I looked FOREVER for a rosary pattern. I found one, but the beads were too difficult for me. This lady, wisely advised me to change the beads to puff stitches, and with a few other alterations, I’ve made about fifty of these. They make fantastic gifts for Catholics, and once you get the hang of the pattern, it will take less than an hour to do each one. Very inexpensive, yet a gift that will be loved for years.

Also, if you’re ever looking for a service project, this group sends rosaries all over the world. Most are beaded, and will not work for our military, as they are not silent and do not meet the color restrictions. However, the following pattern, crocheted in black, meets all of the requirements. Last I checked, I was the only one that ever sent them any, so the need is definitely there.

Rosary

I use either an E or F hook to make these depending on my mood and the yarn. I use worsted weight acrylic or cotton.

To work the beads:
LIL BEAD– Make a puff stitch
BIG BEAD–Make the same stitch, but collect 11 loops on the hook instead of 7.

Cross:
-Ch8
-Sc twice ch1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, (top of cross)
-Sc in next 2ch, ch 5 sc back to body (one arm of the cross)
-Sc in remaining chs, ch1 2sc in same ch ch1 sc in same ch (bottom of cross)
-Sc up to cross piece, ch5, sc back to body, sc in last 2 ch, sc ch1 sc in same ch as beg, join with slip stitch.

First set of beads:
-Ch4
-Work one BIG BEAD
-Ch 4
-LIL BEAD, ch 2, LIL BEAD, ch 2, LIL BEAD
-Ch 4
-BIG BEAD
-Ch 4

Triangle:
-Sc
-Ch1, turn, 2sc in sc
-Ch1, turn, 2sc in next 2 sc
-Ch1, turn, 2sc in next sc, sc in next 2 sc, 2sc in next sc.

Decades:
-Ch4
-[(LIL BEAD, ch2) 10 times, ch 4, BIG BEAD.] 4 times
-(LIL BEAD, ch2) 10 times

Finishing:
-Ch4, join to beginning triangle with a slip stitch.
-Weave in ends.

**(EDIT 2/04/09): There is now a tutorial on the BEAD STITCHES and a ROSARY POUCH for baby baptisms.

**(EDIT 1/7/09): We had several requests for a Spanish translation of this pattern. So…we accosted all our Spanish-speaking friends. We cannot say for sure that this is going to read just right, so please feel free to correct us!

Espagnol:

Rosario

Cuenta pequeña-Bucle con 7 vueltas en el ganchillo

Cuenta grande- Bucle con 11 vueltas en el ganchillo

Realización:

Cruz:
1-8 cad
2-pb 2cad 1 pb en la 2 ª cad de ganchillo (parte alta de la cruz)

3-pb después 2 cad, 5 cad pb regresando al centro (un brazo de la cruz)
4-pb en los restantes pbs, 1cad, 2 pb en la misma cad, 1cad, pb en la misma cad
(parte baja de la cruz)
5-pb hasta el centro de la cruz , 5cad, pb regresando al centro(el otro brazo), pb en las 2 últimas cad, pb 1cad pb en la misma cad como al principio, anudar el hilo.
Primer juego de cuentas:
1- 4cad

-trb 1 Cuenta Grande
2- 4cad
-Cuenta pequeña, 2cad, Cuenta pequeña, 2cad, Cuenta pequeña
3- 4cad
-Cuenta Grande
4- 4cad
Triangulo:
-pb
-1cad, vuelta, 2 pb en pb
-1cad, vuelta, 2 pb en sig pb
-cad 1, vuelta, 2 pb en los siguientes 2 pb, 2 pb en los sig. pb < Decadas:
-cad 4
-{(Cuenta pequeña, 2cad)10 veces, 4cad, Cuenta Grande}4 veces
-(Cuenta pequeña, 2cad)10 veces
Acabado:
-4 cad, anudar el hilo con el principio del triangulo con un slip stitch
-Cortar el hilo

Ivory