Swirly Star Motif

Oozing cute, these star motifs can be used as decorations, as bunting, or stitched together as a sweet bed runner or throw.

A great little stash buster, this is a quick and satisfying make.

This is an original pattern by Farrah Jane Tate. You are welcome to sell products you have made using my patterns; however, I ask that you refer to the exact name of my pattern somewhere in the text of your listing. You may not copy, re-publish, sell, distribute, translate without permission, or claim my photos or patterns as your own in any way. Please note: If you have downloaded this pattern from a site other than Ravelry, Love Crafts, Etsy, or my personal blog, you may not have the most current version. Please visit one of these sites to download an official, version-controlled copy.

Pattern Details

Recommended Yarn:

  • DK/8 ply/Cat. 3 weight or Worsted/ 10ply/Cat. 4 weight.
  • Acrylic, cotton, or blends of these fibres.
  • ~5-10g/0.2-0.4oz of yarn per motif.

Hook Size:

  • Use yarn label instructions as a guide for selecting hook size.
  • Swatch to determine the optimal hook size for your tension.

Size:

  • Varies with weight and brand of chosen yarn, chosen hook and  personal tension.
  • (From point to point) ~12cm/4.75in in DK and ~15cm/6in  in Worsted.

Skill Level:

  • Intermediate.

Stitch Terminology:

  • US.
  • Refer to Abbreviations and Special Stitch Instructions.

Gauge:

  • Specific gauge not required/not important for this item.

Pattern Synopsis:

  • Stars are constructed in the round, commencing with a circle.
  • Rounds 1 to 3 are constructed as a continuous spiral, with rounds 2 and 3 worked in both the third loop and fourth loop of each stitch from the previous round.
  • Round 4 constructs a hexagon.
  • Round 5 constructs the star points.

Social Media Share:

  • Please tag me @TheCrochetFix and Hash Tag your projects: #SwirlyStarMotif

Abbreviations

  • 3L+4L = 3rd Loop and 4th Loop. Refer also to Appendix 1.  
  • 3LO = 3rd Loop Only.
  • Beg = Beginning.
  • Ch = Chain.
  • DC = Double Crochet.
  • DCStndSt = Double Crochet Standing Stitch. Refer to Special Stitch Instructions. (Ch 1, SC, Ch 2), or any other chainless DC can be substituted for this st.
  • Fin = Finishing.
  • FLO = Front Loop only.
  • HDC = Half Double Crochet.
  • HTR = Half Triple Crochet Stitch. Refer to Special Stitch Instructions.
  • MC = Magic Circle.
  • SC = Single Crochet.
  • Sp = Space.
  • Sk = Skip.
  • Sl St = Slip Stitch.
  • St = Stitch.
  • TR = Triple Crochet Stitch. Refer to Special Stitch Instructions.

Special Stitch Instructions

DCStndSt

Ch 1, SC in first st, Ch 1, SC in FLO of SC that was just made.

HTR

Yarn over hook twice, insert hook through st, yarn over hook, pull through a loop, yarn over hook, pull through two loops on hook (three loops remaining), yarn over hook, pull through remaining three loops on hook.

TR

Yarn over hook twice, insert hook through st, yarn over hook, pull through a loop, yarn over hook, pull through two loops on hook (three loops remaining), yarn over hook, pull through two loops on hook (two loops remaining), yarn over hook, pull through remaining two loops on hook.

Tips

  • Motifs can be used to make ornaments/decorations, bunting, and decorative throws and bed runners (by using join as you go motif join through each Ch 2 tip).
  • For best finish wet block stars. Starch can optionally be applied to stars that are to be used as hanging ornaments/decorations.
  • If your tension is tight then 3LO can be substituted for 3L+4L in pattern instructions.

Pattern Instructions

Note:

  • Work rounds 1 to 3 in a continual spiral. Sl St from fin st into beg st has been intentionally omitted.
  • Optionally use st marker to mark the start of each round.
  • Beg Ch 1 and beg Sl St do not count as a st for st count purposes.
  • Fin Sl St does not count as a st for st count purposes unless otherwise indicated.
  • DCStndSt counts as a DC for st count purposes.
  • * * represents a st sequence that is to be repeated the number of times specified by the pattern instructions.
  • Stitch count is provided in brackets () following each round instructions.

Beg Circle

Leaving a beg yarn tail of ~7-10cm/~2.8-3.9in, make a circle either with MC, or Ch 3-4 and Sl St into first Ch.

Round 1

Ch 1, SC over circle, HDC over circle ten times.

(1 SC, 10 HDC)

Round 2

Sk SC, 2 HDC in 3L+4L of each of the next ten st.

(20 HDC)

Round 3

Note: After working in the 20 st from the previous round (up to beg st marker if using one), the first three st from the current round will also be worked in (i.e. the st with st marker, and each of the following two st).

*HDC in 3L+4L of next st, 2 HDC in 3L+4L of next st* ten times in total, SC in 3L+4L of each of next two st, Sl St in 3L+4L of next St.

(27 HDC, 2 SC, 1 Sl St)[1]

Round 4

Sl St into 3L+4L of next st. Ch 1, HDC in 3L+4L of same st, Ch 1, *HDC in 3L+4L of each of the next five st, Ch 1* five times in total, HDC in 3L+4L of the next st, HDC in 3LO of each of the next three st, Sl St into first HDC.

(30 HDC, 6 Ch 1 Sp)

Round 5

Sl St into first Ch 1 Sp, (DCStndSt, HTR, TR, Ch 2, TR, HTR, DC) in first Ch 1 Sp (star-tip made),  Ch 2, sk next two st, SC in 3L+4L of next st, Ch 2, sk next two st, *(DC, HTR, TR, Ch 2, TR, HTR, DC) in next Ch 1 Sp (star-tip made), Ch 2, sk next two st, SC in 3L+4L of next st, Ch 2, sk two st* five times in total, Sl St into DCStndSt.

(6 SC, 12 DC, 12 HTR, 12 TR, 6 Ch 2 Sp)

Optional Hang Loop

Sl St across to first Ch of next Ch 2 Sp. Remove hook from loop. Insert hook from back to front through second Ch of same Ch 2 Sp. Place loop back on hook and pull loop through Ch. Lengthen loop and knot at base of loop.

Finishing

Fasten off yarn leaving ~7-10cm/~2.8-3.9in yarn tail. Use a darning needle to sew both ends in securely on reverse.

[1] The first 3 HDC of the 30 HDC made in this round are used to construct the 2 SC and Sl St. These 3 HDC have been intentionally excluded from the st count since they are not available for the following round.

Pattern Support

Pattern support is available via the following social media platforms:

  • Facebook: thecrochetfix

Pattern Versioning

Version Date Comments
0.1 15/12/21 Initial draft.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the following fabulous testers for your efforts in testing this design – your help is most appreciated:

  • Sharon Edwards (@sharon_edwards_act on IG, DefenceLass on Ravelry)

Appendix 1 – Images: 3L and 4L Location

Image 1: Round 1 has been completed. This is a front view of the open circle. The 3L and 4L are not visible. To access the 3L and 4L, the HDC stitches need to be folded over, forwards.

Image 2: Round 1 has been completed. This is a top view of the open circle, showing the same stitches as for Image 1 but just from the different angle. The 3L will be visible. The 4L is visible in this photo because the crochet hook has been used to loosen this loop. However, the previous round HDC stitches will usually need to be folded over, forwards slightly, to locate the 4L. The 4L lies just below the 3L. You may find it easier to locate and loosen all 3L and 4L from the previous round before working stitches in these for the current round.

Image 3: Round 2 first HDC has been commenced (yarn over and hook inserted through 3L+4L of first HDC from previous round (from front to back)). This is being constructed in the same previous round HDC as the loops are marked for in Image 1 and Image 2.

Image 4: Round 2 first HDC has been completed (in the same HDC from previous round as marked/ shown in Images 1 to 3). Next HDC 3L and 4L is shown (loosened by hook).