CAL – Part ONE
Welcome to Part ONE of Connie’s Ray of Hope.
With this crochet-along being my first, you may find things a little different to other cals you’ve participated in. I hope it all makes sense and is smooth sailing for you all, but most importantly I hope you have fun that this crochet along raises awareness about cancer for you and those around you.
So here we are in week one of Connie’s Ray of Hope and this part is all about checking yourself and looking after you! Here is the link to how to check your breasts. There are 5 steps to help you check and also 5 things to look out for. According to the article on this link, early detection and treatment is the only real cure. So please take the time to look after yourself and if you do find something irregular please go to see your GP straight away.
When I first designed Connie’s Ray of Hope in the pastel colours, I was inspired by all the colours of cancer awareness ribbons. The pinks being breast cancer surrounded by other colours and then finishing it off with the breast cancer again to pay tribute to Connie.
In the first part of this cal you will be using two pinks if you chose to go with the Pastel colourway option. Please see the below chart for colours and their corresponding rows.
Remember that there are many ways to get into contact with me or others if you get stuck. Please click on the links in the Information post to see how to do so.
I would love to see your creations don’t forget to use the hashtags #conniesrayofhope #theloopystitchcal #loveyoursister when you post on social media platforms. Definitely post in the groups too.
Click here to donate to Love Your Sister. Remember you can donate to other cancer charities close to your heart too.
Click here to watch the video of Part 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tHORILfF_Q&t=1s
Want the downloadable version (English)? The Loopy Stitch Crochet Along – Connie’s Ray of Hope PART ONE (updated as of Tuesday 6:09am 24th October)
I’d like to thank Juli so much for translating the crochet-along into Spanish xoxo
Download PDF in Spanish Connie’s Ray of Hope – Part 1 (SPANISH)
Download PDF in Czech – Please see the bottom of this page. Thank you Daniela (Daduelle) for translating this pattern.
Please read the entire pattern through completely before starting. Some things will make more sense once your read on.
For this part you will need:
– Your yarn
– Corresponding hook
– Scissors
– Yarn needle
Finished size of Part One:
8 ply/dk version (Pastel and Regal) and 4mm hook: approximately 9 inches / 23 cm
Worsted Weight (Original) and 5mm hook: approximately 12 inches / 30.5 cm
Stitches Used in Part One: US TERMS
Chain (ch)
Slip Stitch (sl st): Starting with a loop on your hook, insert hook in stitch or space indicated and pull up a loop, pull through loop on hook as well.
Single Crochet (sc): Starting with a loop on your hook, insert hook in stitch or space indicated and draw up a loop (two loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through both loops on your hook.
Standing Single Crochet: Starting with a slip stitch on your hook, insert hook in stitch or space indicated and draw up a loop (two loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through both loops on your hook.
Half Double Crochet (hdc): Starting with a loop on your hook, yarn over, insert hook in stitch or space indicated, yarn over and draw up a loop (three loops on hook. Yarn over and pull through all three loops.
Double Crochet (dc): Starting with a loop on your hook, yarn over, insert hook in stitch or space indicated, yarn over and draw up a loop (three loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through two loops (two loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through both loops on your hook.
Standing Double Crochet: Starting with a slip stitch on your hook, yarn over, insert hook in stitch or space indicated, yarn over and draw up a loop (three loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through two loops (two loops on hook). Yarn over and pull through both loops on your hook.
Treble Crochet (tr): Starting with a loop on your hook, yarn over twice, insert hook in stitch or space indicated, yarn over and draw up a loop (4 loops on hook). (Yarn over and pull through two loops) x 3 times
Standing Treble Crochet: Starting with a sl st on your hook, yarn over, insert hook in stitch or space indicated, yarn over and draw up a loop (4 loops on hook). (Yarn over and pull through two loops) x 3 times
Back Post Single Crochet (bpsc): Starting with a loop on your hook, yarn over, insert hook from back to front to back around post of indicated stitch, yarn over and draw up loop, yarn over and pull through 2 loops
Back Post Half Double Crochet (bphdc): Starting with a loop on your hook, yarn over, insert hook from back to front to back around post of indicated stitch, yarn over and draw up a loop, yarn over and pull through 3 loops
Beginning Popcorn (beg pc): Ch 3(counts as dc), 4 dc in same sp as, drop loop from hook, insert hook from front to back in top of ch 3, pick up dropped loop, pull dropped loop through, ch 1 (to lock) (see photos below)
Popcorn (pc): Work 5 dc in same stitch or space indicated, drop loop from hook, insert hook from front to back in first dc made, pick up dropped loop, pull dropped loop through, ch 1 (to lock)
Three-Chain Picot (p3): Chain 3, insert hook back into the centre of the base stitch (through both the front loop and loop below the front loop), yarn over and pull through stitch and loops on hook (slip stitch made)
Five-Chain Picot (p5): Slip stitch into space or stitch indicated, ch 5, slip stitch back into the same place. (You are actually making the slip stitches into the same place you made the p3 slip stitches)
V Stitch (v-5 st): Make (dc, ch 5, dc) in stitch or space indicated
V Stitch (v-2 st): Make (dc, ch 2, dc) in stitch or space indicated
How to make a Beginning Popcorn Stitch:
Ch 3 (or make a standing dc), 4 dc in same st, drop loop and insert hook into top of ch 3 and pick up dropped loop. Pull through dropped loop and ch 1 to close stitch.
Where to place p5 on Round 6.
Notes:
Inspired by the Mandala Madness by Helen Shrimpton,
Hints will be in italics and bold and coloured green.
Stitch counts will be in bold and orange.
Using the one coloured yarn for each round – look for blue.
New rounds for continual (same coloured) yarn will be in italics and blue.
Wanting to start a new colour (or follow ones already made) for each round – look for pink. New rounds for joining new yarn will be in italics and pink.
* * Please repeat the instructions between asterisks the number of times stated.
( ) Repeat the instructions between parentheses the number of times stated.
Please remember that the ch 1 to close the popcorn stitches do not count in the stitch count.
Colours and Rounds:
Below is a table with the colours used (Please refer to here to see what brands of yarn they are)
Pattern:
Round 1:
Using your first colour chosen or the only colour, make either a magic ring or ch 3, sl st to 1st ch to form ring. Ch 1 (does not count as sc here and throughout), 8 sc in ring, join with sl st to 1st sc made.
(8 sc)
Round 2:
Using same colour: Ch 3 (counts as dc here and throughout), dc in same sp, 2 dc in each st around, join with sl st to top of ch 3.
Joining new colour: In any st, make a standing dc, dc in same sp, 2 dc in each st around, join with sl st to 1st dc made.
Cut yarn and weave in ends.
(16 dc)
Round 3:
Using same colour: Ch 1, sc in same st, *ch 2, sc in next 2 sts*, repeat from * around, omit last sc, join with sl st to 1st sc made.
Joining new colour: In any dc made, make a standing sc, *ch 2, sc in next 2 sts*, repeat from * around, omit last sc, join with sl st to 1st sc made.
Cut yarn and weave in ends.
(16 sc, 16 ch)
Round 4:
Using same colour: Sl st to ch-2 sp, beg pc, ch 4, *pc in next ch-2 sp, ch 4*, repeat from * around, join with sl st to 1st pc made.
Joining new colour: Make a beg pc in any ch-2 sp, ch 4, *pc in next ch-2 sp, ch 4*, repeat from * around, join with sl st to 1st pc made.
Cut yarn and weave in ends.
(8 pop, 32 ch)
Round 5:
Using same colour: Ch 1, *sc in pc, (2 dc, tr, p3, tr, 2 dc) in ch-4 sp*, repeat from * around, join with sl st to 1st sc made.
Joining new colour: Make a standing *sc in pc st, ( 2 dc, tr, p3, tr, 2 dc) in ch-4 sp*, repeat from * around, join with sl st to 1st sc made.
Cut yarn and weave in ends.
(32 dc, 16 dc, 8 p3, 8 sc)
Round 6:
Using same colour: *Ch 7, sl st to same st, bpsc around next 3 sts, p5, bpsc around next 3 sts, join with sl st to sc from round 5 (same as last sl st from last round).
Joining new colour: In any sc, join with a sl st, *ch 7, sl st to same st, bpsc around next 3 sts, p5, bpsc around next 3 sts, sl st to sc*, repeat from * around.
Cut yarn and weave in ends.
(96 ch, 48 bpsc, 8 p5)
Round 7:
Using same colour: Sl st in the 1st 3 sts of ch 7, sl st into loop, ch 8 (counts as *dc + ch 5), dc in same sp, ch 4, fold p5 towards you, make sc into loop made by p3, ch 4*, repeat from * around, join with sl st to 3rd ch.
Joining new colour: In any ch-7 loop, make a standing *v-5 st, ch 4, fold p5 towards you make a sc into loop made by p3, ch 4*, repeat from * around, join with sl st to 1st dc made.
Cut yarn and weave in ends.
(16 dc, 88 ch)
Round 8:
Using same colour: *Ch 7, sl st to next dc, ch 3, sc in sc, ch 3, sl st into next dc*, repeat from * around (you have already joined by making the last sl st into next dc of last repeat 😉 )
Joining new colour: In any 1st dc of v-5 st, join with a sl st, *ch 7, sl st to next dc, ch 3, sc in sc, ch 3, sl st into next dc*, repeat from * around (you have already joined by making the last sl st into next dc of last repeat).
Cut yarn and weave in ends.
(8 sc, 104 ch)
Round 9:
Using same colour: Ch 1, *9 sc in ch-7 loop, 4 sc in ch-3 sp, dc into p5 from round 6, 4 sc in ch-3 sp*, repeat from * around, join with sl st to 1st sc made.
Joining new colour: In any ch-7 loop, make a standing *sc, 8 sc in same sp, 4 sc in ch-3 sp, dc into p5 from round 6, 4 sc in ch-3 sp*, repeat from * around, join with sl st to 1st sc made.
Cut yarn and weave in ends.
(136 sc, 8 dc)
Round 10:
Using same colour: Ch 4 (counts as *tr), tr in same sp, (tr, dc) in next st, 2 dc in next st, dc in next st, v-2 st in next st, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, (dc, tr) in next st, (2 tr) in next st, fpsc around dc from round 9*, repeat from * around, join with sl st to 4th ch.
Joining new colour: Make a standing 2 tr in 1st sc made in any ch-7 loop, (tr, dc) in next st, 2 dc in next st, dc in next st, v-2 st in next st, dc in next st, 2 dc in next st, (dc, tr) in next st, (2 tr) in next st, fpsc around dc from round 9*, repeat from * around, join with sl st to 1st tr made.
Cut yarn and weave in ends.
(48 tr, 80 dc, 8 fpsc, 16 ch)
Round 11:
Using same colour: Ch 1, *bphdc around 1st tr st, bphdc around next 7 sts, (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in ch-2 sp, bphdc around next 8 sts, fpsc around fpsc from around 10*, repeat from * around, join with sl st to 1st bphdc.
Joining new colour: Make a standing bphdc around 1st tr from round 10, bphdc around next 7 sts, (hdc, ch 2, hdc) in ch-2 sp, bphdc around next 8 sts, fpsc around fpsc from round 10*, repeat from * around, join with sl st to 1st bphdc.
Cut yarn and weave in ends.
(144 bhpdc, 16 hdc, 16 ch, 8 fpsc)
Congratulations, yay you did it! Part ONE complete!! Stay tuned for Part TWO next week.
