Spring Strawberry Crochet

 My children love strawberries, they are one of their favourite fruits and now the weather is warming up we have been enjoying eating them.  I decided a while ago that I wanted to make Lily a strawberry based cardigan but I wasn't exactly sure how I wanted to do it.  This week I finally sat down and came up with an idea and worked on it, however, it ended up nothing like I originally imagined, but I love it.

I originally wanted it to be long sleeved and button up the whole way down.   I was going to do strawberry rows for the entire cardigan and make it mostly white.   I didn't have enough white at home to make anything with so looking at the colours I did have enough of it has become mostly purple with green edging plus, of course, the strawberries.

After having worked a couple of rows I realised this had to be worked from the bottom up to make the strawberries the right way up.  After having worked 3 rows of strawberries my design idea began to change, I felt that anymore strawberry rows might end up being too many and so I stopped and ended up making 4 pieces.   Having the top and bottom in different stitches it made sense to only have it half buttoned up.  Once I had gotten to putting the parts together I loved the look of the short sleeves and just decided to give them a simple edge.

Its a little bit smaller than I would have liked it to be for Lily, it fits but won't last her long, but the pattern is easy to adjust to make it larger so I might make her another one if she outgrows it before the end of summer.  Overall I am pleased with how it came out and she seems to like it too.

To continue the strawberry fun this week, I made Oliver the cuddly strawberry he's been asking for.   He knows where I keep my wool and so he has been pulling out the red wool and asking for me to make it into a cuddly strawberry for him.

The strawberry is a fairly simple pattern with arms and legs that are made first and attached as you go along.   The complicated part is, like the strawberry cardigan, working with multiple colours as you go.   I have found the easiest way to do this is to trap the wool under every other stitch as you go so you don't see the wool at the front.   Since the spots are only used every couple of rows it doesn't need to be carried too much and is not too difficult to use.

I couldn't find a way to attach as you go the eyes or top leaves (made with crocodile stitch) so there is some sewing involved but it's not too much since I really hate that part of crochet!   I finished the strawberry late one evening so Oliver didn't get it until the following morning, but he has been carrying it around with him everywhere and strawberry has to do everything he does.  He named his strawberry Stella (after the spaceship in Miles from Tomorrow Kids TV program) and really seems to love her.

If you would like to make your own Strawberry Cardigan or Stella the Cuddly Strawberry then find the patterns below.  As with all my patterns I would love to see pictures of anything you decide to make and you can post them in the comments or on any of my social media profiles.

I hope you have enjoyed this weeks Strawberry post and I look forward to seeing you next week.

Vicky X

Strawberry Cardigan Pattern – Age 1-2

1.  Materials and Resources

Below is a list of everything you will need to make your cardigan

·        Double Knit Yarn Yarn – 100g balls in the following colours

o   Lilac

o   Green

o   Red

·        4 mm hook

·        Tapestry needle

·        3 x 14mm Buttons in red

 

2.  Stitch List

Below is a list of all the stitches (and their abbreviations) featured in this series of patterns.  All terms used are American.

·        Sl st – slip stitch

·        Sc – single crochet

·        Ch – chain

·        Dc – double crochet

·        Hdc – half double crochet

·        Moss stitch – (sc, ch 2, sk 1) repeat

·        Popcorn Stitch – (yarn over, insert hook through stitch and pull up a loop), repeat 5 times, then yarn over and pull through all loops on hook, ch 1

·        Sc cluster – sc in each of the hdc from popcorn stitch, pull up a loop, insert hook through original sc then pull the loop through, ch 1

·        Fphdc – front post half double crochet

·        Bphdc, - back post half double crochet

 

3.  Notes

Here are a few handy tips to help you with the pattern.

• When working on the strawberry rows you will be working with multiple colours, it is best to change colour on the final loop you pull through on the stitch before you change colour
• Try trapping the wool you are not using under every other stitch so it carries without it showing though the front of the work
• It is best to cut the red and green colours at the end of each strawberry row and work the ends in at the end

4.  Pattern

 Back – starting in green

Row	Instruction	Stitches
1	Ch 51
2	hdc in 2nd ch from hook, then HDC to end of row, ch1 turn	50
3	Hdc in 1st stitch, (fphdc, bphdc)  rep to 1 stitch remains, thenhdc in last stitch, ch 1 turn	50
4-6	Repeat row 3	50
7	in purple sc across, ch 1 turn	50
8	moss stitch - (sc, ch1, Sk 1) rep to end and sc in last st, ch1 turn	50
9	(sc, ch1, sc in ch1 sp) rep to end, sc in last st, ch1 turn	50
10-11	Repeat row 9	50
12	Repeat row 9, ch 3, turn	50
13	2 DC switch to red popcorn stitch, switch to green sc cluster, (switch to purple 4dc, red popcorn stitch, green sc cluster stitch) rep to end, 2 DC to finish, ch 1 turn	50
14	sc across (make sure there is only 1 stitch in each popcorn / sc cluster) ch1 turn (50)	50
15	Repeat row 8	50
16-22	Repeat rows 8-14	50
23-30	Repeat rows 15-22	50
31-36	Repeat rows 15-20	50
	Cast off

 

Front – make 2 starting in green

Row	Instruction	Stitches
1	Ch 26
2	Hdc in 2nd ch from hook, then HDC to end of row, ch1 turn	25
3	hdc in 1st stitch (fphdc, bphdc) rep to second to last stitch then HDC in last stitch, ch1 turn	25
4-6	Repeat row 3	25
7	In purple Sc across ch1 turn	25
8	moss stitch - sc (sc, ch1, Sk 1) rep to end and sc in last st, ch1 turn	25
9	Repeat row 8	25
10	Repeat row 9	25
11	Repeat row 8, ch 3, turn	25
12	2 DC switch to red popcorn stitch, switch to green sc cluster, (switch to purple 4dc, red popcorn stitch, green sc cluster stitch) rep to end, 2 DC to finish, ch 1 turn	25
13	Sc across (make sure there is only 1 stitch in each popcorn / sc cluster) ch1 turn	25
14-19	Repeat rows 8-12	25
20	Repeat row 9	25
21-22	Repeat rows 13-14	25
23-30	Repeat rows 15-22	25
31-36	Repeat rows 15-20	25
	Cast off
	Sc sides to the back with right sides facing each other, use 1 sc in each HDC and 2sc in each DC.
	Cast off and sew in ends

 

Top – make 1 starting in purple

Row	Instruction	Stitches
1	Ch 61
2	HDC in 2nd ch from hook and every ch to end	60
3	10 HDC, HDC ch1 HDC in next st, 8 HDC, HDC ch1 HDC in next st, 20 HDC, HDC ch1 HDC in next st, 8 HDC, HDC ch1 HDC in next st, 10 HDC, ch1 turn
4	HDC in each stitch and 2 HDC ch1 HDC in the ch1 gap repeat to end of row ch1 turn
5-8	Repeat row 4
9	hdc in each st and HDC ch1 HDC in the ch 1 gap, rep to end of row ch1 turn
10-13	Repeat row 9
14	hdc to 1st ch1 sp then fold work so 1st and 2nd ch 1 sp overlap, then HDC through both stitches to form first arm hold, HDC to the 3rd ch1 sp and as above form second arm hole through 3rd and 4th ch1 spaces, HDC to end of row, ch1 turn
15	bpHDC around (this is now the wrong side of the top)
16	holding the bottom section of the cardigan with right sides facing sc both pieces together it will make a second raised row (the first raised row is from row 15) cast off

 

Edge – make working around sides and neck in green

Row	Instruction	Stitches
1	sc from the bottom corner, around the neck and down to the other side.   Sc in each HDC and 2 sc in each DC, sc ch1 sc in each corner (edge of neck and sides) ch1 turn
2	hdc in each sc and HDC ch1 HDC in ch1 st, ch1 turn
3	hdc in first st (fphdc, bphdc) rep to end and HDC in final stitch, HDC ch1 HDC in each ch1 corner, ch1 turn
4	rep row 3, cast off and sew in ends

 

Sleeve Edge – in green

Row	Instruction	Stitches
1	Starting in the bottom middle of the sleeve sc in each stitch around, sl st and cast off, sew in ends
	Add buttons evenly spaced across the top - there is no need to make button holes and they are small enough to fit in the spaces in the ribbed stitches of the edges.

 

Stella the Cuddly Strawberry

 

1.  Materials and Resources

• 4.5mm hook
• Aran wool in red and green, less than 100g of each
• small odds of Aran wool in yellow, black and white
• stuffing
• stitch marker
• needle

2.  Stitch List

• sc - single crochet
• sc inc - single crochet increase
• sc Dec - single crochet decrease
• ch - chain
• sl st - slip stitch
• DC - double crochet
• bpdc - back post double crochet
• crocodile stitch

 

3.  Notes

• Do not join rounds with slip stitch, you can use a stitch marker instead to mark rounds.
• The arms and legs are joined as you go so make these first.
• When working with the yellow wool carry the row under every other stitch to prevent it being seen from the front

1.  It is best to change colour on the final pull through loop of the stitch before you need the new colour.

 

5. Pattern

Legs (make 2) – Using Green

Row	Instruction	Stitches
1	(Sc inc) X 6	6
2	(Sc inc) X 6	12
3	(sc inc, sc) x6	18
4-5	Sc around	18
6	(sc Dec, sc) x6	12
7-14	Sc around	12
	Sl st, cast off and stuff leg

Arms (make 2) - Using green

Row	Instruction	Stitches
1	(Sc inc) X 6	6
2	(Sc inc) X 6	12
3-4	Sc around	12
5	(sc Dec, sc) X	8
6-10	sc around
	sc around (8) sl st cast off and stuff arm

Body - using red unless it states to use yellow

Row	Instruction	Stitches
1	6 sc in magic circle	6
2	(sc inc) x6	12
3	sc around	12
4	(sc inc, sc) x6	18
5	sc around	18
6	(sc inc, 2sc) x6	24
7	sc around	24
8	(sc inc, 3sc) x6	30
9	sc around	30
10	sc inc, 4 sc, (hold leg so the open edge is flat and against the side of the strawberry, using the next 6 stitches you will work through both sides of the leg and the strawberry body to attach it) attach leg with sc inc, 4sc, (sc inc, 4sc) x2, attach second leg with sc inc, 4 sc, sc inc 4 sc	36
11	(5 sc in red, sc in yellow) x6	36
12	(sc inc, 5sc) x6	42
13	Sc around	42
14	sc inc, 6sc) x6	48
15	5sc in red, sc in yellow, (7sc in red, sc in yellow) x5, 2sc in red	48
16	(Sc inc, 7sc) x6	54
17	sc around	54
18	(sc inc, 8sc) x6	60
19	3sc in red, sc in yellow, (9sc in red, sc I'm yellow) x5,	60
20	sc around	60
21	17 sc, attach arm with 4sc (as you attached legs), 28sc, attach second arm with 4sc, 8sc	60
22	sc around	60
23	2sc in red, sc in yellow, 6sc in red, sc in yellow, 12sc in red, sc in yellow, 9sc in red, sc in yellow, 8 sc in red, sc in yellow, 9sc in red, yellow sc, 9 sc in red	60
24-26	Sc around	60
27	(sc Dec, 8sc) x6	54
28	(sc Dec, 7sc) x6	48
29	(sc dec, 6sc) x6	42
30	(sc Dec, 5sc) x6	36
31	(sc Dec, 4sc) x6	30
32	(sc Dec, 3sc) x6	24
33	(sc Dec, 2sc) x6	18
	Stuff Strawberry
34	(sc Dec, sc) x6	12
35	(sc Dec) x6	6
	cast off and sew shut

Leaves - in green

Row	Instruction	Stitches
	ch 38
1	sc in 2nd ch from hook and every ch to end	37
2	dc in next stitch, (ch3, Sk 3, 2dc) rep to end, ch 1 turn
3	crocodile stitch - (5bpdc down the 1st DC then 5bpdc up the second DC to form leaf shape) rep to end ch1 turn
4	sl st into centre of leaf and then sl st into ch2 gap, ch3 DC, (ch 2, 2dc in next ch2 gap) rep to end of last ch2 gap, ch1 turn
5	crocodile stitch as row 4
	sl st into 1st leaf to make a ring and the cast off with long tail
	weave tail between centre gaps and ch2 spaces and draw tight, then sew sides together and attach to the strawberry

Eyes (make 2)

Row	Instruction	Stitches
1	In black - 6sc  in magic	6
2	In white (Sc inc) x6	12
	sl st cast off and attach to strawberry

Using black sew a smile on the cuddly strawberry.

  

© All patterns on this page belong to www.cosycrochet.co.uk You may not sell this pattern. Please feel free to sell the items you make using this pattern, however please acknowledge me in your listing.

 

 

 

© All patterns on this page belong to www.cosycrochet.co.uk You may not sell this pattern. Please feel free to sell the items you make using this pattern, however please acknowledge me in your listing.