The Patchwork Spangled Banner Afghan

Summertime is season of fun, and everyone feels patriotic especially around Independence Day.

I've designed and created my very first afghan in honor of our nations great flag. I came up with the idea for a patchwork-type flag design before, but I was never able to dedicate time to fully conceptualizing it. Now the time has come! 

The Patchwork Spangled Banner Afghan was crafted especially for my family reunion coming up in August. It's going to be my contribution to raising funds to support future reunions. I donated my love, time and skill (and of course the yarn!) to be raffled off and won by one lucky member of our family.

And of course as a sign of my love for all you happy hookers out there, I've written and published the pattern too! As always, it's FREE for you! 

This afghan is crocheted in what I call "strips". Though it appears to be made from 24 individual squares, I actually just change color back and forth in one long continuous strip, horizontally along the blanket. Make four strips and then sew them together to complete the faux flag look!

I hope everyone enjoys crocheting their very own fun flag-inspired throw blanket this summer.

Please enjoy the pattern and be sure to add it to your Ravelry Queue! I'm available to help with any questions, as you begin your project! Please leave me a comment and let me know what you think of this pattern!

A portable, clean viewing, printer friendly PDF download is available now in my Etsy shop! Click Here to Get the PDF from Etsy or from my Ravelry Shop! Thank you for supporting more free content from Haute Kippy for your enjoyment!

Have a wonderful summer! 

xo- Kip

Patchwork Spangled Banner Free Pattern:

You may sell items made from this pattern, but please be courteous, always credit Haute Kippy with the original design and link to my blog when possible.

Original pattern ‘The Patchwork Spangled Banner Afghan’

copyright Haute Kippy by Bethany Sypolt 2016

Hook: M/9mm & G6/4mm

Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver

4 skeins Cherry Red

3 skeins White

2 skein Soft Navy

1 skein Gold

Gauge: 8 sts, 6 rows = 4” in HDC

Notions: Yarn needle

Difficulty: Intermediate

Finished dimensions: 43” x 60”

Notes:

1. Afghan is crocheted with two strands held together, one from each of two skeins in varying colors. In order to crochet with 2 strands on the gold skein, use both the inner and outer strands held together, unwinding simultaneously.
2. Constructed in horizontal strips containing blocks of 20 sts by 15 rows, changing one strand’s color after 15 rows and continuing on for a total of four strips, each with six- 20x15 blocks. The four strips are then sewn together.
3. Color changes are made in the last stitch of the 15th row of each color block as follows: in the last st of row 15, yo, draw up a loop, drop old color(s) keeping loops already on hook, pick up new color(s), yo and draw through loops on hook. Cut dropped color(s) leaving a tail long enough to weave in.
4. There will be many tails to weave in as afghan progresses through color changes, it is recommended to weave-as-you-go, pausing to weave after the first two or three rows of the next color block of the strip.
5. Edging in gold is optional, as some fancy American flags have gold fringe, and even tassels as a decoration. This also helps to seal side edges for a more finished look.
6. Stars are individually crocheted appliques, hand-sewn onto the starfield of the “flag”.

The chart below illustrates the 24 blocks of the afghan,

and denotes their corresponding color combinations.

	Block 1	Block 2	Block 3	Block 4	Block 5	Block 6
Strip 1	Blue Blue	Blue White	Blue Blue	Red White	Red Red	Red White
Strip 2	Blue White	Blue Blue	Blue White	Red Red	Red White	Red Red
Strip 3	Red Red	Red White	Red Red	Red White	Red Red	Red White
Strip 4	Red White	Red Red	Red White	Red Red	Red White	Red Red

Strip 1

M/9mm hook

Chain 21 using 2 strands of blue held together.

Block 1:

Row 1: hdc into the second ch from hook, and in each remaining ch across, ch 1, turn. (20 sts)

Row 2: hdc into each st across, ch 1, turn. (20 sts)

Rows 3-14: repeat row 2.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop 1 strand of blue, add 1 strand of white, ch 1, turn.

Continue on, making one long strip through all color block changes. See #3 in notes for details about color changes. Refer back to color chart for help in understanding color block pattern.

Block 2:

Repeat rows 1-14 using white and blue held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop white, add 1 strand of blue, ch 1, turn.

Block 3:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 2 strands of blue held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop both blue strands, add 1 strand of white and 1 strand of red, ch 1, turn.

Block 4:

Repeat rows 1-14 using white and red held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop white, add 1 strand of red, ch 1, turn.

Block 5:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 2 strands of red held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop 1 strand of red, add 1 strand of white, ch 1, turn.

Block 6:

Repeat rows 1-14 using white and red held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across (20 sts), fo, weave in ends.

Strip 2

Chain 21 using 1 strand of blue and 1 strand of white held together.

Block 1:

Row 1: hdc into the second ch from hook, and in each remaining ch across, ch 1, turn. (20 sts)

Row 2: hdc into each st across, ch 1, turn. (20 sts)

Rows 3-14: repeat row 2.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop white, add 1 strand of blue, ch 1, turn.

Block 2:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 2 strands of blue held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop 1 strand of blue, add 1 strand of white, ch 1, turn.

Block 3:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 1 strand of blue and 1 strand of white held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop blue and white, add 2 strands of red, ch 1, turn.

Block 4:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 2 strands of red held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop 1 strand of red, add 1 strand of white, ch 1, turn.

Block 5:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 1 strand of red and 1 strand of white held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop white, add 1 strand of red, ch 1, turn.

Block 6:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 2 strands of red held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across (20 sts), fo, weave in ends.

Strip 3

Chain 21 using 2 strands of red held together.

Block 1:

Row 1: hdc into the second ch from hook, and in each remaining ch across, ch 1, turn. (20 sts)

Row 2: hdc into each st across, ch 1, turn. (20 sts)

Rows 3-14: repeat row 2.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop 1 strand of red, add 1 strand of white, ch 1, turn.

Block 2:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 1 strand of red and 1 strand of white held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop white, add 1 strand of red, ch 1, turn.

Block 3:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 2 strands of red held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop 1 strand of red, add 1 strand of white, ch 1, turn.

Block 4:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 1 strand of red and 1 strand of white held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop white, add 1 strand of red, ch 1, turn.

Block 5:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 2 strands of red held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop 1 strand of red, add 1 strand of white, ch 1, turn.

Block 6:

Repeat rows 1-14 using white and red held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across (20 sts), fo, weave in ends.

Strip 4

Chain 21 using 1 strand of red and 1 strand of white held together.

Block 1:

Row 1: hdc into the second ch from hook, and in each remaining ch across, ch 1, turn. (20 sts)

Row 2: hdc into each st across, ch 1, turn. (20 sts)

Rows 3-14: repeat row 2.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop white, add 1 strand of red, ch 1, turn.

Block 2:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 2 strands of red held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop 1 strand of red, add 1 strand of white, ch 1, turn.

Block 3:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 1 strand of red and 1 strand of white held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop white, add 1 strand of red, ch 1, turn.

Block 4:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 2 strands of red held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop 1 strand of red, add 1 strand of white, ch 1, turn.

Block 5:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 1 strand of red and 1 strand of white held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across, at last st, drop white, add 1 strand of red, ch 1, turn.

Block 6:

Repeat rows 1-14 using 2 strands of red held together.

Row 15: hdc into each st across (20 sts), fo, weave in ends.

Finishing

Arrange strips in order from 1 to 4 as reflected by the chart. Sew strips together using red yarn. Avoid a common whip stitch, instead make small stitches on the sides of the strip, weaving the needle back and forth between the strips and pulling them together. This will prevent any obvious seams.

Stars

G6/4mm Hook

White yarn

Form a magic ring.

Round 1: Ch 2, make 10 dc into magic ring, sl st to first dc to join, pull loop tightly closed.

Round 2: Ch 4, being sure to stitch into the back bump of the chain, *sc into the second ch from hook, hdc into the next ch, dc into the final ch, sk the next st from the previous row of dc’s and sl st into the next st* (point of star made), ch 4, *repeat* four more times, sl st into the last st, fo, leaving a long tail (~12”) for sewing.

Make 30 stars.

Sew stars to afghan, 5 to a block positioning them as follows: one in each corner, and one in the middle. Be sure to sew securely, especially the points of the stars. Take care not to let the white of the sewing tail bleed through to opposite side of afghan.

Size stars up or down for desired effect by changing hook or yarn.

Edging

Using 2 strands of gold held together, join to one edge on right side of afghan and sc evenly around entire edge, making 2 sc in corner sts. Raw edge rule of thumb is apx. 3 sts over every 2 rows of hdc. Fo, weave in ends.

Pretty Little Purse

This pretty little purse is a fun use of the bobble stitch.

I decided I wanted to make a tiny coin purse to put in my bag. After searching, I found this adorable small coin purse by Laura Eccleston. Her coin purse is only 3.5" x 3". It is constructed in three separate pieces and was very fun to make.

Inspired by Laura's use of bobble stitch, I created my own new purse design. I wanted to make the purse all in one piece, from front to back. I later decided to add side panels for some volume and capacity. I suppose if you wanted to omit those pieces and just stitch it up the sides you could. If you try it that way, be sure to let me know what it looks like by sharing on my facebook page!

I was totally in love with the finished look, and I might make another one in mint with a longer strap for a cross body look. This was my first time crocheting any kind of strap or band other than chaining, and I heartily recommend watching Planet June's basic strap tutorial for some assistance with that part!

My daughter is a great little model!

The finished size of the purse came to 8" wide, 6 1/2" tall and 2 1/2" deep using an I9 hook. My strap as shown is 22" long. It could easily be sized up or down to suit your needs. I'd love so see this made with a bigger hook and two strands held together. What a great idea!

The bobbles are so fluffy and fun, it really is a cute look. Please enjoy this free pattern, and be sure to let me know how your purse turns out!

Pretty Little Purse Free Pattern:

Hook: I9/5.5mm

Yarn: Red Heart With Love or any worsted

Gauge: 14 sts, 14 rows in sc

Notions: Button, yarn needle

Difficulty: Intermediate

Notes:

1. Purse is constructed in four parts: body (one piece, bottom-up, in bobble stitch), sides (2 of the same), and strap.
2. Bobble stitch is used on body of purse, followed by 2 dc. Instructions state to ch 1 at row ends. This is not a typo. Chaining 1 instead of 2 as normal reduces bulk on row ends, making both edges of purse look more even.
3. Sides of purse are made by crocheting into both sides of a foundation chain. To eliminate holes in the center of the side pieces, crochet first into the back bump of the chain, then after pivoting work at chain end, crochet into the v’s of sts back up to top of chain.
4. Strap is made with a basic cording technique, substitute for any type of strap and strap length desired.
5. Finished Measurements: 8” wide, 6 ½” tall, and 2 ½” deep. Strap is 22” or make to desired length.
6. To shrink or enlarge purse, change hook/yarn. Bobble pattern multiple is 3+3.

Special stitches:

Bobble- yo and insert hook into next st, draw up a loop, yo and draw through two loops, *yo insert hook into same st and draw up a loop, yo and draw through two loops* 4 more times, yo and pull through all 6 loops on hook. Bobble made. Bobbles appear on side of work facing away from you, this is normal.

Sc2tog- single crochet two together: insert hook into st, yo and draw up a loop, insert hook into next st, yo and draw up a loop, yo and draw through all 3 loops on hook. Single crochet decrease made. Sc2tog are used on the first two and last two sts of each row of purse flap at end of body.

Purse body:

Chain 24

Row 1: sc in second chain from hook and in each ch across, ch 1, turn.

Rows 2-5: sc in each st across, ch 1, turn.

Row 6: dc in each of the first 2 sts, *bobble in the next st, dc in each of the next 2 sts*, repeat* across, ch 1, turn.

Row 7: sc in each st across, ch 1, turn.

Rows 8-13: repeat rows 6 and 7 three more times. (front of purse made)

Rows 14-19: sc in each st across, ch 1, turn. (bottom of purse made)

Rows 20-29: repeat rows 6 and 7 five times. (back of purse made)

Rows 30-35: sc in each st across, ch 1, turn.(top of purse made)

Row 36: sc2tog in first two sts, sc in each st across to last two sts, sc2tog in last two sts, ch 1, turn.

Rows 37-41: repeat row 36 five times. (front flap made)

Row 42: sc2tog in first two sts, sc in each of the next 3 sts, ch 3, sk next st, sc in each of the next 3 sts, sc2tog. (buttonhole made)

Fo, weave in ends.

Purse sides:

*Make 2

Chain 16

Row 1: hdc in the back bump of the second ch from hook, hdc in the back bump of each of the next 14 chs, make 6 sc in last ch, pivot work and continuing along other side of beg ch, hdc in the v’s of each remaining st, ch 1, turn.

Row 2: hdc in each of next 14 sts, make 2 sc in each of the next 6 sts, hdc in each of the remaining sts. Fo, weave in ends.

Purse strap:

Leave a longer tail at your slip knot for sewing strap to purse later. Ch 2, sc in second ch from hook, pivot work, sc in vertical bar at back of st. The V of the st points to this bar, on this first st there will only by one bar from chaining. Subsequent sts will have two parallel bars. Pivot work again and sc in the two parallel vertical bars at the back of the st. Continue until strap is desired length.

Purse assembly:

Purse pieces are fastened together with single crochet. Line up the front of the purse with a side piece and sc evenly along the side of the purse body through both layers, using the stitches of the side piece as a guide. Continue along the rounded bottom, and up the back of the purse. When the base of the flap is reached, do not break yarn, but continue to sc evenly along the edge of the purse flap all the way to the buttonhole. Make 3 sc in the ch 3 loop of the buttonhole. Continue to sc evenly along the remaining edge of the flap to the flap’s base. Take the second side piece and line it up similarly, and sc it to the purse as before, ending at the purse front. Fo and weave in ends. Sew strap to sides of purse, securing them close to the base of the purse flap and weave in ends.

© Haute Kippy 2016

www.hautekippy.com

You may sell items made from this pattern, but please be courteous, always credit Haute Kippy with the original design and link to my blog when possible.

Original pattern Pretty Little Purse copyright Haute Kippy by Bethany Sypolt 2016

xo- Kip

Ripple Ridges Dishcloth

Hi friends, this post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support!

Summer is almost here, and I'm still in crochet mode! I just can't get enough! This time of year, when you can't bear the thought of making scarves and mittens, make practical items instead. Dishcloths, scrubbies, and hanging towels are fun-to-crochet household accessories that can be beautiful and useful. Best of all, they're (practically) free and are custom made to match your home and kitchen because you pick the color!

I came up with this pattern because I wanted a textured cloth that I could use as a dishcloth, for wiping counters or for scrubbing. It would also make a nice washcloth. You could even make spa baskets for gifts and include a handmade washcloth! Make sure to use 100% cotton yarn. I tried making one out of regular acrylic yarn, and while it was super soft after machine washing, it fails as a kitchen dishcloth because it just doesn't dry out while laying on the edge of the sink. I do plan to keep the acrylic one and use it as a trivet. I wouldn't trust the thickness fully as a potholder, unless you made two and sewed them together back-to-back, which is another great and useful idea!

Here's a friendly tip about dishcloths that my mother passed on to me: After using, rinse it out in the coldest water possible before wringing and laying out to dry. The cold water prevents bacteria growth and the cloth remains fresh and smell-free for several days longer than normal! It really works!

So please enjoy my latest offering, and as always it's FREE!

If you'd like to OWN this pattern on PDF, a sleek, printer friendly, portable version is available here  or click the buy now  button to be directed to my Ravelry Shop!
Thanks for supporting Haute Kippy! I heart You!

Don't you just LOVE my own soap dispenser? You can find a similar one here:

Along with some Peaches and Creme cotton yarn:

Dishcloth Pattern

Yarn: Peaches and Cream worsted cotton, 2 oz. ball

Hook: G6/4mm

Gauge: 16 sts, 8 rows = 4”

Finished size: 9 ½” across, 8” tall

Special stitches:

bpdc- back post double crochet. A stitch made around the back of the post of the dc instead of into the “v” on top of the dc. Yo, insert hook from back to front, then back again around the post of the dc indicated, draw up a loop, yo pull through 2 loops on hook, yo pull through last 2 loops on hook. Bpdc made.

Fpdc- front post double crochet. A stitch made around the front of the post of the dc instead of into the “v” on top of the dc. Yo, insert hook through the front to the back, then in front again around the post of the dc indicated, draw up a loop, yo pull through 2 loops on hook, yo pull through last 2 loops on hook. Fpdc made.

Notes for post stitches: After completing a post st, the “v” of the st in the row below will remain empty, as you made a dc in front of, or behind it instead of on top of it. Be sure not to mistakenly st in that “v” when making your next regular dc. If you do, your ridges will not be parallel!

FInishing notes:

“hdc evenly along edge” means make approximately 2 sts into the side of every dc along the edge until you reach the corner. There are many tutorials online which further explain the specific techniques and rules of thumb for edge stitching.

“Invisible join” is a technique of joining rounds by sewing a faux stitch into a project’s final stitches with a yarn needle in order to avoid the noticeable knot made when finishing with a slip-stitch. There are many helpful tutorials online to assist with this finishing technique, if desired.

Dishcloth:

Chain 30.

Row 1: hdc into each chain across. Ch 1, turn. (29 hdc)

Row 2: dc into each st across. Ch 2, turn. (29 dc)

Row 3: dc in each of the first 2 sts, *bpdc in the next st, dc in each of the next 2 sts*, *repeat across. Ch 2, turn.

Row 4: dc in each of the first 2 sts, *fpdc in the next st, dc in each of the next 2 sts*, *repeat across. Ch 2, turn.

Rows 5-13: repeat rows 3 and 4 five more times. On row 13 at end, ch 1. Do not break yarn.

Finishing:

Round 1: hdc into each st across, make 3 hdc into the last st to form corner. Pivot work, hdc evenly along edge of cloth, make 3 hdc into bottom corner. Slst into each hdc along the bottom edge, make 3 hdc into corner. Hdc evenly along edge of cloth, make 3 hdc into top corner, join with a slst to first hdc of rnd, ch 1, do not turn.

Round 2: *hdc into each st across to corner, at corner, make 3 hdc into the center st of the 3 hdc group of the previous rnd*, *repeat for each edge around. Join with a slst or an invisible join to first hdc of rnd. Fo, securely weave in ends.

How do you plan to use your cloth?

Happy Hooking! 

xo- Kip

You may sell items made from this pattern, but please be courteous, always credit Haute Kippy with the original design and link to my blog where possible.

Original pattern Ripple Ridges Dishcloth © Haute Kippy by Bethany Sypolt 2016

Crocheted Hanging Towel

Hanging towels are nostalgic, useful and easy to make.

Everyone remembers hanging towels in the kitchen or bathroom of your grandmother's house, or maybe your mom had them too! They stay clean because they can't fall on the floor (or be constantly ripped down by toddlers on a rampage!) and their size makes them perfect for drying hands after washing.

I love to make these during the holidays, when the kitchen is the heart of every home and family gathering. I recently made four beautiful hanging towels for some very special ladies in my life, (you know who you are, so act surprised at Christmas!) and as I continued making them I perfected the technique and pattern with every towel. I knew I had to share this pattern just in time for gift giving fun!

Here is a simple and beautiful FREE pattern for making or gifting your own hanging towels. The surprise is you get two for the price of one! Each hand towel or kitchen towel is cut in half to make two hanging towels. Mix and match yarns to pair with the colors in the towel and you have a super cute necessity for every kitchen or bathroom!

Enjoy and don't hesitate to leave comments, offer improvements, or ask for clarification!

You can purchase, an easy to read, printer friendly, ad free version of this pattern in my etsy shop for just $1.50! Thanks- your support helps make more free crochet patterns possible!

Happy Holidays!
xo-Kip

Hanging Towel Crochet Pattern

Do not share, copy, repost or reproduce this pattern in part or in full. By using my free pattern, you agree to always give credit to my original work and link to my blog when possible. You may sell items made from this pattern, but please be courteous, always credit Haute Kippy with the original design. Do not use my photos to sell your items.

Materials:

steel hook #7

regular hook H8

worsted weight yarn

a kitchen or hand towel

scissors

yarn needle

1” - 2” button

Towel prep:

Cut towel in half, one whole towel yields two hanging towels.

Seal ends by overlock serging or zig-zag stitch over the edge.

Notes:

Using steel hook, single crochet through towel at least ¼ inch from edge. Make at least 65-67 sc into towel. Working with the small hook and worsted yarn is tricky, but this size should go through the weave of the towel. Go slow at first and it will become easier. Space stitches evenly, and moderately close together.

Counting stitches is not important for this pattern as long as you make at least 65 sc into the towel as a foundation row. Pattern consists of rows of hdc followed by reducing rows of dc or tr.

On a dc or tr row, if one extra stitch is left at end of row, simply make one more stitch to finish the row. The extra stitch will not be noticed in the finished product and has no impact on the next or subsequent rows.

We will be reducing each dc/tr row as we go up by skipping stitches, and eventually by dc2tog as we get up to the part of the towel that wraps around the towel rod for hanging. (I refer to this as the  “wrap portion”) these rows are made in dc and the wrap is optimal at 7 dc wide. Depending on how many stitches are present at row 10, decreases may be necessary over the next one or two rows in order to get the wrap rows down to 7 dc wide.

My towel is 15” wide and contained 67 starting sc. I  ended up with 9 hdc by row 10. In row 11, the first and last two stitches of the row were dc2tog, to decrease the rows down to 7 stitches for the wrap portion of the towel. After 12 “wrap portion” rows, you will make one buttonhole row, followed by a decorative end row.

Row 1: Using steel hook, sc in even increments along the top of the towel approximately  ¼” from the edge. Make at least 65-67 sc, ch 1, turn.

Row 2: Switch to H hook, hdc in the first stitch *(first stitch means the same stitch as turning chain in this row and in each row throughout), hdc in each stitch across, ch 2 turn.

Row 3: dc into first stitch, dc into next stitch, skip 1 stitch, continue across making 2 dc and then skipping 1 stitch to end of row, ch 1, turn. *(be sure to read notes above about finishing rows if one extra stitch is present at row end.) (2 dc, sk 1, 2 dc, repeat)

Row 4: hdc in each stitch across, ch 3, turn.

Row 5: tr into first stitch, tr into next stitch, skip 1 stitch, continue across making 2 tr and then skipping 1 stitch to end of row, ch 1, turn. (2 tr, sk 1, 2 tr, repeat)

Row 6: hdc in each stitch across, ch 2, turn.

Row 7: dc into first stitch, skip 1 stitch, continue across and dc in every other stitch to end of row, ch 1, turn. (dc, sk 1, dc, repeat)

Row 8: hdc in each stitch across, ch 3, turn.

Row 9: tr into first stitch, skip 1 stitch, continue across and tr in every other stitch to end of row, ch 1, turn. (tr, sk 1, tr, repeat)

Row 10: hdc in each stitch across, ch 2, turn. Do not break yarn.

*At this point count your stitches. You may have 9 stitches or a couple more depending on how many stitches were made into the towel. The wrap section needs to be 7 dc across, so we will now decrease accordingly. For example: If you have 10 stitches in row 10, then dc2tog for the first two stitches of the row, 1 dc in each stitch across up to the last two stitches, then dc2tog in the last two stitches (8 total stitches made). Begin the next row with a dc2tog, then dc in each stitch across, giving you the magic number of 7. Work your decreases over row 11 (and 12 if necessary) as you see fit in order to begin making rows of 7 dc. The wrap portion of the towel needs to be at least 12 rows long. If your towel rack is wider, then increase the number of rows accordingly.

Row 11: *(If beginning with 9 stitches proceed as follows, if more, see note above for help decreasing down to 7 dc across) dc2tog in the first stitch, dc in each stitch across until you come to the last two stitches, dc2tog, ch 2, turn. (7 sts.)

Rows 12-22: dc in each stitch across, ch 2, turn. (7 dc) *if your towel rack is wider, add rows here to accommodate.

Row 23: *(buttonhole row) dc in the first stitch, dc in each of the next two stitches, ch 1, skip next stitch, dc in each of the last 3 stitches, ch 1, turn. (3 dc, ch 1, 3 dc)

Row 24: *(decorative end) sc in each of the first two stitches, hdc in the next stitch, 3 dc in the chain stitch, hdc in the next stitch, sc in each of the last two stitches, fasten off, weave in ends. (9 stitches total: sc, sc, hdc, 3 dc, hdc, sc, sc)

Finishing: Sew button securely to center stitch on row 11. Hang and enjoy, or makes a great gift!

Care: Wash and dry according to yarn manufacturer's recommendations.

Original pattern “Crocheted Hanging Towel”’

copyright Haute Kippy by Bethany Sypolt 2015

Cross My Heart Crochet Scarf

Introducing for free, my very first crochet pattern! 

Often, I modify crochet patterns I use, and even make up my own projects as I go, but this is the first time I've written out my own original crochet pattern to share publicly. I'm excited to give you this adorable, and very warm scarf.

The gently variegated colors of this particular yarn lend themselves beautifully to the subtle repeat of the Cross My Heart Scarf, so named for the rows of X's in the pattern. This soft scarf is extra wide and the perfect length to wear snugly wrapped over, or under your coat this season.

It's worked in a repeating pattern consisting of half double crochets and treble crochets which are stitched to form X's. The homespun yarn is an unwound strand of acrylic yarn wrapped with a tiny string, so when worked it gives a soft and fluffy appearance. This does not work well for every pattern, as it's hard to see the loops of the stitch. I bought the yarn for another project but found it was not suitable for that particular pattern. So, keeping it simple, I started to work half double crochets to see what the color variegation looked like. I kept working in rows of 20 and realized the potential, thus the Cross My Heart was born! As a happy accident, the rows of 20 seemed to fit perfectly with the changing colors in muted hues of blue, purple, mauve, teal and taupe. 

Beginning  any project with a chainless foundation crochet is a miracle time saver and a must-learn technique for any crocheter who dislikes endless chaining and tediously working into each chain. Foundations can be made in almost any stitch and are fairly easy to get the hang of. I learned by watching you-tube video demonstrations. Simply search for "chainless foundation crochet" and a number of videos appear to help you fsc, fhdc or fdc. I try to begin most projects with a chainless foundation, even when not called for. I couldn't even imagine chaining 100, 200 or more to start an afghan or other large project. It has more stretch and gives like a regular row of crochet, where chaining does not- especially good for garment making. If you've never tried it before, I urge you to learn.

Please feel free to comment and ask questions or point out any ways I can make this pattern better.

Keep it crafty!

xo -Kip

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Cross My Heart Scarf Free Pattern:

Do not share, copy, repost or reproduce this pattern in part or in full. By using my free pattern, you agree to always give credit to my original work and link to my blog when possible. You may sell items made from this pattern, but please be courteous, always credit Haute Kippy with the original design. Do not use my photos to sell your items.

Pattern Notes:

1. Use two skeins from the same dye lot if using variegated yarn to ensure color continuity. When joining new skein, pull new yarn out to match color on hook. Cut and ball pulled yarn. Joining with matched colors keeps the variegated pattern consistent across rows.

2. In lieu of working fhdc for Row 1: Ch 21, hdc in 2nd st from hook and in each ch across, ch 1, turn. (20 hdc)

3. Row 16 repeat: When making X's, crochet 2nd tr on top of previous tr as follows: yo twice to begin tr, insert hook into skipped st and before next yo, move previous tr behind hook, then complete tr. The starting ch 3 does not count as a bar in row total stitch count.

Materials Needed:

2 skeins of Lion Brand's Homespun in Tudor (or another bulky (5) weight yarn)
L/11 (8.00mm) hook
Yarn needle
Scissors

Gauge: 9 stitches, 5 rows = 4" square in hdc

Level of difficulty: Easy

Finished Dimensions: 9" wide, 69" long

Stitches Used:

fhdc- foundation half double crochet
hdc- half double crochet
tr- treble crochet

Scarf:

Row 1: fhdc 20, ch 1, turn (20 fhdc)
Rows 2-14: hdc in each st across, ch 1, turn (20 hdc)
Row 15: hdc in each st across, ch 3, turn (20 hdc)
Row 16: tr in first st (same st as ch 3), *skip one st and tr in next st, tr in skipped st, tr in next st* (one X and one bar made). Repeat from * to * 5 more times, tr in last stitch, ch 1, turn. (6 X's and 8 bars made- including starting ch 3)
Rows 17-30: repeat row 2
Row 31: repeat row 15
Row 32: repeat row 16
Rows 33-95: Continue with pattern established (15 rows of hdc, one row X's and bars) 4 more times, ending with 15 more rows of hdc for a total of 95 rows or to desired length.
Fasten off, weave in ends.

Original pattern “Cross My Heart Scarf”’

copyright Haute Kippy by Bethany Sypolt 2015