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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Unicorn Hat

Unicorn Hat 

Now every little unicorn lover needs a unicorn hat. And this one is a bit of a humdinger!! It’s ever so easy to make up and won’t take too long either!! It’s based on Uni the Unicorn that I made for my daughter for PipsRainbow’s 1st Birthday. Uni’s pattern is in the pattern tab if you would like to make her too either to the side of here or below depending on what appliance you are on.

So this is the final hat this week I promise!! Blimey it’s been hat mad this week hasn’t it. Sorry about that! Next week I am hoping to publish my rather cute Christmas yarny loveliness pattern and I promise, it’s nothing to do with hats!!

So for this pattern, I started it on the way down to Devon in the car and with a few evening sessions later, it was finished!! (Nothing like a Birthday deadline to get the hook crocheting at a rate of knots!!) It was for my daughter’s birthday and oh how excited was she when she popped it on.

Now as this was a very quick, nighttime crocheting production line, the photos are very much on the go I am afraid!! But they are all self explanatory and hope it all makes sense to you.

Now the hat pattern is my Weekend Hat, which I published on my blog this week. So you can find that in the pattern section to the right of this or below if you are on a smart phone/tablet. So basically this is the accesorising part of the hat.

Level – Easy

Supplies – 

You will need a 4mm crochet hook, scissors and a blunt ended tapestry needle.

Unicorn – lots of different colours of double knit yarn. I used all my odds and ends from my sublime stash that I have. My colours are the same as Uni the Unicorn, but you can use any double knit wool you have lying around. If you don’t have any, you just need to buy a few balls of different coloured wool. I think I had about 5 different colours for the unicorn hat. Don’t forget you will need about 1 metre of black yarn for the eyes.

Flowers – all you need is about 15g of two or three different colours of double knit yarn wool or cotton.

Stitches – 

Magic Ring – Fold over the yarn to make the loop. Insert your hook through the loop and grab the working yarn (long piece) and pull through the loop. Hold the tail and the working yarn and pull so that the knot tightens, but you still have a loop. This has created a magic ring.

Slip stitch (ss) – This is where there is no height to the stitch. It’s usually used to join rounds. So 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. So 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) – 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.

Foundation Chain – A foundation chain is required when you are starting your crocheting project with rows. Now that you have created your slip knot, you can make the chain. Wrap your yarn over your hook and pull back through the loop. This will create the first chain. Now pull the yarn over the hook and pull through again to make the second chain. Repeat this process till you have the amount of chains that you require. Now you are ready to start your crocheted rows.

Double Crochet Decrease (2dctog) – This is where you crochet two stitches together to decrease the amount of stitches in the round. So insert the hook through the front of the first stitch only (the front V) and then insert again through the front of the second stitch (the front V). Now yarn over your hook and pull it back through both stitches, so you will then have 2 loops on your hook. Yarn over your hook again and pull through both loops. And there is your 2dctog. (Basically 2 double crochet stitches crocheted together.)

Ok so here we… 

Unicorn Ears

Right so first off, we need to make two ears in the same wool as the hat.

1 – Magic ring, chain 1, dc6 into the ring.

2 – Now work 1dc into each stitch. (6)

3 – Then *work 1dc in the next 2 stitches and then 2dc in the next stitch.* Work this ** twice. (8) 

4 – Now *work 1dc, then 2dc in next stitch*. Repeat this ** 4 times. (12) 

5 – Then *work 1dc, then 2dc in the next stitch.* Repeat this ** 6 times. (18) 

6 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (18) 

7 – Now *work 2dc then 2dc in each stitch.* Repeat this ** 6 times. (24) 

8 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (24) 

9 – Ok so in this round *work 1dc then 2dctog.* Repeat this ** 6 times. If you are unsure of how to work 2dctog. See the stitches information above.  (18) 

10 – 12 (3 rounds) Work 1dc in each stitch. (18)

13 – Now *work 1dc then 2dctog.* Repeat this ** 6 times. (12) 

14 – 16 (3 rounds)  Work 1dc in each stitch. (12)

Once you have made the ear, fasten off your yarn leaving a long, arms length tail. Now thread this into your needle and pinch the base of your ears together, sewing a few stitches to secure it. Can you see in the picture below how the base of the ear is being pinched together.

Fasten off your yarn with a long tail and put to one side till you are ready to sew it onto your hat. So to make sure that you sew them on in the right place, I use little tags with some small bits of wool. It just gives me an idea where the horn and ears go when the hat is sitting on someone’s head.

So using your needle and the long tail you left when you finished your ears – sew them on to your hat. It can be a little fiddly at first, but just keep sewing around the base of the ear on to the hat.

Unicorn Horn – 

Ok for the horn, I have used a strand of each of these as I wanted to give it real sparkle and texture. But obviously, you can just use some double knit wool or even an Aran weight wool.

1 – Make a slip knot and chain 12. Now slip stitch into a ring. (If you are unsure of how to make a slip stitch, look in the tutorials section for how to make one.)

2 – 3 (2 rounds) Work 1dc in each stitch. (12)

4 – *2dc, then 2dctog.* Work 3 times. (9)

5 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (9)

6 – Work *1dc, 2dctog.* Work ** 3 times.  (6)

7 – Work 1dc in each stitch. (6)

8 – Work *1dc, then 2dctog.* Work ** 2 times. (4)

Now slip stitch and sew up the top so that it has a point and fasten off. Leave a long tail, so that you can sew on the horn to your hat.

So now that you have your horn, it’s time to see this on the hat inbetween the ears. Once again work your way around the base on the horn, stitching it on to the hat using the your needle and the long tail that you left when you finished the horn. Try to keep the stitches hidden as much as you can as this will give you a neater finish.

Unicorn Mane

Right now it’s time for the fun bit. The mane. So you can use whatever colours you like.

Ok so attach your yarn and chain 1.

Now work 19 more stitches, so you have 20 in total.

Now work 2dc in the second chain from the hook.

*Now miss a stitch and work 1dc in the next chain.* Repeat this back towards the hat, down the side of the chain. This will give you a nice gentle spiral effect. If you wanted a really tight strand, work 2dc in each chain. This gives a spiral effect like on the my Octopus’s tentacles. Once you have worked all of your dc stitches into your chain and you are back at the hat, slip stitch into the stitch next to the base of your first chain. This will anchor your strand of mane to the hat. Then just fasten off.

Now repeat the mane process as many times as you like. I used 6 different colours on my daughter’s and maybe worked 4 chains of each one. Just remember the more you add the heavier the hat will get. Whooops – now we have all those lovely ends to thread in using your tapestry needle. As you need to hide these ends, you need to work them through the mane strands themselves.

And there you have your beautiful mane!

Ok, so now we have the ears, horn and mane finished.

Unicorn Eyes

All we need now is the eyes. So you now need your black yarn and tapestry needle. Firstly knot the end of your black yarn and secure it on the inside of your hat. Now come up on to the right side of your hat. Make a semicircle and then insert your needle into the back of the hat. Can you see that I have made the semicircle over about 3 rows.

Now you need to come back up in the middle of the semicircle and anchor the eye down by going threading the needle over the yarn and then back in the same stitch.

Now it’s time to work the eyelashes. So again come back up on one side of the eye and then go over the top of the eye but this time insert it back in the hat about 7mm lower. This will create an eye lash.

Keep repeating the eyelash process, anchoring the stitch onto the hat as and where you feel you need to.

This may take you a few times to get right, as it’s quiet fiddly. But once you’re happy with the shape, you can secure the yarn on the inside of the hat with a knit and then fasten off and sew in the end.

All you need to do now is complete the other eye in the same way.

And there we have your little unicorn. Now you may have noticed that mine has a bow. All I did was get a double arms length of each coloured yarn in the mane. Then knot one end and plait the rest finishing with another knot. You can now make it into a bow and simply sew it on the hat using some of your hat coloured yarn.

Now another idea is that you can add some flowers to your hat. Here’s a simple pattern that you could make up in all sorts of colours.

Flowers

So this is a really simple flower pattern.

1 – Start off by making a magic ring and chaining 1. Then work 12dx into the ring.

Now slip stitch into the first dc and pull the little tail to tighten the ring and create your little circle. Now fasten off, leaving your tail long enough to sew in later.

2 – Ok so now attach your new yarn into any dc stitch.

Start by chaining 1.

*Now work 5tr stitches in the same stitch.

Ok so then slip stitch in the next stitch.*

Now repeat this ** process 5 more times. End with the last slip stitch being worked into the first chain stitch.

And there you have your first little flower. You can make all sorts of different colour ways.

Well here’s to the end of Hat Week. I really hope you have enjoyed them all and hope you can find one that you would like to create.

Happy hooking everyone!!

🌈Xx

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

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