Rona Lockdown Free Crafts Part 3: Ice Princess

Two of my kids had a fever this weekend (they are fine now), so we are on day 4 of a 14 day self-isolation lockdown. Thank goodness I have nice neighbours who have kindly agreed to take down my trash, because that was my biggest concern. (We might run out of fruit and veg, but we have a large supply of rice, beans, and cornmeal, and more importantly, tea,* so we will be fine.)

Several crochet patterns I've made over the years have been lost in time, so I'll be posting them here over the next few weeks. This pattern originally appeared on the now defunct web zine Crochet Me. As usual, this pattern is free. Free! No strings attached! You can make a bunch of these necklaces and sell them! (Tell me all about it and share pics so I can feel cool!) All I ask is that you don't steal the credit for the pattern or sell the pattern itself (feel free to share the pattern with your mates and print copies to give out, just include the url to my blog, please, and the wee copyright at the bottom). Also, please feel free to add me on Ravelry. (Ice Princess on Ravelry.)

If, unlike me, you aren't busy with a new boob barnacle, you might find yourself with time on your not-holding-a-baby hands and maybe you want to make something.

(Formatting shamelessly nicked from the original post at crochetme.com.)And guys, I know we are living in weird times, but please remember: it's not all doom and gloom.

Ice Princess

Introduction

Okay, I'm like Ebenezer Scrooge (I'd rather be like Scrooge McDuck and have a walk-in safe full of gold coins, but I don't).  I don't celebrate any winter holidays (that's how I met my husband), but that didn't stop me from designing this fine piece of winter jewellery.  I called it 'Ice Princess' to reflect my very stoic holiday feelings.  Snowflake aside, the necklace works fine as a standalone, or you can put a different pendant on instead, although everyone fancies a snowflake necklace, even here in Scotland during the lockdown.

Materials List

1. J. & P. Coats Royale Metallic Crochet Thread (88% mercerized cotton, 12% metallic; 100 yds [91 m]/Size 10;):  226G Natural/Gold, 1 ball. Yarn distributed by Coats & Clark.  
2. 1.50 mm crochet hook.  (Some say this is a size 7 hook, but I have a Boye USA hook that says it's a size 8. So there.)
3. Tapestry needle
4. Sewing needle
5. Sewing thread
6. Stitch marker
7. Button (I use the 3/8 - 1/2" diameter spares that come with dress shirts)

Finished Size

Finished necklace is about 14" across.

Gauge

34 sc = 4 inches

Notes

Stitch height is not important and will not adversely affect the finished design.

Special stitches: 

sc2tog (decrease) – insert hook in st, yo and draw loop through st (2 loops on hook), yo, insert hook in next st, yo and draw loop through st (3 loops on hook), yo and draw loop through all loops on hook.

The Pattern

Necklace

With MC, ch 115 (counts as 114 + turning ch).  

Row 1:  Starting in second ch from hook, sc in each of next 55 ch, sc2tog over next 2 ch, ch 3, sc2tog over next 2 ch, sc in each ch to end, turn.  (112 sc)

Row 2:  Ch 1, sc in each of first 56 sc, [2 sc, ch 7, 2 sc] all in ch-3 sp, sc in each sc to end, turn.  (116 sc)

Row 3:  Ch 1, sc in each of next 31 sts, *ch 5, sk 3 sts, sc in each of next 2 sts, * rep from * to * 4 more times, sc2tog, work 9 sc into ch-7 sp, sc2tog, **sc in each of next 2 sts, ch 5, sk 3 sts, ** rep from ** to ** 4 more times, sc in each st to end. (93 sc)

Do not fasten off - do not pass go - do not collect 200 dollars: we are making a loop at the end of this row and then finishing up the last row of the necklace.

Button Loop: Ch 12, sl st in first ch to form ring, work 18 sc into ring, sl st in first sc to close round.  

Last row: Starting in last sc of Row 3 (not the loop), sc in each of next 31 sts, *work [3 sc, ch 3, 3 sc] all into next ch-5 sp, sc in each of next 2 sts, * rep from * to * 4 more times, sc2tog, sc in each of next 3 sts, work [sc, ch 5, sc] all in next st, sc in each of next 3 sts, sc2tog, **sc in each of next 2 sts, work [3 sc, ch 3, 3 sc] all into next ch-5 sp, ** rep from ** to ** 4 more times, sc in each st to end, fasten off. (152 sc)

Snowflake Motif

Ch 16, sl st in first ch to form ring.  

Rnd 1:  Work 24 sc into ring, sl st in first sc to close round.  (24 sc)

Rnd 2:  *Ch 9, sk next 3 sts, sc in next st,* rep from * to * 4 more times, ch 9, sk next 3 sts, sl st in sl st of prev. round.  (6 ch-9 spaces)

Rnd 3:  *Work 6 sc into first ch-9 sp, [ch 9, starting in 6th ch from hook, sl st into each of the 4 rem ch sts], work 6 sc into same ch-9 sp, [ch 4, starting in 2nd ch from hook, sl st into each of 3 ch sts], * rep from * to * for each ch-9 sp around, sl st in sl st of prev row, fasten off, weave in end.  

Finishing

Weave in all ends.  

Block pieces (this should make the knitters happy) by pinning it, spritzing it with water and/or steaming it, pressing it gently with a warm iron, and letting it sit overnight.  Before anyone mentions that this might melt the metallic-bit of the yarn, if you are careful and use a low setting, you should be fine (I was), but you can put a cloth or towel between the iron and the necklace if you want to be extra careful.

Starching the snowflake is a good way to stiffen it up.  

Sew snowflake to ch-5-sp at top of necklace.  

To fasten the necklace, sew a small button (I find the spares that come with dress shirts work well for this) onto the non-looped end of the necklace and button it into the loop end.

(c) Chloe Nightingale 2006

FIN.

*  P.S.  Tea.  TEA!  What sort of tea do you like?  I pretty much like them all, but Green is my favourite.  I'm currently enjoying Mango & Bergamot by Whittard of Chelsea, Pure & Simple Green Tea by Qi, and a delicious Japanese ceremonial grade matcha that I got from the 90% off bargain bin at Holland and Barrett.