© 2008 by Megan Mills
Email: megan@kiwi.gen.nz
Photos & history @ /Pelerine
Web page created 06th July 2008

Reversible Crochet Pelerine
A Free Pattern by Megan Mills

Experience Level: This pattern is for experienced crocheters. Adventurous beginners and intermediates are encouraged to try it, of course, but the directions are pithy, and you may like to work up a practice swatch before deciding to embark on the full project.

I have taken care writing up this pattern but have not had an opportunity to proof it by working another pelerine to the directions. If you find an error please let me know so that I can correct it.

Materials
2 x 100g hanks of Touch 4-ply merino yarn, Blue
2 x 100g hanks of Touch 4-ply merino yarn, White
4mm crochet hook
Wool needle
4 buttons or closures of your choice, if any. I chose 2 white and 2 blue, both 15mm (6/10 inch) diameter.

Gauge: 16 mesh spaces to 13cm (approx 5 inches)

Abbreviations
ch:chain
dc:double crochet (US single crochet)
sp:space
st:stitch
tr:treble (US double crochet)

General Notes about Intermesh
This intermesh is two separate filet fabrics based on each space being made of (1ch, skip gap, 1tr in next tr).

The two fabrics are 'woven' around each other as they are made and at no time is a white stitch worked into a blue one, or vice versa. Always work blue into blue and white into white.

You can experiment with just how you would like to arrange this 'weaving' to achieve various effects.

When I say 'near side' or 'far side' I mean that the stitch you make will be in front of or behind the stitch of the previous row of the opposite colour. To achieve this you either nudge the previous row back and access the last row of the same colour from the front or you pull the previous row towards you and access the last row of the same colour from behind, always working between 2 tr of the opposite colour.

Be sure to work only into the top of that stitch, do not allow the new stitch to be worked 'around' the other colour at all.

The pattern used in this garment has this basis:

Blue: 2 tr worked to the near side, 2 tr worked to the far side for 2 rows. The swap and do 2 tr worked to the far side, 2 tr worked to the near side for 2 rows. In other words 2 by 2 altenating every 2 rows. Keep in pattern as you get to the corners by working all the way up to the corner 'as set' and then doing the mirror image of that after the corner to re-set the pattern.

White: 1 tr worked to the near side, 1 tr worked to the far side for 1 row. Then swap and do 1 tr worked to the far side, 1 tr worked to the far side. In other workds 1 by 1 alternating every row. Remember to keep in pattern when go round the corners.

Pattern
The first two rows are set up rows to lock the start of the fabrics together.

When working into base chains work into the Back Ridge.

Using Blue chain 97. I recommend doing a few extra chains. It is better to have some left over that you undo from the tail end than to run out and have to redo your first row.

Row 1
Into first ch from hook do 1 dc, into left side of dc do another dc and into left side of last dc work another dc. (This stands for the first tr of every row in both colours and from now on I will just say 'work first tr') .
(1ch, skip 1ch, 1tr into next ch) x 8, 3ch, 1 tr into same sp,
(1ch, skip 1ch, 1tr into next ch) x 16, 3ch, 1 tr into same sp,
(1ch, skip 1ch, 1tr into next ch) x 16, 3ch, 1 tr into same sp,
(1ch, skip 1ch, 1tr into next ch) x 8. Do not turn. Go back to the start of the row.

Using White chain 101. You can do a few extra chain if you like. It is better to have some left over that you undo from the tail end than to run out and have to redo your first row. Lay the white chain in front of the blue mesh.

Row 2
(worked in the same direction as Row 1, all trebles worked on the far side of the blue).
Work first tr between the 1st and 2nd blue trebles,
(1ch, skip 1 ch of white, 1 tr) x 8, 3ch, 1 tr into same sp,
(1ch, skip 1 ch of white, 1 tr) x 17, 3ch, 1 tr into same sp,
(1ch, skip 1 ch of white, 1 tr) x 17, 3ch, 1 tr into same sp,
(1ch, skip 1 ch of white, 1 tr) x 8.

Row 3, Blue.
Turn and work first tr into top of last tr of previous row, 1ch, 1 tr on the far side.
(1ch, 1 tr on near side) x 2, (1ch, 1 tr on far side) x 2. Carry on like this until you get to the corner where you will work (1tr, 3ch 1tr) into the centre ch of the 3-ch of the previous blue row. Keep going doing the same thing at each corner and remember to keep in pattern at the corners by doing a mirror image until you get to the end. Go back to the start of the row.

Blue will always alternate (2 near side, 2 far side) and this is done for 2 rows after which it become (2 far side, 2 near side) for 2 rows, as it faces you.

Row 4 and all following White rows.
Turn and work first tr into top of last tr of previous row on the near side.
NOTE: At the start of every white row ensure that you are 'weaving' the first treble from the near to the far side of the blue (and back again) so that the edges of the two fabrics interlace together).

(1ch, 1 tr on the far side, 1 ch 1 tr on the near side) - repeat like this until you get to the corner where you will work (1tr, 3ch 1tr) into the centre ch of the 3-ch of the previous white row. Remember to mirror image to keep in pattern as you turn corners. Carry on to the end of the row.

White will always alternate (1 near side, 1 far side) the opposite way to the last row worked in white - as it faces you.

Row 5, Blue
Turn and work first tr into top of last tr of previous row, 1ch, 1 tr on the near side.
(1ch, 1 tr on far side) x 2, (1ch, 1 tr on near side) x 2. Carry on like this until you get to the corner where you will work (1tr, 3ch 1tr) into the centre ch of the 3-ch of the previous blue row. Keep going doing the same thing at each corner and remember to keep in pattern at the corners by doing a mirror image until you get to the end. Work a white row.

Row 7, Blue
Turn and work first tr into top of last tr of previous row, 1ch, 1 tr on the near side.
(1ch, 1 tr on far side) x 2, (1ch, 1 tr on near side) x 2. Carry on like this until you get to the corner where you will work (1tr, 3ch 1tr) into the centre ch of the 3-ch of the previous blue row. Keep going doing the same thing at each corner and remember to keep in pattern at the corners by doing a mirror image until you get to the end. Work a white row.

Row 9, Blue
Turn and work first tr into top of last tr of previous row, 1ch, 1 tr on the far side.
(1ch, 1 tr on near side) x 2, (1ch, 1 tr on far side) x 2. Carry on like this until you get to the corner where you will work (1tr, 3ch 1tr) into the centre ch of the 3-ch of the previous blue row. Keep going doing the same thing at each corner and remember to keep in pattern at the corners by doing a mirror image until you get to the end. Work a white row.

Row 11, Blue
Turn and work first tr into top of last tr of previous row, 1ch, 1 tr on the far side.
(1ch, 1 tr on near side) x 2, (1ch, 1 tr on far side) x 2. Carry on like this until you get to the corner where you will work (1tr, 3ch 1tr) into the centre ch of the 3-ch of the previous blue row. Keep going doing the same thing at each corner and remember to keep in pattern at the corners by doing a mirror image until you get to the end. Work a white row.

Row 12, Blue
Turn and work first tr into top of last tr of previous row, 1ch, 1 tr on the near side.
(1ch, 1 tr on far side) x 2, (1ch, 1 tr on near side) x 2. Carry on like this until you get to the corner where you will work (1tr, 3ch 1tr) into the centre ch of the 3-ch of the previous blue row. Keep going doing the same thing at each corner and remember to keep in pattern at the corners by doing a mirror image until you get to the end. Work a white row.

Keep going in the established pattern until the pelerine is as long as you want it to be. This one is 40cm (16inches) down the centre front before the border is put on.

Border
Working white into white and blue into blue (and maintaing the pattern established with respect to approaching from the near or far side) I did a rope-chain border like this:

Step 1 White: 1dc into top of tr, 5 ch, drop loop and keep to the front, swap to blue.
Step 2 Blue: 1dc into top of tr, 5 ch, drop loop and keep to the front, swap to white.
Step 3 White: Reinsert hook into dropped white loop, skip 1 white tr, 1dc in next tr, 5 ch, drop loop and keep to the front, swap to blue.
Step 4 Blue: Reinsert hook into dropped blue loop, skip 1 white tr, 1dc in next tr, 5 ch, drop loop and keep to the front, swap to white.

Keep repeating Steps 3 and 4, working an extra rope-twist to turn the corners. When coming down the second front decide where you want the join to be. Carefully align the rows and as you do the rope twists you can join by doing 2 ch, drop loop, poke hook through corresponding loop on other side of the front, pick up loop again, 3ch, drop loop and keep to the front, swap to the other colour. Repeat for as long as you want the join to be.

This narrow rope border automatically makes buttonholes everywhere you put it. As a result you have, if you tidy away all your ends cunningly, made a fully reversible garment.

Reversible Buttons
Take two buttons that you like and place them back to back. Stitch them together very securely and tie off. Hide ends inside the join before trimming. You can put two different buttons together so that not only is the button reversible it provide two different looks. Make two sets of these reversible buttons - or just stitch on buttons as usual if you prefer. Or why not use a pretty brooch or pin to close the pelerine? Crocheter's choice.


© 2008 by Megan Mills
Email: megan@kiwi.gen.nz
Photos & history @ /Pelerine
Web page created 06th July 2008