Connie's Garden Tutorial

Remember when I posted the Connie's Garden square and said I would work on a tutorial?  Well here it is!  This pattern has popcorn stitches and picot stitches, which might seem tricky, but I'm going to do my best with photos and explanations so that if you've never tried these stitches before, you can learn how!  So don't be scared!



Worsted weight yarn (I used Vanna's Choice)
Size J (6mm) hook
(Of course you can use any weight yarn with the appropriate hook!)

Written in US stitch terms

Special Stitches
Popcorn (pc) - in space indicated: 4 dc, remove hook from loop, insert hook from front to back through first dc stitch, pick up loop again, and pull through stitch.  Popcorn stitch made.

Picot (p) - chain 3, and slip stitch into previous single crochet (inserting hook into front loop of single crochet, and left most vertical bar under front loop of same single crochet, yarn over, and pull through vertical bar, front loop and loop on hook).  Picot stitch made.

(I will explain and show pictures of these special stitches again when it comes time for that stitch.)

Notes:
-I start with a magic ring (or adjustable ring).  (There are plenty of tutorials online if you don't know how to use one!)  If you don't know how or don't like to use them, you can instead start Rnd. 1 with:  Chain 5, double crochet in first chain stitch, ch 1, (dc, ch 1) 10 times, slip stitch to fourth chain of your original chain 5. (giving you 12 dcs and 12 ch 1 spaces)

-When starting a new round with a new color, I like to use a standing stitch.  For example, instead of slip stitching and chaining 3 to make the first double crochet, I yarn over, insert hook in first stitch and complete the double crochet like normal.  (Tip: holding your index finger over the slip stitched loop and the yarn over on your hook as you insert hook into the first stitch helps!)  But if you'd rather, just slip stitch and chain 3 to make first double crochet!

Ok, ready to start?!

Rnd. 1- Start with magic ring.  Ch 4, (dc, ch 1) 11 times, slip stitch to third chain, fasten off.  (12 dc, and 12 ch 1 spaces)

Rnd. 2- In each chain 1 space work (popcorn, ch 2), slip stitch to top of first popcorn stitch, fasten off.  (12 pc, 12 ch 2 spaces)  The following photos explain this round in detail:

Start with standing double crochet stitch:  Yarn over, insert hook into a chain 1 space. (It helps to place index finger over the loop and the yo on your hook as you do this.)

And complete the double crochet like normal!  Crochet 3 more dcs in same space.  We are now ready to make the popcorn stitch:

Remove hook from loop, and insert hook from front to back through first double crochet stitch...

Insert hook back into loop, and pull through first double crochet stitch...

You now have a popcorn!  To complete round: chain 2, and * make a 4 double crochet popcorn stitch in next space, chain 2, repeat from * around, slip stitch to top of first popcorn stitch, fasten off.  (12 pc, 12 ch 2 spaces)

Rnd. 3- Work (2 sc, picot, 2 sc) in each ch 2 space around, slip stitch to first sc, fasten off.  (48 sc, 12 p)   The following photos help explain the picot stitch...

After first two single crochets, to make picot stitch: chain 3, and slip stitch into previous single crochet.  To make slip stitch: insert hook into front loop of sc, and left vertical bar underneath front loop, yarn over, and pull through all 3 loops on hook.

The needle in this photo shows the left vertical bar I'm talking about!  After you insert hook into front loop, you will insert hook into left vertical bar just like the needle in this picture.

Once your slip stitch on the single crochet is complete, you have your picot stitch!  To complete round: make 2 sc in same space, and in next space and each space around work (2 sc, p, 2 sc), slip stitch to first sc, fasten off.  (48 sc, 12 p)

Rnd 4- Working between the last single crochet and first single crochets of each (2 sc, p, 2 sc) groups (right above the popcorn stitches!), work (sc, ch 4) all around, slip stitch to first single crochet, DON'T fasten off.  (12 sc, 12 ch 4 spaces)  (As you are working, you can pop the picots in front of the chain spaces if they end up behind the chain spaces.)

To make sure I am between two of the (2 sc, p, 2 sc) groups to make my single crochet, I look at the back of my work, and make sure my hook is inserted under the "v" shape (around the popcorn stitch) just like the needle is in the photo above.

Rnd. 5-  slip stitch into first chain 4 space, ch 3, 3 dc in same space, complete popcorn stitch (inserting hook into top of chain 3), ch 2, work another 4 dc popcorn stitch in same same space, ch 2, in next space and each space around work (pc, ch 2, pc, ch 2), slip stitch to top of first pc, fasten off.  (24 pc, 24 ch 2 spaces)

Rnd. 6- In any ch 2 space work *(3 treble crochet, ch 2, 3 treble crochet), and working only in each of the chain spaces, work (2 dc), (2 half dc), (2 sc), (2 half dc), (2 dc), repeat from * around, slip stitch to first treble crochet, DON'T fasten off. 

This is what you should have so far...  (4 ch 2 spaces, 24 treble crochets, 16 dc, 16 half dc, 8 sc) 

Rnd. 7-  Chain 3, 1 dc in each of next 2 treble crochets, in ch 2 space work (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc), dc in each stitch around and (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in each ch 2 space, slip stitch to top of beginning ch 3, fasten off.  (4 ch 2 spaces, 88 dc)

Rnd. 8- In any dc (slip stitch, ch 1, 1 sc), 1 sc in each dc and 3 sc in each ch 2 space around, slip stitch to first sc, fasten off.  (100 sc)

You're done!

If you have any questions, or find any errors, please let me know!

And for those of you who prefer just the written directions:

Connie's Garden

Rnd. 1-  Start with magic ring.  Ch 4, (dc, ch 1) 11 times, slip stitch to third chain, fasten off.  (12 dc, and 12 ch 1 spaces)

Rnd. 2- In each chain 1 space work (popcorn, ch 2), slip stitch to top of first popcorn stitch, fasten off.  (12 pc, 12 ch 2 spaces)

Rnd. 3- Work (2 sc, picot, 2 sc) in each ch 2 space around, slip stitch to first sc, fasten off.  (48 sc, 12 p)

Rnd 4- Working between the last single crochet and first single crochets of each (2 sc, p, 2 sc) groups (right above the popcorn stitch!), work (sc, ch 4) all around, slip stitch to first single crochet, DON'T fasten off. (12 sc, 12 ch 4 spaces)

Rnd. 5-  slip stitch into first chain 4 space, ch 3, 3 dc in same space, complete popcorn stitch (inserting hook into top of chain 3), ch 2, work another 4 dc popcorn stitch in same same space, ch 2, in next space and each space around work (pc, ch 2, pc, ch 2), slip stitch to top of first pc, fasten off.  (24 pc, 24 ch 2 spaces)

Rnd. 6- In any ch 2 space work *(3 treble crochet, ch 2, 3 treble crochet), and working only in each of the chain spaces, work (2 dc), (2 half dc), (2 sc), (2 half dc), (2 dc), repeat from * around, slip stitch to first treble crochet, DON'T fasten off.  (4 ch 2 spaces, 24 treble crochets, 16 dc, 16 half dc, 8 sc)

Rnd. 7-  Chain 3, 1 dc in each of next 2 treble crochets, in ch 2 space work (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc), dc in each stitch around and (3 dc, ch 2, 3 dc) in each ch 2 space, slip stitch to top of beginning ch 3, fasten off.  (4 ch 2 spaces, 88 dc)

Rnd. 8- In any dc (slip stitch, ch 1, 1 sc), 1 sc in each dc and 3 sc in each ch 2 space around, slip stitch to first sc, fasten off.  (100 sc)

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