Mother's Day Gift- Quick Crochet Collar Tut

While I no longer have a mom or mother in law to make gifts for, please see my tribute to mom from last year...I would wager most of my readers do! I am not a professional at crochet, but when I sub long hours at school, I need something small to keep my hands busy. I was given a few crochet collars, that button on top of crew neck tops, from my good friend Connie. These are cute but not long enough to grace most of my thrifty cardigans, so I decided to use them as inspiration to create my own. This little simple collar is made with a small crochet hook and crochet thread, but I am sure it could be interpreted with a larger hook, and slightly heavier gauge thread or fingerling yarn.

My design makes up in 6 simple rows, and is not as fancy, but quick and elegant, if I must say so! Using a crochet hook, (close to size 8, or 1.5mm) and crochet thread, (I prefer cotton). This design needs an even number of chains, and the design is a multiple of 6. So if you want the design to come out evenly, chain 6 for every scallop you see, and if it isn’t perfect, you can fudge on the extra chains or reduce as you go.

Row 1: Begin by making enough chains (foundation row) to span the length of your neckline. Turn, Row 2: chain 3, and triple crochet in each chain. Row 3: Turn, chain 3, triple crochet in the first space between triples on the previous row, chain 3, skip 2 triples, make a triple in the next space between, all the way across. Row 4: Turn, chain 3, (chain 3 makes one of the triples next mentioned) *make 3 triples chain 3, 3 more triples all in the space between previous rows triples, skip next space then chain 5, single crochet in next space created by chains, chain 5, repeat from * all the way to end of this row. Row 5: Turn, chain 3, *in space between the 6 triples previous row, make 3 triples, chain 3, 3 triples, chain 5, sc in next space, chain 5, sc in next space, chain 5, repeat from * all the say to end of row. Last row, involves a lot of sc, with “picots” (made by sc chain 3 sc). Row 6: Begin this row with 1 picot in space between first 2 triples, chain 3, sc between each triple, and in larger space, sc chain 3, sc, (picot) chain 3, sc and chain 3 across the 3 triples in design, 3 sc, sc chain 3 sc, 3 more sc in space, repeat this pattern across, with picots at the top of the triples, and over the 3 spaces in the design between the triple shells. You can be creative here, making the last row lacy or less so depending on how many spaces you create by adding chains. Fasten off and steam press, to block the design. Pin your collar to your sweater neckline. Using a large embroidery needle, and your crochet thread, make invisible stitches through the first row of triples on the design fastening it to the collar edge. I used the holes in the design to push the buttons through.

If my instructions are not clear feel free to email me, you can tell I don’t write patterns for a living. Experiment with your chains and the amount of rows you make depending on how gathered or flat you want it to look. You can’t do this wrong, since you are the creator! Try it, for those you love!

Please don't forget to post your links of simple and crafty gift ideas for the moms, grandmoms, and mother figures in your life, in my Mother's Day Linky Giveaway in my previous post, link found here.