Adapted by using the Moonlight Mist – Drops Design free crochet pattern. The main differences that I have made, is by choosing to make it half-sleeved, and by slightly changing the finishing around the edges.. I had limited yarn, and wanted to make a complete item without having to change colours or buy yet more yarn!
I made this cardigan from the Rowan Lima Alpaca yarn, rather than the Drops yarn as specified, simply because it was what I already had. At one point, I had to undo and redo a large proportion of the cardigan, as I made it too big. That’s one of the pitfalls you can stumble upon when you don’t use the yarn defined within the pattern! Despite the open weave, it’s quite a warm item, and comfy too.
I had to make a couple of adjustments to the pattern, firstly due to rapidly running out of yarn (I was weighing the remaining ball of wool after every row to ensure I had enough for even-length arms!), and for the final edging row (where I missed out the penultimate row). One thing to note regarding this pattern, is that the increase at each round of the main body is a multiple of 3 stitches, but the shell pattern is alternating; i.e. a multiple of 2. So unless you happen to have a number of stitches after each increase that happens to both be a multiple of 2 AND 3, then you’re always going to end each row with two of the same clusters next to each other… if that makes sense!
I’ve yet to add one or two buttons to the finished cardigan. I’m still deciding on their placement! Excuse the slightly blurry pictures.. my hand started shaking!
This scarf is such a pretty (deceptive) design. Looks just like a typical lace pattern, until you look closely and notice the skulls!
The pattern was one that I purchased from Ravelry by Molli Woodtagger (Kopf-tuch) and I believe there are both English and German translations of the pattern.
The yarn that I used was some that I have had sitting around for years, but had yet to find the right pattern to make it look good! I finally found it. I should have probably used a bigger crochet hook (I used 3.5mm) but the yarn was very fine, although strong, and I liked the pattern as it developed by using a tighter stitch because you could see the defined skulls more clearly. Therefore what should probably be the size of a large-ish shawl has ended up being a triangular scarf as it’s probably about a third of the size that it should be! But I like it as a scarf, I can probably wear it with more things, as it’s a smaller item.
Overall, it’s a pretty piece, and my version is quite shiny thanks to the metallic threads.
Tunisian crochet is slightly different, in that instead of working one stitch at a time, you work a whole row of stitches, similar to knitting. You pull up all the loops for one row, keeping them on the hook, and then at the end of the row you work backwards, working the loops off the hook until you’re left with one starting loop for the next row. The end result looks a little similar to a knitted fabric, but like crochet it’s FASTER to work up! Which is something I just love about crochet. If you’re working a larger piece, there is a specialist crochet hook designed for Tunisian stitches; it’s much longer, and hooked at both ends – allowing you to put more stitches on the hook without them falling off the other end!
For smaller motifs, you can use a regular crochet hook – I put an elastic band on the end, to act as a stopper.
What do you think of my 2 variants, compared to the original C2C (blue)?
The larger Tunisian Pixel squares (4 x 2).
All three sizes compared.
In the foreground, the smaller (2 x 1) Tunisian Pixel variant.
The Tunisian crochet stitch is taller than it is wide, therefore in order to get a square “pixel” shape you either need to do 4 stitches wide by 2 stitches tall to make a larger square, or 2 by 1 for the smaller variant. As you can see from the pictures, the larger option gives you a square which is a bit bigger than the C2C test that I had originally done, and the smaller version is really small! But quite cute! In my opinion, the Tunisian stitch looks quite neat in terms of the colour changes. It is however not really reversible, unlike the C2C technique, as the fabric has a definite “right” and “wrong” side.
I’ve made a couple of these scarves before for either myself, or presents. The pattern came from a YouTube tutorial by Meladora’s Creations for Crochet if you want to try it out for yourself.
The original pattern was designed for a scarf with the width of three flowers, which I have made before, and I still use all the time in cold weather, as it’s comfy and warm. However, just for some decoration, I thought that just having a single string of flowers that I can wrap around multiple times, will make a nice daytime/office alternative scarf. In the end, I decided on a length of 40 flowers, making it pretty long! So that I can either have it wrapped around once, with a long trail, or several times for warmth. I started only by aiming for 30 flowers, but once I’d completed that, I felt like it needed just a little more length!
I wanted this one to be quite long, and dramatic. The longer the scarf the more options, and ways to wear.
Look at the pretty flowers!
Just after a couple of hours work, the pattern builds up quickly.
Here I used a variety of double-knitting weight yarn, mostly budget varieties from Hobbycraft! And I used a 4.75 mm crochet hook. There’s no strict rules in this pattern as to the best yarn weight and hook. I just played about until I found the right combination to make the size that I liked best.
I always like to choose at least 5 colours, with slight variants of shades. For the larger scarf with 3 rows of flowers I had 7 colours. An odd number of shades gives a less-obvious repeating pattern in my opinion. Sometimes I like to mix it up with some odd clashes, just to keep it interesting! In this case, I went for shades of blue and purple, broken up with some grey. I think the end result is quite effective.
My previous wider crochet scarf, compared with the new skinny scarf.
This pattern results in a very thick chunky phone case. Compare the phone size and final cozy size as described below. The chunk could be suitable for absorbing impacts, like dropping your phone! But don’t test that out on purpose, just in case!
The pattern is in UK crochet terminology. Worked as one piece, in the round. For US readers, the stitches conversion is included in the “Terminology used” section, below, in brackets (or parentheses…!)
The scales are worked up using a repeat of 2 rows, first setting up the Vs which form the frame of the scales, and then using these same Vs (alternately) onto which the scale is built. This is usually termed “Crocodile stitch”, here I’m taking a leap into fantasy land and calling it “Dragon scales”!
The repeat is offset by 1 V each time, to give the overlapping scales pattern.
10 Vs = 5 scales
Final dimensions:
Using double-knit wool with 3.5mm crochet hook.
Width 3 3/8 inch, 8.5 cm
Height 5 1/4 inch, 13.5 cm
To fit phone up to:
Width 2.5 inch, 6.25 cm
Height 4 7/8 inch, 12.5 cm
Terminology used:
st = stitch
sl st = slip stitch
ch = chain stitch
dc = double crochet (sc = single crochet)
tr = treble crochet (dc = double crochet)
ch1 sp = chain 1 space
Round 1 – initial row of Vs.
Ch 14.
Tr in 5th chain from hook (4 ch & tr counts as 1st V)
(Tr, ch 1, tr) in same st. Sk 2 st, (tr, ch 1, tr) in 3rd st. Sk 2 st, (tr, ch 1, tr) in 3rd st. Sk 2 st, (tr, ch 1, tr) 3 times in the last chain.
Turn work around, to work the next stitches in the other side of starting chain.
Sk 2 st, (tr, ch 1, tr) in 3rd st (the same stitch as the V on the other side). Sk 2 st, (tr, ch 1, tr) in 3rd st (the same stitch as the V on the other side). Sk 2 st, (tr, ch 1, tr) in 3rd st. Sl st to 3rd st of starting ch 4.
(10 Vs)
Round 1 completed. Sorry it’s blurry… I didn’t double-check for shaky hand!
Round 2 – first row of scales.
For this first row of scales, it can be difficult to see exactly what you’re doing, check you are placing the trebles around the correct V.
Using ALTERNATE Vs as the base for the following stitches, first going down one side, then up the other, creates the scales pattern.
Sl st into ch1 sp of 1st V (corner)
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 2nd V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 2nd V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 4th V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 4th V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 6th V (around the corner), ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 6th V. Now working on the other side of the piece.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 8th V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 8th V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 10th V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 10th V. Sl st into the ch1 sp of 1st V.
(5 scales)
Round 3 – second row of Vs.
Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr and 1 ch), tr in same space.
*(tr, ch 1, tr) at the top of the scale. (tr, ch 1, tr) joining the edges of the 2 scales to the V behind.*
Repeat from * to * around. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch of starting ch 4.
(10 Vs)
Rounds 2 & 3 completed. Note that the Vs are located between and in the middle of each scale. Where they are between the scales, the Vs connect the edges of the scales to the V behind.
Round 4 – second row of scales.
Sl st into ch1 sp of 1st V, sl st over the next 2 tr, sl st into ch1 sp of 2nd V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 3rd V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 3rd V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 5th V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 5th V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 7th V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 7th V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 9th V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 9th V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 1st V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 1st V. Sl st into the ch1 sp of 2nd V.
Round 5 – Vs round.
Ch 4 (counts as 1 tr and 1 ch), tr in same space.
*(tr, ch 1, tr) at the top of the scale. (tr, ch 1, tr) joining the edges of the 2 scales to the V behind.*
Repeat from * to * around. Join with a sl st to 3rd ch of starting ch 4.
(10 Vs)
Round 6 – scales round.
Always assume the “1st V” is the next stitch after where you finished the last round.
Sl st into ch1 sp of 1st V, sl st over the next 2 tr, sl st into ch1 sp of 2nd V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 3rd V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 3rd V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 5th V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 5th V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 7th V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 7th V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 9th V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 9th V.
4 tr from top to bottom around the RH-side of the 1st V, ch 1, 4 tr from bottom to top around the LH-side of the 1st V. Sl st into the ch1 sp of 2nd V.
Round 6 completed. Note the alternate, overlapping placement of the scales.
Repeat rounds 5 and 6 until you have reached the height of your phone. Ending on a scales round (R6).
11 rows of scales gives the dimensions as described above.
Finishing:
Dc evenly around the top, joining the scales to the Vs behind as required. Place 2 dcs along the sides of each scale and 1 dc at the ends and middle of each scale (joining to the Vs behind). Join with a sl st. Fasten off.
31 dc, total.
Finished Dragon Scale Phone Cozy! iPhone 5 used to compare size.
