Ladybird Gnome

Ladybird, ladybird fly away home… That is the start of a nursery rhyme that nearly everyone knows. However, recently my partner and I discovered that despite growing up on opposite sides of the country, we shared another ladybird-related childhood experience. We would go out into the garden with an empty plastic margin or butter box and collect the pretty insects. The boxes would be lined with grass and leaves so that our captives would be content until we deposited them on a greenfly infested rose bush. I’m not sure how happy the ladybugs were about this, but I like to think they got a good meal out of it. Anyway these memories of happy childhood summer days are the inspiration behind the August gnome: the ladybug cork gnome.

Check out the rest of my calendar crochet gnomes.

Materials

Scheepjes Catona – Jet black (4ply cotton)

Scheepjes Catona – Hot red (4ply cotton)

2.5 mm crochet hook

2 mm crochet hook

Cork (approx 4.5 cm tall and 3 cm wide) – If you don’t have a spare cork lying around you can buy a pack of recycled corks or make this cute little amigurumi cork.

You can purchase yarn and accessories at lovecrochet and amazon. (Using these links does not cost you any extra but I will earn a small commission that will help me keep posting free patterns).

Pattern notes

The pattern is written using UK terminology, for a conversion chart to US terminology click this link.

Special stiches

Magic circle – mc

Decrease – dec

Instructions

Body

Using Jet Black and 2.5 mm crochet hook.

Foundation row: Chain 18 and join with a slip stitch to make a circle.

Row 1: Dc into every chain. (18dc)

Rows 2-5: Dc around. Fasten off

Hat

Using Jet Black and 2.5 mm crochet hook.

Foundation round: Chain 20

Round 1: 1 dc into every chain. (20)

Rounds 2 and 3: 1 dc into every stitch. (20)

Round 4: 3 dc, 1 dec. Repeat 3 more times. (16)

Rounds 5 and 6: 1 dc into every stitch. (16)

Round 7: 2 dc, 1 dec. Repeat 3 more times. (12)

Round 8: 1 dec. Repeat 5 more times. (6)

Rounds 9 to 11: 1 dc into every stitch. (6)

From round 12 onwards: dec until the point of the hat has formed. Fasten off.

Wings – Make 2

Using Hot Red and 2.5mm crochet hook.

Foundation: Mc with 6 dc. (6)

Round 1: [2dc] in each stitch. (12)

Round 2: 1 dc, [2dc]. 6 times. (18)

Round 3: Chain 1, dc, htr, tr, dtr, tr, htr, dc, slip stitch. Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing later. Note that this round only covers half of the round to give the wings a more realistic shape.

Spots – Make 4

Using Jet Black and 2mm hook. (The 2mm hook makes the spots a little bit smaller so that they fit more easily on the wings.)

Foundation: Mc with 6dc. Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Assembly

Sew two spots onto each wing.

To attach the wings, weave the thread through your work until you get to the top of the dtr. Then sew the wings close together at the top of the body.

Congratulations, you have crocheted your ladybug gnome.

As with all my free patterns please feel free to make and sell the crochet items, however, please credit me as the designer where possible and do not sell the pattern itself.

If you are interested in finding more recycled crafts, check out FaveCrafts.