Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Wibbly Wobbly Juggling Balls

My niece and nephew are finally mature enough to learn how to juggle, this year for Christmas they will be getting juggling sticks and balls. Along with the new goodies they will be getting juggling lessons from my husband and myself.

Inside pics only, it's cold outside :)


What you need:
4 colors of scrap yarn rolled into small balls
Size F (3.75mm) hook
Scissors
Yarn Needle 
Beans/beads/fiber fill for stuffing


Have you ever noticed the swirl of increase stitches that happen when you crochet in a continuous circle (not joining each round)? These balls play off of the wibbly wobbly nature of crocheting in the round. As a bonus you won't even have to use a stitch marker to keep your place.

Balls:
Worked in continuous rows, do not join
It is best to work from small balls of color as they can get seriously tangled as you work

Chain 2 with yellow
Round 1: work 2 sc in first chain of yellow, 2 sc of green, 2 sc of red, and two sc of blue - 8 st

Each row will always start with the first yellow stitch. See above pic, you will be working each sc into where you see the color start, not the last stitch made of each color.
Round 2: work 2 sc in each sc around - 16 st (4 stitches of each color)
Round 3: *2 sc in next st, sc in next st, rep from * around - 24 st (6 stitches of each color)
Round 4: *2 sc in next st, sc in each of next 2 sts, rep from * around - 32 st (8 stitches of each color)

Rounds 5-10: sc in each sc around -32 st (8 stitches of each color)

Round 11: *sc2tog, sc in each of next 2 sts, rep from * around - 24 st 
(I like to fill the balls with filling here)

Round 12: *sc2tog, sc in each of next 1 sts, rep from * around - 16 st 

Round 13: sc2tog around -8 st 

Tie off colors and weave in ends.


I made these balls on the small side for small hands. This size also is nice for juggling numbers, I will be making a set of 5 for myself. If you want larger balls add several more rows without increases or add several more increase/decrease rows.




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