I’ve toyed with the idea of WIP of the week, but realistically I’m probably going to working on the same project for most of the month!

This month, I’m working on little crochet bunting flags.  These are made with Scheepjes Invicta colour which is a 4ply 75% wool yarn.  I really like working with natural yarns  – there’s just something about synthetic fibres that set my teeth on edge.  I don’t mind mixed fibres, but I do think natural fibres give a much nicer quality finish, look better quality and are just much more pleasant to work with.

These little flags are super easy to make.  I’m using a 2.5mm hook, but they hook just fine on a larger hook and thicker yarn like a DK & 4mm hook.

To make:

1.) Chain 13 and HTR (UK) or HDC (US) in the the first loop from the hook.  To do this, yarn over, insert into the first loop, yarn over and pull through the first loop.  Yarn over again, and pull through all 3 loops and continue.

2) When you reach the end of the row, turn your work over, chain one, and HTR all the way to the end.

3) Do this for 4 rows

4) Row 5 – HTR in to the 2nd loop (so you are skipping a stitch) and HTR along the row until you’ve got 2 stitches left, HTR together to decrease the end of the row. Turn, chain 1 and continue with the next row decrease.

5) Continue decreasing like this until you are happy with the shape of your flag (I usually carry on until I’ve 2 stitches left, HTR these together to achieve a point.) Tie off.

6) Now we are going to go around the outside of the flag with a DC (UK) or SC (US).  This is a good place to colour change.  If you would like a thicker border, you can continue with the HTR all the way around. Finish off.

7) Colour change again, and repeat as step 6.

8) Tie in all your straggly ends.

9) At this point I block the flag (I like to block as I go) and use a blocking board for this, but pinning out on a foam mat will work just as well.

10) You can add embellishments to the flags – here I’ve added some tiny antique look bells so they’ll tinkle in the wind.  Small buttons can also make a nice addition, as do silver charms.

To Finish

11) To finish off the bunting, you need to join them together.  I do this by creating a chain stitch, creating a long enough length to create a hanging loop.  How long your chain is, is entirely down to you but remember to count the number of chains between attaching each flag and how many chains you make between corner of the flags so they sit evenly when they are hanging up.

12) To join the flags to the chain as you crochet along I prefer to chain until I come to a corner of the flag, create 3 TR (or DC in US) in the corner loop of the flag, continue to chain along to the next corner (so you are not still stitching in to the flag, but creating a length of chain that will stretch from one corner to the other) and 3 trebles again into the other corner.  Continue until you have attached all the flags and continue the chain so it is of equal length to the start of the chain before the first flag.

A more common method of joining the flags is to create a chain to the final length you would like the bunting to be, then double crochet along the chain, crocheting all along the top of the flags to join them.  Personally, I’m not a fan of this method – I think it makes the flags look bulky and if you’ve used a lot of colour changes, it kind of ruins the effect.