THE FEATHER IN DISGUISE

 This feather is indeed in disguise.

Behind the feathered mask lays the

CHEVRON  STITCH

Yes folks the chevron stitch is the makings of this fine feathered feather.

 And the back bone/spine of the feather is a triple crochet that is made 2 rows below the row you are working on and is worked into the front post of that stitch, giving the over all effect of the rachis part of the feather. There is just 1 more little trick in the making of this crochet feather and that is by the time you get to the second row of dc's you work them into the back loop of the dc st. Oh yeah, of course there is the shaping of the tip of the feather, but that's just increasing less st's over a few rows and your done.

Lets make this crocheted feather together by following some simple picture tutorials.
Every picture tells a story right?
These are almost the same as a story, but in the form of an easy to follow along picture pattern!

Materials needed:

Your choice of yarn and hook

the sky is the limit, fly free

with color and yarn choices 

 The fun begins with chains and slip st's

Next we begin the chevron pattern, we need an extra ch 3, that counts as the 1st dc of this row, then increase in the 4th ch from the hook by adding 2 more dc's, make 3 dc's over the next 3 ch's, then dc 3 ch's together for the decrease.

The first part of the spine will be just a dc into the top sl st, when you have more rows you'll do the front post triple crochet instead.
The you basically repeat what you just did in the reverse order for this side.

Finish off this row with the increase of 3 dc's into the last ch, turn.
EVERY STITCH MADE (apart from the center st) IS NOW
WORKED INTO THE BACK LOOPS ONLY.
Chain up 3 and work an increase of 2 dc's into the 1st dc of this row. 1 dc into each of the next 3 dc's, then the decrease again, dc dec the next 3 st's together.

Now for our first front post triple crochet, but it's only 1 row below as we only have 1, but after this it will always be made 2 rows below the row you are working on. A little trick I learned here after the triple, was to count from the last stitch of the row and back to where I now wanted to do the dc dec over 3 st's,  starting with the 7th, 6th and 5th st's, because that middle stitch can get mixed up with that count, so that way made it easy peasy!
Picture 20 tells us that we have now made enough rows to do our front post triple in the middle st of 2 rows below, yay, finally.
The crochet feather is beginning to look more like a feather now.

Continue working the chevron stitch
for your desired length.
To shape the top of the feather,
you will only do a ch 3 and 1 dc in the first dc of the row, the middle section remains the same and finish the row with only 2 dc in the last stitch.
Onto the next row and the stitch count changes 
so work as instructed in picture 24.

 Getting smaller as we go and less st's to work on, follow the instructions in the pictures.
When you get to the final row, picture 28, decrease over all stitches,
ch 3, dc dec the 2 dc's, triple dec the front post triple, dc dec the last 3 st's all in one.You will have 7 loops on your hook and sl st to close them all.

 Now you get to sew in all the loose ends and make more.
Make some more, make some short ones and long ones and hang them ready for flight.

The Constructive Stocking

Last Minute Ear Warmer/Headband

CROCHET EAR WARMER/HEAD BAND
Perfect project for that last minute gift that works up quick!
My last minute gift to you! 

Materials Used:
10 ply/Worsted Weight approx 40 gm's/1.41 ounces
4mm/G Hook
Sewing needle and scissors

Stitches used: US terms
ch = chain
hdc = half double crochet
dc = double crochet
Special st's used:
V st = (dc, ch, 2 dc) in same stitch

To begin: chain 16
Row 1. work 1 hdc in 2nd ch from hook and in each chain across (15 hdc)
Rows 2 to 14, ch 1, work 1 hdc into each hdc to end, turn (15 hdc, 14 rows made)

Working on first braid using 5 st's only
when making the ch 1 at the beginning of each row, make it loose/high
(you can ch 1 and turn or turn and ch 1 your choice)

Row 15. ch 1, work 1 dc in 1st hdc, skip 1 hdc, work a V st in next hdc, skip 1 hdc, work 1 dc in next hdc, turn (1dc, 1V and 1dc)

please ensure you work your 1st dc into the top of the dc loops and not the chain 1.

Row 16 to 25. ch 1, work 1 dc into the 1st dc, work a V st into the chain 2 space of the V st, work 1 dc into the last dc of the row, turn

(you will have, 1 dc a V st and another dc)

Second braid:
Break off yarn and join to the 6th hdc of row 14 and repeat rows 15 to 25

Third braid:
Break off yarn and join to the 11th hdc of row 14 and repeat rows 15 to 25, break off yarn

Make 1 briad with your 3 length's.
Hold or pin your braids in place and make a row across the top of the 3 braids as per instructions in row 26 below.

Attach yarn
Row 26. ch 1, *work 1 hdc into first dc, work 1 hdc into the 1st dc of the V st, work 1 hdc into the ch 2 space, work 1 hdc into each of the next 2 dc's*, repeat from *to* for the next 2 braids (15 hdc) ch 1 and turn

Row 27. ch 1, work 1 hdc in each st across, turn
for a small size work 7 more rows of row 27.
for a medium size work 9 more rows of row 27.
for a large size work 11 more rows of row 27.

To join, with the right side facing you, fold in half and line up the end stitches, join by either whip stitching, sl st loosely or sc across, using the stitches from the beginning chain row and the back loops only of the last row of hdc's made. Sew in all loose ends and wear.

 If you like this, you'll love this one too!
 

PUFF N STUFF HEAD BAND