Autumn leaf Free crochet pattern

Decorate anything with these autumn leaves that never fade or change colour!
The pattern is for the Red leaf, others are very similar, picot stitches are added, and the puff stitches are grouped differently; the stem continues to the center of the leaf with slip stitches.

 Stitches used:
ch  - chain stitch
sl st  - slip stitch
sc  -  single crochet stitch
hdc  -  half double crochet stitch
dc  -  double crochet stitch

Before you start:  2 chain stitches in the beginning of Rnd 2 replace the first of 3 double crochet  stitches of the first puff stitch.

Rnd 1: ch6, sl st in 1st stitch, ch2, dc 15 into the ring, sl st in 2nd chain st

Rnd 2 -- into back loops: ch2, turn, * crochet  puff stitch in next 3 dc sts of Rnd 1 ( crochet 1 chain st between puff sts),  3 chain sts, skip 1 stitch of Rnd 1; repeat from * around  4 times, sl st into last st of Rnd 1

Rnd 3: ch3, 1sc st on top of the first puff stitch, ch2, 1sc between 1st and 2nd puff sts, ch2, 1sc between 2nd and 3rd puff sts, ch2,  3 sc sts between  3rd and 4th puff sts, ch2, 1sc between 4th and 5th puff sts, ch2, hdc st between 5th and 6th puff sts, 3 dc into the opening between 6th and 7th puff sts, picot , 3 dc into same opening, 1 hdc between 7th and 8th puff sts, ch2,  1sc st between  8th and 9th puff sts, ch2, 3 sc sts between  9th and 10th puff sts, ch2, 1sc st between  10th and 11th puff sts, ch2, 1sc st between  11th and 12th puff sts, ch2,1sc on top of 12th puff st, ch3, sl st in the last dc st of Rnd 1; do not cut yarn, continue to the stem: ch8, 1dc in the 4th from the hook chain st, 1 hdc in the next ch st,  1sc st in nest 3 chain sts, sl st in the 1st chain st of Rnd 3

Happy crocheting!

Amigurumi Bunny

Numbers of stitches for body and head are different, usually, and number of stitches for the head is usually bigger.

For example, the  bunny on the left is made according to this following pattern (body and head are made as one piece, from the bottom of the body to the top of the head):

Ch 2 – two chain stitches.
Rnd 1: single crochet (sc) 6 times into the second (from the hook) stitch = 6 sc
Rnd 2: 2 sc in next sc around 6 times = 12 sc
Rnd 3: *sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * around 6 times; sc in next sc = 18 sc
Rnd 4: *sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * around 6 times; sc in next sc = 24 scRnd 5: *sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * around 6 times; sc in next sc = 30scRnd 6 – in back loops: sc around = 30 sc; sc in back loop of next sc
Rnds 7– 10 (4 rounds): sc around = 30 sc
Rnd 11: *sc in next 3 sc, Sc2tog; rep from * around 6 times = 24 sc
Rnd 12 : sc around = 24 sc
Rnd 13: *sc in next 2 sc, Sc2tog; rep from * around 6 times = 18 sc
Rnd 14 : sc around = 18 sc
Rnd 13: *sc in next sc, Sc2tog; rep from * around 6 times = 12 sc

Change color
Rnd 16: *sc in next 2 sc, Sc2tog; rep from * around 3 times = 9 sc
Rnds 17 – 18 : sc around = 9 sc
Rnd 19: 2 sc in next sc 9 times = 18 sc
Rnd 20: *sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * around 9 times = 27 sc
Rnd 21: *sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * around 9 times = 36 sc
Rnd 22: *sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * around 9 times = 45 sc
Rnds 23-28: sc around = 45 sc

Rnd 29: *sc in next 3 sc, Sc2tog; rep from * around 9 times = 36 sc
Rnd 30: *sc in next 2 sc, Sc2tog; rep from * around 9 times = 27 sc
Rnd 31: *sc in next sc, Sc2tog; rep from * around 9 times = 18 sc
Rnd 32: *sc in next sc, Sc2tog; rep from * around 6 times = 12 sc
Rnd 33: * Sc2tog; rep from * around 6 times = 6 sc
The most number of stitches for the head is 45, it is much bigger than the most stitches for the body — 30.
The stitch difference for the bunny on the right is even more dramatic: same 45 stitches for the head, but only 18 stitches for the body.
I still have not decided which bunny’s proportions are more attractive.
The head-body stitch ratio is important, of course, but what determines cuteness and attractiveness of a toy is  details, small things, hands, feet, flowers, eyes, whiskers, noses…

So after finishing body-head, when making something new, I usually have several arms and legs, and tails. I am not sure whether I end up with shorter of longer legs.

When in doubt, I say, pin it! I try different arms-legs combinations with pins. The view from
 the back:



And the front view:



For detailed amigurumi patterns, please visit my online shop on Etsy

Neat edges for your knitting

If you Knit last stitch of every row — instead of usual Purl — the edge of your scarf will have a nice neat knotted ridge. In this picture — finished row, the last stitch – Knit:



Turn the work, the last stitch becomes first, slip it to the right needle, yarn behind the work and under the needle:




In every row, slip the first stitch, Knit the last stitch.


Happy knitting!

Knit, Crochet, and Everything!

I learned to crochet at the age of 8. My grandmother taught me knitting and sewing when I was 7.
Many years passed since then, yet my knit/crochet/sew-passion is not weakening, only the accent shifts: right now I do enjoy making amigurumi animals.
And after so many years of dealing with knitting needles and crochet hooks, I still find interesting and new descriptions, pictures and details, little helpful things ( which I could do without, but it is better to know them). Well, look what I just found on virtual pages of the world wide web :
http://www.knittink.com/amigurumi/
In toys this calculator has only “human”, but — human, animal –there are not as many differences as you might think! The calculator gives a pattern, and you can see what it looks like if knitted (or crocheted.)

Knitted hat with braids

Winter is almost over, but a nice looking (and original) and comfortable hat is always useful, and  it is never  too late to make an accessory that is different from what everybody else has. There are many hats with cables and braids, but this hat’s braids are different: the width of the braids varies, from 4 stitches at the beginning to 18 stitches.
The first stitch increase is done in round 2: cable 4 sts to the left [ slip next 2 sts to additional needle in front of the work, Kfb between stitches (2 stitches increase), transfer the 2 sts from the additional needle back to the left needle, K2 ] , K2
The next stitch increase is in Round 10, when you cable stitches to the left; stitches are added to the stitches that you slip to additional needle behind the work.

The final stitch increase is in Round 26, the braid is worked on 18 stitches.
The pattern is available in my Etsy shop :


 

Crochet rose — free pattern

Crochet roses are currently attracting my interest…
st  — stitch
ch — chain stitch
sc — single crochet stitch
dc– double crochet stitch

The pattern is simple, the possibilities are many…

For the rose chain 50; sc in the second from the hook loop, * ch 4, skip 1 stitch of chain, 1 sc in the next ch st, ch2, skip 2 ch sts of the chain, 1 dc in the third st, ch2, 1 dc in the same st, ch2, 1 dc in the same st, ch2, skip 2 sts of the chain, 1 sc in the third st; repeat from * to the end of the chain.
Row 2: make dc sts into little arches made by dc sts and ch sts of row 1, make sc sts on top of the arches made from 4 chain sts; there are 6 petals, 10 dc sts in each petal, with sc sts in between.

Crochet/amigurumi: feet with crocheted – not embroidered – contrasting details for dogs, bears, cats and other toys

To  make this puppy I used yarn in three colours: white, and two browns  –  one dark, one light.
When making the legs, I crocheted — not embroidered  — the toes and pads on his feet, and I think this looks cute and requires less work (no embroidery afterwards), not to mention the possibility of embroidered, or sewn on pieces of felt, to loosen and come off.

Leg with crochet toes and pads

 sc = single crochet stitch;  dec = stitch decrease;  inc = stitch increase
st(s) = stitch(es);  ch = chain stitch
How to read the pattern:
dec (sc dec) = decrease one single crochet stitch – Insert hook into stitch of previous row (use only front loop), do not yarn over; insert hook into the next front loop (there are 3 loops on the hook); yarn over, draw through 2 loops on the hook; yarn over and draw through both loops. When appears without a number, “dec” stands for one stitch decrease; a number after this symbol indicates how many times decrease has to be made.

inc (sc inc) = increase one single crochet stitch – crochet two single crochet stitches in one stitch of previous row.
The number at the end of each round is the number of stitches in the round (row). For example, sc 15 means: crochet single crochet stitch in each of the next 15 stitches of previous row (round);
{ sc 3, inc } x 6 = 30 means: crochet one single crochet stitch in each of the next three stitches of previous row, then increase one stitch by working two single crochet stitches in next (fourth) stitch; repeat between { } 6 times around; the number of stitches in this round is 30.
inc x 6 means : crochet 2 single crochet stitches in each one of the next 6 stitches of the previous row.
Work 2 rounds with Contrasting colour; attach White colour at 1st stitch of Rnd 3; in Rnd 4 Contrasting colour yarn is highlighted. Stuff gradually, mostly the foot and lower part of the leg; do not stuff top part.

Rnd 1: ch2, into the second (from the hook) loop: sc 6 = 6
Rnd 2: inc x 6 = 12
Rnd 3: { sc 1, inc }x 6=18   —  first stitch in Contrasting colour, then White
Rnd 4: {sc2, inc} x 2, sc2, inc, sc1, inc, sc1, inc, sc1, inc, sc3 = 24
Rnds 5-7: sc around = 24
Rnd 8: sc6, dec x 6, sc6 = 18
Rnd 9: sc around = 18
Rnd 10: { sc 4, dec} x 3 = 15
Rnds 11-13: sc around = 15
Rnd 14: { sc 3, dec} x 3 = 12
Rnd 15: sc around = 12
Rnd 16: { sc 2, dec} x 3 = 9
Rnd 17: sc around = 9
Rnd 18: { sc 1, dec} x 3 = 6