Friday, May 10, 2013

Crochet Star Making - A Tutorial.


Hello. I have been making crochet stars this week.  For no good reason really, just because they're fun to make.  So I thought some of you might like to have a bit of crafty fun too.  
These stars use up tiny amounts of wool, so get your scraps box out!


I used a mixture of hot colours....


.....and a nice mix of cool colours.

You need to make 10 star 'points' or diamonds ( 5for the front and 5 for the back).  You can do them in solid colours or use a varigated yarn or you could stripe them like I did by changing colours every 2 rows.
You can make your stars bigger or smaller by varying the number of rows or by changing the yarn weight and hook size you use. Just make 10 of the same size and you'll be fine!

(leave a long tail at the beginning so you can use it to sew up later)

BASIC DIAMOND PATTERN

Ch 2
row 1: 2sc into 2nd ch from hook, turn.
row 2: Ch1(turning chain) 1sc into first st, 2sc into 2nd st, turn.
row 3: Ch1, 1sc into 1st st, 1sc into 2nd st, 2sc into last st, turn.
row 4: Ch1, 1sc into 1st st, 1sc into each st across until last st, 2sc into last st, turn.
Repeat row 4 until you have 11 stitches. ( or as many stitches as you like, more stitches means a bigger diamond and finished star , less a tiny diamond and finished star)

Start decreasing.
The decrease pattern is as follows:

Ch1, sk1st st, sc into next st and each st across, turn.  (reduces by 1 st in each row)
Continue doing this to each row until you have 1 st left and fasten off.




Make 10 diamond shapes for each star.


Next, sew the bottom half of one diamond to the next diamond, right sides facing each other.  I found that by matching up the 'bumps and troughs' along the edge, I could sew in and out of these and it gave a nice neat, even join. (see where I have put the needle and pin through in the above photo, the pin is through a trough, and the needle is through the bump!) 


Anyway, it should look something like this when 2 are joined together......


......and something like this when it all 5 are sewn together.  Make 2 star pieces like this.


Next, push all the extra hanging threads in the inside and pin the 2 pieces together, wrong sides facing. 


Sewing your star together : I decided to crochet around my star pieces to join them, as I like the outlined effect this gives.

Take a smaller hook than the one you used for the diamonds, and choose a nice contrast colour yarn
(or complementary, what ever you like) and join your yarn to the top of a point and start sc through both layers of the star, all the way around until you have one side left open (see photo above), gently fill your star with stuffing, (try and get a bit into the pointy bits)...........


.......then continue single crocheting along the edge to close the opening and join with a slip stitch at the top to finish off. 
(see photo above). 

And there you have it, one completed, slightly puffy star!

You could sew a button in the middle if you want to hide the centre joins, but I like mine plain.
I think these would look lovely dangling en masse in a window or as a mobile for a baby, and I plan to make a heap for the Christmas tree this year!


I hope this tutorial makes sense, I never can tell when I am trying to explain things.

Happy star making!

( If you don't crochet but knit, there is a similar star that you can knit here)

95 comments:

  1. These are fabulous!!! Thank you for sharing ... and I will be making!! x

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  2. Very Nice!!! I love this.
    Natasja.

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  3. Hi There, Thank you sooo much for this lovely tutorial!!! This will most definitely be on my lists of makes!!! I hope mine will look as gorgeous as yours!!! Have a fab weekend!!!
    Love
    AMarie

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  4. Your stars are very beautiful !! :) thanks for sharing!

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  5. A lovely design, well explained! Thank you for sharing this, I can see stars appearing in my house very soon!

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  6. Found your blog this morning - love it. Really great tutorials. Will put you on my reading list so I can follow your crochet designs. I hope to write a tutorial soon, but it's hard to get patterns down on paper for someone else to follow. But first I have to make a star.

    J xx

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  7. What a wonderful idea. Your stars are winners...........

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  8. Hi, Jules! You've made lovely starts and I'd definitely try to make them! I feel like I also have an obsession but with hearts making! It is funa nd beautiful fun!
    Have a nice day and thanks for the tutorial!

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  9. Oh thank you soooo much for these tutorial for these pretty stars (finally now I can knit since january, but i still prefer to crochet)!!! Yours are so beautiful! I like your colour combinations very much! Have a nice day, Raphaele xx

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  10. Your stars are adorable, thanks so making for sharing the tutorial.x
    Clare

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  11. It's impossible to thank you enough for this lovely sharing Jules!!!!
    You are the best!!!!
    xxxxx Ale

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  12. I do like these, I'm thinking xmas tree! x

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  13. So thàt's what those things were! :-) Very nice! Bookmarking these... :-)

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  14. Wow, These would make fabulous tree hangings for christmas! I should start now though as every single year I end up buying stuff instead of making it for christmas due to being late (again and again and again)... But these are so neat and pretty that it's not going to be a drag to make them :)

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  15. Beautiful stars - love your colour choices as usual x

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  16. They are gorgeous, thank you so much for sharing.
    Meredith

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  17. your stars are just so perfect to be used a hangings. I'll probably make one and hang it on the rear view mirror in my car :-) and gift it to my friends who celebrate christmas. :-) thank you so much for sharing the pattern.
    following you now!

    Ranjitha
    www.hookingtheyarn.blogspot.com/

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  18. Beautiful! Thank you for the great tutorial.

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  19. Hey Julie , your stars look great and they're super cute too, fab tutorial.......
    Enjoy your weekend,

    Claire x

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  20. Woo hoo! I love, love, love this! Thank you SO much for sharing it with all of us! I know what I'll be doing this weekend! Hugs, Annette

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  21. I wondered what they were going to be... they are FAB. Jo x

    http://joeveryday19.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/hooray-red-dress.html

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  22. I absolutely love these!! I love knitting and patchwork and these are just what I love. I will definitely be making one (or ten). Thanks for the tutorial.

    Lisa

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  23. Gorgeous idea ... thanks for sharing, I will definitely be putting this on my future project list.

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  24. Thank you for the tutorial. These stars are wonderful! Liefs Else X

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  25. Oh, SO cute! Thanks for sharing this!

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  26. They're fabulous and on my next "to do" crochet list, hopefully will have one (or a few) made this weekend. Thank you so much for the tutorial!

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  27. Very clever! I love them. Thanks for showing us how!

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  28. Thank you for the tutorial! I love them! Jingle bells would be fun on the tips, too! The ladies in my family have an ornament exchange every year at Christmas. I believe I have found my ornament for this year! BTW, I recently found your blog, and I am so glad that I did! Thank you for sharing your creative projects! So much inspiration here!!!!
    Lori
    http://www.theverandaatfallingrock.blogspot.com/

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  29. Perfectly explained. Thanks for the tutorial these are going to be a great project to make with some warp ends I've got stacking up.

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  30. I love these. I could picture them hanging from some twigs or a Christmas tree... I am definitely filing this tutorial away for a rainy day. :)

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  31. Lovely! I amb your new followe!
    Thanks for sharing!

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  32. Hello I am French. I live in northern France.
    I do not speak English and does not include explanations for the stars that are very pretty. Could you make a tutorial in French. Thank you very much. Excusse my English, I use translate to write. Best wishes and I hope a response from your part.thank you very much.
    Maryse

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    1. Bonsoir Maryse, je suis Anglaise mais j'habite en France - si tu ve je essaye a traduire le patron pour toi - mais pas toute suite parce que j'ai des visiteurs debut de semaine prochaine - mais apres - peut etre fin de semaine quand ils on parterai au Mans!!

      Kathy,
      53 France

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    2. Thank you Kathy for offering to translate for Maryse, i don't know any French at all! Julie x

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    3. Bonjour,
      Je serais ravie que vous puissiez me traduire ce tutoriel.Je n'avais pas vu que la réponse se faisait à cet endroit.Je vais être patiente et attendre sagement les explications.Je vous remercie sincèrement.Cordialement et à bientôt.
      Maryse

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  33. Lovely stars !

    Diane

    http://creadivablog.blogspot.be/

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  34. Oooh.... I love the stars but most of all I love the colour palette you use!! Have you thought of making little kits up for these - that way we could have all the lovely colours without having to buy full balls of yarn?
    For those of us who don't live in Australia (I live in France) it's not so much the cost of the yarn but the postage - this way we could have a little bit of your loveliness without having to budget for the more expensive postage!!

    Kathy
    53 France

    p.s. I have replied to Maryse (also in France) saying I will translate the pattern for her - if that's OK with you?

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    1. That's great, I don't know any French! I think I will look into making little star kits, that's a good idea, I agree postage is very expensive, especially to Europe from here, but there's not much you can do about it really, I think postage has become an expensive part of online shopping. Unfortunately, living in Australia, everywhere overseas is a long trip! J x

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  35. you are so talented,I love every project you come up with,and you are beyond generous with your time and patterns. I especially love your colorwork,and am hoping for a book sometime in the future! You deserve all the success,and bring so much joy to the life of this crafter,thank you so much!

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    1. That is such a lovely thing to say heidhill, thank you so much! J xx

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  36. Bonjour Katy,
    C'est génial vous parlez un peu le français.Je suis très heureuse de votre réponse.Je vais être patiente et attendre votre tutoriel.Encore une fois merci mille fois.
    Cordialement.
    Maryse

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  37. That's so adorable! The color combinations are great!

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  38. Absolutely brilliant Jules! I've bookmarked for Christmas. Thanks for sharing such a lovely tutorial with us. You are very generous :-) Mel x

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  39. Thank you so much, Im going to try to make one.

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  40. These little stars are so cute - thanks for sharing your tutorial. :)

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  41. Thank you so much for sharing this pattern, I'm half way through my first one and I love how quickly and easily the little diamonds work up. There will definitely be a few of these hanging on my Christmas tree this year. Love your blog and all your beautiful crochet work, you are such an inspiration :)

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  42. I love these! Definitely going to try the out :)

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  43. Hi Jules, THRILLED to see you on Craft Schooling Sunday, and love these stars, great all year round! all the best, and do drop by again soon!

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  44. This is a wonderful star.
    Thanks for the WS
    Annette

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  45. que maravilla, gracias por compartir este tutorial, me pondré manos a la obra, besos desde España

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  46. Hi there, Jules.
    I just stumbled upon this delightful pattern this morning while looking through my Facebook Crochet list.
    I am busy making a star as I'm writing this and really want to feature your pattern on my blog http://abagfullofcrochet.co.za
    I'm busy improving my site and I would love to share this tutorial with my followers (I'm in the process of moving it from WP.com to a self hosted site).

    Let me know if that would be ok with you. There's a link to my email address on my blog.

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  47. I LOVE these! Thank you for sharing!

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  48. Thank you so much for sharing! I LOVE this!!

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  49. Hi!
    Just wanted to let you know that I published a Swedish translation to this pattern (love it, btw!) in my blog - of course with a link to this pattern. I made some minor changes though... check it out if you'd like. But I must warn you, it's all in Swedish :)
    www.virknalenochmajskroken.blogspot.com

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  50. Cute :) I think they would be wonderful on a Christmas Tree.

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  51. Jules, thank you so much for your tutorial; these stars are absolutely lovely! I love, love, love your color combinations! I just signed up at your store to see if I can afford to have the yarn shipped here to Portland, Oregon. Your sense of color is amazing, and is especially welcoming to me, who needs a "paint by number" chart for everything! I'm so glad to see your blog's success, and appreciate your generosity in sharing your patterns.

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  52. This will make a lovely addition to my Christmas tree ! Thank you for sharing.♥

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  53. Lovely stars! I am going to try to make some, thanks

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  54. These are so lovely! I totally want to make some special stars for the best people in my life for Christmas! Maybe put some lavender in :) I am also doing a mixed stitch blanket! I missed your crochet-along, but I'm going to do it anyway :) Thanks for posting such lovely inspiration!

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  55. Beautiful star and wonderful pattern, thanks a lot !

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  56. Hello from FRANCE !!!
    Il really like this stars... and all that you do...
    I'm impress by your creation.
    Have a nice day

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  57. Thank you for this star pattern, I'm going to have a go at making them for Christmas!

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  58. Please take a look at this link http://www.eviaediciones.com/argentina/product.asp?intProdID=1352&strSubCatalogID=467&strCatalog_NAME=Crochet%20DECO%20Navidad%202013

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  59. I love these stars, these are so fun to make up, I now take a ball of wool and a crochet hook and scissors in the car with me on the school run in the morning, we have to wait in the car for a while after dropping one kid off and waiting for the next school to open, I can happily sit in the car making up diamonds whilst the two other kids argue LOL, such a pretty and clever design, thanks so much for sharing for free you are very generous. Jules : )

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  60. Love Love Love! I am going to try and make these. I Hope mine are half as good as yours

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  61. Hi! May I have your permission to convert this English word pattern into a diagram for my students and subscribers to make a video tutorial for this project? I teach crochet to kids and people around the world how to crochet using a diagram. If you don't feel comfortable with the idea, I totally respect that. My YouTube channel is at http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7pwANAT__XKaXdDmOQ5m-A. Please let me know. Thank you for your time. - Ms. Lam

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  62. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  63. hola mi nombre es Gabriela soy de buenos aires, argentina... quería preguntarte si esta estrella la diseñaste tu!!! muchas gracias y espero tu respuesta!!

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  64. Preciosa, voy a intentar hacerla.
    Gracias.

    Saludos y buen día.

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  65. your stars are very nice, I get to make the tutorial! thank you very much!
    I send you a big hug.

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  66. Very very pretty. I daren't start anything else!

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  67. I can't wait to make these! Love your art!

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  68. Me gusta mucho la star.
    Grácias por los puntos.
    Bss de España, de tu nueva seguidora.

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  69. Thank you for sharing this tutorial, I've just made a trio and it was fun and easy.
    I blogged about them and linked to you - your work is lovely!

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  70. Thank you very much for your nice pattern. It´s so great. I was so happy about this star, that i forgot last week to write a comment. Your blog is so nice.

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  71. Your stars are lovely ! Thanks for sharing !

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  72. These are lovely, I would like to make them and sell them on a stall where all proceeds will be going to charity. Would you be okay with that? Thank you!

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  73. Wow, this is the best star pattern I came across. Black and white stars will be perfect for baby mobile. Thank you!

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  74. Just had a look through your fab blog.I must have a go at these stars.I only know basic crochet,I assume it is in US terms.Great tutorial very clear thank you.x By the way does sk mean skip 1st stitch.

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    1. Yes Lee, sk is the crochet abbreviation for skip.

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  75. Thank you very much! The explanation is clearly understood and the result is fascinating! Well done!

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  76. Thank you for sharing this amazing tutorial! I've just finished to publish it on my blog too thank uuu
    http://robydapazzi.it/stella-amigurumi/

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  77. This is super cute! I can't wait to try it, thank you!

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  78. My first time using cotton, and my first project other than a blanket, scarf or hat,
    Turned out pretty good. Much bigger than I expected. Might try a smaller one next time.
    Love it, thank you for the pattern!

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