It’s such a quick and easy project to work up. I used fabric paint to add eyes, and I think they are so sweet. I worked up the same pattern using Bernat Blanket yarn to see how it would turn out in a chunky yarn.
And then I decided I wanted a large version, but one that still wouldn’t take too long to make. So I went to the drawing board to find the perfect formula to use Bernat Blanket yarn to create a big but quick-to-work-up candy corn. And the Candy Corn Cuddler was born!
Here is the whole family. I adore how they all have their own personality and charm!
A few details . . .
Finished size: approximately 6” tall
My Materials:
Hook L (8.00 mm)
Bernat Blanket Yarn in White, Carrot Orange, and School Bus Yellow
small amount of black yarn or embroidery thread (for mouth)
15 mm safety eyes (optional)
blunt tapestry needle
Paid Pattern
As a way to help cover costs to keep the blog live, this is a paid pattern. While I understand that paid patterns may not be an option for all and are not everyone’s cup of tea, I do appreciate the support of those who are in a place right now to help fund this space. Please check out the free patterns I have available on the blog, and hopefully you will find something that inspires you!
You can find it available to purchase on Ravelry or Etsy.
Several years ago, I purchased a tin of plush snowball toys for my classroom. We enjoyed several fun indoor snowball fights during those weeks of being stuck inside for recess times. However, the snowballs quickly popped open at the seams and began to lose their stuffing. Fast forward to a few months back when memories of those days randomly popped back into my mind, and I found myself thinking “I could make those!”
As I was working on coming up with something that I could put up in my Etsy shop and bring to this season’s craft fairs, I saw a post on social media of someone else making these. However, I decided to share what I did for my set anyway, as I’m already claiming that this is not an original idea of my own but rather a re-imagining of something I’d seen before.
This set is wonderful for those stretches of time when large quantities of snow keep you cooped up and going stir crazy. But wouldn’t this also make a fun Christmas gift for someone that lives in an area that doesn’t typically get enough snow for a snowball fight? And even though I live in an area that gets frequent snowfall in the winter, I can appreciate a warm, dry snowball fight over the real thing any day!
Each snowball is approximately 3.5” in diameter and weighs approximately 0.7 ounce. I’ve included two different versions of the snowball, one using a K hook and one using an L hook. I tend to crochet on the tighter side and ended up using the L hook version. (I’m going to insert my disclaimer here: While each snowball is lightweight and soft, supervision is recommended for safe play. And setting a guideline of no head/face shots is probably a good way to keep things amicable.)
You can add this pattern to your Ravelry queue here or Pin It for later here. And don’t forget to look for the free download button at the bottom of the post.
“Indoor Snowball Fight” tag (optional) – I made mine on Canva for free
Abbreviations:
MR – magic ring
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
dec – (decrease) single crochet the next 2 stitches together
inc – (increase) work 2 single crochets into the next stitch
*– work directions between the 2 * on repeat, as stated for that round
Notes:
This pattern is worked in the round. Do not join at the end of rounds.
Make sure to add enough fiber fill to give the snowball its shape, but to keep snowballs soft and light, do not overstuff.
The Pattern
K Hook Version
Make 6, or desired amount
Round 1: In MR, sc 6 (6 sc)
Round 2: Sc increase around (12 sc)
Round 3: *Sc, inc* around (18 sc)
Round 4: *Sc, sc, inc* around (24 sc)
Round 5: Sc around (24 sc)
Round 6: *Sc in next 2, dec* around (18 sc)
Round 7: *Sc, dec* around (12 sc)
Stuff
Round 8: Dec around (6 sc)
Finish off, close stitches, and weave in end.
L Hook Version
Make 6, or desired amount
Round 1: In MR, sc 6 (6 sc)
Round 2: Sc increase around (12 sc)
Round 3: *Sc, inc* around (18 sc)
Rounds 4-5: Sc around (18 sc)
Round 6: *Sc, dec* around (12 sc)
Stuff
Round 7: Dec around (6 sc)
Finish off, close stitches, and weave in end.
Packaging
After making 6 snowballs, I loaded them into my white organza drawstring bag. I then cut out a tag, hole-punched the corner, strung the tag on one of the drawstrings, and tied a bow with the cinched up drawstring.
Fall is my favorite time of year. Something about the changing leaves, pumpkin decorations, and apple cider has always resonated with me and given me a warm fuzzy feeling towards the season.
That being said, I have to admit I’m not a big fan of Halloween . . . at least certain aspects and themes of Halloween. Horror and gore are not my thing. However, a little creepy cute this time of year can be fun and festive. And with that thought in mind, here to say hi is my newest little amigurumi.
This spider is a little bit cute, a little bit creepy, and whole lot of fun to make! When I first thought about stitching up a cute spider, my anti-seaming-self groaned at the thought of sewing on eight little legs. That’s when I decided to figure out a way to make this a no-sew project, and I am very pleased to announce that this little guy is worked all in one piece!
I had some wiggly safety eyes to attach to my little spider, but I would love to see him worked up with different styles of eyes. And imagine stitching up a purple spider! If you work this little guy up, I would love to see your finished makes. If you’re on Instagram, you can tag me using @yarnfully_yours_ or #yarnfullyyours. If you’re on Ravelry, don’t forget to create a project to share with the community over there.
Finished size: approximately 6’’ x 2.5’’, including legs
My Materials:
worsted weight black yarn
Hook F (3.75 mm) – for legs
Hook G (4.00 mm) – for body
safety eyes (sample used 10 mm safety wiggle eyes)
fiber fill
tapestry needle
Abbreviations:
ch – chain
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
dec – (decrease) single crochet the next 2 stitches together
inc – (increase) work 2 single crochets into the next stitch
*– work directions between the 2 * on repeat, as stated for that round
Notes:
This pattern is worked in the round. Do not join at the end of rounds.
The spider is worked from the top down in one piece. The legs are worked into round 7, so this is a no sew project.
When working round 7, use your G hook for all single crochet stitches and your F hook for all the chains and slip stitches worked into the chains. Going down a hook size for the legs results in a much cleaner look, but you can work it all in one size hook if preferred.
When working round 8 take notice of how your legs are laying against the adjacent stitches and that they are coming to the outside of your work. Once round 8 is complete, the legs should be pointing up, as if the spider was laying on its back. Correct stitch placement may be a little tricky on this round, so just make sure that you have a total of 36 single crochet stitches upon completion of the round before moving on to the next.
The Pattern
Round 1: In MR, sc 6 (6 sc)
Round 2: Sc increase around (12 sc)
Round 3: *Sc, inc* around (18 sc)
Round 4: *Sc, sc, inc* around (24 sc)
Round 5: *Sc in next 3, inc* around (30 sc)
Round 6: *Sc in next 4, inc* around (36 sc)
Round 7: Sc around (36 sc)
Round 8: (Sc, ch 15, sl st in second chain from hook, sl st in next 7, skip next ch, sl st in remaining 5, sc in next st), repeat for a total of 4 times, sc 12, (Sc, ch 15, sl st in second chain from hook, sl st in next 7, skip next ch, sl st in remaining 5, sc in next st), repeat for a total of 4 times, sc 8 (36 sc, 8 legs)
Round 9: Sc around (36 sc) – Make sure to work into only the sc stitches from round 8.
Round 10: Sc around (36 sc)
Round 11: *Sc in next 4, dec* around (30 sc)
Round 12: *Sc in next 3, dec* around (24 sc)
Insert eyes between rounds 8 and 9, approximately 5 stitches apart.
Back in July, I ordered the Mystery Yarn of the Month from KT and the Squid. (If you’ve never heard about her monthly yarn, you should check her out on Instagram to get all the details. She has a different approach to the ever popular monthly yarn clubs.) When it arrived in the mail, I was in awe! The colorway is beautiful, and, being 100% Superwash Merino, it is so soft and fluffy. Immediately, I knew that I had to have the perfect project lined up to use this gorgeous yarn.
As I’m sure you can relate, it can sometimes be a little tricky to find a one-skein project that is just right to finally use that special hand-dyed splurge you have in your stash. So after letting the yarn sit for a bit, I picked it up and decided to start experimenting with my own ideas.
After a little trial and error, this cowl emerged from my hook. Something about the combination of the puffs and the lines of unworked loops satisfied the pops of color in the yarn and allowed for a nice squishy finished project. And after coming up with a suitable name with some help from an Instagram follower and friend, the Bubble Tea Cowl was born!
You can find the PDF on Etsy here. You can also find the PDF or add this pattern to your Ravelry queue here. Or Pin It for later here.
Finished size: approximately 12.5” x 4.5” (folded
in half)
*
– work directions between the 2 * on repeat, as stated for that round
Special Stitch – Puff Stitch:
Yarn over and insert hook into the next stitch, working in the unworked front loop one row below the working row as indicated.
Yarn over and pull up loop (3 loops on hook).
Yarn over and insert into the same stitch.
Yarn over and pull up loop (5 loops on hook).
Repeat steps 3 and 4 three more times (you will have 11 loops on hook).
Yarn over and pull through all 11 loops.
When you proceed onto the next stitch as the pattern states, make sure it is the stitch from the working row beside the one that is above the puff stitch, meaning you will have skipped over the stitch directly above the puff (since you worked the puff one row down rather than in the working row).
Notes:
When working into the chain to complete round 1, I stitch into the back bump of the chain. This results in an edge that resembles a row of single crochet stitches rather than a row of chain stitches.
This pattern is worked in the round. Do not join at the end of rounds.
Pay careful attention to step 7 from the Special Stitch section when completing the single crochet stitch following each puff stitch.
Since this cowl is worked in the round, you may want to work a slip stitch at the end of the last row to smooth out the height between the last sc and sewing in the end.
While this project was designed as a one-skein project, there were approximately 30 yards of yarn left over from the skein used for the sample. If you would like a wider cowl, you could easily add on pattern repeats using a second skein of yarn.
Pattern:
Ch 101
Round 1: Sc in second chain from hook
and each remaining chain across (100 sc)
DO NOT TURN. Begin the next
round in the first stitch of the first round, making sure to not twist your
work.
Working BLO for the remainder of the project (except when working puff stitches)…
Round 2: Sc around (100 sc)
Round 3: *sc in next 4 stitches, puff
in the next stitch one row below* around (100 st)
Round 4-5: sc around (100 sc)
Round 6: *sc in next 2, puff, sc in
next 2* around (100 st)
This
past June, the last day of school signified a different end than any other
typical school year. It would not only be the final day of that current school
year, it also served as the final day of classes before the school permanently
closed its doors. It was a truth we had lived with for more than half of the
school year, and it was a bittersweet day.
As I planned the end-of-year goody bags for my students that had contained an emoji amigurumi the previous couple of years, I decided to tweak the pattern a little. (You can find the original emoji pattern here.) By transforming the emoji plushies into sunshine plushies, I sought to inspire my students to keep shining brightly as they stepped out into a future that would look a little differently than they were accustomed to.
Just like the emoji pattern, these are a simple project that work up very quickly. And at just a little over 3” in diameter, they are the perfect size for small hands to hold.
I stayed a bit more basic with the faces on these, rather than the more varied emoji faces I worked up in previous years. But the fun of this project – it’s easy to personalize these in any way you can imagine!
You can add this pattern to your Ravelry queue here or Pin It for later here.
Finished size: approximately 3 ½” in diameter
My Materials:
Hook G (4.00 mm)
Red Heart Super Saver in Bright Yellow
small amount of black yarn or embroidery thread
fiber fill
safety eyes (optional)
blunt tapestry needle
Abbreviations:
ch – chain
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
sc2tog – single crochet the next 2 stitches together
inc – work 2 single crochets into the next stitch
FLO – front loop only
BLO – back loop only
* – work directions between the 2 * on repeat, as stated for that round
The Pattern:
Round 1: working in a magic circle, sc 6
(6 sc)
Round 2: inc around (12 sc)
Round 3: *sc, inc* around (18 sc)
Round 4: *sc, sc, inc* around (24 sc)
Round 5: *sc, sc, sc, inc* around (30
sc)
Rounds 6: sc around (30 sc)
Round 7: FLO, (Ch 4, sl st in second ch, sc in next ch, hdc in last ch, sk next st, sl st in the next 2 st) repeat around (10 sunrays made)
Round 8: BLO of round 6 stitches, sc
around (30 sc)
A while back, I was able to purchase some Mandala Ombre yarn while it was still a rather new product. There were several colorways that caught my eye, but I was envisioning a baby blanket, so I went with the pastels of “Balance”.
Perhaps you saw my Instagram post from the other day, in which I shared a sneak peak of what this beautifully soft yarn was becoming. This yarn is so soft and lovely to work with, and I couldn’t help but share a progress photo!
I decided to work up a simple stitch pattern that allowed the yarn to speak for itself and wanted to add some small flower embellishments to give it a little flair. With the initial thought that this would be a baby blanket, I did not want to implement add-on pieces, so I worked the flowers right into the rows of the blanket. And what a relief it was to reach the end of the project knowing there wasn’t going to be an endless amount of sewing and end-weaving in store!
I added a slightly ridged, easy to stitch edging in a light gray, and I am pleased with the end result!
You can add this pattern to your Ravelry queue here or Pin It for later here.
Finished size: 36 ½” x 44”
My Materials:
Weight 4 yarn
For blanket: Mandala Ombre, Balance (4 cakes, a total of 1,376 yds)
For edging: I Love This Yarn, Light Gray (partial skein)
Hook I (5.5 mm)
tapestry needle
Abbreviations:
ch – chain
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
st – stitch
sl st – slip stitch
* – work directions between the 2 * on repeat, as stated for that round
Special Stitches:
Flower: Ch 6, sl st in second chain made, *ch 4, sl st in same chain as the previous sl st,* repeat 3 more times (5 petals formed), sl st in first ch made at the very start of the flower (the unworked chain remaining between the flower and the blanket stitches)
Leaf: Ch 6, sl st in second ch from hook, sc in next, hdc in next, dc in next, hdc in last
Notes:
Ch 1 at the beginning of each sc row does NOT count as a stitch.
Ch 2 at the beginning of each dc row DOES count as the first stitch. This means that the first stitch of the previous sc row should be skipped to compensate.
When working the dc rows, make sure that the flowers are all pushed to the same side of the blanket.
The colorway I used includes two shades of green. When working with the green lengths of yarn, I worked a leaf rather than a flower. If you choose to do the same, substitute a leaf in for the section of the pattern that directs you to “work a flower”. Directions for both the flower and the leaf are included in the “Special Stitches” section above.
When working the edging, you will be directed to “sc around” to complete the first row. In each st along the top and bottom, you will work one sc. Along the sides, you will work a sc at the end of each sc row and 2 sc at the end of each dc row. This will give you 166 sc along each side and 125 sc along the top and along the bottom.
The Pattern
Blanket:
Ch 126
Row 1: sc in the second chain from hook and each remaining chain across (125 sc)
Row 2: Ch 2, turn, dc in second st and each remaining st across (125 dc)
Row 3: Ch 1, turn, sc in first 3 stitches, work a flower, sc in each remaining st across, working the last sc into the top of the previous row’s turning ch (125 sc, 1 flower)
Row 4: Ch 2, turn, dc in second st and each remaining st across (125 dc)
Row 5: Ch 1, turn, sc in first 122 stitches, work a flower, sc in last 3 stitches, working the last sc into the top of the previous row’s turning ch (125 sc, 1 flower)
Row 6: Ch 2, turn, dc in second st and across (125 dc)
Rows 7-110: Repeat rows 3-6, ending on a row 6 repeat
Row 111: Sc across (125 sc)
DO NOT fasten off.
Edging:
Switch to light gray yarn.
Row 1: Ch 1, Sc around (working down the side first, along the bottom second, back up the other side, and across the top last), sl st in the first sc of the row
Row 2: ch 2, sl st in same sc, ch 2, *sl st in next 2, ch 2* around, sl st in the first sl st of the row
Fasten off and weave in any ends.
Yarnfully Yours,
How many stitches are in this project?
Blanket with 111 rows, 36 flowers, and 18 leaves = 15,207 stitches
A while ago, I got a special request to make a Christmas gift for my grandmother. My mom had envisioned a thin scarf with small pockets that could be used to hold my grandmother’s cell phone, tissues, or other small odds and ends that are easily misplaced. After some trial and error, I worked up something that we were all happy with.
That initial scarf and was gifted a couple of Christmas seasons ago. This scarf recently caught the eye of some of the residents at my grandmother’s home, so I sat down to work up a few more and decided to write up the pattern.
If you are working up this scarf for yourself, please keep in mind that it was designed to hold a small, flip phone. Some adjustments may need to be made in order to fit a larger phone or wallet.
You can add this pattern to your Ravelry queue here or Pin It for later here.
Finished
size:
Scarf:
approximately 4” at its widest, 2” at its thinnest, and 44.5” long
Pocket:
approximately 4” x 4.25”
Materials:
worsted weight yarn – I Love This Yarn Metallic, Blush Sparkle, 252 yards
hook size H (5 mm)
4 stitch markers
tapestry needle
Abbreviations:
ch
– chain
sc
– single crochet
hdc
– half double crochet
Notes:
Chain
1 at the beginning of each row. The chain does not count as a stitch.
The
suggested stitch marker use is completely optional, but it is a big help when
constructing the pockets.
The Pattern:
Ch 15
Row 1: HDC in 2nd ch from
stitch and the remaining chains across (14 HDC)
Row 2-23: Ch, turn, HDC in each st
across (14 HDC)
Place a stitch marker at both
ends of row 23 to mark the top of the first pocket.
Rows 24-30: Ch, turn, HDC in each st
across (14 HDC)
Row 31: Ch, turn, HDC dec, HDC across
(13 HDC)
Row 32: Ch, turn, HDC dec, HDC across
(12 HDC)
Row 33-38: Ch, turn, HDC across (12 HDC)
Row 39: Ch, turn, HDC dec, HDC across
(11 HDC)
Row 40: Ch, turn, HDC dec, HDC across
(10 HDC)
Row 41-46: Ch, turn, HDC across (10 HDC)
Row 47: Ch, turn, HDC dec, HDC across
(9 HDC)
Row 48: Ch, turn, HDC dec, HDC across
(8 HDC)
Row 49-54: Ch, turn, HDC across (8 HDC)
Row 55: Ch, turn, HDC dec, HDC across
(7 HDC)
Row 56: Ch, turn, HDC dec, HDC across
(6 HDC)
Row 57-96: Ch, turn, HDC across (6 HDC)
Row 97: Ch, turn, HDC inc, HDC across
(7 HDC)
Row 98: Ch, turn, HDC inc, HDC across
(8 HDC)
Row 99-104: Ch, turn, HDC across (8 HDC)
Row 105: Ch, turn, HDC inc, HDC across
(9 HDC)
Row 106: Ch, turn, HDC inc, HDC across
(10 HDC)
Row 107-112: Ch, turn, HDC across (10 HDC)
Row 113: Ch, turn, HDC inc, HDC across
(11 HDC)
Row 114: Ch, turn, HDC inc, HDC across
(12 HDC)
Row 115-120: Ch, turn, HDC across (12 HDC)
Row 121: Ch, turn, HDC inc, HDC across
(13 HDC)
Row 122: Ch, turn, HDC inc, HDC across
(14 HDC)
Rows 123-129: Ch, turn, HDC across (14 HDC)
Place a stitch marker at both
ends of row 129 to mark the top of the second pocket.
Rows 130-152: Ch, turn, HDC across (14 HDC)
Do not fasten off.
Finishing:
Place
stitch markers to hold pockets together.
Fold the corners from the chain row up to the stitch markers on row 23 and feed the corners into the corresponding stitch markers to hold them in place.
Repeat this process for the ending row corners and stitch markers in row 129.
Make sure that the pockets are both on the front side of the scarf.
Edging:
Sc around
When adding a sc edging to hdc work, add 3 sc stitches for every 2 rows. This means you will add 1 sc to the end of the first row, 2 sc to the end of the second row, 1 sc to the end of the next row, 2 sc to the end of the following row, and so on and so forth across the length of your work.
Sc 3 times into the same stitch when working the corners at the bases of the corners.
When you get to the edges of the pockets, sc through both layers at the same time.
When you get to the bottom of the pockets, work in the between posts of the row at the base fold – alternating between 1 sc and 2 sc across.
I suppose this post isn’t technically a pattern. More accurately, it is a yarn review and a very loose tutorial (number of stitches, widths, and lengths) for how I created my Simple Loop-It Scarf.
While at my local Michaels, I recently came upon a new yarn that is quickly becoming the fad of the season. Perhaps you’ve seen it – the yarn that comes with pre-created loops that allow you to stitch up a project with no tools other than your fingers. I was able to find Red Heart’s version of this yarn. (You may have seen similar versions from Lion Brand or Yarnspirations or some other large yarn brand.)
Well, I was excited to get my hands on it and, after some time squishing this cloud of a skein, I experimented with how it works up. I watched Marly Bird’s videos on Red Heart’s website (http://www.redheart.com/loop-it) and decided to give the Knit Stitch a try.
This skein contains 7.6 yards, which equates to 270 inches. Taking this into account, I did some swatching. After making some notes and crunching some numbers, I determined that working 6 stitch rows would give me the size scarf I was aiming for. After using one entire skein, I had a scarf that was a little wider than 4 inches and a little longer than 60 inches. Since I came across some ends within my skein, I was able to experiment with the joining method laid out in one of Marly’s videos. While you lose a few inches of yarn, it is very simple and fairly seamless in appearance. That bodes well for working up larger, multi-skein projects.
You may notice that your work curls a bit as mine did. Not to worry, the resulting tube shaped scarf was still plush and large enough for my purposes.
If you are looking for a scarf that is wider or longer, here are my rough calculations (for one skein) based on my swatches…
7 stitch rows will work up a scarf approximately 5 inches wide and 40 inches long
5 stitch rows will work up a scarf approximately 3.75 inches wide and 80 inches long
Although my biggest piece of advice to you would be – play around with it. It is as simple and quick as advertised, and I imagine it is very kid-friendly for those youngsters in your life that may be eager to start stitching alongside you in your yarn adventures!
Disclaimer: I was in no way compensated for this post by Michaels or Red Heart. All information, thoughts, and opinions expressed are my own.
Back to school season is here again! Last summer I created my first day student gifts and enjoyed giving them each a Happy Crayon key chain at the end of the day. I decided to play around with last year’s design, tweaked a few things along the way, and am so pleased with this year’s resulting first day student gift…
I still had some keychain rings left over from last summer’s order, and since this Happy Pencil is similar in size to my Happy Crayons, they will make a wonderful addition to the project!
My pack of pencils is steadily growing as I hook up these friendly little squishies, and I look forward to getting them in the hands of my students!
You can add this pattern to your Ravelry queue here or Pin It for later here.
Finished size: approximately 5” x 1”
My Materials:
worsted weight yarn in the following colors (Red Heart Super Saver used in the sample):
Charcoal (Color A)
Aran (Color B)
Bright Yellow (Color C)
Flamingo (Color D)
black worsted weight yarn
8 mm safety eyes
fiber fill
Hook F (3.75 mm)
tapestry needle
swivel lobster key chain
Abbreviations:
BLO – back loop only
ch – chain
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
dec – (decrease) single crochet the next 2 stitches together
inc – (increase) work 2 single crochets into the next stitch
* – work directions between the 2 * on repeat, as stated for that round
Notes:
To end each round, join with a slip stitch to that round’s first stitch.
Do not count the join or the beginning chain as a stitch.
When completing the first stitch in each round, place the stitch in the same place as your slip stitch join.
Stuff as you go.
The Pattern:
Begin with Color A
Round 1: in magic ring, ch 1, sc 4, join in first stitch using sl st (4 sc)
In my family, the Christmas season is a favorite time of year. Whether it’s because of all the decorations and festivities, the fact that my dad was a Christmas baby (and my mom a Christmas Eve baby), or simply the miracles of long ago remembered on this day, we celebrate this cherished holiday from Black Friday through the New Year!
Since this day is such a big deal in my family, we naturally have several Christmas traditions that we enjoy honoring each year. I started a new tradition in my family a while ago in which I gift a new Christmas tree ornament on Black Friday to my parents and siblings. Over the last several years, it morphed into me gifting an ornament I personally created. And what fun that has been! This past Christmas, I designed my own ornament…
…a mini-cactus for my brother’s annual ornament. And I’m here to share it with you today!
You can add this pattern to your Ravelry queue here or Pin It for later here.
Finished size: approximately 3” x 4”
My Materials:
worsted weight yarn, brown (Color A) and green (Color B) – Red Heart Super Saver used in sample
accent colored worsted weight yarn (scrap red yarn was used in the sample)
fiber fill
Hook F (3.75 mm)
tapestry needle
pipe cleaner (optional)
Abbreviations:
BLO – back loop only
ch – chain
sl st – slip stitch
sc – single crochet
hdc – half double crochet
dec – (decrease) single crochet the next 2 stitches together
inc – (increase) work 2 single crochets into the next stitch
* – work directions between the 2 * on repeat, as stated for that round
Notes:
This project is worked in continuous rounds.
When stuffing and attaching the cactus’ arms, a small length of pipe cleaner was used for added shaping and durability.
The Pattern
Pot:
Round 1: Using Color A, in a magic circle, sc 6 (6 sc)
Round 2: Inc around (12 sc)
Round 3: Sc, inc around (18 sc)
Round 4: In BLO, sc around (18 sc)
Round 5: Sc around (18 sc)
Round 6: *Sc in next 5 stitches, inc* around (21 sc)
Round 7: *Sc in next 6 stitches, inc* around (24 sc)
Round 8: Sc around (24 sc)
Round 9: Sc around (24 sc)
Round 10: In BLO, *sc, dec* around (16 sc)
Round 11: Dec around (8 sc)
Finish off, close stitches, and sew in the end.
Cactus:
Main Stalk:
Round 1: Using Color B, in a magic circle, sc 8 (8 sc)
Round 2: *Inc, sc in the next 3 stitches* twice (10 sc)
Rounds 3-12: Sc around (10 sc)
Fasten off with a long tail for attaching. Stuff and sew to the center of the top of the pot.
Bottom Arm:
Round 1: Using Color B, in a magic circle, sc 5 (5 sc)
Rounds 2-7: Sc around (5 sc)
Round 8: 1 hdc, 4 sc
Round 9: 2 hdc (partial round)
Sl st in the next stitch and fasten off with a long tail for attaching.
Insert pipe cleaner piece and connect to rounds 8-10 of main stalk.
Top Arm:
Round 1: Using Color B, in a magic circle, sc 5 (5 sc)
Rounds 2-4: Sc around (5 sc)
Round 5: 4 sc, inc (6 sc)
Round 6: 4 sc, 2 hdc
Sl st in the next stitch and fasten off with a long tail for attaching.
Insert pipe cleaner piece and connect to rounds 6-8 of main stalk.
Accessorize:
Using a length of scrap red yarn, I wrapped the pot and tied a bow in the front. Using a scrap length of glittery gold yarn, I attached a hanger.
Feel free to accessorize as you feel inspired. This ornament would look cute with a star affixed to the top of the cactus, or perhaps adding plastic mini Christmas lights to the stalk, or whatever strikes your fancy!
