Some of you may remember my post almost three years ago, showing a crochet ‘paper chain’ I made for my daughter.

https://rainbowjunkie.co.uk/2019/12/30/christmas-project-reveal/

Well since I bought some James C Brett Twinkle DK yarn about 18 months ago, https://rainbowjunkie.co.uk/2021/06/07/when-you-think-youve-bought-5-balls-but-its-actually-10/ it has been my intention to make another one.

When I settled down to start it, I decided that forty rows of six stitches each was a little bit boring and so I decided to devise some more fancy options. I came up with two that seemed to work.

You can see a bit about this towards the bottom of this post – https://rainbowjunkie.co.uk/2022/09/12/holiday-crochet/

(I have just finished the length I started then to give to my daughter.)

Then, as often happens, when I create a pattern for myself, I thought “Why not share it with other people.”

The original pattern is here plus two variants.

It could be made in whatever yarn you prefer but mine have been made in DK yarn and the strips are designed to work out about the same size as the paper strips that we used to make them out of when I was a child.

Made in thicker yarn they would be wider and in thinner yarn, narrower but the length can easily be altered.

Four strips when joined and interconnected should give a chain of about 9ins (23ch) when relaxed and 1ft (30cm) when hung up and stretched.

The pattern is also available in a slightly fuller version. with charts. on Ravelry as two Free pdf files (one in UK terms and one in US terms) – HERE

The Pattern (UK terms)

The following patterns are basically two row repeats even though, for the first and third one, both rows are the same. So if wanting a longer or shorter length add or subtract two rows.

Use whatever you consider to be the default size of hook for the chosen yarn.

Plain Links

Start: Chain 7. First row is wrong side.

Working into the back of the chain might make joining the ends easier.

Row 1: 1dc in 2nd chain from hook, 1dc in each following chain. Turn. (6 sts)

Rows 2 – 40: 1ch, 1dc in each st. Turn.

Made in DK yarn and standard hook, this should produce a strip about 1.25ins (3cm) wide and 8ins (20cm) long.

Total: 40 rows, 20 pattern repeats.

Lacey Links

Start: Chain 8. First row in wrong side.

Working into the back of the chain might make joining the ends easier.

Row 1: 1dc in 2nd chain from hook, 1dc in each following chain. Turn. (7 sts)

Row 2: 3ch (=1st tr), 1tr in next st, miss a st, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in next st, miss a st, 1tr in each of next 2 sts. Turn.

Row 3: 1ch, 1dc in each following st, including the ch. Last dc in 3rd ch at start of previous row. Turn.

Row 4: 3ch (=1st tr), 1tr in next st, miss a st, (1tr, 1ch, 1tr) in next st, miss a st, 1tr in each of next 2 sts. Turn.

Repeat rows 3 & 4 ten more times.

Total: 24 rows, 12 pattern repeats.

Made in DK yarn and standard hook, this should produce a strip about 1.5ins (4cm) wide and 8ins (20cm) long.

Blocky Links

Start: Chain 10. First row in wrong side.

Working into the back of the chain might make joining the ends easier.

Row 1: 1tr in 4th chain from hook, miss 1ch, 2tr in next ch, miss 1ch, 2tr in next ch, miss 1ch, 1tr in last ch. Turn. (7sts)

Rows 2 – 20: 3ch (=1st tr), 1tr in space after 1st tr of previous row.
Repeat [miss 2tr, 2tr in space before next tr] twice. Miss 1tr, 1tr in 3rd ch at start of previous row. Turn.

Total: 20 rows, 10 pattern repeats.

Made in DK yarn and standard hook, this should produce a strip about 1.5ins (4cm) wide and 8ins (20cm) long.

Making up the chain

To make a single link join the two ends of a strip.

A long chain can be made in one of two ways.

1. Make one link and then thread the next strip through the link before joining.
Continue to add strips through previous one.

2. Make half the links then thread a strip between two already made and join.
Continue by taking another completed link and threading a strip through
that and the end of the chain already made before joining.

When choosing yarn for the links for a chain, you could use all stash yarn like the pictured blocky one or have a mix of different colour ones, interleaved with a plain twinkle yarn, like the pictured plain one. Or use two alternate colours like the pictured lacey one which is made in red and green Twinkle yarn.

You could even alternate two different styles of strip. (Not pictured.)

The Pattern (US terms)

The following patterns are basically two row repeats even though, for the first and third one, both rows are the same. So if wanting a longer or shorter length add or subtract two rows.

Use whatever you consider to be the default size of hook for the chosen yarn.

Plain Links

Start: Chain 7. First row is wrong side.

Working into the back of the chain might make joining the ends easier.

Row 1: 1sc in 2nd chain from hook, 1sc in each following chain. Turn. (6 sts)

Rows 2 – 40: 1ch, 1sc in each st. Turn.

Made in Light Worsted yarn and standard hook, this should produce a strip about 1.25ins (3cm) wide and 8ins (20cm) long.

Total: 40 rows, 20 pattern repeats.

Lacey Links

Start: Chain 8. First row in wrong side.

Working into the back of the chain might make joining the ends easier.

Row 1: 1sc in 2nd chain from hook, 1sc in each following chain. Turn. (7 sts)

Row 2: 3ch (=1st dc), 1dc in next st, miss a st, (1dc, 1ch, 1dc) in next st, miss a st, 1dc in each of next 2 sts. Turn.

Row 3: 1ch, 1sc in each following st, including the ch. Last sc in 3rd ch at start of previous row. Turn.

Row 4: 3ch (=1st dc), 1dc in next st, miss a st, (1dc, 1ch, 1dc) in next st, miss a st, 1dc in each of next 2 sts. Turn.

Repeat rows 3 & 4 ten more times.

Total: 24 rows, 12 pattern repeats.

Made in Light Worsted yarn and standard hook, this should produce a strip about 1.5ins (4cm) wide and 8ins (20cm) long.

Blocky Links

Start: Chain 10. First row in wrong side.

Working into the back of the chain might make joining the ends easier.

Row 1: 1dc in 4th chain from hook, miss 1ch, 2dc in next ch, miss 1ch, 2dc in next ch, miss 1ch, 1dc in last ch. Turn. (7sts)

Rows 2 – 20: 3ch (=1st dc), 1dc in space after 1st dc of previous row.
Repeat [miss 2dc, 2dc in space before next dc] twice. Miss 1dc, 1dc in 3rd ch at start of previous row. Turn.

Total: 20 rows, 10 pattern repeats.

Made in Light Worsted yarn and standard hook, this should produce a strip about 1.5ins (4cm) wide and 8ins (20cm) long.

Making up the chain

To make a single link join the two ends of a strip.

A long chain can be made in one of two ways.

1. Make one link and then thread the next strip through the link before joining.
Continue to add strips through previous one.

When choosing yarn for the links for a chain, you could use all stash yarn like the pictured blocky one or have a mix of different color ones, interleaved with a plain twinkle yarn, like the pictured plain one. Or use two alternate colors like the pictured lacey one which is made in red and green Twinkle yarn.

You could even alternate two different styles of strip. (Not pictured.)