Crochet...Gotta Love It! Blog: Skull Square Motif

(What's that creepy-looking skeletal shadow?!)

July 29, 2013:

Hi everyone and welcome!

I saw the most interesting shawl pattern on the internet recently. I came across this pretty pattern which reminds me of the spider web design but instead of the chain lengths extending to a diamond-shaped grouping of single crochet stitches in the middle, there are the chain lengths extending on either side to a little skull. Interesting!

The Skull Shawl pattern is one by Majkis at her blog at:
Virkad döskallesjal. Med mönster // Crochet skull shawl. With pattern.

She notes on her blog that this is the first time that she has written a pattern in English. Her blog is a Swedish blog. The English translations for each step are below the photographs on her blog. It's a little hard to follow and it's only written for the shawl as a whole; not directions for individual "stand-alone" motifs. The "stand-alone" motifs are what I wanted to do instead.

Also, the Skull Shawl blog post notes that the skull part is made two different ways:
Method #1. The eyes are made as a separate piece and then crocheted onto the bottom of the skull above the teeth.
Method #2. The eyes are made WITHOUT making them as a separate piece. Row 9 is the most complicated as there are more turns in this row and this is how the eyes are worked.

*I prefer to make the skull as method #2 and not making the eyes as a separate piece. Benefit to this is that there aren't the extra ends to sew in later.

So, I started to crochet, rip and write, crochet, rip and write.....many times! I finally came up with the motif. I figured out how to do the decreasing for the upper part of the motif when it shapes back into a point (remember, this is a diamond shaped motif).

I still want to work up this shawl pattern soon as a shawl. I think it will be a great "conversation piece" garment.

I, with my crochet symbol sketching skills not up to par, decided to write it out instead. But I do have this pattern written out as clearly as I can make it and taking beginners into account.

Abbreviations (American terminology):
sp: space
ch(s): chain(s)
sl st: slip stitch
hdc: half double crochet
dc: double crochet
dtr: double triple/treble crochet (3 yarn overs)
5-YO stitch: yarn over 5 times keeping yarn fairly tight. Just think of this as a really tall stitch!

Here is the way I make this motif!

Chain 11.

Row 1. Skip 1st 7 chains, 1 dc in each of the next 4 chs. Ch 2, dtr in the same ch as the last dc just made. Turn.

Row 2. Ch 7, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in last ch space, ch 2, dtr in same sp as the last 4 dc just made. Turn.

Row 3. Ch 7, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in last ch space. Ch 2, dtr in same sp as the last 4 dc just made. Turn.

Row 4. Ch 7, 4 dc in 1st ch space, (ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space) 3 times more. Ch 2, dtr in same sp as the last 4 dc just made. Turn.

Row 5. Ch 7, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 9, skip next ch space, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in last ch space, ch 2, dtr in same sp as the last 4 dc just made. Turn.

Row 6. (pictured) Ch 7, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 7, 4 sc in ch-9 space, ch 7, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space. Ch 2, dtr in same space as the last 4 dc just made. Turn.

Row 7. Ch 7, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 7, (dc in next sc, ch 1) 3 times, dc in next sc, ch 7, 4 dc in next ch-2 space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space. Ch 2, dtr in same sp as the last 4 dc just made. Turn.

Row 8. (pictured on wrong side) Ch 7, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 7, skip 4 chs of the next ch-6 space, 1 sc in 5th ch, 1 sc in 6th ch, (sc in next dc, sc in next ch-1 sp) 3 times, sc in next dc, 1 sc in each of the next 2 chs of the next ch-6 space, ch 7, 4 dc in next ch-2 space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space. Ch 2, dtr in same space as the last 4 dc just made. Turn.

Row 9. Ch 7, 4 dc in 1st space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space.
Ch 8, 1 sc in each of 1st 4 sc, ch 5, skip next 3 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 4 sc, turn.
Ch 6, sc in center of ch-5 space, ch 6, skip 3 sc, sl st in next sc, turn.
10 Sc in 1st ch-6 space, 10 sc in next ch-6 space, sl st in end sc of previous row.
Ch 7, 4 dc in next ch-2 space, ch 2, 4 dc in last space.
Ch 2, dtr in same space as the last 4 dc just made. Turn.

Row 10. Ch 7, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 7, skip 1st 2 sc, sl st across next 16 sc, ch 7, 4 dc in next ch-2 space, ch 2, 4 dc in last sp.
Make one 5-YO stitch in same space as the last 4 dc just made. Turn.

*Now you will be decreasing the sides on the upper half of this motif.

Row 11. Ch 5, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 7, skip 1st 2 slip stitches, sc in next 12 slip stitches, ch 7, 4 dc in next space (towards end of row), ch 2, 4 dc in next ch-2 space, dtr in turning ch-8 space of previous row. Turn.

Row 12. Ch 5, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 7, skip 1st 2 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 8 sc, ch 7, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, dtr in last space. Turn.

Row 13. Ch 5, 4 d in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 7, skip 1 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 6 sc, ch 7, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, dtr in last ch space. Turn.

Row 14. Ch 5, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 7, skip 1 sc, 1 sc in each of the next 4 sc, ch 7, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, dtr in last space. Turn.

Row 15. Ch 5, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 6, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, dtr in next ch space. Turn.

Row 16. ch 5, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in same ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, dtr in last ch space. Turn.

Row 17. Ch 5, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, dtr in last ch space. Turn.

Row 18. Ch 5, 4 dc in 1st ch space, ch 2, 4 dc in next ch space, dtr in last ch space. Turn.

Row 19. Ch 5, 4 dc in next ch space, ch 5, sl st in 1st ch of next ch space.

EDGING:

*the edging stabilizes this motif and gives it a better shape.
**Working a 2nd round of stitches stabilizes the shape of the motif even better!
***I prefer 2 rounds of edging for shaping.

Round 1. Without turning work, crochet 4 sc in each space around the perimeter and work 1 sc in each of the 4 stitches at the top and bottom of the motif.

Round 2. Work 1 hdc in each sc stitch around, working an extra 2 hdc stitches at each corner.

Fasten off and sew in ends well with a large-eyed sewing needle. Lightly press if necessary.

Two motifs finished. I have the one of the left with an edging of single crochet stitches. I noticed that by working sc (single crochet stitches) around the perimeter, this tends to stabilize the motif and makes it look more even. If you put a round of hdc (half double crochet stitches) in the sc stitches, it looks more even and seems to stabilize the shape even better. I have not tried a 3rd round of stitches around the perimeter.

These motifs all have 2 rounds of edging. The first round is 4 sc stitches in each space around and the next round are 1 hdc in each sc around, making 2 extra hdc stitches in each corner to make the motif lay flat.

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This next section is the motif worked up with the eyes made separately. I have included several photos which I took as I was making the skull part with this method.

I prefer to make the motif in one piece to avoid sewing in extra ends but that is something that is a personal preference.

Majkis explains on her blog how to make the eyes separately and attach them. Just click the above link towards the top of this blog post page.