Free Christmas Star Pattern!

In the Christmassy spirit of Advent, today I have written up a little pattern to share with you, using the very lovely Paintbox Yarns Simply DK. It is a very quick and simple pattern but includes a spike stitch and both working in the round and straight so I will knock up some accompanying tutorials for you as soon as I can. I will also publish a PDF version on Lovecrochet.com very soon.
I hope you enjoy making it, please do share your pictures of your own stars, can't wait to see which palette you choose!
 

Materials

Paintbox Yarns Simply DK 100% acrylic, 100g/276m/302yds 

Yarn A: Neon Pink, 156 x 1 ball

Yarn B: Buttercup Yellow, 122, x 1 ball

Yarn C: Rich Mauve, 144 x 1 ball

Yarn D: Rose Red, 113 x 1 ball

Yarn E: Washed Teal, 132 x 1 ball

Yarn F: Lime Green, 128 x 1 ball

4mm hook

Yarn needle

Toy Stuffing.

Tension

Exact tension is not essential.

Pattern Notes

Centre of the star is worked in the round. Points of the star are worked one by one on Round 6, but are worked back and forth, breaking the yarn after every point and rejoining the yarn to Round 5 to begin the next point.

Special Stitches

Cluster (cl): [yoh, insert in st, draw lp through] twice, 5 lps on hook, yoh and draw through all 5lps.

Method

Star (make two)

With 4mm hook and Yarn A make an adjustable ring. 

Rnd 1: 6dc in adjustable ring, pull tightly to close ring, sl st to first dc to close rnd – 6dc.

Fasten off Yarn A, join Yarn B to any st around with a sl st.

Rnd 2: 2ch, yoh, insert hook in same st, draw lp through, yoh and draw through all lps on hook, 1ch, (cl, 1ch) in each rem dc around, join rnd with sl st – 6 cl and 6 ch-sps.

Fasten off Yarn B, join Yarn C to any 1ch-sp around with a sl st.

Rnd 3: 2ch (counts as 1htr), 2htr in same ch-sp, 1ch, (3htr, 1ch) in each rem ch-sp around – 18htr, 6ch-sps.

Fasten off Yarn C, join Yarn D to first htr of any 3htr group with a sl st.

Rnd 4: 1dc in same st and in each of next 2 htr, insert hook down into cl from Row 2, yoh, draw loop through st and up to the height of current rnd, yoh and draw through 2lps on hook, spike made, *1dc in each of next 3 htr, spike stitch; rep from * 5 times in total, join rnd with sl st – 18dc and 6 spike sts.

Fasten off Yarn D, join Yarn E to any st around with a sl st.

Rnd 5: 1dc in each st around – 24dc.

Fasten off Yarn E, join Yarn F to any st around with a sl st.

Round 6 will be making the star points one by one as follows:

Star point:

Row 1: 1dc in this and each of next 4 sts, turn – 5dc.

Row 2: 1ch (does not count as st), 1dc in each st across – 5dc.

Row 3: 1ch (does not count as st), dc2tog, 1dc, dc2tog – 3dc.

Row 4: 1ch (does not count as st), 1dc in each st across – 3dc.

Row 5: 1ch (does not count as st), dc3tog – 3dc.

Fasten off yarn.

With RSF, rejoin yarn to same st of Rnd 5 that the last dc of Point One’s Row 1 is worked into, so this stitch of Rnd 5 will be worked into twice. Now work next point and each following point from Row 1 in the same way as the last, starting each following point in the last dc of the previous point’s Row 1.

6 points in total.

Finishing

Block pieces lightly to shape. Place two star pieces together with wrong sides facing.

Rejoin Yarn F to the top of any point and work evenly around the whole star in dc, working each dc through both layers of the star to join them. Before you reach the end of the round, stuff the star lightly to desired shape, then complete the round and join with a sl st to the first dc. Make 15ch, then sl st back down into bottom of the chain to make a hanging loop.

Hang on your tree and admire!

 

Daisy Chain Necklace

Another pattern up on the Love Knitting and Love Crochet sites this week is this pretty Daisy Chain Necklace. It is a really versatile project - I have already made necklaces, garlands and some pretty flower clips for my littlun to wear in her hair using these flowers and each project (especially the hairclips!) receive plenty of admiring comments. The chain is so easily customisable to any desired length, and you can play with the yarn weights used to create differently sized daisies. 
It is very quick to hook and the pattern is written for both UK and US crocheters.

 

All images by Kirsten Mavric

Resolutions

 

I am probably giving myself too many resolutions to achieve this year, but one I really want to try to keep is to take time out to read more. Reading used to be my biggest passion and how I unwound. Knitting and crochet became my go-to relaxation activity many years ago now and I want to redress the balance somewhat. Therefore, one of my newest designs for Inside Crochet - a bookmark - is hopefully going to be put to good use! It is in issue 73, out now in all good newsagents with a glorious granny cluster cardigan by Catherine Waterfield on the front cover, that I hope I eventually get the time to make for myself! 

If you don't usually read Inside Crochet, do go and search out this issue - I love so many of the projects inside this month, the colours and textures are beautiful, so it's well worth a flick through.

Bookmark images by Leanne Jade Photography

crochet colourwork hat

 The latest issue of Inside Crochet came out on Friday, which has a very autumnal theme and so the weather has been quite appropriate for some of the projects inside it. I am rather proud of the lovely little hat I designed for it. I wanted to recreate some of the beautiful scalloped colourwork patterns I have been noticing in knitwear recently, but without the faffing of doing any Fair Isle or Tapestry crochet, so I utilised the scallop stitch, comprising of shells, with some block stripes of colour to create the pattern. Here's the result!

All images by the talented Britt Spring Photography

tapestry crochet blanket

I have just received my early copies of the latest issue of Inside Crochet and had to share the blanket I have designed inside. I have been meaning to master tapestry crochet - the art of colourwork patterning within crochet - for a while and have been toying with the idea of a geometric triangle pattern. Triangles are everywhere in homewares at the moment and I thought it would be perfect in a blanket for my littlun. So here it is! 
Using Sublime Merino DK, which is beautiful and comes in an array of gorgeous colours, this is my new favourite project, it was a joy to make and snuggly to use - I have to say I have used it more than the littlun! If you haven't had a go at tapestry crochet before, do not fear, the Polygon Blanket is published alongside a straightforward how to guide. If you aren't a subscriber, the issue is on sale in all good newsagents and supermarkets from the 23rd April.

Willow Hat

Well, my resolution to blog more often didn't last long! I have had a very busy few months, leaving little time for posting, which I will post about shortly. For now, I wanted to let you know of my latest pattern, a crocheted hat published in Issue 47 of Inside Crochet magazine. The Willow beanie is proving quite popular and I have already seen a lot of different versions, including this fab rainbow version by Ali Campbell, crochet teacher extraordinaire, over at Get Hooked on Crochet.

The hat is a great introduction to raised treble stitches (called front/back post double crochet in US terminology) to create a ribbed effect brim, and is really very simple. Unfortunately today was the last day issue 47 was available from all good bookstores, but you can buy a digital copy, and it is packed with fabulous projects. I love Rohn Strong's gorgeous cabled cover project, Rosalind, while Joanne Scrace's Walk in the Woods cardigan is just such a fabulous everyday cardi, I have to get round to hooking it. My littlun has a penchant for Lynne Rowe's Celeste blanket (she loved playing with the sample), and I must admit, I love a pompom. And there's loads more!

The pretty pictures are again by the wonderful Britt Spring.

hexagon motif cushion

The September issue of Inside Crochet is out this week, the inspiration for the issue is the humble granny square, and my contribution is this hexagon motif cushion based loosely on my favourite shape for granny motifs. 

The patches use puffs and popcorns instead of some of the traditional three treble groups so familiar in regular granny motifs. It is simple, quick and fun to hook and is easily adaptable for throws, chair covers and other interior uses, so hopefully it inspires you to pick up the hook! 

Issue 45 is out on Friday and includes a range of patterns inspired by the traditional granny square, as well as the regular collection of fashion, kids and homeware.