Because of my obsession with reading the patterns found in McCalls Crochet Magazine, I was not introduced to the idea of “free-form crochet” as a young girl. I did try to “bluff” and “fiddle” my way through to completing a simple crochet project (such as a table mat!) but I never really creatively used free-form.
So now I’ve written a pattern that I hope will help young people appreciate a simple way to free-form. This is something wearable, in keeping with the fashion theme in My Crochet Girl collection, and thus hopefully, something that can motivate young people to complete this crochet project.
Some important stitches used in this project.
Stitches used in this project are chain stitch, slip stitch, single crochet, back loop single crochet and popcorn stitch. Making the popcorn stitch may require some practice. Here is a video from The Crochet Geek showing how this stitch is made. While the popcorn stitch is often made with 5 double crochet stitches, I made mine with only 3 because I didn’t want the popcorns to protrude too much.
Here are some descriptions and illustrations detailing how to make the popcorn stitch. It is quite a fun stitch to make, something that I learned only when I started crocheting again in my early 20′s. Sometimes I wish I learned how to make this fun stitch when I was younger!
Now making the back loop single crochet may be a but tricky too. When I was a kid, I made all my stitches front loop and learned about the differences between back loop and both loops only recently! It does make quite a difference in the resulting texture of the crocheted fabric. I use back loop single crochet for this project because it makes a nice stretchy fabric with a pretty vertical ribbing.
Here’s a video showing how to make the back loop single crochet, from Lion Brand Yarn.
And finally, here is my fifth Crochet Girl Pattern. Remember that the spirit of this pattern is free-form so don’t be too worried about exactly how many stitches you need to make or where you must put the hook in. The idea of this project is to use free-form creatively to make a simple shape – a crocheted cylinder with a slit at one side for the thumb.
My Crochet Girl Fingerless Mitts.
My Crochet Girl Free-Form Mitts
Yarn: Acrylic Yarn in DK, Sport or Fingering Weight.
The belt shown is crocheted in Red Heart Acrylic Yarn, 4-ply. For a single mitt, one and a half skeins of yarn are used totalling about 20 grams of yarn.
Hook: 3.5mm crochet hook
Instructions:
Design Notes: The mitts are crocheted lengthwise following the desired length. Just when you reach the desired circumference, you slip stitch join the sides near the wrist to the base of the thumb. From there, you crochet without joining to the top of the mitt, then back down another row, then up again to make the opening for the thumb, then start joining again to the top of the mitt.
Important measurements to take: the length of the mitts and the circumference of the mitts (this is the width of your hand x 2).
First you must take your measurements.You will need two important measurements: (1) the width of the mitt, and (2) the length of the mitt.
Make a chain as long as the length of the mitts you wish to make.
Row 1: (Right Side) Single crochet in second chain from hook and in each chain across. Chain 5, turn.
Row 2: (Wrong Side) Back loop single crochet in each single crochet across, chain 5, turn.
Row 3: Back loop single crochet in each of the next 4 single crochet, popcorn stitch in next single crochet, back loop single crochet in each of the next 4 single crochet, make another popcorn stitch in the next single crochet, back loop single crochet in remaining single crochet. Chain 5, turn.
Row 4: Back loop single crochet in each single crochet across, chain 5, turn.
Row 5: Back loop single crochet in each of the next 4 single crochet, chain 4, skip 2 single crochet, back loop single crochet in each of the next 4 single crochet, popcorn stitch in next single crochet, back loop single crochet in each of the next 4 single crochet, make another popcorn stitch in the next single crochet, back loop single crochet in remaining single crochet. Chain 5, turn.
Row 6: Back loop single crochet in each single crochet across, make 2 single crochet in the 4-chain loop, Back loop single crochet in remaining single crochet across, chain 5, turn.
Next rows: Repeat rows 2-5, freely changing the number and position of the popcorn stitches and the chain-5 loops. All the even number rows are back loop single crochet stitches and single crochets in chain-5 loops only.
When you reach the desired circumference, you can start joining the seams along the wrist together with slip stitches at the wrong side. You should start joining only at an even number row and on the wrong side.
Stop joining when you reach the point at the base of the thumb, just continue making back loop single crochet stitches to the end of the row. Turn.
Now make another row of back loop single crochet stitches down to the base of the thumb, turn, then starting working your way up until you reach the desired length of opening for the thumb. These extra rows are intended to make the mitts wider between the thumb and index finger. Then start joining the seams together with slip stitches. Fasten off.
My Crochet Girl Fingerless Mitts. This one was made too tightly, so I should work more rows for looser fit. The slit for the thumb is also too long, so that will need improving!
I hope that you have fun with this pattern and that it gets you started with free-form. I’m not much of a free-form fanatic myself but it is something that I’ll be doing more of now. It’s fun and relaxing to do because you’re not reading a pattern so closely. It’s also one way to get started on making your own crochet designs.
Also, if you like the popcorn and holes pattern, try using it for other projects – also free-form style. How about a hat or a pair of socks? Or a skirt? 
