tree-hugging hands

Give a tree some serious love or yarn bomb a pal’s garden with Rebecca Aldridge’s chucklesome idea. Stylecraft Classique Cotton DK (100% cotton, 184m/100g), 3 balls of Yarn A Shell Pink (3666) and 1 ball of each: Yarn B Soft Lime (3663), Yarn C Sky Blue (3667), Yarn D Toffee (3656), Yarn E Fondant (3094),

Yarn F Lavender (3673), Yarn G Azure (3671), Yarn H Hot Pink (3668) A 4mm (US G/6) hook Pink felt for finger nails Toy stuffing 5 felt balls (1.5-2cm diameter) for bracelet (optional)

NOTES

The Hands are crocheted in Rows starting with the little finger and working to the thumb. The sleeves are worked directly onto the wrists.

HANDS (MAKE 4)

Using Yarn A, ch27.

Row 1 (RS) Dc in second ch from hook, and each ch across, turn. [26 dc]

Rows 2- 4 Ch1 (does not count as st throughout), dc in each st across, turn. [26 dc]

Row 5 (RS) Ch1, dc in first 10 sts, turn leaving rem sts unworked, ch15 (start of ring finger), turn.

Row 6 (RS) Dc in second ch from hook and each of next 13 ch, working into rem unworked sts of Row 4; dc in next 16 dc, turn. [30 dc]

Rows 7-9 Ch1, dc in each dc across, turn. [30 dc] Row 10 (RS) Ch1, dc in first 12 sts, turn leaving rem sts unworked, ch18 (start of middle finger), turn. Row 11 (RS) Dc in second ch from hook and each of next 16 ch, working into rem unworked sts of Row 9; dc in next 18 dc, turn. [35 dc] Rows 12-14 Ch1, dc in each dc across, turn. [35 dc] Row 15 (RS) Ch1, dc in first 17 sts, turn leaving rem sts unworked, ch17 (start of index finger), turn.

Row 16 (RS) Dc in second ch from hook and each of next 15 ch, working into rem unworked sts of Row 14; dc in next 18 dc, turn. [34 dc]

Rows 17-19 Ch1, dc in each dc across, turn.

[34 dc]

Row 20 (RS) Ch1, dc in first 21 sts, turn leaving rem sts unworked, ch12 (start of thumb), turn.

Row 21 (RS) Dc in second ch from hook and each of next 10 ch, working into rem unworked sts of Row 19; dc in next 13 dc, turn. [24 dc] Rows 22-23 Ch1, dc in each dc across, turn. [24 dc] Row 24 Ss in first 13 sts, dc in next 11 sts, turn. Row 25 Ch1, dc in first 10 sts, ss into next st. Fasten off leaving rem sts unworked. With WS facing, take each pair of hands and work a dc seam around the edges from one side of the wrist to the other.

Fasten off leaving a long tail. Turn each hand RS out using the wrong end of a crochet hook to push each finger out. Lightly stuff each hand and use the long tail to sew closed at the wrists. Cut 10 fingernails from your felt and blanket st into place on each hand, making sure you create a left hand and a right hand. SLEEVESRow 1 (RS) Join Yarn A at corner of wrist, ch1, 13dc evenly across wrist to other edge, turn. Fasten off. Row 2 Join Yarn B in first st, ch3 (count as tr throughout), tr in each dc across, turn. [13 sts] Rows 3- 6 Ch3, tr in each tr across, turn. Fasten off. Row 7 Join Yarn C in first st, ch3, tr in st at base of ch-3, tr in each st across to last st, 2tr in last st, turn. [15 sts]

Row 8 Ch3, tr in st at base of ch-3, tr in each st across to last st, 2tr in last st, turn. [17 sts] Rows 9-16 Ch3, tr in each tr across, turn. Row 17 Join Yarn D in first st, ch1, dc in each tr across, turn. Row 18 Join Yarn E in first st, ch3, tr in each st across, turn. Rows 19-27 Ch3, tr in each tr across, turn. Rows 17-27 set pattern.

Rows 28-82 Repeat Rows 17-27, maintaining Yarn D for each dc row and changing colour for each block of 10 rows through Yarns, F,G, H, B and C. BRACELET Thread 5 felt balls onto a length of yarn and sew to either side of one wrist.