Reversible crocheted blanket

Reversible 2-color shells
Reversible 2-color shells

Made with fingering or sport weight yarn and a size 5mm or 5.5mm hook, this crocheted reversible shell stitch creates an amazingly soft and cushiony fabric that’s perfect for an easy and warm baby blanket. You could combine any two yarn colors from these 32 choices of Bernat Softee Baby.

An experienced beginner could crochet this easily. It’s just a matter of keeping track of two balls of yarn. Locking stitch markers or split ring stitch markers are pretty important to getting this right, too.

If you wanted a reversible placement or even better a doormat, you could use some nylon cord (here are 86 colors to choose from) to crochet a durable item to make a lovely welcome mat.  (neither of these is an affiliate link, just so you know)

 

 

Pattern instructions for reversible shell stitch pattern

Stitches Used (US terms): Ch (chain st), sc (single crochet), hdc (half-double crochet), dc (double crochet), tr (treble crochet), fptr (front post treble crochet), sl st (slip stitch).

Reversible 2-color crochet shells
Reversible crochet shells

Yarn A = your first color choice; Yarn B = your second color choice (or a ball of the same color as A, just labelled B, to keep things straight)

Row 1: With yarn A, ch a multiple of 4 sts plus 2. Sc in 2nd ch from hk (hook) and in each ch across, turn.

Row 2: Ch 2 (referred to as lower t-ch, aka turning chain), *sc in next st, dc in next st, sc in next st**, ch 1, sk (skip) next st; rep from * across, ending final rep (repeat) at **, hdc in last st, ch 5, place live lp (loop) on marker, turn.

Row 3: With yarn B, join in last hdc made with sl st, tighten lp, ch 2 (referred to as upper t-ch), sk 1 sc, *3dc in next dc**, sk next (sc, ch sp, sc), rep from * across, ending at **, fptr around lower t-ch, ch 5, place live lp on marker. Do not turn.

Row 4: Return live lp of A to hook, working across sts from Row 2, *sk next 3 sts, sl st in ch-1 sp, ch 5; rep from * across, ending with sl st in top of beginning ch-2 from Row 2, ch 2, sl st in top of last tr from row 3, turn.

Row 5: Still with A, ch 2, *3dc in middle dc of next 3-dc group and at the same time, catching the ch-5 arch from WS (wrong side) under your hook each time you make a dc; rep from 8 across, fptr around lower t-ch tog (together) with tr from row 3, ch 5, place live lp on marker, do not turn.

Row 6: Return live lp of B to hook, working across sts from last row in same color, *insert hook from below up between next two 3-dc groups and work sl st (be sure not to catch any strands of yarn of other color), ch 5; rep from * across, ending with sl st around upper t-ch, ch 2, sl st in top of last tr from prev row, turn.

Row 7: Still with B, ch 2, *3dc in middle dc of next 3-dc group and at the same time, catching the ch-5 arch from WS under your hook each time you make a dc; rep from 8 across, fptr around lower t-ch tog with tr from 2 rows below, ch 5, place live lp on marker, do not turn.

Row 8: Return live lp of A to hook, working across sts from last row in same color, *insert hook from below up between next two 3-dc groups and work sl st, ch 5; rep from * across, ending with sl st around upper t-ch, ch 2, sl st in top of last tr from prev row, turn.

Row 9: Still with A,ch 2, *3dc in middle dc of next 3-dc group and at the same time, catching the ch-5 arch from WS under your hook each time you make a dc; rep from 8 across, fptr around lower t-ch tog with tr from 2 rows below, ch 5, place live lp on marker, do not turn.

Rep Rows 6–9 for desired length ending with an odd-numbered row.

Next Row: Return live lp to hook, working across sts from last row in same color, *insert hook from below up between next two 3-dc groups and work sc, ch 5; rep from * across, ending with sl st around upper t-ch, ch 2, sl st in top of last tr from prev row, turn.

Last Row: Working through both layers as follows, *sc in each of next 3 dc sts, catching ch-5 arch as established, sc between last dc and next dc and through sc on SC; rep from * across, sc in last st. Fasten off.

Crocheting the reluctant stitch

In a Facebook group, someone was asking how to make the stitch that was in a picture. There was no pattern and a reverse Google image search produced no results. There was nothing on Pinterest either.

Reluctant crochet stitch
A wrist warmer crocheted with the reluctant crochet stitch

So I set about to figure out how to make the stitch work, and this is the result.

As there is no name for it yet, I’m calling it the reluctant stitch because it’s like walking up a sand dune, you take 2 steps forward and slide 1 step back. That’s what you do to crochet the reluctant stitch as well.

If you click on the image you’ll go to a youtube video where I demonstrate the stitch and give the recipe for these easy wrist warmers or fingerless mitts.

To work the reluctant stitch you insert the hook into the back loop of the stitch you have just worked, yarn over in reverse (wrap yarn opposite way to usual), and pull up a loop, then you insert the hook into the next st (under both loops) and yo, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yo and pull through all loops on the hook. It’s like working an single crochet decrease in some ways, but as you modify the way the one yarn over is wrapped, you and keep going back into the previous stitch made, it creates this new look.

For a more drapey feel to the fabric, you can work a reverse wrap half-double crochet stitch instead.  I demonstrate this in the video as well.  To work a reverse wrap half-double crochet, you simply yo in reverse, insert hook in next st, yo (normally), pull up loop, yo, pull through all loops. You don’t need to do the one step back move.

One important thing to remember about both of these stitches, is that they really only work by crocheting in-the-round.  Back and forth in rows doesn’t produce the same effect.  It looks nice, but it’s not what’s pictured above.

This is also my first episode  of Swatch-on, Swatch-off, a videocast. At the moment I have no sponsors but myself, so you will find a 10% off discount code to my newest pattern, The Arrival Shawl.  I have made a video tutorial, but I posted it on my Facebook page a while back. You could make the Arrival Shawl strictly from the video, but I actually had the pattern tested by several people and wrote an official pattern for my Ravelry site.

Eventually, I hope to publish frequent episodes of the videocast.

Stair-Step Crescent Shawl – Crocheted

Crochet Stair-Step Crescent ShawlI am not really into math, but I do love pattern! I use a little algebra and a little trig here or there when I’m designing garments, but other than that I prefer to stick to colour and texture.

But when I came across a picture of a knit version of an asymmetrical crescent shawl, there was a spark that challenged my mind to figure out the math formula that would make this work. It’s actually not that hard.

I will be publishing a pattern soon, but in the meantime, here’s a little video (a little rough as I did it for an online friend and really wasn’t editing it or planning on sharing it) that teaches how to make the shawl. All the instructions are in it with some tips and tricks as well.

If you do crochet one, please share pictures in my Facebook group. As soon as I have the pattern published on Ravelry, you can share your project progress there as well.

Video tutorial on how to crochet crescent shawl
Crescent Shawl Video Tutorial

A lovely crocheted border

Symbol Crochet Instructions for border or edging for many crochet projects

Saw a photo of a border that looked something like this, not sure about all the stitches in the corners, but I like to figure out new and different approaches to solving border stitches when it comes to the corners.  Click on the picture for a PDFBorder 1 Diagram of the diagram. If you don’t “do” diagrams, consider taking my Craftsy class on reading crochet symbols. 50% off code in top ad banner.

Snail Square Crochet Block Motif

IMGP0283I love crochet motifs that use up all the odds and ends of yarn that seem to get tucked away and eventually tangled in my stash bins.

This block uses a spiral technique where partial rounds are worked and then the hook is moved to a second live loop of an additional colour of yarn and then another partial round is worked in that colour. Then the hook is returned to the first colour and more partial rounds are worked, and back and forth and so on. It’s really a lot of fun.

This free crochet motif is versatile for a baby’s blanket for example. You could get all your odds and ends of baby yarns that are of the same weight, and preferably from the same manufacturer, so that it washes evenly and it’s easier to maintain an even tension. Then you start with two of the colours and keep going until the square is big enough for a crip, for a car seat, or for snuggling and nursing.

If you have a lot of one colour of yarn, you can use that as the one colour for all the squares or the majority of them and then use bits and bobs of other colours in the alternate legs of the spiral. That brings a bit of cohesiveness to the larger project when you sew the squares together.

This crochet pattern can be found for free here in my Craftsy store.