A few months ago I was asked by the lovely folks at Crochet Now magazine if I’d to create some fun amigurumi’s to accompany a stitch marker set that they were giving away with Issue 71.
The cute stitch marker set was based around a coffee house theme; there was a mini cup of coffee, a little donut and an tiny ice-cream with cute little smiley faces. I couldn’t resist such a fun project!
I used Paintbox Cotton DK for the characters which, if you are not familiar with, is a DK weight 100% Cotton which comes in 50g (125m) balls so there is a lot of yarn to play with. I used 1 ball in Light Caramel (409), 1 ball in Bubblegum Pink (451), 1 ball in Spearmint Green (426), 1 ball in Paper White (401) and 1 ball in the aptly named Coffee Bean (411) to make all the characters – and I still had yarn left over.
The suggested hook size for the yarn is a 4mm but I used a 3mm as I like to go down a couple of hook sizes for my amigurumi sometimes to get a tighter gauge (and to prevent holes which stuffing could come out of!).
I think I did quite a good job of colour matching to the stitch marker set, but luckily Paintbox Cotton DK comes in 56 different colours so I had plenty of choice. It also makes it a great yarn for amigurumi making, in fact I’ve used it a few times on different patterns.
And if you on the look out for some more cotton yarn for your stash LoveCrafts have actually got their July Sale on right now, up to 70% off knitting and crochet yarns on purchases until the end of July – you’re welcome!
The finished characters end up from 17cm tall (for the ice-cream), 12cm (for the coffee cup) and 9cm diameter for the iced donut, so perfect little mascot or desk top height.
I used some pieces of felt and my trusty glue gun for some elements of the faces and embroidered on the other details to finish them off with the right look and I was really pleased with how cute they turned out.
Issue 71 of Crochet Now magazine is packed with 39 summer patterns that you’ll love in a 100 page magazine, and it comes with the exclusive stitch marker bracelet set with the 3 super-cute original café-inspired stitch markers!
It’s available to buy from your local supermarket and some newsagents or you can grab a digital version from www.craftstash.co.uk/books-magazines
If you hook up the Kawaii Coffee House Characters I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
I was delighted to be asked recently, by Simply Crochet magazine, if I wanted to talk about the very first piece of crochet that I’d ever done for their regular Hooky Treasures back page feature.
If you have Issue 112 and you turn to the back page you will see some photos of the first thing I crocheted, from start to finish, just over ten years ago!
I was extremely exciting to be asked to do this feature and it feels like quite an achievement as a designer (as I still suffer from imposter syndrome at times! 🙈) and although I’m usually more comfortable behind the camera than in front of it, I was happy to send in a photo on this occasion.
The Hooky Treasures page is where a designer talks about one of their favourite projects they’ve made and the story behind it. It has to be something very personal, like the first thing you made, or the thing that gave you confidence to be a designer, or just something made for a special person in your life.
I decided I had to choose the Filet Bunny Blanket I made when I was pregnant with my daughter, it is most definitely the thing that, if you’ll excuse the pun, got me hooked on crochet and which eventually lead to my designing crochet patterns of my own.
This project is quite precious to me, not only because I still remember how proud I was when I finally finished it, but because it wrapped up both of my daughters – and it’s still going strong to this day! Who knows; it may one day wrap up my grandchildren – what an amazing thought!
I also have many wonderful memories of working on this blanket with my mum’s help. What was particularly lovely was the magazine arrived on my doorstep on a day when she was visiting so I proudly got to show her the feature.
I’m not going to tell you what I said in the article, you might wish to read that yourself, but I thought you might enjoying seeing a few more photos of my first make.
I’d love to hear more about your first makes; do you still use or have your oldest crochet item? What was it and how old is it? Let me know in the comments below.
Issue 118 of Simply Crochet magazine is available to buy from your local supermarket or you can grab a digital or print subscription from buysubscriptions.com.
And if you are interested in making the filet bunny blanket yourself it’s still available as a free download from Yarnspirations.com here.
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
Hey folks, hope you are well in your part of the world. I’ve got a lovely free-bee for you to enjoy today! Allow me to introduce the Bee-utiful Clutch bag – a small bag with big textured personality!
The bag uses a stitch that I’ve used before; on the Bee Keeper block in the Stitch Story CAL. At the time I thought the stitch pattern was so effective with creating such a beautiful texture that knew I wanted to use it again.
Fast forward three years or so to when I came across some yellow Anchor Creativa Fino in my stash. The stitch idea reignited itself as I thought I would make the bee themed clutch bag idea I’d got rumbling around in my head.
Super simple to make and with many practical uses for a clutch bag or makeup bag; this pattern is perfect for beginners, as it only uses simple stitches. I used some bee fabric to line mine, to finish off the inside, but with this stitch pattern you could probably get away with not lining it if you aren’t a fan of sewing.
The following Bee-utiful Clutch Bag is free here on the blog or you can make a beeline for the pattern in your favourite pattern stores where you can pick up a PDF of the pattern for a nominal price (links below).
The pattern is available in both UK and US crochet terminology via the PDF download; the pattern below is written just in UK terms. But you can view a handy conversion chart here on the blog.
Bee-utiful Clutch Bag
MATERIALS
Yarn Required: 100g of Yellow
Yarn used: Anchor Creativa Fino used in photos;
(Shade: #00306)
About the yarn: 4ply / Fingering Weight; 125m per 50g ball, 100% Cotton
Hook Size: 3mm (US size D/3)
Pattern will work in other hooks and yarns though finished size will be different.
You will also need:
· A yarn needle
· Stitch Markers
· 2cm (0.8”) Button
· Optional: Facing and material for lining your bag
Finished Size: 19cm (7.4 inches) wide x 12cm (4.7 inches) high
Gauge: 6sts = 2.5cm (1”)
Obtaining the correct gauge is not critical to this project but if your gauge does not match the gauge stated then your finished item will be a different size.
STITCH GUIDANCE
Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook in st indicated, yarn over and draw through all loops.
Double Crochet (dc): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, pull through both loops on hook.
Double Crochet 2 together (dc2tog): Invisible double crochet decrease method: Invisible decreasing is a method of removing stitches to shape your fabric without gaps. Insert hook in the FRONT LOOP ONLY of the first stitch indicated and pull up a loop [two loops on hook], insert hook in the FRONT LOOP ONLY of the next st, pull up a loop [three loops on hook], yarn over, pull through three loops on hook; decrease made.
Half Treble (htr): Yarn over, insert hook in next st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all three loops on hook.
PATTERN NOTES
Working in the Back Loop Only: If you hold your piece of crochet in front of you with the Vs of the stitch on top, the part of the V closest to you is the front loop. The part of the V farther away from you on the opposite side is the back loop. When a pattern asks you to crochet into the back loop, insert your hook into the relevant loop and crochet as instructed.
Note: The ch1 at the beginning of a row, count as a st
PATTERN
Main Body of Clutch:
Tip 1: If you struggle with twisting the row 1 try adding a row of dc as row 1, then work row 1 as row 2 and so on.
Tip 2:You might also find using stitch markers (or alternatives) to mark each row or where your last sl st, of each set of 5, helpful for this block.
Row 1 (RS): Ch 51, sl st into the 2nd ch from the hook and, sl st in the next 4sts * htr in the next 5 sts, sl st in the next 5 sts * repeat from * to * until the end of the row, turn (50 sts)
Note: From this point onwards work rows in the back loops only.
Row 2 (WS) : Ch1 *5 sl st in 5 htr then 5htr in 5 sl st * repeat from * to * until the end of the row, turn.
Row 3: (RS) Ch1, * 5 htr in 5 htr then 5 sl st in 5sl st * repeat from * to * until the end of the row, turn.
Row 4: (WS) Ch1, * 5 htr in 5 sl st then 5 sl st in 5 htr * repeat from * to * until the end of the row, turn.
Row 5: Ch1, 5 sl st in 5 htr then 5htr in 5 sl st * repeat from * to * until the end of the row, turn.
Row 6-52: Repeat rows 2-5 thirteen times
From this point onwards you will begin shaping the clutch flap;
Row 53: Ch1; dc2tog, 1dc in 46sts, dc2tog, turn. 48sts
Row 54: Ch1; dc2tog, 1dc in 44sts, dc2tog, turn. 46sts
Row 55: Ch1; dc2tog, 1dc in 42sts, dc2tog, turn. 44sts
Rows 57 – 71: Continue decreasing on each end until you have 14sts left.
Row 72: Ch1; dc2tog, 1dc in 3sts, ch4, miss 4sts, 1dc in 3sts, dc2tog, turn. 12sts
Row 73: Ch1; dc2tog, 1dc in 3sts, 1dc in each of the ch4 sts, 1dc in 3sts, dc2tog, turn. 10sts
Row 74: Ch1; dc2tog, 1dc in 6sts, dc2tog, turn, fasten off and weave in ends. 8sts
MAKING UP:
· Fold the bag in half, leaving the gap at the top open with the flap. and seam both sides together on the wrong side.
· Turn your bag right side round and add your button to the body of the bag opposite the open button hole
· Optional: create a lining for your bag
And that’s it! Get ready for taking it out and about and bee-witching all who see your bee-utiful new clutch bag.
If you hook up the Bee-utiful Clutch Bag I hope you’ll tag @kcaco.uk on Instagram using the hashtags #kcacouk and #proud2craft or #anchoryarns (so the folks at Anchor Yarns can see) or share your projects in my Facebook group as I love to see your finished work!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
The Brighton Beach edition of Crochet Now magazine (Issue 70) has tried to capture the feeling of holidaying in a lovely seaside town. There are loads of wonderful projects for staycations or vacations – including a new wrap design by me.
The Boardwalk Breeze wrap is a colourful, cotton addition to anyone’s wardrobe, it’s light and bright for summer but will keep that evening breeze at bay as you take a stroll along the beach.
The wrap was inspired by a combination of stripy boardwalks and the seaside pastel colours you see on colourful beach huts.
I used Cygnet Cotton for this wrap which was a totally new yarn for me, though I have used other Cygnet yarns. It’s a DK weight 100% Cotton with a subtle twist for beautiful stitch definition and gives a perfect drape to lightweight crochet projects.
It’s also available in a spectrum of bright rainbow and summery pastels – I used 8 different colours with a 4mm hook, to create my wrap.
The finished shawl measures 180 cm in length and 45 cm in depth when blocked so it’s lovely big wrap and the cotton makes it a cool and comfortable accessory to wear. You’ll definitely be turning heads as you walk along the promenade with this lovely bright summer wrap!
The pattern is very beginner friendly with easy row repeats of the sections, making it a great mindful project – or a perfect easy pattern to take with you on holiday.
Issue 70 of Crochet Now magazine is packed with 55 patterns and comes complete with a broomstick crochet pattern book, a Paddington Bear supplement book and a broomstick crochet stick and 3.5mm hook.
It’s available to buy from your local supermarket and some newsagents or you can grab a digital version from www.craftstash.co.uk/books-magazines
If you hook up the Boardwalk Breeze Wrap I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
A lightweight crochet market bag is a must to sling over your shoulders to take grocery shopping, or on a picnic trip, or to the beach – or anywhere you need! My new and free Freccia Filet Market Bag is just the ticket for carrying your oranges – or anything else that takes your fancy!
I think there’s an even bigger need for crochet bags these days as we all try to utilise eco-friendly reusable bags over plastic ones. It’s a great way to use your crochet skills to make something useful and practical – and reusable bags are also perfect summer projects when made in a lightweight yarn!
I’ve had in my mind a pattern for a market bag for ages, so when the lovely folks at Anchor Yarns asked me if I’d like to make a bag with some of their Anchor Freccia yarn I quickly said yes!
Freccia is a 3 ply high quality 100% Egyptian Giza cotton thread offering a delicate balance of softness, flexibility, body and brightness. It’s a versatile thread, available in 6 thread thicknesses, which I’ve used it before for a scarf (see FREE Freccia Flor Scarf here), and it comes in a wide range of different colours.
I used no. 6 thickness again this time, with a 2.5mm hook (US size C/2), and I chose to make my bag in a lovely rich royal purple (shade 00092). The whole bag, including the straps, used 4 x 50g (4 x 175m) balls in total to create a bag with a width of 38cm (14″) x length 40cm (15″) , bag handles 62cm (24″) in length.
Made with cotton yarn the Freccia Filet Market Bag is super robust and if it gets dirty, you can just throw it in the washing machine and hang it up to dry!
I wanted to create a bag that was strong and durable, but also that would be a bit pretty – that’s where the filet came in. To begin with I had in mind a larger filet design on the bag, but quickly realised that wasn’t going to be at all practical as things could potentially fall through the ‘holes’ so I decided the design would be served better by having a filet detail around the top.
The bag and the filet sections are worked in a unique way in rounds and in rows to minimise a visible seam at the end. Crocheting the bottom and the straps, with extra slip stitches, also makes the bag extra durable so they can hold then a lot of weight even with only using a lightweight cotton.
The Freccia Filet Market Bag is a free download available directly from the Anchor Crafts website here where you can just download the pattern or register for an account. It doesn’t cost anything for an account, but by signing up you’ll gain access to loads of other free patterns by other talented designers too.
Crochet a single colour bags or in variegated yarn, or maybe in the rainbow colour palette, there are so many possibilities – the choices are all yours!
The pattern is written in UK crochet terminology and I’ve linked it up on Ravelry too if you’d like to save it to your favourites on there (at the link below).
Super simple to make and so practical; this pattern is perfect for beginners, as it only uses simple stitches. Great for anyone that wants a new reusable bag, or maybe someone who wants to try a bit of filet crochet (it’s a technique I don’t think I’m ever going to get sick of!).
Perfect for rolling up and popping in your handbag for when you need a bag, or pack it up and go!
If you hook up the Filet Market Bag I hope you’ll tag @kcaco.uk on Instagram using the hashtags #kcacouk and #proud2craft or #anchoryarns (so the folks at Anchor Yarns can see) or share your projects in my Facebook group as I love to see your finished work!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
I’ve been up to monkey business in the latest issue of Crochet Now magazine! For Issue 69 I took on the challenge of creating an amigurumi from a multicoloured yarn cake – and Momo the Rainbow Monkey was the result!
Momo the Monkey is a sweet little fellow made up from sectioning off the coloured sections of a ball of Rico Creative Chic-Unique yarn in Candy (Shade 005). This was a brand new yarn for me, which is always a fun prospect, and as it was a yarn cake there was quite a lot of yarn for me to play with.
If you are not familiar with the yarn it’s classed as a chunky (bulky) weight, and is made up from 75% Acrylic, 15% Wool, 10% Polyamide. It comes in 200g balls (310m) with the recommended hook size as 6mm (US size J), though I used a 4.5mm hook (US size 7) hook to create tighter stitches for my monkey.
Rico Creative Chic-Unique yarn is of quite a unusual construct – two threads, with different colour gradients, are combined in order to create the colour mix. As the colour parts have a different lengths and there will always be different shades which hit each other in the twist, makes for a unique ball of yarn and an exciting challenge for me to create an amigurumi from!
What I did first was to wind coloured sections of yarn into balls, then onto bobbins, which gave me a wonderful gradient of corresponding shades to play with for my little monkey.
I chose a monkey because they are my youngest daughters favourite animals. She has always loved monkeys and has two monkey toys that she usually carrys around with her.
We are hoping to take her to the zoo when they open so she can see a real life monkey (for the first time that she’ll remember) and so when it came to planning what to make with this yarn monkey’s were on my mind.
The name Momo is also a homage to her as that is the first name she gave to one of her monkey toys (the other one is called Coconut!).
I was pleased with how Momo turned out in the end, and I like him in rainbow colours, but you could always make him in browns and creams for a more natural looking monkey.
If you want to see how versatile Rico Creative Chic-Unique yarn can be then look out for the other design made up from the yarn in the same issue of Crochet Now.
Issue 69 of Crochet Now magazine is packed with 35 patterns and comes complete with an exclusive Peanuts crochet hook with matching stitch marker.
It is available to buy from your local supermarket and some newsagents or you can grab a digital version from www.craftstash.co.uk/books-magazines
If you hook up the Momo the Monkey I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
Time seems to be zooming by at the moment, we are already in May! It was only January last weekend I swear it! I realised I haven’t had chance to tell you yet about the new pattern that’s available in the latest issue of Crochet Now magazine.
Issue 68 is out now with a range of Parisian and Spring themed projects including cute cardigan’s, a chic beret and a new wrap design from me called ‘The Parisian Plait Wrap’.
The idea for the Parisian Plait Wrap was to create an easy mindful one ball project, where you could use your favourite gradient yarn cake to make a textured wrap inspired by French plaits.
For this pattern I used Hobbii Cotton Kings Twirl and a 3.25mm hook (US D/3) to create a light and airy pattern with a nice drape and chevroned edges. Hobbii Cotton Kings was a completely new yarn to me so I was quite excited to give it a try. If you aren’t familiar with it, it’s a cake-yarn that’s 100% cotton made up of 4 thin cotton threads (for a 4ply / Sport weight) with long colour changes.
Peach Danburite, the shade I used, almost has a dip dye effect as it runs from a peachy colour to a sort of sky blue – not necessarily colours I would have thought to put together but I loved how it looked in the finished wrap.
I would say don’t let the fact that there are 4 thin cotton threads put you off this yarn; if you just ignore them and crochet how you usually would, you soon forget how the yarn is made up.
There was a great tip though that I saw on the website, that works for this type of yarn, and that is to run all the threads through a small bead before you start crocheting to help the threads stay together throughout the project – brilliant idea!
The elegant wrap looks great teamed up a summer dress but it could also be worn as a scarf. It would be a great project to take with you on holiday as all you would need is a yarn cake, a hook and the pattern.
It was a great mindful project to work on, and I enjoyed designing it and creating it, and as it only uses simple stitches and chains this wrap would be a perfect pattern for beginners.
Issue 68 of Crochet Now magazine is packed with 53 patterns in this issue and also includes two supplements; a Hook Nook pattern collection and Rowan Yarns Summer Crochet Collection, so even more patterns for your money!
If you hook up the Parisian Plait Wrap I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
Hi folks! I’m just popping on today to let you know I’ve got a brand new pattern available in the latest edition of Simply Crochet magazine. Issue 108 is out now with a range of amigurumi and spring projects including a fun gamer cushion design from me.
This cushion was inspired by the old ‘space invaders’ game which was one of the earliest video games (released in 1978) and it’s viewed as the pioneer of modern gaming. The premise of the game is that a host of aliens dramatically descend on your spaceship and you have to blast them before they reach the bottom of the screen.
Although the game was created before I was born I do actually think I remember playing it with my brother on an old arcade game at a caravan park when we were younger.
Space Invaders’ pixilated alien have become icons of gaming and I thought that I could re-create the blocky look of the alien using the corner to corner (c2c) technique and I think it worked out really well.
I made the cushion with Cygnet DK Acrylic Yarn and a 4mm hook. I used four balls in total, three in Slate (1790) for the main cushion and then the bright contrasting Apple (6711) for the alien.
Cygnet DK is not actually a yarn I think I had used before but I’d describe it as a classic sort of double knit 100% acrylic and as such it’s machine washable on a mild 40°C wash (which is one of the things I love about acrylic yarn!).It’s very reasonably priced, around £1.89 ($2.61) per ball which means that you can pretty much make the whole cover for about £8 ($11). It also comes in over 50 colours so you could potentially match your alien to your room colour for a more personalised touch.
To finish off the cushion you also need 6 x 2cm buttons for the back fastening of the cushion which makes it easy to get the 50x50cm (20×20 inch) cushion inner out so you can wash the cover if needs be.
So control your comfort and let this iconic arcade game alien invade your gaming space! I think little gamers young and old will love this cosy cushion as the ideal finishing touch for any den or bedroom – who would you make one for? This one has already been claimed by my 10 year old ‘gamer’ daughter who loves the green.
Issue 108 of Simply Crochet magazine is available to buy from your local supermarket or you can grab a digital or print subscription from buysubscriptions.com.
If you hook up the Gamer Cushion I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
Hi folks! I hope you are all safe, well and happy. We are still in lockdown 3 here in the UK – but as I write this, the use of the first vaccines are being rolled out so we can feel that glimmer of hope and optimism. But in the meantime we can just hope to find some time to settle down with some crochet – and if you are looking for something new then you might want to check out the latest issue of Crochet Now magazine.
Issue 64 is out now with a range of ‘windswept’ themed projects including blankets, wall hangings and a new little amigurumi from me.
Meet Petrok the Puffin! He’s a short and stocky little fellow with a fondness for herring and playtime. His bright beak and pretty spearmint plumage always turn the heads of his other puffin pals.
The spearmint plumage was actually made with Paintbox Cotton DK, which is lovely yarn to work with, and a 3.25mm hook. I used six colours of Paintbox Cotton DK in total to create Petrok, but there was a fair bit left of the 50g balls so there would be enough to make a couple of puffins if you wished to.
I love the opportunity to create something new and a puffin was actually a creature that I had on my list that I wanted to make at some point. It’s also a bird I’ve always wanted to see in real life, they just have such a cute appearance.
The beautiful Isles of Scilly is one of only a handful of sites in the UK where you can go puffin spotting. Back in 2005 we had a holiday there which turned into rather a momentous trip as Mr KCACO.UK asked me to marry him.
Whilst we were there we went on a sea safari boat trip, from St Mary’s, to see if we could spot a glimpse of the elusive bird. Unfortunately we didn’t! We saw seals and gannets, but no puffins – so it’s still on the bucket list!
If you hook up Petrok the Puffin I hope you’ll share your photos with me on social media (facebook, twitter or instagram) or as a project on Ravelry – I love to see what you make!
Until next time folks! Happy hooking and keep calm and crochet on my friends xx
Please note that some of the links in my blog are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission if you purchase via these links, but the price you pay is not affected, thank you for your support.
I think I say it every year that one of my favourite things to make are Christmas decorations, and it’s become somewhat of a tradition that I create a new free tree ornament pattern for you to enjoy too. This year I’ve gone a bit non-traditional but still fun – it’s a Christmas Mushroom!
Well actually it’s probably a Christmas toadstool but I’ve been singing Christmas mushroom to myself in my head so I’m afraid that title has stuck.
Apparently the red and white speckled fungi are known in German as gluckspilz which literally means ‘lucky mushroom’ which I really like and I think we can all do with a little luck to get past 2020 don’t you!
I’ve added a little twine to the top of my mushrooms so they can hang from the tree, but you could easily incorporate them into a wreath hanging on your door or even as part of a holiday table centrepiece.
They also don’t have to be just red, I experimented, because I got a little bit addicted to making mushrooms, with a few different colours – so you could match your fungi to your own decor.
Last year you may remember that I made a little Christmas bell tree decorations (FREE pattern here) with some Anchor CraftsCreativa Fino from my stash. I really like Creativa Fino to work with, it’s a nice firm mercerised cotton which I think works particularly well for amigurumi and ornaments like this one so that’s what I’ve used this year too.
The following Christmas Mushroom Tree Ornament pattern is free here on the blog but it’s also available in my Ravelry store, LoveCrafts or Etsy store, where there is a nominal fee for a downloadable PDF pattern if you’d prefer.
The pattern is available in both UK and US crochet terminology via the PDF download; the pattern below is written just in UK terms.
Christmas Mushroom Tree Ornament
MATERIALS
Yarn:
Anchor Creativa Fino: 4ply; 125m per 50g ball; 100% Cotton
1 ball in #00258 (A) – Red
1 ball in #00926 (B) – Cream
Anchor Metallic Thread: Viscose (80%) and metallised polyester (20%)
1 ball in #00304 (C) – Metallic White
Pattern will work in other hooks and yarns though finished size will be different.
Hook: 3mm (US size D/3)
You will also need:
Stitch Marker
Scissors
Yarn needle
Small amount of toy stuffing
Length of twine for hanging loop
Gauge: 5dc = 2.5cm / 1 inch
Obtaining the correct gauge is not critical to this project but if your gauge does not match then your finished item will be a different size.
Finished Size: 9cm / 3.5 inches
ABBREVIATIONS: UK Terminology
st(s) stitch(es)
st sl slip stitch
ch(s) chain
dc double crochet
dc2tog double crochet two together
htr half treble
STITCH GUIDANCE:
Slip Stitch (sl st): Insert hook in st indicated, yarn over and draw through all loops.
Double Crochet (dc): Insert hook in st indicated and draw up a loop (two loops on hook), yarn over, draw through both loops on hook.
Double Crochet (dc2tog): Insert hook in st indicated and pull up a loop (two loops on hook), insert hook in next st, yarn over, pull up a loop, yarn over, pull through three loops on hook.
Half treble (htr): Yarn over, insert hook in indicated st and pull up a loop (three loops on hook), yarn over, pull through all three loops on hook.
PATTERN NOTES
Magic ring:is also known as a Drawstring Ring or Magic Loop and is often used as a start for working amigurumi. If you are not familiar with this technique you could substitute with a ch2 and then work in the second ch from the hook.
Working in the round: This pattern is worked in the amigurumi style (unless specified), in a spiral without slip stitching or turning chains
Working in the Back or Front Loop Only (BLO / FLO): If you hold your piece of crochet in front of you with the Vs of the stitch on top, the part of the V closest to you is the front loop. The part of the V farther away from you on the opposite side is the back loop. When a pattern asks you to crochet into the back loop or front loop only insert your hook into the relevant loop and crochet as instructed.
Pattern:
Top of Mushroom
Rnd 1: With YARN A; working into a magic ring, 6dc. 6sts
Note: Do not pull magic ring too tight as you will thread some twine through the centre.
Rnd 2: [2dc] around. 12sts
Rnd 3: [1dc, 2dc] around. 18 sts
Rnd 4: Dc around.
Rnd 5: [1dc in next 2sts, 2dc] around. 24sts
Rnds 6-9: Dc around.
Rnd 10: [1dc in next 3sts, 2dc] around. 30sts
Fasten off YARN A with a sl st to the next st and weave in ends.
With YARN C embroider some spots on to your mushroom top
Create a hanging loop from twine and thread the loop through the centre of your magic ring with a knot to secure.
Underside of Mushroom
Rnd 11: Attach YARN B to the BLO of any st; [1dc in next 3sts, dc2tog] around. 24sts
Start to stuff, continue to stuff as you go.
Rnd 12: [1dc in next 2sts, dc2tog] around. 18sts
Rnd 13: [1dc, dc2tog] around. 12sts
Rnd 14: [dc2tog] to end. 6sts
Fasten off and use yarn tail to sew up the last 6sts
Mushroom Stalk
Rnd 1: With YARN A; working into a magic ring, 8dc. 8sts
Rnd 2: [2dc] around. 16sts
Rnds 3-5: Dc around.
Rnd 6: [1dc in next 2sts, dc2tog] around. 12sts
Start to stuff the mushroom stalk; continue to stuff as you go
Rnds 7-9: Dc around.
Rnd 10: [1dc in next 2sts, dc2tog] around. 9sts
Rnd 11: Dc around.
Rnd 12: BLO; Dc around.
Rnds 13-14: Dc around.
Fasten off with a sl st to the next st but leave a long yarn tail.
Rnd 15: Attach YARN C to the FLO; of rnd 12; ch2, 2htr in same st, 3htr in each st around until end, sl st to the beginning ch2 to join. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Stitch the mushroom stalk onto the bottom centre of the mushroom top.
