Good morning one and all! No need to adjust your monitors: I did not cut off 8 inches of hair or give myself bangs over the weekend. These pictures (and the patterns) are two years old. I always intended to post the patterns, but kept remembering and then immediately forgetting about it. I’m happy to finally be scratching this 2-year old to-do item off my list today.
(With projects like this that take me 2 years to post, you can see why reading a book about early-onset Alzheimer’s would give me some concerns about my own memory.)
Like many of my patterns, these are more of a rough guideline than a set-in-stone pattern. Totally easy to adapt to any head size, but they should fit most adults as written. I think these headbands are such a fun, playful accessory—make them in all sorts of colors and sizes to go with any outfit!
We’ll go in size order, from little to big. Scroll on for the patterns. All of the headbands use worsted weight yarn (some of my favorites are Hobby Lobby’s I Love This Yarn, and Vanna’s Choice), and an H hook.
And since they require such a very small amount of yarn, they are a great way to use up little odds and ends that you already have—no need to race out and buy something new (unless, of course, the yarn-shopping urge strikes, as it often does for me).
Note: To adapt this pattern for different head sizes, simply use more or fewer chains in the first step to get the right size loop to fit properly around your head. Visit THIS link for average head sizes based on age, and chain whatever number makes a loop of the right size.
For the headband:
Ch 60, sl st to first ch to make a loop (make sure the chain is not twisted!).
Row 1: Ch 1, sc in each st around. Sl st to first st, fasten off, and weave in ends.
Alternately, for a stretchier headband, simply work foundation single crochet until piece is the proper length to fit your head, slip stitch to the first sc to create a loop, fasten off, and weave in ends.
For the bow:
Ch 22.
Rows 1-4: Ch 1, sc across, turn.
Fasten off, leaving a very long yarn tail. Use this tail to sew the two short ends together to form a loop. Pinch the center of the loop to create a bow shape, and wrap the remaining yarn tail tightly around the center quite a few times. Fasten it securely, then sew the bow to the headband.
Note: To adapt this pattern for different head sizes, simply use more or fewer chains in the first step to get the right size loop to fit properly around your head. Visit THIS link for average head sizes based on age, and chain whatever number makes a loop of the right size.
For the headband:
Ch 60, sl st to first ch to form a loop (make sure the chain is not twisted!).
Rows 1-3: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (Do not turn at the end of each row.)
Fasten off, weave in ends.
For the bow:
Ch 27.
Rows 1-5: Ch 1, sc across, turn.
Fasten off, leaving a very long yarn tail. Use this tail to sew the two short ends together to form a loop. Pinch the center of the loop to create a bow shape, and wrap the remaining yarn tail tightly around the center quite a few times. Fasten it securely, then sew the bow to the headband.
Note: To adapt this pattern for different head sizes, simply use more or fewer chains in the first step to get the right size loop to fit properly around your head. Visit THIS link for average head sizes based on age, and chain whatever number makes a loop of the right size.
For the headband:
Ch 60, sl st to form loop (make sure chain is not twisted!).
Rows 1-6: Ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to join. (Do not turn at the end of each row.)
Fasten off, weave in ends.
For the bow:
Ch 33.
Rows 1-8: Ch 1, sc across, turn.
Fasten off, leaving a very long yarn tail. Use this tail to sew the two short ends together to form a loop. Pinch the center of the loop to create a bow shape, and wrap the remaining yarn tail tightly around the center quite a few times. Fasten it securely, then sew the bow to the headband.
As with all of my crochet patterns and tutorials, feel free to sell your work! I would love a link back to my blog as your pattern source. And I’d love to see pictures of anything you make with my patterns! Share them on my facebook page, or tag me on instagram (I’m @maybematilda).
Find more of my crochet patterns on my Maybe Matilda Crochet pinterest board!
Welcome to my favorite week of Dare to DIY: Dare to Give Handmade! Today’s link up is right here at Maybe Matilda, so don’t forget to add YOUR handmade project. Make sure also to visit my cohosts, Newly Woodwards, Décor and the Dog, and Shift Ctrl Art, to see their lovely work. I wouldn’t complain about receiving a single one of their awesome gifts this Christmas.
For my handmade gift, I crocheted a darling little double pom pom hat for Darcy. Because if 1 pom pom is adorable, 2 pom poms are so cute it could kill you.
Are you dead?
I’ve been particularly loving big, chunky, thick hats for my kids this year, and I wanted to come up with something kind of silly and fun for Darcy to wear. You could, of course, use a bulky weight yarn to crochet this hat. I almost never have bulky yarn just lying around, but I always have quite a supply of worsted weight, so I crocheted this hat with 2 strands Red Heart super saver variegated yarn. The label was lost long ago, but I believe the name was Wildflower. I don’t use variegated yarns often, but that may change, considering how much I love how this hat turned out. I think this style is darling on babies and kids of any age, and would even be fun for an adult . . . with a sense of humor :-)
As with many of my crochet tutorials that I post here, this is more of a ‘guide’ than a strict pattern. It can be adapted to any size and is wildly forgiving, and I’m not including specific stitch counts because it is so easy to change to whatever size you decide to make it.
All you’ll need to know in order to size it properly for the person you’re gifting to is their head size. And since you may not have all your friends’ head measurements memorized, I’d recommend you visit THIS LINK for a hat size chart based on age.
Also, please don’t be afraid of the foundation single crochet that I use to start this hat. It isn’t difficult, and it offers SO much more stretch than the traditional starting chain, which is perfect for a project like this where we start with the brim and work our way up. Stretchy brims are definitely a good thing.
Double Pom Pom Hat
Materials:
- bulky weight yarn or 2 strands of worsted weight yarn (I can’t give much detail on how much yarn you’ll need—it will depend on the hat size you make—but for the pictured hat made for a 1-year old baby, I used almost 1 full skein of Red Heart Super Saver.)
- K hook (10 mm)
- blunt large-eye needle for sewing tails in
- optional: pom pom maker (I love this Clover set—worth every penny)
Abbreviations:
fsc = foundation single crochet
dc = double crochet
sl st = slip stitch
fpdc = front post double crochet
bpdc = back post double crochet
ch = chain
Notes:
Hat is worked from brim up. Do not turn your work at the end of each row. The finished hat will be roughly square shaped, with 2 pointed corners at the top, where you will place your pom poms. Leave a long yarn tail at the end of your work to sew the top of the hat closed.
1) Start with a row of fsc long enough to reach easily around the head of the person you’re crocheting for. Visit THIS page for average head sizes. So if you are making this hat for, say, a 9-month old baby, work fsc until your piece measures about 18 inches in length.
Sl st to join your work in a loop (make sure the loop is flat and has not twisted!).
2) Ch 2, dc in each stitch around. Join with sl st to top of starting ch.
3) Ch 2, *fpdc in next stitch, bpdc in next stitch. Repeat from * around. Join with sl st to top of starting ch.
4) Repeat row 3, working fpdc in each fpdc of previous row and bpdc in each bpdc of previous row.
5) Ch 2, dc around in back loop only of each stitch. Join with sl st to top of starting ch.
6) Ch 2, dc around. Join with sl st to top of starting ch.
7-?) Repeat row 6 until desired hat ‘height’ is reached. Visit THIS page for hat height suggestions based on age. Add roughly 2 inches to suggested hat heights, since this style is meant to sit high on the head and fit loosely. Fasten off when desired height is reached, leaving long yarn tail.
Use ending yarn tail to stitch the top of the hat closed. Simply lay the hat flat with the seam centered in the back, and sew back and forth with the ending yarn tail to create a long, flat seam. The hat will look square. Sew in all yarn tails.
Using a pom pom maker, make 2 large pom poms. Sew pom poms to top corners of hat.
As with all patterns/tutorials from my site, feel free to make some, give some, sell some! Just please include a link back to my site as your pattern source if you decide to sell online :-)
Check out my cohosts’ awesome handmade gifts:
Pom Pom Hat by Maybe Matilda // Homemade Candy with Ombre Dyed gift bags by Shift Ctrl Art // Crochet Tote by Newly Woodwards // Stovetop Potpourri by Décor and the Dog
I can’t wait to see YOUR handmade gifts! What have you created to give as gifts this Christmas? Link your projects below! Please remember to link back to one of the Dare to DIY cohosts—Décor and the Dog, Newly Woodwards, me, and Shift Ctrl Art :-)
Today I am excited to be joining The Blog Hop Crochet Along! Nine other bloggers and I are teaming up to share a new afghan square pattern every day for a month. Crochet along with us and you will have a gorgeous new afghan just in time for the holiday season!
Here's how it is going to work:
Today I am sharing the Flower Garden square. You can find links to all the other patterns at the end of this post. The links will be updated daily!
A talented gardener I am not. Once, while moaning about my black thumb to my sister (who spent a few summers working at a local nursery), she recommended I get a succulent, claiming they were nearly impossible to kill, and surely their hardiness would make them the perfect houseplant for me and my lack of gardening ability. You know what I had a few weeks later? A dead succulent.
Since I seem doomed to never have a real, live flower garden to enjoy, I’ve made a crochet version instead, with plentiful blooms, a blue-gray sky, and puffy cheerful little clouds. I’ll try not to find a way to kill it.
It starts with a simple ‘filler’ or solid square, then the flowers and clouds are appliqued on top. It’s a fun way to add some color and dimension to a blanket.
Flower Garden Granny Square
I used a J hook and Lion Brand Wool-Ease yarn to make my 12” square. I crochet rather loosely, so you may want to take this into account when planning your square. With this pattern, you can easily add extra rows or leave rows off to reach your desired square size.
Ch 4, join with sl st to form circle.
1: Ch 5 (this will count as first dc and ch2). (DC 3 into circle, ch 2) three times. Work 2 dc into ring and join with a sl st to the 3rd chain of starting ch 5.
2: Sl st into the ch sp. Ch 5 and dc 2 into the same ch sp. *Dc into the next 3 sts, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in the ch sp. Repeat from * three times, then dc into the last 3 sts, dc in the ch sp. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch of ch 5.
3: Sl st into the ch sp. Ch 5, dc 2 into the same ch sp. *Dc into the next 7 sts, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in the ch sp. Repeat from * three times, then dc into the last 7 sts, dc in the ch sp. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch of ch 5.
4: Sl st into the ch sp. Ch 5, dc 2 into the same ch sp. *Dc into the next 11 sts, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in the ch sp. Repeat from * three times, then dc into the last 11 sts, dc in the ch sp. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch of ch 5.
5: Sl st into the ch sp. Ch 5, dc 2 into the same ch sp. *Dc into the next 15 sts, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in the ch sp. Repeat from * three times, then dc into the last 15 sts, dc in the ch sp. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch of ch 5.
6: Sl st into the ch sp. Ch 5, dc 2 into the same ch sp. *Dc into the next 19 sts, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in the ch sp. Repeat from * three times, then dc into the last 19 sts, dc in the ch sp. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch of ch 5.
7: Sl st into the ch sp. Ch 5, dc 2 into the same ch sp. *Dc into the next 23 sts, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in the ch sp. Repeat from * three times, then dc into the last 23 sts, dc in the ch sp. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch of ch 5.
8: Sl st into the ch sp. Ch 5, dc 2 into the same ch sp. *Dc into the next 27 sts, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in the ch sp. Repeat from * three times, then dc into the last 27 sts, dc in the ch sp. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch of ch 5.
9: Sl st into the ch sp. Ch 5, dc 2 into the same ch sp. *Dc into the next 31 sts, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) in the ch sp. Repeat from * three times, then dc into the last 31 sts, dc in the ch sp. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch of ch 5. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Flowers:
These are the same flowers I used on my camera strap cover tutorial, so visit this link if you’d like to see a photo tutorial. You can easily vary the sizes of the finished flowers by using different size hooks for your flowers.
Start with magic ring. Ch 1, sc 1 into ring.
(Ch 1, 2 dc in ring, ch 1, sc in ring) 5 times. Sl st to join first and last petals, pull starting yarn tail to tighten ring, and use tail to sew flower to the square.
Clouds:
To make the clouds, we’ll start with a chain and crochet across it, working into just one loop, then turn the chain and work back along in the opposite direction, working into the remaining loops. This pattern is for the larger cloud; to create the smaller cloud, I simply started with a chain half the length, and left out a few ‘bumps’ as needed.
Ch 11, work 3 sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc across, work 3 sc in last ch. Turn chain to work back across opposite side. Sc across, and sl st to start to join.
Ch 1, work 2 sc in each of the first 3 st, sc in next 8 st, work 2 sc in each of next 3 st, sc in next 10 st, sl st to join.
Ch 1, sc in same st. Sk next st, 5 dc in next, sk st, sl st in next, sk st, 4 hdc in next, sk st, sl st in next. Sk 2, 6 trc in next, sk 2 st, sl st in next. (Sk 1, work 5 dc in next, sk 1, sl st in next) twice. Sk 1, work 4 hdc in next, sk 1, sl st in next. Sk 2, 6 trc in next, sk 2, sl st to join. Fasten off, and use yarn tail to attach to square.
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You’ll never guess what audiobook I’ve been listening to this month.
Go on, guess.
The correct answer is Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and no one saw that coming at all.
The words needed to open the Marauder’s Map seem extremely appropriate for a certain someone I know—and I don’t want to embarrass anyone, so I won’t name any names, but it starts with a 4 and ends with an ‘est.’ This child is never not up to no good.
I’m still learning all the ins and outs of my Silhouette Portrait, but even with my beginner-level knowledge, this was still a very quick project to put together. And I wasn’t sure how well it would turn out, so I didn’t take any progress pictures, but it’s a simple enough project that hopefully you don’t need them.
I just set up the text in Silhouette Studio how I wanted it, then grabbed a stock image of footprints online and added them to the design. After cutting the design onto vinyl, I peeled the letters out and tossed them, then used the rest as a stencil. I mixed craft paint with textile medium and sponged it onto the stencil to create the letters and footprints (with a layer of cardboard inside the shirt to make sure you don’t get paint soaking through to the back, of course). I’ve seen people do painted t-shirts without using the textile medium, so I’m assuming it holds up fine without any issues, but I’ve always used the textile medium. In my experience, it gives a very smooth finished product and holds up beautifully in the wash. After peeling up my stencil piece, I just let the shirt air dry overnight, then ironed it to set the paint (your textile medium will give instructions on how to set it).
I’m happy to share the Silhouette Studio file here for anyone to use to make their own shirts (personal use only, please!)—I hope I’ve done this right. Please tell me if something doesn’t work properly and I’ll work on figuring it out :-)
Get the file for the template as shown HERE.
And get the file for the REVERSED template HERE.
I can almost hear my mom and sister laughing at the post title already—10 minute ‘boo’ sign!!! We got together last week to do some Halloween crafting, and I’ll just give you a quick run-down of our day . . .
Number of hours we spent together: 5
Number of projects Bekah planned to make: 4
Number of projects I planned to make: 0
Number of false starts and do-overs on just 1 single project: 50382
Number of pumpkin scones consumed: 6
Total number of projects Bekah completed: 0
Total number of projects I completed: 1
As a reminder, peek back up at the project plans—Bekah wanted to make 4 things, and I wasn’t going to make any. Yet somehow I ended up with the only project of the day, even though we spent 4 or 5 hours together. We are slow, easily distracted, very hungry crafters who take frequent snack breaks.
But—but! If we had actually had a plan for this sign, and known what we wanted it to turn out like, and just made the dang thing instead of fiddling around, changing our minds over and over about how it should look, messing things up and trying them again a different way, I bet it would have honestly been about a 10 minute project. So I’m just going to call it that. It’s just too embarrassing to title this post ‘My 4 hour ‘boo’ sign.’
At any rate, it was a very fun 4 hours (although there was minimal crafting involved), and I love how my little sign turned out. I used my brand spankin’ new Silhouette Portrait, and guys. This thing is fun. I have so many things I want to use it for, and so many ideas I’ve been hoarding and imagining for, quite honestly, a few years now. This is an exciting moment. But I figured I’d better start small while I get to know the machine and learn what it can do, and this sign was a great little intro. It’s a simple, fast, very basic project that turned out so sweet.
All I did was lightly paint a store-bought plaque (purchased from JoAnn with a 50% off coupon, so it came to about $4), then used spray adhesive to mount the letters on it (which I typed up and resized for my sign, then cut from cute paper with my Silhouette Portrait). I added two of these little spiderwebs in the corners, resized to fit perfectly behind my letters without too much overlap. A thick layer of mod podge over the whole thing, plus a little watered-down black paint sponged around the edges and flicked with a toothbrush over the front, and it was good to go!
For the little pumpkins, I just grabbed some cheap plastic pumpkins from a dollar store and slapped a few layers of white chalk paint on, then added some black dots with the non-bristled end of a paintbrush (for the small dots) and my fingertip (for the bigger dots). Makes for a cute little Halloween display, if I may say so myself.
Elsewhere in the house, I’ve stuck more to a fall theme instead of Halloween.
The window, lamp, Scentsy warmer, and wreath are always in this spot, so I just added a few little things to make it look a little more ‘autumn.’ I made the Halloween paper garland a few years ago, and am sort of amazed at how well it’s still holding up. I added candy corn to my DIY hurricanes (made with this tutorial), and tossed some moss and pumpkins (which I already had) into a planter that migrates throughout my house all year. A little burlap as a table runner and a leftover wood slice from my sister’s wedding this summer, and it looks all sorts of autumnal.
Outside, I got rid of my summer flowers in my planters (they were well past health anyway) and added some mums. I’m hoping they’ll fill out soon and look a little more lush. I think a fall wreath would look a little more appropriate on the door, but I haven’t seen any I’ve fallen in love with yet. The search continues.
If budget allowed, I’d have like 4 times as many pumpkins as you see here . . . but dang, those puppies add up fast! I’m now doubly impressed by porches that have dozens of pumpkins set out. Impressed once because they look so cheery, and again because they must have taken out a second mortgage to pay for them. Between the mums and the pumpkins, I spent about $20 out here. Inside, all I purchased was the plaque for the Boo sign, so my total money spent to decorate for fall is about $24. Not bad, I’d say.
How do you like to decorate for fall?
I kind of expected that I’d go a little nuts on baby shoes when expecting a girl. Shoes are, of course, the most adorable thing that can be purchased for a baby, and this is an indisputable universal fact. But here we are, almost 9 months into this whole raising-a-daughter thing and Darcy owns 3ish pairs of shoes. Impressive, no? None of these 3 pairs, however, matched her outfit for Bekah’s wedding, and you know how cheap I am, so I figured I’d see if I could DIY something that look cute with her outfit without pinching her fat little feet or costing much.
And my gosh, they turned out darling.
Add barefoot baby sandals to the list of things I thought were ridiculous before having a baby girl, but now think are precious (it’s an ever-growing, embarrassing list).
I already owned the elastic I needed to make these shoes and only needed to buy a little bit of ribbon for the bows, so I’m not sure what the price would be if you were starting from scratch--I’m going to guess in the $2-5 range. Much less expensive than a pair of store bought shoes, totally comfortable for baby, and easy to customize to go along with whatever outfit you’re trying to match. And not turning on the sewing machine is always a plus in my book.
To make these sweet little sandals, you’ll need:
- a small amount of fold-over elastic (I used about 16 inches total). My elastic was leftover from making a batch of baby headbands, and was purchased from Elastic By The Yard on Etsy. I suppose you could use regular elastic for these if that’s what you already own, but fold-over elastic is slim and a bit shiny, so it looks really nice for a project like this, plus it’s smooth and soft, so I bet it’s more comfortable for little feet.
- a small amount of glitter ribbon (or, you know, whatever ribbon you want). I got this gold glitter ribbon at Walmart, and bought 1/2 yard. I still have quite a bit left over.
- hot glue gun
Step 1: Cut a length of ribbon that can wrap comfortably around baby’s ankle and the bottom of her foot. For Darcy (currently almost 9 months), this was about 7-8 inches. Lay it out in a Z shape.
Step 2: Bring the top end of the Z down and hot glue it to the middle of the center piece.
Step 3: Bring the bottom end of the Z up and hot glue it over the top piece. Look, it’s an 8. Nifty.
Step 4: Bow time! Hot glue a small piece of ribbon—about 3-4 inches—in a loop.
Step 5: Cut a 2- or 3-inch length of ribbon in half lengthwise.
Step 6: Pinch the loop into a bow shape and glue a small length of one of these strips around the center. Cut the second strip into 2 pieces and trim the ends into points.
Step 7: Glue these two pointed strips to the bottom of the bow, then hot glue the bow onto the elastic.
Ta-da! Quick and painless. Slip the upper loop around baby’s ankle, and the lower loop right underneath her foot. Baby girl be stylin’ and fancy.
Our church service doesn’t start until 1 in the afternoon. One. In. The. Afternoon. This is the source of much complaining in our house, because it sure would be nice to just wake up, get ready, go to church, come home, and still have a huge chunk of daytime to spend together. Church at 1, though, means trying to manipulate naptimes around church (which never works), finding a way to fill the morning that will leave plenty of time to get ready and head out when the time comes (which usually means wasting the morning entirely), coping with endless nap-deprived whining at church (inevitable but always aggravating), then feeling like you hardly have much of a day left after getting home from church (dinner then straight to bed for grouchy children).
One perk, however—one of the very few perks—of afternoon church is noticing in the morning that Darcy’s new (and by new I mean thrifted, because hello, have you met our budget? we don’t do ‘new’) dress would look cute with a little beige shrug, and realizing that I have more than enough time to start and finish it well before heading off to church.
I first came up with this shrug pattern way back in February—my mom is quite the talented seamstress and sewed a darling dress for Darcy. It fit her perfectly in February, but since it was sleeveless, I worried she’d be chilly and came up with this shrug pattern to complement the dress. Since the dress has such a sweet floral pattern and soft, muted colors and that high ribbon waistline, I get a very ‘Austen-y’ vibe from it, and wanted to design a shrug that would go with that vibe. I think it worked out pretty nicely.
It’s such a cute addition to girly little outfits, and I love how it has come out both times I’ve made it. It works up so quickly, looks so sweet, and I think the shell pattern is really lovely. Although I haven’t made it in a child or adult size yet, I don’t see any reason it couldn’t be easily adapted to a bigger size (and if you do this, would you let me know how it goes? I’d love to see it on an older kid or an adult!). I’m including the short, abbreviated pattern way down at the bottom of this post so feel free to get your scrolling finger ready if you’re a seasoned crocheter, but if you would benefit from a more in-depth approach, I hope you’ll find the step-by-step photos helpful.
And as is always the case with patterns/tutorials on my blog, feel free to sell any items you make! I’d love a link back to my blog as your pattern source if you decide to sell online, please and thank you and have a nice day.
Darcy’s Vintage Shell Shrug
- You can use any weight yarn for this project (obviously, worsted or thinner yarns will make a more lightweight shrug while a bulky yarn will be, well, bulky). For the white shrug pictured above on itty bitty little 4-month old Darcy, I used Martha Stewart Extra Soft Wool Blend in Bakery Box White. This yarn was wonderful for this shrug—deliciously soft and comfortable against baby’s skin, and offered a bit of warmth for spring wear without being overwhelmingly hot as the weather heated up. For the beige shrug (worn with the coral dress on big chunky 8-month old Darcy), I used LB Collection Cotton Bamboo in Magnolia. It was fantastic for this project, too—the cotton yarn really shows off the stitch pattern nicely, and it’s very lightweight and comfortable on warmer days. I would highly recommend either of those options (or whatever other yarn you fancy!). For a baby-sized shrug, one skein of either of these yarns will be plenty.
- Gauge is unimportant in this pattern—use whatever hook size works well for your choice of yarn. I would recommend using a larger size hook than you typically might in order to keep the shell pattern open and airy. I used a J hook for the shrugs pictured here.
- The shrug is made by making a large-ish rectangle in the shell stitch, then bringing the ends together and partially sewing them to create sleeves. The cuffs and collar are added afterward. See the pictures for details—hopefully they will make the construction sufficiently clear!
- I have made this in a 3-6 month and 6-12 month size, so I’ll include the details for those sizes in the pattern below. I think it should be easy to adapt to bigger sizes, and if you do so, I’d love to hear/see how it turned out!
Row 1: Start by working foundation single crochet in multiples of 6 + 1. If you aren’t sure how to do foundation single crochet, today is a great day to learn it. A chain followed by a row of single crochet won’t give the shrug enough stretch and will probably be uncomfortable and fit poorly, so head over to YouTube and learn! For Darcy’s 3-6 month size shrug, I started with 37 fsc (a multiple of 6 (36) plus 1 = 37). For the 6-12 month size shrug, I started with 43 (multiple of 6 (42) plus 1 = 43).
Row 2: Begin shell stitch. Chain 1 and turn, then work 1 single crochet in the first single crochet of the foundation row. Skip 2 stitches, then work 5 dc in the next stitch. These 5 double crochets all worked into one stitch make your first shell.
Skip 2 stitches, then work 1 single crochet in the following stitch (this “anchors” the shell). Skip 2 stitches, then repeat across the remainder of the row, working 5 double crochets into the next stitch, skipping 2 stitches, and working 1 single crochet into the following stitch.
Row 3: Chain 3 and turn your work. (This chain acts as the first double crochet of the row.)
Work 2 double crochets into the same stitch that the chain of 3 emerges from.
Skip 2 stitches, then work 1 single crochet into the next stitch (this is the center of the 5 double crochet shell of the previous row).
Skip 2 stitches, then work 5 double crochets in the following stitch (which is the single crochet between shells of the previous row).
Repeat across the remainder of the row, working 1 single crochet in the center of each shell of the previous row, and working 5 double crochets into the stitch between shells of the previous row. When you reach the end of the row, end with 3 double crochets in the final stitch.
The shells of each row will be staggered with the shells of the previous row, which is hopefully clear in the picture above. ^^
Row 4: chain 1 and turn, then start with 1 single crochet in the first stitch of the row. Continue with your shell pattern (skip 2 stitches, work 5 double crochets in following stitch, skip 2 stitches, work 1 single crochet in following stitch, repeat).
You will continue with the shell pattern, repeating rows 3 and 4, until your rectangle is the right length. To figure out what length you need, just hold the rectangle against the back/shoulders and fold the short ends together around your arms—they need to meet comfortably around your arms. For the 3-6 month size shrug, I ended up with measurements of 10.5 inches on the long end and 7 inches ‘tall.’ For the 6-12 month size shrug, it was roughly 12 inches across and 8.5 inches ‘tall’.
When you’ve reached the right ‘height’ for your shrug, you’ll need to even out the shell pattern to get a smooth/straight edge.
(In the pictures below, my previous row was a repeat of row 3. If you ended on a repeat of row 2 or 4, the evening out will be slightly different, but it should be fairly obvious what to do once you see the pattern. Or just add another row so you end with row 3.)
Start with a chain 1 and turn your work. Slip stitch in the first double crochet of the previous row, single crochet in the next double crochet, half double crochet in the next double crochet, and work a double crochet in the single crochet between shells of the previous row. This mimics the height of the shell and straightens it out. Then work up the next shell of the row by placing a half double crochet in the first stitch, then a single crochet in the next, and a slip stitch in the center of the shell. Work back down the other side of the shell by following that same pattern in reverse: single crochet in the following stitch, then half double crochet in the next, and double crochet in the stitch between shells. See how that works?
Repeat across the row. Lay the rectangle out flat and bring the long ends together (‘hot dog style’) and slip stitch just across the first inch or two of the long ends to create sleeves. Fasten off and repeat on the other side.
Check the fit before continuing on—for a baby size, you really have to be careful not to sew too far when making the sleeves. In the picture below, for instance? I sewed too far! I actually had to go back and undo it a bit to get the fit right. Be careful and check the fit before you move on.
Once again, use this picture as a guide of how to sew it and not how far to sew it. For the 3-6 month size shrug, this was too much! I went back and undid it, leaving only about an inch sewn together and that was perfect for Darcy. It’s easier to go back and sew more than to pick it apart.
Now on to the collar and cuffs!
Join your yarn somewhere in that inner circle of the shrug (I started at the seam, but you don’t have to), chain 1, and single crochet evenly around the entire circle. Slip stitch to join with the starting chain, chain 1, and single crochet evenly around. Continue to reach the desired collar length (I did 3 rows). Repeat this process for the arm openings to create the sleeve cuffs. If you’d like, you can go down a hook size or more on the cuffs to create a more fitted cuff. I did 3 rows on the cuffs using a J hook, then 3 more rows with an H hook.)
Weave in all your ends, and you’re done!
And the shortened, photo-free version of the pattern.
Darcy’s Vintage Shell ShrugRow 1: fsc in multiple of 6 + 1 to desired measurement—measure from one elbow, up arm and across the back/shoulders, then down to the other elbow. (for 3-6 month size, I did 37 fsc; for 6-12 month size, I did 43 fsc). Ch 1, turn.
Row 2: (begin shell stitch) 1 sc in first st of foundation row, *skip 2 st, 5 dc in next st, skip 2 st, 1 sc in next st.* Repeat from * to * to end of row. Turn.
Row 2: Ch 3 (counts as first dc), work 2 dc in same st as ch 3, *skip 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc (center of shell of previous row), skip 2 dc, 5 dc in next sc.( Repeat from * to * to end of row, ending the row with 3 dc in the final sc. Turn.
Row 3: Ch 1, 1 sc in first st, *skip 2 dc, 5 dc in next sc, skip 2 dc, 1 sc in next dc.* Repeat form * to * to end of row, ending last repeat with 1 sc in top of the ch 3 turning chain.
Repeat rows 2 and 3 until desired length is reached. It must be long enough to cover the upper back/shoulders, and when the shorter ends are brought together (‘hot-dog style’), they must be able to touch around the upper arms. (See photos above.)
Even out shell stitch. If you ended on row 2: ch 1, turn. sl st in 1st dc, sc in next, hdc in next, dc in sc between shells, hdc in next, sc in next, sl st in next, sc in next, hdc in next, dc in next. Repeat across row.
Fold long ends together, sl st from edges in just a few inches to create the sleeves. Be careful and check the fit!!! You probably need to sl st less than you might think!
Join yarn at inside seam, ch 1, and sc evenly around to create collar. Join to ch 1 with sl st. Ch 1, sc in each st around. Repeat to desired collar length. (I did 3 rows.)
Repeat for sleeve openings. If desired, decrease by 1 or 2 hook sizes for a more fitted cuff. (I did 3 rows with J hook, then 3 more rows using H hook).
Weave in ends.
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