2018 CAL - Year of the Stitches Blanket

Year of the Stitches – Week 7 Cabbage Patch Stitch

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Week 7 – Cabbage Patch Stitch 

Hello all. Hope you have all had a lovely week. How did you get on with the raised popcorn stitch? It’s such a cool stitch and so fun to crochet. I keep thinking of all the different projects you could make with it. This week, I’ve been working on the blanket, but also enjoyed making some Super Ducks for the kids for easter. I’m using the wonderful Toft pattern, which is so quick and easy to follow. But I thought I would make them into super ducks by designing them some super capes and masks. S0 hopefully the kids will like finding them on their Easter egg hunt this year.

I also made some little crocheted snowdrops to remember my dear Grannie by. She loved snowdrops and as she passed away when they were out, it seemed only right.

So this week I would like to introduce you to the cheeky cabbage patch stitch. (It reminds me of those dolls you used to get!) I think the stitch gets it’s name from the resemblance to rows and rows of cabbages in a field!! It’s created by 2 rows being repeated, so it’s quite straight forward. I just love the texture it produces. Would be stunning worked in a cardigan for a little girl.

Right so on to the yarn. So once again I am using the stunning sublime yarn, but this week it is a beautiful mermaid blue colour. (Haha – well I think it’s called that!! My husband wasn’t so sure!! I’m sure I’m right!!!) So as this is such a wonderful colour, I would like to dedicate this one, to my wonderful mother-in-law. It was her birthday at the end of last week and she loves this colour. So this one’s for you!! I am one lucky girl to have such a wonderful mother-in-law. She is always up for an adventure and totally one of a kind. She has known me since I was 16!! So she is definitely my second mum. She loves turquoise and mints and purples. But I think this is one of her favourite colours. So here’s to you!

Stitches –

Chain (ch) – To make a chain stitch, make a slip knot on your hook and then place the yarn over your hook and pull through the loop. Repeat this action to make a row of stitches.

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.

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.)

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.

Supplies –

So again you need to choose a double knit yarn of any kind. You roughly need about 30g/40g. Don’t forget your scissors and blunt ended tapestry needle. And of course your 4mm crochet hook.

1 – Ok so first of all we are going to reduce the stitch count a little. (Remember you are starting on the wrong side – so the opposite side to the popcorn stitch.) So attach your new yarn by pulling it through the first stitch and chain 1. Then work 1dc into the same stitch. Now work 5 more dc stitches, then work 2dctog with the next two stitches. Check the stitches information above, if you are unsure of how to work a 2dctog. The picture below is showing you how to pick up two dc stitches to work them together. *Now work 6dc stitches then 2dctog.* Repeat ** all across the row, but in the last stitches just work 6dc stitches. (209)

 

2 – Ok so now turn your work and chain 3. Then miss a stitch and work 1tr into the next stitch.

Then work 3 more tr stitches into the same stitch.

*Now miss 3 stitches and work 4trs into the next stitch.* Then repeat ** to the end of the row. There will 2 stitches left. So miss the first stitch and then work 1tr in the last chain 3 space. (209)

3 – Right so with this row we need to firstly chain 3 (this counts as your first tr). Now miss the next 3 stitches then work 1tr in the next stitch.

Now chain 2 and then you are going to work 1tr stitch into the first of the 3 missed stitches. This stitch is where the other crochet hook is pointing.

Now repeat the whole process again across the row. So miss 3 stitches, 1tr in the next stitch, chain 2 and then work 1tr in the first of the missed stitches.

Finally work 1tr in the last stitch. (52 chain 2 spaces)

3 – Ok so the final row is being worked on the right side of your blanket. Now chain 3 (which acts as your first tr).

Then *work 4tr stitches into the chain 2 space.* Repeat ** across the whole row.

Work 1tr into the last stitch. This completes the cabbage patch stitch. (209)

And there you have it – the utterly brilliant cabbage patch stitch. I hope you’ve enjoyed it. Any questions just give me a shout.

Happy hooking!!

🌈Xx

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2018 CAL - Year of the Stitches Blanket

Year of the Stitches – Week 6 Raised Popcorn Stitch

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The Raised Popcorn 🍿 Stitch

Hi everyone, well what a wet and dreary week. I hope you have all had good weeks. I’ve been busy making my wonderful mother-in-law some slipper socks for her birthday. I’m pleased to say I got them finished and they are hopefully keeping her tootsies warm as we speak.

I’ve finally managed to get the pattern all written up for them, but it just needs another check before I will pop it on here. The pair I have made for myself seem to be keeping my feet very snuggly and warm.

Once again we have had a sad week as we have said goodbye to one of the families and one of my dear friend’s Mum. She had been fighting her illness for so long and was such a strong person. Can’t quite believe it really. It was so terribly terribly sad. She was so full of life and had had so much fun. It was clear to see at her celebration of life, how many friends and family she had around her that were dear to her. What an amazing lady!! Listening to the stories about her made you want to go off on an adventure straight away. Wow! She had had a few herself. So I would like to dedicate this weeks yarn to a wonderful lady, who brought so much fun and love into the world. Here’s to you!! Sending so much love to her closest and dearest. We are thinking of you.

So I have chosen a wonderful bright warm yellow, which I think is rather apt for her. It is from the lovely sublime merino wool range again.

Stitches –

Chain (ch) – To make a chain stitch, make a slip knot on your hook and then place the yarn over your hook and pull through the loop. Repeat this action to make a row of stitches.

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.

Raised Popcorn (rp) – So chain 1, then work 6tr stitches all in the next dc stitch 2 rows below. Then remove your hook from the loop and reinsert it back into the chain 1 space worked before the 6tr stitches. Then collect up the loop from the last tr stitch and pull through to complete the raised popcorn stitch.

Supplies –

So again you need to choose a double knit yarn of any kind. You roughly need about 30g/40g. Don’t forget your scissors and blunt ended tapestry needle. And of course your 4mm crochet hook.

Ok so here we go … 

1 – Ok so start off by joining your new yarn by inserting your hook into the first stitch and pulling the new yarn through.

Now start by chaining 1 and dc into the same stitch.

Then work 1dc into the rest of the stitches. (201)

2 – *Now turn your work and chain 1. Then work 1 dc in the same stitch.

Work 1dc in the rest of the stitches in the row. (201)*

3 – Repeat ** for row 3. (201)

4 – Right so in this row chain 1 and work 1dc into the same stitch. Then work 1dc in the next 3 stitches. Now it’s time to work a raised popcorn stitch (rp). So to do this chain 1.

Then you are going to work 6tr stitches into the stitch 2 rows below. Can you see in the photo below where the stitch is you are picking up? It’s 2 dc rows below.

So this is showing your first tr stitch.

Right so carry on with tr stitches to complete the 6tr stitches in the same stitch. Now remove your hook from the loop and insert it in between the chain 1 space at the start of the stitch.

Now place the loop from the last tr stitch you worked over your hook and pull it through. This completes your first raised popcorn (rp) stitch.

Ok so now you are going to work 5dc stitches. You can see in the photo below where I have started the first if these 5dc stitches.

And now you are ready to start your next rp stitch. So *chain 1, work 1rp stitch then 5dc stitches. *

Repeat ** till you have completed the row. (After the last rp, work 5dc stitches as normal.) (238)

5 – Now turn your work and chain 1. Then work 1dc into the same stitch. Then work 1dc in each stitch in the row. This is being worked on the wrong side of your blanket. Once you have completed the row, fasten off your yarn and sew in your ends. (238)

And there you have it. Your raised popcorn stitches are complete. Now you may have noticed that our stitch count has jumped! This is because of the raised popcorn stitch being worked lower in the rows, so another stitch was included in the top to keep the structure. Don’t worry as next week we will get the stitch count back down again. I tried it without the extra stitch and it didn’t seem to work as well. Hope all that makes sense. You should end up with 39 lovely raised popcorn stitches in your row.


Thank you once again for reading my blog and having a go at my Year of the Stitches blanket. Hope you have enjoyed this weeks stitch. Please let me know if you are unsure of anything! And don’t forget to share pics!!

Happy hooking.

🌈Xx

 

 

 

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