Year of the Stitches Week 47 – Marguerite Stitch

Marguerite Stitch 

Well hello my wonderful ones. How are we all? I hope you have all had good weeks!! It all seems to be getting a bit christmassy here. Just seen all the Christmas lights go on which was lovely!! It’s definitely getting colder though isn’t it!! Snuggles under blankets and hot chocolates are of the order of the day!! I am rather pleased with my growing yarny pile of blanket loveliness!! It’s a sight that makes you feel all warm inside!! Hoping to add to the collection next year!!

So Friday night was date night in our house this week and oh how good was it to be out!!! It’s strange how you jump on to some kind of treadmill with day to day activities at home. Especially when it’s cold and damp outside. I don’t know about anybody else, but these early dark nights have thrown me some what! It gives you that feeling of hunkering down, shutting all the curtains and getting those woolly slippers out!! Truth be told, I think we are becoming hobbits! Maybe everybody does! I don’t know, but we definitely are. So when we have a rare occasion of a babysitter, then off we go, out to wherever!! It doesn’t matter where we go or what we do, just feels so good to be out. It seems to start you off on the right track again! Definitely felt like it did on Friday!!

As most of you know, this week has been hat week in my house!! I seem to have had some kind of hat extravaganza!!! We’ve had the Simply Snuggly Hat.

The Unicorn hat.

The Weekend Hat.

The Monster hat.

And my pom pom hat.

Phew – that’s a lot of variations of hats!! Well, all can be found one way or another in the pattern list, either to the side of this or below if you are on a smart phone/tablet. Really hope you enjoy them. My husband’s ordered a hat for Christmas with stripes, so that’s gonna be fun. Better get cracking!!

So onto the blanket and this weeks stitch. It’s called the Marguerite Stitch. It’s quite a delicate stitch and also has quite a few variations. This one uses a 3 spike cluster method, where as another could use a 5 spike cluster method. Hope you like it. It’s a little fiddly, in the sense you have to get to grips with where each one goes. But once you’ve got going, you will be fine. I have tried to make the pics quite clear with numbers, so you know exactly what I mean. Have fun chaps!!

Stitches

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

Double Crochet (dc) – Insert the hook through the stitch, front to back, then yarn over hook and pull back through stitch. You will have two loops on your hook. Then yarn over your hook and pull through both loops.

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.

Marguerite Stitch (Mc3) – Yarn over your hook and insert into the closed stitch of the previous Mc3 stitch, yarn over your hook and pull through. Then insert your hook into the base of the previous stitch, yarn over your hook and pull through. And then miss a stitch and insert your hook into the next stitch, yarn over your hook and pull through. This will give you 5 loops. Then yarn over your hook and pull through all 5 loops. Then chain 1 to finish then stitch.

Supplies

So this week I have used a stunningly deep turquoise blue from the King Cole Merino range.

As always you can use any kind of double knit yarn. You need about 30g/40g of wool. Don’t forget your 4mm crochet hook, blunt ended tapestry needle and some scissors.

Ok so here we go…

1 – Attach your new yarn on the wrong side of your blanket. Chain 1 and work 1dc in the same stitch.

Then 1dc in each stitch across the row, finishing with 1dc in the last stitch. (200)

2 – Ok so now turn your blanket and chain 3. Now you are going to work your first M3c Stitch. So to do this you are going to yarn over your hook and insert into the second chain (No1 in the photo) yarn over your hook and pull through.

So you should now have 3 loops on your hook.

Then insert your hook into the 3rd chain (No2) yarn over your hook and pull through. Then you will have 4 loops on your hook.

Ok so now miss the first dc stitch and insert your hook in the next stitch (No3) yarn over your hook and pull back through. Now you have 5 loops on your hook.

Then yarn over your hook again and pull through all 5 loops.

Ok so now chain 1 to finish the Mc3 stitch.

Right then so we are now ready to start the next Marguerite Stitch (Mc3.) So first things first we are going to *yarn over your hook and insert your hook in No1. This is the closed part of the previous Mc3 stitch.

Then yarn over your hook and pull back through. (3 loops on your hook.

Now insert your hook into No2, which is the bottom of the previous stitch, yarn over your hook and pull through. This gives you 4 loops on your hook.

Finally miss a stitch and insert your hook into the next stitch. (No3) So yarn over your hook and pull back through. You should have 5 loops on your hook.

Now yarn over your hook and pull through all 5 loops. Finish the Mc3 stitch by chaining 1.*

Now repeat this ** across the row.

At the end of the row after the last chain 1, work 1tr in the last stitch. (201)

3 – Right then so turn your work and chain 3. Now you are going to work a Mc3 in the second chain, third chain and then miss the first and second stitch in the row. Then finish the Mc3 stitch in the third stitch in the row. This is the top of the first Mc3 stitch.

Ok so to work your a Mc3 stitch, firstly yarn over your hook and insert into the second chain from the hook. Then yarn over your hook and pull back through. Insert your hook into the third chain from the hook, yarn over and pull through and then miss the first and second stitch and insert into the third stitch, yarn over and pull through. Now yarn over your hook and pull through all 5 loops.

Finish off the stitch by chaining 1.

Right so now work your next Mc3 stitch. *So yarn over your hook and insert into the closed stitch of the previous Mc3 stitch, yarn over your hook and pull through. Then insert your hook into the base of the previous stitch, yarn over and pull through. And then miss a stitch and insert your hook into the next stitch, yarn over your hook and pull through. This will give you 5 loops. Then yarn over your hook and pull through all 5 loops. Then chain 1 to finish then stitch.*

Repeat this ** across the row.

At the end of the row, work the last Mc3 stitch and then instead of working 1 chain stitch, work 1treble in the last stitch, which is where the last Mc3 was worked in the previous row. (200)

And there we have the wonderful Marguerite Stitch.

Really hope you have enjoyed this weeks instalment of Year of the Stitches. Not long now chaps. Only 5 more balls of wool left!!!! Crikey!!!

Happy hooking everyone!!

🌈Xx

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Year of the Stitches Week 41 – Sedge Stitch

Sedge Stitch 

Well it was Christmas Cake week in our house this week. I’m rather late this year, as she is usually made in September. This gives her time to mature till the big day. I suppose better late than never!!

My daughter helped me make it this year. She even made a wish while she mixed.

I told her all about how it was my Grannie’s secret recipe and that it would be passed down to her too one day. She thought this was amazing. And straight away wanted to know, who knew the secret. I have made a few little adjustments to the recipe, just for that added yumminess, so in my book it’s pretty spot on. It’s the first time I have baked one in my new oven. Well I say new, it was from my parents house, as they are having a new kitchen and this oven wasn’t that old. My last oven’s door, didn’t shut properly! So I was constantly judging timings! But this one – well. It didn’t let me down!! 6 hours start to finish!! Done!! Love it!! It’ll now be in the tasting at Christmas!! Ekkk!!! Exciting!!!

So another one of my Smiles has made it out and into the big wide world. This one was for my daughter’s friends sister, who loves all things small and munchable. Loving the rainbow effect on this one. They are such a good way to use up all your odds and ends from other projects. Think this one has sock yarn and some lovely sublime yarn in it.

This week, I managed two yummy cuppas from our favourite local coffee bar Melbourne in Lichfield. It is by far the best coffee in Lichfield and served by some of the friendliest people in town. My little man has many a happy moment talking to the owner and pressing his little nose up against the window, to watch the world go by. I think it’s their wonderful charming natures and bubbly personalities that make you want to go in time and time again. Just writing this, make me want one. I couldn’t resist dedicating this weeks yellowy yarn to them!! As you will see if you visit, they quite like yellow!! So all the treats are homemade and would definitely go well with any beverage drank – oh and don’t forget your crochet hook and ball do yarn. I keep eyeing up a rather comfy looking chair – I reckon it has my name on it. One day – a crochet hook and me, will be accompanied by a ball of wool and coffee will be found in this arm chair!!! One day…

Right then so on to the blanket and this weeks stitch. It is the wonderful Sedge Stitch. And by golly it’s a mega stitch. I genuinely think I had one of those moments when you realise that the stitch you are working on is a bit of a game changer. It’s such an incredible stitch and so utterly easy to make up as you will see. I am majorily excited about this stitch (as you can tell!) So I am sure you will be seeing it appear in some future PipsRainbow projects in the near future!

Supplies

So this week I have chosen a yummy yellow from the lovely Wendy Merino range. Fab yarn bought from the super Knitique shop in Lichfield. It’s a lovely creamy kind of a yellow and not only is it Knitique’s Shop colour but also the fabulous Melbourne Coffee bar in Lichfield. It is by far the best place in Lichfield for a coffee and something seriously yummy to nosh. Me and my little man are usually found in there, either for a lovely sneaky cuppa or two or a take away beverage in my rather precious purple flask. I think my flask is becoming a bit of a safety blanket for me, as it seems to go everywhere with me at the minute! It’s seen some seriously yummy cuppa action! I reckon it might need to go on holiday with me next time we go on an adventure!!

Anyways, as usual, you roughly need about 30g of yarn. Don’t forget your scissors, blunt ended tapestry needle and of course your 4mm crochet hook.

Stitches

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

Double Crochet (dc) – Insert the hook through the stitch, front to back, then yarn over hook and pull back through stitch. You will have two loops on your hook. Then yarn over your hook and pull through both loops.

Half treble (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.

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.

Ok so here we go…

1 – Attach your new yarn on to the right hand side of your blanket and chain 1, then work 1dc in the same stitch.

Now work 1dc in the next stitch. *Now miss 2 stitches. Work 1dc, 1htr and 1tr in the next stitch.*

Repeat ** across the row.

When you get to the end of the row, work 1dc in the last stitch. (200)

2 – Turn your work and chain 1, then work 1dc, 1htr and 1tr in the same stitch.

*Now miss 2 stitches. And then work 1dc, 1htr and 1tr in the next stitch.* Repeat ** across the row.

Work 1dc in the last 2 stitches. (200)

3 – Right so turn your blanket and chain 1. Now work 1dc in the same stitch. Now work 1dc, 1htr and 1tr in the next stitch.

*Now miss 2 stitches, work 1dc, 1htr & 1tr in the next stitch.* Repeat ** across the row.

In the last stitch, work 1dc. (200)

4 – In this last row, turn your work and chain 1, then work 1dc, 1htr and 1tr in the same stitch.

*Now miss 2 stitches. And then work 1dc, 1htr and 1tr in the next stitch.* Repeat ** across the row.

Work 1dc in the last 2 stitches. (200)

And there we have the wonderful Sedge Stitch. I know I say it every week, but this Sedge stitch, is seriously beautiful and so so easy to work up. I am thinking blankets, shawls and even clothing using this stitch. Definitely one to remember and use again! Yey!

Have a lovey rest of the weekend chaps and I will see you next week for week 42! Crikey – we are getting near the end of the year now aren’t we!!!

Happy hooking everyone!

🌈Xx

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