So, I started playing around with the idea of designing crochet motifs-- just to see if I could. It's a little (ok, a lot) intimidating to me, so I'm starting out small and slow.
Possibly the biggest intimidation is this feeling that there are so many motifs out there, it would take a largish, elaborate, complicated one to have any chance of being truly unique. I didn't relish the thought of someone coming along, claiming intellectual theft. Neither did I want people to look at my baby-step first attempts and think that I'm full of myself for even bothering to blog about my silly simple motif.
But then I decided that it doesn't matter if my attempts are humble-- everyone has to start somewhere-- and that since I'm not copying someone else's design, if there's overlap or similarity, it's completely unintentional and innocent. So why not try?
Well, enough preamble.
Here's the Prairie Star Motif, so named because that's the first thing that came to mind when I looked at the finished product.
As insinuated above, it's a very simple motif-- and a small one, too, as written. My first sample worked out to just shy of 3.5 inches square. (If you wanted it bigger, you could easily add another round or two of the granny square clusters of double crochet.)
The center is a bit puffy-- puffed up higher than the final round. I think it adds to the texture and "dimensionality" of the motif, but if you want something very flat, this isn't it. (Also, the edges in my samples aren't perfectly straight, but I think that with blocking, edging, or joining a few together, they'll even out much more nicely.)
I used an H / 5.0 mm hook and worsted weight yarn, but there's always room for adaptation.
You can of course work the pattern all in one color or change colors as many times as you like. I've worked just the two samples you see above. In the first, I used the same color for rounds 1, 2, and 4, with a contrasting color for round 3. In the second, rounds 1 and 2 are the same color, with different colors for both rounds 3 and 4.
Written Instructions (US terminology):
Special Stitches:
Starting Popcorn:
ch 3, 3 dc in same space, remove hook from loop, insert hook into third chain of ch-3, insert hook back into dropped loop, pull dropped loop through third chain of ch-3.
Popcorn:
4 dc in same space, remove hook from loop, insert hook into first dc of group, insert hook back into dropped loop, pull dropped loop through first dc.
Use whatever "loop method" you prefer. (I've seen two different ways to start make a chainless start, but they seem to go by several different names-- magic circle, sliding ring, adjustable loop, double ring, etc. You'll find plenty of tutorials and videos online.) Or if you'd rather, chain 4 or 5 and join with a slip stitch (or use whatever other starting method you like best).
Rnd 1: ch 1, 8 sc into loop, join with sl st to first sc.
Rnd 2: ch 2, hdc in same st, ch 2, * 2 hdc in next st, ch 2 *, repeat from * to * around, join with sl st in second chain in starting ch-2.
Rnd 3: make starting popcorn in one ch-2 space, ch 2, * make popcorn in next ch-2 space, ch 2 *, repeat from * to * around, join with sl st to top of starting popcorn.
Rnd 4: ch 3 in 2-ch space, 2 dc in same space, * (ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-2 space) twice, ch 2, 3 dc in same space as last 3 dc *, repeat from * to * around, join with sl st in third chain of staring ch-3.
I tried to chart the pattern, too. It's not perfect, but I think it gets the point across...
And that's it!
Not that anyone will (g), but if you feel so inclined, please feel free to print/save this pattern. Use it anyway you like-- for yourself, for a gift, even for items to sell. I do ask that people not try to sell the pattern itself-- and of course I'd appreciate a link back, where applicable. :o)
Possibly the biggest intimidation is this feeling that there are so many motifs out there, it would take a largish, elaborate, complicated one to have any chance of being truly unique. I didn't relish the thought of someone coming along, claiming intellectual theft. Neither did I want people to look at my baby-step first attempts and think that I'm full of myself for even bothering to blog about my silly simple motif.
But then I decided that it doesn't matter if my attempts are humble-- everyone has to start somewhere-- and that since I'm not copying someone else's design, if there's overlap or similarity, it's completely unintentional and innocent. So why not try?
Well, enough preamble.
Here's the Prairie Star Motif, so named because that's the first thing that came to mind when I looked at the finished product.
As insinuated above, it's a very simple motif-- and a small one, too, as written. My first sample worked out to just shy of 3.5 inches square. (If you wanted it bigger, you could easily add another round or two of the granny square clusters of double crochet.)
The center is a bit puffy-- puffed up higher than the final round. I think it adds to the texture and "dimensionality" of the motif, but if you want something very flat, this isn't it. (Also, the edges in my samples aren't perfectly straight, but I think that with blocking, edging, or joining a few together, they'll even out much more nicely.)
I used an H / 5.0 mm hook and worsted weight yarn, but there's always room for adaptation.
You can of course work the pattern all in one color or change colors as many times as you like. I've worked just the two samples you see above. In the first, I used the same color for rounds 1, 2, and 4, with a contrasting color for round 3. In the second, rounds 1 and 2 are the same color, with different colors for both rounds 3 and 4.
Written Instructions (US terminology):
Special Stitches:
Starting Popcorn:
ch 3, 3 dc in same space, remove hook from loop, insert hook into third chain of ch-3, insert hook back into dropped loop, pull dropped loop through third chain of ch-3.
Popcorn:
4 dc in same space, remove hook from loop, insert hook into first dc of group, insert hook back into dropped loop, pull dropped loop through first dc.
Use whatever "loop method" you prefer. (I've seen two different ways to start make a chainless start, but they seem to go by several different names-- magic circle, sliding ring, adjustable loop, double ring, etc. You'll find plenty of tutorials and videos online.) Or if you'd rather, chain 4 or 5 and join with a slip stitch (or use whatever other starting method you like best).
Rnd 1: ch 1, 8 sc into loop, join with sl st to first sc.
Rnd 2: ch 2, hdc in same st, ch 2, * 2 hdc in next st, ch 2 *, repeat from * to * around, join with sl st in second chain in starting ch-2.
Rnd 3: make starting popcorn in one ch-2 space, ch 2, * make popcorn in next ch-2 space, ch 2 *, repeat from * to * around, join with sl st to top of starting popcorn.
Rnd 4: ch 3 in 2-ch space, 2 dc in same space, * (ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-2 space) twice, ch 2, 3 dc in same space as last 3 dc *, repeat from * to * around, join with sl st in third chain of staring ch-3.
I tried to chart the pattern, too. It's not perfect, but I think it gets the point across...
And that's it!
Not that anyone will (g), but if you feel so inclined, please feel free to print/save this pattern. Use it anyway you like-- for yourself, for a gift, even for items to sell. I do ask that people not try to sell the pattern itself-- and of course I'd appreciate a link back, where applicable. :o)