30 November 2010

a crown for you...

here it is...
november's free pattern...




a little wool play crown

this is one of my favorite patterns...a little crown that I designed years ago when my sons attended a waldorf school...easy to make...a perfect way to use scraps...and a delightful little prop for your wee one's imaginitive play...



not for children only, however...I have made these for many an adult (including myself)...in fact I was once honored with a commission to make one for a 90-year-old woman's birthday celebration! 


so, dear readers, I offer this to you as my holiday gift...enjoy it, play with it, have fun creating your own version (which I hope you will share with me)...

happy knitting!



waldorf play crown
                                                         by pamela w allen

materials:
▪ three colors (A,B &C), approximately 15 yards each, of bulky wool yarn (such as Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky, available here)
▪ size 10/6mm circular (16”) or straight needles
▪ tapestry needle
▪ felting needle and pad, buttons, or bells (optional)

gauge:
▪ 14 stitches over 4 inches in k2p2 rib

sizes:
▪ small (14” ), large (16” )

abbreviations:
k—knit
p—purl
k2tog—knit two stitches together
sl—slip purlwise
psso—pass slipped stitch over stitch just worked

directions:
note: You may work on circular needles, joining the work after the fourth row and working in the round or you may work the whole thing back and forth.


With color A, cast on 120 [135] stitches.


Row 1: (ws) K6, sl1, k2tog, psso (k12, sl1, k2tog, psso) seven[eight] times, k6.


Row 2: If adding bobbles, see below. With color B, k5, sl1, k2tog, psso, (k10, sl1, k2tog, psso) seven[eight] times, k5.


Row 3: K4, sl1, k2tog, psso, (k8, sl1, k2tog, psso) seven [eight] times, k4.


Row 4: With color C, k3, sl1, k2tog, psso, (k6, sl1, k2tog, psso) seven [eight] times, k3—56 (63) stitches remain.


If working on a circular needle, join work. If making the larger size, make one stitch (however you like) for a total of 64 stitches.  Work in k2, p2 rib for three rounds or rows. On the fourth rib round or row, cast off very loosely in pattern. If you have worked the rib in the round, sew the small gap remaining. If you haveworked back and forth, sew the back seam. Lightly steam the points, using a press cloth, while being careful not to flatten the rib.

Add felted “jewel” (below), buttons, bells, or other embellishment...

felted jewel:
Using a felting needle, felt a small circle with scraps of the three colors. When done, felt it directly on to the front point of the crown, as shown. Press lightly, using well-dampened press cloth.


bobble option:
On Row 2, add bobble as follows:
After passing your slipped stitch over at each point, slip that last worked stitch back to the left hand needle. Knit, purl, knit into the stitch. Turn work and purl these three stitches. Turn and knit them. Then, with the left needle,
pull the second, then the third stitch over the first stitch—bobble made.  (Learn how to make bobbles without turning your work here)


When you block the crown, be sure to pull the bobbles out well.


et voilà !!!

© 2010 pamela w allen This pattern may be used for personal, non-commercial and charity work only. It is not to be used in any publication, nor should it be reproduced in electronic/digital format without written permission.





5 comments:

  1. Soooo cute, those remind me of a Hallowe'en costume I had where the bells kept cutting the thread and falling off, my mom was so mad that I kept losing bells but it was just by accident :) lol the crowns look super sweet :) great job.

    ReplyDelete
  2. beautiful! Can you give me a hint about the sizing? All of the crown patterns I'm finding are around 14" (I'm assuming circumference), but my niece's head is 9" in circumference. Am I missing something, or should I adjust the pattern to size?

    Thanks very much for the holiday gift -- I'll re-gift it by knitting and giving!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Did you mean 19"? If so, the 16" crown should fit her, if knit in wool (the large fits my 22" head, in fact). Just be sure not to bind off too tightly.

    If, in fact, you are wanting one to fit a 9" head (a very very small newborn?), you might try using a different weight of yarn. Knitting at a gauge of about 6 stitches per inch you should get a crown that fits a 9" head...and the finer yarn would be better for such a small baby, I think...

    Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
  4. you are so right -- my sister measured incorrectly after all! and I fell for it... the dangers of taking on too many projects at once. ;)

    thanks again,

    Pam

    ReplyDelete
  5. o my so lovely! I will have to knit some for my boys for the epiphany!

    ReplyDelete

comments are welcome!

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