Sunday 12 February 2012

Crochet Duck Sweater/Jumper Pattern

CROCHET DUCK SWEATER/JUMPER PATTERN AND PHOTO TUTORIAL
Ever wanted to turn these:
into these?
Then read on!

SKILL LEVEL: Easy to intermediate. You must be comfortable with increasing and decreasing.

TIME: Depends on how fast you crochet, but I can knock one of these out in less than half an hour.

MATERIALS:
* Plastic or rubber duck. I prefer to use the medium sized ones [ones used in my photo examples are 9cm in length x 7cm in height] but once you get familiar with the pattern, you can adjust it for other sized ducks.
* Size G - 4.0mm crochet hook
* 8ply acrylic yarn [the ducks tend to sink if you use wool or cotton yarn]
* 2x stitch markers
* Needle
* Scissors

GAUGE: Not important in this pattern as it's very much a "make it up as you go" sort of pattern.

STITCHES:
* This pattern is written in US terms.
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
2dc in each st = increasing
2sctog = decreasing with sc
2dctog = decreasing with dc
st = stitch
ss =slip stitch

NOTES:
* Please be aware that the results of this pattern can differ dramatically, depending on the size of the duck you have, the size of the yarn you use, how tight you normally crochet. I have to admit that every time I make a duck jumper, I usually just make it up but so many people have asked me for a pattern. So don't take this pattern as gospel. If you need to add more stitches in, or take them away, then do that. Or if you find another way of making the jumpers then do that instead.

PATTERN: This pattern works from the neck of the duck downwards and you will be working in the round. You will need to keep trying the jumper on the duck to make sure it fits after every row. 

Ch 16, ss into the 1st ch to make a circle. Check to make sure it fits over the duckie's head.
Row 1 - ch1, sc in each st, ss into that first ch1 
Row 2 - ch3, 2dc in each st, ss into that first ch3 
 Row 3 - Face the duck away from you and place your stitch marker at the edge of the duck's right wing. 
 
Now working in the back post of each stitch - ch3, 2dc in each st across to the beginning of his left wing and place second stitch marker here, 
then 2dc around the rest of the row but in the normal stitch not the back post, finishing up back at your first marker, ss into your beginning ch3. [You will see that crocheting like this makes a rib line over the front of the duck.]

Now this is where some winging [excuse the pun!] comes into it. You have to fill in the back part of the duck.
Row 4 - IMPORTANT: Turn your work - you're now going to be working in the opposite direction as before. Ch3, 2dctog, *1dc, 2dctog* to your second stitch marker, then 2sctog to end [this part is under the front part of the duck where you previously did the rib line], ss into ch3 
You will now begin decreasing for the rest of the pattern. You will be working on the underneath of the duck.
Row 5 - ch3, 2dctog to end, ss to ch3
Row 6 - Same as row 5. You can start to see the hole closing up.
Row 7 - You have a choice of doing the same as row 5 or sewing close the hole. By this stage the hole should be fairly small so it's up to you if you prefer to sew it up [like I do] or do another row of decreasing to close the hole.
FINISHED!!

SHARING MY PATTERN:
Feel free to share my pattern on your blog/website/facebook etc. Also feel free to make and sell these little cuties etc. I don't mind. Just don't copy the pattern and say it's yours. Thanks all and happy hooking!