Sewing

To begin, chain 10. You’ll need to start working in the second stitch from the hook.

You’ll be working into the foundation chain by putting the hook under both loops of each chain Work the following ::dc, dc, htr, tr .

Work 2 tr into thenext chain.

Then tr, htr, dc,dc. You should now be at the end of the first side.

Now chain 1 to take you around the end.

You’ll be working on the opposite side now, putting the hook under the single hoops that remain along the bottom edge of the foundation chain. You should be able to clearly count 9 of them.

SECOND SIDE OF LEAF:: Work the following, as before :: dc, dc, htr, tr,2tr,tr, htr, dc, dc. This should take you to the end of the second side.

Make a slip stitch into the beginning of the foundation chain to close the end of the leaf.

Now it’s time to work around the leaf shape making the pointy prickles. You’ll be working into the stitches of the first side of the leaf, putting the hook under both loops of the stitch.

Work a slip stitch into the 1st stitch Into the 2nd stitch work 1 dc, then chain 2. Now ease the hook a little so that you make the last chain a little looser OK??

Now you need to make a slip stitch to form a Picot Point, so insert hook into second chain from hook and yarn over, pull yarn through stitch, then through the chain on your hook. This can be quite tricky to do at first until you get use to it. I find that if I turn my hook around and kind of ease it through backwards it work out ok.

To complete the Picot Point, dc into same stitch. That’s your first prickle made!

Now work sl st into each of the next 2 stitches.

In the next stitch, make your second prickle, as follow :: dc, chain 2, sl st into second chain from hook, dc.

Sl st into each of the next 2 stitches, then in the next stitch make another prickle (dc, chain 2, sl st into second chain from hook, dc). sl st into each of the next 2 stitches…. You should now be at the end and have three prickle points made.

Remember the chain-1 you made when you turned the end of the leaf shape? Makea picot prickle into this end chain, same as before (dc, chain 2, sl st into second chain from hook, dc).

Work your way down the Second Side, as follows:: *sl st into each of next 2 stitches , (dc, chain 2, sl st into 2 nd chain from hock, dc)* Repeat between **twice more until you have made 3 Picot Prickles in total down the second side, then sl st into the last stitch to finish. Do NOT fasten off!

You’re going to make a short stem now, so chain 4.

Slip Stitch into 2nd chain from hock, then work a sl st into each of the next 2 stitches.

Now you’re going to complete the leaf by working a surface chain up the middle. Stick your hook into the base of the leaf, somewhere in the middle.

Yarn over and pull a loop right through to the front of the leaf, then through the chain on your hook. You’re kind of making a slip stitch, but working it through the leaf itself, it makes sense.

Do this slip stitch thing again by inserting your hook a little further up the middle of the leaf, yarn over and pull a loop through to the front of the leaf, then through the chain on your hook.

Keep going, working these slip stitches evenly up the centre of the leaf. Remember to keep the stitches quite loose so that the leaf stays flat.

You should manage to make a line of 8 or 9 chains.