Victorian Style Gothic Choker

This is a craft project that I designed a few months ago and have only just got round to posting!  I hope the pattern is easy to follow, but although I do crochet, I don’t often write or read patterns, so I hope I have the abbreviations and terminology right!  If not, sorry…

Knitting Pattern For An Easy, Lace-effect Choker

 You will need:

•  2 x skeins of black embroidery cotton
• 2 x skeins of contrasting, gothic-colour embroidery cotton (we used dark red, but dark purple or dark green would be equally effective)
• 1 x pair of 3 ¼ knitting needles
• 1 x 2.5mm crochet hook
• 1 sewing needle
• 1 charm / pendant
• 1 button
• Some cotton for sewing on charm and button

 Before you begin:   Take your neck measurements; you will find that the cotton has a little give in it, so don’t be generous or your choker will slip!

 Please note that the lace-effect is only worked on what will be the top and bottom edges of the choker, not the sides.

 Abbreviations:

• K – knit
• S – slip
• M – make
• C -chain
• ss -slip stitch

 ~ The Pattern ~

Take the black cotton and cast on 6 stitches on the 3 ¼ needles.

Row 1: k to end

Row 2: S1, k to end

Repeat Row 2 until your work measures the measurement you took for your neck minus 1.5 cm.

Next row: K2, Cast 2 off, K2

Next row: K2, M2, K2

Repeat Row 2 for 1cm, then cast off.

Sew in ends.

The Lace-Effect Edging   Take the red cotton and the crochet hook. Starting at one end, with the right-side facing you:

ss1, into corner row end, [c3, ss1 into row end,] repeat brackets until the end of the choker is reached.

Repeat above with the bottom of the choker.

Sew in ends, and then sew on button and pendant / charm.