The Perfect Stitch...: Owl Garden Flag

It's been a few days since I updated my Blog with a post. I was out of town (in Williamsburg, VA) with my sons, daughters-in-law, 4 grandchildren and my mom. It was not all play, I did manage to steal away a few hours each day to work on several projects/ideas that's been floating in my head. As a result, here is one of my newest designs that I'm excited to share with each of you!!! I hope you all will love this as much as I do -- an Owl Garden Flag. It was a fairly quick project to work up. I used Lion Brand's Vanna's Choice Yarn for this project.

Owl Garden Flag Free Pattern

Difficulty Level: Easy

Measurements: 16" wide x 14" long

Materials:
--6.5mm hook for flag
--3.0mm, 4.0mm and 5.0mm hooks for the owl
--2.5mm, 3.0mm and 4.0mm hooks for leaves
--4.0mm hook for tree branch and letters
--1 skein Lion Brand's Vanna's Choice in Sweet Pea
--small amounts of Lion Brand's Vanna's Choice in: Kelly Green, Aquamarine, Peacock, White, Barley, Chocolate and Terra Cotta
--tapestry needle for weaving

Stitch Abbreviations:
Ch: chain
Sl st: slip stitch
St: stitch(es)
SC: single crochet
SC2tog: single crochet two stitches together
HHDC: Herringbone half double crochet
MR: magic ring
FO: fasten off

Special Stitch:
1. Herringbone Half Double Crochet: I simply love the texture and look of this stitch. However, you can use the HDC stitch, if you prefer. To make the HHDC stitch: yarn over and insert hook into stitch, yarn over and draw through stitch and first loop on hook; yarn over and draw through remaining loops on hook. Here is a link to my short video tutorial for the HHDC stitch:

Herringbone Half Double Crochet Stitch

Directions:
1. With 6.5mm hook and Sweet Pea yarn, Ch45. HHDC in 2nd ch from hook and across. Ch1 and turn. (44)
2-37. 1 HHDC into each st across. Ch1 and turn. (44)

At the end of Row 37, FO and weave ends.

Border.
1. Join Kelly Green yarn into any st and ch1. SC in same st and evenly around the entire flag. FO and weave ends.

Rod Opening:
I turned down 3 rows and whipstitched across on the wrong side to leave the opening for a rod/flag pole.

Owl Applique:

I used my owl applique from a previous post with a few minor adjustments. Here is the link to the pattern for my owl applique:

https://rilla2u.blogspot.com/2017/06/owl-applique.html

1. For the owl body, I used a 5.0mm hook. I used Aquamarine Yarn for the body portion and then switched to Peacock Yarn for the wings and ears.
2. For the feet, I used a 4.0mm hook and Barley Yarn.
3. For the nose, I used a 4.0mm hook and Terra Cotta Yarn.
4. For the eyes, I used a 3.0mm hook and Barley, White and Aquamarine Yarn.

Owl Placement: See pics for placement.

Main Tree Branch:
1. With a 4.0mm hook and Chocolate Yarn, Ch51. SC in 2nd ch from hook and across. Ch1 and turn. (50)
2. 1 SC in each st across. FO, leaving a long tail for attaching to the flag.

Small Tree Branch:
1. With a 4.0mm hook and Chocolate Yarn, Ch7. SC in 2nd ch from hook and across. Ch1 and turn. (6)
2. 1 SC in the first 4 st; SC2tog. Ch1 and turn. (5)
3. 1 SC in each st across. Ch1 and turn. (5)
4. 1 SC in the first 3 st; SC2tog. Ch1 and turn. (4)
5. 1 SC in each st across. Ch1 and turn. (4)
6. 1 SC in the first 2 st; SC2tog. Ch1 and turn. (3)
7. 1 SC in each st across. Ch1 and turn. (3)
8. 1 SC in the first st; SC2tog. Ch1 and turn. (2)
9. 1 SC in each st across. Ch1 and turn. (2)
10. SC2tog. Ch1 and turn. (1)
11. 1 SC in st. FO and leave a long tail to attach to flag.

Branch Placement: See pics for Main and Small Branch placement.

Large Leaf:

1. With 4.0mm hook and Kelly Green Yarn, Ch2. SC in 2nd ch from hook. Ch1 and turn. (1)
2. 2 SC in st. Ch1 and turn. (2)
3. 2 SC in first st; 1 SC in next st. Ch1 and turn. (3)
4. 2 SC in first st, 1 SC in next st, 2 SC in last st. Ch1 and turn. (5)
5-7. 1 SC in each st across. Ch1 and turn. (5)
8. SC2tog, 1 SC in next st, SC2tog. Ch1 and turn. (3)
9. 1 SC around entire outside edge. Sl st to join to first st and FO. Leave a long tail for attaching.

Medium Leaf:
1. Follow instructions for the large leaf using a 3.0mm hook.

Small Leaf:
1. Follow instructions for the large leaf using a 2.5mm hook. However, omit steps 6 and 7 (repeat row). Complete steps 1-5, 8 and 9.

Leaf Placement: I placed the large leaf on the main tree branch end. I placed the small leaf on the left side of the small branch and the medium leaf on the right side of the small branch.

HOME:
(I used a 4.0mm hook and Terra Cotta Yarn)

For the "H":
1. Ch18, SC in 2nd ch from hook and across. Ch1 and turn. (17)
2. 1 SC in each st across. FO and re-join yarn with a ch1 at st #8. (17)
3. SC in same st as ch1 and the next st. Ch1 and turn. (2)
4-6. 1 SC in each st across. Ch1 and turn. (2)
At the end of row 6, FO and leave a long tail for attaching. You have made the first vertical line and the horizontal bar. Now, repeat steps 1 and 2 to make the second vertical line. At the end of row 2, FO, leaving a long tail for attaching. Now, whipstitch row 6 of the horizontal bar to the second vertical line at stitch 8 and 9.

For the "O":
1. Ch36, SC in 2nd ch from hook and across. Ch1 and turn. (35)
2. 1 SC in each st across. FO, leaving a long tail for attaching. (35)
3. Whipstitch the ends together.

For the "M":
1. Ch51, SC in 2nd ch from hook and across. Ch1 and turn. (50)
2. 1 SC in each st across. FO, leaving a long tail for attaching. (50)

For the "E":
1. Ch18, SC in 2nd ch from hook and across. Ch1 and turn. (17)
2. 1 SC in the first 2 st. Ch1 and turn. (2)
3-5. 1 SC in each st across. Ch1 and turn. (2)
6. Sl st across row 5 and down the side. Sl st into the base st #2.
7. 1 SC in the 3rd st and the next 7 st. Ch1 and turn. (7)
8. 1 SC in the first 2 st. Ch1 and turn. (2)
9-10. 1 SC in each st across. Ch1 and turn. (2)
11. Sl st across row 10 and down the side. Sl st into the base st #9.
12. 1 SC in the next st and the remaining st. Ch1 and turn. (8)
13. 1 SC in the first 2 st. Ch1 and turn. (2)
14-16. 1 SC in each st across. Ch1 and turn. (2)
At the end of row 16, FO and leave a long tail for attaching.

For the letters, I used pins to shape and place and then whipstitched to the flag. (see pics)