Pattern for a crocheted "diamond bracelet" ;-)

I guess these diamonds have been my best friend lately, to loan the classic song singed by Marilyn Monroe in the film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. And because friendship should be shared, here comes a little pattern for crocheting friendship diamond bracelets. And who wouldn’t want to wear “a diamond bracelet” or what :-). 

I think this is a pretty quick project and it is also good for using all those bits and pieces of yarn. And you can also easily crochet a longer ribbon as well with this pattern if you want to make a hat strap, belt or maybe handles for a bag. Bracelets in these pictures are crocheted with different cotton and alpaca yarns suitable for hook sizes 2 and 2,5. Brands I have used are Hjertegarn Cotton 8, Hjertegarn Alpaca silk, Schachenmayr Catania and a Finnish yarn Novita Kotiväki. I would recommend to use cotton yarn for this project though, because it is often easier to crochet than for example alpaca yarn when working with several colors at the same time. When it comes to choosing color, I recommend bright colors for pattern color. You want your diamonds to be seen of course :-).

A few words about the technique I have used in the pattern. I recommend you to first take a look at the basic pattern for crocheting diamonds which you can download on Ravelry. In this tapestry crochet technique you work back and forth normally on both sides and all the stitches are crocheted into both loops. Stitches are crocheted with half double crochets (hdc) and widening the diamond and decreasing the width are made one stitch at a time each row with changing the color. Stitches are never added or decreased in this technique, because the pattern follows the natural stitch pattern of half double crochet, so the only thing changing is the color. You see a chart for two different kind of bracelets below. I hope that these also help you on the way. The chart shows the right side of the work, but helps you to crochet the wrong side as well. When it comes to the basic pattern on the left side, there are three diamonds in the chart, but I have often crocheted four to make the bracelet go round my wrist as you for example see in the picture next to the chart. 

When crocheting tapestry crochet, you always carry along the resting yarn inside the stitch. When switching color, make the final yarn over with the new color. When working these diamonds carry along the resting yarn during each stitch when crocheting the right side of the work. When crocheting the wrong side, don’t carry the resting yarn inside the first stitch after the color change but pick it up after that. This little trick gives diamonds clearer lines. 

I also have the habit of doing so that I make one hdc into the same stitch as ch 2 at the beginning of each row (see the picture on the left side below). At the end of the row I jump over the last hdc of the previous row and make the last hdc to ch 2 of the previous row instead (see the picture on the right side below). I think this way the edges are quite pretty and even, but I know there are other ways as well of course (look for example for tutorials on YouTube). 

Abbreviations (US crochet terms)

sl st               slip stitch

ch                  chain

hdc                half double crochet (half treble in UK)

I also use terms background color (green) and motif color (white) in this pattern. This pattern is written for right-handed crocheters and the chart is for right-handed as well, but if you are left-handed and have difficulties with crocheting the pattern, take contact so I try to help you (I am left-handed too).  

1. Chain 7 + 2 (or 9 + 2 if you want to make the broader bracelet).

2. (Right side of the work) Crochet 1 hdc into third chain from the hook. Crochet 1 hdc into each ch = 7 hdc /9 hdc. So ch 2 in the beginning is not counted as one hdc. Chain 2 and turn the work.

3.-4. Crochet 1 hdc into each stitch and end the row with ch 2 (as at the end of each row during the whole work) and turn the work. Here you can also crochet two more rows with the background color to leave more space for a button. 

5. (Wrong side of the work) Time to join in a new color and start crocheting the pattern according the little chart above. Start from them bottom right corner of the chart. As you see there are half squares at the end of each row, and these mark ch 2 that you have to do at the beginning of each row. Here below I have also written how to crochet the few first rounds to make the pattern hopefully easier to crochet.

So, during this first row with two colors, crochet first 2 hdc with the background color, and when doing the 3rd hdc, make the last yarn over with the motif color. Below pictures hopefully show how to do with the yarns during this row. Remember to lift the yarn of the background color to the wrong side of the work before taking the motif color on the hook, and do this always on the wrong side. As you see an arrow also points to the yarn in the first picture below. Crochet 1 hdc with motif color, but make the last yarn over with the background color (second picture below). Leave the motif color here and crochet rest of the round with only background color (third picture below).

6. On the right side crochet 2 hdc with the background color and then 2 hdc with the motif color, and then 3 hdc with the background color according the chart. Remember to carry the background color inside the motif color during both stitches. 

7. (Wrong side) Crochet 2 hdc with background color, 3 hdc with the motif color and 2 hdc with the background color. When crocheting the first stitch with the motif color, remember to lift the yarn to the wrong side (first picture below), then crochet the first stitch without carrying the yarn inside the motif color (second picture below). 

Continue as before the next two rows. The diamond is now 5 stitches wide and during the following row start decreasing the width of the diamond with one stitch from five to four on the right side of the work. Below you see a picture where you see that right-handed crocheter make decreases to the left side of the diamond (and left-handed to the right side). 

   

After finishing the first diamond, crochet one row with the background color before starting the next diamond. When it comes to motif color I have just simply left it to the last stitch of the previous diamond, and then picked it up on the hook again (as you see below), but there are different ways here as well - you can for example cut the yarn of motif color or crochet it inside just one stitch in the middle of the row during the row between diamonds etc. 

After crocheting the pattern, crochet the amount of rows you want with the background color. I have usually crocheted three rows if I have crocheted 5 rows in the beginning. You can also crochet around the bracelet with slip stitches or single stitches. I have done so with almost every bracelet and during the round have also made the loop for a button with 9-10 chain stitches. You may of course want to make another amount of rows in the beginning and in the end than I have done.

Hope you enjoy the pattern and have fun when crocheting your own bracelet! And don't hesitate to ask if you have any questions or problems. I have been crocheting these diamonds for a year and a half now, and I crochet them automatically, so I am a bit nervous if I have remembered to tell all the important steps. I am also not yet sure how precisely I should explain the basic technique in individual patterns because the basic pattern is also separately available for free. I would be very glad to hear your opinion. Remember also that this pattern is for your personal pleasure only. Wishing you a lovely September!

Tällä kertaa siis ainoastaan enlanninkielinen postaus ja ohje virkatuille timanttirannekoruille selkeyden takia, tässä ohjeessa kun on tekstimassaa yhdelläkin kielellä jo ihan riittävästi :-). Jos kaipaat suomenkielistä ohjetta tai jokin on siinä mielestäsi epäselvää niin jätäthän kommenttia. Perusohje näille timanteillehan löytyy Ravelrysta myös suomen kielellä. Virkkausiloa syyskuulle toivotellen,

Pirjo