Thistle Belt Pattern and Photo Tutorial

Thistle is a quick and easy textured, reversible pattern that can multi-task as a belt, scarf or headband. Optional buttons on each end offer several belt styling possibilities. (Instructions for a simple crochet button will be posted soon, or if you like you can use purchased buttons.)

It can be tied simply:

Buttoned and looped:

Or crossed over and buttoned for a different effect:

Thistle was made using a size F hook and less than 1 skein of Patons Grace, a smooth, stable mercerized cotton that was a pleasure to work with. The yarn's colour combined with the look of the stitch reminded me of thistles, which beautiful flowers are blooming wild right now in Wisconsin.

You can use any yarn you like, with an appropriate size hook. Cotton thread would yield a lovely headband, and a heavier yarn would make a beautiful skinny scarf. My belt is about 46" long. You can of course make it as long or short as you like.

As usual, the charted pattern comes first, then the shorthand pattern, finishing with a photo tutorial and instructions in plain English (for all the visual learners out there, of whom I am one).

Happy crocheting!

Thistle Belt Charted Pattern

Thistle Belt Shorthand Pattern

Starting motif:
Ch 3, dc in 1st ch (ring made). *Ch 3, dc in previous ring (4 times) = 5 rings.
*Yo and insert hook in nearest ring. Draw yarn through. Yo and draw through 2 loops. Repeat from * with next 2 rings. You should now have 4 loops on hook. Yo and draw through all loops on hook. Thistle made.

Sc in next ring. Ch 4, trc in sc. Stem made. Sc in last ring. First motif complete.

Thistle: Ch 3, TURN. Dc in sc at base of ch-3 (ring made). Ch 3, dc in previous ring (2 times) = 3 rings. Repeat from * (in starting motif instructions above) to make thistle.

Stem: Sc in stem sp (the sp between the ch-4 and the trc). Ch 4, trc in sc. Stem made. Sc in last ring of previous thistle (not the thistle you just made, but the one before that).

Repeat thistle and stem steps until belt is desired length.

To finish: Ch 3, TURN. Dc in sc at base of ch-3. Sc in stem sp. Ch 3, dc in sc at base. Sc in last ring of previous thistle. Cut yarn and weave in ends.

Thistle Belt Photo Tutorial with Instructions in Plain English

Chain 3, double crochet in 1st chain. This makes a ring.

Chain 3, double crochet in ring.

Now you have 2 rings.

Do this 3 more times (chain 3, double crochet in ring), to make a total of 5 connected rings, like this:

Now the funky part. You're about to make some partial double crochets which you will string together to make the thistle.  Here we go.

Yarn over, insert hook front to back through closest ring...

...yarn over and pull through (now you have 3 loops on your hook)...

...yarn over and pull through 2 of the loops on hook. You've made a partial double crochet, and you should have 2 loops left on your hook, like this:

Now we're going to do it all over again in the NEXT ring. Same steps:

Yarn over,

insert hook front to back through ring,

yarn over again, and pull through.

Yarn over and pull through 2 of the loops on your hook. 2nd partial double crochet made.

And again with the 3rd ring.

Yarn over, insert hook front to back through ring,

Yarn over and pull through 2 of the loops on your hook. 3rd partial double crochet made.

Now it should look like this, with 4 loops still on the hook:

Ready to make the thistle?

Yarn over and pull through ALL the loops on the hook.
Tug on the yarn to snug it up.

Now single crochet in the NEXT available ring.

Time to make a stem.

Chain 4...

And make a triple crochet in the single crochet at the base of the chain 4. (Yarn over twice, insert hook into single crochet from front to back, yarn over and pull through, yarn over and pull through 2 loops at a time until they're all used up.)

Now it should look like this:

Single crochet in the LAST open ring, and get ready to roll. After this it will go like lightning.

Thistle:

Chain 3 and TURN. Double crochet in the single crochet at the base of chain-3.

First ring made.

Make 2 more rings: chain 3, then double crochet in the hole made by the previous ring.

Now you've got 3 interlocked rings hanging out into space. Time to turn them into a thistle.

Just like before, you're going to make a partial double crochet in each ring, then join them all up at the end.

Yarn over, and insert hook in nearest ring. Draw yarn through.
Yarn over and draw through 2 loops. 1st partial crochet made.
Repeat in the next 2 rings. You should have 3 partial crochets, one in each ring, and 4 loops on your hook.
Yarn over and draw through all loops on hook.

Thistle made!

Now the thistle is hanging out in space. We're going to anchor it to the stem.

Single crochet in stem space (the space between the chain-4 and the triple crochet). Now it's time to make a new stem.

Stem:

Chain 4, then triple crochet in single crochet at base of chain 4. Stem made.

And to finish up, anchor the stem.

Single crochet in the last loop of the previous thistle (not the one you just made, but the one before that, on the opposite side of the belt).

How simple is that?

Now you know the pattern. Thistle, stem, thistle, stem. That's it.

Here's a review of the steps. Remember, the only time you turn is AFTER you anchor the stem.

Chain 3, TURN, double crochet in single crochet (first ring made). Make 2 more rings (chain 3, double crochet in previous ring space):

Make a partial double crochet in each ring, then draw thread through all the loops on hook to make the thistle:

Anchor the thistle by making a single crochet in the previous stem space:

Make a new stem (chain 4, triple crochet in single crochet at base of chain-4):

And anchor the stem by making a single crochet in the last loop of the previous thistle.

Keep going, and before you know it, your belt will be this long:

Try it on as you go to help you decide how long you want it. Mine was about 1-1/2 times as long as my waist measurement. Remember that the belt will stretch a bit with wearing.

Now that you've tried it on and admired it, time to finish up. It's pretty simple.

After the final stem is anchored, chain 3 and TURN.

Double crochet in single crochet at base of chain-3. Ring made.
Single crochet in stem space.

Make 1 more ring:
Chain 3, double crochet in single crochet at base of ring.

Single crochet in last loop of previous thistle.

And you're done!

Tie off, cut yarn, and weave in the ends. Block if desired (I blocked my belt very lightly by misting with water and gently tugging side-to-side all the way up the belt, then hanging over the clothesline to dry). Add buttons to each end - be careful to attach them to the same side of the belt. I'll be posting a simple crochet button pattern in the next few days; there are also plenty of good free patterns out there in cyberspace.

Thanks for viewing! If you have any questions or find any errors, feel free to let me know by using the comment box below; or you can send me a message in Ravelry.

You may do anything you like with the items you make from this pattern, but you may not sell the pattern.

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