Skull Shape Free Pattern Halloween Decoration

An Original Design by Sandi Marshall

A crocheted Halloween decoration with a skull shaped center. The skull shape is attached to a granny square style background.

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Materials Used In The Example:
Worsted weight yarn, in the following colors:
Color A: White for skull
Color B: Black for granny square behind skull shape
Color C: Small amount of Orange, Purple or another contrasting color for the chain used for hanging the decoration
Hook: US Size G crochet hook

Finished Size, when made with materials above:
Skull is 4 inches tall x 3 1/2 inches wide, at widest point
Background is 5 inches square, measured from side to side (or 6 1/2 inches wide when measured from corner to corner)

Gauge is not important for this project. The decoration is useful in any finished size.

Abbreviations:
ch = chain, dc = double crochet, ea = each, rnd = round
sc = single crochet, sp = space, sl st = slip stitch

Starting Chain For Skull: Chain 3, join with a slip stitch to form a ring.
Rnd 1: ch 1, 8 sc in ring, sl st in first sc, to join.
Rnd 2 (loops): * ch 4, skip next sc, sl st in back loop of next sc **, repeat the directions between * and ** 3 more times. These loops will be used later to attach the background square to the skull shape.
Note: Keep the round 2 loops behind the round 3 stitches. You may want to fold the round 2 loops back and be careful not to accidentally crochet into the round 2 loops while doing round 3.
Rnd 3: Work in the front loops only for this entire round. ch 1, 2 sc in ea of first 3 sc, ch 5 (for eye hole), skip next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, ch 5 (for nose), 2 sc in next sc, ch 5 (for other eye), skip next 2 sc, sl st in first sc of this round, to join.
Rnd 4: ch 1, sc in same sc as sl st just made, (2 sc in next sc, sc in next sc) twice, 2 sc in next sc, 6 sc in ch-5 loop (eye), sc in ea of next 2 sc, 7 sc in next ch-5 loop (nose), sc in ea of next 2 sc, 6 sc in next ch-5 loop (other eye), sl st in first sc of this round, to join.
Rnd 5: ch 1, sc in same sc as sl st just made, sc in next sc, (2 sc in next sc, sc in ea of next 2 sc) 4 times, dc in next sc, ch 2, sc in next sc, ch 2, skip 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, ch 3, skip 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, ch 2, skip 2 sc, sc in next sc, ch 2, dc in next sc, sc in ea of next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in ea of next 2 sc, sl st in first sc of this round, to join.
Rnd 6: ch 1, sc in same sc as sl st just made, sc in ea of next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in ea of next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc, sc in ea of next 4 sc, sl st in ea of next 5 sc, sc in next ch-1 sp, sl st in next sc, 2 sc in ch-2 sp, sc in ea of next 2 sc, 4 sc in ch-3 sp, sc in ea of next 2 sc, 2 sc in ch-2 sp, sl st in next sc, sc in ch-1 sp, sl st in ea of next 5 sc, sc in ea of next 2 sc, sl st in first sc of this round, to join.
Rnd 7: sl st in ea of next 16 sc, sl st in ea of next 5 sl st, sl st in ea of next 3 sc, (sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc) 4 times, sc in ea of next 2 sc, sl st in ea of next 4 sc, sl st in ea of next 7 sl st.
Fasten off. Weave in ends.

Background Square Behind Skull:
Attach Color B (black yarn in the example) in any ch-4 loop on Rnd 2 of the skull shape. Have the right side of the skull facing you as you crochet the background square (so that the right side of the background square will face the same way as the right side of the skull shape).
Rnd 1: ch 3 (counts as first dc), (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same ch-4 loop, * ch 2, (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-4 loop **, repeat the directions between * and ** twice more, ch 2, sl st in first dc, to join.
Rnd 2 Note - Securing Skull In Place: (Optional) When you are crocheting any stitches of round 2 that would line up close to the skull edge, after wrapping the yarn over the hook in preparation to do that double crochet, insert the hook through a part of a stitch on the back of the skull (in such a way that the background color will not show through to the front of the skull). After drawing the background color yarn through the skull stitch, proceed with that double crochet for the background square. If you do this several times near the top of the skull head, it will help secure the skull head in place. If you don't wish to use this method to secure the skull, you can sew several stitches in the skull head later to secure the skull to the background.
Rnd 2: sl st in ea of next 2 dc, sl st in next ch-3 sp, ch 3 (counts as first dc), (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same ch-3 sp, * ch 2, skip next 3 dc, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, skip next 3 dc, (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp **, repeat the directions between * and ** twice more, ch 2, skip next 3 dc, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 2, skip next 3 dc, sl st in first dc, to join.
Rnd 3: sl st in ea of next 2 dc, sl st in next ch-3 sp, ch 3 (counts as first dc), (2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in same ch-3 sp, * ch 1, skip next 3 dc, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, skip next 3 dc, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, skip next 3 dc, (3 dc, ch 3, 3 dc) in next ch-3 sp **, repeat the directions between * and ** twice more, ch 1, skip next 3 dc, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, skip next 3 dc, 3 dc in next ch-2 sp, ch 1, skip next 3 dc, sl st in first dc, to join.
Rnd 4: ch 1, sc in same dc as sl st just made, sc in ea of next 2 dc, (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc) in next ch-3 corner sp, (sc in ea of next 3 dc, sc in ch-1 sp) 3 times, * sc in ea of next 3 dc, (2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc) in next ch-3 corner sp, (sc in ea of next 3 dc, sc in ch-1 sp) 3 times, **, repeat directions between * and ** 2 more times, then sl st in first sc, to join. End off. Weave in ends.

Chain For Hanging:
With Color C, Chain 105.
Weaving Chain: Beginning at the top of the background square, weave the chain in and out through the spaces in round 3 of the background square. Tie a loose knot in the two ends of the chain (refer to the photo for an example).

This is my original design. My written instructions and pattern example images copyright 2005 by Sandi Marshall, licensed to About.com, Inc. Free for your own personal use only. You are welcome to give out the URL to the main page for this pattern or the URL to this printing page but, per copyright law, do not place the actual content of the page on another website; do not redistribute the actual content of the page in any form (even for free)! Thank you! Any reproduction or redistributing of the pattern instructions or pattern images on this page involves the written permission of both myself and About.com and involves the drawing up of legal paperwork detailing the specific permission to be granted, any fees for the requested use in reproducing or redistributing the pattern and signing of said legal paperwork by the parties involved. In light of the fact that having the exact same content on multiple websites can damage the original web site's standing with search engines, permission to reproduce on individual websites will not be granted. Permission for companies or publishers for print publication will be considered.
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