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Woodland Fairy Wings
Delight your favourite pixie with these enchanting fairy wings. Knit with kid mohair in lace stitches as delicate as gossamer, the wings are gathered and sewn to the golden crocheted centrepiece. Crocheted ties wrap around your little sprite's waist, and her arms slide through wrist loops, so she's ready to practice her flying skills wherever her imagination takes her.

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Note: Basic crochet skills are needed for this project.

Finished size and measurements
To fit 3 years and up
Width from wing tip to wing tip (between wrist loops): 33" (84 cm)
Length of wing at side edge: 31" (79 cm)
Length at centre back: 13" (33 cm)
Length of long tie: 75" (190.5 cm)

Materials
• Crystal Palace Kid Merino, 28% Kid Mohair/28% Merino Wool/44% Micro Nylon (240 yd/219 m per 25 g ball), 1 ball each MC (#9806 Fern Mix) and CC1 (#4671 Lime Sherbet)
• CC2: Crystal Palace Deco-Stardust, 55% Lurex/45% Nylon (119 yd/109 m per 50 g ball), colour: #4437 Gold, 1 ball
• 1 pair US 10.5 (6.5 mm) straight needles
• 1 US H-8 (5 mm) crochet hook
• Stitch holder
• Yarn needle

Gauge
Approximately 10 sts and 17 rows = 4" (10 cm) in Wing Lace pattern.
Note: Exact gauge is not important for this project.

Click to view pattern piece diagram

Wings (make 2)
While working Wings, alternate 2 rows MC with 2 rows CC1 throughout. Carry the yarn not in use along the side edge of the work.

Using MC and the long-tail cast-on method, loosely cast on 83 sts.
Work 16 rows in Border Lace pattern.
Work 40 rows in Wing Lace pattern.
Next Row (RS): Work 29 sts in pattern; place remaining 54 sts on stitch holder.

Work 8 rows in pattern.
Next Row (WS): Bind off 18 sts, work in pattern to end. 11 sts.
Work 10 rows in pattern.
Bind off all sts using both yarns held together.

Replace the held sts to the needle with the right side facing and reattach both yarns.

Next Row (RS): Bind off 25 sts with both yarns held together, work in pattern to end (using 1 yarn).

Work 9 rows in pattern.
Next Row (RS): Bind off 18 sts using both yarns held together, work in pattern to end.
Work 9 rows in pattern.
Bind off all sts using both yarns held together.

Long Tie
Using CC2, chain 301.
Row 1: Work 1 single crochet in second chain from hook and in each chain to end.
Row 2: Chain 1, work 1 single crochet in each stitch to end.
Repeat Row 2 once more. Cut the yarn, draw through last stitch, and pull tight.

Centre Back Piece
Using CC2, chain 49.
Row 1: Work 1 single crochet in second chain from hook and in each chain to end.
Row 2: Chain 1, work 1 single crochet in each stitch to end.
Repeat Row 2 five times more. Cut the yarn, leaving a 12" (30.5 cm) tail, draw through last stitch and pull tight. Fold the end of this strip up 2" (5 cm) and sew the end in place, forming a loop.

Wrist loops (make 2)
Using CC2, chain 49.
Row 1: Work 1 single crochet in second chain from hook and in each chain to end.
Row 2: Chain 1, work 1 single crochet in each stitch to end.
Repeat Row 2 once more. Cut the yarn, leaving a 12" (30.5 cm) tails, draw through last stitch and pull tight.

Finishing
Immerse both Wings in lukewarm water and allow them to soak until they are thoroughly saturated. Gently squeeze out the water (do not wring!) and lay the Wings on top of several towels on a flat surface. Carefully pin the Wings out to the dimensions given. Allow them to dry completely.

Gather Wings
Row 1 (RS): Using CC1, with right side facing, work 116 single crochet along the shaped bound-off edge of one Wing; this will be approximately 1 stitch in each bound-off stitch and each row edge.
Row 2 (WS): Chain 1, single crochet in first 2 sts, *skip next st, single crochet in next 2 sts, repeat from * to end. 78 sts.
Row 3 (RS): Chain 1, skip first stitch, single crochet in next 2 sts, *skip next st, single crochet in next 2 sts, repeat from * to end. 52 sts.
Row 4 (WS): Chain 1, single crochet in first stitch, *skip next stitch, single crochet in next 2 sts, repeat from * to end. 35 sts.
Row 5 (RS): Chain 1, single crochet in first 2 sts, *skip next st, single crochet in next 2 sts, repeat from * to end. 24 sts. Cut the yarn, draw through last st and pull tight.
The gathered edge of the Wing will be approximately 9" (23 cm) long.

Gather the second Wing in the same way; leave a long tail when cutting the yarn.
Use this tail to sew the Wings together along the short, gathered edges, ensuring that the right sides of both Wings are facing the same way.

Assembly
Lay the Wings flat, with their right sides facing up. Lay the Centre Back Piece on top of the seam between the Wings, so that the loop protrudes below the bottom of the Wings. Sew this piece to the Wings, sewing first along the centre, then along the edges of the piece.

Sew the centre of the Long Tie to the top of the Centre Back Piece (opposite the loop). Sew the edge of the Long Tie along the top edge of each Wing for 9" (23 cm), leaving the rest of each Wing free.

Fold one Wrist Loop in half and sandwich approximately 1-1/2" (3.8 cm) of the upper corner of one Wing between the ends of the Loop. Sew the Loop ends and Wing tip firmly together. Sew the other Wrist Loop to the other Wing in the same way.

To wear, place the Wings behind the wearer's back with the Long Tie at their shoulders. Drape the Long Tie over the shoulders, cross it in front of the chest, wrap it behind the back and thread both ends through the loop at the base of the Centre Back Piece. Bring the ends around to the front of the waist and tie them. The wearer can then slip their hands through the Wrist Loop and take flight!

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Excerpted from Boho Baby Knits by Kat Coyle, with photography by Frank Heckers. Copyright 2007 by Quirk Packaging, Inc. Excerpted with permission from Potter Craft, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced without permission in writing from the publisher.