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?

As a kind of celebration of my early youthful first crochet years browsing McCalls crochet magazine, I made these Crochet Girl Patterns. These are all quick and easy, small crochet projects that I would have loved to make as a young girl, thus the name “Crochet Girl”. These projects are all made from DK weight acrylic yarn. You can also use sport, fingering or worsted weight yarn. And of course, these projects are all crochet for wearing – accessories and small items of clothing.

So, here’s the fourth pattern in My Crochet Girl collection.

My Crochet Girl Belt.

Crochet Girl Belt

Yarn: Acrylic Yarn in DK, Sport or Fingering Weight.
The belt shown is crochetd in Red Heart Acrylic Yarn, 4-ply. Two skeins of yarn are used totalling about 20 grams of yarn.
The belt is crocheted in baby blue colour yarn. The flowers are crocheted in peach, mint green and golden brown colour yarns.

Hook: 3.5mm crochet hook

Measurements: 20 inches long and 2 inches wide.

My Crochet Girl Belt.

Instructions

Belt:

Using baby blue colour yarn and 3.5mm hook, start with a slip knot with a tail about 4-5 inches long so you can weave it in nicely with a yarn needle later. Chain 11.

Row 1: Double crochet in fourth chain from hook, double crochet in each of the next 7 chains (total of 9 double crochets made, counting the 3 chain stitches at the beginning of the row as 1 double crochet). Chain 3, turn.

Row 2: Skip the first double crochet, double crochet in the next double crochet and in each of the next 7 double crochets (9 double crochets made). Chain 3, turn.

Row 3 – next rows: Repeat row 2 until the piece measures about 10 inches long.

Continue to making the lacy section of the belt:

Row 1: Skip the first double crochet, double crochet in the next double crochet, skip 2 double crochets, double crochet in the next double crochet, chain 5, skip 2 double crochets, double crochet in the next double crochet, double crochet in the last double crochet. Chain 3, turn.

Row 2: Skip the first double crochet, double crochet in the next double crochet, chain 2, single crochet in the 5-chain loop, chain 2, double crochet in each of the last 2 double crochet. Chain 3, turn.

Row 3: Skip the first double crochet, double crochet in the next double crochet and in each of the next 7 double crochets. Chain 3, turn.

Next rows: Repeat the lace pattern from rows 1-3 to the desired length, ending with row 1. At the last row, make chain 1 instead of chain 3. Turn.

Last row: Single crochet in the first double crochet, single crochet in each of the next 2 double crochet, 5 single crochet in the 5-chain loop, single crochet in each of the last 3 double crochets. Finish off with a long tail for weaving in.

My Crochet Girl Belt.

Flower Button for the Belt:

With yarn and hook size 3.5mm, chain 4. Slip stitch in the first chain to make a ring.

Round 1: Chain 4, double crochet in ring, (chain 1, double crochet in ring) 5 times, chain 1, slip stitch in the third chain of the 4-chain made at the start of the round. This joins the ends of the round together.

Round 2: Single crochet in the first chain-1 space, *chain 2, 2 double crochet in the same chain-1 space, chain 2, single crochet in the same chain-1 space, single crochet in the next chain-1 space, repeat from * 5 times more. Chain 2, 2 double crochet in the same chain-1 space, chain 2, single crochet in the same chain-1 space. Fasten off with a long tail for sewing on the belt.

Smaller Flowers (Make 2)

With golden brown colour yarn, chain 4. Slip stitch in the first chain to join.

Round 1: chain 1, (single crochet in ring, chain 4) 7 times, slip stitch in the first single crochet to join. Fasten off.

Make another flower using mint green yarn.

My Crochet Girl Belt.

Finishing:

Use yarn needle to sew the larger flower to one end of the belt with the solid double crochet stitches. This flower serves as the button for the belt. Then sew the smaller flowers a distance next to the larger one.

As a kind of celebration of my early youthful first crochet years browsing McCalls crochet magazine, I made these Crochet Girl Patterns. These are all quick and easy, small crochet projects that I would have loved to make as a young girl, thus the name “Crochet Girl”. These projects are all made from DK weight acrylic yarn. You can also use sport, fingering or worsted weight yarn. And of course, these projects are all crochet for wearing – accessories and small items of clothing.

So, here’s the third pattern in My Crochet Girl collection.

My Crochet Girl Bracelet.

Yarn: Acrylic Yarn in DK, Sport or Fingering Weight.
The bracelets shown is crochetd in Red Heart Acrylic Yarn, 4-ply.
The bracelet is crocheted in baby blue colour yarn, and the other bracelet is crocheted in beige colour yarn. The flowers are crocheted in baby yellow and golden brown colour yarns.

Hook: 3.5mm crochet hook for the bracelet. 3mm hook for the flower.

Measurements: 6 inches long and 1 inch wide

If you don’t have a tape measure, wrap a yarn around your wirst to get the right length of the bracelet. Cut the yarn or mark with a knot. Then measure that yarn with a ruler. Likewise you can use the yarn measured around your wrist as the size guide itself.

My Crochet Girl Bracelet.

Instructions

Bracelet Strap:

Using yarn and 3.5mm hook, start with a slip knot with a tail about 4-5 inches long so you can weave it in nicely with a yarn needle later. Make chain 6.

Row 1: Single crochet in the second chain from the hook, single crochet in each of the next 4 chains, ch 1, turn (5 single crochet made).

Row 2: Single crochet in each of the next 5 single crochets, chain 1, turn (5 single crochet made).

Row 3: Repeat row 2, but at the end, make chain 4 instead of 1. Turn.

Row 4: Skip the first and second single crochets, double crochet in the third single crochet, chain 1, skip the fourth single crochet, double crochet in the fifth (the last) single crochet. Ch 1, turn. (Double crochet mesh made)

Row 5: Single crochet in the first double crochet, single crochet in the chain-1 space, single crochet in the next double crochet, single crochet in the next chain-1 space, single crochet in the next chain, chain 4, turn (5 single crochet made).

Row 6-7: Repeat rows 4-5.

Row 8-9: Repeat rows 4-5.

Row 10-11: Repeat row 2.

Row 12-18: Repeat rows 4-10.

Row 19: Single crochet in first single crochet, ch 3, single crochet in the last single crochet, ch 1, turn (a button hole just made).

Row 20: Single crochet in first single crochet, 3 single crochet in ch-3 space, single crochet in last single crochet. Fasten off with a tail about 4-5 inches long so you can weave it in nicely with a yarn needle.

My Crochet Girl Bracelet.

Flower Button:

Using yarn and 3mm hook, make chain 5. Slip stitch in the first chain to make a ring.

Round 1: Chain 1, (single crochet in ring, double crochet in ring) 5 times, slip stitch in the first single crocheyt to join. Fasten off with a long tail for sewing on the bracelet strap.

Finishing:

Using yarn needle, sew the flower button on one of the bracelet. The bracelet is fastened by slipping the flower into the buttonhole at the other end of the bracelet.

As a kind of celebration of my early youthful first crochet years browsing McCalls crochet magazine, I made these Crochet Girl Patterns. These are all quick and easy, small crochet projects that I would have loved to make as a young girl, thus the name “Crochet Girl”. These projects are all made from DK weight acrylic yarn. You can also use sport, fingering or worsted weight yarn. And of course, these projects are all crochet for wearing – accessories and small items of clothing.

So, here’s the second pattern in My Crochet Girl collection.

My Crochet Girl Hairband.

Crochet Girl Hairband

Yarn: Acrylic Yarn in DK, Sport or Fingering Weight.
The hairband shown is crochetd in Red Heart Acrylic Yarn, 4-ply. Two skeins of yarn are used totalling about 20 grams of yarn. The hairband is crocheted in gray colour yarn.

Hook: 3.5mm crochet hook

Measurements:

Motif measures about 3 inches square.
The hairband measures 27 inches including the ties.

The hairband is made up of a square motif in the centre, with the ties crocheted at opposite sides of the motif.

The hairband has a centre motif and ties at the back.

Instructions

Square Motif:

With yarn and 3.5mm hook, chain 8. Slip stitch in the first chain to make a ring.

Round 1: Chain 1, single crochet in ring, *chain 2, 5 double crochet in ring, chain 2, single crochet in ring, repeat from * 2 times; chain 2, 5 double crochet in ring, chain 2, slip stitch in the first single crochet to join. (4 petals made)

Round 2: Chain 1, single crochet in same single crochet where the slip stitch was made, (chain 4, single crochet in next single crochet between two petals keeping the chain-4 loop behind the petal) 3 times; chain 4, slip stitch in first single crochet to join.

Round 3: Slip stitch in chain-4 space, chain 3, 3 double crochet in same chain-4 space, chain 2, 4 double crochet in same chain-4 space, * chain 2, in next chain-4 space make (4 double crochet, chain 2, 4 double crochet), repeat from * 2 more times; chain 2, slip stitch in top of first chain-3 to join.

Round 4: Slip stitch in each of next 3 double crochets, slip stich in the chain-2 space, chain 3, in the same chain-2 space make (3 double crochet, chain 3, 4 double crochet), *chain 1, 4 double crochet in the next chain-2 space, chain 1, in the next chain-2 space make (4 double crochet, chain 3, 4 double crochet), repeat from * 2 more times; chain 1, 4 double crochet in the next chain-2 space, chain 1, slip stitch in top of the first chain-3 to join. Finish off.

My Crochet Girl Hairband.

Now join the yarn with a slip stitch to one of the chain-3 loops at the corner of the square motif.

Row 1: Chain 1, 1 single crochet in the same loop, single crochet in each of the next 4 double crochets, single crochet in chain-1 space, single crochet in each of the next 4 double crochets, single crochet in the next chain-1 space, single crochet in each of the next 4 double crochets, 1 single crochet in the next corner chain-3 loop (16 single crochets made). Chain 1, turn.

Row 2: Single crochet in the first single crochet, (chain 2, skip 2 single crochets, single crochet in next single crochet) 5 times. Chain 1, turn.

Row 3: Single crochet in first single crochet, (single crochet in chain-2 space, single crochet in next single crochet) 5 times. Chain 1, turn.

Rows 4-7: Repeat rows 2-3.

Row 8: Single crochet in each of 16 single crochets. Chain 1, turn.

Row 9: Skip the first single crochet, single crochet in next single crochet and in each of the next 12 single crochets, skip next single crochet, single crochet in the last single crochet. Chain 1, turn. (14 single crochets made)

Row 10: Single crochet in each single crochet across. Chain 1, turn.

Row 11: Skip the first single crochet, single crochet in next single crochet and in each of the next 10 single crochets, skip next single crochet, single crochet in the last single crochet. Chain 1, turn. (12 single crochets made)

Row 12: Repeat row 10.

Row 13: Skip the first single crochet, single crochet in next single crochet and in each of the next 8 single crochets, skip next single crochet, single crochet in the last single crochet. Chain 1, turn. (10 single crochets made)

Row 14: Repeat row 10.

Row 15: Skip the first single crochet, single crochet in next single crochet and in each of the next 6 single crochets, skip next single crochet, single crochet in the last single crochet. Chain 1, turn. (8 single crochets made)

Row 16: Repeat row 10.

Row 17: Skip the first single crochet, single crochet in next single crochet and in each of the next 4 single crochets, skip next single crochet, single crochet in the last single crochet. Chain 1, turn. (6 single crochets made)

Row 18: Repeat row 10.

Row 19: Skip the first single crochet, single crochet in next single crochet and in each of the next 2 single crochets, skip next single crochet, single crochet in the last single crochet. Chain 1, turn. (4 single crochets made)

Row 20: Repet row 10 until piece measures 12 inches (excluding the square motif). Finish off.

Join the yarn with a slip stitch to one of the chain-3 loops at the opposite corner of the square motif. Follow the same instructions above for completing the other half of the hairband.

Weave in all ends.

At the moment, I have two large crochet projects, The Summer Dress in Flower Motifs and The Skirt in Baby Camel Yarn. I have just wrapped them up and placed them in plastic bags as projects that I will resume work on after I feel better. Yes, I still feel a bit off.

It is not the time for large projects but I do still need to crochet. So a few days ago I started a series of small crochet projects, in particular, projects that take me back to my childhood days, when I first learned how to crochet.

My crochet inspiration at that time was McCalls. That magazine featured crochet fashion from the 70′s, and the most vivid in my mind was a bikini set and a colourful granny squares vest. I never managed to crochet any of the wearables in the magazine, I tried but it wasn’t possible for me. The patterns were too complex for an absolute beginner and all I had was DK weight acrylic yarn.

However, I felt strongly about crochet wearables – from clothes to accessories – and I forever wanted to make them so much more than other items of crochet such as household or toys.

As a kind of celebration of those youthful first crochet years browsing McCalls crochet magazine, I made these Crochet Girl Patterns. These are all quick and easy, small crochet projects that I would have loved to make as a young girl, thus the name “Crochet Girl”. These projects are all made from DK weight acrylic yarn. You can also use sport, fingering or worsted weight yarn. And of course, these projects are all crochet for wearing – accessories and small items of clothing.

So, here’s the first pattern in My Crochet Girl collection.

My Crochet Girl Cowl

Crochet Girl Cowl

Yarn: Acrylic Yarn in DK, Sport or Fingering Weight.
The cowl shown is crocheted in Red Heart Acrylic Yarn, 4-ply. Two skeins of yarn are used totalling about 20 grams of yarn. The cowl is crocheted in baby yellow colour yarn. The flowers are crocheted in baby pink and beige colour yarns.

Hook: 3.5mm crochet hook

Measurements:

Cowl measures about 15 inches long and 4 inches wide. The length can be changed to fit.

The cowl is crocheted lengthwise in rows then the buttonholes and lacey edgings are made in the round all in one piece. The flower buttons are crocheted separately and then sewn on the cowl.

Detail of the crochet flowers. Each flower is made up of two parts sewn together.

Instructions

With baby yellow yarn and 3.5mm hook make a foundation chain of 60 chain stitches to make a cowl about 15 inches long. To make in your desired length, start with a multiple of 4 chains +1.

Row 1: Chain 3 (this count as 1 double crochet), double crochet in fourth chain from hook, *chain 2, skip 2 chains, double crochet in each of the next 2 chains. Repeat from * all across to the last chain. Chain 3, turn.

Row 2: Skip the first double crochet, double crochet in the next double crochet, *chain 2, skip the chain-2 space, double crochet in each of the next 2 double crochets; repeat from * all across to the last double crochet. Chain 3, turn.

Row 3-5: Repeat row 2. Make chain 1 instead of chain 3 at the end of the row. Do not turn.

Proceed to crocheting along the narrow end of the cowl as follows:

Chain 1, in the first 2-chain space make 4 double crochets with chain 1 between them, *chain 1, single crochet in the next 2-chain space, chain 1, in the next 2-chain space make 4 double crochets with chain 1 between them, repeat from * all across the edge of the cowl. Chain 1, double crochet in the last chain.

Now working along the other narrow end of the cowl:

Chain 1, make 2 single crochets around the stems of each of the 5 double crochets. Chain 1.

Now working along the other edge of the cowl:

*Single crochet in each of the next 2 double crochets, 2 single crochets in the chain-2 space, repeat from * to the last double crochet. Chain 1.

Now working along the narrow end of the cowl worked earlier:

Slip stitch in the next 2 single crochets, 6 single crochets in the 5-chain loop, slip stitch in each of the next 2 single crochets, 6 single crochets in the next 5-chain loop, slip stitch in each of the next 2 single crochets, slip stitch in the next chain.

Finally, working along the shells made earlier:

Single crochet in chain-1 space, *chain 3, (single crochet in the next chain-1 space, chain 3) 2 times, single crochet in each of the next 2 chain-1 spaces, repeat from * all across ending with a slip stitch in the last chain-1 space. Fasten off.

Large Flower:

With baby pink yarn, chain 4. Slip stitch in the first chain to make a ring.

Round 1: Chain 1, 7 single crochet in ring. Slip stitch in the first single crochet to join.

Round 2: Chain 1, single crochet in first single crochet, *chain 8, single crochet in the next single crochet, repeat from * all around to the last single crochet, chain 8, slip stitch in the first single crochet to join. Fasten off.

Centre of Large Flower:

With beige yarn, chain 3, slip stitch in the first chain to make a ring.

Round 1: Chain 1, (single crochet in ring, chain 5) 5 times, slip stitch in the first single crochet to join. Fasten off with long tail to sew to the centre of the flower made above. Then sew to one end of the cowl aligned with the first buttonhole.

Detail of the buttonhole end of the cowl.

Small Flower:

With baby pink yarn, chain 4, slip stitch in the first chain to make a ring.

Round 1: Chain 1, 5 single crochet in ring. Slip stitch in first sigle crochet to join.

Round 2: Chain 1, single crochet in first single crochet, *chain 5, single crochet in next single crochet, repeat from * all around to the last single crochet. Chain 5, slip stitch in the first single crochet to join. Fasten off.

Centre of Small Flower:

With beige yarn, chain 3, slip stitch in the first chain to make a ring.

Round 1: Chain 1, (single crochet in ring, chain 3) 5 times. Slip stitch in the first single crochet to join. Fasten off with long tail to sew to the centre of the small flower made above. Then sew to one end of the cowl aligned with the second buttonhole.