Make it !!! Halloween star with granny diamonds !

….. I miss my crochet books a lot (especially the Japanese ones !), but I have to be patient and wait for our container from Indonesia, which is supposed to arrive on the 9th of October….
I was thinking about granny diamonds ( the same I used for these projects ) and their pattern was found on one of my crochet motifs' book…. Not having this book at the moment, I decided to have a look on Pinterest, where I found this pattern (written in Dutch) : here by Catherine.

My starting idea was to translate this pattern in English for you, so I left a couple of comments in the comment box for Catherine, but she didn't reply to me. If you have any struggle with Dutch crochet terms, I suggest you to have a look at this translation from US crochet stitches ( what I usually follow) into Dutch terms and abbreviations !!! If you scroll down that page, you can even find the correspondent  English crochet terminology !!!

Following the pattern, I crocheted my first granny diamond with a 4mm hook and using 2 strands (orange and dark grey) of 4 ply acrylics ….

As I don't change the yarn colour at the end of each round, "my pattern" is slightly different from the original one…. In fact, when I finish a round (completed after a slip stitch), I crochet 2 more slip stitches in the top of the second and third stitch of the shell, so that I reach the chain-1 space, where I crochet one more slip stitch and where I chain 2 or 3 as requested by the pattern!

Once finished the first diamond, I started a second one ….

…. and while crocheting the 4th round of this second diamond, I joined it with the first one using the join as you go method…

Then, I had 3 diamonds ….

…. and last night I did my first Halloween Star (!!!!), named in this way because of the chosen colours …

Before going to bed, I pinned my star ( 24 cm wide ) on a mattress and blocked it with the help of some iron steam !
This morning I added a decorative border, made of picots and single crochets ….

The picots at the top of the star points and in the joining points of 2 diamonds are made of 5 chains, while the picots in the chain-1 spaces are made of 3 chains !

Another use for the granny diamonds ( just 3 this time ) :

I joined the 3 pieces together with some single crochets, then I added a tassel (here, but not chunky!) and a chain in contrasting colour, helpful to hang your decoration anywhere!!!

Happy weekend, xxxx Alessandra

Today links : Link your Stuff ! , Busy Fingers showing off #59 and Craft Schooling Sunday !!!

Make it ! Christmas tree decorations !!!

…. Christmas is approaching so quickly and my hands are so itchy to craft something for that time of the year !!!! Honestly, I have started a while ago (here, here, here, here !!!!), but today I can show you a new tutorial, that have to be kept secret until today…because….. today  I'm joining THE VERY CRAFTY CHRISTMAS TUTORIAL LINK-UP promoted by Laura from Bugs and Fishes !!!!
Look HERE for all the AMAZING TUTORIALS !!!!! Enjoy them !!!!!! ;oD

…. colourful Christmas tree decorations!!!!! Do you need them , too, to brighten your home for Christmas ??? I'm sure that "YES!" will be the answer, so don't hesitate and collect all you need to start this craft !!!

• one hook (I've used a 3,5mm one)
• colourful yarns (I worked with 2 strands each time)
• a pair of scissors
• a tapestry/yarn needle
• some stitch markers or safety pins 
• clear nail polish
• starch (optional) to use if your tree is too floppy !!!

This is a crochet project : please, note that I'm using US crochet terms. Thank you !

We'll start crocheting the circles that form the tree.

CIRCLE(S) PATTERN (you'll need 6 of them!)

Choose the colour you would like to form the centre of your circle and the right hook for your chosen yarn.

Make a slip knot on the hook

chain 4 

and make a slip stitch in the 4th chain from the hook to form a ring

chain 3 

crochet 11 DCs (= double crochets) into the ring

close this first round with a slip stitch in the top of the first stitch (the chain made with 3 chains)

you'll have 12 stitches in total

cut the yarn and fasten off

you need to crochet five more circles

For the second round of your work, you have to choose a new colour

join the new yarn at the top of any stitch

and work 2 DCS in each stitch (you'll have a total of 24 stitches at the end of the round)

My first shell (look the pic above) is worked like : join, chain 1, 2 DCs

The following shells have 2 DCs in each stitch top

When completed the 12th shell

you can close the round with a slip stitch in the first stitch

Fasten off and trim the excess of yarn.

If you decide, instead, to keep these mini circles as baubles, leave a tail of 10/12 cm to knot a loop, useful to hang them anywhere !!!! ;oD

Other pattern option : if you love to have a centre of your circle more star like, you can decide to crochet the second round making 2 DCs in each space between 2 posts and not in the top of them!!

You'll have something like the followings

Anyway, if the tree is still your target, remember to complete five more circles

ASSEMBLING THE 6 CIRCLES TOGETHER

After trimming in and cutting the yarn tails,  I suggest you to put one stitch marker/safety pin at the top of each circle, just between two adjacent shells

Then, cut 9 threads (15 cm each) from a contrasting yarn : these will help us to knot (no sewing involved!) the pieces together, with the aid from the tapestry/yarn needle.

Note that the assembling work will start from the base of our tree to reach the top of it at the end.

base row: collect 3 circles and 2 threads

We have to knot together these 3 pieces.

Consider the first circle on the left : pass the first thread in the space between the 3rd and the 4th shells, counting clockwise from the stitch marker. You consider the same shells in the circle in the middle, but counting anti-clockwise this time

Do the same between the middle circle and the last one on the right

I recommend you to pass each thread at least twice and knot them in the back of your work. Cut the excess of yarn and put some clear nail polish on each knot, to make them more durable in time.

Remember to knot tight, but try to avoid the overlapping of the circles!!!!

middle row : collect 2 circles and 1 thread

follow the same procedure explained for the base row!

joining base row and middle row together : 

Collect 4 threads

Consider the first circle of the base at the left : clockwise from the stitch marker, count one shell and insert your first thread between this shell and the second one

This same thread has to go up to the above circle (the first on the left of the middle row) and make it pass between the 5th and the 6th shell (anti-clockwise counting from the stitch marker)

Even now, remember to pass the thread twice and knot it in the back. Cut the excess of yarn and fix the knot with some clear nail polish!!! Do the same for the following knots, all of them!!!!

2nd thread : still in the same circle of the middle row, count 2 shells (numbers are in black in the picture) from left to right and insert the new thread

This thread need to go down, into the circle in the middle of the base row, passing in the space between the first shell and the second one (counting anti-clockwise from the stitch marker)

Knot the thread in the back, as usual.

3rd thread : same circle of the base row, pass the yarn in the space between the first and the 2nd shells, counting clockwise from the stitch marker

Then, this same thread has to go up in the circle on the right of the middle row. Make it pass in the space between 2 and 3, as shown in the below picture

Knot the thread in the back , as usual.

4th thread : insert this thread, counting anti-clockwise (from the last thread passed) 2 spaces, in the space just adjacent the second number 2 (see under)

Pass the thread in the right disc of the base row, in the space between the first and the second shells (counting anti-clockwise from the stitch marker)

knot the thread in the back, as usual.

This part of the tree is completed

joining the top of the tree to the rest :

Collect the last circle left and 2 threads

1st thread : starting from the circle on the left (middle row), insert the thread in the space after the first shell (counting clockwise from the stitch marker)

Then, pass this thread in the top circle, in the space between the 5th and the 6th shells (counting anti-clockwise)

knot the thread in the back, as usual.

2nd thread : counting two shells anti-clockwise (check with the black numbers below), insert the thread between shells 2 and 3

Now, pass the thread in the circle below, in the space between the fist shell and the second one (counting anti-clockwise)

knot the thread in the back as usual.

The main body of the tree is done

This is the back, with all the knots and the nail polish on them (remember to let them dry well!!!)

THE TRUNK

You have to turn your tree upside down and choose a new colour. You will start your crochet in the front of your work, in the 4 stitches that result to be in the 3rd and the fourth shells (counting clockwise from thread to thread)

join the new colour in the first stitch of the fourth shell and crochet 1 DC,  2 hDC (= half double crochet),  1 DC for the first row

chain 3

and turn your work, so you can crochet (2nd row) : 3 DCs and fasten off

From the front, your tree looks like this one

THE LOOP (to hang your tree)

I've used the same colour as for the trunk.

In the top circle of the tree (where before was the stitch marker), between 2 shells, join the yarn

and chain 40 stitches

To close this chain into a loop,  make a slip stitch in the back of the tree

Then fasten off.

Cut the excess of yarn and add some clear nail polish to the base of the loop

DECORATIVE  STAR

I've followed this chart for my little star. Quick and easy I say !

The only difference with the original pattern, is my starting chain, made of 6 stitches instead of 5 !

When the star is crocheted,  I use a tapestry needle to push the threads (in the same space of the loop) from the front to the back of the tree.

Knot these threads twice, cut the excess and add some clear nail polish on the knot!

and now the expected TA-DAH !!!!!!

These trees are so eye-catching all together…..

…..so crochet a lot of them !!!!!!

Have fun!!!!

My Ravelry notes are HERE !!!!

xxxx Alessandra