Picot Shells Crochet Squares 5 & 6

So friends, this is my crochet blog.  It is also an outlet for my musings and epiphanies about life and keeping it real.   So if you're just here for the crochet patterns, feel free to skip down a few paragraphs.  If, however, you'd like some glimpses into my messy and very blessed life, read the post in it's entirety.  I'll love you and be so glad you stopped by either way!

Our oldest son just turned 15.  Kids grow up so fast!  As I watch my children, my younger two in particular, I realize how important it is to be in the moment and enjoy the moment.   My youngest is on the autism spectrum.  She often asks us to 'turn dance music on the speakers' for her.  When her favorite songs come on, she thoroughly feels the music and dances to her heart's content.  It doesn't matter who might be around to watch, she dances like there's no tomorrow!

Now if you don't know, there exists this idea in the autism community that intervention must happen early, and that if the child surpasses a certain age like 5 or 7 yrs - there is no longer any hope for them to get better.  I have come to realize that there is so much wrong with this idea on so many levels.  To parents - it instills panic and urgency, and to the child, it indicates a state of hopelessness and also the idea that they are defective. 

I have been in a such a rush for so many years, never truly being present for the life granted me each day because I had been told that if I didn't do everything soon enough, it would be too late.  Society also would have us believe that our children must fit into this box that is deemed as 'normal'.  Perhaps we should ask why these special children behave and perceive the world differently instead of labeling it as wrong and trying to change it.  Why not try to step into their world to better understand them?  The way we see things is just the way we see them, it's not necessarily right or wrong, it just is. 

We currently run a son-rise program in our home for our daughter.  We look for volunteers to come in and learn to love and interact with our sweet daughter, to reach out and connect with her on her level.  As much as her life is blessed and touched by them, I would say that their lives are equally or more blessed and changed by experiencing her.  I know that mine is.  I missed out on so much while she was younger by being in such a hurry and worrying if I was following the right path to help her in the right ways fast enough.  I was going through some of our old videos recently and was struck with such a longing to go back and shake the girl I saw (me) and tell her to stop and look at those precious babies and enjoy every second of it.  My kids are now 15, 12, and 9 yrs old and I can hardly believe it. 

Now for the crochet part!  Our squares for March feature a picot shells stitch pattern.  It reminds me a bit of the crocodile stitch, although it most definitely is not the crocodile stitch.  This stitch pattern has a delicious texture.  I used it in this classic crochet neckwarmer pattern.

classic crochet neckwarmer pattern

Square #5 - Picot Shells

picot shells square #5

 Square #6 - Picot Shells with center band

picot shells with center band square #6

Pattern

Please note - when working the stitches, the picots from the preceding row should be kept to the back of the fabric.
Special Stitches:
    Picot: Ch 5, sl st in 5th chain from hook

Foundation Ch & Row 1:  Ch 33. (2dc, picot, 2dc) in 6th chain from hook for shell, *skip next 3 ch, (2dc, picot, 2dc) in next ch for shell; repeat from * across to within last 3 ch. Skip next 2 ch, dc in last ch, turn.
Row 2: Ch 3, (counts as dc), 2 dc in first dc *skip next shell, (2dc, pico, 2 dc) between last skipped and next shell; repeat from * across to within last shell, skip next shell. make 3 dc in ch space, turn.
Row 3: Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip first 3 dc, *(2dc, pico, 2 dc) between last skipped dc and next shell, skip next shell; repeat from * across to within last 3 dc, skip next 2 dc, dc in 3rd ch of turning ch. Turn.
Rows 4-21:  Repeat rows 2 & 3.
Row 22:    Ch 2.  hdc in each stitch across, skipping picots.  Fasten off and weave in ends.

Variation with Center band

Center Band
Foundation Chain and Row 1:  With A, ch 32.  Hdc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across.  (31 hdc)
Row 2:  Ch 2 (counts as first hdc).  Skip first stitch, hdc in each remaining stitch and in top of turning ch.
Row 3:  Repeat row 2.  Fasten off and weave in ends.

Picot Shells section
Row 1:  With color B, attach yarn to end of row.  Ch 3 (counts as dc), skip 2 hdc,  (2dc, pico, 2 dc) in next stitch.  *Skip next 3 stitches, (2 dc, picot, 2 dc) in next stitch.  Repeat from * to within last 3 stitches.  Skip next 2 stitches, dc in last stitch.  Turn.
Rows 2-8:  Repeat rows 2&3 from picot shells block
Row 9:  Repeat row 22 from picot shells block.  Fasten off and weave in ends.
Repeat picot section on other side of center band.
Optional: Add 3 buttons as shown in the photo.


Much love to you this month crochet friends!  Enjoy your St Paddy's day :-)

Classic Adjustable Neckwarmer in pink