This CROCHET Goldfish IS a Beginner Project!

Unlike real goldfish that are lots harder to keep than one imagines, seeing as they are sold for less than $1 at Petsmart, this crochet goldfish pattern is a total breeze to follow and the project itself can be completed in a few hours from start to finish. There’s also no sewing pieces together, you start at the nose and work straight through to the tail all in one go.

So instead of stressing about why goldfish are not easy fish to keep in aquariums, why not crochet yourself a school of goldfish today!?

Materials Needed:

Worsted weight yarn
3mm crochet hook or the size hook needed to get the stitch density required. Remember, with amigurumi you will in general size down your hook. This ensures that your stitches are tight, eliminating any holes so you won’t see the stuffing and it won’t come out.
Polyfill
Tapestry needle for weaving ends and stitching eyes

Abbreviations

Mr: Magic Ring. For detailed instructions on how to master the magic ring quickly and confidently, check out my magic ring tutorial, complete with step by step pictures on how to make a magic ring in crochet. You can also watch this Magic Ring YouTube tutorial.
Sc: single crochet
Inc: Increase by sc twice into the next stitch
InvDec: Invisible decrease: insert the hook into the front loop of the next two stitches. Pull yarn through both loops and complete a single crochet.
Ch: Chain
Sl st: Slip stitch
Pm: Place marker, replacing it each time you loop back around. This helps you to count rounds and gives you a starting point to count stitches for each round.
Scblo: single crochet into back loop only

Crochet Goldfish Pattern

Round 1: sc 6 (6 stitches)

Increase Time

Round 2: inc 6 times (12 stitches)

A Pattern: Increase One Round and Then No Increase on the Next

Round 6: *sc 2, inc, repeating from * 6 times (24 stitches)

Round 8 – 15: sc around (24 stitches) (8 rounds). When I am counting rounds I always lose track and forget how many rounds I have completed. Counting is hard, y’all! To ensure I stitch the correct number of rounds I use something as simple as my notes app or maybe something like this online counter. There are of course special crochet round/row counters but sometimes simple is the best way to do it. Why make things extra complicated?

Decreases

Decrease time. For amigurumi decreases, it’s best to use an invisible decrease. You do this by picking up just the front loop of the next two stitches. Then, with three loops on your hook, single crochet into those loops. The result is a nearly invisible decrease. It looks neater than a more traditional sc2tog to decrease. Your fish should be a football-like shape at this point. There are a few decrease rounds before it’s time to stuff it and seam it up. The tail is made last.

Round 16: *sc 2, dec repeating from * (18 stitches)

This is a good point to turn your work inside out and weave in any ends you might have, especially the end of the magic ring. It’s important to secure the magic ring.

For the goldfish pictured on the left, I also changed colors after the head, so I wove in those ends too. Next we will stuff the goldfish before seamimg it closed. You cannot wait to weave in ends until the end of the project. So do it now!

Round 17: sc around (18 stitches)

This is a good time to stuff the nose and body of your fish. Stuff it about 3/4ths of the way full for now. We’ll put a bit more once we’ve decreased down to 12 stitches before seaming it.

A Note about Stuffing

When stuffing an amigurumi toy, the general rule of thumb is to overstuff. Your toy will take more polyfill than you think it will need, but even once you think it’s jammed in there really well, you might want to double check.

Why?

Polyfill gets compressed over time, and you’ve worked hard on your toy. You want your stuffed toy to keep its shape. So pack that stuffing in pretty well. Of course, if you like an end product that’s more squishy, by all means put less polyfill. But I personally like how overstuffed toys keep their shape and stand up better over time. So I go all out.

Last Bit of Decreasing

Stuff the fish now to as full as you want it. Remember that once you seam, you can’t put more stuffing in. So this is the last chance to put stuffing.

Fold stitches in half and seam closed with slip stitches. (6 stitches)

Tail of Two Fins

The tail is stitched in two fins, semi-detached from one another, but still no sewing them onto the body of the fish separately. It’s all done at one time.

Row 1: With the same yarn from the body of the fish, chain 12. Turn work. You can also change colors here like I did in the picture, but it’s not necessary.

Row 2: Sc into the 2nd stitch from hook. Sc 11 into the back loop only (11 stitches)

Attach tail to fish at the body with slip stitch, turn work.

By the way, the tail part is a little fiddly to work with. By far the hardest part of the pattern. But still beginner friendly, I promise. From this point on all the single crochets will be into back loop only to create a ridged looking fin.

Row 3: ch 1, scblo 9, ch 1, turn work

Row 4: ch1, scblo 9. Attach tail at the body with a slip stitch.

Row 5: ch 1, scblo 7, ch 1, turn work

Row 6: ch 1, scblo 7, attach tail at body with sl st.

2nd fin

The second fin of the goldfish is stitched so it’s detached from the first fin, but still anchored in the same spot so they overlap a bit at the center, making the goldfish look like a pretty fancy goldfish, if I do say so myself.

Row 7: ch 8, turn work

Row 8: scblo 7, attaching the tail at the body in the same spot you anchored the last scblo 7 from the other fin.

Row 9: turn work, ch1, scblo 7, ch 3, turn work

Row 10: scblo 9, attaching tail to the body, turn work

Row 11: ch1, scblo 9, ch 3, turn work

Row 12: scblo into 2nd loop from hook, and 10 more (11 stitches), attaching tail to the body at the last stitch of the seam.

Weave in any ends from the tail.

What Bubbly Eyes You Have

I stitch my eyes on following a tutorial from the Woobles site. It’s really easy so I am not going to make a separate tutorial from theirs. It works really nicely. I don’t like safety eyes because I think they look creepy but you do you. If you wanted to do safety eyes you’d need to attach them before you stuffed the fish.

Et Voilà!

You’re done!

The post Crochet Goldfish Pattern appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

It’s simple, honestly!

I am here to show you today that it’s not that hard at all to make a magic ring in just a few steps. Promise, I got you. I am going to show you how to make a magic ring in crochet.

Materials Needed

1. Yarn. Worsted-weight (Medium 4) yarn is a great yarn to practice on.
2. Crochet hook. 5mm works with a worsted-weight yarn.
3. Tapestry needle for weaving in your ends.

How to Make a Magic Ring: A Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1: Loop your yarn with the end in the front. For now, just make sure you have the right set-up. It’s okay if you do it wrong the first time! I usually have to do this part at least twice.

Step 2: Pinch the yan between your thumb and your middle finger where the yarn crosses over itself.

Next up, Step 3: Push the crochet hook through the center of the ring and bring a loop up. It will be loose at this point. You’re going to secure the loop with the next step.

Step 4: Chain one to lock in the ring. If your Magic Ring’s first round is double crochet, you’ll want to chain two.

Step 5: Now you’ll crochet your first round. Crochet into the loop made by securing the loop, that’s your magic ring. Make sure your stitch encases both strings. The example is 8 single crochets.

Step 6: Join your stitches to the first stitch with a slip stitch. You might have to pull the short string a little so it can easily be joined.

It should look something like this. There is a noticeable hole in the middle, but that’s where the magic part of the magic ring comes into play.

Step 7: The magic! Pull the short string taut so the hole in the center disappears. This is the magic of the magic ring.

Step 8: Weave in ends. With a tapestry needle, thread the short string. Weave through the entire hole and then back the other way to really lock the end in place. You want to really secure this end. Otherwise, the hole could start to come open in the future.

Et Voilà!

And there you have it. Magic Ring, done! Hopefully, this technique tutorial will help you if you’re just learning to crochet or just branching out into crocheting things that require magic ring! There are other methods. But this way works and it’s easy. The magic ring sounds harder than it actually is. If you want to crochet amigurumi you’ll need to know how to make a magic ring in crochet, so practice until you have this down! You can do it!

Crochet Techniques

I post about crochet techniques that have given me trouble in the past, and I’m hoping my experience can help you to learn and perfect your skills as a crocheter.

Crochet Patterns

I also have a few crochet patterns that you might want to look through. Crochet is my passion!

The post How to Make a Magic Ring in Crochet appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

Dory is a Blue Tang

The Blue Tang body shape is taller and skinnier, and the tail is not flowy at all. Since Blue Tang look so different from the other fish I crocheted, I set out to construct the body and tail shape of a Blue Tang. My results turned out so cute!

Abbreviations

sc: single crochet
scblo:
sl st: slip stitch
sts: stitches
pm: place marker
inc: sc twice into next stitch
dec: decrease one by inserting hook into front loop of next two stitches, pull yarn through both loops to complete 1 sc decrease
hdc: half-double crochet

Crochet Fish Pattern

Nose / Head

Using a magic ring, sc 6 into ring. Join with sl st to first stitch. Pull ring closed loosely. You can tighten it up more later and secure it with a tapestry needle

Round 1: pm in first stitch sc 6 (6 stitches)

• I find it helpful to place a marker (pm) in the beginning stitch of the round. It can be discarded later in the pattern

Round 2: inc 6 by sc 2 times into each of the 6 stitches. (12 stitches)

Round 3: 12 sc (12 stitches)

Round 4: inc 12 times (sc 2 into each stitch) (24 stitches)

• At this point your fish will be very circular, that’s okay! We will better establish the shape in a bit!

Round 5: sc into each stitch (24 stitches)

• Pause here to secure the magic ring tail with a tapestry needle.

Round 6: sc 1, inc 1 (2 sc into stitch) (36 stitches)

Crochet Fish Pattern Body

Round 7: sc 8, pm in stitch just worked, hdc 3 (this is the top of your Blue Tang and the start of its dorsal fin), sc 1, pm in stitch just worked (this stitch marker marks the end of the top of your Blue Tang), sc around. (36 stitches)

Start Decreases to Taper Body

Round 8: sc 5, dec 1 (insert hoop through the front loop of the next two stitches and then sc 1), sc1 pm, hdc 3, sc 1 pm, dec 1, sc 9, dec 1, sc 1 pm, sc 3, sc 1 pm (this is the bottom of your fish), dec 1, sc 4 (32 stitches)

• If you find that moving too many stitch markers is bothersome, you can remove the marker that marks the start of the round at this point. We’ll count rows by the stitch markers that mark the top and the bottom of the fish.

Round 9: sc til marker, hdc 3, sc til 2 stitches before marker, dec 1, sc pm, sc 3, sc pm, dec 1, sc around (30 stitches)

Round 10-12: sc to marker, sc 1 pm, hdc 3, sc 1 pm, sc around replacing markers as you make the stitches. (30 stitches)

Round 13: sc to marker, sc 1 pm, hdc, sc 1 pm, sc to two stitches before marker, dec 1, sc pm, sc 3, sc pm, dec 1, sc around (28 stitches)

Round 14-16: sc to marker, sc 1 pm, hdc 3, sc 1 pm, sc around replacing markers as you make the stitches. (28 stitches)

Round 17: sc to two stitches before marker, dec 1, sc 1 pm, hdc 3, sc 1 pm, dec 1, sc to two stitches before marker, dec 1, sc 1 pm, sc3, sc 1 pm, dec 1, sc around (24 stitches)

Round 18: sc around to marker, sc pm, hdc 3, sc 1 pm, sc around (24 stitches)

Stuff the Fish

• Pause here to stuff the body of the fish, shaping it so that it’s the shape you want. We are starting to decrease here toward the tail so you don’t have stuff it fully yet but it’s easier to manipulate the stuffing to look the way you want when the opening is larger. Tip: More stuffing makes a sturdier finished product.

Round 19: sc to two stitches before marker, dec 1, sc 1 pm, hdc 3, sc 1 pm, dec 1, sc to four stitches before marker, dec 2, sc 1 pm, sc 3, sc1 pm, dec 1, sc around (20 stitches)

Round 20: sc around to marker, sc pm, hdc 3, sc 1 pm, sc around replacing markers as you make the stitches. (20 stitches)

Round 21: sc to two stitches before marker, dec 1, sc1 pm, hdc 3, sc 1 pm, dec 1, sc to two stitches before marker, dec 1, sc 1 pm, sc 3, sc 1 pm, dec 1, sc around. (16 stitches)

Round 22: sc to two stitches before marker, dec 1, sc5 pm, dec 2, pm, sc 3, dec 1, sc around. (12 stitches)

Round 23: switch to yellow yarn for tail. dec 1, sc1 pm, sc3, sc 1 pm, dec 1, sc to two stitches before marker, dec 1, sc 1 pm, sc 3, sc 1 pm, dec 1, sc around. (10 stitches)

Tail Construction

Stuff the fish with more polyfill, since we’re about to make the tail. To start, move your stitch markers so they mark the center stitch on either side of the stitches. This marks the top and the bottom of the tail. and it is where we will make increases to form the tail’s triangle shape.

Round 24: sc around (10 stitches)

Round 25: sc to one stitch before marker, inc 1, sc pm, inc 1, sc to one stitch before marker, inc 1, sc 1 pm, inc 1, sc around (14 stitches)

Round 26: sc to one stitch before marker, inc 1, sc pm, inc 1, sc to one stitch before marker, inc 1, sc 1 pm, inc 1, sc around (18 stitches)

Stuff tail completely. Stitch closed with slip stitch across.

Round 27: sc to one stitch before marker, inc 1, sc pm, inc 1, sc to one stitch before marker, inc 1, sc 1 pm, inc 1, sc around (22 stitches)

Et voilà! Bravo! What a CUTE Crochet Fish!

With a tapestry needle, weave in any ends and stitch eyes (if desired).

Your crochet fish pattern should look something like this:

I post crochet patterns and crochet techniques on my blog.

The post Crochet Fish Pattern – Blue Tang appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

1. Crochet Hook Set

Crochet hooks come in a million varieties, from aluminum to bamboo, plain and ergonomic. If the crochet lover in your life crochets often, ergonomic crochet hooks are the way to go. I recently switched to an ergonomic crochet hook set I got on Amazon and using them has been life-changing to my productivity. I personally don’t like using bamboo crochet hooks but to each their own. I don’t think they snag the yarn well. Aluminum crochet hooks work just fine, and I use them still, but having switched to the comfort of the cushy padded crochet hooks, I don’t want to go back! Crocheters can never have too many crochet hooks, it’s a thing I swear.

2. Crochet Pattern Books

While there are a lot of crochet patterns on the Internet, free and paid, receiving a book full of crochet patterns is a delight. Crochet pattern books come in a wide variety of formats and can focus on various elements in crochet. Crocheters who want to make amigurumi will love to get a book full of cute stuffies to make.

Whimsical Stitches by Lauren Epsy [Amazon]
This amigurumi pattern book has been a best seller since 2021. Reviews are very positive on Amazon, with most people saying that the patterns are easy to follow and ideal for crochet beginners to intermediate crocheters. I love the crocheted plants in this book. I’d love to add this crochet pattern book to my library for Christmas.

3. Yarn, of course!

The reason yarn isn’t at the top of this list is simple. Unless you are shopping for a present for a brand new crocheter, they are almost guaranteed to have a ton of yarn already.

But, can you ever really have too much yarn? Nah, of course not. Here’s the thing, though. And this is important if you’re thinking about the idea of gifting yarn this holiday season.

I can’t tell you how many times I have gotten one solitary skein of a beautiful yarn that I can only do a limited number of projects with because I only have one skein.

Why is this important?

Dye lots can vary and it can be hard to find specialty yarns so if you want to give a good present, make sure to give an appropriate amount of yarn for the type of projects you see your crocheter doing. Amigurumi don’t need a ton of yarn, but if they are pumping out sweaters you need to gift more than one skein!

Yarn is an obvious gift idea for crocheters. Here are some options below.

4. Yarn Bowl

Next up in our gift ideas for crocheters run-down is a yarn bowl. An invaluable tool for a fiber crafter. Yarn bowls keep the yarn you're using stationary. Otherwise, it has a tendency to travel if you don't have a way to contain it while you're working. My dad used to make amazing yarn bowls but he hasn't lately. Yarn bowls can be wooden, plastic, ceramic, or even fabric.

I found several yarn bowls I think are noteworthy on Amazon and will link them below.

5. Storage Bags or Shelving

This is the most serious need a crafter who has been at it for any length of time is faced with: how to organize all the yarn, supplies, works in progress, and finished objects you have on hand.

I hope these gift ideas for crocheters have inspired you to give the crocheter in your life an inspired Christmas present this year! I post about crocheting techniques, my crochet patterns, and more on my journal. Read more in the Crochet and Knitting category.

The post Top 5 Gift Ideas for Crocheters appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

What was happening?

The herringbones in my Raised Herringbone crochet stitches kept ending up off-center. I thought I was following the pattern correctly. I finally found my error. Usually, when I encounter a difficulty like this I figure I cannot be the only one who has had this issue.

User Error

Sometimes, the creator writes patterns that are clear to them but they still give me trouble. It’s a user error, 100%. I have only been crocheting more complicated things for a few years. Sometimes, no, let’s be honest. A lot of times, I need crochet patterns to be written out extremely clearly.

YouTube Can Help…

YouTube can help, and there’s no lack of crochet tutorials on YouTube. But, I dislike that many crochet tutorials on YouTube lack written instructions. Sometimes I need to see both visual and written instructions. I benefit from seeing someone working the pattern visually. I also benefit from written instructions that confirm if everything is correct.

Raised Herringbone Crochet Video Tutorial

Raised Herringbone Crochet Stitch

Terminology

• ch: chain(s)
• sts: stitches
• yo: yarn over
• sc: single crochet
• hdc: half-double crochet
• fpdtr: front-post-double-treble-crochet. See how to make this stitch below.

Notes

• leave stitch(es) behind fpdtr(s) unworked.
  • This is what tripped me up. Sometimes this pattern calls for working TWO fpdtr in a row. When you do this, leave TWO stitches behind the fpdtrs unworked.  
• All front post double treble stitches are made 2 rows below the current row.
• To make the front-post-double-treble stitch:
  • Wrap yarn three times. Insert behind stitch 2 rows below so it is a front post. You should have 5 loops on your hook. Yo pull through 2, yo pull through 2, yo pull through 2, yo pull through last 2. This is a very tall stitch.

Method

Your starting chain should be a multiple of 6 plus 3 stitches.

Row 1: Hdc in 2nd ch from hook. Hdc across.

Row 2: hdc in same st as ch 1. Hdc across. Turn. 

Row 3: Ch 1, turn. Hdc in 1st st. Skip 3 hdc 2 rows below. *Fpdtr in the next st 2 rows below. Skip 1 st, hdc 4. Fpdtr 2 rows below around stitch directly to the left of the previous Fpdtr. Skip the next 4 sts that are 2 rows below after the Fpdtr just made.

Repeat from * across ending the last repeat after your final Fpdtr. Hdc in the final stitch. Ch1, Turn.

Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until your project is as big as you want. This pattern would look great as a blanket or as the motif on a warm winter sweater.

I post about my own crochet adventures on my blog, including tutorials for crochet techniques and crochet patterns I have written.

The post Raised Herringbone Crochet Stitch appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

Free Pattern!

The design I settled on is an extremely simple yet cute pattern that comes from Stitch11.com. A free crochet dog sweater pattern? Thank you, Stich11!

Two patterns are available in different sizes: the size XS dog sweater and a size S dog sweater. As written, the finished sweater measures about 12 inches from top to bottom. The neckline is about 9 inches in diameter so you can easily get it over your pup’s head. My dog is 6.5 lbs and I had to size down slightly to make the fit as snug as I wanted it. However, the designer indicates that the sweater is designed for dogs 5-10 lbs.

XS Dog Sweater

And the finished product? Et Voilà!

I sized down by casting on 32 and then increased to 36, then up to 38 for the main body once I joined the sides. The pattern is easy to customize. I needed to do that because Sunny has a tiny rump but a larger trunk. Most dog clothing fits her weirdly. So I was happy I could make her something myself instead of spending a ton on sweaters from the store that might not fit her well.

Amazon Came Through

Before I decided to crochet Sunny’s dog sweater, I bought this XS dog sweater from Amazon. (Full disclosure this is an affiliate link.) I love how it looks like a turtleneck and that it has a leash clip! It looks like it could be pulled out fairly easily so I will be careful using the leash clip.

However, even though I have a Prime subscription, the sweater won’t arrive until Thursday. With Georgia’s weather, we might be back in the 90s. So I pivoted and made the crochet dog sweater, which I like better, to be honest.

Crocheting is so wonderful, isn’t it? If I had cast on a dog sweater to knit I’d still have a mountain of stitches to go. Crochet comes together much more efficiently. I just love it! I crochet and post about it pretty often, and also post about my dog from time to time in other areas of my blog.

The post XS Dog Sweater for XS Sunny appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

So I hope this helps!

Leafhopper Stitch

The Leafhopper stitch is made over three stitches, with two clusters of front post double crochet worked into the row below split between the three stitches. It’s a cute stitch with a nice texture, which is why the Unraveled Mitten creator has included it in the CAL for this year, as the focus is on dramatic textures for each square.

Leafhopper Stitch Tutorial

Abbreviations

US Terminology
Ch: chain
St: stitches
Sc: single crochet
Dc: double crochet
Fpcl: front post cluster
LCL: leafhopper cluster (see instructions above)

Instructions

The Leafhopper stitch requires you to chain a multiple 4 +3 to start with. (So just for the example (4*5)+3= 23 st. or (4*6)+3=27

Row 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across. Turn.
Row 2: Ch 2, 2 dc. * LCL over next st, dc in next 3. Repeat from * across omitting 1 dc from the last repeat.
Row 3: Ch2 turn, dc across.
Row 4: Ch2 turn, 3 dc, *LCL over next stitch, dc in next 3 st. Repeat from * until 4 st remain. Dc in last 4 st. Row 5: Ch 2 turn, dc across.

LCL Leafhopper Cluster

This cluster stitch is a a split cluster that is worked over three stitches. To start, you’ll work around the post of the stitch directly under the stitch you just made in thee previous row. Then you skip 1 stitch. And lastly you’ll finish around the post of the next stitch in the previous row.

Step 1: yo, work a front post dc into the st directly below the dc you just worked, yo, and pull up the loop twice. Keep these loops loose and make sure to pull them up tall. There should be five total loops on your hook.

Step 2: Yo one more time and pull through 4 of your loops. That is the front post cluster stitch (fpcl). There will be two loops that remain on your hook.

Step 3: skip the dc next to the one you were just working in and work into the stitch next to the skipped stitch. Yo, work front post dc around the post of the next stitch from the previous row, yo, and pull up loop twice. Once again, it’s important to keep these loops that you pull up loose. There should be 6 total loops on your hook.

Step 4: yo, pull through 4 loops. There should be 3 stitches remaining

Step 5: yo and pull through the remaining stitches.

There’s a VERY IMPORTANT detail next. So pay attention.

To continue, work your next dc into the stitch BEHIND the last post of the leafhopper cluster. It’s easiest to look at your work from the top so that you can see the stitch you need to work into.

That’s what I kept doing wrong. I was not working into the correct stitches from the previous row and then I was not making the dc into the stitch behind the fpdc and it was driving me round the bend when I wasn’t ending up with the right amount of stitches.

Finally, one YouTube tutorial made it make sense to me. What I was doing wrong is something that I am almost certain other people will do wrong because of the way the pattern is written it doesn’t say anything about working into the stitch behind the last part of the Leafhopper cluster. But that’s what you have to do.

Leafhopper Cluster YouTube Tutorial

I post crochet patterns sometimes, as well as how-to posts for crochet techniques. I suppose this post falls somewhere in both of those categories.

The post Leafhopper Crochet Stitch appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

Old Shale is a classic knitting pattern and comes from the lace and eyelet family of knit stitches. Its origin can be traced to the Shetland Islands where the word “shell” is pronounced more like “shael”. Following along logically, ‘shell’ became ‘shale’, and that’s how Old Shale got its name.

Sometimes, the term Old Shale is used interchangeably with the Feather and Fan pattern, but once you look at them side by side, they are different.

Northern Lace has a fascinating side-by-side comparison of the two patterns and once you read over it, the differences between the two patterns cannot be denied. They are not interchangeable and produce vastly different fabrics.

Basic Old Shale Pattern

Let’s get down to it. The basic pattern is as follows:

The pattern is knit over a multiple of 18 stitches. A sample could be 18, 36, 54, 72, 90 stitches or more, depending on what you want to make. This long repeat is perfect for blankets or sweaters, which you often see the Old Shale motif used in garments and afghans.

Stitches Required:

knit
purl
k2tog – knit 2 stitches together
yo – yarn over, bringing the yarn to the front of the work

Basic Pattern:

Row 1: Knit

Row 2: Purl

Row 3: *K2tog 3 times, (yo knit 1) 6 times, k2tog 3 times, repeat from *

Row 4: Knit

These 4 rows are the complete pattern repeat.

Old Shale Variations

There are many Old Shale motif variations. Because it’s a really versatile pattern. A few years ago, a knitting group called the Greater Birmingham Fiber Guild completed a thorough examination of the Old Shale and its variations.

They collaborated on a project to knit over 40 variations of the Old Shale motif and document the different fabrics small changes to the pattern repeat produces. Resulting was an incredible array of Old Shale variations, really cool stuff. What’s more, it’s available as a free ebook download on Ravelry, something I highly recommend you download and enjoy. I think a sampler blanket of all the variations would be stunning.

Not surprisingly, the pattern I figured out after watching Taehyung is one such variation. To figure the pattern out I played around, modifying the number of rows of knit and purl in between the one row of eyelet stitches. But the general pattern is the same as the classic Old Shale knitting pattern.

It’s pretty cool how slight changes in a pattern can make such different fabrics. That’s why knitting and crochet can have almost endless possibilities! If you are looking for your next knitting adventure you could find one on Hobbii! See the Knitting Patterns on Hobbii.com

The post Old Shale Knitting Pattern appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

SCBLO, or Single crochet in back loop only, is a crochet technique that creates a stitch that creates a ribbing effect when done over multiple rows. To make this stitch, one works a single crochet but only into the back loop of the work.

What is SCBLO Used For?

SCBLO is used frequently in projects to form the brim of a hat or the wrist for a pair of fingerless gloves, for example. SCBLO can be used anywhere where a ribbed effect is needed.

How Will It Look In a Pattern?

When called for, the pattern will read (just an example): scblo 10, turn work. Continue until your work measures 22″.

Next, the pattern will tell you to turn the project so the rows you have worked on are on their side. And the pattern will continue (again, just an example): Pick up xx stitches along the edge of the worked rows.

Then you pick up stitches from the side of the worked fabric and continue working from there.

Ribbing Effect

SCBLO worked in this manner creates a ribbing effect that is otherwise hard to achieve in crochet with other single crochet or double crochet techniques.

The results look more complicated than it is! Which makes this a really nice technique to incorporate into your projects.

Stacked Ladder Fingerless Gloves

My pattern, the Stacked Ladder Fingerless Gloves uses the scblo stitch to form the cuff of the gloves, and then the pattern is worked from stitches picked up from the edge of the cuff, just like I outlined above. Check them out if you would like to practice the scblo stich for yourself.

More pictures are forthcoming, I don’t have a good way to take good pictures of my crochet yet.

The post How to do scblo in crochet appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

Because I both game and crochet (and knit, and cross-stitch), I am always happy when I find the intersection between geek fandoms and crafty creativity. And the Assassin’s Creed IP has tons of ways to smash the two facets of my interests together. Today, I’ve gathered patterns from various crafts themed for Assassin’s Creed in this post, just for you! OK, OK I know you’re impatient.

Assassin’s Creed Inspires Your Imagination

If you are a fan of the Assassin’s Creed games, like I am, then you’ve almost definitely imagined yourself scaling buildings wearing one of the game’s most recognizable features: The hooded cowls that the player characters wear that cover their head and come down into a point over the face, partially masking the Assassin wearing it.

When I first got into Assassin’s Creed, I imagined Altaïr or Ezio scaling every cool building I saw. Any cool building, I would say to myself, hey self, that building would be cool as hell to climb up, as if I personally have any ability to climb anything more than a ladder. And I get vertigo on ladders!

I’ve played Assassin’s Creed since the very first game, and at the time the mechanics in the game were so limitless. Climbing up buildings by clinging to their facades was just incredibly cool.

I mean, it still is. While game engines have expanded in capabilities so more and more games include climbing functions, the ability to climb almost everything is such a game changer for how one plays a game. Even with the glitches that came with Assassin’s Creed Unity, I had so much fun scaling up the sides of Paris’ limestone buildings.

Ok, ok I know you’re impatient. Here’s the Assassin’s Creed Crochet and Cross-stitch Content you’ve been waiting for!

Crafts Galore: Assassin’s Creed Crochet, Knit, Cross-Stitch and More!

Assassin’s Creed Crochet Patterns

Cowl

The ubiquitous Assassin’s Cowl is probably the most beginner-friendly and popular Assassin’s Creed crochet project. There are several patterns out there for free, along with some you have to pay for.

The Assassins Creed Inspired Scoodie is a free Ravelry download. The pattern designer, Kristen’s Kords mentions a few other patterns she was inspired by, one of which is a discontinued AC scarf with the hood. This crochet pattern is written for an adult sized head, while a few other ones I looked at might be more for a child’s head.

There is another pattern with the same name also available on Ravelry as a free download. I am not sure which would be better as they look similar, but both are free so I am linking them here.

You do need a Ravelry account to be able to download those patterns, but it’s free and if you are a fiber crafter you likely already have an account so no worries there.

If you venture onto Etsy you’ll find several patterns available for download. I don’t know what the deal is with Etsy these days though, is it still a place where people can actually get handmade things from? Etsy’s quality has dipped, and it seems like drop-shippers reign supreme. I am not sure if they are the online destination to shop for handcrafted goods anymore. It all comes down to whether they actively keep non-handcrafted goods off their site, and uphold their their policies fidelity.

Assassin’s Creed Amigurumi

If you’re more proficient in crochet you might want to make an Assassin’s Creed Amigurumi. Amigurumi are the little stuffies that people crochet, and the possibilities are really limitless

Ezio Sackboy

The Ezio Sackboy doll is so, so cute. Stuffies are amazing. Sadly, I am not great at making stuffies with crochet. One of my goals is to get better at this part of crochet. This doll is great. It’s a bit bigger than a lot of the tiny amigurumi that you see online. I have a hard time with the smaller-scale stuffie patterns, maybe I’m just not dextrous enough but I feel like I am fumbling whenever I try to make a tiny stuffie.

You can watch the YouTube tutorial here:

Assassin’s Creed Cross Stitch Pattern

Back in 2018, I went through a cross-stitch phase. Obsessed, I sought out tons of patterns on Etsy and bought lots of pdfs. I was going to become a factory of cross-stitch projects. That’s a bit of self-deprecation in my tone, yes. I quickly realized I have very, very little patience for counted cross-stitch. I love the finished look of a cross-stitch pattern. My mother used to cross-stitch incredibly intricate designs. And my auntie is an amazing cross-stitcher. However, I have ADHD and, well, when I don’t see results I lose interest. It’s a bit embarrassing how many abandoned cross-stitch projects I have nestled away in totes.

One of the cross-stitch patterns I purchased was an Assassin’s Creed cross-stitch pattern. I made it fairly far into the pattern before I got tired of it and left it to collect dust.

I looked on Etsy for this pattern and unfortunately, it is not available on Etsy anymore. However, worry not, there are more out there similar to it. Etsy’s search SUCKS though, I was having trouble making it display anything on topic so I suggest you search Google first.

Other Crochet and Knitting Patterns

There are a few crochet and knitting patterns here on my site, but none for Assassin’s Creed. That’s why I rounded these up just for you!

The post Assassin’s Creed Crochet Patterns appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

I am working on two major crochet projects at the moment:

Meringue Shawl

I am working on the Meringue Shawl and have been working on it for a while now. I bought the beautiful yarn from Hobbii and gosh it’s so gorgeous. I haven’t taken a proper picture of the project yet but I do have a picture of the yarn! Woah it’s going to be so pretty worked up into the pattern I can hardly wait to see it.

Square Blanket CAL

Square Blanket CAL: I am doing the Unraveled Mitten’s 2024 CAL for Terrific Textures! I have already fallen really behind though so I need to get off my butt and get crocheting!

The post Crocheting Update appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

So I am posting the link to the Bee Stitch Dishcloth here so it won’t be completely lost. I’ve always wanted to knit this cloth but didn’t get a chance to before it was discontinued. Now I might have a shot at it.

• Bee Stitch Cloth

The post Bee Stitch Dishcloth Pattern appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

Abbreviations:

• Blo = Back loop only
• Ch = Chain(s)
• Hdc = Half double crochet
• Rep = Repeat
• Rnd(s) = Round(s)
• RS = Right side
• Sc = Single crochet
• Sl st = Slip stitch
• Sk = Skip
• Yo = Yarn over
• Fltr – Front Loop Treble Crochet Below
  • (Yo) twice, insert hook into the front loop only of the next stitch 3 rows below, proceed with treble crochet: yo and draw through a loop (4 loops on the hook), (yo and draw through 2 loops on the hook) 3 times.
• Hdc 3rd loop = Hdc into 3rd loop
• 3rd Loop = the back stitch of a Hdc

This pattern can be worked in three sizes:

Written in pattern: Small (M) (L)

Wrist (worked flat):

ch 6
sc5, Ch1 turn

Start Ribbing Repeat:

Row 1: hdc 5, ch1 turn
Row 2: sc blo 5, ch1, turn

Continue for ~11 (12) (13) repeats (this can be increased to make the cuff bigger.)

Notes About Sizing

• In the original I did 13 repeats of the cuff pattern.
• Child’s size or very small tiny handed person: 11 repeats
• Small adult: 12 repeats
• Large size: 13 repeats

The fingerless gloves pattern can be adjusted in this manner to fit larger hands.

Fingerless Gloves Body:

Turn inside out and join by slip stitch into loops touching each other to create an invisible join.

Turn back around to pick up stitches.

Pick up 25 (30) (35) stitches sc (A multiple of 5 can be used to adjust size of mitt).

You’re working in continuous rounds so you should mark the beginning of your round with a marker if needed.

Round 1: scblo
Round 2: scblo
Round 3: *fltr, skip the stitch that you made the fltr over, sc4 blo* until last four scblo.
Last four stitches: scblo 3, skip 1 stitch, scblo into top of the previous row’s fltr.

Note: In order to get the ladders to stack correctly as they go up the pattern, the fourth scblo of your stitch repeat needs to land on top of the previous row’s fltr. This is why you skip one stitch in this first stitch repeat round to get the stitches to stack up correctly.

This is the only time you have to do this to get the pattern to line up correctly.

Round 4: *fltr, skip the stitch that you made the fltr over, sc4 blo

Repeat Round 4 for approximately 16 rounds. You can do more rounds to have a longer mitt, or as little as you want.

Thumb:

Thumb Round 1: sc1 into full stitch, ch5, sc into full stitch, sc3 blo, fltr, *sc4 blo, fltr until end of round.

Continue to top band.

Top Band:

Hdc around 1 round
Hdc into 3rd loop for two more rounds.
Sc into 3rd loop for last round

Finishing

Fasten off and weave in ends. Et Voila! Your fingerless gloves are complete. I think this pattern is fairly straightforward but let me know if you have issues with it by commenting on the pattern on Ravelry.

This pattern is free for your personal use.

I’d love to see examples of your own fingerless gloves that you’ve made, so find me on Ravelry! I have a few more crochet and knit patterns here on my site.

The post Fingerless Gloves Crochet Pattern – Stacked Ladder Fingerless Gloves appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

So, I am posting it here mostly for my personal use. I have noticed my blog gets a tiny amount of traffic related to knitting searches so maybe someone will see it but mostly it will be for myself.

Grandmother’s Favorite – The Original

Grandmother’s Favorite Dishcloth
Designer: Unknown
Rating: Easy
Materials: Any cotton yarn yarn; Size 6 or 7 needles (US)

Instructions:

Cast on 4 stitches

Row 1: Knit 4

INCREASE
Row 2: Knit 2, yarn over, knit across the row.

Repeat Row 2 until you have 44 stitches* on the needle.

*Note: You can increase until you have the number of stitches you want. I personally don’t like HUGE dishcloths so I usually start the decrease around 40 stitches but I’ve also made even smaller ones that start the decrease at like 36 stitches. It’s really up to you.
*Second note: The reason I don’t like huge dishcloths is because once they get wet they’re all floppy and I find it more efficient to not have to fold the dishcloth over itself. But it’s totally your prerogative.

DECREASE
Row 3: Knit 1, Knit 2 together, yarn over, knit 2 together, knit to the end of the row.

Repeat Row 3 until you have 4 stitches on the needle.

Once you have four stitches you can bind off or do a round of single crochet and make a little loop of chain stitches in one corner so you can hang the cloth to dry when you are finished using it.

Again, this pattern is not mine!

More knitting and crochet patterns can be found on my blog.

The post Grandmother’s Favorite Dishcloth appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

But I Want to Buy The Actual Sweater

The sweater is called the Leth Waffle Sweater and can be found at the Swedish clothing site Sefr. However, the sweater itself was sold out nearly the moment the Vlive ended, because anything the members of BTS touch ends up selling out. Remember when Taehyung wore the cute paint palette pin at the airport and ARMY (BTS Fandom name for the uninformed) spent the next three months selling out the seller’s Etsy shop? I sure do because I was one of the ARMY vying for the pin. And I finally got it!

That Pattern Though

But I had to figure out the pattern for myself and I could tell it was a modified Old Shale stitch, so I’ve spent the last few days figuring it out. Below is the pattern for a dishcloth.

Materials:

Dishcloth cotton, knitting needles (I used US7) Lighter colors show the pattern better, in my opinion.

Stitches:

K = Knit
P = Purl
K2Tog = Knit 2 stitches together (makes a right leaning decrease)
YO = Yarn Over
Garter Stitch – Knit every row

Pattern:

Cast on 42 (I suggest using long tail cast on) (stitch pattern is multiples of 18 plus 6 stitches for the border)
Knit two rows garter stitch
Set up row:
K3, *(K2Tog) x 3 times, (YO, K1) x 6 times, (K2Tog) x 3 times * repeat from * to * until last 3 sts, K3

Stockinette repeat:

K3, P to last 3, K3
Knit all stitches
K3, P to last 3, K3
Knit all stitches
K3, P to last 3, K3
K3, *(K2Tog) x 3 times, (YO, K1) x 6 times, (K2Tog) x 3 times * repeat from * to * until last 3 sts, K3

Garter repeat:

Knit all stitches
Knit all stitches
Knit all stitches
K3, *(K2Tog) x 3 times, (YO, K1) x 6 times, (K2Tog) x 3 times * repeat from * to * until last 3 sts, K3

Continue alternating stockinette / garter repeats x 6, 7 or 8 times depending on desired length

Knit 3 rows garter stitch
Cast off

The post Modified Old Shale Dishcloth appeared first on Fae’s Journal.

Long Term Blanket Project

I have rediscovered my love for fiber crafts. After years of hiatus I have been knitting voraciously the past few months. Last year I started on a huge blanket project using up all my scrap yarn, the Stora Filten.

My goal is to make a bedspread that’s large enough for my king size bed. I started it with the full intention of it being my extremely long-term project. In the year since I’ve been working on it, I’ve completed 16 squares so far.

I calculate that I’ll need anywhere from 48 to 60 small squares for the blanket to be the size that I think it will need to be.

So I am from 33 – 26 % finished, depending on when my motivation peters out and I call it finished. That percentage doesn’t include the time it will take to mattress stitch the whole mess together. I’m not looking forward to that part of the project at all.

 Brandywine Shawl

That blanket was all I knit on for a long time but more recently at the beginning of April I really started getting the urge to knit on something more challenging so I returned to my long since slumbering Brandywine shawl. I am on repeat 11 of the 15 repeats of section B so I am nearly finished. While it is not an unusually difficult pattern, it’s a project that takes a high level of concentration for me to work on. I have to mark out progress within rows in order to keep focused on where I am in the row. I find that I cannot knit on this project when I get home from work because I’ll make mistakes too easily. Mentally I am fatigued after a day teaching.

Fingerless Mitts Knitting Project

After many evenings working on my blanket exclusively I started to want to find a middle of the road knitting project that required a bit more brain power than the blanket, but not the intense concentration of the Brandywine shawl. I’ve found that project in my Blades of Grass mitts.

I love the pattern and equally love that the four stitch pattern is easy to memorize. I want to finish these mitts and maybe start on some socks or something else in the medium range of difficulty.

So with all these knitting projects going, I can safely say that my knitting mojo is back!

Click the link to view my other knitting and crochet content!

The post Back to Knitting appeared first on Fae’s Journal.