My walls of inner resistance have been torn down, not without a fight, however. A path that seemed so clear, became mired by my own mind, as usual. But the usual will not stand any longer. This very breaking of self deprecating patterns, lead quite literally to a new pattern, an actual tangible crochet pattern. ha!
So the path to this pouring of inspiration became months ago through appreciation of my moonstone gemstone ring, which transmuted into loving the moon illustrations in my childrens’ books, then recreating said illustrations. Once I drew the illustration, a flood of moon-centric creative thoughts came, one of which was to create a lovey-sized baby blanket in the colors of moonstone, so I did. I became inspired to use a bobble crochet stitch to create the phases of the moon, so I made a lovey-sized version of this inspiration. After that, I realized that I wanted to represent fully the phases of the moon. To do this, I would need to not only increase the size of the project but also increase the number of stitches in the bobble stitch from 5 to 14, in order to accurately depict the transitioning moon. Viola! The Moon Phase wall hanging was born!
This pattern is worked from the top down, with turning at the end of the row; the top rod pockets are worked last, and the fringe is added at the very end. I used brand unidentified size 4 (Worsted or Aran weight) stash yarn to make the crochet wall hanging, one ball each of dark gray, medium gray, light gray and light blue. I wanted the background of the wall hanging to be a bulkier texture, so I crocheted the body of the wall hanging in double crochet stitches with both the medium and light gray yarn together using Red Heart Crystalites size US L-11/8.0mm hook. When it came time to crocheting the moon I switched to one strand of the light blue yarn, to decrease bulk, and I used Susan Bates’ size US H-8/5mm hook. The moon is actually a huge bobble stitch containing 14 treble crochets stitched together in one stitch. The moon phasing is created by switching colors, to the dark gray yarn, while making the huge bobble stitch. All yarn strands are carried through the row, so the yarn doesn’t need to be cut after each bobble, just like in tapestry crochet.
I love this so much, and these huge bobble stitches are so fun, which is why I’ve chosen to make this my first free crochet pattern offering! Plus, it’s a great stash buster! Have fun with it!
Moon Phase Wall Hanging Free Crochet Pattern
Materials
Crochet hooks – Red Heart Crystalites size US L-11/8.0mm & Susan Bates’ size US H-8/5mm
Yarn – Total ~ 4 skeins of worsted or aran weight yarn from your stash or brand new
1 skein of medium gray (color A)
1 skein of light gray (color B)
1 skein of light blue (color C)
1 skein of dark gray (color D)
Tapestry needle
Scissors
⅜” dowel rod cut to 16.5”
String for hanging
Stitch terminology with abbreviations: stitch (st), chain (ch), slip stitch (sl st), double crochet (dc), triple crochet (tc), huge bobble (hb) [Moogly has great references for all the basic stitches, except for the hb; details on how to make it are below.]
To create the hb stitch (this is just 14 tc sts placed together in 1 stitch, so don’t be too intimidated. You can do it!): *YO hook twice, insert hook into correct stitch, YO hook once, pull through one loop, YO hook once, pull through two loops, YO once, pull through two loops* repeat from * to * 13 times. You will have 15 loops on your hook. YO and pull through all 15 loops on hook. ch to close and pull tight. (hint: for best results, ensure that when you pull through the loops, the loop on your hook should be stretched to be as tall as the beginning loop.)
Pattern notes:
1. Turning ch 2 at end of row equals dc for next row. (You will ch 2 at the end of the row, turn your work, skip first st. This is the equivalent to a dc in the row you are working.) When crocheting into this st., at the end of the next row, crochet through the second ch, as though it is the top of a st.
2. Repeats are row specific, meaning repeat from * to *,etc., are for that row only.
3. Colors are carried along in front of the work in a given row. [MeganMakesDo has a great step-by-step guide on how to do this.]
Pattern
Foundation row: Using size 8.0 hook, and yarn colors A & B together (as though they are one strand of yarn), chain 29. Turn.
Row 1: dc in third ch from hook and in each st across. (27 sts.) ch 2. Turn.
Row 2: Skip first st. dc in each st across. (27 sts.) ch 2. Turn.
Row 3: Skip first st. dc in next 3 sts, changing to color C at the end of 3rd dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. hb in next stitch, pull tight, *change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook. dc in next 2 sts, changing to color D at the end of the 2nd dc. Using size 5.0 hook, hb in next st (using color D for first tc in hb, then switch to color C for remaining 13 tc in hb).* Repeat from * to * once. **Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook. dc in next 2 sts, changing to color D at the end of the 2nd dc. Using size 5.0 hook, hb in next st (using color D for the first 2 tc in hb, then switch to color C for remaining 12 tc in hb).** Repeat from ** to ** once. ***Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook. dc in next 2 sts, changing to color D at the end of the 2nd dc. Using size 5.0 hook, hb in next st (using color D for the first 3 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 11 tc in hb).*** Repeat from *** to *** once. Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook. dc in next four sts. (27 sts.) ch 1. Turn.
Row 4: sl st in each st across. (do not sl st in the “pull tight” sts from the hb.) (27 sts) ch 2. Turn.
Row 5: Skip first st. dc in next 4 sts, change to color D at the end of 4th dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. *hb in next st (using color D for the first 4 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 10 tc in hb). Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook. dc in next 2 sts, then switch to size 5.0 hook.* Repeat from * to * once. **hb in next st (using color D for the first 5 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 9 tc in hb). Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook.** dc in next 3 sts, then switch to size 5.0 hook. Repeat from ** to ** once. ***dc in next 2 sts, then switch to size 5.0 hook. hb in next st (using color D for the first 6 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 8 tc in bhs). Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook.*** Repeat from *** to *** once. dc in last 4 sts. (27 sts.) ch 1. Turn.
Row 6: Repeat row 4.
Row 7: Skip first st. dc in next 5 sts, change to color D at the end of 5th dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. *hb in next st (using color D for the first 7 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 7 tc in hb). Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook.* dc in next 3 sts, change to color D at the end of the 3rd dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. Repeat from * to * once. **dc in next 2 sts, change to color D at the end of the 2nd dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. hb in next st (using color D for the first 8 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 6 tc in hb). Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook.** Repeat from ** to ** once. dc in next 3 sts, change to color D at the end of the 3rd dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. hb in next st (using color D for the first 9 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 5 tc in hb). Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook. dc in last 6 sts. (27 sts.) ch 1. Turn.
Row 8: Repeat row 4.
Row 9: Skip first st. dc in next 7 sts, change to color D at the end of the 7th dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. hb in next st (using color D for the first 9 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 5 tc in hb). Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook. dc in next 2 sts, change to color D at the end of the 2nd dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. *hb in next st (using color D for the first 10 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 4 tc in hb). Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook.* dc in next 3 sts, change to color D at the end of the 3rd dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. Repeat from * to * once. dc in next 2 sts, change to color D at the end of the 2nd dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. hb in next st (using color D for the first 11 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 3 tc in hb). Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook. dc in last 8 sts. (27 sts.) ch 1. Turn.
Row 10: Repeat row 4.
Row 11: Skip first st. dc in next 8 sts, change to color D at the end of the 8th dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. hb in next st (using color D for the first 11 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 3 tc in hb). Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook. *dc in next 2 sts, change to color D at the end of the 2nd dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. hb in next st (using color D for the first 12 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 2 tc in hb). Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook.* Repeat from * to * once. dc in last 9 sts. (27 sts.) ch 1. Turn.
Row 12: Repeat row 4.
Row 13: Skip first st. dc in next 10 sts, change to color D at the end of the 10th dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. *hb in next st (using color D for the first 13 tc in hb, then switch to color C for the remaining 1 tc in hb). Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook.* dc in next 3 sts, change to color D at the end of the 3rd dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. Repeat from * to * once. dc in last 11 sts. (27 sts.) ch 1. Turn.
Row 14: Repeat row 4.
Row 15: Skip first st. dc in next 12 sts, change to color D at the end of the 12th dc, then switch to size 5.0 hook. hb in next st. Change to colors A & B and switch to size 8.0 hook. dc in last 13 sts. (27 sts.) ch 2. Turn.
Row 16: Repeat row 2.
Row 17: Repeat row 2. Fasten off.
Weave in ends.
Rod Pockets:
These are worked from the top, wrong side, of the pattern. (Flip the wall hanging so it is both upside down and backwards.)
Row 1: Using colors A & B together, sl st to first chain in foundation chain (If work is positioned as above, this will be the bottom right corner.) *ch 3. Skip first st. tc together next 4 sts. Chain 3. sl st to the foundation of each the 2nd, 3rd and 4th tc. sl st in next st.* Repeat from * to * once. ch 3. Skip first st. tc together next 5 sts. Chain 3. sl st to the foundation of each the 3rd, 4th and 5th tc. sl st in next st. **ch 3. Skip first st. tc together next 4 sts. Chain 3. sl st to the foundation of each the 2nd, 3rd and 4th tc. sl st in next st.** Repeat from ** to ** once.
Fasten off. Weave ends.
Fringe:
Each piece of fringe uses four strands of yarn, 2 of color A and 2 of color B, and is secured to the wall hanging using a slip knot inserted through each stitch in the front bottom of the work.
To attach the fringe strands, use a slip knot inserted through the bottom sts from the front to the back.
First cut two strands of yarn each of color A & color B (4 strands total), 5 inches in length. Attach with them to one of the bottom corner sts by folding them in half and slip knotting them by inserting the loop through the front of the st towards the back. Do the same for the other corner.
Next cut two strands of yarn each of color A & B (4 strands total), 12.5 inches in length. Attach them to the center st (14 sts from one of the corners) using the above technique.
Cut two strands of yarn each of color A & color B (4 strands total), 8.75 inches in length. Count 8 sts from one corner and attach with them using the above technique. Do the same for the other side.
The rest of the fringe is less scientific. By placing your strands of yarn in between the already attached fringe, estimate half the length, without actually measuring, then cut and attach as before, working your way between the already attached fringe pieces.
Finished size is 21 inches x 12.5 inches. I wet blocked mine to even the stitches out. You can do this too by dampening the finished product. Firmly pat dry using a bath towel; do not wring it out. Lay it on a dry folded bath towel. Using straight pins, shape and pin down. When it’s fully dry unpin and enjoy! 🙂
Insert hanging rod of your choice into back of work, using the back ch 3 of the triangles as the rod pockets.
Cut a length of string and tie it to the hanging rod, at the edges of the wall hanging, so that it hangs at the length you desire.
* I designed this pattern from my imagination. If you love it, feel free to link back to it here and enjoy selling your finished product. Don’t reproduce the pattern and claim it as your own. Inspired by the design? Let me know in the comments; let’s share inspiration and creativity!
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