Friday 5 August 2011

Flowers in her hair

I have been doing a lot of crocheting, but I think I need more practise at writing patterns. How is one to get all the ideas in one's head actually out and onto paper (or screen) while still having time for knitting and crocheting and cooking and eating and caring for a family and satisfying one's new obsession with FIREFLY and occasionally doing the laundry. (Oh except the washing machine has been condemned.)

Anyway, here is a quick and easy girly pattern, in both UK and US terms.



Getting a good photo of something on a toddler's head is not easy! And don't judge me for the slug killer in the photos - it is the non toxic kind that doesn't hurt other wildlife, and still lets me eat some of my cabbages!


UK terms
I used Patons cotton in 4ply and 3mm  hook.
chain 25 - 30
turn and slip stitch (single crochet)  in 2nd ch from end and each stitch to last stitch

At end, chain 3, then do 2 Trebles into the base of the chain 3.
This is the beginning of the bit that will go around the head.

For a very small child, 3 stitch long rows are wide enough.
So *turn, chain 3, treble in two remaining stitches*

repeat from * to * until the headband is as long at you need it, which is just below the ears on either side.
(For a bigger head, or to just get a wider band increase at either end of next row to have 5 stitches across. Each row is now chain 3, Treble in remaining 4 stitches. The purple one above is 5 stitches across, whereas the orange is only 3)


When it is as long as you need it, Treble three together.
Do this by doing chain 3, (wrap yarn around hook, insert hook into next stitch, yo and pull through, yo and pull through 2 loops,) twice
You should have 3 loops left on the hook - yo and pull through all three loops.

Chain 25 - 30 to match other tie. turn and slip stitch in each stitch to where the tie is attached to the body of the head band. Slip stitch into the stitch right at the point of the head band.  Finish off and cut yarn, weaving it back into the tie.


Flower
Chain 4, join loop with ss.
chain 2, DC in loop 9 - 11 times.
I find that if I am doing this flower in dk or using a bigger hook, it works better with 10 stitches in the first round, so do the 9 dc. You will end up with 10 petals. If you are using thicker yarn or hook, then it will be very crowded and will not lay flat.

If I am using 4 ply as in the photos, it works fine with 12, so do 11 dc, (which makes 12 dc with the first chain 2 being counted as a stitch)
join final dc to 2nd chain of beginning ch 2 to complete the round.

(The number of petals does not really matter. The basic flower just has *dc, ch3, dc* in each dc of  the previous row. Therefore stitch counts do not really matter and you could do 8 petals or 12 depending on what you like and what looks best with your chosen yarn.)

(If you want to change colours, do so here.)

Chain 4 (first chain counts as a dc)
dc into the same base as first ch
dc, chain 3, dc in next stitch and each stitch around.
finish off (you may want to end with a ss into the first chain. I find it depends on the yarn I am using whether or not this creates an unwanted gap, or closes an unwanted gap. A dk cotton is a bit stiffer here and tends to create a gap, whereas a 4 ply or a wool or acrylic yarn will benefit from the ss )

I cut a long tail and use it to weave the flower onto the headband. Voila!



US terms

 
Use a D hook and fingering or fine sport

chain 25 - 30
turn and slip stitch in 2nd ch from end and each stitch to last stitch


at end chain 3, then do 2 Doubles into the base of the chain 3
This is the beginning of the bit that will go around the head.


for a very small child, 3 stitch long rows are wide enough.
So *turn, chain 3, double crochet in two remaining stitches*


repeat from * to * until the headband is as long at you need it, which is just below the ears on either side.

(For a bigger head, or to just get a wider band, increase at either end of next row to have 5 stitches across. Each row is now chain 3, DC in remaining 4 stitches. The purple one above is 5 stitches across, whereas the orange is only 3)
When it is as long as you need it,  Double crochet three together.
do this by doing chain 3, (wrap yarn around hook, insert hook into next stitch, yo and pull through, yo and pull through 2 loops,) twice
You should have 3 loops left on the hook - yo and pull through all three loops.

chain 25 - 30 to match other tie. turn and slip stitch in each stitch to where the tie is attached to the body of the head band. Slip stitch into the stitch right at the point of the head band.  finish off and cut yarn, weaving it back into the tie.


Flower

Chain 4, join loop with ss.
chain 2, sc in loop 9 - 11 times.
I find that if I am doing this flower in sport weight or using a bigger hook, it works better with 10 stitches in the first round, so do the 9 sc. You will end up with 10 petals. If you are using thicker yarn or hook, then it will be very crowded and will not lay flat.

(The number of petals does not really matter. The basic flower just has *sc, ch3, sc* in each sc of  the previous row. Therefore stitch counts do not really matter and you could do 8 petals or 12 depending on what you like and what looks best with your chosen yarn.)

If I am using fingering weight yarn, as in the photos, it works fine with 12, so do 11 sc, (which makes 12 sc with the first chain 2 being counted as a stitch)
Join final sc to 2nd chain of beginning ch 2 to complete the round.

(If you want to change colours, do so here.)


chain 4 (first chain counts as a sc)
sc into the same base as first ch (first petal formed)
sc, chain 3, sc in next stitch and each stitch around.
finish off (you may want to end with a ss into the first chain. I find it depends on the yarn I am using whether or not this creates an unwanted gap, or closes an unwanted gap. A thicker cotton is a bit stiffer here and tends to create a gap, whereas a fingering, 4 ply, wool or acrylic yarn will benefit from the ss )

I cut a long tail and use it to weave the flower onto the headband. Voila!