Bulky headband earwarmer - FREE Pattern

Happy February!

I just wanted to share this quick, cute little project with you all my darling readers.
This project uses a Q, 15.75 or 16mm 'speed hook' and 2 strands of chunky weight yarn worked together (you should be able to get one out of a skein) and 2 buttons.

The Bulky headband.
Row 1: Chain 26 Turn, skip 3 spaces and double crochet in the fourth chain from the hook. Double crochet across to the end of the chain. You should have 23 double crochet.

Row 2: Chain 3 and turn, double crochet in each stitch across (23 double crochet).

Row 3:

Chain 3 and turn, double crochet in each stitch across (23 double crochet)

 Fasten off and weave in ends. Sew buttons near the top and bottom on one end. Then you just fasten with the buttons and away you go. Easy.

Variations:
You can  make this project smaller by making a shorter chain. I would recommend no smaller than 19 total stitches for an adult and around 13 for a child sized headband.

If you want to make it a tad wider I would recommend using a half double crochet stitch instead of a double crochet. Simply add an extra row for 4 rows of half double crochet rather than 3 rows of double crochet.

It's fall again!

Happy back to school internet!


I haven't got much for you in terms of projects. It's been a busy summer.

I do have some WIP's that I'd like to share though. No pictures yet, but I'd love to tell you about them.

Firstly I'm working on an 8bit afghan. It's going to be sonic the hedgehog, for my little boy.
It was inspired by the amazing epic gamer afghan, all of the charts for which can be found on ravelry. I was mostly just interested in sonic so rather than figure out the math to make the square bigger what I did was count out how many squares or 'pixels' of each color.

Based on the size I'm looking at making I decided each square should be 2 inches by 2 inches. Then I'll put it all together and build sonic. Fun right? To finish it, I'm not sure if I'll just leave it shaped like sonic or lay it on a background.

I'll give you some more details in about 250 more squares. I'll add some pictures when I get a little further along.

The second thing I'm working on is a heart shaped blanket. I'm just using a basic heart shape and using a thicker yarn/bigger hook, as well as multiplying the number of stitches by 3. I'll try to give you a more concise breakdown of what I did when I finish.

Thirdly. Hooded scarfs with ears for the kids! I haven't started anything yet they're just so cute.

I also was gifted a sewing machine very recently, so expect the seamstress diaries to start soon too.
I'm already playing with some sewing basics and managed to turn out a couple of circle skirts and pj pants.

Weekend slouchy hat - Free pattern

Good day internet.

 

 

I thought I'd share my latest little something or other with all of you out there.

I wanted a nice light slouchy hat, since the weather is getting warmer but I needed it to have a little warmth to it so I chose bernat's roving (in flint if anyone is interested)

This project uses pretty much an entire ball of yarn (I had a tiny tiny bit left over.) and a 6.5mm hook.

I also used some 1.5 inch ribbon  I had lying around.

 

The pattern:

Ch 6 sl st to form ring.
Round 1: Ch 4 (counts as first dc here and throughout) *dcin ring, ch 1,* six times, slst to ch 4 space.
Round 2: Ch 4, dc in same space, *ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1, dc in same space* repeat around  slst to ch 4 space.
Round 3: Ch 4, dc in same space, *ch1, dc in next space, ch1, dc in next space, ch1, dc in same space* repeat around. slst to ch 4 space
Round 4: Ch 4, dc in same space, *ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1, dc in next space, ch1, dc in next space, ch 1, dc in same space* repeat around, slst to ch 4 space.
Round 5: ch 4. dc in same space * ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1, dc in next space, ch 1 dc in same space* repeat around, sl st to ch 4 space.
Round 6 -11 : Ch 4, dc in next space, *ch 1, dc in next space* repeat around, slst to ch 4 space.
round 12: Ch 3 (counts as first hdc here and throughout), hdc in next space and each ch 1 space around (do not hdc in the actual stitched of the last round. just the chain 1 spaces). Slst to chain 3 sp.
Round 13-17, Ch 3, hdc in next stitch, hdc in each stitch around. sl st to ch 3 space. Fasten off at the end of round 17 and weave in ends.
I used 1.5 " Offray robbon in "mudpie" to embellish mine. Just use your crochet hook to weave your ribbon in and out of round 11. I went "over" 2 stitches, "under" 1 around and finished off with a little bow. Burning the cut edges of my ribbon with a lighter to prevent fraying.

PS Sorry for the not so awesome pictures. I posted them via my tablet.

Sweet Spring baby hat

It's been a while since I made a new post!

I haven't been working on new patterns lately but I did whip a little something fairly recently to go along with the little star blanket.

It's just a little hat, but it sure is some sweet - so I thought I'd share it with you, internet. 'Cause I love you like that.

What I used:

A small amount of baby weight yarn, doubled. - feel free to use sport or worsted weight

hook to match yarn wieght- I used a 5mm hook

yarn needle.

My hat measures about six inches long and about seven and a half across the brim.
It's meant to be a newborn to three month size. - you can adjust the size by adding or subtracting a few stitches in the beginning round or adding/subtracting a round of increases.

I used a contrasting color on round 9, if you want to do this just join the second color in the slip stitch of the previous round and change back to your main color when you slip stitch round 9 closed.

Chain 4 and slst to form a ring

Round 1: ch3, 14 DC in ring, sl st top of ch 3.

Round 2: Ch 3, Dc in same stitch, *DC in next stitch, 2 DC in next stitch* around. Slst in top of ch 3.

Round 3: Ch 3, Dc in same stitch, *Dc in next stitch, 2 DC in next stich* around. Slst in top chain 3.

Round 4: Ch 3, Dc in same stitch, Dc in each stitch around. Slst in top of chain 3.

Round 5-9: Ch 3, Dc in same stitch, DC in each stitch around, SlSt in top of chain 3

Round 10: Ch 4, dc in next stitch, ch 2, 2 DC in same stitch, Ch1, skip 2 stitches (2 DC, ch2, 2 DC) in next stitch - first shell made, *Ch 1, skip 2 stitches, shell in next stitch* repeat around, slst in third chain of ch4.

Round 11- 13: Chain 4, Dc in first chain 2 space, chain 2, 2 dc in same space *ch1, shell in next ch2 space* repeat around, slst in third chain of ch4.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

I used this pretty little flower to embellish mine and we're done.

A cute, quick little pattern for those warmer days ahead.

A family of slippers!

I wrote about that time of year in my last post. Fall and chilly weather mean chilly feet. Chilly feet means one of my favorite instant gratification projects: Slippers! I didn't get a chance to make some for myself and husband last year because I was too busy with other projects.

Little miss's well worn slippers from last year

I did get some made for the kids though, I made them slippers in this style last year.My daughter's still fit her and she's still very happy with them. Adjusting the length of my foundation chain according to their foot sizes as per this tutorial. It's super easy if you want to give it a shot. 

finished product. I decided to omit the strap.

A quick rule of thumb for figuring out the length of your foundation chain is to measure the length of your foot then the width of your foot and subtract the width from the length. This is how long you'll need the foundation chain to be. Then you just do 3 stitches in the "corners" (take a look at the first link for the chart- you can follow their basic design only bigger/smaller according to your needs).

black for the husband.

This year I went for something a little bit different. I made mine and my husband's with this pattern. I just didn't add the strap and contrasting color.  This pattern as is makes slippers to fit my size 9 (American women's sizes) feet as well as my husband's size 8 foot with no alterations. She does include some instructions on making them bigger/smaller in the printer friendly version.Basically, you just need to make sure it fits on your toes nicely like in her pictures. Seriously. Go look at her pictures. So. Much. Easier.

 I used the double ring method to start mine (my favorite new trick) but you can use any method of starting in the round.

I had a hard time finding and existing pattern for slippers to fit my little guy. It seems like everything is in baby sizes (this pattern is easy to make a bit bigger by adding an extra round of increases plus adding a bit of length) so I just adjusted this method to make him some. You can easily make these a bit bigger by adding an extra round of increases and then adding an extra row or 2 of length. If you need them smaller. I recommend altering the baby pattern i linked above to be a little bit bigger. Basically you want the toes to fit over the toes your making them for like a little cup.


Here's what I came up with. These fit his little 22 month foot which is 4.5  inches long by 2 inches wide.
I used a 5mm hook and worsted yarn. a small amount of contrasting color and a yarn needle

Round 1: In double ring (or magic ring OR ch4 and in third ch from hook) Work 6 dc. slst in first crochet. Chain 2
round 2: 2 dc in stitch around (12 dc)
Round 3: *2 dc in same stitch, 1dc in next stitch* Repeat around. Join in chsp. (18)

Little slippers for little man.

Round 4: Dc in each stitch around (18 dc). Join in chsp.
Round 5: Ch2 Dc in next 13. Ch2 turn.
Rows 6-11: Dc in next 13. Ch2, turn.
Row 12: Dc in next 5, Dc 3tog, Dc in next 5. fasten off leaving a long tail.
Use the tail to slst or whip stitch the back of the slipper together creating the heel.
Round 13: Attach yarn above heel and sc down side. When you reach the "corner" by the toes sc 3tog.  Dc across toes, sc 3tog at corner and sc up the other side. (If you wish fasten off here and attach a contrasting yarn)
Round 15: sc down side, sc 3 tog at toes, Dc across toes, sc 3tog at corner, Sc up side, Fasten off and weave in ends.

If you like you can add a little button or other embellishment or attach a loop made from a chain halfway down for a little strap. Sky is the limit.

Who wants to learn how to crochet an Octopus?

I thought so!

Twofer today! this has been sitting unpublished in my dashboard for months!

Okay, so this project came into my head and heart earlier this week. A friend drew a picture of two lovey octopuses and it got me thinking that I would love to make one. So after trying it a few times And failing miserably ( I just couldn't get the legs right) I did an interweb search (all hail lord Google!) and came up with some wonderful pictures of the Octopus pattern from Ruby submerine and I found me a free pattern from PaulaGail over at squidoo and I knew what I wanted and now have a fairly good idea of how to achieve my desired effect (Start with the legs! who knew!).


So, Now I'm going to walk to through what I've come up with, with the help of the pattern I found from Squidoo and a few tweaks of my own:

Leg 1: Chain 21. Starting in 2nd ch from end,
5 sc, 13 hdc, 2 dc. Leg should have a natural twist.

Legs 2-8: Without cutting the yarn, repeat steps for leg 1 seven more times. You will have eight curly legs all in a row. Join the legs into a circle with a slip stitch in the first chain of the first leg.

Head and body:

Working from the legs in continuous rounds without turning:
Round 1: Work 2 sc through the dc at the base of each leg (16 st).
Round 2:*1 sc in each of next 2 st, work 2 st together* 4 times (12 st).
Rounds 3, 4: Sc in each sc around (12 st).
Round 5: *1 sc in each of next 2 st, 2 sc in 3rd st* 4 times (16 st).
Round 6: *1 sc in each of next 3 st, 2 sc in 4th st* 4 times (20 st).
Rounds 7-9: Sc in each sc around (20 st).
Round 10: 1 sc in each of next 3 st, work 2 st together* 4 times (16 st).
Round 11: *1 sc in each of next 2 st, work 2 st together* 4 times (12 st).
Round 12: *1 sc in next st, work 2 st together* 4 times (8 st).
Round 13: *Work 2 st together* 4 times (4 st).

Cut yarn. You probably will not have a hole at the top with only 4 st, but if you do,
use yarn end to stitch hole shut. Work in yarn ends.

I attached sew-on googly eyes to the sides and taa-daa!

This one I SC an extra round before I started the major decrease in the head/body. 

He's still not quite right but I'm getting there