PipsRainbow

December 12, 2021 No Comments

Hello all. Happy Sunday all! We are all definitely feeling Christmassy now! Tree is up, lights are up & the Christmas cake & pudding are in the tins ready to go. Phew! Still quite a few pressies to finish & a little to wrap, but I am getting there. Now I do have a new little pattern that I would like share this week, but I thought I would pop this lovely little lady back on the website. It’s a gorgeous little Christmas stocking made using a spot of 4ply yarn! Now you can use any kind of 4ply yarn you would like, but I couldn’t resist making it from Abby’s little Christmas baubles!

I absolutely love these. They are just little Christmassy bauble of loveliness & great pressie for any yarn lover!

Think you have till Friday 17th for the last post on Abby’s website. Here’s the link.

https://luxuryyarns.co.uk/

Ok, so let’s get going.

Level – Medium – It has a few tricky parts, but is a great introduction for anyone that would like to crochet socks.

Stitches –

Slip stitch (ss) – This is where there is no height to the stitch. It’s usually used to join rounds. Insert the hook into the front of the stitch you are joining to. This is usually the first stitch you made in that round/row. Yarn over hook and pull through that first stitch then also through the loop on your hook.

Chain (ch) – To make a chain, place the yarn over the hook then pull it through the loop on your hook.

Double Crochet (dc) – To make a double crochet, insert hook through your stitch/space, yarn over hook and pull through the stitch. You should have 2 loops on your hook, now yarn over hook and pull through both loops on your hook.

Double Crochet Decrease – (2dctog) – This is where you crochet two stitches together to decrease the amount of stitches in the round. Insert the hook through the front of the first stitch only (the front V) and then insert hook through the front of the second stitch (the front V). Yarn over your hook and pull it back through both stitches. There will now be 2 loops on your hook. Yarn over your hook again and pull through both loops to complete your 2dctog.

Treble (tr) – To make a treble crochet, firstly yarn over your hook, insert through space/stitch, yarn over your hook, pull back through space/stitch. There should now be 3 loops on your hook. Then yarn over hook and pull through the first two loops, yarn over hook and pull through the last two loops.

Half Treble Crochet (htr) – A half treble crochet is basically one less movement than a treble. So yarn over hook, insert through space/stitch, yarn over hook, pull back through space/stitch. There should be 3 loops on your hook. Then yarn over hook and pull through all 3 loops.

Supplies –

You will need 5g of any 4ply yarn for the main stocking part and then a little bit of cream/white yarn for the top. (It doesn’t have to be sock yarn!!) You will also need a 3.25mm crochet hook, some scissors, a blunt ended tapestry needle and a bit of yarn to use as a stitch marker.

If you haven’t got any 4ply cream or white yarn for the top, you could use a spot of double knit yarn, it would just look a lovely fluffier or even a different coloured yarn.

PipsTips – You can make your little stocking using Double Knit or Aran yarn too. Just alter your hook size to a 4mm hook for Double Knit and 5mm hook for Aran.

P.S – Don’t forget to use your yarn stitch marker so that you know where your rounds start and finish.

Ok so here we go …

Toe –

1 – Start by chaining 5.

Then work 1dc into the 2nd chain from the hook and each of the remaining 3 chains. (4) You are now going to be working on the other side of the 5 chain stitches. Miss the first chain, as before and work 1dc into each of the 4 chains. The needle in the photo below, shows where to work your first stitch.

(Don’t forget to use a yarn stitch marker, so you know where the round starts. (8)

2 – Work 2dc in the first stitch. Followed by 1dc in the next. Work 2dc into the next stitch and then 1dc. Now repeat, so 2dc into the next stitch, 1dc, 2dc into the next stitch and then 1dc in the last stitch. (12)

3 – Now work *2dc in the next stitch, 3dc, 2dc in the next stitch, followed by 1dc.* Then repeat ** once more. (16)

4 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (16)

5 – Now work *2dc in the next stitch, 5dc, 2dc in the next stitch, followed by 1dc.* Then repeat ** once more. (20)

6 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (20)

7 – Now work *2dc in the next stitch, 7dc, 2dc in the next stitch, followed by 1dc.* Then repeat ** once more. (24)

8 – 12 (5 rows) Work 1dc in each stitch. (24)

Heel –

13 – Work 6dc stitches to work your way into the correct place for the heel. (If you don’t do this, the heel won’t be in line with the toe!!) Place your stitch marker, slip stitch into the next stitch and work 1dc into the same stitch. Then 8dc stitches, followed by 1htr stitch. (10)

14 – Now turn your work and chain 1. Then 1dc in each stitch. (10)

15 – 18 (4 rows) *Turn your work, chain 1 and work 1dc into the first stitch and then work 1dc into each stitch except for the last stitch.* Repeat this ** 3 more times. By the end of these 4 rows, you will only have 6 stitches. (6)

19 – Now turn your work and chain 1, then 1dc in the first stitch. The work 1dc into each stitch in the row. (6)

20 – Turn your work, chain 1 and work 1dc into each stitch in the row. Slip stitch into side of the row below. (This is where the needle is pointing.)

Then work 1dc into the last unworked stitch of the row below. (This is where the needle is pointing.) (8)

21 – *Turn your work, chain 1 and then miss the chain stitch and the next stitch. (The needle is pointing to where you need to start.)

Work 1dc into the rest of the stitches. Now slip stitch into the side of the row below and then work 1dc into the last unworked stitch of the row below.* (Sometimes it’s hard to work out where the slip stitch in the side of the row goes, but it’s basically the side of the row just above the unworked stitch.) (9)

22 – 23 (2 rows) Repeat this ** from row above 2 more times. (11)

24 – In the last row, turn your work, chain 1. Now as before, miss the chain stitch and next stitch. Then work 1dc in each stitch, finally slip stitching in the side of rows. (This is where the needle is pointing.)

Then work 1dc stitch in the first stitch you made for the heel. (This is where the needle is pointing.) (12)

Leg –

25 – Now you are back at the beginning again. Turn your work and place your yarn stitch marker.

Chain 1 and work 1dc into the first stitch and the slip stitch, then continue working 1dc in the all of the stitches in the heel. (12) Now slip stitch in the side of the rows, as before. (This is where the needle is pointing.)

Then work 1dc in the last stitch of the heel. (This is where the needle is pointing.)

Now work 1dc in the next 14 stitches. Your first stitch should go where the needle is pointing.

That completes the first round of the leg. (28)

26 – Now work 1dc in each stitch in the round. (The needle shows where to work your first stitch.) (28)

27 – Work 2dctog, then 12dc, then 2dctog, then 12dc. (26)

28- Work 1dc in each stitch. (26)

29 – Then work 2dctog, 11dc, 2dctog, 11dc. (24)

30 – Now work 1dc in each stitch. (24)

31 – Work 2dctog, 10dc, 2dctog, 10dc. (22)

32 – 37 (6 rounds) Work 1dc in each for the 6 rounds. If you want the top of your stocking to be a different colour, then change your yarn in the last stitch in round 37. (22)

38 – Now slip stitch into the next stitch and then chain 3. Then work 1tr in the first stitch and then 1tr in each stitch in the round. (22)

39 – Slip stitch into the first stitch, chain 1, then work 1dc in the first stitch, followed by 1dc in each stitch in the round. (22)

Finally slip stitch in the next stitch and fasten off.

All you need to do now is sew your ends in, block your stocking and add a ribbon to attach your little stocking to your tree. To block your work, you just need to wash it in warm soapy water and set it using your hands and let them dry.

Another possibility is to make a bundle of these little guys and attach them to some plaited yarn to create a Christmas garland or even use as an advent calendar for someone special.

Well good luck. Really hope you enjoy this little pattern. I seem to be making a rainbow garland of them at the moment. Will share a photo of them when I am done.

Don’t forget to share pictures of your little Christmas stockings. Can’t wait to see any creations you have made!! You can always link it to @pipsrainbow. Any questions, just give me a shout.

Happy hooking everyone.

🌈 Xx

(Free pattern designed and brought to you by PipsRainbow. Thank you for not copying or recreating it. ☺️Xx)

How to sew up your creations.

November 20, 2021 No Comments

Sewing up your little creations is nearly as important as crocheting them in the first place. That little bit of extra time that you take & the attention to detail, can really make the difference. It’s the little things like making sure the eyes are sewn on, in line to each other and the head is attached securely in place so that it doesn’t flop forward.

So here is a little explanation as to how I sew mine up. Hope it helps.

You will need – pair of scissors & a darning needle. With the faces you may need some black thread or safety eyes/noses, but the pattern will inform you of this.

I start by checking all the pieces are present and correct. I know it sounds daft, but it’s rather annoying when you are all set up to sew your toy and you are missing an ear or an arm. Trust me, it’s happened, it’s annoying.

So after many slightly wonky sewn up crocheted toys, I have come to the conclusion that the best place to start is the legs. If you attach both legs first, arms, then the head, the whole toy seems to come together easier.

Right, so first things first, the legs. You just need to make sure you keep checking the angle they are sitting at to each other and that you sew all sides of them on securely. With the legs, I just tend to pick up the last stitch on the leg itself, with the thread and sew in onto the body. So using your tail of yarn and darning needle, attach the legs to the body as seen in the picture below. Can you see how I am picking up the last stitch of the leg and one of the stitches on the body. Always making sure that I work the whole way around.

Keep checking the angle to check they look like my little unicorn legs in the picture above. At the end, sew the yarn all the way through the body and out the other side. You can do a little knot and insert it back into the body and push the needle out the other side. This will really give you a secure attachment and ensure that the end wont come out of the body.

You will use technique to sew all your body parts on. It is ever so easy, once you get the hang of it.

Now it is time for the arms. These are sewn on the same as the legs, but either side of the body. I tend to sew them on about an inch from the top. It also gives a nice little base for the head. Don’t forget to sew all the way around the arm, top and underneath. This will ensure it doesn’t fall off. How traumatic would that be!! As before, keep checking the alignment with the legs, to ensure it looks correct.

Head next. Right align your head onto the body. Making sure the nose, if you have one, is in the middle. You may have noticed there are no antennas or ears yet sewn on our head yet. This is due to the fact that they need to go on at the end of the sewing up process. (Once again, I have learnt from experience – if you sew them on before, it’s really hard to line up all the body parts i.e wonky toys!!) Make sure you really anchor the head down so that it stays upright & doesn’t flop. I keep going, in and out at the side of the neck, all the way around, to ensure it stays put.

Antennas and ears next. Both sewn up around the base of each. Keep checking your alignment!

Now, if your pattern asks for them, sew the eyelids in place, using the same technique. As the eyes go on top of the eyelids, you will find the eyes easier to align.

So if you are using safety eyes, attach these to your eye bases first. You need to make sure you have them in the correct place, because once you have pushed the backs on, it’s very hard to get them off.

So keep looking and checking that you are happy. Remember the dome on the back of the safety eye faces out.

Now just sew each one in place over half the the eyelid.

Once both eyelids are secure, I tend to then sew the eyelid slightly over the eye, to ensure it encases the middle of the eye. You can see what I mean by the photo below.

To work the eyebrows, you can carry on using the black yarn from the eyes. Using your darning needle and a long thread of black yarn, with a knot at the end. Work from the back of the head through to the front, ensuring you come up where you want the eyebrow to start, then literally insert it back into the stitch where you want the eyebrow to end. It’s pretty simple, but very effective. Don’t make it too big, as they can get caught and snag later on! Obviously you can make any expression you would like to, just by changing the angle of the eyebrows!

Now if you are using black thread to create your eyes, you need to use a darning needle and black thread. I tend to use 4ply black cotton yarn. This is done the same way as the mouth & eyebrow, but you work your thread over one or two crocheted stitches. I tend to go over 3 or 4 times. Once again as before thread your black yarn to the back of the body, make a simple knot and then sew back through the body and cut off the end.

To make the smile, literally come up about two rounds under the first eye. Then over to the second eye in the same place. Now here’s the tricky part, find the middle of the smile and make a little stitch a few rounds underneath, but make sure your stitch goes over the smile. This is to ensure the mouth is anchored down. Here’s a little smile being made of Kevin the Carrot.

Sometimes, a pattern may ask you to use a safety nose. This is attached exactly the same as the safety eye.

Another pattern may ask you to create an owl beak. Here’s a simple picture tutorial on how to do this. You use the same method, as the eye/mouth/eyebrow, by inserting a long piece of thread, knotted at the end. Don’t forget, you always insert it at the back of the head, so the yarn is more secure. (The knot will sit in the stuffing and not be near the front of the head.)

Some patterns may ask for a chain tail. My little Esmo the Elephant has a little chain tail. Here’s how to make one.

For the tail, insert your hook where you want the tail to be. Make a slip knot in your grey yarn, then yarn over your hook and pull the yarn through. Place both yarn and tail over the hook and make a chain. Now ch20, then ss back into the body. Ch20 and once again ss back into the body. Finally ch20 and ss back into the body and this time fasten off your yarn and sew in your ends using your darning needle.

And there you have it. I hope this has helped you. If I add a pattern to my website with a different technique required, I will add it here. Any questions, just shout.

Happy hooking.

🌈Xx