A few weeks ago, I fell in love with this adorable and easy pattern for Cork and Crochet Knights by LucyRavenscar. Immediately, I decided that they needed some princesses to protect!
I am very happy with what I came up with: with a few scraps of yarn and little practice you'll be able to crochet one up during a single episode of your favorite show, and the shape and size of the finished item is just perfect for little fingers - not to mention just plain fun!
The designer was kind enough to give me her go-ahead to publish my pattern, which is derived directly from her knights. Like her patterns, please feel free to make for your own use, or to raise money for a good cause.
Materials:
Small amounts of medium-weight yarn in two colors, designated "Hair" and "Dress" in the patternCrochet Hook (The original designer suggests an F / 4 mm hook; I found I needed to use an E)
Wine Cork
Permanent marker for drawing features
(Optional) Scraps of narrow ribbon or tulle, embroidery floss, or etc.
Materials Notes and Tips
I have come to love the look and feel of 100% cotton yarn such as Lily Sugar N' Cream, and use it for much of my crocheting. However, it is comparatively stiff and unyielding. The first few rows of the hat will be much easier if you use acrylic yarn.
If you struggle with the hat, rest assured that it doesn't have to be perfect: minor mistakes will not show, much! I frequently end up making my stitches in the front loop or back loop only at the beginning, simply because the work is too small and dense to get the hook into both loops. You could also try going down a hook size for the hat only, switching back to your E (or F) hook when you begin the hair.
Also note that corks vary a bit in height. Try your princess on for size before the last couple of rows to see if you need to omit or add one.
Stitches: (US Terms) ch - chain
dc - double crochet
sc - single crochet
sl - slip stitch
The Pattern
Pattern is worked in continuous rounds. Do not join with slBegin with dress color
Round 1. 4 sc in magic circle
Round 2. 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 3 sc - 5 sc
Round 3. 1 sc in next sc, [2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next sc] 2 times - 7 sc
Round 4. 1 sc in next sc, [2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 2 scs] 2 times - 9 sc
Round 5. 1 sc in next sc [2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 3 scs] 2 times - 11 sc
Change to hair color
Round 6. 1 sc in next sc [2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 2 scs] 3 times, 2 sc in next sc - 15 sc
Round 7. 1 sc in next 11 sc,
Ch 1, turn
Row 1: 1 sc in next 11 scs, ch 1, turn
Row 2: 1 sc in next 11 scs
switch to dress color, chain 4
Round 8: Sc into 1st sc of row 2, sc in next 10 sc, 4 sc over ch5 - 15 sc.
Round 9-11: 1 sc in each sc around - 15 scs
Round 12: [2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in next 4 scs] 3 times - 18 scs
Round 13: skip next sc, [sc, dc, sc in next sc, skip next sc] 6 times. Sl in next stitch, fasten off. (Not a complete round.)
Finishing
Braid: Cut 3 lengths of yarn in hair color about 6 inches. Attach with slip-knot to three central stitches
in back of head. Braid and tie with scrap of yarn in dress color.
Or, consider "Princess Leia" braids: lengths of chain stitch coiled and sewed to side of head
Embellish hat as desired with scraps of ribbon or tulle.
And for decorating your princess, here are
Three quick embellishments
I worked mine in embroidery floss with a C or size 0 steel hook
Tiny flower:
In magic circle,
sc, [dc, hdc, sl, ch1,] 4 times, dc, hdc, sl.
Tiny Butterfly:
As the tiny flower, but omit fifth petal and wrap tail of yarn around the center a couple of times - or use a contrasting color.
Tiny heart:
In magic circle
sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc 5 times, hdc, dc, hdc. Join with slip stitch through magic loop.
I hope you enjoy crocheting up a bevy of princesses as much as I have. My 3 year old daughter Loves playing with them, and I'm looking forward to giving a whole set to her cousin on her 5th birthday!
Just for fun, here are couple of photos of Fleurette's friends and family.
The knights are made with LucyRavenscar's pattern as written, although I did go ahead and close the bottom with a few decreases - my little ones are awfully tempted to take out the corks otherwise! Unfortunately, the fancy border on the princesses' dress makes it less workable for them. Oh, fancy buttons as shields are a lot of fun too!
The king is a simple combination of the knight and the gnome patterns from LucyRavenscar, with a simple cape in double crochet sewed on. The queen is crocheted for a non-standard cork, and I just eyeballed the increases and improvised a slightly showier overdress.
I can write up the pattern for the dragon if there is interest!
3 comments:
Oh yes, please can we have the dragon too?
Oh yes please can we have the dragon?
Oh, phooey, Micheal! It's been quite a long time since I crocheted it and I didn't write it down. Re-creating the pattern properly is on my "to-do" list, but if you feel comfortable with improvisation, I can give you a run down of my steps:
1) Use the knight pattern without color changes.
2) Attach same color at the bottom, center back. SC 3 in back loops only (so tail will lay flat) . Turn and sc 3 across for several rows until the tail is as long as you desire. Reduce to 2 at the end.
3) In contrasting color, create back ridge. Chain until your work can be laid evenly across dragon from top of head to tip of tail. Then turn, (skip first chain, 3 SC in next chain,) to the end.
Sew ridge to dragon.
4) Muzzle: SC 6 in magic circle. Row 2: Sc in each sc around. Stuff (if necessary) and embroider mouth and nose in contrasting color. Sew onto dragon.
5) Wings: I improvised based on wings for this golden snitch pattern. I made mine smaller - I think I just made fewer rounds, but I don't precisely recall.
I know this isn't terribly precise, but I hope it will get you going since I am not going to have time to write anything up for a while here!
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