I am the queen of last-minute crafting. I’ll have 7 WIPs on the go and then suddenly realize a holiday is in 5 days and I ABSOLUTELY NEED to make a project for it.
Do we have company coming who might see this project? No.
Will I be entering this project in a competition on said holiday? No.
Am I gifting this project to someone? Probably not.
I guess my way of celebrating is to create something in the festive feel of the holiday. Unfortunately, I usually don’t realize this ahead of time and end up madly crocheting at midnight the night before the holiday in order to have it done in time.
In that vein, here is a pattern for a 4th of July crochet star cushion that I made over this past weekend because I found the absolute perfect shades of red and blue yarn in Michael’s and it just had to happen.
Pattern Notes and Directions
This is more of a formula than a pattern, so you can make really tiny stars or really stinkin’ huge stars depending on your preference. It is such a simple algorithm that I hesitate to call it a pattern.
You’ll start with a center of single crochet done in the round with 5 increases per round (total stitches will always be a multiple of 5). This sets you up for the 5 rays of your star. The rays will be in proportion to the size of your center, so the bigger your center → the bigger the rays → the bigger your star.
Once you work outward to the point, you’ll single crochet down the side of each ray and back to the center to continue on the next ray. When your 5 rays are complete, I’ve suggested a last round of single crochet all the way around your star to make seaming the 2 sides of the cushion together much easier.
Ok, got it! Let’s go!
Materials:
- 5mm hook (Size H/8)
- Worsted Weight Yarn. I used Loops & Threads Shabby in Cranberry and Denim
Abbreviations:
- Sc = Single Crochet
- Inc= 2 sc in the same stitch
- Ch= Chain
- Sc2tog = Single crochet 2 together
- RS= Right side of the work (front)
- WS= Wrong side of the work (back)
Small Star Cushion:
Magic circle; 5 sc
Row 1: 2 sc in each st. (10sc)
Row 2: *Sc, inc* repeat around (15 sc)
Row 3: *Sc x 2, inc* repeat around (20 sc)
Row 4: *Sc x 3, inc* repeat around (25 sc)
Row 5: *Sc x 4, inc* repeat around (30 sc)
Row 6: *Sc x 5, inc* repeat around (35 sc)
Row 7: *Sc x 6, inc* repeat around (40 sc)
Row 8: *Sc x 7, inc* repeat around (45 sc)
Row 9: *Sc x 8, inc* repeat around (50 sc)
Creating the rays of the star
Row 10(RS): sc 10 across, ch 1 and turn (so you now have the back facing you)
Row 11 (WS): Sc2tog, sc x 6, sc2tog, ch 1 and turn
Row 12 (RS): Sc across (8 sc) ch 1 and turn
Row 13 (WS): Sc2tog, sc x 4, sc2tog, ch 1 and turn
Row 14 (RS): Sc across (6 sc) ch 1 and turn
Row 15 (WS): Sc2tog, sc x 2, sc2tog, ch 1 and turn
Row 16 (RS): Sc across (4 sc) ch 1 and turn
Row 17 (WS): Sc2tog, sc2tog, ch 1 and turn
Row 18 (RS): Sc across (2 sc) ch 1 and turn
Row 19 (WS): Sc2tog, ch 1 and turn
RS: Sc in same stitch, then make 12 sc down the left side of the point.
Repeat from row 10 to the end for the remaining four rays.
Once all 5 rays have been made, Sc around the entire outside of star by making 12 sc up the right side of each ray, then ch 2, and sc in each of 12 sc down the left side of each ray.
After you’ve made 2 of the above stars, match both stars with wrong sides together. Sc both stars together around the outside. I use the back loop of the front star and the front loop of the back star (as it faces me) to seam together as it leaves a nice raised line around the seam.
To change the size of the star:
Continue increasing the center of the star (following the pattern of 5 inc per row) till desired size. My large star has a center of 80 stitches, meaning each ray will start with 16sc.
That’s it! Very simple and very cute! Now I’m off to barbecue and enjoy some fireworks!