Could it possibly be the beginning of spring? Let's hope so!
After the dull days of winter and the madness of thick snow here in London last week, we are beginning to see the promise of spring. The days are getting a little longer and the garden is starting to come back to life. The birds are busy building nests and there is far more activity out in the garden.
Note: The pattern in written in UK terminology
Method:
Row 72: Using Meadow (Leaf) 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into each st to end, turn.
Row 73: (WS facing) 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into each next 3sts, *
3ch, skip 3sts, 1dc into each next 3sts; repeat from * to end changing yarn
shade to Graphite (Anthracite) on the final step of the last st, turn. (28 holes made)
Row 74: Using Graphite (Anthracite) & 4mm (3.5mm) hook 4ch (counts as 1tr & 1ch) * [tr3tog, 3ch, tr3tog] into next ch sp, 1ch, skip 3dc;
repeat from * to last st, 1tr into last st, changing yarn shade to Lime (Spring Green) on the
final step of the last st, turn.
Row 75: (WS facing) Using Lime (Spring Green) & 4.5mm (4mm)
hook 1ch, 1dc into st at base of 1ch, 2dc into next ch sp, * skip
tr3tog made on previous row, 3dc into next 3ch sp, skip tr3tog made on previous
row, 3dc into next 1ch sp; repeat from * 26 times, skip tr3tog made on previous
row, 3dc into next 3ch sp, skip tr3tog made on previous row, 2dc into next ch
sp, 1dc into 3rd ch of 4ch made at beginning of last row changing
yarn shade to Meadow (Leaf) on the final step of the last st, turn.
Row 76: Using Meadow (Leaf) 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into each st to end, turn. (171sts)
Row 77: 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into st at base of 1ch, 2ch, skip 2sts, * 1dc into each next 3sts, 3ch, skip 3dc; repeat from * 26 times, 1dc into each next 3sts, 2ch, skip 2sts, 1dc into last st changing yarn shade to Spice (Rouge) on the final step of the last st, turn.
Row 78: Using Spice (Rouge) & 4mm (3.5mm) hook 4ch, (counts as 1tr & 1ch), tr3tog into next 2ch sp, 1ch, * [tr3tog, 3ch, tr3tog] into next 3ch sp, 1ch, skip 3dc; repeat from * to last ch sp, tr3tog into next 2ch sp, 1ch, 1tr into into last st, changing yarn shade to Khaki (Bottle) on the final step of the last st, turn.
Row 79: (WS facing) Using Khaki (Bottle) & 4.5mm (4mm) hook 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc into st at base of 1ch, 2dc into next 1ch sp, * 3ch, skip tr3tog & 1ch & tr3tog made on previous row, 3dc into next 3ch sp; repeat from * 26 times, 3ch, skip tr3tog & 1ch & tr3tog made on previous row, 2dc into next ch sp, 1dc into 3rd ch of 4ch made at beginning of last row, changing yarn shade to Fondant (Raspberry) on the final step of the last st, turn.
Change to 4mm (3.5mm) hook.
Row 81: Using Meadow (Leaf) & 4.5mm (4mm) hook 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into st at base of 1ch, 2dc into next ch sp, * skip tr3tog made on previous row, 3dc into into next 3ch sp, skip tr3tog made on previous row, 3dc into next 1ch sp; repeat from * 26 times, skip tr3tog made on previous row, 3dc into next 3ch sp, skip tr3tog made on previous row, 2dc into next ch sp, 1dc into 3rd ch of 4ch made at beginning of last row, changing yarn shade to Turquoise (Iced Teal) on the final step of the last st, turn. (171sts)
After the dull days of winter and the madness of thick snow here in London last week, we are beginning to see the promise of spring. The days are getting a little longer and the garden is starting to come back to life. The birds are busy building nests and there is far more activity out in the garden.
Although we live
on the outskirts of our beloved capital city we are also very close to fields
and woods, so we are lucky to see lots of wildlife. Of course we don’t have to
go far to see the evidence of urban foxes and the destructive squirrels, but
not far away we can also see rabbits, deer and other little furry beings busy
in the spring sunshine.
When thinking
about the design for March I decided to try to crochet a design that looked like
rabbits in the countryside. You can see below my trial scraps of crochet and
can probably guess from those that I soon discovered the rabbit idea would make
things pretty complicated (and a bit cheesy!) so in the end I went down a
little more abstract route by coming up with a design which I hope emulates the
idea of rabbit ears emerging from holes. By changing the yarn shades used for
the cluster stitches I hope that the pattern also looks a little bit like
crocuses and daffodils beginning to bloom.
If you want to purchase a download copy of the patterns for just 95p you can access the Stylecraft Special DK version by following this link and the Yarn Stories version by following this link - please note that step by step images in all patterns are from the Special DK version.
Yarn used this month:
Yarn used this month:
Stylecraft Special DK 100g balls
1068 Turquoise
1027 Khaki
1065 Meadow
1063 Graphite
1712 Lime
1711 Spice
1241 Fondant
Yarn Stories Fine Merino DK 50g balls
3534 Iced Teal
2501 Bottle
2510 Leaf
2500 Anthracite
2516 Spring Green
2515 Rouge
2514 Raspberry
3534 Iced Teal
2501 Bottle
2510 Leaf
2500 Anthracite
2516 Spring Green
2515 Rouge
2514 Raspberry
Equipment Special DK:
4mm & 4.5mm hook
Sewing needle
Equipment Fine Merino DK:
3.5mm & 4mm hook
Sewing needle
3.5mm & 4mm hook
Sewing needle
Dealing with yarn ends: Sewing
yarn ends in as you go along makes the finishing process much easier
and means that you are less likely to loose stitches or make errors with
your tension.
Hook Changes:
This month there are quite a few hook chnages so make sure you take note of where they are.Method:
Undo stitch from
holder to the point where you can change yarn shade to Turquoise (Iced Teal) on the final
step of the stitch, turn.
Row 70: (RS facing) Using Turquoise (Iced Teal) & 4.5mm
(4mm) hook 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into each st to end
changing yarn shade to Khaki (Bottle) on the final step of the last st, turn. (171sts)
Row 71: Using Khaki (Bottle) 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into each st to end changing
yarn shade to Meadow (Leaf) on the final step of the last st, turn.
Change to 4mm (3.5mm) hook.
Change to 4.5mm (4mm) hook.
Row 76: Using Meadow (Leaf) 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into each st to end, turn. (171sts)
Row 77: 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into st at base of 1ch, 2ch, skip 2sts, * 1dc into each next 3sts, 3ch, skip 3dc; repeat from * 26 times, 1dc into each next 3sts, 2ch, skip 2sts, 1dc into last st changing yarn shade to Spice (Rouge) on the final step of the last st, turn.
Change to 4mm (3.5mm) hook.
Row 78: Using Spice (Rouge) & 4mm (3.5mm) hook 4ch, (counts as 1tr & 1ch), tr3tog into next 2ch sp, 1ch, * [tr3tog, 3ch, tr3tog] into next 3ch sp, 1ch, skip 3dc; repeat from * to last ch sp, tr3tog into next 2ch sp, 1ch, 1tr into into last st, changing yarn shade to Khaki (Bottle) on the final step of the last st, turn.
Change to 4.5mm (4mm) hook.
Row 79: (WS facing) Using Khaki (Bottle) & 4.5mm (4mm) hook 1ch (does not count as a st), 1dc into st at base of 1ch, 2dc into next 1ch sp, * 3ch, skip tr3tog & 1ch & tr3tog made on previous row, 3dc into next 3ch sp; repeat from * 26 times, 3ch, skip tr3tog & 1ch & tr3tog made on previous row, 2dc into next ch sp, 1dc into 3rd ch of 4ch made at beginning of last row, changing yarn shade to Fondant (Raspberry) on the final step of the last st, turn.
Change to 4mm (3.5mm) hook.
Row 80: Using Fondant (Raspberry) & 4mm (3.5mm) hook 4ch (counts as 1tr & 1ch), * working over last row tr3tog into next 1ch sp
made on Row 78, 3ch, tr3tog into same ch sp, * 1ch, skip 3dc, [tr3tog, 3ch,
tr3tog] into next ch sp made on Row 78; repeat from * to last 3sts, 1ch, skip
2sts, 1tr into next st changing yarn shade to Meadow (Leaf) on the final step of the
last st, turn.
Change to 4.5mm (4mm) hook.
Row 81: Using Meadow (Leaf) & 4.5mm (4mm) hook 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into st at base of 1ch, 2dc into next ch sp, * skip tr3tog made on previous row, 3dc into into next 3ch sp, skip tr3tog made on previous row, 3dc into next 1ch sp; repeat from * 26 times, skip tr3tog made on previous row, 3dc into next 3ch sp, skip tr3tog made on previous row, 2dc into next ch sp, 1dc into 3rd ch of 4ch made at beginning of last row, changing yarn shade to Turquoise (Iced Teal) on the final step of the last st, turn. (171sts)
Row 82: Using Turquoise (Iced Teal) 1ch (does not count as a st) 1dc into each st to end, place
last st on holder. (171sts)
Measurement: Each piece should measure approximately 53cm (18in)
from bottom edge x 92cm wide.
Work another to
piece to match.
Sew in yarn ends.
With thanks to the team at Crochet Now magazine.
Sew in yarn ends.
With thanks to the team at Crochet Now magazine.
Above is the preview image for April. There is a bit of a story to this design, which I will tell you about next month - which will see the final CAL pattern - can you believe it?
The next set of patterns will be released on Tuesday 3rd April.
Jane x
The next set of patterns will be released on Tuesday 3rd April.
Jane x