Glowing Skull Shape Free Pattern
Halloween Decoration

An Original Design by Sandi Marshall

A crocheted Halloween decoration in a skull shape. The skull has the look of glowing eyes.

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Materials Used In The Example:
Worsted weight yarn, in the following colors:
Color A: White for skull
Color B: Small amount of Orange for the "Glow" round
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

Alternate Materials: If you wish to make this as a small applique, size 10 thread with a US size 7 steel hook results in a skull shape about 1 1/2 inches tall x 1 1/4 inches wide, at widest point.

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

Note: Starting with round 3, it may be helpful for you to mark the first stitch of each round so that you can more easily locate the correct stitch to work the slip stitch in when each round is finished. This will make it less likely to accidentally do the final slip stitch in a chain or previous slip stitch, which would incorrectly increase the number of stitches in the next round causing the pattern of the next round to be incorrectly placed and have leftover stitches (if this is happening when you crochet this pattern, you may wish to try marking the first stitch of the round). For a marker, you could use a safety pin, contrasting color strand of yarn, twist tie or a purchased stitch marker (when a round is finished and you have crocheted the first stitch of the next round, move the marker to that new 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 crochet the "glow" round behind 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.

"Glow" Behind Skull:
Attach Color B (orange in the example) in any ch-4 loop on Rnd 2 of the skull shape.
Rnd 1: ch 1, 5 sc in same ch-4 loop, * ch 2, 5 sc in next ch-4 loop **, repeat the directions between * and ** twice more, ch 2, sl st in first sc, to join. If this is for an applique, end off. If this is for a decoration to hang up, do not end off yet but continue with color B for hanging chain:
Chain For Hanging: With Color B, if you want a short loop that won't show from the front of the skull, do 7 or 8 chains. Slip stitch in next ch-2 space of "Glow" Round 1 (the ch-2 space near the top of the skull).
Or ... If you want a longer loop that can fit over objects that you might hang the decoration from (such as a doorknob): Chain about 27 chains. Slip stitch in next ch-2 space of "Glow" Round 1 (the ch-2 space near the top of the skull). End off. Weave in ends.

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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 (this means that you can make items from this pattern as many times as you wish for yourself or for gifts ... but you cannot sell or give away the design, alterations of the design, reproduced copies of the pattern instructions or reproduced copies of my pattern example photo). You are welcome to link to this 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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