This is the photo tutorial for crocheting my Lucky Wristlet pattern.

The tutorial is broken down by each teeny-tiny step.  Let me know if something isn't crystal clear to you.  I will be happy to help you out.

First things first: download the PDF pattern for the Lucky Wristlet.

Detailed instructions (text is above its corresponding photo)

1.  Gather your supplies:  yarn, ribbon, and your crochet hook.  I highly recommend doing a gauge swatch, but it's not required.  For this project, size isn't a concern, but you might want to make sure the fabric your yarn-hook combo makes will work for the wristlet you're imaging (not too thin, thick, etc).

Don't be confused by the yellow ribbon.  I originally thought I'd use the yellow, but I ultimately decided to use the blue you see in the top photo.  Luckily, grosgrain ribbon comes in standardized widths in a wide range of colors so it was easy to find the blue I wanted in a 1" width to swap with the yellow.


2.  Start the foundation row of foundation single crochet (FSC) stitches.  Never done FSC stitches before?  Learn how from my FSC Tutorial.

After a I make a couple of FSC, I always put a stitch marker in the top and bottom of the first FSC.  In the photo, I have put a pink stitch marker in the top of the FSC and a green stitch marker in the bottom or the FSC.


3.  Once I'm done with the FSC foundation row, I put a stitch marker in the top and bottom of the last FSC.  In the photo, I have put a blue stitch marker in the top of the FSC and a yellow stitch marker in the bottom or the FSC.


4.  Chain 1.


5.  Turn  your work clockwise (without moving or letting go of your crochet hook).  Look at the photo above.  Look at the photo below.  Just flip your work from right to left.


6.  Now we are starting Row 1.  Make 3 single crochet stitches in the top of the FSC closest to your crochet hook.  If you are using the stitch markers like I am, then it will have a stitch marker in it.  The stitch marker for this stitch in the photo is a blue paper clip.


7.  Make single crochet stitches across the foundation row in the tops of the FSC stitches.  Move the stitch marker up to the middle (aka 2nd) single crochet of the corner stitch.  This is useful if you need to recount stitches because something is off later.


8.  When you get to the last FSC stitch, you will make another corner (3 single crochets) in the top of it.  That will be in the stitch with the pink stitch marker.


9.  Make one ...


10.  ... two ...


11.  ... three single crochet stitches in the top of the first FSC of the foundation row to make a corner.


12. Chain one.  Move the stitch marker to the middle (2nd) of the three corner single crochets.


13.  See the single strand of yarn over my hook?  That's yarn that goes across the center of the FSC row.  When you make the single crochets across, make them around the single yarn and the bottom of the FSC stitches.


14.  Make a one ...  


15.  ... two ...


16.  ... three single crochets in the bottom of the first FSC of the foundation row to make a corner.


17.  Move the stitch marker to the middle (2nd) of the three corner single crochets.  You can see that single strand of yarn between the top and bottom of the FSC stitches.  Just be sure to stitch around it as you go across so it's caught in your single crochet.


18.  Single crochet across.


19.  When you get to the bottom of the last FSC, you're going to make another corner where the yellow stitch marker is.


20.  Make one ...


21.  ... two ...


22.  ... three single crochets in the bottom of the last FSC to make a corner.


23. Move the stitch marker to the middle (2nd) of the three corner single crochets.


24.  Now we are going to connect the end and beginning of this row with a slip stitch.  This is a seamless single crochet technique that I came up with.  If you aren't familiar with it or if you'd like to learn how to do joggles color changes take a look at my seamless single crochet tutorial.

Put your hook in the top of the first stitch of the row and yarn over.


25.  To complete the slip stitch, pull the yarn-over through the top of the first single crochet and through the loop that was on your hook.


26.  Now we're starting Row 2.  Chain one.


27.  To turn your work clockwise, keep your hook in your right hand, use your left hand to spin your work so the right edge moves toward you then to the left.

If this isn't making sense to you, take a look at where the yellow and blue stitch markers are in photos 26, 27, and 28 ... they are moving as the work is turning clockwise.  Just imitate the images.


28.  Turned successfully!


29.  Now, we are going to skip the slipstitch we just made and make a single crochet into the last single crochet of Row 1.  We're also going to make that single crochet into the farthest (back) loop of that single crochet.

In this photo, I've put my hook into the back loop of the last single crochet.  See how putting the stitch market into the middle of that corner helps me see which stitch I should be crocheting in?


30.  Finish the single crochet around the back loop.


31.  Make the next single crochet through the back loop.  Move the stitch marker to that stitch.  Keep moving the stitch markers up every row.  They come in handy when pinning in the zippered lining.


32.  Keep single crocheting around in the back loop.  There will be a nice edge around the bottom of your wristlet created by the front loop that is getting left behind.


33.  This is the last single crochet of the row.


34.  Put your hook into the top of the first single crochet of the row.


35.  Complete the slip stitch by yarning over and pulling it through the single crochet and the loop on your hook.


36.  Now we are starting Row 3.  Chain one.


37.  Turn your work clockwise.


38.  Turned!


39.  Skip the slip stitch you just made and single crochet in the last stitch of the previous row.  For this row (and all subsequent rows) you will single crochet under both loops of the stitches of the previous row.


40.  Single crochet around.  Keep moving the corner stitch markers up each row.


41.  The sides will start building upwards.  Go back to step 33 until you get to Row 16.


42. Here I'm finishing up Row 16


43.  Here's what the inside of your wristlet should look like at this point.


44.  Row 17 has been started and we've chained one, turned the work clockwise, and made one SC.  Here's where things get exciting!


45.  You are going to make a "spike single crochet" stitch.  It will serve as a "belt loop" for your ribbon strap.  Make a guess about how many rows down you should make your spike stitch and count down the rows from the yellow stitch marker.  I need to go down 3 rows to accommodate my 1-inch ribbon.


46.  I've put my hook into my wristlet 3 rows below the current stitch (the one with the yellow stitch marker).


47.  Yarn over.


48.  Pull the loop through your work.


49.  Stretch the loop up to the current row's height.  It's important to make sure the loop that was already on your hook is still tight and didn't get stretched out.


50  Yarn over.


51.  Complete your single crochet.


52.  Move the stitch marker up.  Make the next single crochet.


53.  This would be a good time to make sure your ribbon fits in the spike stitch the way you'd like it to fit.


54.  Perfect!  Not too much space to slip around and not too little space so that it's buckled.


55.  Make the next single crochet.


56.  Make another spike single crochet the same height as your first one.


57.  Often, my spike single crochet "spikes" have strands that are twisted around each other, like here in this photo.


58.  I use a plastic yarn needle to gently straighten them out so they look neater.


59.  Row 17 complete with spike stitches straightened.


60.  Row 18 is just like Row 3-16 - single crochet around the wristlet.  This is a photo showing the inside of the bag as I crochet Row 18


61.  This is a photo of me crocheting Row 19 showing the outside of the wristlet.


62.  This is the last single crochet of Row 19.  We are going to do what I call weaving in the last end (that's a link to my tutorial).


63.  Take your hook out of the loop and pull the yarn to make a huge loop.


64.  Cut the end of the yarn coming from your skein and the pull the loop so the cut end goes through the top of the last single crochet.


65.  Closeup of the side.


66.  Closeup of the top.


67.  Thread this tail onto a yarn needle, then put the needle under the top two strands of the first single crochet of this row.  It's the same place you would have put your crochet hook if you were going to make a slip stitch.


68.  Put the needle into the top of the last single crochet where the yarn strand starts.


69.  Pull on the yarn end to tighten it up.


70.  Keep tightening it until it looks like the top of all your other single crochet stitches.


71.  Weave the end under several rows of stitches and then knot the yarn to your wristlet to secure.  Your knot will be hidden under the zippered lining.


72.  If needed, pull the beginning yarn end into the inside of your wristlet with a crochet hook.  Mine are always on the outside.


73.  Catch the yarn end ...


74.  ... and pull it inside.


75.  Done!  You have finished the crocheting portion of this project.  Now it's time to sew the lining.