The 'Snake' Stitch

Hello all!

I have been trying to come up with something a bit different recently - something people haven't seen before and last weekend whilst playing with my hook and some yarn I came up with a really interesting variation on the crocodile stitch.

I wrote a pattern for a neck warmer/scarf based upon this discovery and on Monday I popped it onto Ravelry to be tested!  It was one of my three wonderful testers who commented that the stitch 'snaked' it's way down, accross, up and accross creating lovely S shaped ruffles and so the 'Snake' stitch was born.

I'm not so big headed to think that I've come up with something brand new, in fact I'm sure that somewhere in the history of crochet this stitch has been discovered previously and named something else!  But suffice to say I'm very happy with my new pattern and the shawl I'm currently working on that uses the stitch in a slightly different way.

Below are a couple of photo's of the neck warmer's I have made and here's the link to the pattern on Ravelry for further info - Snake Stitch Neck Warmer or Scarf

I hope you like it!  Comments welcome as always!

 

Free Pattern: Esperaza Wrist Warmers

A family member requested that I make her some wrist warmers, so here they are and here's the free pattern!

These wrist warmers work up incredibly quickly and are really pretty!  So pretty that I'm going to be making some for myself now!

 

Esperaza Wrist Warmers

Yarn: 25g of 3/Light/Worsted/8ply yarn

Hook: G7 hook (4.5mm)

Terminology: US

Special Stitches

Cluster (cl): [Yo, insert hook in next dc, yo and draw up lp, yo and draw through 2 lps on hook] 5 times, yo and draw through all 6 lps on hook.

Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc): Yo and insert hook from the front to the back around the post of the dc of previous row. Complete as for a regular dc stitch.

Back Post Double Crochet (bpdc): Yo and insert hook from the back to the front around the post of the dc of previous row. Complete as for a regular dc stitch.

Pattern – Make 2

Ch a multiple of 6 sts to suit the size of the hand you’re making the wrist warmers for, and join with a sl st to form a ring.  The gloves in the images above were made with a starting chain of 30.

Round 1: Ch3 (counts as a dc), 4dc into same ch sp, skip 2 ch, 1 dc in next ch, *skp 2 ch, 5dc in next ch, skp 2 ch, 1 dc in next ch; rep from * to end, ending with a dc, skp 2ch, join last dc to first with a sl st.

Round 2: Ch5 (counts as a dc and a ch2), skip first dc, *cl over next 5 dc, ch 2, 1 dc in next dc, ch 2; rep from *, ending with cl over last 5 dc, ch 2, join with a sl st to 3rd ch of beginning 5 ch.

Round 3: Ch3, skip 2 sts, 5dc in top of cl, *skip 2 ch, 1dc in next dc, skip 2 ch, 5dc in top of next cluster; rep from *, ending with a dc, skp 2ch, join last dc to first with a sl st.

Round 4: Repeat row 2.

Round 5: Repeat row 3.

Round 6: Repeat row 2.

Round 7: Ch3, skip 2 sts, 4dc in top of cl, *skip 2 ch, 1dc in next dc, skip 2 ch, 4dc in top of next cluster; rep from *, ending with a dc, skp 2ch, join last dc to first with a sl st.

Rounds 8 & 9: Ch2, hdc into each st around, joining last to first with a sl st.

Round 10: Ch3, dc into each st around, joining last to first with a sl st.

Round 11: Ch3, alternate fpdc, bpdc around, joining last st to first with a sl st.

Round 12: Ch1, sc into each st around, joining last to first with a sl st.

I hope you like this pattern!  If you have any problems with it please don't hesitate to let me know and I'll see if I can help! 

Text and images by Lolly's Crafty Crochet & Laura Tegg, all rights reserved.  No pattern may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission.  Finished products created with this pattern may be used for commercial sale. It is appreciated if design credit to Lolly's Crafty Crochet is listed in finished products.

Crocodile Stitch Crochet Barefoot Sandals

I have just published my pattern for Crocodile Crochet Barefoot Sandals on Ravelry!

These barefoot sandals are ideal for those practicing yoga and belly dancing. They’re also perfect for the beach or for those lucky enough to be attending a beach wedding. Can’t find a pair of sandals to match your outfit? No problem, you can even find yarn to match what you’re wearing, make a pair of these and wear them over flip flops, or the currently on trend two strap sandals!

Level of Difficulty: Advanced Beginner to Intermediate - the pattern has many guidance photo’s and a photo tutorial on the crocodile stitch included. The pattern has been tested by four Ravelry members, two of whom were not experienced in the stitch and both of whom made a beautiful pair of sandals! And all of the testers said they’d be making more :)

Click here to view the pattern on Ravelry.

Free Pattern: Gossamer Crochet Baby Blanket

This pattern is so simple and works up quickly with neat edges even without the border! It's light weight too, so perfect for a pram blanket and it's also lacy so would be fantastic made larger in white for a christening!

Skill level: Beginner

Sizes: Any size you wish to make!

US terminology used

Yarn: DK/Light Worsted/8ply baby yarn - I used Jarol Mother of Pearl in shade 3013 (cream)

Hook: 6.5mm (K)

Gauge: Not particularly important.

Abbreviations:

Chain (ch)
Double Crochet (dc)
Slip Stitch (sl st)
Space (sp)
Stitch (st)

Special stitches:

Bobbles on edging - dc3tog (dc6tog) - To dcXtog - *YO, insert hook in next st, YO, pull up a loop, YO, draw through two loops*, repeat from * to * twice (five) times, YO, and draw through all loops on hook.

Blanket

Ch64 - you can chain any size you like as long as it is a multiple of 4 to make a baby blanket, lapghan or afghan.  This made a 24inch blanket, without the border for me.

Row 1: 2dc in 5th ch from the hook (4ch at start counts as a dc and a ch1), ch2, 2dc in nxt ch, * skip 2 ch, 2dc in next ch, ch2, 2dc in next ch, repeat from * to last 3 chs, skip 2 ch, 1dc in last ch, turn.

Row 2: Ch4 (counts as a dc and a ch1), [2dc, ch2, 2dc] in each ch2 space, ending 1dc in 3rd ch of ch3, turn.

Repeat row 2 until you reach the desired length.

NOTE:  The ch4 at the start of each row counts as a dc and a ch1, therefore you will skip both of these when working the next row and work a 2dc, ch2, 2dc shell into the ch2 spaces between the shells in the previous rows, ending with a dc in the top of the 3rd ch of the ch4 below (essentially the top of the previous rows starting dc).
 

Edging

Round 1: Work 1 round of sc all the way around your project. When you get to the corners, ch 2 to form the corner space. At the end of the round, join the end to the beginning with a sl st.

Rounds 2-4: Repeat round 1 so you have 4 rows of sc.

Round 5: Work alternate dc3tog in one st, sc in next st around (creates bobble edging).  Work dc6tog in ch2 space of corners.

I hope you like this pattern! If you have any problems with it please don't hesitate to let me know and I'll see if I can help!

Text and images by Lolly's Crafty Crochet & Laura Tegg, all rights reserved. No pattern may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission. Finished products created with this pattern may be used for commercial sale. It is appreciated if design credit to Lolly's Crafty Crochet is listed in finished products.

Crocodile Stitch Pattern Giveaway!

****Sorry! This giveaway is now closed.  Congratulations to the two winners, Martha and Misty!****

To celebrate over 1000 downloads of my free crocodile stitch booties pattern on Ravelry, nearly 20,000 hits on this blog and the launch of my latest pattern for sale 'Little Petals Crocodile Stitch Hat - Baby Sizes' I am having a pattern giveaway!

Two winners will be picked at random and both will receive a copy of:

'Little Petals Crocodile Stitch Hat - Baby Sizes' AND
'Crocodile Stitch Newborn Baby Cocoon' AND

'Crocodile Stitch High Top Booties'!!!!

How to enter:

You have to do the following two things to be entered into the giveaway!

1. You must either be or become a follower of my blog - so you don't miss out on any future giveaways!

2. Leave a comment telling me which pattern by Lolly's Crafty Crochet you love the most and why - these can be any of my patterns - those you can buy and those available for free!

Get additional entries!

You can be entered into the draw a possible further 3 times if you BUT remember you must have done the above two first!

3. “Like” Lolly'sCrafty Crochet on Facebook

4. Follow me on Twitter

5. Copy and post a link on Twitter to this giveaway and include the hashtag: http://lollyscraftycrochet.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/crocodile-stitch-pattern-giveaway.html #LollysCraftyCrochet

Closing date: Friday 8th May 2012

Big Petals! A crocodile crochet hat for grown ups!

Just wanted to share with you the grown up version of my Little Petals Crocodile Stitch Crochet Hat!  I loved the little one so much that I wondered how it would look for adults!  So here it is, the imaginatively named Big Petals!  I've made a cool weather cloche and a cold weather beret!  Two patterns in one!  What do you think?  Pattern being fine tuned and then will be tested in my pattern testing group on Ravelry - Lolly's Crafty Crochet Pattern Testing.

Little Petals - a crocodile stitch crochet hat for babies!

Introducing Little Petals, a crocodile stitch crochet baby hat in three sizes, 0-3 months, 6 month and 12 months.

The hat works up very quickly and because of the open mesh crocheting will fit baby for several months as he or she grows! It is a light weight hat, more suitable for spring and autumn (and probably summer if you live in a climate like ours in the UK!) There is also a photo tutorial for the crocodile stitch at the end of the pattern for anyone unfamiliar with it.

Update:  After being tested by two Ravelry users, tI am very pleased to announce that the pattern is now available to purchase on Ravelry!