Instructions for Fantasy Bat Banner and Free Chart
Designed by Sandi Marshall
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Materials:
Worsted weight yarn - 3 oz. orange (I used Red Heart Color 354, Vibrant Orange), 3 oz. black, small amounts light beige, white and red for cross-stitched details US Size G crochet hook Dowel for hanging Finished Size: (not counting tabs) 13 1/2" x 14" Gauge: 7 single crochet = 2 inches, 8 rows = 2 inches |
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To make a plain crocheted background to cross-stitch the
entire design on, starting chain is
51 chains for single crochet or 50 chains for afghan stitch. Work this
background for 50 rows.
Working in Single Crochet, With Color Changes:
Chart is worked starting at the bottom right; work first row right to left. Second row is worked left to right. Continue alternating row directions in this same manner, following chart. |
If you would like to crochet the colors in, the fastest way, while using that method, is to crochet in the larger areas of black but cross-stitch on the more intricate parts when the background is finished. Crochet in plain orange for the first 11 rows. Add black on the 12th row, changing colors according to the chart.
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I carried the unused orange strand across, while crocheting the black bat portion, crocheting over the orange yarn. Dots of orange show through the black but this is a fantasy Halloween bat, so that's ok. It's the fastest, most enjoyable way to crochet this with color changes. The cross-stitch part will have orange showing through that too so dots of orange in the solid black areas is fine. In the image at left, you can see how the unfinished banner looks with just the larger areas of black crocheted in, before the other details are added in cross-stitch. |
If you enjoy working with multiple balls of yarn in color changes, you may wish to use a separate yarn ball for each separate area of color and not carry colors across or crochet over unused strands. It's a matter of your own preference and the method that you enjoy the most.
When all rows on chart are crocheted, you may opt to add a border in single crochet around the outside edge of the piece (I used black yarn in the example for this border; you may prefer another color). Be sure to work (sc, ch 2, sc) in each corner stitch to keep the corner areas from curling.
Cross-stitch: If you opted for the method of adding some of the details in cross-stitch on the crocheted background, follow chart to add these details. In the example, I did the eyes in red (with a straight stitch outline around each eye with white yarn), white for the teeth, beige for the outlines within the bat, beige for the ears and black for the swirls surrounding the bat. You may have other color preferences - this is just to give you some ideas.
Banner Tabs: (Make 4)
Chain 6
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in each ch across. (5 sc)
Rows 2 - 10: Sc in each stitch across. (5 sc)
Fold each tab in half. Decide where you will position the tabs across the top of the banner (you may want to pin in place before sewing). Using yarn and a large-eye yarn or tapestry needle, sew bottom edges only of the tabs to the top of the banner. Insert dowel through the tabs for hanging.
Have a fun Halloween!
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