Crochet Pattern: Seventh Inning Stretch

Two weekends ago, I went to see the Mets play the Pittsburgh Pirates. This wasn’t just any old baseball game, though. It was part of Stitch N’ Pitch, an annual series of yarn- and thread-friendly events at baseball games around the country associated with The (now defunct) National Needlearts Association.

This post contains affiliate links. I may receive compensation (at no added cost to you) if you make a purchase using these links.The yarn for the samples was generously provided by Lion Brand.

I’ve attended Stitch N’ Pitch games in the past with my friends, but this year’s game was different. It was sponsored by Lion Brand Yarn, and so I got the chance to sit next to two of my favorite crochet bloggers, Jessie from Jessie At Home (who I had never met before in real life) and Amy from The Stitchin’ Mommy (who I met back in March when I interviewed her for my podcast).

Knowing that I would be in the presence of crochet greatness had me thinking that I should make something special for the game. I know from past experience that the weather is rarely conducive to crocheting at the stadium, and that neither of the friends who were joining me at the game would be too excited about crocheting in the heat.

While I was contemplating what to make, I came across a blog post by Lion Brand that shares the best options for combining Lion Brand Hometown USA yarns to match your favorite baseball team colors. Pretty soon, an idea was born, and today I’m sharing that pattern with you! These little flags are small enough to fit into your bag for game day and actually make cheering a bit easier (because who really wants to clap in the intense heat?).

You can read more about the fun we had at the game on Jessie At Home here and on The Stitchin’ Mommy here. The short version is that Lion Brand gave us awesome goodie bags, it started out swelteringly hot, we sang for Shira Blumenthal (I’ll link up the video when it’s posted), it rained heavily causing a game delay, and then the Mets lost. Perhaps due to heat exhaustion, I forgot to take pictures while we were there, so I’m grateful that Amy took a selfie of us.

If you make your own Seventh Inning Stretch, I’d love to see it! Share your progress and questions by tagging me on Facebook as @Underground Crafter, Instragram as @ucrafter, or Twitter as @ucrafter. You can also share a picture in the Underground Crafters Facebook group. Sign up for my weekly newsletter and get a coupon code for your choice of one of my premium patterns and private access to my vault of subscriber goodies. Plus, you’ll never miss one of my free patterns again!

Add the Seventh Inning Stretch to your favorites or queue, or buy the ad-free PDF on Ravelry.

Seventh Inning Stretch

Crochet Pattern by Underground Crafter

Root for your favorite sports team with a crocheted mini flag! Use a dowel to provide structure.

Finished Size

• Exact size is not critical for this project. Instructions for adjusting size are included.

Materials for 3 mini flags

• Lion Brand Hometown USA (5 oz/142 g/81 yds/74 m/100% acrylic) – 1 skein ea in 401 Neon Orange (CA) and 109 Fort Worth Blue (CB), or approximately 81 yds (74 m) in ea of 2 colors in any super bulky weight yarn.
• US Size L-11 (8 mm) crochet hook, or any size needed to obtain gauge.
• Yarn needle.
• 3/8” (1 cm) circumference x 36” (91.5 cm) length wooden dowel.
• Hand saw.

Gauge

• Gauge is not important for this project.

Abbreviations Used in This Pattern

• BL – back loop only
• CA – Color A
• CB – Color B
• ch – chain
• ea – each
• FL – front loop only
• rep – repeat
• sc – single crochet
• sl st – slip stitch
• sp – space
• st(s) – stitch(es)
• ^* Rep after asterisk as indicated.

Pattern Notes

• Use a smaller crochet hook than you typically use for the yarn. Keep your stitches tight so the flag portion will be stiff.
• Not a Mets Fan? Lion Brand Yarn lists the color combinations of Hometown USA for different Major League Baseball teams in this blog post.

Pattern Instructions

Prepare mini flag poles

• With hand saw, cut dowel into thirds at 12” (30.5 cm) intervals. Set aside. (Designer note: I’m not so handy with a saw, so MC did this for me.)

Flag (Make 3)

• With CA, ch 2.
• Row 1: Turn, skip 1 ch (counts as ch-1 sp here only), sc in next ch. (1 st)
• Row 2: Turn, ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in ch-1 sp. (3 sts)
• Row 3: Turn, ch 1, 2 sc in first st, sc in ea st across. (Increases by 1 st ea row.)
• Rep Row 3 until you have 19 sts, or until final row reaches your desired width for the flag. Fasten off.

Flag pole covers (Make 3)

• With CB, ch 36 (or make a chain that is slightly longer than your prepared dowel).
• Row 1: Turn, skip 1 ch, sc in next ch and ea ch across. (35 sts)
• Row 2: Turn, ch 1, sc in same st and ea st across.
• Row 3: Rep Row 2 once (or until cover can wrap half way around dowel).

Join flag to cover

• Row 4: Turn, ch 1, sc in same st and next st. Line up last row of flag with next st. *Insert hook through BL of next st on cover and FL of next st on flag, sc through both layers; rep from * across to end of flag. Sc in ea st across to end of row. (See photo tutorial below the pattern.)
• Row 5: Rep Row 2 once (or until piece is long enough to wrap around dowel). Fasten off with a yarn tail approximately 30” (76 cm) long for seaming.

Assembly

• Place dowel in center of cover. With yarn needle and long yarn tail, whipstitch to seam.

Finishing

• Weave in yarn tails on inside of flag cover. Fasten off. Spray blog flag to sharpen point if desired.

Joining and Assembly Tutorial

Join flag to cover

Row 4: Turn, ch 1, sc in same st and next st. Line up last row of flag with next st. *Insert hook through BL of next st on cover and FL of next st on flag, sc through both layers.

Rep from * across to end of flag.

Sc in ea st across to end of row.

Row 5: Rep Row 2 once (or until piece is long enough to wrap around dowel). Fasten off with a yarn tail approximately 30” (76 cm) long for seaming.

Assembly

Place dowel in center of cover.

With yarn needle and long yarn tail, whipstitch to seam.

© 2015 by Marie Segares (Underground Crafter). This pattern is for personal use only. You may use the pattern to make unlimited items for yourself, for charity, or to give as gifts. You may sell items you personally make by hand from this pattern. Do not violate Marie’s copyright by distributing this pattern, the tutorial, or the photos in any form, including but not limited to scanning, photocopying, emailing, or posting on a website or internet discussion group. If you want to share the pattern, point your friends to this link: http://undergroundcrafter.com/2015/08/25/free-pattern-seventh-inning-stretch. Thanks for supporting indie designers!