Free Pattern: Bumble Bee Applique

With the first signs of Spring I see a hungry, happy bumble bee!

Because this bug is made from string, you'll never have to fear its sting.

He pairs well with the my daisy applique, and you can make him in under a day!

  Well, technically, he's made from crochet thread, but you can call it string if you like. Finished size is 3 1/2" (7.6 cm) long, and 3" (8.9 cm) wide from wingtip to wingtip. I chose to leave mine plain, but you could embroider or attach eyes and a mouth. Use this applique alone, or combine with any of the rest of the series:

Lacy Daisies

Cotton Candy Butterfly

One round hearts

Skill level:
Easy/intermediate

Materials:
Size 10 crochet thread
  Color A - Black
  Color B - Yellow
  Color C - White
Steel crochet hook size 7 US (4 UK)
Needle or smaller hook to weave in ends

Gauge:
2 rows of 4 dc = 1/2" (1.27 cm)

Notes:

• To change colors, always pull new color through last two loops of last stitch in row.

• Colors are changed every other row. Carry colors if you like, a border will be added.

Stitches:
Slip stitch (sl st)
Chain (ch)
Single crochet (sc)
Double crochet (dc)
Triple crochet (tr)

Single crochet two (three) together (sc2tog) (sc3tog) - *Insert hook in designated space (sp), pull up a loop. Yarn over, pull through one loop.* Repeat from * to * one (two) more time(s). Yarn over, pull through all three (four) loops on hook.

Double crochet two, (three), (six) together (dc2tog), (dc3tog), (dc6tog) - *Yarn over, insert hook in designated stitch (st), pull up a loop. Yarn over, pull through two loops.* Repeat from * to * one (two) (six) more time(s). Yarn over, pull through all three (four) (seven) loops on hook.

Directions:

Begin with color A.

Row 1:
With color A: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), 1 dc in farthest ch from hook. (2 dc)

Row 2:
Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), turn. 1 dc in same st, 2 dc in next, change to color B. (4 dc)

Row 3:
With color B: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), turn, 2 dc in same st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts. 3 dc in last st. (8 dc)

Row 4:
Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), turn, 1 dc in same st. 1 dc in each of next 6 sts. 2 dc in last st, change to color A. (10 dc)

Row 5:
With color A: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), turn, 1 dc in same st. 1 dc in each of next 8 sts. 2 dc in last st. (12 dc)

Row 6:
Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), turn. 1 dc in each st, change to color B. (12 dc)

Row 7:
With color B: Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), turn. 1 dc in each st. (12 dc)

Row 8:
Repeat row 7, change colors.

Row 9:
With color A, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), turn. Dc2tog. 1 dc in each of next 6 sts. Dc2tog, 1 dc in last st. (10 dc)

Row 10:
Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), turn. Dc2tog next 2 sts. 1 dc in each of next 4 sts, dc2tog next 2 sts. 1 dc in last st, change to color B. (8 dc)

Row 11:
With color B, ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), turn. (Dc3tog next 3 sts) twice. 1 dc in last st. (4 dc)

Row 12:
Ch 3 (counts as 1 dc), turn. 2 dc in same st, 1 dc in each of next 2 sts. 3 dc in last st. (8 dc)

Row 13:
Ch 3, turn. Dc6tog, ch 3, sl st in last st. Bind off, weave in ends.

Border:
With color A, begin with a sl st in beg ch-3 sp. Ch 1 (counts as 1 sc), 2 sc in same sp. 3 sc in each post sp of next 5 rows. Pick up color C. With both colors, (1 sc, ch 1, 1 dc, ch 3, 1 tr) in next post sp. Ch 1, (1 dc, ch 4, 1 tr, ch 4, 1 dc) in following sp. Ch 1, drop and cut color C. 5 sc in next sp, 3 sc in following sp. Sc3tog in each of next 2 sps. 5 sc in ch-3 sp, ch 5. Sl st in 3rd ch from hook, sl st in each of remaining 2 chs. Ch 1, 3 sc in top of dc6tog. Ch 5, sl st in 3rd ch from hook and in remaining 2 chs. Ch 1, 5 sc in ch-3 sp. Sc3tog in each of next 2 post sps. 3 sc in next, 5 sc in following. Pick up color C. With both colors, (ch 1, (1 dc, ch 4, 1 tr, ch 4, 1 dc) in next post sp, ch 1, (1 tr, ch 3, 1 dc, ch 1, 1 sc) in following. Drop and cut color C. 3 sc in each of next 6 post sps. ch 1, join with a sl st in beg ch-1. Bind off, weave in ends.