How to Crochet Speckled Eggs
Posted by Jessica Richardson on
My absolute favorite Easter treat has always been malted milk speckled eggs.
Not only are they delicious, they're lovely as well. The pastel colored, speckled egg perfectly embodies the essence of spring: soft muted colors that are reminiscent of spring blossoms, birds building nest to fill with eggs that will soon hatch into singing feathered friends visiting newly emerging flower gardens and vegetable patches.
The idea to crochet speckled eggs came to me as most of my crafty ideas do, organically in segments.
For weeks I'd been thinking I wanted to make egg shaped sachets filled with dried lavender and chamomile flowers to gift to family and friends this Easter. Since crochet is one of my base crafts (I've been doing it since the age of 6) it seemed fitting that I would crochet these sachets.
Side Note: One of the best things about crochet is how well it lends itself to sculpture, especially when worked tightly. The stitches hold their shape and are quite easy to manipulate, especially when using wool yarn and a felting needle like I often do, and did with these eggs.
So, I grabbed a a few balls of my favorite yarn (Malabrigo Worsted) in pastel shades, and got to crocheting.
Once I got the shape just right and filled them with dried flowers, I knew they needed something...spots.
At first I was thinking song bird eggs, but as I added the spots, then tacked them down with my felting needle, it became clear: these were perfectly resembling malted mild speckled eggs.
So I continued on, making more in different pastel shades. Until a pile of these sweet little eggs began to form. And I couldn't be happier with how they've turned out.
That's why I'm sharing this pattern here with you. I hope that lots more can make these sweet little eggs in time to fill Easter baskets and gift to loved ones.
As I already mentioned with how I'm using them, they make great herbal sachets. They would also be perfect as play food toys for little ones. I know when my boys were little I loved finding and making unique items to add to their Easter basket other than candy.
If you happen to have cotton bags and egg shaped stamps like I do, all the better! They make perfect little sacks for these handmade spring treasures.
How to Crochet Speckled Eggs
DOWNLOAD PDF PATTERN HERE
This pattern is for personal, non-commercial use only.
MATERIALS
•Aran Weight Wool Yarn
I use Malabrigo Worsted for all eggs
(white – Natural, light yellow – Butter, light blue - Pigeon, dark brown speckles – Dark Earth)
•Size 3.5mm crochet hook
•Tapestry Needle
•Scissors
•Stitch Marker
•Stuffing (yarn scraps work great since these eggs are so tiny)
•felting needle (any gauge) for securing stitches and shaping
- Make Slip Knot, Ch3, Sl St to first stitch for form ring, Ch1 (alternatively, use Magic Ring for this step)
- Round 1 – Sc6 into ring
- Round 2 – Sc2 into each St around (12 Sts)
- Place a Stitch Marker into the 1st stitch of each round going forward, to keep track of beginning & end of each round.
- Round 3 – Sc1 into the next 3 Sts, Sc2 into next St, repeat to end of round (15 Sts)
- Round 4 – Sc1 into the next 2 Sts, Sc2 into next St, Sc 1 into the next 4 Sts, repeat Sc2 into next St, Sc1 into next 4 Sts twice more, Sc1 into next 2 Sts (18 Sts)
- Round 5 – Sc1 into the next 5 Sts, Sc2 into next St, repeat to end of round (21 Sts)
- Round 6-8 – Sc1 into each stitch around (21 Sts)
- Round 9 – Sc 2tog, Sc 1 into next 5 Sts, repeat to end of round (18 Sts)
- Round 10 – Sc1 into next stitch, Sc 2tog, repeat around-(12 Sts)
- Stuff Egg
- Round 11 – Sc2tog around, until hole is too small to crochet through
- Cut yarn leaving a long tail.
- Use tapestry needle to close hole at bottom of egg, then use crochet hook to pull yarn end into egg.
The egg speckles are made using French Knots.
This is a simple embroidery stitch that creates spots.
*It is important to be mindful of where the needle is inserted into the front and back of the egg. It is best to do this in a tight area, not in between stitches where there are larger openings. If the opening is larger than the knot, the knot will be pulled into the egg.
2. insert yarn through the egg, then up through underside
3. Wrap yarn around needle once, keep yarn taught at base of needle
4. Insert needle into cap close to where it was pulled up
5. Position needle so that come back through where you want the next spot to go
Repeat until the egg is speckled to your liking.
*Check the egg shape after each spot and be sure not to pull too tighly, as this can make the eggs lumpy.
I use this method to secure yarn ends & help shape 3-dimensional objects.
Note: Needle felting should be done with caution, as the barbed needle is very sharp. You can use a thimble or silicone fingertip cover to protect your fingers.
Note: Synthetic or plant fibers will not felt.
Hold egg over a surface that is not your lap (often people use a wool or foam block, but any surface between yourself and the needle will do)
Starting that the bottom of egg, poke felting needle in and out of the egg while applying a bit of pressure* with the hand that is holding the egg. Repeat until the fibers are well felted and the egg has a nice egg shaped bottom.
*Applying pressure helps guide the shape as the fibers are felted by the needle.
Next, move onto the speckles. Poke into each spot, being deliberate with your pokes. The goal is to felt the spots into the egg so that they are not raised, but flush with the side. If your spot goes down into the egg while poking, use a tapesty needle to push it back up. Then poke the needle at a bit of an angle to help the fibers of the spot felt with the fibers of the egg. Needle felt each spot.
Roll the egg back and forth between your hands a few times to even out the shape. You can also lightly steam the egg with an iron. This will cause the fibers to bloom and help the egg shape even more.
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