Stuffing your crochet toys can make or break the finished project. I know the first few times I filled a toy with stuffing I made some rather big mistakes. Initially I filled on far too far, with the stitches bulging and stuffing poking up the gaps. But then in response the next time I used far too little, and it appeared more deflated balloon than cute cuddly toy.

Over a decade of crocheting has taught me how important it is to stuff your amigurumi the right way, and today I’m going to share some simple tips that should help you to successfully fill your crochet plushies up perfectly every time.

The DON’Ts

DON’T Understuff

Under stuffing is so easy to do, and it can feel like a bit of a better safe than sorry solution. But not filling the shape you’ve crocheted enough means it won’t hold the shape you’ve created. It will flop over and distort.
If you can press your finger and thumb together and clearly feel your digits together without padding in the way through your toy, you haven’t got enough stuffing in.

DON’T Overstuff

Overstuffing is just as bad on the distortion front, and worse in terms of visual noise. You will be able to see the stuffing poking through the stretched stitches.
Your stitches should look the same size and spacing after you’ve stuffed it as they did before. Any stretching out or gaping, and it’s too full.

DON’T Just fill with yarn scraps

Yarn scraps can be a great addition to toy stuffing, but they rarely make a good stuffing by themselves.

DON’T Forget to stuff before you close

It sounds obvious, but we’ve all been there. More than once over the past decade I’ve closed the shape I was making without putting an ounce of stuffing inside.
Don’t worry if this has happened though, just carefully unpick the closed point and fill it up from there. At most usually you need to undo a round or two.

DON’T Panic

Stuffing is something that can totally change the outcome of a project, but it’s also something that is relatively easy to fix when it goes wrong. So don’t panic!

The DO’s

DO Check the filling instructions

If you are following a pattern, they will give you instructions on stuffing. Some will be vague, just writing fill now, others will give more exact details. They might tell you how to spread out the padding, or where to fill up to and how full to make it.
If the details are given, then follow them and trust the pattern.

DO Add toy filling in small pieces not one large wad

I initially used to fill toys by pushing in as much padding at a time as I could. This wasn’t the best way. The ideal is to tear off little pieces, the size of a cotton wool ball, and place them in one at a time.

DO Spread stuffing it out evenly

Unless the instructions say otherwise, space the wadding evenly within the structure. I start from the furthest point, then fill around the sides, and finally fill the center. This tends to give the best even distribution.

DO Try different stuffing materials

I tend to use toy safe stuffing for most of my amigurumi, and if they are being kept by me or my kids I’ll fill the central section with yarn scraps or other recycled padding like leftover cushion padding or duvet filler. Scraps from clothing can also make good additional toy stuffing, provided you cut it into fairly fine strips first.

DO Think about the end user

But, a caveat to using random stuffing material is you need to think about whose going to use or own your crochet toy when it’s finished. If you are selling it then I’d use a padding that is certified toy safe only, the same if you are gifting it to a young child where there is the small risk of a choke hazard.

DO Consider using tights/stockings to hold the stuffing

If your stitches are too loose and your project is completed aside from the stuffing, then you can fill the toy inside some old stockings or tights instead of abandoning the piece and starting again.
Next time, try to tighten up your tension and check that you aren’t accidentally making a taller stitch than you need too. This can sometimes happen with the confusion between the US and UK crochet terms.

DO Use a tool if you can’t reach easily

Some areas of toys are harder to fill than others. For long skinny limbs I use the handle end of a crochet hook, but it’s also been suggested to me that a chopstick can do the job well too, which I think sounds very helpful too!

DO Take the posture of the toy into account

Some areas of your toy will need to be more filled with padding than others. Any supporting structures like necks will need to be filled more generously than those which don’t play a structural role.

DO Look at it when you’re done

Before you close your piece, hold it out in front of you and take a look from a variety of angles. Make sure you are happy with the shape. At this point it’s easy to remove or add wadding if you have to.

DO Finish carefully

Sew and tie off securely, and weave in a long tail when you’re done. I recommend leaving a good couple of feet of loose tail, this will ensure you have plenty for sewing and makes it less of a frustrating situation if you do need to open it back up again at some point.

The post 15 Amigurumi Stuffing Do’s and Don’ts – Beginner Crochet Tips appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

What do you think of this squishy crochet mouse pattern? Just like a real mouse, it’s cute as heck, but unlike most real mice it’s cuddly too! But my own personal favorite thing is how quickly it comes together in just a few simple shapes. I’ve made it with super bulky chenille yarn, so it’s extra soft and squashy, and big enough for my daughter to enjoy as a plush toy. But you could make it from lighter weight chenille yarn, and I’ve got notes to help you achieve the best results.

Materials

To make a mouse just like mine, you’ll need:

• Super bulky chenille yarns in light brown and pale pink. I’ve used Cygnet’s Jellybaby yarn in teddy bear, and Hobbii’s Toucan yarn in light pink. You could swap out the light brown yarn for pale gray or even white if you prefer.
• A small quantity of black yarn. I’ve used super bulky chenille again, but you could use almost any black yarn from your stash and double it up if necessary.
• A J-10 (6mm) crochet hook.
• Stitch markers. Or scraps of yarn in a contrasting color.
• ⅝ inch (16mm) safety eyes.
• A darning needle.
• Hi-loft, toy safe stuffing.

To make a smaller mouse, match a lighter weight chenille yarn with a crochet hook one size smaller than the yarn wrapper recommends. Using a small hook produces tight fabric which you can stuff firmly later with out little gaps opening up between the stitches. For the finest yarns, you’ll also need to use smaller safety eyes. Here’s (roughly!) how tall your mouse will turn out using different yarn weights, and what size eyes to use:

Pattern notes

I’ve written this pattern in standard American crochet terms. It uses almost entirely single crochet, with just a small number of longer stitches in the tail. The stitches and their abbreviations I’ve used are:

Ch chain stitch
Sl st slip stitch
Sc single crochet
Sc blo single crochet in the back loop only
Hdc half double crochet
Dc double crochet
Inc increase (make 2 single crochets in the same space)
Dec decrease

• Insert your hook into the front loop only of the next two stitches (fig. 1).
• Yarn over and pull through a loop. There are now two loops on the hook.
• Yarn over again, and draw through both loops (fig. 2).

Squishy crochet mouse pattern

This mouse is mostly body. Or giant head, depending on how you look at it! So let’s start there.

Body

Start your mouse’s body with either a magic circle, or by making 4 chain stitches and joining them in a circle with a slip stitch. Either method will work, but I find with fluffy chenilles the 4-ch loop is easier to tighten without snapping the yarn.

• 1st round: Ch 1, sc 8 into the magic circle or 4-ch loop, catching the yarn tail under the stitches as you go (8 sts). Gently pull the yarn tail to tighten the hole.
• 2nd round: 8 inc (16 sts)
• 3rd round: *1 sc, inc* 8 times (24 sts)
• 4th round: *2 sc, inc* 8 times (32 sts)
• 5th round: *3 sc, inc* 8 times (40 sts)
• Rounds 6 – 23: Sc all the way round
• 24th round: 3 dec, sc 8, 6 dec, 8 sc, 3 dec (28 sts)
• 25th round: 3 dec, sc 2, 6 dec, 2 sc, 3 dec (16 sts)
• Put a stitch marker into the loop on your hook, and cut your yarn leaving a 24 inch tail.

Adding the eyes

Spread the body out flat in front of you. Since the decreases at the bottom of the body are bunched up, it will only lie flat with the decreases at the sides, giving you a distinct front and back.

Insert the safety eyes through the front of the body, about 7 or 8 stitches apart between rows 11 and 12. Obviously the aim is to get them as evenly positioned either side of the center line as possible, but it doesn’t matter if one eye is a stitch out, if it makes the spacing between them more appealing.

When you’re confident with the position of the eyes, press the backs on firmly.

Closing the body

Before you close the body, stuff it firmly with toy safe stuffing. Then put the last stitch from round 25 onto your hook and make one more round:

• 26th round: 8 dec, sl st (8 sts)

Poke in a little more stuffing if it will fix, then thread the remaining yarn tail onto a darning needle and sew the remaining hole closed. It’s not too important how you sew it closed exactly, but for the neatest result, you can’t beat using mattress stitch through the front loops only. The first picture below shows where the stitches go. Then pinch the beginning of the seam firmly with one hand, and pull the yarn tail firmly in the other direction with the other. The join should zip right up!

Adding the face

Here’s where we’re at so far:

To make a cute little button nose, grab your black yarn and start with a either a magic circle or a 3-ch loop (that’s not a typo – 3 chains, not 4!). Into the loop, sc 3, and sl st. Cut the yarn leaving a 12” tail and pull the tail right through the slip stitch.

Position the top of the nose about level with the center of the eyes, and sew it in place. Use the remaining yarn tail to embroider a mouth, then poke what’s left of it inside the body.

Finally, use some of your pink yarn to give your mouse long, translucent-looking whiskers (or skip to the end of the pattern to see how they’d look in white!). I started mine by pushing the darning needle into the back of the body, and right through to the front, at a spot just next to the nose. Then I made three whiskers on either side of the nose, and after the last whisker I pushed the needle right through to the back of the body again – coming out at the same place I went in earlier. Then I knotted the yarn tails together, trimmed them short, and poked the knot inside the body. The stuffing will keep it anchored in place.

The ears

With your pink yarn, make a magic circle or 4-chain loop.

• 1st round: Ch 1, then catching the yarn tail under your stitches, sc 8 into the magic circle or 4-ch loop (8 sts). Gently pull the yarn tail to tighten the center of the ear.
• 2nd round: 8 inc (16 sts)
• 3rd round: *1 sc, inc* 8 times (24 sts)

In the first stitch of round 4, change color back to brown:

Insert the hook into the next stitch and draw through a loop of pink yarn.
Pick up the brown yarn and put it over the hook from back to front, then pull a loop of the brown yarn through both pink loops. Cut the pink yarn leaving a 3” tail, and continue with the brown yarn.

• 4th round: *2 sc, inc* 8 times (32 sts)
• Pause and tie the pink and brown yarn ends together, then trim them to about an inch long.
• 5th round: Sc blo all the way round (32 sts)
• 6th round: *2 sc, dec* 8 times (24 sts)
• 7th round: *1 sc, dec* 8 times (16 sts)
• 8th round: 8 dec, sl st (8 sts)

Cut the yarn leaving a 8” yarn tail, and sew the remaining hole closed using the mattress stitch technique above. Repeat the whole process to make a second ear.

Then, using a doubled-up length of brown yarn, sew the ears onto the top of the head. If you have some knitting needles, skewers, or chopsticks to hand, they’re really useful for holding the ears in position while you sew. Just insert them through the top of the ear and right down into the body. I use two for each ear, so the ear can’t spin around.

Tail time

My mouse’s finishing touch is his tail.

1. Using the pink yarn, make a slip knot with a 12” tail for joining to the body later.
2. Ch 18
3. Sk 1, sl st, sc, hdc, dc 14.
4. Cut the yarn leaving an 8” tail. Put the yarn tail onto a darning needle, then thread it through the last loop on your hook, to stop the stitches unravelling.
5. Fold the tail in half lengthways, with the backs of the stitches facing outwards. Whip stitch each of the chain stitches from step 2 to the top of their corresponding stitch in step 3, to make a long tube which tapers to a point at the end.
6. Thread any remaining yarn tail down inside the tail to hide it, then use the yarn tail from step 1 to attach the tail to the body.

Squishy crochet mouse complete

And here it is!

A day or so after finishing my mouse, I decided to see how he’d look with white whiskers instead. I think either works, and my camera really isn’t capturing much difference at all! I do slightly prefer the contrast of the white in real life, but if you don’t already have white and you don’t want to buy a whole ball just for this project, the pink totally works, and the pared back color palette is pretty effective in it’s own way. Here’s pink on the left, and white on the right (you’ll kind of have to take my word for it!)

Whatever fur color and whisker color you chose, and whatever size you make it in, I hope you have lots of fun with this pattern. And don’t forget to make him a cute puppy or adorable frog pal now too!

Happy crocheting!

The post Squishy Crochet Mouse Pattern appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

Hello and welcome to my squishy crochet frog pattern. Well I suppose since he’s dry and bumpy rather than smooth and shiny he’s really a squishy crochet toad pattern. But then again he has a goofy smile and no back legs, so maybe it’s not the time for getting hung up on accuracy! This simple amigurumi project is fast, and lots of fun to make. I’ll take you through the steps with the help of lots of photos, so even if you’re new to crochet you’ll be cuddling your own frog in no time!

Materials

To make your own cuddly frog, you’ll need:

• Super bulky chenille yarn for the body, eyes, arms, and tummy patch. I used King Cole Yummy yarn in green, and Cygnet Jellybaby yarn in teddy, which is a pale brown. The eyes and tummy patch would also look fantastic in yellow or lighter green. I only chose brown because I already had it in my stash and I was impatient to starting developing the pattern without having to go to the store first!
• A small quantity of black yarn for the mouth. I used bulky chenille again, but almost any black yarn would work.
• Size J (6mm) crochet hook
• Stitch markers or scraps of yarn
• ⅝” (16mm) safety eyes
• 2oz (55g) toy safe stuffing
• Darning needle

You could also make this pattern using lighter weight chenille yarn, with an appropriately sized hook and smaller safety eyes for pupils. My frog is about 7″ tall, but with bulky yarn he’d be 6″ tall, worsted yarn he’d be 5″ tall, and DK yarn he’d be 4″ tall. I haven’t had a chance to test whether the eyes and arms would be as effective in non-chenille yarns yet – let me know in the comments if you try it!

Squishy crochet frog pattern

I’ve written this pattern in standard U.S. crochet terms. The stitches and their abbreviations you’ll need to know are:

Ch chain
Sl st slip stitch
Sc single crochet
Inc increase (make 2 single crochets in the same space)
Hdc half double crochet
Hdc-inc half double crochet increase (make 2 half double crochets in the same space)
Dc double crochet
Dec decrease (see below)

Decreasing in amigurumi

For your decreases, I recommend using the invisible decrease method, because it does exactly what it says in the name! If you haven’t tried it before, it goes like this:

1. Insert the hook through the front loops only of the next two stitches (below left).
2. Draw through a loop of yarn (two loops remaining on the hook).
3. Yarn over the hook and draw through both loops (below right).

Decrease complete!

The body

Using your green yarn:

Ch 4 and sl st into the furthest stitch to join.
1st round: Ch 1, sc 8 into the magic circle or 4-ch loop (8 sts)
2nd round: 8 inc (16 sts)
3rd round: *1 sc, inc* 8 times (24 sts)
4th round: *2 sc, inc* 8 times (32 sts)
5th round: *3 sc, inc* 8 times (40 sts)
Rounds 6 – 20: Sc all the way round
21st round: 3 dec, sc 8, 6 dec, 8 sc, 3 dec (28 sts)
22nd round: 3 dec, sc 2, 6 dec, 2 sc, 3 dec (16 sts)

Stuff the body firmly with toy safe stuffing.

23rd round: 8 dec, sl st (8 sts)

Cut the yarn leaving a 8” tail. Poke in a bit more stuffing if it will fit, then sew the remain stitches closed using mattress stitch.

If you haven’t used mattress stitch before, it’s really handy for closing the body and eyes of your frog neatly. Each stitch goes through the front loops only of round 23, following the order in the first picture below. Make the stiches loosely at first (second picture) then pull them tight one at a time, or hold the start firmly and pull the yarn tail in the opposite direction (third picture).

Belly patch

Using your brown, yellow or lighter green yarn:

Ch 4 and sl st into the furthest stitch to join.
1st round: Ch 1, sc 8 into the magic circle or 4-ch loop (8 sts)
2nd round: 8 inc (16 sts)
3rd round: Sl st, sc, hdc-inc, hdc, inc, sc 2, inc 2, sc 2, inc, hdc, hdc-inc, sc, sl st (22 sts)
4th round: Sl st 3, inc, hdc-inc 2, *sc, inc* 5 times, sc, hdc-inc 2, inc, sl st 2 (33 sts)

Cut the yarn leaving a long tail (about 18”) for sewing. Pull the yarn tail right through the last slip stitch.

Now grab the body again. Since the decreases at the base are bunched up at the sides, the front and back of the body should be distinctly flattened (there’s no difference between them – you choose which is which!) Position the belly patch in the center of the front of the front of the body, lining the bottom edge up with about round 19 or 20 on the body. Sew it in place using the yarn tail – for the neatest result pick up two stitches at a time from the edge of the belly patch, through the back loops only (as in the photo below).

Making the eyes

Starting with your contrast color yarn (brown, yellow or green):

Ch 4 and sl st into the furthest stitch to join.
1st round: Ch, 8 sc into the 4-ch loop (8 sts)
2nd round: 8 inc (16 sts)

In the next round, change color to green during the first single crochet:

• Insert yarn into the next stitch and draw through a loop of brown yarn.
• Loop the green yarn over you hook from back to front, and draw it through both brown loops on the hook.
• Cut the brown yarn leaving a short tail, and knot the green and brown yarn tails together tightly.

Joining the eyes to the body

Position the eyes on top of the head so the gap between them at the narrowest point is between half an inch and an inch. There’s going to be an obvious place on the front of the eyes where the yarn color changes to green. It doesn’t matter where this goes, as long as it’s at the same position on both eyes – you can see I’ve positioned it at roughly 2 o’clock.

An optional but handy way to hold them in place while you sew is by pushing two double-ended knitting needles, mattress needles, or metal chopsticks through the top of the eye and down into the body (using two stops the eye spinning). You could even use two handle-less crochet hooks, but be very careful how you remove them!

Sew around the perimeter where the eye meets the body using more green yarn, and hide the yarn ends inside the body.

Making the arms

Making fiddly tubular limbs is my least favorite part of amigurumi, which is why my squishy designs don’t usually have them! But these cute little forearms are made slightly differently – and they’re very fast to whip up!

Foundation chain: Using your green yarn, ch 8.
1st row: Sk 2, dc 6.
2nd row: Fold the row of stitches into a tube lengthways. Starting with the dc nearest the hook, insert the hook through the unused loop of the foundation chain at the bottom of the stitch and through the top loops of the dc. Yarn over and pull through all three loops to make a slip stitch. Sl st 5 more times along the rest of the row to close the sides of the tube. How tight you make these stitches will determine how much the arms curve – for straight arms, tug through a little yarn after each slip stitch.
To make the fingers: *Ch 3, skip the 1st chain from hook, single crochet once into each of the two remaining chains, sl st into the end of the arm (exactly where isn’t important)* three times. Cut the yarn leaving a 12” tail, and thread the yarn tail up through the arm and out of the shoulder for sewing to the body later. Weave in the tail from the beginning of the foundation chain.

The second arm

Only if the first arm you made is curved, make the second arm like this (otherwise repeat the steps above for a second straight arm):

Foundation chain: Using your green yarn, make a slip knot with a 24” yarn tail, then using the yarn on the skein-side of the knot, ch 8.
1st row: Sk 2, dc 6.
2nd row: Fold the row of stitches into a tube lengthways. Starting with the dc nearest the hook, insert the hook through the unused loop of the foundation chain at the bottom of the stitch and through the top loops of the dc. Yarn over and pull through all three loops to make a slip stitch. Sl st 5 more times along the rest of the row, aiming for the same tightness as before, so achieve a matching curve. Cut the yarn, leaving a short tail for weaving in later.
To make the fingers: Using the yarn 24” yarn tail from step 1, *ch 3, skip the 1st chain from hook, single crochet once into each of the two remaining chains, sl st into the end of the arm (exactly where isn’t important)* three times. Thread the yarn tail up through the arm and out of the shoulder for sewing to the body later. Weave in the tail from the end of step 3.

Join the arms to the body using the yarn tails, a couple of rounds up the body from the top of the belly, and about in line with the outside edge of the eyes.

Embroider the mouth

Finally, thread about 18″ of black yarn onto a darning needle – I’ve used 36″ and doubled it up for extra impact. Push the needle through between two stiches on the back of the body, through to the front. Pull the yarn through until there’s tail about 3″ sticking out from the back of the body. Embroider the mouth using back stitch and the grid in the body stiches as a guide. At the end of the the final stitch, push the needle out through the same place as the yarn tail on the back of the body. Tie the two tails together, trim the excess yarn, and poke the knot inside the body to hide it.

Done!

Your amphibian amigurumi is complete! I hope you enjoyed making it and you’re completely charmed by the results. For some more unusual animal projects, check out Lucy’s gecko, manatee and puffer fish patterns!

The post Squishy Crochet Frog Pattern appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

How cute is this squishy crochet puppy? He’s a fun, beginner-friendly alternative to making a puppy pattern with separate head, body and leg parts. But he’s just as appealing and cuddly! I’ve made him with bulky chenille yarn to really make him as squashy and irresistible as possible. But the pattern is just as effective in lighter weight and/or smoother yarns, and I’ve got tips for making him in different sizes, as well as lots of photos of the techniques involved.

You’ll need

The materials I used to make this puppy are:

• Super bulky chenille yarn in white and brown. I used Cygnet Jellybaby yarn in the shades white and moose.
• A small quantity of black yarn for the nose and mouth.
• Size J (6mm) crochet hook.
• Stitch markers (or scraps of yarn will do)
• ⅝” (16mm) safety eyes.
• Toy safe stuffing (approx 2oz, or 55g).

My plushy is about 7” tall. If you want to use a lighter weight yarn, you’ll need to choose a smaller crochet hook to match, and your puppy will turn out smaller. I recommend using a hook one size smaller than the yarn wrapper recommends, to create a dense fabric that doesn’t allow the stuffing to peep through.

You’ll also need to use smaller safety eyes with some yarns, to keep the proportions right:

• With dk, aran and worsted yarns, use 12mm eyes. You plushy will turn out 4-5” tall.
• For bulky yarns, 16mm eyes will still work. Your plushy will turn out about 6″ tall.

Squishy crochet puppy pattern

This pattern is written in standard U.S. crochet terms. You’ll only need to know a small number of very basic stitches:

Ch chain
Sl st slip stitch
Sc single crochet
Inc increase (make 2 sc in the same space)
Dec decrease

Round 1

To start, grab your brown yarn and either make a magic circle, or chain 4 and slip stitch into the furthest stitch from the hook to make a loop. If you’re using a fluffy yarn like me, I find a 4-chain loop is easier to tighten later without snapping the yarn.

1st round: Ch 1, and sc 8 into your magic circle or 4-ch loop (8 sts).

Round 2

2nd round: 8 inc (16 sts).

Rounds 3 – 14

Rounds 3 – 15 are worked in a combination of brown and white yarn. You can approach this in a couple of different ways:

1. Cut the yarn every time you change color, then tie the yarn ends together later.
2. Carry the yarn you’re not using behind the yarn you are using. If you choose this option, you’ll need to catch the floating strand of the yarn you’re not using every 4 or 5 stitches. If that’s a technique you haven’t used before, there’s a description of it (with photos) in this article.

I find it’s pretty easy to get away with the first option when I’m using chenille yarns. Their texture holds the stitches in place, so you don’t have to worry about areas of loose tension where the yarn breaks are. But for smooth yarns I’d use the second option.

To change color, insert your hook into the next stitch and draw through a loop of the color you’ve been using (in this case brown – see the left hand photo below). Then loop your new yarn over the hook from back to front, and draw it through both loops on your hook (right hand photo below).

3rd round: With the brown yarn *sc, inc* twice, color change to white yarn, *sc, inc* three times, color change to brown yarn, *sc, inc* three times. (24 sts)

4th round: 2 sc, inc, 2 sc, color change to white yarn, inc, *2 sc, inc* three times, color change to brown yarn, *2 sc, inc* three times. (32 sts)

5th round: 3 sc, inc, sc, color change to white yarn, 2 sc, inc, *3 sc, inc* 3 times, sc, color change to brown yarn, 2 sc, inc, *3 sc, inc* twice. (40 sts)

That’s the last of the increasing rows, so I’m going to layout the pattern for rounds 6 – 15 a little differently, to make it easier for you to keep track of the color changes.

Rounds 6 – 15

Rather than set out this next section in rounds, I’m just going to tell you how many stitches to make before changing color again. Since we’re going round and round in spirals, the point where one round finishes and the next begins isn’t all that important anyway.

Make all the stitches using single crochet. The gaps in the list don’t mean anything – they’re just to break it up and help you keep track of progress!

• 6 brown
• 21 white
• 18 brown
• 22 white
• 19 brown

• 22 white
• 18 brown
• 22 white
• 18 brown
• 23 white

• 18 brown
• 23 white
• 16 brown
• 24 white
• 16 brown

• 25 white
• 14 brown
• 27 white
• 11 brown
• 37 white

You’ve just finished round 15, and your puppy’s brown patch is finished. We’re going back to counting rounds now, so pop a stitch marker or scrap of yarn through the stitch you’ve just made to mark where the rounds end.

Rounds 16 – 23

Rounds 16 – 23: Sc 40 (40 sts)

At the end of round 23 is a good time to add the eyes. Spread the body out on a flat work surface, and position the safety eyes. I placed mine between rows 10 and 11, and 8 stitches apart – but you can experiment with moving them around to change your puppy’s expression!

Press the backs onto the safety eyes, then spread the body out flat again, making sure the eyes are central. The next step is to make single crochets until you reach the spot marked by the blue arrow in the photo above. For me it’s 18 sc, but for you it might be slightly more or less. Ending up in that corner is more important than how many stitches it takes to get there!

Put a stitch marker into your last stitch – this is the new beginning and end point for the final few rounds. Now you’re ready to close the body.

Closing the body

The base of your plushy is going to be elliptical, and we’re going to achieve that by bunching the decreases up at the sides. I recommend using invisible decreases for amigurumi projects, because they’re just that – practically invisible on the right side of your work. If you haven’t tried the invisible decrease before, here’s how it’s done:

• Insert your hook through the front loop only of the next two stitches (fig. 1).
• Yarn over and draw through a loop (two loops remaining on the hook).
• Yarn over and draw through both loops (fig. 2).

Let’s put that to use, and make rounds 24 and 25:

24th round: 3 dec, sc 8, 6 dec, 8 sc, 3 dec (28 sts)
25th round: 3 dec, sc 2, 6 dec, 2 sc, 3 dec (16 sts)

Put a stitch marker through the loop on your hook to hold it, then measure a 24” tail and cut your yarn. Stuff your plushy firmly with toy-safe stuffing, keeping back a little (about half a cup) for the tail later. Then pick up the loop from the stitch marker and make one more round:

26th round: 8 dec, sl st (8 sts)

Poke in a little more stuffing if it will fit, then use the remaining yarn tail to sew the opening shut. The body is done!

Ears

Your puppy’s soft and floppy over-sized ears are going to be his cutest feature. I’ve made both in brown, but one brown and one white or black would be a sweet way of personalizing your project.

• Start with a magic circle or a 4-chain loop.
• 1st round: Ch, 8 sc (8 sts)
• 2nd round: 8 inc (16 sts)
• 3rd round: *Sc, inc* 8 times (24 sts)
• Rounds 4 – 7: Sc all the way round (24 sts)
• 8th round: *4 sc, dec* 4 times (20 sts)
• Rounds 9 & 10: Sc all the way round (20 sts)
• 11th round: *3 sc, dec* 4 times (16 sts)
• 12th round: Sc 16, sl st.

Cut the yarn leaving a long tail for sewing later.

Tail

Start the tail with white yarn, and a magic circle or 4-chain loop.

• 1st round: Ch, 8 sc (8 sts)
• 2nd round: *3 sc, inc* twice (10 sts)
• 3rd round: *4 sc, inc* twice (12 sts)

Change color to brown.

• Rounds 4 – 9: Sc all the way round (12 sts)
• 10th round: *4 sc, dec* twice, sl st (10 sts)

Cut the yarn leaving a long tail for sewing later. Lightly stuff the tail up to about round 7.

Nose

The last crochet detail for your puppy is their sweet schnozz. Using your black yarn:

1. Ch 3, sl st into the furthest st from the hook to make a loop.
2. Ch 1, 3 sc into the 3-ch loop.
3. Ch 1, turn your work, 3 sc (into the tops of the single crochets from step 2).
4. Sl st into the ch 1 at the beginning of step 2.

Cut the yarn leaving, you’ve guessed it, a long tail for sewing.

Assembling your puppy

There’s just a few easy steps between you and a finished cuddly puppy now!

Sew the ears onto the sides of the head, level with round 4. They hang more naturally if you just pick up the front loops around the top of the ear rather than the front and back loops.

Next hold your puppy upright on a flat surface to get the position of the tail right. Before you join it to the body, you’ve got a choice to make:

• You can leave the tail to wag freely, in which case you want the color change in the tail facing outwards, so it’s on the underside of the tail when the tail drops down.
• Or you can tie the tail flush to the body like me, in which case you want the color change facing inwards towards the body.

Now sew the base of the tail to the body. If you’re tying the tail flush to the body, thread a 6” piece of yarn onto a darning needle and pass it behind a stitch facing the body on round 5 of the tail. Find the stitch it touches on the body and thread the yarn behind that one too. Tie the ends in a knot, and tuck them inside the body.

Last but not least, sew the nose in place. Then thread 12” of black yarn onto a needle, and run it behind a stitch at the base of the nose (it could be one of the stitches holding the nose in place, or one of the stitches on the body – see left hand photo below). Thread the other end of the black yarn through the eye of the needle too, so you’re working with two strands at once (center photo). Embroider a little mouth, using the stitch-grid in the body as a guide (right hand photo). I can never resist making my amigurumi toys look a little grumpy, but you could give your puppy a smile or a neutral expression.

Squishy Puppy Complete

My daughter has called this one Sandwich! I hope you enjoy making this project as much as I enjoyed developing it, and that whoever receives your plushy loves it as much as my daughter loves Sandwich. If it’s given you the confidence to try a more life-like amigurumi pattern next, you’ll love Lucy’s Poodle and Labrador patterns. Happy crocheting!

The post Squishy Crochet Puppy Pattern appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

How do you like my 3D snowflake granny square? Pretty festive, huh? I think it would look great mixed up with simpler grannies in candy cane colors, for a jolly sofa throw or blanket. Rather than making the snowflake and a solid granny square separately, then sewing them together (which is one option), the snowflake is fully integrated into the square. Which means no sewing, and no risk of the stitches coming loose in future.

The first round of the granny square is the center of the snowflake, and then from round 2 the pattern diverges into snowflake, and background. The rest of the snowflake isn’t anchored to the background on my squares – I think leaving the points floating feels more free-falling and snowflake-y. But I have included an instruction for anchoring the points in place as you go, if it suits you better.

3D snowflake granny square pattern

This pattern is written in standard U.S. crochet terms. Using DK yarn and a size G (4mm) hook it produces a square approximately 5″ (13cm) along each side. The stitches and their abbreviations you’ll need to know are:

Ch chain
Sc single crochet
Fpsc front post single crochet*
Dc Double crochet
Sl st slip stitch

* Exactly like the better known front post double crochet, but with a single crochet. There are more detailed instructions in the pattern, if you’re unfamiliar with it.

Round 1

Using white yarn:

1. Magic circle (mc).
2. Ch 3, dc 11 into the mc, sl st into the top of the ch 3 to join.

Background round 2

Continuing with the white yarn:

1. Fpsc around the ch 3 from the start of round 1: insert hook from back to front to the left of the chain, and from front to back on the right on the chain, yarn over and draw through so you have 2 loops on the hook, yarn over again and draw through both loops.
2. Ch 1.
3. *Fpsc around the next dc, ch 1* eleven times.
4. Sl st into the first fpsc.

Cut the yarn and weave in the ends. Here’s round 2 looks from the from the front (on the left), and back (on the right). Notice how the top loops of round 1 have been pushed forward on the front.

Background round 3

Join your red yarn into one of the ch 1 spaces from round 2.

1. (Ch 5, dc 1) into the same ch space.
2. Dc 2 into the next ch space.
3. Dc 2 into the next ch space.
4. (Dc, ch 2, dc) into the next ch space.
5. Repeat steps 2 – 4 twice more.
6. Dc 2 into the next ch space.
7. Dc 2 into the next ch space.
8. Into the next ch space (which is where you started), and sl st into the 3rd st of the ch 5 to join.

Here’s how that looks from the front (left) and back (right):

Background rounds 4 – 6

1. (Sl st, ch 5, dc 2) into the first corner space.
2. Dc into all of the side spaces.
3. (Dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) into the other corner spaces.
4. And when you get back to the first corner space, dc and sl st into the 3rd st of the ch 5 to join.

After the 6th round I tied off my yarn and wove in the ends. But if you’d like a bigger square, simply add more rounds!

Snowflake round 2

Now when you look at the front of your square, the top loops of round 1 are pushed forwards.

Join your white yarn through the top loops of any stitch from round 1.

1. Ch 5, *dc, ch2* 11 times.
2. Sl st into 3rd st of the ch 5 to join.

Snowflake round 3

It looks like there’s still a long way to go, but in fact this is your final round! It’s worked into the chain spaces from the previous round, using an alternating pattern of single- and triple-picot stitch techniques.

1. Into the next chain space (sc, dc, ch 6, sl st into the 1st ch, ch 5*, sl st into the same space as the previous sl st, ch 5, sl st into the same space as the previous sl sts, dc, sc).
2. Into the following chain space, (sc, ch 3, sl st into the 1st ch, sc).
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 six times.
4. Cut the yarn and weave in the ends.

* Optional modification: Make the 3rd chain a slip stitch into the background of your square, to anchor the point in place. I prefer to keep the outline of my snowflake free, and the yarn I’m using is sturdy enough that the points don’t flop about, but anchoring the points is a good idea if your square is likely to be going through the laundry frequently. Try to catch a just single strand from the post of one of the double crochets.

Granny square complete!

This design really benefits from being blocked, and having the picot points on the snowflake gently stretched out to give them definition. To go the whole nine yards, I pin mine out on the ironing board, using some dress maker’s pattern paper to get the outside edges square, and lots of pins to draw out the snowflake shape.

Then I lightly steam it with the iron. Since my yarn is a synthetic blend (90% acrylic, 10% merino wool), it holds its shape really well after that.

I hope you have as much fun making your grannies as I did designing them – happy crocheting!

The post 3D Snowflake Granny Square Pattern appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

How cute is this 3D flower granny square? The simple six-petal outline of the flower is easy to make, and really effective. I love how it channels nostalgic florals, 1960’s flower power and the Irish fashion designer Orla Kiely in one big cheerful color-pop. It’s a perfect way of adding visual depth and tactile detail to granny squares, without gobbling up yarn (I’m looking at you bobble stitch).

How big is it?

My granny squares have 6 rounds, but round 3 (the petals) completely overlaps rounds 4 and 5. Made with dk yarn and a size F (4mm) hook, they measure 4” across (give or take a little, depending on the exact yarn you choose, and your tension). They’re just the right size and proportions for a granny square scarf or sweater. For a bigger project like a blanket, you could easily add a 7th (and 8th) round following the same pattern as round 6. It would add an extra inch to each side of your square, and also make the spaces between the flowers to scale with the size of your project.

3D flower granny square pattern

This pattern is written in standard US crochet terms. The stitches and their abbreviations you need to be familiar with are:

Ch chain
Dc double crochet
Bpdc back post double crochet
Dc-inc double crochet increase (make 2 dc in the same space)
Hdc half double crochet
Sk skip the next stitch from the previous round, and work into the one after
Sl st slip stitch

Rounds 1 & 2

Rounds 1 and 2 follow the basic formula for making a flat circle.

• To start: Using your flower color, either make a magic circle, or by make a chain of 4 stitches and join the first and last chains with a slip stitch.
• Round 1: Ch 3 (counts as a dc), dc 11, sl st to the top of the ch 3.
• Round 2: Ch 3 (counts as a dc), dc in to the same st, dc-inc 11, sl st into the top of the ch 3.

Round 3

It’s time to add some petals to your flower!

• *Sk 1, dc 6, sk 1, sl st 1* 6 times.

Round 4

Round 4 is made into the back of round 2:

• Sl st around the ch 3 at start of round 2: insert your hook from back to front on the right of the chain and front to back on the left of the chain, yarn over and complete your sl st.
• Ch 3.
• Moving clockwise, bpdc around next st from round 2, and ch 1.
• *Bpdc around the next st from round 2, bpdc around the next st from round 2 again, and ch1* 11 times
• Sl st into the top of the ch 3 from step 2.

Cut the yarn and weave in the ends. Here’s how we’re looking from the front (right) and back (left) now:

Round 5

The next round is worked into the ch 1 spaces from round 4.

• Join your background color yarn into one of the ch 1 spaces from round 4. (Ch 5, dc 3) into the same space.
• Hdc 3 into the next ch 1 space.
• Hdc 3 into the next ch 1 space.
• (Dc 3, ch 2, dc 3) into the next ch 1 space – this makes a corner.
• Repeat steps 2 – 4 twice more.
• Repeat steps 2 & 3.
• The next ch 1 space should be the same one you started in – dc 2 into it, and join the round with a sl st in the 3rd st of the ch 5.

Round 6 onwards

From now on, you granny square follows the same pattern as a regular solid granny square:

• Ch 5 and dc 2 into the corner space.
• Dc along the side of the square.
• (Dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) into the next corner space.
• Repeat steps 2 and 3 twice more.
• Dc along the final side.
• Dc into the corner space you started in, and sl st into the 3rd st of the ch 5 to join.

You can finish there, or add more rounds if you wish.

Done!

Cut the yarn, weave in the ends, and block your finished square. My top tip is to block them face down, to relax and flatten out the petals a bit (but don’t squash them!)

The post 3D Flower Granny Square appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

This treble cluster v-stitch granny square is quick and cosy to make up. In fact, using DK yarn it only takes 4 rounds to make a square 6″ (15cm) across. Since it uses pairs of treble crochet stitches in mini clusters, it’s also denser and warmer than using solo treble crochets. Overall, I’d say the weight of this square is pretty much equivalent to a traditional granny square – it’s a bit holey, but it’s not lacy. And I just love that little 8-point star in the middle! So it’s ideal for making throws, blankets, granny-square cardigans and scarves.

Mini treble cluster stitches

This square is based on mini clusters of treble crochet stitches. Usually cluster stitches consist of 3 to 5 stitches joined at the top and bottom, but I’m using just 2 trebles per cluster. I’m not sure if that has a proper crochet name, which is why I’ve settled on ‘mini cluster’! Here’s how I made them:

1. Yarn over the hook twice.
2. Insert hook into the next space indicated by the pattern, and draw through a loop of yarn.
3. Yarn over the hook and draw through two loops, twice. Two loops remaining on hook – left photo below.
4. Yarn over the hook twice.
5. Insert hook into the same space again, and draw through a loop of yarn.
6. Yarn over the hook and draw through two loops, twice. Three loops remaining on hook – center photo below.
7. Yarn over and drawn through all three loops – right hand photo below.

Besides these chunky Vs, in this pattern we’ll also be using regular treble crochet stitches, chain stitches, and slip stitches.

Treble cluster v-stitch granny square

Let’s dive into the pattern!

Round 1

Start you granny square using whatever method you prefer: either a magic circle, or 4 chain stitches joined in a loop with a slip stitch.

1. Ch 6 (represents 1 tr and 2 ch sts)
2. *TrCL, ch 2* seven times
3. Join with a slip stitch into the 4th st of the ch 6 at the start of the round.

Round 2

The main thing to remember in this round is don’t make any chain stitches when you’re moving from one chain space to the next.

1. Sl st into the chain space created by the ch 6 at the start of round 1
2. Ch 5 (represents 1 tr which will become half of a trCL, and 1 ch st which will end up in the center of a V)
3. In the same chain space (trCL, ch3, trCL, ch 1, trCL)
4. In the next chain space (trCl, ch 1, trCL)
5. In the next chain space (trCl, ch 1, trCL, ch3, trCL, ch 1, trCL)
6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 twice more
7. (TrCL, ch 1, trCL) into the next chain space
8. Tr into the first chain space, and join with a slip stitch to the 4th st of the ch 5 from step 2.

Everywhere you’ve made a ch 3 will be a corner space in the next round.

Round 3

We started round 2 in a corner, but from now on the rounds begin part way down the side of your square.

1. Sl st into the chain space
2. Ch 5, (represents 1 tr which will become half of a trCL, and 1 ch st which will end up in the center of a V)
3. In the same chain space (trCL, ch1, trCL)
4. Corner space: (trCl, ch 1, trCL, ch3, trCL, ch 1, trCL)
5. In the next 3 chain spaces (trCL, ch1, trCL)
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 twice more
7. Corner space: (trCl, ch 1, trCL, ch3, trCL, ch 1, trCL)
8. In the next 2 chain spaces (trCL, ch1, trCL)
9. Tr into the chain space where you started, and join with a slip stitch to the 4th st of the ch 5 from step 2.

Round 4 and onwards

I’m sure you can see the pattern now:

• Start with a slip stitch, chain 5, and one mini cluster into the first chain space.
• (TrCl, ch 1, trCL) into all the chain spaces along the sides.
• (TrCl, ch 1, trCL, ch3, trCL, ch 1, trCL) into each corner space.
• Finish with a treble crochet in the same chain space you started in, and slip stitch into the 4th stitch of the ch 5 to join.

I’ve made one more round then tied off and woven in the yarn ends, to produce a 6″ square in DK yarn:

And that’s all there is to it! I hope you’ll give this pattern a go, and enjoy working with it as much as I have!

The post Treble Cluster V-Stitch Granny Square appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

How cute is this crochet granny square slipper pattern?! They’re constructed from just six squares each, so they’re perfect for when you fancy making a granny square project, but you haven’t got the time or the will to embark on something big like a blanket. They’ve got a cosy homespun feel which really does feel like a warm hug for your toes, so they’re a fantastic gift too – for someone you love or just for you

You can also change up the style by using a different more textured granny square for the top of the foot section, like the snowflake or 3D flower designs.

Getting the right size

Since these slippers have a soft sole, they’re a bit like socks when it comes to sizing. In other words, one size will fit several sizes of feet. If you follow this pattern exactly, the slippers will fit roughly ladies’ shoes size 6 – 9 (UK 4 – 7, EU 37 – 40). To make slippers outside of that size range, you’ll need to adapt the size of your granny squares. Don’t let that put you off though, it’s pretty straight forward to do, and I’m going to walk you through it step-by-step.

Basically, the diagonal size of your granny squares needs to be half the circumference of your foot at the widest point. Here’s a worked example of how to measure you feet and calculate the right granny square size for a perfect pair of custom made-to-measure slippers:

• Measure the circumference around the ball of your foot, right above the toes. My feet measure 9” (23cm) around this point.
• Divide that number in half. Which gives me 4½” (11.5cm). This is how big your granny squares need to be from corner to corner.

• It’s not all that intuitive to think about granny squares in terms of their diagonal size, so here’s a handy dandy online calculator for finding out how long the sides will need to be. From it I found out that the sides of my granny squares need to be approximately 3¼” (8.5cm).

My granny square pattern

Here’s the pattern I came up with to make granny squares the right size for my slippers. You can make small adjustments to the size of this pattern by making the 4th round in single crochet (for a smaller square) or double crochet (for a larger square). Or you can come up with your own design for a granny square the right size, and meet me again at the assembly stage!

Remember, you’ll need 12 squares in total – 6 per slipper. I used aran weight yarns in pink, off-white, gray marl, and brown. Rather than using the size H-8 (5mm) hook suggested by the wrapper, I opted for a size G-6 (4.5mm) hook. Your slippers will hold their shape better if the tension is sturdy – since I tend to crochet on the loose side I’ve sized down to

Round 1

Start however you like to start your granny squares – with a magic circle, or with four chain stitches joined in a loop with a slip stitch.

• Ch 3, dc 7, sl st into top of ch 3 to join.

Cut your yarn and weave in the ends.

Round 2

Join your next yarn color. This round consists of 8 cluster stitches of four double crochets, and the first one is worked a little bit differently to the rest.

For the first stitch:

1. Ch 3 – this creates the height you need to complete the round, and also counts as the first double crochet in the cluster.
2. Yarn over hook.
3. Insert hook into the same space you made the slip stitch join into.
4. Yarn over and pull through a loop (3 loops on hook).
5. Yarn over and draw through two loops (2 loops on hook).
6. Repeat steps 2 – 5 twice more (4 loops on hook – below left).
7. Yarn over and draw through all four loops (below center).
8. Ch 2 (below right).

For the rest of the stitches:

1. Yarn over hook.
2. Insert hook into the next space from round 1.
3. Yarn over and pull through a loop (3 loops on hook).
4. Yarn over and draw through two loops (2 loops on hook).
5. Repeat steps 1 – 4 three times (5 loops on hook – below left).
6. Yarn over and draw through all five loops (below center).
7. Chain 2 (below right).

After the last cluster stitch, chain 2 and join to the top of the first cluster stitch with a slip stitch. NOTE: The top of the stitch is the first chain you made to close the cluster, not the top of the ch 3. Cut the yarn, and weave in the ends.

* Only if you’re using half-double crochet for this round. If you’re using single or double crochet to modify the size of your square, work into every stitch of each side.

Cut your yarn, weave in the ends, and block your square. Make 11 more squares.

Crochet granny square slipper pattern: assembling stage

Squares made, it’s time to think about how you’re going to join them together. Here’s an illustration of how the squares are going to be pieced together:

I’ve labeled the corresponding sides, so 1a joins to 1a, and so on. Joins 1a and 1b can be made one after the other with without cutting the yarn in between. Joins 2a – 2d can also be made in one go, and likewise joins 3a – 3d.

Let’s start with the first join, along seams 1a and 1b.

I joined my granny squares mine using single crochet stitches – hold the squares right sides together, and insert the hook through the front and back loops of both squares. It’s a chunky join, which I love because it makes an aesthetic nod to moccasins. But I can feel the seams under my feet a bit, an if the thought of that puts you off, you could join your squares with a flat mattress stitch or whip stitch instead.

Adding the back of the heel

The next step is adding the back of the heel. Here’s a map for joining that square:

• When you get to corner A, place two stitches in the corner space of the heel square – one for each of the other squares.
• When you get to corner B, use three stitches to join the corner spaces, like this:

• The final edge between corner B and the arrow head joins to the edge marked by the star – make sure the wrong sides of your squares are facing each other!
• Treat corner B the same as corner A – make two stitches in the corner space of the heel square, one for each of the other squares.

Adding the last square

The sixth square sits on top of the foot.

If you fold in the side squares now, you can see now how that top square is going to join along all four edges.

• Start at the top corner that’s going to sit above the arch of the foot, and work along the first edge (I prefer to move clockwise, but it’s not important).
• In the next corner space make two stitches – one into the square that folds around the the side of the foot, and one into the square at the front of the sole.
• In the corner which forms the toe point, make three stitches into the corner space.
• And in the last corner space make two stitches – one into the square at the front of the sole and one into the square that folds around the the side of the foot.

When you get back to the corner you started in, don’t cut the yarn – you can dive straight into making the edging around the opening with it.

Adding a picot edging

This slipper is really starting to come together! Let’s add a picot edging around the opening, to give that edge a more polished look and tie it in with the seams. The edge is made in two rows, in a counter-clockwise direction. The direction is important to ensure to the little picot bobbles pop outwards, not inwards!

• The first row is straight forward single crochet all the way round the edge.
• The second row is a simple picot border based on a two-stitch repeat: sl st, dc. The short slip stitches push the tall double crochets outwards, making an attractive bobble edge.

Finish row two on a slip stitch, cut the yarn, and weave in all the ends from joining your squares.

Pompoms

The finishing touch on my slippers are some cute little pompoms. Not only do they look the part, they’re perfect for hiding the seam joins on the front of your slipper. Also if you’ve never made little pompoms on a fork before, prepare to discover a new crafting addiction!

• Cut a 4” piece of yarn and hold it between the second and third tines of a fork (top left above).
• Wrap yarn from the ball 20 – 30 times around all four tines.
• Cut the yarn, and use the 4” piece to make an overhand knot around the center of your pom pom (top right above).
• Poke the ends through to the other side of the fork, and tie two or three more knots to fully secure the center of the pompom (bottom left above).
• Slip the pompom off the fork and carefully cut all the loops so your pompom opens out. Trim it into shape, and repeat the steps to make a second.
• Make a chain of 12 stitches, and ties your pompoms to the ends (bottom right above).

Finally, use a short length of yarn to tie your pompoms to the front of your slipper.

Now make another one!

Repeat the whole process to make a second slipper, and then put them on and wear them with pride! Or in my case, notice them sneaking out of the room on the feet of my daughter. Luckily this quick and fun pattern is easy to make again and again! I hope you enjoy making it too.

The post Crochet Granny Square Slipper Pattern appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

Welcome to my block stitch granny square pattern! Block stitch is one of my all-time favorite crochet stitches, ever since I used it to make a cot blanket for a dear friend’s first baby. For me it has just the right balance of pattern and simplicity. It’s pleasantly repetitive and meditative to work on, but not monotonous. And it’s great for making granny square projects that put a real dent in an overflowing yarn collection. You can use the colors you have a lot of for the background, colors you only have scraps of for the flecks, and colors you have a middling amount of for the border. That’s some pretty efficient stash busting!

It also looks amazing when combined with some other more unusual stitches too like the treble cluster V or third loop only granny!

Getting started

I’ve developed this pattern using DK yarn. It ought to work with any weight of yarn and an appropriately-size hook, but the relative height and width of your square might end up being a little bit different. Make up one square first, and use it to judge whether you need to add or remove stitches from your foundation row, or rows of stitches from the top of your square. Using DK yarn and a 4mm hook, my squares measure approximately 6” x 6” after blocking, but yours might be a little smaller or larger depending on the exact yarn you use, and your tension (I tend to crochet a little on the loose side).

Before I pick up my hook I also like to take some 1” snippets of the yarns I’m using, and check I’m happy with the order they’re going to go in. But you can skip this step if it doesn’t appeal to you!

Block Stitch Granny Square Pattern

This pattern uses standard American crochet terms. The only stitches you’ll need to know are:

Ch chain
Sc single crochet
Dc double crochet
Sl st slip stitch

Starting with your background color, make a foundation chain with a multiple of 3 chain stitches, plus 4. Using my foundation chain of 25 stitches as an example, here’s what they represent:

• 1 space for a single dc at the edge of your square (which will eventually be covered by the border)
• 7 multiples of 3 in the middle
• and 3 turning chains, which also count as a single dc at the opposite side of the square (and will also be covered by the border).

I’ve written it as a multiple of 3 plus 4, and not a multiple of 3 plus 1, to help you picture how adding more multiples of three will look. I hope it made sense!

1st Row

This pattern is dead simple to make, but a little tricky to explain in writing. So bear with me, and don’t worry, I’ve got lots of photos to help make everything clear!

Starting in the 4th chain from the hook, dc into every stitch of your foundation chain. After the final stitch, free your hook and put a stitch marker into the working loop – or just pull it through a bit further so it won’t unravel easily, like I’ve done in the photos coming up.

2nd row

It’s time to add the first row of colourful flecks.

• Choose which yarn you’re going to use, make a slip knot in it about 3” in from the end, and pop the loop onto your hook.
• Insert your hook into the space between the ch 3 and the first dc at the far right of row 1. Make a single crochet by drawing a loop of yarn through that space, then putting the yarn over the hook again and drawing it through both loops:

• Ch 2, then count 3 dc from the first row, and make another sc between the 3rd and 4th dc.
• *Ch 2, dc into the space between the next 3rd and 4th stitch from row 1* all the way along.

You’re not making the single crochets into the top of the stitches from row 1 here, rather the spaces in between them. Where you can see my finger peeping through in this photo!

When you get to the end of the row your last sc should be 1 dc away from the end of row 1. Put the working loop from the end of row 1 back on your hook (below left) and pull it through the working loop at the end of row 2 (below right).

Now you can cut the yarn you’ve used for row 2, leaving a 3” tail for weaving in later.

3rd row

Working with your background color again, ch 3 (represents 1 dc) and turn your work.

Make 3 dc into each of the ch 2 spaces from row 2 (indicated by the purple arrows below). At the end of the row, make 1 dc into the 3rd stitch of the turning chain from row 1 (indicated by the red arrow below).

Put a stitch marker in the last stitch, or pull through a generous loop, like at the end of row 1.

4th row onwards

Now it’s simply a case of repeating rows 2 and 3, until your square is approximately as tall as it is wide. Whenever granny squares are made in rows rather than rounds, it’s possible that the height and width won’t exactly match, so just get as close as you can. The only important thing is to finish on a background color row.

In total, my square has 8 background color (uneven-numbered) rows, and 7 fleck (even-numbered) rows.

At the end of your last row you’ll need to pause and weave in all those ends:

At this point you can either:

1. Cut the background color yarn and weave it in too.
2. OR, use the background color to make the border as well. This has the advantage of reducing the number of ends which ultimately need weaving in by two (don’t knock it – they add up!) And it’s also a good aesthetic choice if you don’t want your square to have the appearance of a border.

I’m going with option 1, so here’s my square right before I started adding a contrasting border.

Adding a border

I think block stitch granny squares work best with a border.

• It gives a bit more substance to the left and right edges of the square
• It makes the edges easier to join to each other.
• It’s a fun way to add another pop of color, and use up some more yarn from your stash.
• And a wisely chosen border color can really help unify some mis-matched fleck colors inside the square.

Here’s how to add one. If you’re using the same yarn you used for the background, just skip step 1:

1. Join your border color yarn into the top right hand corner space of your square.
2. Ch 5 (represents 1 dc and a 2 ch corner space), and dc 2 into the same corner space.
3. Dc into the top of each stitch along the top edge of your square.
4. At the next corner space (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2).
5. Working down the left hand edge of your square, dc 3 into the side of each background-colored row. With each alternate row you’ll either be making your stitches round the post of another dc, or around a turning chain.
6. At the next corner space (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2).
7. Dc into the other side of the foundation chain along the bottom edge of your square.
8. At the next corner space (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2).
9. Working up the right hand edge of your square, dc 3 into the side of each background-colored row.
10. When you get back to the first corner, dc into the corner space and sl st into the 4th st of the ch 5 to join. Cut the yarn and weave in the end.

Block your squares and show them off!

Your block stitch granny square is finished and ready for blocking. One square by itself can be a pretty coaster, placemat, or face cloth. Lots together work well for scatter pillow covers, and medium weight blankets.

The post Block Stitch Granny Square appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.

A third loop only granny square is an easy but eye catching alternative to a regular solid granny square. It has an interesting three-dimensional texture, but without being bulky or heavy. So you can turn lots of them into a medium-weight blanket or throw for all seasons. Like any traditional granny square project, these squares are perfect for using up yarn scraps. But I think they look especially effective in just two colors, like this.

Choosing the yarn and hook

Third loop only granny squares are exceptionally versatile, and look good in almost any yarn. They don’t gobble up yarn like other grannies with interesting 3-dimensional textures, so you might even choose a more high-end or luxurious yarn, without fear of breaking the bank. That said, I’ve made these ones in Hayfield Soft Twist DK, a blend of 90% acrylic and 10% merino, twisted together using the S-on-S plying technique traditionally associated with merino yarns. It’s smooth, strong, and really budget friendly for big projects – I love it!

This pattern shouldn’t present any differences to your usual tension, so use whatever size hook you’d usually pair with the yarn you have picked out.

Getting started

Begin your granny square however you prefer. The options are:

• Magic circle (my preference)
• Making 4 chain stitches and joining them with a slip stitch to make a circle.
• Making 2 chain stitches and treating the first one (the one furthest from your hook) as the starting circle.

The rest of the pattern uses standard American crochet terms. There’s a guide to the basic stitches here if you need it.

Round 1

Into your circle:

• Ch 5 (represents 1 dc, and a two-chain corner space).
• *Dc 3, ch 2* 3 times
• Dc 2

Drop your yarn and pick up your next color. Using the new color:

• Slip stitch into the 3rd chain of the ch 5 from the start of the round.
• Slip stitch into the corner space.

Round 2

It’s time to introduce some third loop only crochet! The abbreviation to look out for is dc-3lo, which means make a double crochet stitch into the third loop only of the next stitch. Everything about the double crochet stitch itself is exactly the same as usual – it’s just the placement that changes. I’ve got a photo coming up to help with that if you haven’t tried third loop only crochet before.

• Ch 5, dc 1 into the corner space.
• Dc-3lo 3 into the stitches along the first edge. The back loop sits immediately below the back loop – insert your hook downwards into it as indicated by the arrows. In contrast to a regular double crochet, you’re only inserting the hook under one loop, not two.

• (Dc 1, ch 2, dc 1) into the next corner space.
• *Dc-3lo 3, (dc 1, ch 2, dc 1) into the corner space* twice more.
• Dc-3lo 2, then dc into the back loop of the second stitch of the ch 5 from the previous round.

• Drop your yarn and pick up with the next color.
• Sl st into the 3rd stitch of the ch 5 from the beginning of the round, and sl st again into the corner space.

Round 3

In round 3 the way we work the corners slightly changes, so take note of that. But this is round you’ll keep repeating from here on, so it’s all going to be super straightforward after this!

• Ch 5, dc 2 into the corner space.
• *Dc-3lo 5 into the stitches along the edge, (dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) into the corner space* 3 times.
• Dc-3lo 4, dc into the back loop of the second stitch of the ch 5 from the previous round, dc into the final chain space.
• Drop your yarn and pick up with the next color.
• Sl st into the 3rd stitch of the ch 5 from the beginning of the round, and sl st again into the corner space.

Round 4 onwards

Repeat as for round 3:

• Start with ch 5, dc 2 in the first corner space.
• Dc-3lo into all the edge stitches.
• (Dc 2, ch 2, dc 2) into the corner spaces.
• Finish with a dc into the back of the 2nd st of the ch 5 from the previous round, then a dc into the corner space.
• Change color, slip stitch into the 3rd st of the ch 5 from the start of the round, and sl st into the corner space.

At the end of your final round, don’t change color before the final step. Use the same color as the rest of the round, and only slip stitch once into the 3rd st of the ch 5 from the start of the round. Cut the yarn and pull the yarn tail right through the slip stitch, then get to work weaving in all those ends!

Finishing up

Third loop only granny squares really benefit from being blocked. I’m devoted to blocking my granny squares anyway, but if if you’re usually happy to skip it, well, don’t!

Check out the awesome texture – I think it really elevates these granny squares, without being any harder to make than a typical granny square. I hope you’ll enjoy making some of your own!

The post Third Loop Only Granny Square appeared first on Lucy Kate Crochet.