3 Borders Around Embroidery Hoop - Free Pattern

Ta-dah! Here are free patterns for three different borders made around embroidery hoops. I chose natural shades for this project and wanted these frames to look classical and elegant. I am not really sure I was a success with a classical look, but for me they are quite elegant. :) They can be used in a variety of ways: as separate wall hanging decorations, for example. But I will use them as photo-frames. I had been working very hard last week taking progress pictures and writing the pattern down. And I wanted to share the patterns with you as soon as possible. So unfortunately I haven’t managed to finish a tutorial about attaching pictures to this frames yet. But I will do it in next posts!

You can see more pictures of this project HERE. And HERE is a tutorial on how to attach pictures to these hoops.

All three borders are made in overlay crochet, and if you are not familiar with this technique, please, read important notes first. Once you understand the idea of crocheting in back loops and attaching overlaid stitches in front loops of previous rounds – everything will be very smooth and easy!

You will need:

 

• Wooden embroidery hoop. I used three in different sizes: 9cm, 12.5 cm an 14.5 cm
• Yarn in 4-5 shades. I used Linen Soft by Scheepjes in shades 613, 616, 618, 619 and 620. You can choose and purchase your shades via Scheepjes.com (NL), Deramores* or Wool Warehouse* (international shipping), and Paradise Fibers* (US).
• Crochet hook 3.25mm (D)
• Scissors and tapestry needle to weave yarn tails in 

Stitch guide and Abbreviations

 

US standard abbreviations are used in this pattern. But if you are used to other terms, please check this Crochet Translation Project which might be helpful in translation to your native language.

rnd - round
st(s) - stitch(es)
ch - chain
sp(s) - space(s)
yo - yarn over
lp(s) - loop(s)
BL - back loop(s)
NJ - needle join 
*…* *crochet following directions* as many times as indicated 
sl st (slip stitch) – insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw yarn up and pull 2nd lp through the 1st lp on hook.
sc (single crochet) – insert hook in indicated stitch, yo, draw up a lp, yo and pull through both lps on hook.
hdc (half double crochet) - yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, yo, pull through all three lps.
dc (double crochet) – yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, *yo, pull through 2 lps* twice.
tr (treble crochet) - yo twice, insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, *yo, pull through 2 lps* three times.
dc4tog (double crochet 4 together) – *yo, insert hook in indicated st, yo, draw up a lp, yo, pull through 2 lps* 4 times in same st, yo, pull through all 5 lps on hook.

Important notes

 

These photo-frames are made in overlay crochet. If this is your first experience with this amazing technique, please, be sure to check THIS SECTION with all necessary information about it.

•  You can use embroidery hoops of any size. To adjust the amount of stitches for your particular hoop simply increase or decrease the amount of repeats. The number of stitches used in one repeat is stated in the pattern.
• You should use ring without a fastener to crochet the border around. The ring with the fastener will be used later to attach pictures (or embroidery). See a tutorial HERE.

• Attaching new yarn. New yarn is attached by simply pulling a loop of new color in the indicated st and making a ch, which will count as the first sc of the round (unless otherwise stated in the pattern). Read more HERE.
• Working in back or front loops. The stitches of the background are always crocheted in back loops only (unless otherwise stated in the pattern) while the overlaid long stitches are added (“anchored”) in the front loops of sts of previous rounds. If you crochet the background sts through the FL you won’t be able to place long stitches. Read more HERE.
• Skipping stitches. Overlaid stitches “hide” the stitches of background and this is the reason, why sc of the working round should be skipped. Read more HERE.
• Needle join. The rounds are finished with a needle join (NJ) in the first st of the round (unless otherwise stated in the pattern). I use a hook instead of a needle to join, it saves a lot of time. (I also use a hook to weave in all yarn tails). Read more HERE.

Copyright LillaBjornCrochet 2015. All rights reserved. This pattern is for unlimited personal use only. Do not reproduce or sell the pattern. The pattern may not be copied in any way (print or digitally), in part or in full. Items may be sold that are made from this pattern as long as the designer is credited. Shop owners, if you wish to make a kit with yarn using this pattern, please request permission and copyright details from me before offering any kits for sale. Please, read Copyright page for more information.

INSTRUCTIONS

 Add this Pattern to your Ravelry Queue

Base round

The base round around the embroidery hoop will count as 1st round for every design. Please, check THIS tutorial on how to crochet the base about the hoop. On pic. 1 below you can see the 1st st of base round. Make as many sts as needed and finish this round with a sl st in the 1st st of the rnd.
You will continue crocheting with the yarn of same color on rnd 2. To start make ch1 (counts as 1st sc of this rnd) and make next sc in a st after the one where you made sl st. Join second rnd with needle join.

BORDER 1

I used the embroidery hoop 9 cm. 8 sts in one repeat.

Rnd 1 (base – shade 613) Make 96 sc around the hoop, finish with sl st in the 1st sc, don’t fasten off. (96 sc)

Rnd 2 (continue with shade 613). Make this rnd through both lps.
Ch1 (counts as 1st sc), 95 sc; NJ in the 1st sc of this rnd after ch1. (96 sc)

Make 2 rounds with surface sl sts (please, check THIS tutorial).

Use shade 618 for the 1st one – insert the hook in sts of the 1st rnd (under sc of rnd2).

 Use shade 620 for the 2nd round of slip stitches. Insert the hook under both loops of each sc of rnd 2.

 
Rnd 3. Change to shade 616. Attach yarn in any st of rnd 2. Work this rnd in BL.

*1sl st (1st st of the rnd will be ch1), 1sc, 1hdc, 2dc in next st, 1tr, 2dc in next st, 1hdc, 1sc* 12 times, NJ in 1st sc of the rnd after ch1. (=120 sts)

 Rnd 4. Change to shade 619. Attach yarn in 1st dc on the top of any petal just after any tr (in BL!!).

Note: you will work this rnd in BL. But you will attach dc4tog’s in FL of rnd 2. These front loops are visible just above the second round of surface sl sts. Please, check THIS post to see how you should attach overlay stitches in FL of previous round.

*3sc (1st sc of the rnd will be ch1), 1dc4tog (FL) in the same st of rnd 2 where next sl st of rnd 2 was made, skip 3 sts on rnd 3, 3sc, (sl st, ch3, sl st) in next tr* 12 times, NJ in 1st sc of the rnd after ch1. (12 dc4togs + 72sc + 12 ch3-picots)

 
Congratulations! Your 1st border is now finished!

BORDER 2

I used hoop 12.5 cm. 6 sts in one repeat

Rnd 1 (base – shade 620) Make 114 sc around the hoop, finish with sl st in the 1st sc, don’t fasten off. (114 sc)

Rnd 2 (continue with shade 620). Make this rnd in BL!!!

Ch1 (counts as 1st sc), 113 sc; NJ in the 1st sc of this rnd after ch1. (114 sc)

Rnd 3. Change to shade 616. Attach yarn in any st of rnd 2. I made this rnd in BL, but I think it is better to work it through both lps. It’s up to you :)

Note: after this rnd there will be 5 sts skipped between each 2 dc.

*5sc (1st sc of the rnd will be ch1), 1dc (FL) in a st of rnd 1 lying directly under next sc of rnd 2, skip 1 st on rnd 2* 19 times, NJ in the 1st sc of the rnd after ch1. (= 114 sts)

 Rnd 4. Change to shade 618. Attach yarn in any dc of rnd 3 (through both lps).

Note: Make sc in dc’s of rnd 3 – through both lps! As 1st sc of each rnd is always ch1, you will start this rnd with ch4.

*1sc in dc through both lps (1st sc of the rnd is ch1), ch3, 1sc (FL) in 3rd of 5 skipped sts of rnd 1 between two dc, ch3* 19 times, join this rnd with sl st in the same dc where you attached the yarn, fasten off. (= 38 sc + 38 ch3-sps)

 
Congratulations! Your 2nd border is now finished! It will probably need some blocking ;-)

BORDER 3

Hoop 14.5 cm. 8 sts in one repeat

Rnd 1 (base – shade 616) Make 136 sc around the hoop, finish with sl st in the 1st sc, don’t fasten off. (136 sc)

Rnd 2 (continue with shade 616). Make this rnd through both lps!

Ch1 (counts as 1st sc), 135 sc; NJ in the 1st sc of this rnd after ch1. (136 sc)

Make one rnd of surface slip stitches with shade 620 (in the same way you made 2nd rnd of sl sts for Border 1).

Rnd 3. Change to shade 619. Attach yarn in any st of rnd 2. Work this rnd through both lps!

Note: 1st dc4tog of this rnd will be ch2+dc3tog.

*1dc4tog, ch4, skip 3 sts on rnd 2, (1sl st, ch3, 1 sl st) in next st, ch3, skip 3 sts on rnd 2* 17 times, join with sl st in the 1st dc4tog of this rnd, fasten off. (= 17 dc4togs + 34 ch4-sps + 17 ch3-picots)

 Rnd 4. Change to shade 613. Attach yarn in any dc4tog (through both lps)!

Note: As 1st stitch of this rnd is ch1, you will start this rnd with ch4.

*(sl st, ch3, sl st) in dc4tog, ch3, 1 sc in next ch3-sp, ch3* 17 times, join this rnd with sl st in the same dc4tog where you attached the yarn, fasten off. (= 17 sc + 17 ch3-picots + 34 ch3-sps)

 
Congratulations! Your 3rd border is now finished!

 I hope you had fun making all three borders. And next week I will show you how to attach pictures to your newly made frames! Stay tuned :)

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