Year of the Stitches Week 42 – Paired Popcorn Stitch

Paired Popcorn Stitch 

Well it’s birthday party season in our house still and this week was my daughter’s party. It was an extremely rainbowy, unicorny, fairy, crafty kind of a party at home and I think, was well received by all. We played all the traditional party games and made some rather gorgeous unicorns. We wanted to give her a party like we used to have as kids. It seems to have all changed now with big occasions and events that a child goes to. We’ve had a couple of farm parties and a woodland pirate treasure party which went down well, but I think the two we have had at home for friends are my favourites.

We had a treasure hunt of Smile Stones which my daughter made.

I think their favourite activity was the unicorn making! Their little faces when they found out they could make them and take them home was just priceless!! Wish I had it on video!!! They even added a little magic and wish inside before they sealed them up!!

This was daughter’s and you can imagine where it was snuggled up last night!!

I do think my rainbow addiction is getting worse though!! Look at these I found on the Internet!!! There’s some kind of a rainbow explosion occurred in our conservatory!!

Oh and I couldn’t resist making these!!!

Not only have we had my daughter’s party this wknd, but we’ve celebrated my brother-in-laws too!!  Now he is a keen landscape photographer. He has taken some incredible photos all over the country. So I definitely had to dedicate this weeks yarn colour to him. A warm and wonderful autumnal brown, one that can be found in many of his landscape photos. These were the slipper socks I made for him. I added a 4ply West Yorkshire Spinner yarn into the mix which gave them a much thicker feel and hopefully warmer too!

With all the party loveliness, we did manage to squeeze in a family country walk in the back of the woods near us.

Think it’s these morning family walks that make you feel alive and happy. We did feel left out though, in the sense that everyone we met had a dog!! One day… 🐾

Now this photo was taken for my father. Every year as children when autumn came we would play the leaf catching game. It’s ever so simple. You stand under a tree and attempt to catch a leaf floating down from the sky!! You would think it was easy, but it’s not!! Saying that my husband caught his first time!!! I reckon it was beginners luck!!!

Well here was our attempt! Hopefully next year my son can catch one!!

Oh and to finish off a family walk, you can’t beat a Melbourne in Lichfield coffee!!! Best drank in the sun!!

So I think we had better get onto the blanket and our lovely stitch this week. So this week it’s called the Paired Popcorn Stitch. Now we have already had the Raised Popcorn Stitch on the blanket. This is when a Popcorn Stitch sits on it’s own, well here we have two slightly smaller popcorns that sit together!! Great for an edging to a little one’s cardigan or even the cuff of a glove or scarf. Hope you like it.

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.

Popcorn Stitch (Ps) – Work 5tr stitches all in the next stitch. Then remove your hook from the loop at the top of the last tr stitch and reinsert it back into the top of the first tr stitch. Then collect up the loop from the last tr stitch and pull through to complete the popcorn stitch.

Supplies

Right so this week my colour is a lovely warm and cosy orangy/brown colour, representing all the magnificent leaves surrounding us at the minute. Definitely one of the best times of the year. I also wanted to dedicate it to my lovely brother-in-law and his wonderful photographs!!

So I have used this lovely coloured soft yarn from the Wendy merino range. Mega soft and snuggable. 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 first things first, start on the wrong side of your blanket. Attach your new yarn and chain 1. Then work 1dc in the stitch and then 1dc in the next 2 stitches.

Now *chain 1, miss 1 stitch, work 2dc in the next stitch, then chain 1, miss 1 stitch and finally work 1dc in the next 3 stitches.*

Repeat this ** across the row. In the last few stitches of the row, chain 1, miss 1 stitch and work 2 dc in the next stitch. Then chain 1, miss 1 stitch then work 1dc in the last 2 stitches. (133)

2 – Ok so turn your blanket and chain 3. Now miss first stitch and work 1tr in the next dc stitch.

Right so now miss 1 chain, then work 1 Popcorn Stitch (Pc) in the next dc stitch. So to work a Popcorn Stitch you need to work 5tr stitches into the same stitch. Now you are going to take your hook out of the stitches, leaving a loop. You can see this on the photo below. Now reinsert it back into the top of the first Treble Stitch. This is where my hook is and grab the loop you made at the top of the last Treble stitch.

Pull the loop through the stitch to finish the Popcorn Stitch.

Now it’s time to chain 1 and work 1Pc in the next dc stitch.

*Now miss 1 chain and work *1tr in each of the next 3dc stitches. Work 1Pc in the next dc stitch, chain 1 then work 1Pc in the next stitch.* Repeat this ** across the row.

To end the row work 1tr in the last 3 stitches. (33 Popcorn Pairs)

3 – Turn your blanket and chain 1. Now work 1dc in the same stitch and then 1dv in the next 2 stitches. Now chain 1, miss 1Pc stitch and now work 2dc stitches in the next ch1sp. This is where the arrow is pointing. It’s looks like s large gap inbetween the 2 Popcorn stitches.

Now chain 1 and miss 1Pc stitch. Now work *1dc in each of the next 3 stitches, chain 1, miss 1Pc, work 2dc in the next ch1sp, chain 1 and miss 1Pc.* so repeat this across the row.

At the end of the row work 1dc in the last stitch and then top of the chain 3 from the previous row. (233)

So there you have the lovely Paired Popcorn Stitch.

Hope you have enjoyed this one. Any problems just give me a shout.

Happy hooking everyone!!

🌈Xx

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Year of the Stitches Week 39 – Blossom Stitch

Blossom Stitch 

Awww – I think my blanket is being used as some kind of Lego mat!!! Bless my daughter. You can’t beat a bit of Lego making! My daughter made this up with her Daddy yesterday afternoon. It’s pretty cool, it’s a little ice cream van and shop. There are so many incredible Lego kits now isn’t there. I remember having a pile of bricks and just having to try our best and use our imagination!! Amazing how things have evolved. Lego is in a whole different level of playing now!! I remember watching a Lego documentary and there are adults that will literally wait for a kit to be released and make it within 24 hours! There was one guy that had his poor girlfriend, sorting pieces so he was quicker to make it! Crazy!! Once he had made it, the finished article would be displayed and never played with. Can’t quite get my head around that, but hey, each to their own!! Fun fact alert from my husband – apparently Lego are the biggest manufacturers of wheels in the world! Who would have thought! Bonkers!!! Anyways!! Lego is definitely back in business and I reckon it’s here to stay!!

Well I think we need a big YEY to the weather this week!! Just incredible! I have to say these are my favourite kind of days. You can keep your scorching hot suns – give me a clear blue sky with crisp but warm sun, any day. Boots and gelert weather and some sunnies on top of your head! Just the best. Look at those skies!!

As I was reading in Simply Crochet magazine, we are entertaining our season at the minute!! The season of crocheted scarves, socks and yarnny hats!!! Ekkk!!! Proper weather!! Hope you are all enjoying your seasonal projects! I seem to be getting through all the birthday pressies at the minute. I made this little lady for daughter’s best chums sister. Hope she will like her.

Think it’s the colour combo I love so much! It’s a mix of a lovely soft dusty pink from Sublime and a West Yorkshire Spinner rainbow sock yarn. I had a bit of duh moment the other day. I’ve realised that some of my all time favourite projects have been with multistranded yarn. And if I ever just want to create something, I will always grab a couple of different colours to create something. I’ve decided it’s because it’s like painting. I get to choose what colours I use, rather than being dictated to by yarn suppliers. I reckon when I have a little more time on my hands, hand dyeing is the way forward. How amazing would it be to create your own colour scheme – I mean think of the rainbow possibilities!! It’s definitely on the to do list!!

So this weeks stitch is called the Blossom stitch. Now I know I should have used this in the spring, but hey, hind sight is a wonderful thing. So the Blossom stitch is another one of those stunning stitches that is made up of V shaped stitches in columns. It works well with pale colours such as this weeks dusty pink Toft wool. It creates quite a dense shape, which would work well for hats or scarves. You could use it with some lovely 4ply or lace weight to create a stunning shawl. Oooo, the possibilities!! Hope you enjoy this one.

Supplies

This week I have once again used the wonderful Toft wool in this lovely pink colour. It’s quite a contrast from the deep purple from last week but they sit well together. Couldn’t resist matching it with the stitch again. Now I know it’s not blossom season and I probably should have used this stitch in the spring, but this colour is definitely a blossom colour. You will need about 30g of DK yarn and don’t forget the 4mm hook, scissors and blunt ended tapestry needle to sew all the ends in.

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.

Ok so here we go…

1 – Attach your new yarn onto the right side of your blanket. Now chain 1 and work 1dc in the same stitch.

Now work (1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in the next stitch.

Now miss a stitch and work 1dc in the next stitch.

*Now miss a stitch and work (1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in the next stitch. Then miss a stitch and work 1dc in the next stitch.*

Repeat this ** across the whole row.

Ending with 1dc in the last stitch. (200)

2 – Right so turn your blanket and chain 4.

Now miss the first tr stitch and work 1dc in the first chain 1 space. This is where the arrow is pointing in the picture above.

Now chain 1, miss 1tr and work 1tr in the next dc stitch.

*Ok so now chain 1, miss 1tr and work 1dc in the next ch1sp, chain 1, miss 1tr, then work 1tr in the next dc stitch.*

Repeat this ** across the row.

Finish with 1tr in the last stitch. (200)

3 – Ok so first things first, turn your blanket, chain 1 and miss the first tr and first chain.

So now you are going to work (1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in the next dc stitch. This is where the arrow is pointing in the picture above. Then miss 1ch and work 1dc in the next tr stitch. This is where the arrow is pointing in the picture below.

Now *miss 1ch, work (1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in the next dc, then miss 1ch and work 1dc in the next tr stitch.* So repeat this ** across the whole row.

At the end work 1dc in the top of the chain 4 from the row below.

4 – So now we are going to repeat row 2. Right so turn your blanket and chain 4. Now miss the first tr stitch and work 1dc in the first chain 1 space. This is where the arrow is pointing.

Now chain 1, miss 1tr and work 1tr in the next dc stitch.

*Ok so now chain 1, miss 1tr and work 1dc in the next ch1sp, chain 1, miss 1tr, then work 1tr in the next dc stitch.* Repeat this ** across the row.

Finish with 1tr in the last stitch. (200)

5 – In this row we are going to repeat row 3.

Ok so first things first, turn your blanket, chain 1 and miss the first tr and first chain stitch.

So now you are going to work (1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in the next dc stitch. This is where the arrow is pointing.

Then miss 1ch and work 1dc in the next tr stitch. This is where the arrow is pointing in the picture below. Now *miss 1ch, work (1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in the next dc, then miss 1ch and work 1dc in the next tr stitch.* So repeat this ** across the whole row.

At the end work 1dc in the top of the chain 4 from the row below.

And there we have the beautiful Blossom Stitch. I’m thinking a scarf in this stitch next year!! It’s so delicate, yet so easy to work.

Hope you have enjoyed this weeks CAL instalment.

Happy hooking everyone!!

🌈Xx

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