Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Crochet Star Tutorial



These star frames are a twist on the Mary Go Round crochet flowers by Lola Nova.  I've been making the flower frames for a couple of years to frame Little Golden Book pictures.  I've recently come up with a version of my own just in time for Christmas, the perfect handmade ornament for the tree! Use them to frame photos of family members or treasured Christmas pictures, or just leave it empty and let it hang amongst the lights!


Here's how to make them...

You will need to raid your daughters/friends dress up box or jewelry stash for a cheap thin(but rigid) metal bracelet as shown in the picture.  You can also pick them up at $2 shops, opp(thrift) shops or chain stores like Diva.

I’ve used 8 ply wool or acrylic yarn for all of my stars, and a 4mm hook. You can experiment with finer yarn or a larger hook if you like.

Stitches used:
* Slip Stitch (sl st)
* Chain Stitch (ch)
* Single Crochet Stitch (sc)
* Double Crochet Stitch (dc)
* Picot stitch

After attaching yarn to hook with a slip knot, attach your yarn to your bracelet with a slip stitch


(I usually use finer bracelets, you know the tacky silver, gold or metallic coloured ones? This one is a touch smaller in circle size but thicker to crochet around. Just see what you can find)

Chain 1, work a SC into the bracelet. Continue to work SC’s into the bracelet all the way around so that you cover all of the metal, but not so that it is bunched up (if that makes sense). Join to the first chain with a sl st.



(If you do too many stitches around you will end up with too many star points and they won't sit nice and flat)

 You can keep count if you like and you will finish with 49 stitches (including first chain) which makes things easier later, but I never do and always manage to finish with even ‘petals/points’ by adjusting the point width which I’ll explain later.



Chain 1, work a SC into the same stitch and each following stitch all the way around and join with a sl st.




*Skip 2 stitches and work a DC into the next stitch (the third stitch from the hook). Then do two more DC into the same stitch.
Picot stitch:  From here, chain 3, sl st into the first of these 3 chain stitches. Then do 3 more DC’s into the same stitch as the first 3. Skip 2 stitches and sl st into the next stitch.*

You will end up with your first star point with your 6 DC's and a picot st in between.



(for a full tutorial on how to do a picot stitch click here)

Repeat from * to * around the bracelet and pull through to finish.



Use a needle to weave the starting end through to meet the finished end so that you can tie them together to hang on your tree or garland.



Note: You can see if you look closely that my points are slightly uneven and the last three points are slightly wider than the first four. This is because I'm lazy and don't count my stitches!! Quite often I get it right anyway but I usually count my remaining stitches when I'm close to the end and modify the last few or even just one so that I use all the stitches. I don't think it matters in the end but thats just me and my love of imperfect creations :)  To modify you either (or both) skip and extra stitch before the first three DC's or after the last three. Or you your could skip three stitches all the way around if you'd like less points in your star. 







I hope I've made some sense in my first ever tutorial! AND I hope I've encouraged you to have yourself a handmade Christmas (one handmade ornament counts!!). If you can't crochet then enjoy making these mini paper lanterns I made with my daughters.....
 



xoxo

18 comments:

  1. Just bought a beginners crochet book and hook, so hopefully I will soon be able to make these gorgeous stars! Loving your blog so much xx

    ReplyDelete
  2. These are so cute! Def. gonna try this sometimes.

    Do you just glue the image down at the back of the frame?

    ReplyDelete
  3. These are so sweet! Thanks for sharing! I will definitely have to make some! Have a lovely week! xo Heather

    ReplyDelete
  4. How do you attach the pictures? Do you sew them in? crochet a pocket for them to slip into?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In the tutorial Sandra used als a starting point: Mary Go Round crochet flowers by Lola Nova Alexandra tells that she glues the picture to a to a slightly larger circle of felt, then hand stitches the felt to the back of the crochet frame. http://lolanovablog.blogspot.nl/2010/10/mary-go-round-crochet-flower-ring.html

      Delete
  5. Thank you so much for sharing. I just made two and they turned out great!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Oh I love your twist on these! Just beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow!!! Such a lovely and cute idea!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. i actually made lots of these in last few weeks, only just saw yr pattern now, I used key rings , curtain rings shower rings anything circle , I love them and pals cant get enough of them

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi,

    The star frames are stunning.

    Please can you tell me the size of the bracelets you used, I would like to know the diameter of the inside and outside.

    thank you

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Sandra!!!
    Thank you for this very good idea well explain and so nice!!!!
    I used wire for the circle
    And now visit my blog for the surprise!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. this is good idea I am gonna try thank you...

    ReplyDelete
  12. I really love your Christmas Ornaments! I made them succesfully myself thanks to your great tutorial.

    ReplyDelete
  13. If you don't have a bracelet, you could use the ring from a mayonnaise jar (the one that breaks away when you first open the lid). They're sturdy enough for this type of project.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Well explained, better than the hat pattern in the book I just bought.

    ReplyDelete