Mine Craft Creeper Blanket Progress

 The journey on this blanket started almost a year ago. We were "up home" visiting family for Christmas and my Sister-In-Law and her family were staying with us. I offered to make her 3 boys something crochet. They were 12, 10 and 7. I was met with faint looks of worried horror, and a "No thanks, Auntie Angie". I persisted, however, and managed to drag them through to my Mother-In-Law's office where I gained permission to jump onto her computer and browse on Ravelry.

Now, Nephew 1 is the eldest. He was casting furtive panicked looks around the room, trying to think of an out without upsetting me (they are REALLY sweet boys). I asked him what was his favourite thing. "Minecraft" he said. So I put it into the Ravelry search engine, and was promptly rewarded with gasps as the boys clustered around me. "Wow, a diamond sword!" "Oh, look at that hat!" Suddenly, crochet was cool with these boys. Giggle.

Then I scrolled down further, and Nephew 1 got a bit more excited. "What is that???" He pointed at the screen. I opened the pattern page, and we had a good gawp at this:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/minecraft-creeper-blanket

He could hardly contain himself. "Please Auntie Angie, could you make me that?" Well, yes, I can. ;)

And so began my effort. Now, this is a knitted blanket, but I wanted to do a crochet one. The one thing that I really liked about this was the solidness of the squares. In may crochet squares, the corners have chains and it creates a slight gap. As the blanket comes together, these gaps form diagonal lines. Now, given that this is a dot-matrix style picture to start with, the formation of these lines was going to cause me some considerable problems. So, I began a pattern hunt for a solid granny square. Now, I'm not saying that there aren't any out there, but I didn't start finding any until well after I had given up and designed my own. 

The next, and of course, the most vital step - yarn! I went to my local Spotlight and browsed the shelves, and then there they were! 100% pure wool in all the shades that I wanted. I was a bit unsure about the scratchy effect of the yarn, but I hope to try some softening techniques on the finished blanket before I hand it over. They weren't on sale, and by my calculations, I was going to need a LOT. Let's just say this, even given the size of the blanket, I know I couldn't sell it for the price of the yarn. People just won't pay that much. Never mind the construction time. ;) I love my nephews, this is a work of love.

I was now armed with yarn, and I had perfected my pattern, and the mad hooking began.
You can find my pattern here on the blog, but the Ravelry link (because I'd love to see what you make with it) is here: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/rock-solid-granny-square

I watched some tutorials by various people on JAYG (join as you go) methods, and I was off and running. The squares, once I got the pattern memorised, didn't take much attention at all, and I found I could make them while watching tv, cooking dinner, waiting at the doctors' surgery and waiting at the school pick-up for the bell to ring. The balls were 50grams each, and so small enough to tuck into a zip lock sandwich bag along with the hook and a small pair of scissors, so it was very portable indeed. 

I quickly realised that I had to come up with some sort of pattern idea for the colours, because my colours were similar but not the same as the original knit blanket, and I'd been able to get my hands on loads of the lime, cream and olive colours, but the bottle green, grey and mustard were much fewer in number. I would have to work out how to stretch my yarn to the utmost to get the variety I wanted. So, given that with the black yarn (at least I knew how many squares for that), I could make 2 squares per ball using the JAYG method and just shy of a third, I started planning out where everything went.

I drew up a simple chart in paint, using a close approximation of the colours, and started joining like mad. It really was great encouragement to see it coming together as a shape so quickly. I hooked away at every chance I got, which was not as often as you might think.

You need to keep in mind that I'm a mother of two young boys, a clergy wife and I run a group on Facebook which currently has over 35 thousand members. I have a team of admins, but it is still a lot of work. I also have makes for family and friends, the odd order, and I've run several CAL's this year.

It was at this point, however, that the wheels really fell off. The JAYG method I was using left a ridge on the front side, and I just didn't like how it was working up, so it was time to frog the outer round of almost every square, and finish them off as separate squares. It was VERY disheartening, but I'm so glad I did it.

So, now I was using little golden safety pins to hold the squares together at the corners. I couldn't work out how many squares to make, until I had seen the blanket as a whole, and sometimes things that looked fine on the graph I made, did not look so fine when put together in the blanket. Take the picture below, to the left of the nose is an olive square, and diagonal up from that another. Wherever possible, I wanted to avoid having the same colour immediately adjacent.

Avoiding having colours too closely together wasn't my only bugbear. On my chart, the colours were similar, but not true, so the olive was a light colour - I tried to avoid having three light colours in a row like the three in the bottom left. Now, you will see that my face is different to the knit one. That's because I really looked at the original game screen shot and noted that it was dark colours that were under the square at either end of the mouth, not black, and the same for the eyes. They weren't four pixels of black, but one of black and three around it that were darker colours. I think it makes mine look a little less menacing - remember, this is going to be a bedspread, even if he isn't a little one. :P

Anyway, I finally got the basic face sorted. This is what it looked like before I started playing with colours, lol. 

To help keep up motivation, I started making random colours, and then finding where it would fit on the next part and pinning it on. It meant the blanket took on a bit of a wobbly look, but it made it fun and interesting for me. 

This was a very exciting moment for me. After laying the blanket across my son's bed (which is the same size as Nephew 1's) I discovered that the width had to be ten squares to provide a little drape over the size (which will be added to with a border). Otherwise, when Nephew 1 hops into bed, the blanket will no longer reach the edges. ;)
So, here I am, having completed the first two rows across that is the full width. Woohoo! Now THAT was a great motivation point. :D

I'm still doing that now. I've got 25 squares to go, which equates to two whole rows and a square here and there in the top and bottom two rows. 

It's funny too, how it would look ok on the floor, but when I looked at the photo, I could see bits that annoyed me, so it was time fora  massive colour play. I unpinned every single square, sat with them all in piles beside me, and started building again. This is now my new colour chart lol. I've taken a note of how many squares I need to fulfill this arrangement, and I'm working through them colour by colour. I think I might have played with those colours either side of the mouth just one more time :P

So, here we are at the final progress shot, well, the most up to date one. I have started to join it together, just the mouth and a couple of squares around it (of course I would start in the middle, the more stupidly complex, the better, right? :P ). I'm gradually migrating to the edge, and then I will work across the rows below. 

Some of the gaps here have now been filled, and those squares lying across the mouth have been pinned into their proper places. I just can't wait to get it done, and I have until the 29th.

Now, I hear you ask, what did the other two brothers ask for? Well, I didn't get them done for Christmas, so they will get alternative presents and get theirs for their birthdays in the middle of next year. Although I've bought most of the yarn for them now, and I've started planning and researching one (the other is a straightforward pattern). But, they are for another post. <3

Finally Finished

I've been working on lots of bits and pieces throughout the year, and I'm madly working on finishing up the final lots. How many of you are up to "stupid-o-clock-in-the-morning" finishing stuff too? :P

I've still got quite a bit to do, but I've just cleared off one item in the wee hours of this morning, and I should clear off a second item later today. Coincidentally, both are in triplicate.

The first is a set of three "Hungry Caterpillar" cocoon and hat sets from the paid pattern by Elizabeth Peck found here: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Crochet Pattern
I'm quite pleased with how they came up. They are for a friend of a friend who has three pregnant friends. It is a very straightforward pattern, although I did have trouble working out how to attach the antennae, I think they came out nice. I'll put some notes in my Ravelry project page which you can find here: Rhaysha's Hungry Caterpillars x 3

So, what do you think? I hope I get to see some pictures of some little cuties in these. ;) If not these, well, I'm making a fourth as a gift for a friend who does baby photography, so here's hoping, right?

The other item is gifts for my elder son's Kindergarten teachers. He started school this year, and during the year he changed classes. The first class had one teacher, but the second class was a large class and had two teachers - so, three teacher gifts it is. ;)

This pattern is by Moogly, and I think it's a fantastic idea! Happy Handle Coffee Cozy is the pattern I used, and I just tried it on my hand with the mugs I bought for the teachers as well - it feels fantastic and warm, and that's with the mugs empty! I sat and watched a movie with the family while I made it, and the first one was well and truly done by the time the movie had finished. Fast, easy, and a great gift for teachers. ;)

You can follow my progress for the three of them here: Rhaysha's Kindy Teacher Christmas Gift x 3


Don't forget to come and check out our Facebook Page

Soft As A Hug Mohair Baby Wrap

I have a friend who, along with her husband, is a photographer. They mostly do weddings, but they also do maternity and baby shots too. I've made a few things for her over time as photo props, and occasionally we'll go yarn shopping together and she will show me what she wants to use in her photos and then we'll come home and try and find an appropriate pattern together. It's a great girly bonding day. ;)

However, sometimes when we get home, we just can't find what we want, so I make something up. In this case, another friend saw it and wanted the pattern too, so here we are with a nice little patter that's really going to be one of the simplest you have ever attempted.

I've given a gauge for this, but it really isn't important. You can use whatever yarn and hook you like, and the finished size is up to you too. Please note, I do recommend going back to row one and inserting a row of SC every six rows. It helps to keep structure in the fabric and keeps a bit of a rein on your tension. You are of course free to skip it and repeat row 2 until you are done. ;)

I made this is a thin stole like garment, that could be wrapped around a snuggled baby a bit like you would see seaweed wrapped around sushi lol. (Well, they are cute enough to gobble up right? :P ) A full blanket to would require the baby to be moved to swaddle in, and the point of it done the way it was, was that the baby could be left still and asleep and a nice effect still achieved. I hope you like it as much as my friend likes hers. <3

Don't forget to set up a Ravelry project page here

Yarn: Lace weight mohair (2ply)

Hook: 12mm


Gauge: 6 stitches and 8 rows = 4 inches in Gauge is not important for this pattern

Pattern:

Chain 81
Row 1: Single Crochet into second chain from hook and every following stitch to end (80 stitches)

Row 2: Chain 2. Half Double Crochet into first single crochet stitch and every following stitch

Rows 3-6: Repeat row 2

Repeat rows 1-6 until blanket is desired length

Final row: slip stitch into first and every following half double crochet stitch.

Finish off and cut yarn, Weave ends in.

Liebster Award!

The Liebster Blog Award has been around the blog world for some time and it works like a kind of chain mail. The Award is awarded from one blog owner to up to 11 of his/her favorite blogs (hence the Liebster which means favorite in Germany). He/she asks the awarded blog owner 11 questions which have to be answered.

I have been nominated by Michelle and Anne of Crochet Between Two Worlds. Thrilled that I've been nominated as somebody's favourite blog - woohoo! (Well, you know, one of, lol).

So, now I am to answer 11 questions, and I'm sure you are all sitting on the edge of your seats. :P

Here we go:

1. What is the name of your blog? And what does the name mean?

Ha ha. You're probably going to be sorry you asked this. My blog is called "Get Knotted Yarn Craft" and the name was suggested by my husband. I'm originally from Scotland. Over there, "Get knotted!!!" Means - get lost, or go away. LOL. I run a large facebook group and I was venting about an uproar on the group wall. My husband looked at me and said "It's crochet, what is there to be cranky about? You should start a page and call it "Get Knotted" and thus #GK was born. ;)

2. How many blogs do you follow?

A handful, and sporadically at that. At the moment I just don't have enough time. I'm too busy researching lovely stuff to share with everyone, or trying to design my own, or fulfilling requests, or a million other things. ;)

3. Do you have a creative soul? 

Yes. I always have and always will. Creating and teaching and sharing - it's at the very core of my being. Take that away from me and I am a husk. Everything I look at has the potential to be worked into a design for something else. I look at the world through the lenses of inspiration sources. Everything is a source. I have more interests and hobbies than you can poke a stick at - it's how I relate to the world.

4. At what age did you learn to crochet or knit?

I was 4 when I learned to knit. My Mum used to knit a lot. I remember her making school jumpers for our friends' sons. I don't know whether it was a birthday or Christmas, but I remember asking and asking to learn, and one day I had a set of tiny yellow needles and some tiny balls of coloured yarn. I made the longest ugliest scarf you have ever seen. It expanded and contracted irrationally and it had holes as well. But I was knitting just like Mummy and I was thrilled to bits.

I learned to crochet when I was 12. My Mum's best friend was teaching her, and I asked to be included. I made a square of trebles, then I did a row of granny's in every stitch on the final row. It of course buckled wildly. I played with it a bit, then I sewed up one side and turned it into a tube dress for my barbie. She could wear it either way, ruffles at the bottom for a Spanish feel, or ruffles at the top for a prom queen look. LOL.
I didn't get back into it until I was in my early twenties. Even then, it was a shawl and a layette set for my nephew - that I finished when he was 13 LOL. It's only in the last two years that my yarn art has taken off.
Well, there you go. Now you know me a bit better. ;) As for my nominations, I'll have to think about that for a bit. It can't be just ANY blog - it has to be my favourite. WATCH THIS SPACE.
<3

5. What are your future projects?

Well, we're doing the flower cushion by Attic 24 and the groovyghan by Tracy St John as CAL's next year, so yes, they will be there. Other than that, I'm trying to hold off on committing to stuff as I want to focus more on designing. 

6. Why do you blog?

To reach a different kind of audience. In Facebook it is much more intense and instant and the page moves on and stuff happens go go go. In a blog - it's there forever. People can find what you have shared years down the track - years after you are gone maybe? Here I can store my free patterns, and share my thoughts and joys with you all, and hopefully, together we can create something beautiful. <3

7. What will your Christmas look like this year?

Hot probably drought-like and very very busy. My parents are talking about coming down to stay for Christmas which would be awesome. We're a clergy family, so Christmas is always a little insane here. ;)

8. What are your plans for 2015?

No set plans as such. Lose weight always appears in the New Year's list lol. I'd like to focus more on designing and building my blog and Facebook pages up. 

9. If you could travel anywhere, which 3 places would you visit and why? 

1. Neuschwanstein Castle - I just love it. I have ALWAYS wanted to go there ever since I heard about it as a teen. 

2. UK - to see my family

3. Italy - we had a brief holiday there. I would love to explore it more

10.What made you smile today?

The sound of my boys playing together and giggling like loons. Nothing makes me smile more than the sound of someone I love, laughing. ;)

11. What do you do on a rainy Sunday?

We go to church. (See question 7). Rain, hail or shine, Sunday sees us in church.

Well, there you go. Now you know me a bit better. ;) As for my nominations, I'll have to think about that for a bit. It can't be just ANY blog - it has to be my favourite. WATCH THIS SPACE.

<3

Exciting beginnings...

This last week has been huge for me, not just in terms of my family life (hubby is overseas at the moment) but for making new friends and for starting new things. As of today, I finally have a logo for my Facebook page, thanks to the talented Chris Cromwell of Cromwell Creativity .

Ta-daaaaaaaaaah! LOL

I just love it to bits, I can't believe how simple it is and how "me" as well. He's absolutely nailed it. So, GK I am from now on. :P

I've also set up a Pinterest Page so that the images I share on both here and facebook will be more easily browsed. I've had to go and look up a few older images this week to help out others, and the page is starting to compress and archive posts, and I want all that yarn yumminess available to as many of you as possible for as long as possible. So I've started adding new posts there, and I will gradually go back and add the older ones. This will be a process, because it's not possible (or so Facebook keeps telling me) to Pin directly from Facebook, so I will need to go to the post and open the link and pin from there where possible.
The board is on my personal account, but it will only hold the GK Pins, and you can find it here:

Get Knotted Yarn Craft On Pinterest

Now for the real exciting stuff!!!

I've been invited to participate in a new movement called "Creative Pencil". This is "a podcast about creativity designed for entrepreneurial artists, musicians, writers, and photographers. Basically, anyone who makes things"

Creative Pencil on Facebook

So, maybe a new word for some of you. A podcast is a sound recording that is stored online, much like a you-tube video but with only the sound. The interviews take place over Skype, and there is video footage, but the emphasis for now will be on the Podcast.  Interviews will be available on iTunes and there will also be an Android version. Down the track there may also be a You-Tube channel.

So what are they are about? Creative Pencil will be a resource center, where you can go and find out how other people got to where you want to go, how they grew their business, or developed their artistry, what motivates them and moves them and inspires them, and where they want to go in the future. It's where you can get to know people that you admire (no, I'm not including me, I'm not that arrogant lol - although it may amuse you to listen to me :P ) and find common links and dreams. It's where we can come together and network and ask questions and find out stuff and help each other and grow together!

I am REALLY excited to be a part of this. I had my interview on Monday, and I can tell you, I'm glad I was sitting down. You can't see it, but I had a crochet ball in one hand, and a piece of crochet in the other, and I just squeezed them alternatively with all my might. Giggle. It's hard putting yourself out there at times, but if I can help just ONE person, then every second was worth it. ;)

Chris is an amazing person with a lot of energy and enthusiasm for this project. He has invested a lot of himself in it to get it up off the ground. Right now he's busy interviewing people, editing footage, and establishing a Facebook page to get the ball rolling. I have given you the link to it up the top. Our first goal is to get that page up to 1000 likes by the 24th of November, so I encourage you all to stop by and check it out, say hello from Get Knotted Yarn Craft Blog so that he knows who sent you (I don't get any kick backs for this, it is just helping him to understand where the flow of the page comes from). 

If you REALLY want to help - then there is a t-shirt that is for sale. It gets the word out there right? LOL.
You can find the t-shirt, hoodie, tank top and ladies fitted tee here:

Creative Pencil Apparel

Whatever you do, go and check it out, and remember to keep coming back. Creative pencil is going to be a fabulous space for creative people to grow together. We encourage you to come and journey with us!

Here's to lots of new beginnings.
GK

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's a ... sea urchin?

For me, designing stuff is a process, a journey, an unparalleled opportunity to expand my capacity for swearing... LOL! I'm sure that there are fabulous designers out there, who have way more experience than I do (which is why I keep trying, maybe one day I'll be one of them) who just think of a design, start working and with only a few small "frogs" get the thing out there to the testers. As yet, I'm not "one of them". :P

I do get there in the end. Or, it goes into a deep dark drawer for six months while I look at something else. So, I thought I'd share a bit of the journey for this pattern, which is going to be two patterns, because one of my "failures" was so beloved in the group, I can't not let it get out I guess. ;)

My Sea-Urchin.

It all started with a hat. Yes, a hat. (I'm laughing so hard at the memory right now, that I've had to walk away from the keyboard and get a cup of tea).

Ok, yes, it all started with a fabulous hat. I'm going to call it the "Hot Cross Hat". I've not seen anything like it before or since. There was a chap on a documentary who wore it. I think he said his Nan made it for him. He wore it most of the time on the show. It was crochet, a kind of newsboy hat, but the cup part of the hat was a ripple and basically ended up being a cross. I'm going to have another go at making one.

It looked so easy. (They always do). At times, I can be over-confident. "I'll have a go at that." is more often than not where my design process starts, although it's usually preceded by either a dream, or a thought or idea that just won't leave me alone.

So, one evening, I start to make this hat. My best friend is online, and as I work up a round, I give it to her, and she makes it as well. We laugh and chat as we are working, clarifying what's being done and suggesting this or that. It's a pleasant evening that ends when I yawn so hard I think I've popped my jaw - it's nearly 2am. Oops. Ok. I end up frogging most of it and starting again, but it was a good start and there were some solid concepts there. For added understanding, I convince my eldest son to model it for me - he's very reluctant (I wonder why?).

Can you see all the strings hanging down to the right? I hadn't cut a single strand from the ball at this point, which allowed me to frog it without guilt (although with much vexation; giggle). I complete one more round and it's hopeless. It curls too much to sit on his head anymore, it's just useless.

I vent to my girl friend and she suggests making it into a ball if it curls that much. OOh! Ok. not the outcome I wanted, but hey, at least it isn't a waste of time, right? The yarn is super soft with lovely drape, so I set to work with pins to see how it looks (keeping in mind, I still haven't cut the yarn!).

It squishes fantastically in your hands - a great toy for a baby! Yay! Except it's a little squat, and I know that as I worked around, two of the petals had completely different stitch counts. So I know I've "done something" there. So, to be safe, I get out some cheap acrylic. Copy the conversation from facebook into a word document, and start sifting out the LOL's and the, "no wait, try it this way instead" things and I'm left with a rough idea of what to do. I begin hooking. Shortly after that, I begin muttering. Then swearing and hair pulling. After several lots of frogging, I have it. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY. I eagerly sew it up and stuff it... only... well, plain acrylic is a lot less forgiving than soft acrylic - the ball is squat and square, and the four main petals kind of "dip" in the middle. The whole thing is crenelated. 

 So I had a wee vent on my group wall with a picture and I was VERY surprised by the response. Several people said it was a great looking sea-urchin, and many asked me for the pattern. I couldn't believe it! My failed hat, that turned into a failed ball, that has turned into a sea urchin!

Now, I'm as stubborn as all get-go, so don't think I've given up on the other ideas. I'm in the middle of writing up the urchin for the testers, but I've already begun working with another version to have a go at making the ball. Attempt number one has halted. I've done a bit more mathematics and physics studies, and have the concept for a better working one. So I've got something that would look like a tulip bud if sewn up lol, or a wacky starfish. Take your pick of humorous names.  ;) We might as well go with a sea theme though right? Maybe I can work it up into a star fish. :P

Tequila Sunrise Mandala

I love mandalas. I love how they twist and twirl and seem to dance before your eyes. I love how they draw you gently in to their depths, and then release you gradually to move on refreshed. Too mystical for you? Well, tough, lol, it's how they affect me. :P

So I thought I would have a try at making my own. I did some research and got some notes on some basic math, I'd already made at least half a dozen from patterns written by others (I'd even tested for a few) and I picked up a hook and some of my favourite yarn combination colours and just let loose. I took notes as I went (a few got scribbled out - and yes, ok, there may have been one page scrunched up and hurled as far as my puny arms could manage lol), and gradually started to pull something together. However, it wasn't until it went to the testers that the last row was added, as it was the marvellous Denise Brown who thought to add the final row of SC and it just "finished it off". So, I'm VERY grateful to her, and especially for her allowing me to use her image again. ;)

So, enough blether, here is my

"Tequila Sunrise Mandala"

This pattern is worked in US terms

Yarn: I used DK (8ply) Acrylic of various brands

Hook: 4.5mm

Depending upon your yarn and tension, you may need to block gently at the end of this project.

I also turn my work ¼ to the left so that each round starts in a different place.

Special Stitches:

V-stitch – DC, ch2, DC

Treble Stitch – yarn over hook 2 times, insert in next stitch, draw up a loop (4 loops on hook), yarn

over and draw through the first two loops, yarn over and draw through the next two loops, yarn

over and draw through the final two loops – one loop should be left on your hook

Double Treble Stitch – yarn over hook 3 times, insert in next stitch and draw up a loop (5 loops on

hook), yarn over and draw through the first two loops, yarn over and draw through the next two

loops, yarn over and draw through the next two lops, yarn over and draw through the final two

loops – one loop should be left on your hook

Small shell – 6DC into the indicated stitch

Large shell – 9 double trebles into the indicated stitch

Cluster – work the first part of a DC (= yarn over , draw up a loop, yarn over draw through the first

two loops – 2 loops left on hook),into the indicated stitch, repeat in the next three indicated stitches

– 5 loops on hook, yarn over and draw through all five loops.

Notes:

For starting rows, you may use a chain to the appropriate height of the stitch, or you may use a

standing stitch. I used the standing stitch method except for the very first round.

If you use chains to start a row, DC is 3ch and counts as a stitch, Treble is 4ch and Double Treble is

5ch.

Each round is tied off and each row is started by joining new yarn – colour distribution is at your own

discretion, however, I used the same colour for two rows at a time, over rows 5 and 6, rows 7 and 8,

and rows 9 and 10 for my first one.

Pattern:

Round 1: Starting with a magic circle, chain 4 (counts as a treble) work 15 more trebles. Join into the

fourth chain

Round 2: Start working at any point in the space BETWEEN the stitches of round 1, 1DC, ch2 in each

space around. Join to the top of the first DC (or equivalent chain)(48) (cut and tie yarn)

Round 3: Starting in any 2ch sp, work 2SC in each space, and 1SC into each DC of round 2. Slip stitch

into the first SC. (48) (cut and tie yarn)

Round 4: Counting the SC worked into the DC in the previous round as the third stitch, work 1 Vstitch

into the first SC of each repeat (it will look like the bottom of the V is directly above the DC of

round 2), join with a slip stitch into the first DC of the first V-stitch. (64) (16 Vstitches)

(cut and tie yarn)

Round 5: Starting at any V stitch in round 4, in the first DC of each V-stitch, work 3 trebles, ch2 slip

stitch into the top of the first treble (or the fourth chain) (80) (16 repeats) (cut and tie yarn)

Round 6: Starting in any chain space - SC in the chain space, work small shell in the middle treble of

each triplet from round 5 (112), end with a slip stitch into the first SC. (16 shells, 16 sc) (cut and tie

yarn)

OPTIONAL TO FINISH HERE

Round 7: Start in any SC. In each SC from round 6, work 4DC, chain 1. Work 1SC in 4th DC of the shell

in round 6, chain 1. Finish round with slip stitch into the top of the first DC. (112) (DO NOT cut and

tie yarn)

Round 8: Continuing from round 7, ch2 (counts as the first partial DC), work the first part of a DC in

the next three stitches as described in the cluster stitch above. Yarn over and draw through all four

loops. *CH10, skip the SC, work a cluster in the next four DC from round 7, repeat from * CH10, join

with slip stitch into the “eye” above the first cluster. (16 clusters, 16 ch10 loops) (cut and tie yarn)

Round 9: SC2 in any chain loop, ch3, work 1 treble in the top of the cluster, ch3. *3SC in loop from

round 8, ch3, 1treble in top of cluster from round 8, ch3. Repeat from * until you return to the

starting chain loop and work 1SC, and sl st in the first worked SC to join round. (16 trebles, 48 SC,

96CH) (cut and tie yarn)

Round 10: SC in second SC of any repeat in round 9. *Work 1 large shell in treble from round 9. SC in

next SC.** Repeat from * to ** until you return to the first SC – join with slip stitch. (16 large shells,

16 SC) (cut and tie yarn)

Round 11: Choosing any shell, start working *1SC in the second DC of the shell. Work two more,

then in the next (peak) work 2SC, work 1SC in the next 4 stitches. Decrease: draw up a loop in the

next two stitches, yarn over hook and draw through all three loops. **Repeat from * to ** until you

return to the first SC – slip stitch to join.