A Cuddly Cactus
Introduction: A Cuddly Cactus
When a friend, who loves plants but is incapable of keeping them alive, has a birthday, cactus is a solution. But what to do when this same friend has killed multiple cacti before? Simple! Look up a tutorial on making a crochet cactus, be disappointed by what internet has to offer and develop your own pattern!
The aim of this instructable is to help you skip the last step:)
Supplies
* yarn (size 2~2.5) in leaf green, light green (or beige), red, yellow and brown colour
* small clay planting pot
* Crocheting hook (size 3)
* needle
* (optional) stuffing cotton
Step 1: A Solid Foundation
Make a row of chinless double crochet foundation of 16 stitches. Alternatively you can substitute that for a chain of 18 stitches and double crochet back into them on the way back, starting at the third chain from the hook.
Step 2: Cacti Aren't Flat!
The following row starts to curl the crochet upwards (for cactus ribs). Chain 1 and flip the strip around. Now make the following stitches in the front loops of the chain:
* slip stitch
* 2x single crochet
* half double crochet
* 4x double crochet
* & reverse (do the same thing in reverse order)
Step 3: Something Borrowed, Something New...
Once again chain 1, flip the strip around and get ready to learn a new technique, which I haven't found anywhere before (though I doubt it's my invention, as it's quite simple). Make the same stitches as before but with one variant: chain them into the highest loop beneath the top chain. This helps to make chain more pronounced, making for a nice cactus rib. If you aren't sure what I meant by "the highest loop beneath the top chain", reference photo above. Correct loops are marked with yellow yarn while the top chain is threaded with pink .
* slip stitch
* 2x single crochet
* half double crochet
* 4x double crochet
* & reverse do the same 8 stitches in reverse order
Step 4: Ups and Downs...
If you thought the last step was hard, you're in luck. This step is straight from crocheting 102 class. Chain 2, flip the work around and double crochet into the front loop of the chain 15 times and that's it.
Nothing more. Just that. 557
No, seriously. Do note though that first double crochet starts in the second chain because chain 2 (first bit in this step) counts as first double crochet.
Step 5: ...downs and Ups
And now for the second half of the valley "fold". Chain 2, flip the work and back post double crochet all the way through. Finish this round with a double crochet into the last hole of the previous row to keep the loop count constant. Alternatively you can double crochet into the back loop of the chain but the result will be a flatter cactus.
Step 6: Seven Hills and Seven Valleys
Repeat steps 2 through 5 six more times to get a seven ribbed cactus.
Go on, crochet away and I'll see you in a bit.
Step 7: Two Balloons Drift Through the Desert. One Yells "Watch Out, CACTUSSss..."
Now the joke in the title would make no sense if cacti had no thorns, so let's make them for our cactus!
Thread a light green yarn through a needle and sew it on the inner side of ribs as seen on photo above (I used pink yarn so it can be seen more easily). Make sure to thread it in such a way that it isn't visible form the outside.
Next pull the yarn so it makes about 5 cm (2") loops. Cut each loop and tie it with a double knot.
Now go to the outer side and use a crochet hook to pull one thread of each knot through stitches on the top chain (I marked them for you with pins). The remaining thread can be cut off.
When done, cut yarn to length and fray it up using a needle.
Time consuming? Yes. Worth it? Judge for yourself:)
If you find this step too boring to repeat seven times in a row, you can alternate between this and next step for each rib of your cactus. Don't ask me why I thought of mentioning this:P
Step 8: Mt. Cactus
Stitches were designed to make the ridges as pronounced as possible but some sewing will go a long way towards making them even prettier.
Use the same yarn colour as you used for cactus body so that different colours won't be peaking through
Do a zig zag sew, so you can decide how tight you want it. 694