SESAME
STREET GRANNY SQUARE
BIG
BIRD
IN THE ROUND - 16
If
you have been following my blogs, you’ll know that we’re creating some really
cute 9” x 9” squares for toddler blankets.
I do hope you have checked out the Project Chemo Crochet page on
Facebook and their website of the same name for all the stupendous work they
have been doing over the years. Also
check out the various ways in which each of us can donate.
In
case you have just joined me, just check under “labels” on the right hand side
of this blog and look under “crochet granny squares” or “crochet blankets” for
what we’ve been working on.
Then
feel free to follow me here on my blog or via Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest
(all links at the end of this blog) so that all future feeds and patterns come
right to you. Cheers.
I’ve
just made the set of Sesame street characters as caps for donations, and if you
missed that, here goes https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2018/06/preemie-caps-23-sesame-street-character.html
Working
with these same inspirations, here are my granny squares for this series.
I
plan on making quite a few from this series, so watch this space !
Thanks
for coming along and spreading smiles.
Materials used : Today I’ve used a 4-ply acrylic baby
soft yarn with a 4 mm crochet hook.
It does not matter what yarn / hook you
use, to make it to any size you want.
Abbreviations used :
sc
: single crochet dc : Double crochet
ch
: chain ch-sp
: chain space
sp
: space rep
: Repeat
trc
: Treble / triple crochet
dtrc
: Double triple crochet
Stitches used :
Starting slip knot : This is a
neat new way to start your work without a slip knot.
Magic circle : To refresh your skill, please view
this easy video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLuSVyKvoUg
Hdc : Half Double
Crochet : yo, insert hk into st ; yo
(3 lps on hk), yo, draw through all 3 lps.
One hdc made.
Chainless dc start : Instead of
the usual start with ch 2 or ch 3, I’d like to introduce this lovely new way of
starting a dc row. Do take a look at
this self-explanatory super video http://www.mooglyblog.com/chainless-starting-double-crochet/
In
case you are unhappy with this start, or do not like it, do continue with the
usual ch-2 or ch-3 start. However, all
instructions will be given assuming that you are using the chainless dc start.
Instructions using U.S terminology
I
am using the basic square pattern from the free pattern at http://www.sewrella.com/kitty-cat-crochet-granny-square/
For
my requirement for Project Chemo Cancer (which is for 9” x 9” squares), I
needed some tweaks and here are my notes what I’ve done. I have used the general idea from Ashleigh –
the centre that you start with will be the face colour of the character you are
working on.
So
yellow for Big bird & Ernie, red for Elmo, orange for Bert and blue for
cookie monster.
Once
you are done with Rounds 1 – 5 for creating the character face, you will start
creating the ‘border’ granny square, still working in rounds but working with
either off white or white for the border (or a color of your choice). These rounds need to be in another colour to
accent the character you have worked on in the middle. Keeping this in mind, here are my tweaks.
I
made the square first and attached on Big Bird’s features afterwards.
Tweaks that I’ve done for my Big Bird square :
1.
I
started with a centre (yellow for Big Bird) circle and then worked the off-
white as my border.
2.
I
worked the first four rounds per pattern – so 60 sts in dc as instructed.
3.
I
then worked a round of hdc, mainly to ensure that I get my granny square a
little large faster J
4. We now work
the ch-sps round in off-white or white. When working for the off-white square,
work as instructed in the original pattern.
You need a total of 12 ch-5 sps all around.
5.
I
worked 5 dc in each ch-5 sp of Round 2 of the granny squares (in white) ; and (3 dc ; ch 3, 3 dc) for each corner ch-5
sp.
6. I then
worked 1 dc in each dc, and then the (3 dc ; ch 3, 3 dc) in each corner ch-3 sp.
I just continued till I had a 9” x 9”
square. Easy enough, right?
Once
the basic square is done, we need to add in the special facial features.
Big
Bird facial features
For Big Bird head feathers – 1 :
Using
Yellow
Start :
with 5 fsc. Turn ;
ch
1, and sl-st in the 1st fsc ; sc in the next fsc ; hdc in the last 3
fsc (first orange feather done) ;
ch
7 ; Turn ; and sl-st in the 1st ch from hk ; hdc in the next ch ; dc
in the remaining ch (second orange feather done).
Fasten
off and leave a tail for attachment.
For Big Bird head feathers – 2 :
Using
Yellow
Start :
with 6 fsc. Turn ;
ch
1, and sl-st in the 1st fsc ; sc in the next fsc ; hdc in the last 4
fsc (first black feather done) ;
ch
8 ; Turn ; and sl-st in the 1st ch from hk ; hdc in the next ch ; dc
in the remaining ch (second black feather done).
Fasten
off and leave a tail for attachment.
To attach : Place the feather-1 on top of the feather-2 and
sew them together first. Then place
these feathers on top of the circle, right in the middle of the eyes. (Check my
project for placement – it’s easy)
For Big Bird eyes :
Make
two
Round 1 :
(Using white) : Start with a magic circle and 10 hdc in that circle.
Join
with a sl-st to the 1st st. (10)
Round 2 :
(Using white) : 2 dc in the 1st hdc and in each st all around.
Join
with a sl-st to the 1st st. (20).
Fasten
off and leave a long tail for attachment.
Attach
blue.
We
will work half a row in sl-st to give a blue outline around Big bird’s eye.
Row 3 :
(Using black) : sl-st in the 1st dc and in the next 11 sts. Turn.
Fasten
off blue, and attach pink. We will work pink over the blue stitches only.
Row 4 :
(Using pink) : sl-st in the 1st st and in the next 11 sts.
Fasten
off pink and weave in ends.
Note
:
I opted to embroider in my pink row as I felt that it looked nicer. So you choose whatever suits you best.
I
have then used a 0.75 cm black button for the centre of the eye.
For Big Bird beak :
You
can either use a tapestry / embroidery needle, and work a small triangle in
yellow and then fill it in with a few straight stitches. OR
You
can make it a 3D one as I have
Round 1 :
(with yellow) : Start and a magic circle.
Work 8 sc in that circle.
Join
with a sl-st to the 1st st. (8)
Round 2 :
2 sc in the 1st sc ; sc in the next sc ;
(2
sc in the next sc ; sc in the next sc) ;
rep
(to) all around.
Join
with a sl-st to the 1st st. (12)
Round 3 :
Rep Round 2. (15)
Rounds 4 – 7 : sc in the 1st sc ; and in each sc
all around.
Join
with a sl-st to the 1st st. (15)
Fasten
off and leave a long tail for attachment.
You
could stuff the beak with a little poly-fill. I have opted not to do so.
And
I am sure you will agree Big Bird just looks too cute.
I am thrilled to start with this cute bird as
the first of this series – and that this square will surely spread smiles to a
toddler battling cancer!
Warm hugs little one.. fight hard!
If
you're visiting me here for the first time, and have liked the experience, do
add me to your mailing list (for your convenience) , and all my future free
patterns will come straight to your mail box.
Do
also visit me at http://www.craftsy.com/user/2573073/pattern-store?_ct=cx-buvjdql&_ctp=my-pattern-store,manage
And
please join me on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Nothings-Crochet/248919438644360 for
more patterns.
Have
a great day and see you soon. J
Here are some of my other
creations. Have fun with these free
patterns too
