Tag Archives: Lion brand

Softie Crochet- Jack the Rabbit Free Pattern

Posted on by

I have always had a soft spot for Rabbits, and as such I have always loved this time of year as it brings out Easter Bunnies everywhere. I have created a simple free pattern for a toy bunny, that might be just perfect for a little one in your life. This is an amigurumi for the beginner, as it has minimal shaping, I like the rustic charm.

Jack the Scrap Rabbit and Jack the Rabbit

This free pattern is part of the 2020 Softie CAL! There are many great designs to keep you inspired, check all of them out here. Also, don’t miss the giveaways.

Materials

Lion Brand Basic Stitch Premium 100% acrylic medium weight yarn (3.5 oz/100g/219yd/200m) colors: MC-#126 Goldmine, CC1-#98 Cream, CC2-#142 Boysenberry, CC3- #109 Coastal (OR, make a Scrap Jack, by using any medium weight yearn on hand)

Poly-Fils Crafters Choice Dry Polyester Packing Fiber Fill

G/6/4.25mm crochet hook

Note…Save your time weaving in ends. Instead of weaving in ends, simply push the ends to the wrong side of the fabric, when seaming and stuffing ensure that the ends are with the stuffing.

Jack the Rabbit

Head (Make 2)

Round 1: With MC, Magic Loop, (tip, learn the Magic Loop or substitute another beginning here)ch 3, 13 dc in loop, pull loop closed, sl st to top of beg ch. -14 dc

Round 2: Ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around, sl st to join. -28dc

Round 3: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, [2 dc in next st, dc in next st] around, sl st to join. -42 dc

Round 4: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 2 sts, [2 dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts] around, sl st to join. -56 dc

Round 5: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 3 sts, [2 dc in next st, dc in next 3 sts] around, sl st to join. Fasten off. -70 dc

Back (Make 1)

Round 1: With MC, Magic Loop, ch 3, 13 dc in loop, pull loop closed, sl st to top of beg ch. -14 dc

Round 2: Ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around, sl st to join. -28dc

Round 3: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, [2 dc in next st, dc in next st] around, sl st to join. -42 dc

Round 4: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 2 sts, [2 dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts] around, sl st to join. -56 dc

Round 5: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 3 sts, [2 dc in next st, dc in next 3 sts] around, sl st to join. -70 dc

Round 6: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 4 sts, [2 dc in next st, dc in next 4 sts] around, sl st to join. Fasten Off. -84 dc

Belly (Make 1)

Round 1: With CC1, Magic Loop, ch 3, 13 dc in loop, pull loop closed, sl st to top of beg ch. -14 dc

Round 2: Ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around, sl st to join. -28dc

Round 3: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, [2 dc in next st, dc in next st] around, sl st to join. -42 dc

Round 4: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 2 sts, [2 dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts] around, sl st to join. -56 dc

Round 5: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 3 sts, [2 dc in next st, dc in next 3 sts] around, sl st to join, change to MC. -70 dc

Round 6: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 4 sts, [2 dc in next st, dc in next 4 sts] around, sl st to join. Fasten Off. -84 dc

Two heads, a Belly and a Back

Joining Head to Body

With Right sides facing each other, stack 1 Head on the Back, working through stitches of both fabrics, sl st in 10 stitches. Repeat with last Head and Belly.

Join a head to a body, with rights sides facing each other when joining.

With Wrong Sides facing each other, stack the 2 sides on top of each other, working through stitches of both fabrics, sc around the entire outer edge of sides, filling with poly-fil before completely finishing. (Tip: Begin joining near neck to ensure that the neck of both sides matchup)

Putting the wrong sides facing each other of head/body seam the body together and stuff it as you go.

Arms/Legs

Working in the joining round of Head and Body, find your personal placement for 2 legs and 2 arms. You will work a front side and back side of each, and these will be seamed together in the final steps.

Front Side

Row 1: With MC, working in front loop, sc in 4 sts, turn. -4 sc

Row 2 & 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. -4 sc

Row 4: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st across, turn. -5 sc

Row 5: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. -5 sc

Row 6: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st across, turn. -6 sc

Row 7-18: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. Fasten off at the end of Row 18.

Back Side

Row 1: With MC, working in back loop, sc in 4 sts, turn. -4 sc

Row 2 & 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. -4 sc

Row 4: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st across, turn. -5 sc

Row 5: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. -5 sc

Row 6: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st across, turn. -6 sc

Row 7-18: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. Fasten off at the end of Row 18.

Ears

Working in the joining round of Head find your personal placement for 2 ears. You will work a front side and back side of each, and these will be seamed together in the final steps.

Special Stitches

Single Crochet Two Together (sc3tog): Insert hook into indicated stitch, yo, pull through a loop, insert hook into next stitch, yo, pull through a loop, yo, pull through all 3 loops on hook.

Single Crochet Three Together (sc3tog): Insert hook into indicated stitch, yo, pull through a loop, [insert hook into next stitch, yo, pull through a loop] twice, yo, pull through all 4 loops on hook.

Front Side

Row 1: With CC1, working in front loop, sc in 3 sts, turn. -3 sc

Row 2 & 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. -3 sc

Row 4: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st across, turn. -4 sc

Row 5: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. -4 sc

Row 6: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st across, turn. -5 sc

Row 7-15: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. -5 sc

Row 16: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next st, sc2tog, turn. – 2 sc2tog, 1 sc

Row 17: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. -3 sc

Row 18: Ch 1, sc3tog, turn. -1 sc3tog

Row 19: Ch 1, sc in only st, fasten off.

Back Side

Row 1: With MC, working in back loop, sc in 3 sts, turn. -3 sc

Row 2 & 3: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. -3 sc

Row 4: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st across, turn. -4 sc

Row 5: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. -4 sc

Row 6: Ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in each st across, turn. -5 sc

Row 7-15: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. -5 sc

Row 16: Ch 1, sc2tog, sc in next st, sc2tog, turn. – 2 sc2tog, 1 sc

Row 17: Ch 1, sc in each st across, turn. -3 sc

Row 18: Ch 1, sc3tog, turn. -1 sc3tog

Row 19: Ch 1, sc in only st, fasten off.

Working two side of each arm/leg/ear, join to the seam of the body. One side in a front loop, one side in a back loop.

Seaming All Arms/Legs/Ears

With CC2, join to any edge seam of body or head, sc in each st across to next arm/leg/ear, working through both fabrics, evenly sc in ends of rows and stitches, filling with poly-fil before completing seaming, continue all the way around body, sl st to join. Fasten off.

Working all around the edge of the body, seam and stuff the arms/legs/ears

Upper Lip (Mustache)

With CC1 Ch 18, sc in 2nd ch from hook, sk next 3 chs, 9 dc in next ch, sk 3 chs, sl st in next ch, sk 3 chs, 9 dc in next ch, sk next 3 chs, sc in last ch. Fasten off. With Shells facing downward, whip stitch lip to face.

Tail

Round 1: With CC1, Magic loop, ch 3, 8 dc in loop, pull loop closed, sl st to join.

Round 2: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, [2 dc in next st, dc in next st] around, sl st to join. Fasten off. Whip stitch tail to back of body, filling with poly-fil before completing seaming.

Tail and Upper LIp

Nose

With CC2, ch 3, 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, fasten off. Whip stitch at sl st of lip.

Eyes (Make 2)

With CC3, ch 3, 5 dc in 3rd ch from hook, fasten off. Whip stitch to face.

Jack the Rabbit

One Skein, One Loop

Posted on by

I love the challenge of creating a single skein project, sometimes it lends itself to a fantastic idea, and sometimes it is just a practice of futility. However, I think this latest design is the former.

Scarf in a Loop is a simple attempt at Bruges Lace. Bruges Lace is a classic technique that essentially crochets a ribbon of narrow crochet stitches with chain loops on its edges. These chain loops allow the ribbon to be bent and twisted, while joining these loops together. So basically if you can draw the line of a ribbon you can create the design in crochet. This scarf pattern is drawn as a ribbon in a simple oval.

Scarf in a Loop, Crochet World October 2017 Photo courtesy Annie’s

The one drawback to Bruges Lace patterns is the number of rows involved. Often a pattern can seem intimidating when it lists hundreds, if not thousands of rows. So keep in mind that these rows are often only a couple of stitches wide.

One of the things I really enjoy with Scarf in a Loop is the way the color moves. The yarn, Lion Brand Unique, has some nice color changes and this design really highlights this. It is a bulky size yarn so it works up fairly fast, and has a nice weight.

Crochet World, October 2017, decided to feature this design and I think it is great as a gift for the upcoming holiday season, or simply for a quick accessory to keep warm during this ever cooling season.

Changing a “Go-To” for a New Addition- Lion Brand Baby Soft

Posted on by

I haven’t had reason to use any baby yarns in a while, but we are expecting a new addition in our extended family and I was inspired to create a baby blanket as a gift. I have made numerous baby blankets over the years, to many really to count. I usually have one “go-to” pattern that I use, when I think about the first time I worked the pattern, I realize that baby should be well over 20 years old now.

When I work this pattern I usually have a “go-to” baby yarn that I always use, Bernat Baby Coordinates, this isn’t so much because I love this one over all others, as much as some others have left me wanting. I always look for a yarn that is low maintenance for the parent, so that usually means a good acrylic. I like something soft, and not to thin or fine. I don’t like to feeling like I am working with a thread. I also want a yarn that is smooth in texture and doesn’t pill.

Baby Soft by Lion Brand

For this latest blanket I decided to try something other than my “go-to” and I found that Lion Brand Baby Soft was an excellent choice. It is actually only 60% acrylic with 40% nylon, the nylon giving it extra strength, so it is still a low maintenance yarn that the parents can easily throw in the washing machine and not worry about how it is going to come out. There was a nice selection of colors (I used Circus Print), as I get tired of the same simple pastels. It is a light weight yarn, but does not feel to “thin”, it has a bit of loft to it. The yardage is fairly generous at 367yd/335m for a 4oz skein. I found that I could make a decent size blanket with just 3 skeins, but decided to make a larger option with 4.

Baby Soft was pleasant to work with, and even when I had to rip back mistakes it flowed easily, and did not pill or snag with other fibers. I might have to add this yarn to a new “go-to” listing.