2021 was a special year. Home-Office, limited social contacts, physical distancing, mass vaccination are just a few words that best describe this year. In any case it was probably not easy for most of us. But for me, it was also a year in which I could happily dive back into crocheting and start to work off a few of my many crochet ideas. My time flew by. I am looking forward to turning many more of my crochet ideas into crochet patterns to share with you in the next year!
Before our new adventure starts, I want to give you two crochet lucky charms on your way: a cube-shaped Crochet Pig and a Crochet Four-Leafed Clover. They are perfect small give-aways, be it as a key chain or as part of a bracelet or brooch or just on its own. If you use bulky yarn (e.g. ribbon yarn), the Crochet Four-Leafed Clover can also be used as a creative crochet bowl for keys or jewelry. They look cutest, though, if you use lace yarn (at a recommended hook size below 2.5 mm). With lace yarn at a recommended hook size of 1.25 – 1.5 mm, the Crochet Four-Leafed Clover and Crochet Pig both reach a pocket size of less than 3 cm.
I combined both into a cute handmade crochet key chain by sewing them together. Using lace yarn and a hook size of 1.25 mm (Woll Butt Diana 10 in rose for the crochet pig and Kordonett Kaja 15 in green for the crochet cloverleaf), my crochet lucky charm key chain reaches a sizes of slightly less than 3 cm2 (excl. the hanger add-on).
You find the free pattern for both crochet lucky charms below. The instructions are written in American English Crochet Terminology.
What do you need:
- lace yarn at a recommended hook size below 2 mm
- for the crochet pig: security eyes of 3 mm size
- for the crochet pig: small amount of fiberfill
- small scissors (also used for stuffing the crochet pig with fiberfill)
- darning needle
How to read the instructions:
Abbreviations:
sc = single crochet | hdc = half-double crochet | dc = double crochet | tc = treble crochet | sl st = slip stitch | st, sts = stitch, stitches | ch = chain | rd = round | MR = magic ring | inc = increase | dec = decrease
| 2sc-inc | 2 single crochet in 1 st (increase by 1 st) |
| 3sc-inc | 3 single crochet in 1 st (increase by 2 sts) |
| sc2tog | single crochet 2 sts together (decrease by 1 st) |
| sc3tog | single crochet 3 sts together (decrease by 2 sts) |
| k sc | work 1 single crochet stitch in the next k stitches |
I worked both crochet lucky charms in continuous rounds.
The number in the brackets at each round end indicates the new number of stitches at round end.
Tip for decreasing invisibly: single crochet decrease stitches typically result in a bulky looking decrease stitch, particularly if you use “harder” yarn. To reduce the bulky looking decrease stitch, decrease by single crocheting through the front-loops of the stitches only.
Navigate to your Free Crochet Pattern
Crochet Pig (Cube Crochet Pig) – Free Pattern
The Crochet Pig is the typical lucky charm give-away during New Year. Crocheted with a lace yarn at a recommended hook size of 1.25 – 1.5 mm it reaches a height of less than 3 cm. It is fast to be made and probably the cutest crochet lucky charm to give away at such a tiny size.
The crochet pig is of cube shape which creates cheekbones at the front and hocks at the back as part of the body shape.
You can easily turn it into a key chain which does not consume much space in your pockets but helps you find and grap your keys faster. If you use dazzling colours you can create a cute eyecatcher for your bag and make sure your keys never get lost again.
The Crochet Pig consists of its body, the nose, legs, ears and the twisted tail. For the illustrated progress follow the slideshow below the pattern.
Happy crocheting!
BODY:
Take a new yarn.
1. Rd: 6 sc in MR (6)
2. Rd: 6 x 2sc-inc (12)
3. Rd: 3sc-inc, 3 x [2 sc, 3sc-inc], 2 sc (20)
4. Rd: 1 sc, 3sc-inc, 3 x [4 sc, 3sc-inc], 3 sc (28)
5. Rd: 2 sc, 3sc-inc, 3 x [6 sc, 3sc-inc], 4 sc (36)
6. Rd: 3 sc, sc2tog, 3 x [7 sc, sc2tog], 4 sc (32)
7. – 10. Rd: 1 sc in each st around (32)
Place the security eyes in the 8. Rd between the 22nd and 23rd st and the 26th and 27th st (3 sts apart) and fix their position.
11. Rd: 3 sc, sc3tog, 3 x [5 sc, sc3tog], 2 sc (24)
12. Rd: 2 sc, sc3tog, 3 x [3 sc, sc3tog], 1 sc (16)
Stuff the inside with fiberfill.
13. Rd: 4 x [1 sc, sc3tog] (8)
14. Rd: dec further and close the hole
Weave in the yarn ends.
PIG NOSE:
Take a new yarn and ch 3.
1. Rd: 1 sc, 2sc-inc in last st. Continue on the other side of the chain: 1 sc (in same st as the 2sc-inc from before), 2sc-inc in last st (6)
2. Rd: 1 sc in each st around, sl st last st (6)
Use the yarn end to sew the nose between the eyes. Start one row below the end of the eyes and sew the shorter side (1st – 3rd st) up and the larger side (4th – 6th st) down. With the same yarn, sew the nostrils by going from the back of the body to one of the two middle sts of the nose’s 1. Rd and back to the back from the other middle st. Pull the yarn ends tightly to give shape to the nostrils and to make the nose flatter. It also emphasizes the cube shape of the body.
LEGS (4x):
Take a new yarn.
1. Rd: 6 sc in MR (6)
2. + 3. Rd: 1 sc in each st around. Sl st in last st of 3. Rd (6)
Use the yarn end to sew the legs between the 12. and 14. Rd of the body.
EARS (2x):
Take a new yarn.
1. Rd: 5 sc in MR (5)
2. Rd: 2 x [1 sc, 2sc-inc], 1 sc (7)
3. Rd: 1 sc in each st around, sl st last st (7)
Use the yarn end to sew the ears at the corner of each eye covering parts of the 4. and 5. Rd. Make the ears flatter by stitching around the middle area of the ears.
TAIL:
Take a new yarn and ch 11.
1. Row: 2 sl st in each ch st across (20)
Use the yarn ends to sew the tail in the 8. Rd. Twist the tail a bit further to emphasize its typical shape. You can additionally fix the twist by attaching the middle of the twist to the body.
Crochet Four-Leaf Clover – Free Pattern
It says, a cloverleaf with four leaves brings you luck. With this very simple free pattern of a four-leafed clover you take luck in your own hands!
How about making a crochet cloverleaf as a tiny crochet bracelet (using lace yarn) or as a fun big bowl for your keys or other small accessoires (using ribbon yarn)? Whatever idea you have, here you get the pattern for making your very own crochet cloverleaf with four leaves.
Happy crocheting!
CLOVERLEAF WITH 4 LEAVES:
Take a green yarn.
1. Rd: 6 sc in MR (6)
2. Rd: 6 x 2sc-inc (12)
3. Rd: 4 x [2 sc, 2sc-inc] (16)
4. Rd: each leaf consists of the following st block: * [1 hdc, 1 dc, 2 tc, 1 hdc] in one st, [1 dc, 2 tc, 1 hdc] in next st, sl st in next st, sl st in next st *. Repeat * 4 times in total (44)
Continue the STEM by ch 8. Turn your work. Starting from the 3rd ch st from hook, do 1 dc, 1 hdc, 1 sc, 3 sl sts. Sl st to the same st that you started the ch from.
Optionally, you can continue going around the cloverleaf by slip stitching in each st around (44) (frame). In order for the sl st round to be visible on both sides of the cloverleaf, crochet a second cloverleaf as before and sew both parts at the backside (the one where the sl sts are not fully visible) together.
In the slideshow below that illustrates the progress, I used a different yarn for the stem and the frame (changing colours in the last sl st before starting the STEM.
I hope you enjoy my free crochet lucky charms patterns for the Crochet Pig and the Crochet Four-Leafed Clover and start the new year with lots of luck!
