Waistcoat stitch dice
Introduction
This little dice is a great way to use up scrap yarn. The dots on the dice to represent the numbers are made using French knots. However, you could easily substitute small buttons in their place as I did in my first version of this pattern. Surprisingly, the dice aren't loaded, as I thought they might be given there are different weightings due to the different number of dots on each side.
While I've written this pattern for DK yarn and a 3.5 mm hook, you can use any other weight of yarn with an appropriate hook for this (just make sure all your yarn is the same weight). You can also make the dice bigger if you like by adding more rounds to each face. However, if you make the dice too much bigger, you may wish to add buttons rather than French knots for the numbers as it may look a little out of proportion. The photo below shows a full sized dice made with a 3.5 mm hook on the left and a smaller dice made with a 2.75 mm hook on the right (the one on the right uses sc rather than WST as the stitch but the pattern is essentially the same).
Notions
3.5 mm crochet hook
DK yarn in up to 7 colours (or 2 colours - one for the dice, one for the dots)
I used "4 Seasons Pure Wool Entwine 8 ply" in the following quantities:
5 g (8 m, 9 yds) each of burgundy (colourway 41), yellow (colourway 51), orange (colourway 42), green (colourway 55), blue (colourway 46), purple (colourway 50) and approximately 6 g (10 m, 11 yds) of white (colourway 30)
Fibrefill or other suitable stuffing (I used leftover yarn tails from other projects)
Yarn needle
Scissors
A stitch marker or a scrap of yarn to use as a running stitch marker
Size and gauge
Gauge is not important for this pattern. The finished size was approximately 6.5 cm x 6.5 cm x 6.5 cm (2.5" x 2.5" x 2.5").
Difficulty level
Easy
Abbreviations
US terminology used
Ch(s) - Chain(s)
Sc - Single crochet
Sl st - Slip stitch
WST - Waistcoat stitch
Special stitch
Waistcoat stitch (WST)
This stitch is made into the post of the stitch rather than into the space. It is important to keep your tension relaxed or you will find it tricky to make your stitches in subsequent rounds. To make a WST:
Insert your hook into the post of the stitch (not into the space) from front to back and pull through a loop. Yarn over and pull through two loops.The photo below shows where you insert your hook into the post of the stitch.
Important notes
Work in continuous rounds without joining with a slip stitch unless otherwise stated. You may wish to use a scrap of yarn as a running stitch marker.
Please note that it can be very tricky to see the stitch posts in round 1. So, if you are struggling with it, you can do round 2 using sc and then begin with WST in round 3.
Instructions
Faces of dice (make 6)
Begin with a magic ring
Rnd 1 Loosely sc 4 into the magic ring. (4 sc)
Rnd 2 3 WST in each st around. (12 WST)
Rnd 3 WST in the first st, *3 WST in the next st, WST in the next 2 sts* 3 times. 3 WST in the next st, WST in the last st. (20 WST)
Rnd 4 WST in the first 2 sts, *3 WST in the next st, WST in the next 4 sts* 3 times. 3 WST in the next st, WST in the last 2 sts. (28 WST)
Rnd 5 WST in the first 3 sts, *3 WST in the next st, WST in the next 6 sts* 3 times. 3 WST in the next st, WST in the last 3 sts. (36 WST)
Rnd 6 WST in the first 4 sts, *4 WST in the next st, WST in the next 8 sts* 3 times. 4 WST in the next st, WST in the last 4 sts, join to the first st with a sl st. Fasten off and weave in the ends. (48 WST)
With yarn in a contrasting colour, add French knots to each face of the dice to represent the numbers 1-6. Alternatively, add small buttons to represent the numbers.
Joining the faces of the dice together
I used white yarn to join all the faces of the dice together. However, if you are making your dice with just one colour then you may wish to use that colour for the edges. The way I've written up the method for joining the faces of the dice together is just a suggestion, feel free to join it any way that you wish. The only rule I know for how to put the dice together is that opposite faces of a dice should add up to 7. The basic instructions are that I slip stitched the back loops of faces together to join. For more detail on the order etc see below:
I like to crochet all the way around one of the faces of the dice adding in another face on each side and then crocheting two of the sides together and adding the opposite face in the same way that I added the first face. I can do all of this without having to cut my yarn. Then, I'm left with just 3 sides that are open. In the method outlined below, I have included which faces of the dice to crochet together but you are welcome to crochet them together in any order you wish. In the example below I joined the faces together as follows:
Step 1: Joining the "1" (purple) to the "2" (orange). With a sl knot of white yarn on your hook and with wrong sides facing, sl st the inside loops together along one side (12 sl st)
Step 2: turn your work slightly, dropping the purple face and crocheting along the next side of the orange face adding in the yellow face (#3). (12 sl st)
Step 3: crocheting along the next side of the orange face, add in the #6 face (burgundy) in the same way as the previous 2 faces were added. (12 sl st)
Step 4: turn slightly again and crochet the last orange face to the #4 (green) face (12 sl st)
Step 5: crochet the closest sides of the purple and yellow (#1 and #3, respectively) together (12 sl st) then crochet along the next face of either the yellow or purple face adding in the remaining face of the dice (blue, #5) and continue slip stitching around the blue face adding in the appropriate face of the remaining 4 sides (excluding the orange of course since that is the opposite face). Fasten off your yarn. You should end up with 3 sides that have not been crocheted together (between yellow to burgundy; burgundy to green; green to purple).
These can be joined in the same way as previous sides (though you can't join as many faces together this time before you have to fasten off your yarn and start again). Make sure you add in your stuffing before you close up the last hole and weave in all the ends to give your finished WST dice. As you can see from the photos below, I used some of my scrap yarn tails to stuff this dice.
Copyright Information
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Pattern by
Jenness Fulton of Nessie’s Notions