Finally, after several weeks and months, I am pleased to share my Sun Dogs crochet pouch pattern!! These cute cotton drawstring bags come in three different sizes and use really simple crochet stitches. Yet, despite their simplicity – the Sun Dogs pouches use the houndstooth stitch – they look stunning! (I am allowed to say this even if they’re my own design, right?!)
You can buy a copy of the pattern from my Etsy shop or, if you’d prefer, you can find Sun Dogs on Ravelry. The pattern comes in US and UK terminology, and has charts and lots of photos to help you with the stitch construction. However, if you want a little try before you buy, find a snippet of the crochet pattern below!
And get 25% off your pattern with the code: SUNDOGS26 (valid until 1st August 26). However, today, I am sharing the small-sized crochet pouch right here on the blog. For free!!
Try The Little Sun Dogs Pouch Pattern
While I think you’ll really enjoy the full PDF crochet pattern, with three different sizes and all the bells and whistles of additional information, I am happy to share the small crochet pouch pattern below.
So, you will need a 3.5mm crochet hook and some DK cotton yarn. For this project, I chose to use Yarnsmiths Cotton DK. I bought a bucketful of various colours a few months ago and have really enjoyed using it in different crochet patterns. In my experience, it is ideal for crochet as it creates a lovely stitch definition and has a decent range of shades to choose from.
Actually, Sun Dogs is a great crochet pattern for using up yarn leftovers, too. And no one says you have to use cotton DK. You can use lots of different yarn fibres and weights for this quick crochet pattern; it’s so versatile!
However, I think natural fibres will work best for structure and durability. If you don’t like cotton, how about bamboo or linen? And if DK is too thick for your tastes, try 4-ply cotton instead!
Did You Know?
Sun dogs, or parhelia, are bright spots of light that sometimes appear on either side of the sun. They are seen as a sign of good luck. I thought this was lovely, and it’s the perfect name for a crochet pattern that uses the houndstooth stitch!
And another fun fact… this little pouch was first designed in November last year. I made one off the hoof for my little niece’s birthday. I made the medium and thought it needed some companions. Of course, you could make it in any size you like, really.
The following instructions are written in US crochet terms. Note that CC means contrast colour.
Pattern Begins
With the main colour, ch4 and join with a sl st to form a ring, or work a magic circle. Rnd 1 (Right Side): Ch3 (counts as a st here & throughout), 11dc into ring, join with sl st to first st, do not turn. – 12 sts. 2: Ch3, 1dc in same st, *2dc in next st; rep from * around, join with sl st, do not turn. – 24 sts. 3: Ch3, 1dc in same st, 1dc, *2dc in next st, 1dc; rep from * around, join with sl st, turn. – 36 sts. 4 (Wrong Side): Ch3, 1sc in next st, *1dc, 1sc; rep from * around, join with sl st, turn. Change to CC. 5 (R/S): Ch1 (does not count as a stitch), 1sc in first st, 1dc, *1sc, 1dc; rep from * around, join with sl st, turn. Change to main colour.
Rnds 6 – 14: Rep Rows 4 & 5, ending on R4. 15: With main colour, as Rnd 5, do not turn. 16: Ch1, *3hdc, ch1, miss 1st; rep from * around, join with sl st, do not turn. – 9 sps. 17: 1sl st into next st (middle st of first 3hdc), 5dc in ch-sp, *1sl st in centre st of next 3 sts, 5dc in ch-sp; rep from * around, join with sl st to first sl st. – 9 scallops.
Fasten off and cut yarn. Sew in ends.
I made a crochet tomato! Or is it a strawberry?! To find out, I put it to a vote on Instagram, and a huge majority of folks chose strawberry. That means, at some point, I’m going to have to sew on a bajillion little beads… FYI, it’s made using the small Sun Dogs crochet pouch.
I really hope you like the pattern. You will definitely whip one up in no time at all. For more crochet inspiration, check out my free crochet patterns page.
Let’s just start with the sad bit and get it out of the way. My Mum died. I flip between knowing, accepting, and understanding wholly that it was her time to go, and complete and utter surprise that she actually deigned to leave after being so stubborn, ordinarily refusing to let illness stop her.
First and foremost, I saw her as a scientist (she worked in labs since the age of sixteen) and an avid learner of many things. But, perhaps due to the generation she was from, or perhaps just because she wanted to, she also explored arts and crafts and had many strings to her bow.
She made her own clothes until her fingers couldn’t. She made me clothes when I was little, too. And I still have a couple of items that she knitted and crocheted back in the seventies and eighties (I can’t write these as actual numbers, as she would say it wasn’t grammatically accurate).
Anyway, I’ve been going through some of her photographs to sort them out, and I’ve found a couple where she’s carrying a really cool patchwork bag. I don’t know if she made it herself. Maybe? A friend might have made it, or perhaps my Nanna (at one time, her mother-in-law).
Unsurprisingly, I saw the bag and thought, I bet that would look amazing in crochet! And that’s all there was to it. I immediately made a start on Mum’s Granny Square Bag.
Fundamentals of Making Mum’s Granny Square Bag
In the rest of this blog post, I’m going to break down all the details so that you have a recipe for how to crochet a granny square bag of your own.
You can also watch the accompanying video of how I made it, which includes a casual demonstration of how I worked the final squares to join them into a bag shape. Plus, I have an argument with a sewing machine.
I know it’s a lot, but I recommend reading through everything.
This Granny Square Bag blog post consists of the following:
These are all clickable links that will take you to the relevant section of the blog post!
Using Leftover Yarn To Crochet A Granny Square Bag
Mum’s granny square bag (or, if you feel that’s weird, you can call it Granny Margaret’s Bag) is made from yarn scraps of cotton DK yarn. I didn’t allow myself to buy any new yarn for this project as I have yarn in my stash that’s been sitting there for far too long. A granny square project like this is ideal for using up leftover yarn.
As luck would have it, I had enough yarn in lots of bright colours. Some I definitely ran out of and had to eke it out very carefully, but it is definitely the ultimate kind of Stash Busting. It felt so good to use it. It’s not all Paintbox DK cotton, but most of it probably is.
My advice for a crochet project like this is to make conscious choices about saving longer scraps of yarn for later granny square rounds. I used my tiniest yarn leftovers to work the first rounds. The amount I had of each colour definitely dictated colour choices; beyond that, I didn’t think about it too much.
Granny Bag Measurements and Useful Info
OK, we’re beginning to lay out a recipe here. I’ll start with measurements of the different bag elements.
One four-round granny square using my own pattern measures 12 cm across the diagonal. The finished bag measures: 36 cm deep x 49 cm across (not including the handles or tabs).
You will need 42 granny squares and 12 granny triangles. I have video tutorials on how to crochet both – see links below.
Things You Need To Crochet A Granny Square Bag
You need more than 352 grams of cotton DK yarn! This is what my bag weighed before its lining and handles. And you’d have to be very blessed to have the exact amounts in all the colours, so make sure you have more than that in total. You’ll need surplus to ensure you can do some jiggery pokery with colour combinations, etc. See below for a suggested palette.
You will also need a 3.5mm crochet hook (we don’t want loose and floppy grannies, do we?!).
Bag handles are from Amazon, Etsy, or a craft shop. Type “long bag handles” into Google, and these are bound to come up. They’re fairly common.
Fabric for lining. Nothing fancy is needed; mine is probably cheap polycotton.
Optional but advisable – a (working) sewing machine.
Lots of bulb stitch markers, needle and thread.
Yarn Colours For Mum’s Granny Square Bag
I’ve mentioned yarn scraps and using yarn leftovers, and look, this is not a project where I can be precise with each colour. I can give you a rough idea of the colours, but they’re not all exact, as I actually used some other brands. However, assuming you want all the same, let’s go with Paintbox DK cotton, since that’s the majority. The shades are as follows (I’ve matched them as closely as possible where it’s a different brand).
If you had one ball in each colour, you would absolutely have enough to make Mum’s Granny Square Bag.
List of Colours Used:
Spearmint
Bubblegum Pink
Vanilla Cream
Slate Grey
Lime Green
Washed Teal
Marine Blue
Lapis Blue
Pale Lilac
Pansy Purple
Raspberry
Rose Red
Daffodil Yellow
Blood Orange
Rosy Pink
Coffee Bean
Crochet Hints, Tips and Tutorials
Here, I’ve collated other crochet resources that will help you.
This is so useful!! You’ll need this chart for the granny square layout.
I am embarrassed to admit that I got the shaping wrong twice before this successful attempt. My poor little noggin isn’t the sharpest at the moment, and I messed up. First, because I kept thinking I was going to be joining totally different square sides. After much confusion, I cut out a chart and folded it like a little origami piece. That way, I could actually see where each square needed to be joined. Oh dear!
Then, I completed a whole piece of fabric, had it bag-shaped and ready to line. It was enormous! I’d even sewn in all my ends. There were hours of unpicking to get rid of the extra granny squares I didn’t need. Arghh. Never mind, it’s a lesson in patience.
Right, let’s look at the (correct) chart below. The squares marked with asterisks indicate which to leave until all the others have been joined. You need to leave those to the end because they are the ones that turn a flat piece of fabric magically into a bag pocket – by the power of Join As You Go. Speaking of which…
Join As You Go Granny Squares
For a project like this, Join As You Go, or JAYG, is the best joining method for granny squares in my humble opinion. Well, you can sew them if you want to, but this is a heck of a lot quicker!
Work most of the squares in a flat piece of fabric. It’s only the last four squares that are joined on every side to turn the flat fabric into a 3-dimensional bag. Follow the chart, but also bear in mind that you might wish for an even distribution of colours.
Below is a photo of how I choose to distribute colours evenly. I absolutely played about a bit, switched around colours whenever I fancied. You do not have to be rigid in this kind of crochet project, and you can do what you like.
The photo might be one of the first attempts, so if you’re trying to copy, note that it could be wrong. However, it does a good job of showing, visually, what I mean by the distribution of colours.
I like the idea of having half a plan so that there’s freedom to make small adjustments should I decide that, actually, it’d be nice to make the final round a shade of green for a particular square rather than turquoise… Or, one section has the lion’s share of red; let’s spread it out a bit. Perhaps, it’s a bit like yarn ball chess! Sort of.
JAYG Granny Triangles
These form the bag top and side openings. I have a video tutorial for the granny triangle pattern. Here’s the link for how to crochet granny triangles.
I tweaked the hypotenuse of the triangle for the final round to remove a cluster (you’ll see in the video). The idea behind this was to get rid of any bulk at the tops of the bag. You don’t have to, though, and I’m not convinced my tweakings were worth it.
You use the same JAYG method for triangles as you do for squares.
Simple Tabs For The Granny Bag Opening
Once you’ve completed the joining of the granny squares, the bag needs a couple of tabs at the bag openings. These are to slide through the gaps in the handles, thus anchoring them in place once they’ve been stitched down.
The tabs consist of two rows of US double (UK treble) stitches followed by a final row of SC (UK dc) stitches to both opening ends. These tabs prevent the handles from gobbling up the granny triangles. I want to see my granny triangles in all their glory!
There is nothing fancy about these tabs; they’re for practical purposes only. Join in your preferred way and, for Row 1, crochet along the series of triangles. I didn’t take a photo, but you can see it more clearly in the Granny Square Bag video.
Sewing A Crochet Bag Lining
Once you’ve made Mum’s Granny Square Bag, make a simple lining. It really will add structural integrity and make your bag last longer. Everything I’ve done to sew this bag lining has been eyeballed.
Lay the crochet bag on top of a folded piece of complementary fabric that’s slightly larger than the crochet – something like a medium-weight cotton or polycotton is fine.
Mark where you’ll need to sew the side seam, where to stop and press the side openings, and where you’ll need to top stitch the opening hems. Once stitched and pressed, I placed the pocketty lining into the bag and pinned it in place so I could hand-stitch it securely.
If you’ve seen the video, you’ll know that I did not have a good time with the sewing machine. It’s almost entirely user error! Yet, despite my tantrums, I think you’ll get the gist.
Attaching Bag Handles to Crochet Fabric
Attaching bag handles doesn’t have to be perfectly done. I wriggle the top tabs through the handles and then pin them in place using lots of bulb stitch markers. When sewing the tabs down, I used doubled up thread. I think this makes it much more sturdy.
Another Granny’s Patchwork Bag. Future Plans!
So, what I’ve shared above isn’t the final iteration of Mum’s granny square bag. It’s not quite right yet. But don’t get me wrong, it’s a stunner, but I can make one that’s even better.
Mine is a different ratio than Mum’s patchwork bag, so I want to change that. Mine is a lot deeper, and I know what I’ll do to change it for next time. Basically, there are two main things to change: I can make the squares a round smaller, and increase the width of the fabric by adding another row of granny squares. That would adjust the proportions. Although don’t take my word for it just yet, I haven’t done my sums!
Then, I might use 4-ply yarn and keep the same number of rounds as this colourful version, but still add another row of squares. 4-ply cotton will make a smaller, lighter bag and remove any hint of bulk. Not that I think DK yarn is bulky, but eh, it is just a teensy bit. It makes it a heavier bag than I’d like, so I will need to go yarn shopping for 4-ply cotton – such a shame!
And when I do that, I will try to replicate the colour palette on Mum’s OG bag: lots of dusky hues and perhaps colour block squares rather than stash busting. What do you think?
Mum’s Granny Square Bag
And that’s it. You should find everything you need here to crochet your own bag, but if I have missed anything or you have a burning question, please leave a comment, and I’ll get back to you.
In the spring of last year, my sister told me she was having another baby. Therefore, I immediately started making granny squares for a cute little baby blanket. It was the ideal opportunity to work on a tutorial for the Continuous Join As You Go technique. Is it weird to use real-life stuff for crochet blog content?! No, of course not!
The granny squares waited a long time for me to put together with a very simple CJAYG method. For ten months, the squares sat waiting for their Continuous JAYG treatment. I was very late. I gifted the baby blanket last week, when we went to Scotland for a few days. Its recipient is now three and a half months old! Whoops. Do you think I’ll be forgiven?
What Is CJAYG?
The Continuous Join As You Go (or CJAYG) is a really quick and seamless way to join granny squares with the same yarn. No cutting! No rejoining! No ends to sew in! Rejoice!
This crochet joining method looks complicated, but once you make the first couple of steps, I find it clicks into place super fast. However, sometimes I need a reminder of the order in which to join the granny squares, so I draw myself a little map!
Video Tutorial for Continuous Join As You Go
The CJAYG road map is very, very handy. But what’s really handy is a video tutorial to demonstrate each step of how to continuously work around the outside of granny squares to bring them together in one beautiful crochet blanket.
I have put together a video tutorial for you so that you can see how I use a Continuous Join As You Go to make a blanket in one cohesive way.
The Difference Between JAYG and CJAYG
The Continuous Join As You Go (CJAYG), as established, uses the same yarn all in one, with no cutting. However, JAYG, or Join As You Go, does require the yarn to be cut.
I use JAYG if my granny squares are going to have different colours on the last round of each motif. There are still ends to weave in, but at least you don’t have to sew anything together. It’s also nice and quick to crochet, as well.
JAYG is perfect for colourful granny squares, but you can also use it for other stitches too. There’s a different JAYG technique for Corner 2 Corner crochet, for example. I use that in my Mixed Tape Melody blanket and my Milis sweater.
What To Watch Out for When Using Continuous Join As You Go
My most common mistake when using Continuous Join As You Go is that I accidentally miss a space between granny clusters. Instead, I’ll slip stitch into the following space and get all confused when the squares don’t match. It’s a simple fix. If something feels wonky, check, spot the error and undo. The chances are, you won’t have gone too far before you spot this mistake.
In the photo below, I have done exactly this. If you look closely, you’ll see that I didn’t slip stitch between the first and second granny clusters on the right-hand square. I noticed when I got to the next corner, the clusters were out of sync. It took no time to redo, and the crisis was averted!
I quite often accidentally join the wrong sides together, too, and start creating weird 3D shapes. It’s not anything to panic about. Again, check often and just redo.
Top Tips to Organise Your CJAYG Squares
There are a couple of other useful things that I think are helpful for this Continuous Join As You Go method:
Pop a stitch marker into the very first stitch you made. This is your first corner, and it helps you keep track of the direction you’re working in.
Arrange each row of granny squares in organised piles so that you can reach for them when it’s time to do the next row. If it’s a big blanket, tie them in separate numbered bundles so you maintain the order in which you want them to be.
Check often, lay your blanket out now and then to ensure there are no mistakes.
If it’s a new technique for you, it’s a good one to work on at a table or on the floor at first. It’s not essential, obviously, but I think it stops rogue squares pushing in where they are not supposed to be. It maintains the square order more easily and helps you join squares in the right place.
Colours To Choose For a CJAYG Granny Square Blanket
So, you’ll need one colour for your CJAYG round. Ensure you have a couple of hundred grams for a baby-sized blanket, more if it’s bigger. This should be enough for the joining of squares, plus a cute crochet border. I like to choose a neutral colour to do this when there are lots of colourful granny squares.
Crocheting a granny square baby blanket is a great opportunity to play with colourful yarn. If you’re not that confident in knowing how to arrange the colours for each round of granny squares, let me show you one way I approach it; guess who has a video tutorial!?
It’s from when I made the squares for this baby blanket back in June last year. I go through how to balance and distribute the colours among the squares in a super easy way.
A Finished Granny Square Blanket Using CJAYG
Wow! I had almost forgotten how long ago it was since I started this granny square blanket. It’s a relief and a pleasure to have it done and gifted. Let’s hope it gets lots of use. I know that my niece has been eyeballing it already, but she already has plenty of blankets – this one is for her little brother. What can I say, we’re a blanketty family!
The last rounds were worked in the car on the way to visit my new nephew in Scotland. It’s always last-minute with me! It was a very simple border consisting of as many granny rounds as I could get with the yarn I had (approx 200 grams).
The last round was 7dc (UK tr) scallops. Would you be interested in a pattern?!
As I am never able to ever stick to just one idea, Ceberus, my new houndstooth stitch shawl pattern, has three different triangle shapes and sizes to choose from!
Firstly, the pink and plum coloured design was created for Inside Crochet magazine, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how to wear it, how to style it, etc. Knowing that skinny scarves have been extraordinarily popular over the last few years, it seemed like I was missing a trick if I didn’t explore new ways of shaping this houndstooth stitch crochet shawl.
Whilst the idea is the same for all three houndstooth stitch patterns, as in they all use the same stitch pattern, ultimately, it’s just the rate of increases and decreases that changes.
There’s nothing scary about crocheting any Ceberus shawl. I absolutely love the basic stitches of houndstooth, hence why I’ve used it in a few crochet designs. For example, read about my love of the easy stitch pattern in the Barking Mad scarf, which is a free crochet pattern. And no doubt, I’ll also use it again in future crochet projects.
Once you have mastered basic crochet skills, you could easily make one of these houndstooth stitch shawl patterns. The question is, which one will you decide to make?!
Indeed, given the simple crochet stitches, it really is very easy to adapt, which is why I couldn’t stop at one shawl design. With an adjustment of the regularity in increases, the shape of the triangle changes. You can go from a deep triangle prayer shawl to the skinny scarf. And we have seen all skinny scarves through recent fashion trends within the handmade community.
A New Way to Crochet An I-Cord Edging
This crochet i-cord edging looks a teeny weeny bit intimidating; however, you’re going to love it! It is a very simple stitch, which is worked in the round. The more rows you work, consequently, the more it curls over itself. It sort of makes itself! Scroll on to see the picture of the pink i-cord ending. You only need to crochet around and around, and the curl appears.
It uses a double slip stitch. And just because you see the words “slip stitch” doesn’t make it fiddly, honest! It is actually much less faffy to work than a crochet slip stitch, and more fun too. Find more information about using a double slip stitch design for a crochet i-cord, here.
A Houndstooth Stitch Shawl Pattern
Cerbeus is available to purchase from the usual places. Please visit my Ravelry store here. Upon purchase, you receive both US & UK crochet terminology. And if you’re not a Rav user, then I also have copies of Cerberus in my Etsy shop.
Try a Houndstooth Stitch Pattern in Colour-Changing Yarn
The result of using Scheepjes Stone Washed Minerals is really pleasing! The crochet shawl, pictured above, alternates rows with a graphite shade of the Stone Washed range. It was a bit of a prototype, which roughly follows the shallow shawl version, but I made it with fewer repeats. Such pretty rainbow colours!
Or, how about just one colour…
Another version of Cerberus is made using indie dyed yarn. One skein, I picked up at a yarn festival; it’s Urban Purl. Oh my goodness, she dyes totally GORGEOUScolourways. And the pink edging is a bright pop of yarn from Qing Fibre. Both yarns are worsted weight, and I used the Skinny Cerberus pattern with 6 additional reps.
A houndstooth stitch shawl pattern. Crochet Cerberus,Cerberus is a houndsttich stitch shawl pattern in three different triangle shapes.
What do you think, do you like it? Which houndstooth shawl pattern will you make first?! Next up my sleeve is to make a DK-weight version. Don’t get me wrong, you know I love to use mohair yarn for crochet projects, but this pattern doesn’t rely on using fluffy yarn. I’m pretty sure you could make any of these crochet shawls in a variety of different yarns. Honestly, the results would be utterly fabulous, I’m sure!
The Aster Granny Square Scarf is the ultimate in quick-fix crochet. I came up with this scarf idea when I was supposed to be working on a crochet commission and was putting off the hard work. I was procraftinating, if you like. Essentially, I was seeking out yarny gratification in making mindful granny squares. I know I’m approaching burnout when I reach for their easy, reassuring comfort.
But sometimes, granny squares are a bit too simple, you know? I wanted to turn them into a project that was a little bit more special. Nothing too crazy, but seeing as I already have a habit of turning these crochet squares on their sides, it seemed a simple way of making a scarf a touch more fun and interesting.
The Aster Granny Square Scarf is available to purchase from Etsy, or you can grab it from the Zeens Roger Ravelry store, too. The ad-free PDF pattern includes schematics, full written instructions, step-by-step photos of the Join As You Go technique, as well as useful crochet charts. The information you’re about to read below is more of a recipe.
I also created a video tutorial showing you how to crochet the granny square scarf in all its different stages.
Aster Granny Square Scarf In a Nutshell
There is some useful information below, but you may be confident enough to go for it with just the bare bones of the scarf recipe. With that in mind, here’s a TLDR of how to make the Aster Granny Square Scarf in a few key points:
Grab a 4mm crochet hook and your DK yarn stash (approx 50g for the headscarf, 100g for the necktie & 150g for the longer scarf)
For JAYG, make lots of 2 round granny squares.
For JAYG, make twice as many granny triangles.
Sew in all their ends now!
If using mattress stitch to sew together – work the square and triangles all with 3 rounds.
Join squares with your preferred method.
Work crochet edging – the pattern is written below and shown in the vid tutorial.
There isn’t anything particularly difficult in the Aster Granny Square Scarf; in fact, it’s super easy to make. And it is pretty versatile too.
Whether you would like to crochet a necktie version or a longer, more traditional scarf, the choice is yours. Perhaps it’ll depend on how much yarn stash you have, but you could make the Aster scarf in any length you like. You could add more rounds to the squares, use just one colour or alllll the colours.
In this pattern, you have many options. How about a headscarf too?
A Granny Square Headscarf
Of course, if you don’t want crochet around your neck, how about a granny square headscarf? It’s the same pattern, just with a tweak or two! I would actually love to make a headscarf in 4ply yarn too, it would look very delicate and lacey, just perfect for spring/summer.
The Aster Headscarf incorporates ties in the first round of the edging. It is not difficult to do. In the video tutorial, I used US single crochet stitches for the ties, but I’ve since changed my mind. I highly recommend swapping to slip stitch instead. The ties aren’t quite so thick with slip stitches.
Aster Granny Square Scarf Measurements
When using a 4mm crochet hook and DK wool yarn, 1 square measures approx: 10cm / 4 inches, on the diagonal. Or 7cm / 2.75 inches down a square side.
Width of all patterns: 11cm / 4.25 inches. Little Granny Scarves: 90cm / 35.5 inches. Long Granny Scaves: 140cm / 55 inches. Granny headscarf length (inc. 2x 26cm ties): 92cm / 36.25 inches each.
How To Crochet The Aster Granny Square Scarf
Yarn For Your Aster Granny Square Scarf
I used wool DK yarn. My fave is merino, but you can use any yarn you like for a crochet project like this. A couple of yarn brands I’m currently obsessed with are Drops and Yarnsmiths. King Cole has a couple of nice options, too. They all have DK yarn balls in 50-gram skeins, which are ideal for small crochet projects.
To make the Aster Granny scarf, you need:
4mm crochet hook
DK yarn – depending on the size you make, you’ll need approximately:
Little Scarf – Less than 220m/240yds/100g of DK yarn. Include 1x50g of main colour if stashbusting, OR 2x50g if monochrome.
Long Scarf – Less than 330m/360yds/150g of DK yarn. Include 2x50g of main colour, if stashbusting, OR 3x50g if monochrome.
Headscarf – Yarnsmiths Merino DK, 100% Merino Wool (110m/120yd/50g). 1 ball in Multi Tweed (T3820)
A list of my current favourite DK wool yarns that come in 50g balls (and scraps of which feature in these crochet projects).
King Cole Majestic 20%Â Polyamide (50%Â Wool, 30%Â Acrylic (121m/132yds/50g)
WYS Bo Peep 48% Nylon, 52% Wool (112m/122yds/50g)
Suppose you don’t want to use these, not a problem. Check out some more info about Yarn Substitution, or go completely off piste. You could use fluffy yarn, cotton yarn (for a light, summer crochet scarf), or acrylic would work brilliantly, too. Choose whatever you have in your yarn stash.
Making Granny Squares – How Many?!
This easy crochet scarf is all about the granny squares. If you know how to crochet granny squares, you can make this scarf. Or even if you don’t, try it as your beginner crochet project. I show you how to make granny squares (and the triangles) in the video tutorial.
The granny squares are on the diagonal, so the way to work out how long you want your scarf to be is to measure from corner to corner across the diagonal. Multiply that number by the number of squares you think will be right.
Is it the length you want? No? Add or take away one, two, three squares. Play around with the length. Make one that’s 8 or 9 squares long, make one that measures 30 feet!
The angled point necktie is a length of eight 3-round squares, plus the triangle ends. The long Aster granny square scarf with its symmetrical points is 14 squares long.
Making Crochet Granny Triangles. How Many?!
You also need to crochet granny triangles to straighten along the scarf edges. The number of granny triangles needed depends on the way you want the pointed ends to look. For the angled pointed scarf, you need double the quantity of triangles as granny squares.
For example, my Little angled point scarf has 8 squares and 16 triangles. However, if you’re planning on a symmetrical point at the ends of the scarf, it’s double the quantity plus one extra square. I.e, 9 squares and 16 triangles.
A Versatile Granny Scarf
You might have guessed by now that you can make plenty of simple adjustments to the Aster Granny Square Scarf so that you have something unique in your handmade wardrobe.
As mentioned above, the number of granny triangles you need depends on whether you want to end with an angled point or a symmetrical point. You can see from the photos that there are two options.
You can make it in any yarn fibre and you can make it in any length. You can even add more rounds to the squares and triangles to make them bigger. Not only do you have these options (don’t you just love how adaptable crochet is?!), you can also join the squares in different ways depending on your whims and ways…
JAYG Granny Square or Sewing With Mattress Stitch?
I have made four versions of the Aster Granny Square Scarf. Actually, five, including the headscarf. Because of the quick-fix crochet satisfaction, I much prefer the Join As You Go method. JAYG works brilliantly for grannies, and you can join scarf squares in an evening.
However, using a mattress stitch to sew granny squares together is the best way of joining for a neat sewing method. Sewing the squares together definitely takes longer, but not everyone likes JAYG, so it’s good to have a different technique to choose from.
When it comes to arranging the colour order of granny squares, I very rarely do anything other than follow my gut. I also make sure I have a fresh cup of tea, the TV remote and plenty of room to plan which squares sit next to which. The best course of action for a stash busting scarf like this is to not think about it too much!
Despite the photo above showing granny squares lined up on the sofa, I actually normally do this on the floor.
Easy Mini Bobble Crochet Edging
Once again, I want this project to be the ultimate in Mindful Crochet, so the mini bobble edging is quick and easy. You’ll find it timestamped in the video tutorial, so if you need a helping hand, you have it!
The Mini Bobble Stitch instructions: This stitch is worked on the wrong side of the scarf/headscarf Yo (yarn over), insert hook in st, yo and pull through, ch1 (3 loops on hook), yo, insert hook in same st, yo, pull through (5 loops on hook), yo, pull through all 5 loops on hook.
With the right side of the scarf facing you, join the yarn to any stitch. Round 1: Ch1, 2sc in bar of horizontal dc sts, 1sc in corner ch-sps of squares, 1sc in centre circles of triangles, 3sc in scarf end points, continue in pattern around, join with sl st to first st, turn. – I am not going to worry about stitch count for this, it just isn’t worth the bother, and if you’re a stitch or two out, does it matter?!
Round 2 (Wrong Side): *1 mini bobble, 2sl st; rep from * around, join with sl st. Fasten off and cut yarn.
Blocking Your Aster Granny Square Scarf
Blocking your crochet turns your work from OK to exceptional! It smooths out stitches and irons out wrinkles and potential warping. I highly recommend it. For my scarves, I chose to steam block them.
The moisture and heat from the steamer are enough to set the stitches beautifully. Steaming also doesn’t take as long as wet blocking, so if you’re in a hurry, it is perfect. A few hours of resting and Hey Presto!
Granny Square Scarves Forever!
If you would like to have all the details (and more) in one place (without the ads!), the PDF pattern is available for purchase from my Ravelry store, or you can also buy a copy (as well as my other crochet patterns) from my Etsy shop)
If you are looking for more Granny crochet inspiration, check out my Free Crochet Patterns. Let me know what you’re going to make next!
Over the last few years, crochet patterns using mohair yarn have been on the rise. Watching this trend come through the ranks has been a joy because I absolutely LOVE mohair yarn in crochet! When I say mohair (from the angora goat), I often just mean all the floof. So, this isn’t only restricted to mohair blended with silk; I am happy to play with all the fluffy yarn! For example, I am also partial to brushed suri alpaca.
Ten years ago, mohair yarn was very much not in fashion. The fluffy stuff was relegated to ugly eighties and early nineties statement sweaters. Well, times have changed and guess what? Fuzzy jumpers are cool! If you watched The Game of Wool recently, you’ll have seen the contestants embrace mohair yarn and design some really awesome knitted sweaters.
As well as handmade sweaters, think about scarves, hats, and balaclavas. They are all being made with fluffy yarn.
Look, I know mohair yarn is not everyone’s cup of tea. I have reasons to hate it; once, when I was a little girl, I was innocently making a cake while wearing the new mohair sweater that my Nanna had knitted for me. Not protected by a pinny, the fly-away fibres got stuck in the electric whisk, entangling me in the mechanisms. It wasn’t mohair’s fault, though, so I forgave it (even if it took a while).
Anyway, I guess what I’m trying to say is that it’s a bit like Marmite; you either love it or hate it, regardless of any culinary mishaps.
For some folks, it can be an allergen, or it’s just super itchy on their skin. However, there are alternatives out there: suri alpaca, for example, is naturally hypoallergenic. And if you’re looking for something more budget friendly, brushed acrylic yarns are on the market, too. It’s the appeal of the fuzzy halo that does it for me.
So, what’s so great about mohair yarn for crochet?
Great Things About Mohair Yarn For Crochet
Let’s do a little breakdown of what’s fab about using mohair in crochet patterns.
It’s soft and warm – If you’re not sensitive to scratchy wools, mohair creates the softest crochet fabric. Crochet patterns using mohair are winners for this reason alone, but there are plenty more…
With a lovely lustre, mohair has a super glossy sheen. The frequent addition of silk helps this, too.
Mohair is floaty light! It’s warm but also extremely light. On its own, it’s a great summer yarn. Held with another yarn, such as merino, you’ve got yourself a beautiful crochet accessory or garment that will keep you very cosy indeed.
The strong fibres of mohair mean crochet projects retain their shape.
It’s perfect for simple crochet stitches – In fact, it’s arguably risky to create elaborate patterns in mohair. I just can’t imagine the hours of frogging if a mistake is made 13 rows down.
It smooths out clunkier crochet stitches – Crochet patterns can sometimes create pixelated colour blocking in variegated or hand-dyed yarns. Adding mohair calms the colour changes.
A little goes a long way – The laceweight nature of most mohair yarn means you get a lot of meterage for your money. This is always a good thing when it comes to yarn-eating crochet patterns.
Crochet Patterns Using Mohair Yarn (And Other Floof)
So, let’s take a look at some amazing crochet patterns using mohair yarn. Many patterns call for holding mohair yarn with other fibres to add to durability and texture. However, you don’t have to. It’s a versatile fibre, and you’ll find crochet patterns that cover both options.
I’ve split the following crochet patterns that use mohair into two categories. First, we have 10 crochet accessories, such as hats, shawls and scarves. This is then followed by 10 gorgeous crochet garments using mohair yarn.
Before you scroll on, there are even more patterns to peruse in this Ravelry bundle for crochet patterns using mohair. It features the patterns below, as well as others that I couldn’t fit in this blog post.
10 Crochet Patterns Using Mohair Yarn – Accessories
Wheatfields Shawl and Wrist Warmers
The Wheatfields shawl uses an indie dyed sock-weight yarn held with a really nice mohair. Without a doubt, this crochet shawl has had more outings than any other of my crochet accessories. There was some yarn leftover, so I made matching wrist warmers!
The sock-weight yarn is fromFlyy Dyed yarn, and it was exactly what I was looking for: a soft grey base with rusty speckles. I knew it’d work really well with a grey mohair yarn as the tones and speckles are gently blended together. Rachel dyes such pretty yarn; they are often OOAK dyes, so if you see a colour you love, get it while you can.
You don’t have to hold mohair lace-weight with other yarns. In the Cirrus shawl, the mohair contrasts beautifully with alternating stripes of speckled boucle. This is gossamer light and has small, simple stitches to showcase the yarn.
This crescent shawl uses one 50g skein of mohair and one 100g skein of dk boucle yarn. I bought both from the wonderful Amy of Mamie & Florrie. The idea for this shawl came from a knitted crescent shawl also made in Amy’s yarn. The Cloudy Nora shawlis just so stunning; something similar in crochet had to be created (I asked for permission first!).
If I’m not wearing Wheatfields, I’m wearing this crochet scarf. It’s a crochet pattern using mohair yarn, but it looks great in a merino double knit, as well.
The Barking Mad scarf uses the Houndstooth stitch worked on the bias. It’s a free crochet pattern here on my blog. I love the stitch so much that I also designed a hat and a cowl.
If you wanted to buy a PDF rather than use the free Barking Mad scarf pattern, the purchasable pattern comes with the hat and cowl, too.
This cute crochet set of a cowl and a matching headband is made using Along Avec Anna yarn. Anna’s shop is just down the road from me in Exeter, but her knitwear designs are known internationally. When her yarns were introduced, I knew I had to try them, and that’s where this design originated. Isca is the Celtic word for water or river, and the Roman name for Exeter.
A combination of bobbles and crochet ribbing creates a modern crochet cowl and head-warmer set. FindIsca on Ravelry. Or, if you’re not a Rav user, you’ll find Isca on Etsy
Embracing the granny stitch, Hygge Hugs sticks to the principle of keeping it simple for crochet patterns using mohair yarn.
Here’s the Ravelry description: The stitch pattern is a fun take on the traditional granny stitch, featuring rows of double crochet shells worked on the bias. Alternating rows of different yarn weights add texture, with a touch of mohair for extra fluffiness. The shawl’s wide wingspan allows for several styling options and effortless wear. The hand-warmers use yarn left from making the shawl. They are super quick to crochet, so you will have something warm and fuzzy in no time!
Mya Shawl
I made a Mya shawl when it was first published in Inside Crochet magazine. It’s a beautiful design by crochet shawl queen, Helda Panagary.
Similar to the Cirrus shawl, Mya uses alternating stripes of mohair and non-mohair yarns. This time, in a deep triangle-shaped shawl using the classic linen stitch. It makes perfect use of two complementary hand-dyed yarns with dainty stitches that work really well together.
Look at the lovely Claudia from Crochet Luna (above). I really love the yarns she chose for her version of Mya. Stunning! Claudia has a lovely crochet podcast on YouTube. Go and watch it!
Hippovanten Herr
Soft and cosy mittens using mohair held with alpaca yarn? Yes please! I think I might have to make these; their simple post stitches look really soothing (and speedy) to work up.
These crochet mittens come in three different sizes, and they are made with fingering-weight yarn held with lace-weight mohair. For me, it’s always the simple crochet stitches that create the most effective and modern looking style.
The Clover Beanie by Cosmaudi is the epitome of modern, knit look crochet. If you’d like a crochet hat that incorporates short rows to have a snug fit, this looks like a great pattern to try. Initially, it is worked flat and then seamed after. This crochet hat uses worsted-weight yarn held with mohair; the combination means it’ll work up really quickly.
Subnivean Shawl
The Subnivean shawl by Crochet Highway is a wide scarf that uses a worsted weight mohair yarn on its own rather than two yarns held together. The thicker yarn weight makes it easier to crochet with, too. Fluffy yarn works really well with these cloud-like puff stitches, and Ana-Maria offers yarn substitutions as well, so you can try different suggestions.
The crochet shawl is an easy to remember 4-row pattern repeat using a modified Jasmine stitch. I’ve not tried this before, but I think it would be a wonderful addition to a crocheter’s wardrobe. This is such a cute crochet design.
Etela Cowl – A Crochet Pattern Using Mohair Yarn
This is the Etela cowl by Veronika Cromwell, a free pattern on her Blue Star Crochet blog. As soon as I saw this crochet cowl, I had to learn more about it. It is still on my list of things to make as I love the use of mohair combined with a waistcoat stitch. But it’s not just any waistcoat stitch; this is a half double (UK half treble) waistcoat stitch. With such a small tweak, the look of the stitch is transformed.
This is unfussy crochet as its best; it’s so chic, and I’m totally here for it!
10 Crochet Patterns Using Mohair Yarn – Garments
Fuzzy Duck Crochet Sweater Pattern
My own design! Yay!! This is a drop sleeve crochet pattern for a roll neck sweater, or there are instructions for a crew neck. Fuzzy Duck is worked in rows despite looking like it’s corner to corner. It’s so good, I enjoyed making it four times (although one of those sweaters is made with a wool DK rather than mohair)!
Fuzzy Duck holds a sock weight yarn held with a lace weight merino. Or, you can create the fuzzy halo with just one strand of Scheepjes Stone Washed as an alternative, which is a sport-weight yarn.
Ducky Fuzz crochet vest is only an indirect cousin of Fuzzy Duck. They’re both crochet patterns using fluffy yarns, and so they get matchy-matchy names. It’s purely for fun and japes because that kind of puerility makes me laugh.
The original, seagreen top is suri alpaca on its own. The striped version uses Stylecraft Grace, which is an aran-weight floof yarn that’s 85% acrylic, 5% wool and 10% mohair. It gives it a pretty halo, and in my experience is a little bit easier to frog if things go wrong.
If the fluffy yarn is too much for crochet ribbing and you’re a confident knitter, try a 1×1 knitted rib. Only crochet ribbing is included in the pattern, but the knitted edging is very simple to whip up without instructions (honestly, if I can do it…)
The Sia cardigan by Showroom Crochet is a subtle approach to using mohair yarn; it’s modern, understated and proper wearable crochet. This would be a great first cardigan if you want to try a crochet pattern using mohair yarn.
Step-by-step guides and video tutorials will help crafters make this crochet cardigan. It’s definitely on my list of crochet garments to make, and I think it’d tempt me into buying Knitting for Olive yarn too!
Be Bold Sweater
I remember noticing the Be Bold sweater in an issue of Inside Crochet magazine. It was seven years ago, yet I still recall thinking how cool it was. It’s bold and wants to be seen, isn’t it fab? It’s a crochet design by Michelle White of Dora Does.
This is a crochet design that uses mohair lace weight yarn on its own, again, sticking to simple stitches. I think that’s the theme throughout this collection! Let the fluffy yarn do the talking; don’t try to outdo it with fancy stitch patterns.
I have loads of saved images of mohair jumpers designed by Vivienne Westwood from the late 70’s. Michelle’s design reminds me of a modern take on that punk era, perhaps a bit more grown up!
Something Something Raglan
This bright red sweater is the Something Something Raglan by Moa Blomqvist. It’s a crochet pattern using mohair yarn on its own and has negative ease to create a fitted crochet garment. It’s worked top down, in the round, with additional customisable options for tweaking so you can make the perfect garment to fit your shape.
A smaller hook size means the stitches sit closer together. This creates a warm yet light crochet fabric.
Crocheted Kore – A Crochet Pattern With Mohair Yarn
This is the Kore sweater by Maysa Tomikawa. It’s a genius idea; adding vertical mohair ruffles to a plain, oversized, cotton crochet top. It’s both simplistic and uber creative, I ruddy love it! It looks sophisticated, yet I know it’d be very speedy to work up. It is also a great crochet project if you’re cautious about using mohair for garments. I believe the mohair ruffles are added after the main body is worked up, so, in the unlikely event you go a little bit wrong, you haven’t messed up the entire thing! Wahoo!
You’ll find many of Maysa’s crochet designs also have knitted versions of the same design, showing the absolute versatility of yarn crafts.
I’ll Pencil You In Sweater
I’ll Pencil You In is a crochet sweater that’s worked vertically, meaning rows are worked up and down. It’s very much on trend with its knit look crochet stitches.
This crochet design is by Lindsey Muscarell, aka Just the Worsted. Using worsted-weight, held with mohair, this is a sweater that can be crocheted in next to no time at all.
Epeire by Emmeline Bonhomme
Epeire is a loose-fit, raglan sweater and another top that uses mohair on its own. It’s a pattern written in French, but including it is a must because it’s totally gorgeous. I’m sure it could easily be translated into English if French isn’t in your repertoire.
Similar to the Something Something Raglan, this is a raglan sleeve construction, worked from the top down. Yet, look at how different it is. There’s lots of positive ease in this one, making it laid back and really casual. It makes a fabulous layering piece, and the loose, open stitches have a rebellious vibe.
The vivid green? Eek, I want one! I have convinced myself that I could hook up Epeire in a weekend, but perhaps that’s slightly ambitious…
Rousseau
This light, lacey top is called Rousseau, and it’s designed by Eline Alcocer. It is a very pretty crochet pattern using mohair yarn, which features in the latest crochet collection by Daruma.
The stitch pattern on Rousseau is slightly more complex than other patterns featured here. However, for experienced and/or ambitious crocheters, this is completely achievable. Not everything should be easy all the time. This is a great pattern to push your crochet skills. It’s more challenging than the other patterns here, but I do reckon the results would be 100% worth it.
Starlight Couple Cardigan
The Starlight Couple Cardigan is such a cool pattern. It’s designed by Susan’s Family, and it’s a free pattern that comes with a shedload of crochet charts to make it easier to follow. Plus, there’s a YouTube tutorial, which is a great visual aid to accompany the pattern.
This crochet cardigan is maybe the most challenging make in this list, which is why I’ve saved it until last! However, with sections of varying crochet stitches, each section is small, so easier to take one step at a time.
The shirt-like look of this top is very on trend, so I think it’s worth a go if you’re after a more advanced crochet project.
Will You Crochet with Mohair?
And there you have it, a collection of 20 designs for crochet patterns using mohair yarn! Is this something you have explored before?
I’m not going to deny that mohair is without challenges; sometimes, it’s tricky stuff to work with. If you haven’t worked with mohair yarn before, you may wish to aim for one of the easier crochet accessories to see how you go. Then you’ll be ready to embark on a crochet sweater! After a short time, it becomes much less difficult to work with two yarns together, and it is easier still when choosing the right pattern for the material.
So, what do you think of the collection of crochet patterns using mohair yarn? Which ones do you like the best? Have you got any other crochet patterns that I’ve missed? Let me know in the comments. Thank you and happy crocheting!
Quick Crochet Patterns for Christmas Gifts (And Stocking Fillers!)
Here are some quick and easy crochet patterns for Christmas gifts and stocking fillers. The great thing is, all of these are free crochet patterns, right here, on my blog!
We’re a week or so into November, so there is still plenty of time to work up quick crochet projects for the festive season. Perhaps you’re looking to crochet stocking fillers, or maybe make small gifts to crochet that will sit under the tree, waiting to be unwrapped on the big day. Whatever the reason, you’re sure to find some crochet inspiration here.
The following crochet patterns are all great ideas that you can get sorted well in time for Christmas. And they make great stash busters, too. Some also have links to tutorials on my crochet YouTube channel. Not all of them, but you’ll find more info in each pattern’s post.
A Granny Stripe Woolly Hat
I love this granny stripe hat pattern so much that I’ve crocheted four of them so far. The ribbing is a little time-consuming, but get into the swing of it, and you don’t notice. You could also swap it for post stitches if you were in a hurry.
Crochet Hair Scrunchies – Super Quick Crochet!
This crochet hair scrunchie pattern is one of the quickest crochet patterns on the list. Oh, so quick to make, and they are the best stocking fillers for the long-haired person in your life.
I make a little ball of knotted scraps to make the really colourful scrunchies. Mohair yarn also looks great too.
Barking Mad – A Houndstooth Stitch Scarf
Isn’t the houndstooth stitch such a crochet classic!? I love exploring ways to use this delightful stitch. So, my Barking Mad Scarf is a scarf crocheted on the diagonal. It uses two hanks of hand-dyed yarn held with mohair, but honestly, you can make this in your favourite DK or worsted weight yarn too.
Not that you need to know, but I wore my grey pair of cosy crochet socks to death. I wore them every winter for four years until they wore away. All good things must come to an end, so they were replaced with the cream Christmas socks! Although, to be honest, the only thing that makes them Christmassy is the added holly leaves and red trim. Subtle, but I like it.
I used an aran weight yarn that borders on chunky yarn. Even with a finer weight of yarn, socks can be crocheted in no time and then secretly stuffed into a Christmas stocking!
Easy Gingham Crochet Bows
As well as bringing festive cheer with crochet bows in deep reds and greens, they would look totally amazing, popped onto wrapped Christmas presents. Or, I can see them tied to tree branches as well. These easy-to-make gingham crochet bows would also look great as a hair accessory.
Now that I think about it, I really would love loads of crochet bows decorating my Christmas tree.
Chunky Mittens – Quick Crochet Christmas Gifts
I cannot express how quick these chunky crochet mittens are to make. It still takes me by surprise. Colour-changing yarn takes them up a ramp, too, although I do have the perfect Christmassy red pair as well.
These crochet mittens are worked from the cuff up with increases to create the thumb shaping. A few small adjustments can be made to alter the size a bit.
Crochet Totes – Crochet Patterns for Christmas Gifts
Crochet is the perfect craft for making shoppers, totes and market bags by hand. I truly love a crochet bag in any guise! Therefore, here are two crochet pattern ideas for Christmas gifts. If you have the time, line the bags with a simple lining to make them a little bit stronger.
Cotton yarn is the best for crochet bags as it has robust durability. Some yarn brands have beautiful colour ranges so you can make really bright, cheerful crochet bags.
Zigzag Tote bag pattern. I love a crochet chevron, and they look great in this cotton crochet bag.
Granny Stitch Crochet Earmuffs
Stop ears from getting cold on blustery days, pop on some snuggly crochet earmuffs! This crochet idea is definitely the quickest crochet pattern in the list. You do need to buy earmuffs to cover, though.
The granny earmuff covers are removable, so feel free to make several pairs so that the wearer can change them whenever the mood strikes!
Easy Crochet Wrist Warmers!
OMG, these are the easiest crochet wrist warmers ever. There’s the teeniest bit of shaping to make sure they fit at the forearms. But there’s not even a thumb hole, so you can just enjoy working around and around. Buy self-striping yarn and you don’t even need to think about changing colour (or sew in a crazy amount of ends).
The crocheted hat and cowl for the Apres Ski set start life the same way. A strip of simple corner-to-corner crochet work creates the chevron pattern. Then they’re joined into a cowl, or with a few additional stitches, you’ve got a warm crocheted hat.
Obviously, all of these patterns make great last-minute crochet gifts, but I really think this cosy set would be perfect as a Christmas gift for family and friends.
Christmas Granny Stitch Santa Hat
Super chunky yarn means crochet patterns work up in a ridiculously short amount of time. I’m not normally a fan, but this chunky Santa hat pattern is such a fun item for everyone to wear at Christmas!
Modelled by my son a few years ago, the same hat fits me. So it’s kind of a one-size-fits-all hat. The sad thing is, I don’t remember how old he is here. He’s 16 now…
Simple Crochet Shawls
I’ve saved shawls until the end, as they are probably the longest projects here. However, you may find that you have the time to work on one of these simple designs. They are all free crochet triangle shawl patterns on the blog.
Hinterland Shawl
Top left, the Hinterland shawlis an aran-weight shawl using some pretty basic stitches. However, those stitches really do sing when they’re placed together. It’s a large shawl, so perhaps a present for under the tree (I don’t think that it would fit in an Xmas stocking!).
Urban Stripe Shawl
Top middle, we have the Urban Stripe shawl, which is a basic pattern worked from end to end. Regular increases are made to the middle, then decreases are made to the end. It’s also a great beginner crochet project. A sport weight yarn works well for this design, but it’s pretty versatile, and you can switch to a different yarn weight.
Wayward Sisters Shawl
Top right is the Wayward Sisters shawl, a crochet granny shawl, but the stripes run horizontally. For ease, speed and avoiding sewing in ends, this granny stripe shawl would look amazing in one colour. Also, why not add a contrast colour for the edging to bring it to life?
Triangular Granny Shawl
Lastly, it’s another triangle granny shawl pattern. It’s a stupendous stashbuster that can be worked up lickety split. This version uses 4ply yarn scraps, but the original version (made years ago) uses DK wool.
In case you didn’t catch the pattern links as you read through, let’s list them here:
And there we have it, lots of different ideas to help you with crochet patterns for Christmas gifts! It’s a great collection with something for everyone. Do you think you’ll crochet some of these for loved ones? Let me know!
Crochet mittens are a winter favourite of mine, and that includes super warm, chunky crochet mittens! Ordinarily, I prefer a lighter weight of yarn for handmade accessories, but for quick-fix crochet, this pattern is great.
These crochet chunky mittens are worked from the cuff up to the tips of the fingers. After a post-stitch ribbing, simple increases are made to incorporate space for a thumb. Then, the rest of the mitten is shaped with a couple of decreases. Because bulky weight yarn is used, they work up super fast, so they make ideal crochet gifts too.
In addition to the written crochet pattern below, I have also created a crochet tutorial on how to crochet mittens; check it out above. Alternatively, you can also purchase a written PDF pattern that’s ad-free. It comes with both US and UK instructions. This super pattern is available on Ravelry or you can also buy the crochet pattern in my Etsy store.
Chunky (or Bulky) Yarn for Crochet Mittens
Chunky yarn and bulky yarn are the same weight of yarn. I believe that’s a size 5 (although I don’t use yarn sizes, so had to look it up!). It turns out that a chunky, or bulky yarn makes a great pair of mittens when using simple crochet stitches.
Of course, I tried a few different yarn brands and after a bit of research, my two favourite chunky yarns were West Yorkshire Spinners Re:Treat and Stylecraft Carnival Tweed. Also, it turns out, you can make one pair of chunky crochet mittens out of a single, 100-gram ball of yarn, which is just amazing!
5.5mm hook (US I/9) for the mitten main sections. Please remember to change to the 5.5mm crochet hook once you have completed the cuff. I totally forgot when I filmed the tutorial and, when it dawns on me (after I’ve crocheted most of the mitten!), I show you at the end what difference it makes.
Crochet Stitch Abbreviations – US Terms
beg = beginning, bpdc = back post double, ch = chain, ch-sp = chain space, dec = decrease, fpdc = front post double, hdc = half double crochet, st(s) = stitch(es), sp(s) = space(s), sl st = slip stitch, rep = repeat, yrh = yarn round hook.
Stitch Tension
Tension isn’t necessarily essential but it could affect the fit of your mittens. And it could also affect the amount used. Basically, if stitches are too loose, it doesn’t matter, but it will mean you need more than one ball of yarn.
If you’re a stickler for gauge (and I am very much in support of meaasuring gauge), 8cm measures 11 stitches & 8 rows. I chose 8cm as a measurement because I could measure across the widest part of the mitten to check it. If it was the standard 10, I would have had to make a gauge swatch and honestly, I wasn’t up for that for crochet mittens!
Finished Mitten Size
The wrist circumference is 19cm / 7.5in. The mitten length is 24cm / 9.5 in. This means that the mitten will fit the average woman’s hand very nicely indeed. Comparatively, I think I have a pretty average hand size.
Adjusting a Crochet Mitten to Fit
If you wanted to adjust these chunky crochet mittens to make them a different size, it’s definitely possible. There are a couple of different places you could add or take away stitches and rows. So, here are three ways to make potential adjustments.
To adjust the circumference, the stitch pattern is a multiple of two to accommodate the 1×1 post stitch ribbing. Therefore, take or add two stitches to the foundation round at the beginning. Surprisingly, just two stitches measure approximately 1.5cm! So bear that in mind.
Each round of hdc stitches is 1cm in height. There are two places where you could add extra rows to make longer mittens, or indeed, take the away for shorter mittens. You might want to remove the first round on hdc (UK htr) stitches after the cuff. Then remove a further round after the thumb split. Or add them if you want larger/longer chunky crochet mittens.
If you had exceptionally slender thumbs, you could, perhaps, lose a stitch either by dropping the final increase on round 12 and skipping 7 titches rather than 8 for the thumb split. But I wouldn’t advise on reducing them too drastically. An extra stitch can be incorporated by adding one more increase on round 12 if you wanted larger thumbs. If you do this, skip 9 stitches at the split, not 8.
You could also make cosy crochet wrist warmers by not working the thumb and finishing after 5 or six round after the split!
Notes For Chunky Crochet Mittens
As nearly always, the 1ch at the beginning of rounds is not counted as a st.
When changing colour, cut the old yarn and pull through the new yarn on the last yarn over of the previous round before slip stitching to join the round.
For Round 1, close up the open start by popping in a few firm stitches to sew closed, it’s OK to leave this until the end.
If in doubt check out the video tutorial. It has timestamps for the main sections.
I know this is obvious, but make two mittens to get your pair!
Special Stitches
Foundation double (fdc). This is an alternative to beginning with a foundation chain. It creates a neater edge that’s less likely to be tighter than the rest of your stitches.
Ch4 (counts as a st), yrh, insert hook in 4th ch from hook, yrh, draw through, yrh, draw through 1 loop (this creates the space you’ll work the next stitch into), yrh, draw through 2 loops, yrh, draw through 2 loops. Work the next fdc (foundation double) into the created space and loop behind it.
Decreases (dec). Yrh and insert hook into st, yrh and pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), insert hook into next st, yrh and pull up a loop, yrh, pull through all 4 loops on hook.
Chunky Crochet Mittens Pattern
Main Hand Section
Rnd 1 (r/s): With 5mm hook, 26fdc, join with sl st, turn. [26 sts] Rnd 2 – 5: 1ch, *1fpdc, 1bpdc; rep from * around, join with sl st, do not turn (here & throughout). Rnds 6 – 7: Change to 5.5mm hook, 1ch, hdc around. Rnd 8: 1ch, starting in the first st [1hdc, 2hdc in next st] twice, hdc to last st, 2hdc in last st, join with sl st to first st, turn [29 sts] Rnd 9: As Rnd 6 Rnd 10: As Rnd 8. [32 sts] Rnd 11: As Rnd 6. Rnd 12: 1ch, 1hdc, 2hdc in next st, hdc around, join with sl st to first st, fasten off. [33 sts].
Separate for Hand and Thumb
With loop on the hook, insert hook into first st, skip 8 sts, insert hook into back of next st, sl st through both sts, turn work to continue working on hand.
Rnd 1: 1hdc in same stitch as sl st just made, hdc around, join with a sl st to the first st. [25 sts] Rnds 2 – 5: 1ch, hdc around, join with sl st. Rnd 6: 1ch, 1hdc, 1dec, hdc around, join with sl st. [24 sts] Rnd 7: As Rnd 2. Rnd 8: 1ch, 1hdc, 1dec, 8 hdc, 1dec, hdc to end, join with sl st, turn. [22sts] Rnd 9: As Rnd 2 Rnd 10: 1ch, 1hdc, 1dec, 7hdc, 1dec, hdc to end, join with sl st, turn. [20 sts] Rnd 11: As Rnd 10. [18 sts] Fasten off, leaving a tail.
Crocheting the Thumb
Rnd 1: Join yarn to any st, 1ch, hdc around, join with a sl st to first st, turn. [8 sts] Rnd 2: 1ch, hdc around, join with sl st to the first st, turn. Rnd 3: 1ch, 1hdc, 1dec, hdc around, join with sl st to the first st, turn. [7 sts] Rnds 4 & 5: As Rnd 2. Fasten off, leaving a tail.
With the right side out, use a darning needle to weave the tail through each front loop of the top of the mitten. Gently pull to close. Sew in the end to secure. Rep for thumb. Sew in all other ends.
And there you have it! Really easy crochet mittens using bulky yarn, my chunky crochet mittens! What do you think? How quickly do you think you’d be able to make a pair? I bet you could do it in a day without a hitch! Let me know!
If you enjoyed this free crochet pattern, please feel free to peruse the rest of my blog. I have some other fabulous free crochet patterns, or I have a page that gathers some excellent resources for crochet tips and tricks. You’ll find some brand new crochet ideas to add to your repertoire!
But for now, thank you for stopping by and I’ll be back soon. Cheers! x
Hinterland is an aran weight crochet shawl pattern that I designed back in 2018. It was a crochet design commissioned for Mollie Makes magazine, which is sadly no longer published (oh, how I loved Mollie Makes!).
In the magazine, the shawl was called Nordic Noir. I wasn’t keen on that title, so I changed the name when I published it independently. Hinterland, as a name, feels a little bit less moody, don’t you think?
If you would like the free version of Hinterland, my aran-weight crochet shawl, please keep reading. I’ll throw in a few “How to” pictures as well, as I think that’s helpful. A chart and table of stitch counts are also included in thePDF version pattern for purchase.
To make your aran weight crochet shawl pattern, you will need, funnily enough, some aran weight yarn. I have crocheted this shawl three times, and each time I have successfully used a different yarn brand. In other words, it’s a very versatile shawl. Sadly, I don’t remember the other brands, but that’s Ok as I don’t have many pics of them anyway. Just use your fave aran or worsted weight yarn, and you won’t go far wrong.
However, a perfectly fine yarn to use, and the yarn I used in the original Hinterland shawl, is King Cole Fashion Aran. Unfortunately, it looks like the Shetland shade isn’t available anymore, but don’t worry, the range is pretty wide. I’m sure you can choose lots of colourful alternatives to make a beautiful crochet shawl. Honestly, just writing up this blog post makes me want to crochet a new version in totally different colours!
This aran weight crochet shawl pattern is super easy, and therefore, I would say that it’s suitable for beginners.
The finished size is approximately. It’s a big, warm hug of a shawl at 220 x 88 cm / 86.5 x 34.5 inches.
Free Crochet Shawl Pattern Using Aran Weight Yarn
Hinterland’s Yarn and Hook Sizes.
As has been the case for my last few free crochet patterns, I’ve made the decision to write the freebie up in US terms. I didn’t always do this, but because many of my customers prefer US terms, it makes sense to move forward with this from now on. The paid-for version has both UK and US crochet terms.
King Cole Fashion Aran is 30% and 70% acrylic with 200m per 100g. You will need 300g (3x100g balls) of the main colour (YA) and 200g (2x100g balls) of the edging colour (YB).
For the main body of the shawl, you will need a 5.0 mm (UK 6, US H/8) crochet hook. For the edging, change to a 5.5mm (US I) crochet hook. There is a slight difference in tension for the different crochet stitches, so to balance that, the different hook sizes are used. There’s nothing to stop you from using a different size of hook to find one that best suits your crochet style.
Ready to crochet?
Aran Weight Crochet Shawl Pattern
With YA and 5mm hook, chain 4 Row 1: (1dc, ch2, 2dc) in 4th ch from hook, turn. [2 sts per side, not inc 2 centre chains] Row 2: Ch3, 1dc in same st, 2dc in next st, (1dc, 2ch, 1dc) in 2ch-sp, 2dc in next st, 2dc in top of 4th ch, turn. [5 sts per side & increasing by 3 sts each row] Row 3: Ch3, 1dc in same st, 2dc in next st, 1dc along to center, (1dc, 2ch, 1dc) in 2ch-sp, 1dc along to last 2 sts, 2dc in next st, 2dc in top of 3rd ch, turn.
Row 4 – 7: Rep Row 3 Row 8: Ch4 (counts as 1dc and ch1, here & throughout), [1dc in next st, ch1] twice, skip next st, *1dc, ch1, skip 1 st; rep from * to center, (1dc, 2ch,1dc) in 2ch-sp, ch1, **skip 1 st, 1dc, ch1; rep from** to last 2 sts, 1dc in next st, ch1, 1dc in top of 3rd ch, turn. [12dc & 11ch sts / 23sts] Row 9: Ch3, 1dc in same st, 2dc in 1st ch-sp, 1dc in next st, *1dc in ch-sp, 1dc in next st; rep from * to center, (1dc, 2ch, 1dc) in 2ch-sp, **1dc in next st, 1dc in ch-sp; rep from ** to last 2 sts, 2dc in last ch-sp, 2dc in top of 3rd ch, turn. [26 st per side]
Change to a 5.5 mm hook. Row 42: Ch4, 1sc in same st, ch1, skip 1 st, *1sc, ch1, skip 1 st; rep from * to center, (1sc, 2ch, 1sc) in 2ch-sp, ch1, skip 1st, rep from * to end, finishing with (1sc, 1ch, 1dc) in top of 3rd ch, change colour to YB on last st, turn. [1dc, 62sc, 62ch / 125 sts & increasing by 3 sts per side, each row]
Row 43: Ch4, 1sc in first sp, ch1, skip 1 st, *1sc in 1ch-sp, ch1, skip 1 st; rep from * to center, (1sc, 2ch, 1sc) in 2ch-sp, ch1, skip 1 st, rep from * to end finishing with (1sc, 1ch, 1dc) in last sp, turn. Row 44 – 62: Rep Row 43 Row 63: Ch1 (does not count as a st), (1sc, 2ch, 1sc) in first ch-sp, 1sl st in next ch-sp, *(1sc, 2ch, 1sc) in next ch-sp, sl st in next); rep from * to center, (2sc, 2ch, 2sc) in 2ch-sp, **1sl st in next ch-sp, (1sc, 2ch, 1sc) in next; rep from ** to end. Fasten off and sew in ends.
Blocking A Crochet Shawl
As luck would have it, I have a blog post all about blocking crochet projects. Feel free to check it out because it has lots of useful info. However, for this aran weight crochet shawl, I used a yarn that has a blend of wool and acrylic. Due to the acrylic content, I chose to steam block the Hinterland shawl. Be super careful when you do this because steam is HOT, and you do not want to melt all of your hard work.
To open up the stitches and give this shawl a beautiful drape, above all, blocking is essential. Pin out onto foam blocking mats (or use a towel on the carpet). Take lots of care to steam block by holding an iron (with a steam function) an inch above the work. This is just so important, DO NOT let the iron touch the yarn; it will melt/burn acrylic yarn. Leave to dry.
However, I thoroughly recommend getting a steamer; honestly, it totally takes away the fear of melting.
Making Tassels for your Crochet Shawl
Make three tassels. You want one for each point of your triangle shawl. If the following instructions don’t make sense, I’ve got you, I have a How To Make Tassels video tutorial.
Wrap Yarn B around the width of a sturdy A5 book approximately 20 times. With a 30 cm piece of yarn, tie the lengths together in the middle, then cut the other ends. Fold the strands in half with the tie at the top so that you have a mini bundle of yarn. 2cm down from the tied middle, tie another 30cm length of yarn around the lengths (you can wrap this around a couple of times) and let them hang with the other threads. Trim the tassel ends and tie them to the corners of the shawl for a nice finishing touch. Sew in the ends.Â
And voila! That’s how you make a super cosy aran weight crochet shawl. If you like this crochet pattern, try some of my other designs. The best way to do that is to have a read through this blog! Firstly, how about a visit to my Free Crochet Pattern page. Let me know what you think because I would absolutely love to hear from you! 🙂
This gingham crochet bow pattern only uses small amounts of yarn scraps, so it’s perfect for a stash-busting project. Little bows, whether gingham, checked, plain, large or small, they’re a super speedy crochet project. In this blog post, you’ll find patterns for both the large and small sizes.
Both crochet bow patterns are also very easy to adapt. Why not add more rows for a deeper, plusher bow? No one says you have to go gingham, so make them all in one colour, or edge them in contrast colours. What about crocheting a giant bow in super chunky yarn? Play around with these crochet bows and have fun because it’s the sort of crochet pattern where you can’t stop at just one!
Below are the written patterns, but I’ve also put together a video tutorial for the gingham crochet bow pattern above. I demonstrate how to make both the small and large bows in the gingham pattern, which uses a basic tapestry crochet technique.
You could even crochet some tie sections in gingham (or plain colours), too! I didn’t do this as I’ve only just thought of it (8 years after first designing the crochet bows!), but I think that would look really cute. Instead, I hastily crocheted short chains of about 15-18 chains for the little bows, which can be easily stitched to the back to look like ties. See the next photo to have a visual of the chains. I pulled the knots tight so they don’t come undone, but you may want to sew the ends in to secure.
It’s a pattern I designed for Inside Crochet magazine back in 2017, but I have a feeling crochet bows are on their way back into fashion, so it’s the perfect time to revisit this easy pattern.
The approximate sizes are: Large bow5 x 12cm /1¼ x 2¼ inches. Small bow 3 x 6cm / 2x 4¾ inches. But don’t let that stop you from experimenting and making them in different yarn weights to come up with different-sized crochet bows. I used a super chunky yarn and a 6 or 7 mm hook ( I can’t remember now) to make a giant bow. I have no idea what to do with it, but it was fun to make! [Edit:: just in the last few minutes, one of the kids has taken ownership of it!]
Materials for Crochet Bow Pattern
I use DK cotton in the main pattern because it’s sturdy and creates a nice, firm bow. You don’t need very much yarn at all. Below, I’ve said 20 grams, which is generous. So you probably won’t need that much. We’re talking fewer than 50 metres of each colour. This should make one large and two small crochet bows
20 grams Drops Muskat DK (100% cotton, 50g/100m/109yds), in Denim (Yarn A), 15 grams each of Rico Cotton Essentials DK (100% cotton, 50g/130m/142yds) in Navy (Yarn B) & Natural (Yarn C).
3mm hook.
Needle for sewing in ends.
Headband and 2x 5cm hair clips – Suggested because I added the crochet bows to hair accessories.
Hot glue gun (or other strong glue) – optional.
You’ll be using US single crochet stitches for this crochet bow pattern. That’s UK double crochets. There’s also the option of finishing off with a slip stitch edging to make them a little bit tidier. That, and chaining, are all the techniques you need to know.
Crochet Bow Pattern Notes
Colour changes: Yarn is changed during the third stitch of the current colour. Ie, insert hook in stitch, yarn over and pull through stitch, drop current yarn and finish stitch by yarning over and pulling through the new yarn to complete.
The yarn not in use is crocheted over as you go, ready to pick up when you need it.
With Yarn A chain 64. Row 1: 1sc in second ch from hook, 1sc in next 2 sts, *change colour to Yarn B, 1sc in next 3 sts, change colour to Yarn A, 1sc in next 3 sts; rep from * to the end, turn. – 63 sts. 2: 1ch, 1sc in next 3 sts, *change colour to Yarn B, 1sc in next 3 sts, change colour to Yarn A, 1sc in next 3 sts; rep from * to the end, change colour to Yarn C on the last st, turn. 3: 1ch, 1sc in next 3 sts, *change colour to Yarn A, 1sc in next 3 sts, change colour to Yarn C, 1sc in next 3 sts; rep from * to the end, turn. 4: 1ch, 1sc in next 3 sts, *change colour to Yarn A, 1sc in next 3 sts, change colour to Yarn C, 1sc in next 3 sts; rep from * to the end, change colour to Yarn A on the last st, turn. 5: 1ch, 1sc in next 3 sts, *change colour to Yarn B, 1sc in next 3 sts, change colour to Yarn A, 1sc in next 3 sts; rep from * to the end, turn. 6: As Row 2. 7: As Row 3. 8: As Row 4. 9: As Row 5. 10: As Row 2. 11: 1ch, sc to end. Cut yarn, leaving an end for joining. Sew in the other ends and fold the piece in half (neatest side inside) end to end. Join ends together using sc stitches or sewing. Fasten off and sew in the last end. Turn right side out.
Large Gingham Bow Middle Band
With Yarn A chain 19. Row 1: 1sc in second ch from hook, 1sc in next 2 sts, *change colour to Yarn B, 1sc in next 3 sts, change colour to Yarn A, 1sc in next 3 sts; rep from * twice, change colour to Yarn B, 1sc in next 3 sts, turn. – 18 sts. 2: 1ch, 1sc in next 3 sts, *change colour to Yarn A, 1sc in next 3 sts, change colour to Yarn B, 1sc in next 3 sts; rep from * twice, change colour to Yarn A, 1sc in next 3 sts, change colour to Yarn C on the last st, turn. 3: 1ch,1sc in next 3 st, *change colour to Yarn A, 1sc in next 3 st, change colour to Yarn C, 1sc in next 3 st; rep from * twice, change colour to Yarn A, 1sc in next 3 st, turn. 4: 1ch, 1sc in next 3 sts, *change colour to Yarn C, 1sc in next 3 sts, change colour to Yarn A, 1sc in next 3 sts; rep from * twice, change colour to Yarn C, 1sc in next 3 sts, change colour to Yarn A on the last st, turn. 5: 1ch, 1sc in next 3 sts, *change colour to Yarn B, 1sc in next 3 sts, change colour to Yarn A, 1sc in next 3 sts; rep from * twice, change colour to Yarn B, 1sc in next 3 sts, turn. 6: Rep Row 2, ending without the last colour change. Fasten off and leave a tail for sewing. Sew in all the other ends.
Large Plain Crochet Bow
Chain 59. Row 1: 1sc in second ch from hook, sc to end, turn. – 58 sts. 2: 1ch, sc to end, turn. Rows 3 – 14: As Row 2. 15: Join contrast yarn, slip stitch along to end. Fasten off and sew in the ends. Rep slip stitch edging on the right side of Row 1.
Make a middle band in one colour (as instructed above for stitch count and rows). Add contrast slip-stitch edging to the first and last rows of the middle band.
Assembly For Large Bows
With the joining seam in the centre of the back, pinch the middle of the main piece to make a bow shape. Hold against the headband (if using) and wrap the middle band around all. Sew the ends of the middle band together to secure it all in place. You can also use glue to secure the bow to the hairband or any other surface you wish to attach it to.
Small Gingham Bow
With Yarn A chain 16. Repeat rows 1-6 of main piece. – 15 sts. Fasten off and sew in ends.
Assembly For Small Bow
Using 80cm of Yarn B, tightly tie a knot around the centre of the bow, leaving a 10 cm tail. Wrap the yarn tightly 12-14 times around the centre. Tie a knot at the back of the bow and sew in ends, then with a hot glue gun (or equivalent), stick the bow to the hair clip. Alternatively, sew the bow to the clip. Repeat with the other small bow.
And that’s it! Pretty simple, hey? If you liked this crochet bow pattern, then please feel free to check out my free crochet pattern page to find more fun projects. Cheers! x
