Christmas Bunting - A Pattern!

Okay... FINALLY... I have attempted to turn my Christmas Bunting into a pattern.

Like I mentioned, this is a combination of patterns and ideas from other clever people on the web.

Making the star

The first step is to make a star and this pattern is part of another pattern from Michelle at The Royal Sisters and she has kindly said that she's happy for me to share it with you.

If you want to see the original pattern and instructions for this part, have a look at Michelle's Grandma Star Hexagon Tutorial. I am using the first part of that pattern.

Like Michelle, I am writing in English crochet terms (and American terms in brackets).

This flower/star has "petals" made with a cluster/bobble kinda-stitch.

This is the cluster stitch:
yarn over hook, insert into next stitch, yarn over hook and pull up loop (3 loops on hook),
yarn over hook and draw through 2 loops,
yarn over hook and insert into same stitch, yarn over hook, pull up loop,
yarn over hook and draw through 2 loops,
yarn over hook and insert into same stitch again,
yarn over hook, pull up loop, yarn over hook, and draw through 2 loops,
yarn over hook and draw through all 4 loops remaining. Cluster stitch done!

Okay, so here we go:

Chain 4 and join with a slip stitch to make a ring.

Round 1: chain 1, 12 dc(sc) into the ring.
Join with a slip stitch to first dc(sc)

Round 2: chain 2, then:
yarn over hook, insert into same stitch,
yarn over hook pull up the loop (3 loops on hook),
yarn over hook and draw through 2 loops,
yarn over hook and insert into same stitch,
yarn over hook, pull up a loop,
yarn over hook and draw through 2 loops.
yarn over hook and draw through all 3 loops remaining.
(this is the cluster stitch but it's a bit different/weird because it started with a chain 2)

THEN
*chain 5, skip one dc(sc)
make cluster stitch into the next dc(sc)*

Repeat * - * until there are 6 petals and one dc(sc) remaining.

Chain 5 and join with a slip stitch to the top of the first cluster.

Finish off and weave in ends - you've completed the first part - you've made a star!


As you can see, I made my "stars" in a groovy gold thread. I made all my stars first, then moved on to the next part - surrounding them with a granny triangle that becomes the Christmas Bunting!

OKAY... (How am I doing? :-) Feeling quite nervous here!)


Making the flags

Now time to make the triangles. I used red.

S0....

Change to new colour. Attach new colour with a slip stitch to one of the chain 5 strands. Chain 3 (counts as a treble/dc).

Do three more trebles(dc), chain 3, do 4 more trebles(dc), all along that chain 5 strand (in between 2 petals). Chain 1.
In the next space (on the next chain 5 strand): 4 trebles(dc), chain 1

In the next space: 4 trebles(dc), chain 3, THREE trebles(dc), (corner made leading into the "shorter" side of the triangle), chain 1

In the next space: 3 trebles(dc), chain 1

In the next space: 3 treble(dc), chain 3, FOUR treble(dc) (corner made, you are now going down one of the longer sides again), chain 1

In the last space: 4 treble(dc), chain 1

Join with a slip stitch to the top of the chain three, completing that round.

Did that make sense? Can you see in the pics above the treble(double) "groups" as I call them? On two sides the treble(double) groups have four stitches per group, and on one side of the triangle the groups are groups of three? This makes one side shorter than the other two. Or have I confused you more now??

Well, moving on to the next round...

Slip stitch across to the next chain 3 space

In this space:

Chain 3 (acts as a treble/dc), 3 trebles(dc), chain 3, 4 treble(dc), chain 1,

In the next chain 1 space: 4 treble(dc), chain 1

Repeat in the next chain space

Then you reach the corner again. Remember, this is the corner that takes you to the "shorter" side, so this corner will be:

4 treble(dc), chain 3, THREE treble(dc) (corner made) chain 1

Then in each of the next chain 1 spaces: 3 treble(dc), chain 1

Then you reach the next corner. You need to finish your "shorter" side and start the next "longer" side, so you do:

3 treble(dc), chain 3, FOUR treble(dc), chain 1

Then in the next two spaces: 4 treble(dc), chain 1

You should be back at the start of this round. Join with a slip stitch at the top of the beginning chain 3.

Slip stitch to the next chain 3 space...

And repeat for a many rounds as desired!

Does that make sense???? I really hope it does!

When you are ready to finish your work, you can do this soft, shell edging:

After joining with a slip stitch at the end of the last round DO NOT slip stitch all the way over to the next space. Instead, you only slip stitch to the MIDDLE of the treble group. Then you use that corner space, but you are reaching over to it.

4 treble(dc) in corner space, chain 4

slip stitch into the 4th chain from the hook (picot made),

4 treble(dc) in the same (corner) space,
join with a slip stitch in the middle of the trebles(dc) in the next "treble(dc) group" from the last round.

Then, in the next chain 1 space: 4 treble(dc), join with a slip stitch to the middle of the next "treble(dc) group".

Continue until you reach the corner.

At the corner, 4 treble(dc) in the corner space, chain 3, then THREE treble(dc) in the corner space, chain 1. (Do NOT join with a slip stitch as you have just been doing down the side.)

Continue along the "shorter" side as you have in previous rounds: 3 treble(dc), ch 1 in each space (so this side will look straight - no shell edging)

At the corner: 3 treble(dc), ch 3, 4 treble(dc), join with a slip stitch to the middle in the next treble group from the previous round (so you're starting the shell edge again for this side).

Continue down this side:

4 treble(dc) in the next ch1 space, join with a slip stitch to the middle of the next treble(dc) group from the previous round.

Continue until you reach the end of the round. Then join with a slip stitch to the original slip stitch from the start of this round (end of the previous round).

Finish off and weave in ends.

You've done it!

Joining your flags

Chain about 20, maybe more. It depends how much "hanging up thread" you need at your ends.

Then dc(sc) into the top right corner or your flag. *Chain 3, 1 dc(sc) into the next chain 1 space.* Repeat *-* to the next corner. Chain 10 (or however far apart you want your flags). 1 dc(sc) in the next flag's top right corner. Repeat *-* to the next corner. Chain 10 again and continue until all flags are connected. Chain 20 to create "hanging up" thread for the other end, then finish off and weave in ends.

NOTE: the "top right corner" is the corner that has 4 treble, ch 3, 3 treble

Phweeeew! I'm exhausted! :-)

This is the first time I have ever, ever, EVER tried to write out a pattern. It is so much more difficult to do than I realised. I have a new appreciation and respect for anyone who manages to successfully write out patterns for others to use.

So, that said, if any part of this doesn't makes sense, please let me know! Chances are I've left something out, or typed something incorrectly. So please tell me so that I can help you out, and also fix it up so it makes sense to others.

Hope you can do it/that it makes sense!

Happy hooking!

Caz :)