Have you had enough passive screen-time and want to make something with your hands, maybe learning a new skill in the process? Join us in contributing to a gallery display of Griffith Park in crochet, with the help of these how-to videos.

As part of our exhibition Investigating Griffith Park we’re inviting the Autry community to make pieces to represent various aspects of the park, from nature to recreational activities, and mail them into the Autry (or drop them off in person once the museum re-opens, if you prefer). We’ll then add your art to the gallery, around a crocheted Griffith Park sign, to capture the essence of the park and create a post-pandemic community display. 

This week’s video shows you how to make a kite, adding brightly colored joy into the skies of the display. Perhaps you have a treasured memory of a kite from your youth, or some favorite colors you would like to turn into one?

You don’t need experience with crochet, as instructor Julie Kadoi walks you through the basic stitches, and for those more comfortable with working from written instructions we have included the pattern below. So, pick up those hooks and yarn, make a kite (or maybe a leafy daisy from the first video), and look for future videos in the coming weeks. 

Download Directions as a PDF

Materials:

• DK weight acrylic yarn in color(s) of choice
• 3.5 mm crochet hook
• Tapestry needle
• Scissors

 

Glossary of terms & abbreviations: 

• chain (ch): draw yarn through the active loop on the hook
• fasten off: cut the yarn 3 to 4 inches from the last stitch and draw the end through the active loop; pull tightly to secure
• single crochet (sc): insert your hook into the indicated stitch, draw up a loop, yarn over and draw through both loops
• single crochet 2-together (sc2tog): insert hook in the first stitch and draw up a loop, insert hook in the next stitch and draw up a loop, there will be three loops on the hook, yarn over and draw through all three loops
• single crochet 3-together (sc3tog): insert hook in the first stitch and draw up a loop, insert hook in the next stitch and draw up a loop, insert hook in the next stitch and draw up a loop, there will be four loops on the hook, yarn over and draw through all four loops
• slip knot: cross the tail end over the yarn to make a loop, draw up yarn from the yarn ball side through the loop and tighten, making sure the cut end is not pulled through
• slip stitch (sl st): insert your hook into the indicated stitch, draw up a loop, draw the top loop on the hook through the bottom loop
• stitch (st): a generic stitch, usually designates the location in the previous round in which a particular stitch, such as a single crochet, will be made
• skip (sk): helps to identify where the next stitch goes by accounting for any stitches in the round below that are not worked in
• tail: the unworked cut end of the yarn
• weave in the ends: using a tapestry needle, draw the yarn end through several stitches on the back side of work, skip one strand of yarn and pull the end through the opposite way, skip another strand and pull the end the opposite way again to lock in place.

Pattern notes:

• The kite base and bow are worked in rows.

Pattern:

Kite base

• Using any color yarn, make a slip knot and chain (ch) 2.
• ROW 1: In 2^nd ch from the hook, work 1 single crochet (sc). Ch1, turn. [1 sc]
• ROW 2: Skip (sk) ch here and in all remaining rows. In next stitch, work 3 single crochets (sc). Ch 1, turn. [3 sc]
• ROW 3: 2 sc in 1^st st, sc in next st, 2 sc in last st. Ch1, turn. [5 sc]
• ROW 4: 2 sc in 1 st, sc in next 3 st, 2 sc in last st. Ch 1, turn. [7 sc]
• ROW 5: 2 sc in 1^st st, sc in next 5 st, 2 sc in last st. Ch 1, turn. [9 sc]
• ROW 6: 2 sc in 1^st st, sc in next 7 st, 2 sc in last st. Ch 1, turn. [11 sc]
• ROW 7: 2 sc in 1^st st, sc in next 9 st, 2 sc in last st. Ch 1, turn. [13 sc]
• ROW 8: Single crochet two together (sc2tog) over 1^st 2 st, sc in next 9 st, sc2tog over last 2 st. Ch 1, turn. [2 sc2tog, 9 sc]
• ROW 9: Sc in each st across. Ch 1, turn. [11 sc]
• ROW 10: Sc2tog over 1^st 2 st, sc in next 7 st, sc2tog over last 2 st. Ch 1, turn. [2 sc2tog, 7 sc]
• ROW 11: Sc in each st across. Ch 1, turn. [9 sc]
• ROW 12: Sc2tog, sc in next 5 st, sc2tog. Ch 1, turn. [2 sc2tog, 5 sc]
• ROW 13: Sc in each st across. Ch 1, turn. [7 sc]
• ROW 14: Sc2tog, sc in next 3 st, sc2tog. Ch 1, turn. [2 sc2tog, 3 sc]
• ROW 15: Sc in each st across. Ch 1, turn. [5 sc]
• ROW 16: Sc2tog, sc in next st, sc2tog. Ch 1, turn. [2 sc2tog, 1 sc]
• ROW 17: Sc in each st across. Ch 1, turn. [3 sc]
• ROW 18: Sc3tog. Ch 1, turn. [1 sc3tog]
• ROW 19: Sc. Fasten off leaving a long tail (around 9 in). [1 sc]
• Weave in the top end only, leaving the bottom tail end as the kite string.

Spine & cross-spar

• Using any color, cut two lengths of yarn at least 20 in long.
• With one of them, make a slip knot, insert the hook at the bottom corner of the kite base and draw the loop through to the front of the kite leaving the knot on the back. Sl st vertically from the bottom corner to the top corner in approximately 10 even stitches. Draw the loop through to the back and fasten off.
• With the other length of yarn, make a slip knot, insert the hook at either the left or right corner, and draw the loop through to the front of the kite. Slip stitch horizontally from one corner to the opposite one. When you arrive at the opposite corner in approximately 7 even stitches, draw the loop through to the back and fasten off.
• Weave in the ends.

Tail

• Using any color yarn, make a slip knot and draw the loop through at the bottom corner of the kite to the front. Ch 20 or to desired length for kite tail. Fastened off. Weave in ends.

Bows (make at least two):

• Ch 6.
• ROW 1: Sk 1^st ch, sc in each remaining ch. Ch 1, turn. (5 sc)
• ROW 2-3:  Skip ch. Sc in each stitch across. (5 sc)
• Fasten off. Weave in the ends.
• Cut a 9-10 in length of yarn and use it to tie a tight knot in the middle of the bow and in the middle of the length of yarn. Wrap the yarn a couple more times around the bow and tie another tight knot. Tie the bow around the kite tail tightly and trim ends short (or weave ends in).

 

Mailing Submissions

Please mail your Kite submissions to:

YARNSCAPE AT THE AUTRY
Autry Museum of the American West
4700 Western Heritage Way
Los Angeles CA 90027

If you prefer, you may drop them off when the Autry reopens to the public.