Ch 15
work 1 dc in 4th ch from hook and in each ch across, ch 3 and turn (13 dc)
work 1 dc in next dc across, ch 3 and turn (13 dc)
repeat row 2 until you get 31 rows in total, or length desired. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Easy ladybug, less sewing

Holding 2 strands of red yarn together and using 5.00 mm hook
You can either make a magic circle to begin, or a ch 2 then sc into the 2nd ch from the hook. The magic ring gives you a beginning that is closed tightly.
Do not join rounds.

Work 6 sc into ring
2 sc in each sc around (12 sc)
1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat around (18 sc)
1 sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat around (24 sc)
1 sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat around (30 sc)
1 sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat around (36 sc)
1 sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat around (42 sc)
sl st to join.


Head is worked as a half circle
Holding 2 strands of black and using 5.00mm hook
work 3 sc into ring, ch 1 and turn
2 sc into each sc to end, ch 1 and turn (6 sc)
1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat across (9 sc) fasten off
Attach head to body.

The back split is worked in sc through the red body.

Using a single strand of black and a size 4.00 mm hook attach yarn to the centre area of the head closest to the red body, sc evenly down the length of body.

Black spots are made in 2 sizes; the smaller is attached to the upper body and the larger to the lower body.

Make 2 small dots, using a single strand of black and using size 4.00 mm hook.
Work 4 sc into a ring, fasten off leaving a length for sewing.

Make 2 large dots, using a single strand of black and using size 4.00 mm hook.
Work 4 sc into a ring, do not join, work 2 sc into each sc around (8 sc), fasten off leaving a length for sewing.

Attach dots to body. Sew eyes into head.

Single strand Ladybug more sewing .

Made in 4 parts using a single strand of yarn and a size 4.00 mm hook

Black body

Work 6 sc into ring
2 sc in each sc around (12 sc)
1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat around (18 sc)
1 sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat around (24 sc)
1 sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat around (30 sc)
1 sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat around (36 sc)
1 sc in next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc, repeat around (42 sc)
sl st to join.

Black head
Work 3 sc into ring, ch 1 and turn
2 sc into each sc across, ch 1 and turn (6sc)
1 sc into next sc, 2 sc into next sc, repeat to end ch 1 and turn (9 sc)
1 sc into next 2 sc, 2 sc into next sc, repeat to end ch 1 and turn (12 sc)

Attach head to body.

Red Wings, make 2

Work 3 sc into ring, ch 1 and turn
2 sc into each sc across, ch 1 and turn (6sc)
1 sc into next sc, 2 sc into next sc, repeat to end ch 1 and turn (9 sc)
1 sc into next 2 sc, 2 sc into next sc, repeat to end ch 1 and turn (12 sc)
1 sc into next sc 3, 2 sc into next sc, repeat to end ch 1 and turn (15 sc)
1 sc into next sc 4, 2 sc into next sc, repeat to end ch 1 and turn (18 sc)
1 sc into next sc 5, 2 sc into next sc, repeat to end (21 sc)
Fasten off leaving a medium sized tail for sewing on 1st wing and a longer tail for sewing on the 2nd wing.

Attaching wings (face wings together so tails meet each other) firstly using smaller tail for sewing, sew wings together from the sewing tail to the centre circle of the wing only, cut yarn.
Attach wings to the body using the longer tail, begin at the top centre of the body, sew around the outer part of the first wing then up into the upside down v shaped part of the wing, then the outer part of the wing to where you began, finishing off sewing down the centre join of the wing. (Wings attached to the body.)

Black spots are made in 2 sizes; the smaller is attached to the upper body and the larger to the lower body.

Make 2 small dots, using a single strand of black and using size 4.00 mm hook.
Work 4 sc into a ring, fasten off leaving a length for sewing.

Make 2 large dots, using a single strand of black and using size 4.00 mm hook.
Work 4 sc into a ring, do not join, work 2 sc into each sc around (8 sc), fasten off leaving a length for sewing.

Attach dots to body. Sew eyes into head

I attached my ladybugs heads facing upwards, the very top of the head was sewn to the very bottom of the body.
See pictures for more detail.

© Cathy Wood. 2008

Thursday, April 3, 2008

Crochet by Candle Light

Wednesday 02.04.08, was a day of 120 kmph winds and a massive black out across Victoria (Australia).

I was with out power for more than 24 hours.

What I missed the most was my perculated coffee and my computer.

I had a little clip on light used for book reading, which I attached to the peak of the cap I was wearing. So this is how I got about.

I was paranoid about tripping and falling and causing further injury to my fractured foot. It is so on the mend now, I didn't want to slow the process with another accident.

But I came out unscathed, I just got a little bored.

I did how ever manage to make this neck warmer by candle light.

It's for my daughter Terrie.

With quite a bit of down time, I thought I'd color my hair.
I grabbed a bleach instead of a tint.
Now I am a nice bright shade of orange.
My daughter Danielle, who is now a legal secretary, has some hairdressing experience and she usually takes care of coloring my hair.
She was not impressed at all!
So she is making me wait another day before she repairs my hair, to a more acceptable color.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Crochet Mouse Chase around the Hat

I just love coming up with these quirky hats.
Here is my latest.
It's the Mouse chase to the cheese, via the track around the hat.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Crochet Basic Hat and Neck Warmer

To make the basic crown, I use this guide
I did add an extra increase round as my yarn may have been a bit finer than the one suggested and I also used a smaller hook.
Once I had the crown established I worked the griddle st (the up and down st) around the hat as I had used it in the neck warmer.
I finished off with a row of hdc, a row of 1 sc and ch 3 around, then I worked 5 sc in the ch 3, around and I finished off with a picot in the centre of the 5 sc around.
The flower was one I made up, as I wanted one that I could centre a button in and hang some jewellry from the button. I am particulary pleased with the hanging jewellry and I intend to work with this style more often.
I'm also showing off my new head model here.
Its the first time I have used her. She is a bit on the ugly side, but I can always take photo shots like the first in of this post. I picked her up at a garage sale for around $5.00. Yes she came quite cheap and willing.