For a change from chocolate eggs at Easter, try some pretty spotted crocheted ones instead! The two sizes of egg in bright spring colours and the large and small ivy leaves in green will welcome in those warmer days.
Yarn and materials
Rowan Summerlite 4-ply (100% cotton, 175m/191yd per 50g/1¾oz ball) 4-ply (fingering) weight yarn: 1 ball in each of:
- · Sandstone shade 435 (A)
- · Ecru shade 436 (B)
- · Pinched Pink shade 426 (C)
Rowan Cotton Glacé (100% cotton, 115m/125yd per 50g/1¾oz ball) DK (light worsted) weight yarn 1 ball of Shoot shade 814 (D)
40mm (1½in) polystyrene eggs (optional) 30mm (1¼in) polystyrene eggs (optional)
Polyester toy stuffing (if not using polystyrene eggs)
25cm (10in) diameter pale wicker wreath Ribbon
Hook and equipment
2.5mm (US size B/1–C/2) crochet hook Yarn needle
Stitch marker
Pins
Hot glue gun
Finished measurements
Wreath: 25cm (10in) diameter
Tension (gauge)
15 sts x 15 rows = 6cm (2¼in) square working double crochet, using a 2.5mm (US size B/1–C/2) crochet hook.
Wreath
LARGE IVY LEAF (MAKE 5 IN D)
Round 1: Using D, make a magic ring, 5dc into the ring.
Work in a continuous spiral. PM in last st and move up as each round
is finished.
Round 2: 2dc in each st to end. (10 dc)
Round 3: *1dc, 2dc in next st; rep from * to end, sl st in first st to join.
(15 dc)
Point 1: Ch4, sl st in second ch from hook, 1dc, 1htr, miss next st of centre, sl st in next st.
Point 2: Ch5, sl st in second ch from hook, 1dc, 1htr, 1tr, miss next st
of centre, sl st in next st.
Point 3: Ch7, sl st in second ch from hook, 1dc, 1htr, 1tr, 1dtr, 1trtr,
miss 2 sts of centre, sl st in next st of centre.
Point 4: Rep point 2.
Point 5: Rep point 1.
Stem: Sl st in next st, ch5, sl st in second ch from hook, sl st in each
of next 3 ch, sl st in base of 5-ch.
Fasten off.
SMALL IVY LEAF (MAKE 8 IN D)
Round 1: Using D, make a magic ring, 4dc into the ring.
Work in a continuous spiral. PM in last st and move up as each round
is finished.
Round 2: 2dc in each st to end. (8 dc)
Round 3: *1dc, 2dc in next st; rep from * to end, sl st in first st to join.
(12 dc)
Point 1: Ch3, sl st in second ch from hook, 1dc, sl st in next st.
Point 2: Ch4, sl st in second ch from hook, 1dc, 1htr, miss next st of centre, sl st in next st.
Point 3: Ch6, sl st in second ch from hook, 1dc, 1htr, 1tr, 1dtr, miss
2 sts of centre, sl st in next st.
Point 4: Rep point 2.
Point 5: Rep point 1.
Stem: Sl st in next st, ch5, sl st in second ch from hook, sl st in each
of next 3 ch, sl st in base of 5-ch.
Fasten off.
LARGE EGG (MAKE 3 IN A, 1 IN B, 1 IN C)
Round 1: Using A, B or C, make a magic ring, 4dc into the ring.
Work in a continuous spiral. PM in last st and move up as each round is finished.
Round 2: 2dc in each st to end. (8 sts)
Round 3: *1dc, 2dc in next st; rep from * to end. (12 sts) Round 4: *1dc in each of next 2 sts, 2dc in next st; rep from
*to end. (16 sts)
Round 5: *1dc in each of next 3 sts, 2dc in next st; rep from
*to end. (20 sts)
Rounds 6 and 7: 1dc in each st to end. (20 sts)
Round 8: *1dc in each of next 4 sts, 2dc in next st; rep from
*to end. (24 sts)
Rounds 9 to 12: 1dc in each st to end.
Insert polystyrene egg (optional).
Round 13: *1dc in each of next 4 sts, dc2tog; rep from
*to end. (20 sts)
Round 14: *1dc in each of next 3 sts, dc2tog; rep from
*to end. (16 sts)
Round 15: *1dc in each of next 2 sts, dc2tog; rep from
* to end. (12 sts)
If not using polystyrene egg, insert stuffing.
Round 16: *1dc, dc2tog; rep from * to end. (8 sts)
Round 17: [Dc2tog] to end.
Fasten off.
SMALL EGG (MAKE 1 IN B, 2 IN C)
Round 1: Using B or C, make a magic ring, 4dc into the ring. Work in a continuous spiral. PM in last st and move up as each round is finished.
Round 2: 2dc in each st to end. (8 sts)
Round 3: *1dc, 2dc in next st; rep from * to end. (12 sts) Round 4: *1dc in each of next 2 sts, 2dc in next st; rep from
*to end. (16 sts)
Rounds 5 and 6: 1dc in each st to end.
Round 7: *1dc in each of next 3 sts, 2dc in next st; rep from
*to end. (20 sts)
Round 8: *1dc in each of next 4 sts, 2dc in next st; rep from
*to end. (24 sts)
Rounds 9 and 10: 1dc in each st. (24 sts)
Insert polystyrene egg (optional).
Round 11: *1dc in each of next 4 sts, dc2tog; rep from
*to end. (20 sts)
Round 12: *1dc in each of next 3 sts, dc2tog; rep from
*to end. (16 sts)
Round 13: *1dc in each of next 2 sts, dc2tog; rep from
*to end. (12 sts)
If not using polystyrene egg, insert stuffing.
Round 14: *1dc, dc2tog; rep from * to end. (8 sts)
Round 15: [Dc2tog] to end.
Fasten off.
Making up and finishing
Block the ivy leaves.
To finish the eggs, work some French knots (see page 90) all over each egg in contrasting colours.
Lay the wreath on a flat surface and use blocking pins to position and pin the blocked ivy leaves and eggs where you want them to be. Glue firmly in place with a hot glue gun. To finish off the wreath, stitch or glue a coordinating ribbon and hanging loop at the top.
This pattern is from Introduction to Crochet by Kate Eastwood. To get more free projects like this one - direct to your inbox - sign up to our mailing list here.