Spooky season is upon us, and this year I'm marking the occasion with a series of spooky (or, more accurately, spoopy!) bunting accoutrements that you can mix and match, or simply hang each individual motif up in your home. 

Keep your eyes open over the coming weeks for each new part. We'll be starting off this week with Sugar Skulls! 

I use Linked Trebles (Doubles) in the jaw of the skull, as this provides a tighter beginning to the rows. A linked stitch is not necessary for this pattern, you can skip it if you're not happy to do them.

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Special Stitches

Linked treble (double) stitch: Instead of yarning over before you go into the stitch, insert your hook into the 2nd ch from hook, yarn over and pull up a loop as if working a dc (dc) into the st. You will have 2 loops on your hook. Insert your hook into the stitch you’re required to work and continue the stitch as if a normal tr (dc).  

 

Pattern begins

Sugar Skull Main skull 

Using a 4mm hook and an aran-weight yarn, begin in the round with your chosen method:

Chain Start

Rnd 1: Ch 4, 11 tr into the 4th ch from hook. (3 unworked ch counts as st here and throughout). Join with sl st into top of 1st tr. 

Chain Ring

Rnd 1: Ch 4, join with sl st into 1st ch, ch 3 (counts as st here and throughout), 11 tr into middle of ch4 ring. Ch 3 counts as st here and throughout). Join with sl st into top of 1st tr.

Magic Ring

Rnd 1: Create a magic ring, ch 3 (counts as st here and throughout), 11 tr into the magic ring and pull tight. Join with sl st into top of 1st tr. (12 sts)

Rnd 2: ch 3, 1 tr (dc) in base of ch 3. (2 tr (dc)) in next 10 sts, 2 tr (dc)around joining sl st. Join with sl st into top of 1st tr (dc). (24 sts)

Rnd 3: ch 3, 1 tr (dc) in base of ch 3. *tr (dc), (2 tr (dc)), rep from * 5 times. tr (dc) around joining sl st. Join with sl st into top of 1st tr (dc). (36 sts)

Rnd 4: ch 3, 1 tr (dc) in base of ch 3. *tr (dc) in next 2 sts, (2 tr (dc)), rep from * 5 times. tr (dc) around joining sl st. Join with sl st into top of 1st tr (dc). (48 sts)

Do not fasten off. You will now work in rows to create the jaw.

Jaw

At the beginning of the rows, I use a linked stitch in order to keep the turning chain tight to the trebles (doubles), you do not need to do this, but if you would like to know how, see explanation below.

Row 1: ch 2, ltr (ldc) into 1st st, htr (hdc), dc (sc) in next 5 sts, htr (hdc), tr (dc). Leave remaining sts unworked. (9 sts)

Row 2-3: ch 2, ltr (ldc) into 1st st, tr (dc) in next 8 sts. (9 sts) Do not fasten off. We’ll use the same yarn to continue around the edge.

Edge

Ch 1, 2 dc (sc) per tr (dc) down the raw edge of the jaw. Sk the 1st st on the main skull, *2 dc (sc) in next st, dc (sc) in next 7 stitches, rep from * 4 times. 2 dc (sc) in next st, dc (sc) in next 2 sts, 2 dc (sc) in next st. last st on main skull, 2 dc (sc) per tr (dc) down the raw edge of the jaw, ch 1, dc (sc) in each tr (dc) to end, ch 1, join with sl st in top of 1st dc (sc).

Fasten off. Weave in ends. 

 

Eyes

Using black and 4mm hook, work in the round with your chosen method:

Chain Start

Rnd 1: Ch 2, 6 dc (sc) into the 2nd ch from hook. Join into top of 1st st with sl st, fasten off leaving a long end for attaching.

Chain Ring

Rnd 1: Ch 4, join with sl st into 1st ch, ch 2, 6 dc (sc) into ring. Join into top of 1st st with sl st, fasten off leaving a long end for attaching.

Magic Ring

Rnd 1: Create a magic ring, ch 2, 6 dc (sc) into the ring and tighten. Join into top of 1st st with sl st, fasten off leaving a long end for attaching. 

 

Rnd 2: Attach eye colour, (ch 2, htr, ch 1, sl st into next st) in each st around. (6 petals). Fasten off. Using the long end from the black, attach the eyes 

Mouth

Take a length of black thread and a yarn needle, approx 1 st from the end, start your centre line and take to 1st away from the other side.  Now take your thread and marker out 5 teeth lines evenly. Tie off and weave in ends.

 

Nose

For the nose, I have used a coaching technique to create the nostril shape.  Take a length of black and come up through the skull in your chosen position, create a loop and insert your needle into the same space you came up through. Make sure your loop does not come through. You’re better off leave too much as you can adjust later to remove some of the length if needed.  Come up opposite where your loop originates where you would like the nostril to extend to, creating a loop around it and going back through the same hole again and tightening.

Decorations 

Using a length of your chosen colour, embroider on decorations in your chosen way. I have used coaching stitches (like the nose) and French knots to create my details.

French Knots

Bring your needle up through where you would like to do your knot. Point the needle down back towards the work and wrap 3 times, starting towards the eye of the needle and wrapping towards the point. Insert the needle into the same spot you started (or as close to it as you can). Pull the needle through and tighten. Careful not to pull through.

Coaching stitches

Bring your needle up through the fabric, lay in the position you wish to achieve, and insert your needle through to the back again. Careful not to split your thread, come up through along lengths of the thread securing it by creating a loop around it and inserting your needle back through the same hole. 

 

Linked Stitches Tutorial

Linked stitches seem daunting, but are actually much simpler than they seem. 

Instead of yarning over before you go into the stitch, insert your hook into the 2nd ch from hook, yarn over and pull up a loop as if working a dc (dc) into the st. You will have 2 loops on your hook. Insert your hook into the stitch you're required to work and continue the stitch as if a normal tr (dc).