Stitching Crocheted Bracelets
Intro: Stitching Crocheted Bracelets
This project was somewhat of an experiment for me. I've never done any embroidery, and have only done very little cross stitch (Though I am interested in both). I had found a pattern for making simple crochet bracelets, and after making one, I wondered what it might be like if I were to add some decoration to it. So I came up with some ideas, and took a stab at it. This Instructable will attempt to document my journey.
STEP 1: Items Needed for This Project
- Crocheted bracelets (pattern found here: http://www.craftbits.com/project/utterly-easy-bracelet )
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
- (Not shown) Various colors of yarn
- Yarn needle
- Scissors
- (Not shown) Various colors of yarn
STEP 2: A Couple of Things Before We Start
#1 - If you pull on the bracelet, you should see little holes, as shown with the white bracelet. These will be the working 'grid' for this project.
#2 (not pictured) - Some of the bracelets I made are slimmer than the others. Simply remove or add rows to make the bracelets thinner or wider for your projects (following the pattern which I embedded a link to on step 2).
#3 - To tie off a strand of yarn, put it through to the back, then go under previous stitches, as shown in pictures 2 and 3 of this step.
#2 (not pictured) - Some of the bracelets I made are slimmer than the others. Simply remove or add rows to make the bracelets thinner or wider for your projects (following the pattern which I embedded a link to on step 2).
#3 - To tie off a strand of yarn, put it through to the back, then go under previous stitches, as shown in pictures 2 and 3 of this step.
STEP 3: X's or Crosses
This is the first one I did. It's pretty simple, but I think it looks pretty good.
#1 - Following the 'grid' stitch diagonally left to right all the way across the top of the bracelet.
#2 - Once you reach the other side of the bracelet, go back across opposite diagonals.
#3 - This is what the finished top row should look like.
#4 - Repeat steps 1 and 2 along the bottom. This is what the finished bracelet should look like.
#1 - Following the 'grid' stitch diagonally left to right all the way across the top of the bracelet.
#2 - Once you reach the other side of the bracelet, go back across opposite diagonals.
#3 - This is what the finished top row should look like.
#4 - Repeat steps 1 and 2 along the bottom. This is what the finished bracelet should look like.
STEP 4: Squares
This is the second bracelet I did. I think this one looks pretty good as well.
#1 & #2 - Stitch across the top two rows of the 'grid', both rows at the same time, all the way to the end.
#3 - Once you reach the end, go back across and stitch the vertical lines, making the boxes.
#4 - This is the finished top row.
#5 - Repeat steps 1-3 on the bottom. This is what the finished bracelet should look like.
#1 & #2 - Stitch across the top two rows of the 'grid', both rows at the same time, all the way to the end.
#3 - Once you reach the end, go back across and stitch the vertical lines, making the boxes.
#4 - This is the finished top row.
#5 - Repeat steps 1-3 on the bottom. This is what the finished bracelet should look like.
STEP 5: Playing Card Suits
This one is probably my favorite. I love playing cards, so I just had to find a way to throw them in there somehow. This one is pretty simple, although the club was a bit frustrating at first (had to redo it a couple times). I think it turned out just fine in the end, though.
#1 - Stitch the outer rim of the heart along the grid. This should be about 8 stitches.
#2 - Fill in the heart with stitches. These will not necessarily be along the grid.
#3 - Stitch the outer rim of the spade along the grid. It is an upside-down heart with a stem at the bottom. 9 stitches, though I think I used two for the stem (one over the other for thickness).
#4 - Fill in the spade with stitches. These will not necessarily be along the grid.
#5 - Stitch the outer rim of the diamond along the grid. 8 stitches.
#6 - Fill in the diamond with stitches. These will not necessarily be along the grid.
#7 - Stitch the outer rim of the club along the grid. This is about 18 stitches.
#8 - Fill in the club with stitches. These will not necessarily be along the grid.
Done!
#1 - Stitch the outer rim of the heart along the grid. This should be about 8 stitches.
#2 - Fill in the heart with stitches. These will not necessarily be along the grid.
#3 - Stitch the outer rim of the spade along the grid. It is an upside-down heart with a stem at the bottom. 9 stitches, though I think I used two for the stem (one over the other for thickness).
#4 - Fill in the spade with stitches. These will not necessarily be along the grid.
#5 - Stitch the outer rim of the diamond along the grid. 8 stitches.
#6 - Fill in the diamond with stitches. These will not necessarily be along the grid.
#7 - Stitch the outer rim of the club along the grid. This is about 18 stitches.
#8 - Fill in the club with stitches. These will not necessarily be along the grid.
Done!
STEP 6: Fall Leaves
This one did not turn out at good as I had hoped. I'm honestly not fond of it. I'm thinking leaves are better done off-grid. Ah, well, I'll show it anyway.
#1 - Simple stitching of the word 'FALL' along the grid. 8 stitches for the 'F', 10 for the 'A', and 6 for each 'L'.
#2 - Stitch the outer rim of the leaf along the grid. 7 stitches.
#3 - Fill in the leaf with stitches, not necessarily along the grid.
#4 - Stitch the outer rim of the leaf along the grid. 16 stitches. This one I think would have looked better if I had made the bottom corner stitches each one diagonal, rather than two in a square. Hm...
#5 - Fill in the leaf with stitches, not necessarily along the grid. Add a stem.
#6 - Stitch the outer rim of the leaf along the grid. 11 stitches.
#7 - Fill in the leaf with stitches, not necessarily along the grid.
#8 - Stitch the outer rim (and two inner lines) of the leaf along the grid. 19 stitches.
#9 - Fill in the leaf with stitches, not necessarily along the grid. This is the only leaf I think actually turned out half-way decent.
Done.
#1 - Simple stitching of the word 'FALL' along the grid. 8 stitches for the 'F', 10 for the 'A', and 6 for each 'L'.
#2 - Stitch the outer rim of the leaf along the grid. 7 stitches.
#3 - Fill in the leaf with stitches, not necessarily along the grid.
#4 - Stitch the outer rim of the leaf along the grid. 16 stitches. This one I think would have looked better if I had made the bottom corner stitches each one diagonal, rather than two in a square. Hm...
#5 - Fill in the leaf with stitches, not necessarily along the grid. Add a stem.
#6 - Stitch the outer rim of the leaf along the grid. 11 stitches.
#7 - Fill in the leaf with stitches, not necessarily along the grid.
#8 - Stitch the outer rim (and two inner lines) of the leaf along the grid. 19 stitches.
#9 - Fill in the leaf with stitches, not necessarily along the grid. This is the only leaf I think actually turned out half-way decent.
Done.
STEP 7: Stars and Moon
Who doesn't like to admire the night sky on occasion? I thought stars would be a good design to put on a bracelet, threw in a moon for fun.
#1 - I don't know about you, but this simple outer stitching is the easiest way I learned to draw stars when I was younger.
Stitch the outer rim of the star along the grid. 5 stitches.
#2 - Fill in the star with more stitches, not necessarily along the grid.
#3 - Stitch the outer rim of the moon along the grid. 4 stitches.
#4 - Fill in the moon with more stitches, not necessarily along the grid.
#5 - Continue making stars all over the bracelet. This is the finished left side of the one I made.
#6 - The finished right side.
Note: If you look closely at the star next to the moon in #3, you'll see that the 'wingspan' looks a little funny. I discovered that if a star comes out like that, you need to move one side of the stitch over one hole in the grid. Example: I did the 'arm' in the same grid-row as the 'leg', but I needed to move it over one more row.
#1 - I don't know about you, but this simple outer stitching is the easiest way I learned to draw stars when I was younger.
Stitch the outer rim of the star along the grid. 5 stitches.
#2 - Fill in the star with more stitches, not necessarily along the grid.
#3 - Stitch the outer rim of the moon along the grid. 4 stitches.
#4 - Fill in the moon with more stitches, not necessarily along the grid.
#5 - Continue making stars all over the bracelet. This is the finished left side of the one I made.
#6 - The finished right side.
Note: If you look closely at the star next to the moon in #3, you'll see that the 'wingspan' looks a little funny. I discovered that if a star comes out like that, you need to move one side of the stitch over one hole in the grid. Example: I did the 'arm' in the same grid-row as the 'leg', but I needed to move it over one more row.
STEP 8: Flowers and Butterfly
This one I did basically just to do more designs. I think it turned out okay.
#1 - Stitch the outer rim of the flower along the grid. 12 stitches.
#2 - Fill in the flower with more stitches, (not necessarily along the grid) using a different color for the center of the flower.
#3 - Stitch the outer rims of the butterfly wings along the grid. 6 stitches for each wing.
#4 - Fill in the wings with stitches, not necessarily along the grid.
#5 - Add the body of the butterfly. For the head, I did vertical/diagonal stitches. The body is horizontal stitches.
#6 - Stitch the outer rim of the flower along the grid. 16 stitches.
#7 - Fill in the flower with more stitches, (not necessarily along the grid) using a different color for the center of the flower.
#8 - Stitch the outer rim of the flower along the grid. 16 stitches. Notice the center stitches are doubled - 4 = 8.
#9 - Fill in the flower with more stitches, (not necessarily along the grid) alternating direction of sets of stitches to produce variance. Use a different color for the center of the flower.
#10 - This flower is a little different from the rest in that the stitches of the outer rim are also the stitches of the whole flower. Stitch along the grid as with the others, only making sure to stitch twice in each set of holes. 16 stitches.
#11 - Add another color for the center of the flower.
#12 - Stitch the outer rim of the flower along the grid. 13 stitches.
#13 - Fill in the flower with more stitches, not necessarily along the grid.
Done.
#1 - Stitch the outer rim of the flower along the grid. 12 stitches.
#2 - Fill in the flower with more stitches, (not necessarily along the grid) using a different color for the center of the flower.
#3 - Stitch the outer rims of the butterfly wings along the grid. 6 stitches for each wing.
#4 - Fill in the wings with stitches, not necessarily along the grid.
#5 - Add the body of the butterfly. For the head, I did vertical/diagonal stitches. The body is horizontal stitches.
#6 - Stitch the outer rim of the flower along the grid. 16 stitches.
#7 - Fill in the flower with more stitches, (not necessarily along the grid) using a different color for the center of the flower.
#8 - Stitch the outer rim of the flower along the grid. 16 stitches. Notice the center stitches are doubled - 4 = 8.
#9 - Fill in the flower with more stitches, (not necessarily along the grid) alternating direction of sets of stitches to produce variance. Use a different color for the center of the flower.
#10 - This flower is a little different from the rest in that the stitches of the outer rim are also the stitches of the whole flower. Stitch along the grid as with the others, only making sure to stitch twice in each set of holes. 16 stitches.
#11 - Add another color for the center of the flower.
#12 - Stitch the outer rim of the flower along the grid. 13 stitches.
#13 - Fill in the flower with more stitches, not necessarily along the grid.
Done.
STEP 9: Words and Numbers (CH183)
This bracelet is basically just an example of what can be done with words and numbers across the grid. I chose to do 'CH183', as a representation of one of my favorite bands (Children 18:3). I imagine you could stitch any words (or numbers...) on that would fit on the bracelet. I hope you've enjoyed this Instructable.
5 Comments
02150429 8 years ago
bladeyarn 8 years ago
Roughly. :-p
HollyMann 11 years ago
Penolopy Bulnick 11 years ago
bladeyarn 11 years ago