Teacher Appreciation Blankets 2017/18

So I haven't really been knitting and crocheting much over the past year, so there hasn't been much to update. I'm going to start trying to get into it again, though. I just finished this year's teacher appreciation blankets and am getting ready to start a sweater that my dad has requested, so I'll try to remember to blog about that. Obviously I'm an awful blogger, though, so no promises. But anyways, teacher appreciation blankets:

My son's teacher's favorite colors are blues and greens, so I dug through the yarns I have in my stash and came up with this color palate (yarn details here) and flipped through one of my favorite crochet block pattern books to find a block I thought would look nice. Here's what I came up with:

Block #35, "Tricolor Square," from the book
"200 Crochet Blocks for Blankets, Throws and Afghans."

My daughter's teacher this year was obsessed with Star Wars. He has a whole room in his house dedicated to his Star Wars obsession, in fact. I spent a long time trying to figure out his favorite movies, characters, etc and designing his blanket based on that. Here's what I came up with for him:

Some graphs from here, and some from here.

2014: The Year of Sweaters

I know I've said it for the past two years, but this is the year! I only have to finish up the never ending sweater I'm working on right now (a Harry Potter "Weasley Sweater" that I only have 8" left to finish but it seems like I never get anywhere on), an elephant, an infinity scarf, a monkey, and a child's wrap sweater (that is already partially finished) ... and then all of my current orders are finished and I can start on personal knitting. Here is my list of some sweaters (in no particular order) that I hope to accomplish this year:

I really want a cozy, fuzzy, warm open cardigan. This one is for me!

This one is for my daughter. She is five and a half, and I let her pick out
both the pattern and the yarn. If you couldn't tell, she's very girly.

My dad asked me a few months back about knitting him a cardigan a la
Mr. Rodger's style. (I'm kicking it up a notch.)

This one is on my Christmas gift list for my mom. She picked the pattern
and the yarn, I just have to put it together.

Another one for me! I just can't resist this lacy pattern and I love the
berry color.

Another for my daughter. Now that she's to an age where she's not
growing out of each new size within just a few months, I'd really like to
make her a couple of sweaters.

I'm sure this list will grow as the year progresses --hopefully I'll find at least one sweater to knit for my 3 year old son as well-- but this is it so far. Not that it isn't already substantial. I'm excited to take a break from knitting solely for profit though and make some things for myself and my loved ones. Now I just need to start saving up for all that yarn ...

All sweater pictures were found on Ravelry.com. Yarn sample pictures are from Lion Brand and Knit Picks Websites.

A Simple Headband/Ear-Warmer (Flat Knitting Version)

I've had several people ask for it ... so here's the flat knitting version of my Simple Headband/Ear-Warmer pattern. I haven't personally tested this version, so please please please let me know if I made any mistakes while writing the pattern!

Find the circular version here.

Download the PDF Version here!

(Shown here with the garter rows left out.)

Materials:

• Worsted Weight Yarn (Hobby Lobby’s “I Love This Yarn” in Red)
• Size 8US Knitting Needles
• Stitch Marker

Abbreviations:

• K: knit
• P: purl
• Sts: stitches

Gauge:

4 sts = 1 inch in Stockinette Stitch

Sizes:

Child or Adult

Notes:

The flower shown is crocheted. Any knit/crocheted flower, or practically any other embellishment, would look good too. And if you’re not into embellishments it looks great just on its own as well!

For a Child:

Cast on 84 sts.

Row 1-5: *K2, P2* repeat to end


Row 6: Knit across
Row 7: Purl across
Row 8: Knit across
Row 9: Purl across

Row 10-14: Knit across

Row 15: Purl across
Row 16: Knit across
Row 17: Purl across
Row 18: Knit across

Row 19-23: *K2, P2* repeat to end

Bind off loosely. (If you bind off tightly there will not be enough stretch.)
Using a tapestry needle, join the ends of the headband to form a circle.
Weave in ends.

For an Adult:

Cast on 92 sts.

Row 1-6: *K2, P2* repeat to end

Row 7: Purl across
Row 8: Knit across
Row 9: Purl across
Row 10: Knit across
Row 11: Purl across

Row 12-17: Knit across

Row 18: Purl across
Row 19: Knit across
Row 20: Purl across
Row 21: Knit across
Row 22: Purl across

Row 23-28: *K2, P2* repeat to end


Bind off loosely. (If you bind off tightly there will not be enough stretch.)
Using a tapestry needle, join the ends of the headband to form a circle.
Weave in ends.

Happy Halloween!

My four-year-old likes to read. Not as much as my one-year-old, who is a bookaholic, but she does love reading. I guess really she just loves stories. It doesn't matter if they're in a book, on the tv, or someone is just telling her one. She just loves stories.

About two months ago I got her "Little Red Riding Hood" on my Nook --it's one of the "read to me" stories on there-- and she loved it. That was around the time we got our first Halloween costume magazine in the mail ... and Little Red Riding Hood happened to be one of the costumes in there. And so she made up her mind. She was going to be Little Red Riding Hood for Halloween. And she let me know that her little brother was going to be the Big Bad Wolf ... and her daddy was going to be the Woodsman ... and her Grammy was going to be the Granny. (She ran out of parts for me I guess.)

I thought about just buying costumes from a party store or one of the costume stores on-line ... but money's been a little tight lately and the only wolf costume I could find was $40. And I wasn't even confident my toddler would keep the heavy hood part up, and he wouldn't ever wear it again, so I couldn't really justify that $40 to myself for an outfit for one night ... so I came up with my own costumes.

I didn't get a great picture of them together ... but this is what I could manage.

For my daughter's costume I thought about sewing a Little Red Riding Hood dress myself ... I mean, I'm not a terrible sewer and I've made little dresses before, I could have managed a Halloween costume ... but then I came across this great shop on etsy called "Lover Dovers", and they had the perfect little dress, so there was no reason for me to try to make something on my own. It was a little pricey for my budget, but my daughter is big on playing dress-up --she still uses the ladybug dress from Halloween when she was 1 year old  as the rag dress for Cinderella before she gets her ballgown-- so I know she will get A LOT of use out of it playing dress up. I did make her cape though. I was a little worried because I cheaped out on yarn and used Red Heart ... but I think it turned out ok. I used the Petite Purls "Capuchon" pattern (free) and it took me about three days of off-and-on knitting to finish. Very easy to follow the pattern and could be made in any color for any reason -- not just Little Red Riding Hood.

For the Big Bad Wolf I knew I wanted to make a hat, but it took me up until last week to decide on a pattern. I ended up combining three different wolf hat styles I found while Googling, because I just couldn't find one pattern I really liked. I knew I wanted fuzzy yarn and I ended up using Yarn Bee "Boucle Traditions Brushed Yarn" in Salt & Pepper ... mostly just because it was the only fuzzy yarn I could find in a grey colorway ... but it did the job. Everything else I just kind of made up as I went along until it looked right.

After that I improvised a couple of shoe covers with triangle felt "claws", hand-stitched a big white circle on a grey fleece jacket for the underbelly (hand-stitched so I could easily take the stitches back out to use the jacket as a clothing staple afterwards), stuck him in a grey long-sleeved shirt and grey fleece pants (also post-Halloween clothing staples) ... and called him a wolf.

They tied with each other for second place in their age division (1-4 year olds) and they won first place as a group with their Grammy (as "Granny") and Daddy (as the "Woodsman"). Not too shabby.

The Cat in the Hat

Recently a friend of a friend contacted me in search of a photo prop for her new baby boy. His nursery is Dr Seuss "Cat in the Hat" themed, so that's what we went with!

For this I used a combination of patterns. For the hat and bow tie (not pictured) I used "Top Hat and Bow Tie" by Beezy Mom's Creations. For the furry I cape I adapted a pattern from Calleigh's Clips. Calleigh's Clips does have a pattern for a "Kitty in a Striped Hat", I just preferred the hat pattern from Beezy Mom's Creations so I went with that instead. I do have several other patterns from Calleigh's Clips though and have always loved them, so I just used a pattern I already had from her to make up the cape. I'm happy with how it turned out, and, more importantly, so was the customer.

For the cape I started out using Yarn Bee "Haute Fur" ... but after the third of fourth attempt to unravel a part I wasn't happy with and having the yarn break off with no way to retrieve it, thanks to the texture of the yarn, I had had enough. I will admit it is probably the softest fur yarn out there ... but it just wasn't very easy to work with. I usually crochet as a means of de-stressing and relaxing ... so when I spend all of that time swearing at the yarn I know it's time to try another brand. Lion Brand "Fun Fur" was WAY easier to work with (and cheaper, and available at Walmart). Like night and day. I could unravel stitches if I made a mistake or wasn't completely happy with my work without it getting tangled up and breaking. The other noticeable improvement was the amount of shedding between yarns. "Haute Fur" ended up all over my clothing and couch, while "Fun Fur" barely shed at all (maybe one or two stray "hairs"). I'll definitely use "Fun Fur" again the next time I make something requiring furry yarn. I was not impressed with "Haute Fur" at all.

How cute is that sweet boy sleeping under his "Cat in the Hat" prop? I just love getting pictures from customers of their purchases in use. It always gives me the warm fuzzies. :-)

Marigold Slouch (Knit Pattern)

ERRORS IN ORIGINAL PATTERN!

• If you downloaded this pattern before 10/22/2012, please change the increase row after ribbing from (k7, kfb) to (k6, kfb). This will give you the correct number of stitches. Sorry for the error! Any downloads since 10/22/2012 have the revised pattern and need to make no changes.


• If you downloaded this pattern before 11/03/2012, please change the instructions for “Cable 6 Front” and “Cable 4 Front” from P3/P2 to K3/K2. Any downloads since 11/03/2012 have the revised pattern and need to make no changes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Download the PDF version here!

Materials:

• Worsted weight yarn (Lion Brand Yarn - Vanna's Choice in "Mustard")
• Size 7US (4.5mm) dpn’s
• Size 9US (5.5mm) 16” circular needle
• Size 9US (5.5mm) dpn’s
• Cable Needle
• Tapestry Needle
• Stitch Marker
• Row Counter

Abbreviations:

• dpn’s: double pointed needles
• k: knit
• p: purl
• sts: stitches
• kfb: knit in front and back of stitch
• Cable 6 Back: Slip next 3 sts onto cable needle and hold in back, K3 from left-hand needle, then knit the 3 sts from cable needle
• Cable 6 Front: Slip next 3 sts onto cable needle and hold in front, P3 from left-hand needle, then knit the 3 sts from cable needle
• Cable 4 Back: Slip next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold in back, K2 from left-hand needle, then knit the 2 sts from cable needle
• Cable 4 Front: Slip next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold in front, P2 from left-hand needle, then knit the 2 sts from cable needle

Gauge:

4-4.5 sts = 1” (in Stockinette Stitch)

Size:

Adult

Pattern:

Using smaller dpn’s, cast on 112 sts. (Place marker.)

Work 7 rows in 1x1 rib. (k1, p1)

Switch to circular needle and work one increase row as follows: *k6, kfb* repeat around (128 sts)

Rows 1-2: *p4, k12* repeat around
Row 3: *p4, cable 6 back, cable 6 front* repeat around
Rows 4-8: *p4, k12* repeat around

Repeat rows 3-8 six more times. (40 pattern rows)
Work rows 3-6 once more.

Shape Top:

Row 1: *(p2tog) twice, k1, k2tog, k1, (k2tog) twice, k1, k2tog, k1* repeat around (80 sts)
Row 2: *p2, k8* repeat around
Row 3: *p2, cable 4 back, cable 4 front* repeat around
Row 4: *p2, k8* repeat around
Row 5: *p2tog, (k2tog) 4 times* repeat around (40 sts)
Row 6: *p1, k4* repeat around
Row 7: *p1, (k2tog) twice* repeat around (24 sts)
Row 8: *p1, k2* repeat around
Row 9: *k2tog* repeat around (12 sts)

Finishing:

Break off yarn, leaving an 8-10” tail. Using a tapestry needle, thread end through the active stitches on the needle. Pull tight and secure on the inside (wrong side) of hat. Weave in any remaining ends. Hat should look like the picture to the right at this point.

Blocking:

Soak hat in warm water for 20-30 minutes. Stretch hat around a salad plate (or other mostly flat circular object approx 8.5” in diameter), as shown in the pictures below, and allow to dry completely. (Don’t worry if there is a slight crease once it’s dried, that will smooth out with wear.) This keeps the hat from taking on a ribbed appearance (because of the purl stitches between the cables) and will ultimately give it the slouchy shape you’re looking for.

Another Mermaid Photo Prop

Pattern can be found at Caleigh’s Clips.

I knew I was going to end up making several of these. I just love the crocodile stitch and how pretty the yarn works up. This time I tried out the Prism¹ colorway with an Amethyst² top and crown. As much as I love the colorway of the tail, I had a really hard time coming up with colors to match for the top, crown, and flower. I originally wanted to do some sort of magenta color to make the top really "pop", but the colors I tried just looked out of place in the end. Then I tried a darker purple, and it still didn't really "go". Then I thought about a turquoise or green ... but nothing quite looked right. I'm happy with the Amethyst, even if it's not what I really had in mind. The flower I like for the most part ... I just wish I could have found a blue that matched a little better for the bottom layer. I'll have to keep looking for next time. And the crown was the most frustrating. I didn't want it to be the same color as the top. I wanted each piece to "pop" separately, on their own ... but no other color looked right for the crown. I tried green, blue, and that golden color you can make out here and there, but they all looked very wrong with the rest of the set. Oh well I guess. I think the flower headband is cuter with the set anyways, lol. :-P Overall I think it turned out pretty cute though. Hopefully when I see it modeled by a sweet baby girl I'll like it even more!

1: Lion Brand "Tweed Stripes".
2: Hobby Lobby "I Love This Yarn".

Leah the Little Mermaid

I have been really enjoying finding patterns for and making newborn photography props lately. This one I was especially excited about. I loved everything from the yarn, to the crocodile stitch patterned tail. And the sweet baby girl modeling it for me just topped it off.

(Photos of baby Leah are courtesy of my wonderful friend Leslie--Leah's
momma, and our friend Brigid who does amazing photography.)

The pattern is "Mermaid Princess" from Caleigh's Clips' Cuddle Critter Cape Sets (try saying that ten times fast!). If you are a crocheter and haven't checked out Caliegh's Clips, you need to. She has some incredibly original and creative patterns and they're all very well written and easy to understand. She even has video instructions for the more difficult techniques. It's just an awesome shop.

I've never attempted a crocodile stitch before, but I've seen several projects, mostly on Pinterest, that use it and I always think to myself how neat it looks. Once I found this pattern I knew it was the one I wanted to try out the crocodile stitch with. Luckily the pattern is written so well that it was a piece of cake to pick up the technique. Within a few crocodile stitches I was hardly thinking about it anymore. If you can double crochet, you can do the crocodile stitch.

I also loved the yarn the tail uses. It's Lion Brand "Tweed Stripes", and I was able to find it at our Walmart for under $5/skein. This specific colorway, "Lakeside", was even on clearance for $2.50! (I bought up all the skeins both of my nearest Walmarts had, lol.) I just finished up another set using the "Prism" colorway which I love just as much. I can't wait to try out the "Luau" colorway next, and maybe one of the primarily green colorways after that. I'm pretty sure I'll end up making lots of these sets just because I enjoyed the pattern and yarn so much.

For the shell top I got a little fancy and went with Red Heart "Shimmer" in "Lime". I wasn't sure if it would end up being too much with all the colors and patterns of the tail, but I absolutely love the way it came out. I think the subtle sparkle in the top looks really cute, and adds just the perfect special touch.

The pattern comes with the crown, but I thought it might be cuter with a little flower headband instead, so I went ahead and made both for Leah to try on. I love little crocheted flowers and I think the flower headband looks perfect with this set. I just love the way it all turned out and am so glad Leslie let me make it for sweet little Leah. I couldn't have asked for a cuter little model!

Ballard Slouch Hat (Review)

This is the second time I've tried the Ballard Slouch Hat by Felicia Lo, and this is the second time it has come out  very non-slouchy. I even added the extra set of 12 rows this time, and it still wasn't slouchy enough for an adult. I don't know what it is about this pattern, but I just can't get it to be slouchy enough. I think if I ever attempt it again I'm going to add an extra three sets to try to get it to have the slouch a slouchy hat should have.

I do really like the design the pattern makes. And I love the way Knit Picks Chroma Worsted yarn looks in a slouchy hat. I'll just have to keep looking to find the "perfect" slouchy hat ...

In the meantime I guess it'll work for my 3 (almost 4 -- wah!!!) year old this fall and winter. Not what I was going for, but she loves accessories so she's pleased as punch!

Does anyone have any favorite slouch hat patterns (knit or crochet -- I'm not picky) that they recommend? I'd love tried-and-true suggestions!

I Think I Can ... I Think I Can ...

Do you ever have projects that you just can't seem to get right? I'm a bit (that's an understatement) of a perfectionist, so if something isn't  perfect I frog it and start again. The project I'm currently working on has been completely frogged 4 times (so far). I just can't seem to get it right. I'm putting all the blame on the yarn. I do not like Lion Brand Homespun yarn. It is so hard to work with! I am always losing my count or having trouble picking up my stitches with it. The finished product always ends up so soft and cozy ... but I just have the worst time getting to that finish line. I will say that crocheting with Homespun is much easier than knitting with it ... but it's still very far down my list of favorite yarns. I need to get this project done by Friday, so keep your fingers crossed I don't end up having to frog it again. I should have some interesting pictures of this next week for you guys. ;-)

Lion Brand Yarn "Bunny Blanket Buddy" (Knit Version)

This pattern has been in my binder for a while now. Like ... years. I just have never gotten around to making it. It's called "Bunny Blanket Buddy" and you can find it on Lion Brand Yarn's website. It's a free pattern that has both a knit (here) and crochet (here) version.

I used Baby Bee Dreamy Baby Chenille in "Boo Pink" and I think it's just the perfect yarn for this project. Super soft and cuddly, which is exactly how a lovey should be.

I started out with the crochet version, hoping to save myself some time since crocheting is quicker than knitting. I got a few rows into it and frogged it. It just doesn't look as good crocheted. It was ok, but I knew I'd much prefer the knit version, so that's what I went with.

Overall I like the way it turned out. There are a couple things I would change though. Next time I will definitely lengthen the ears. Maybe even twice the length they are in the original pattern. One of my friends commented that it looks a bit like a dog the way the ears are now, and I agree. I think they need to be quite a bit longer to give it a much more obvious "bunny" look. I also think I will make the head a little shorter next time, but only by a few rows (maybe 3" instead of 3.5").

One thing I absolutely loved with this pattern was the way the head was knit. It's a technique I've never seen before (Has anyone else? Have I been living under a rock or is this as awesome as I think it is?) and I wish I had a million more projects to do with it! At first I was confused and thought the head was coming out as a flat rectangle ... which I wasn't very happy with. Then at the very end it suddenly pops open with a little hole for stuffing, and what I thought was a flat rectangle was actually a little pocket! It blew my mind! (Totally not exaggerating -- ask my husband. I was so excited about this!)

Overall I thought this knit up pretty cute, and I think I'll love it once I make those alterations I talked about. It may end up being my new go-to baby gift!

Simple Crochet Bow - with Pictures! (Crochet Pattern)

This is a simple little bow that can be used as a hair accessory or embellishment for a number of projects. It takes less than a half hour to make (seriously 10 minutes or so once you get the hang of it) and is easy to adjust to different types of yarn -- just go up or down to an appropriate hook size.

Download the PDF version here!

My little girl modeling the bow on a headband.
You should have seen the out-takes. She is
not a very cooperative little model, lol.

Materials:

• Worsted Weight Yarn (I used Hobby Lobby's "I Love This Yarn")


• Size "H" (5.00 mm) Hook


• Tapestry Needle for weaving in ends

Abbreviations:

• ch: Chain


• sc: single crochet

Gauge:

Not crucial for this project.

Step One:

- Chain 15 sts. Sc in second stitch from hook and then continue with "Row 1".
- Row 1:  sc in each st, ch 1 at end and turn
- Repeat Row 1 three or four more times, depending on how thick/full you want your bow to look.

Row 1 was repeated three times in this example. To see an example of four rows scroll to the bottom and see the purple bow.

Step Two:

- Make a sc border around your whole rectangle. (Just sc in each stitch around your whole piece.)
- When you come to a corner sc once in the corner st, ch 2, and then sc again in the same stitch -- this will keep your piece looking more like a rectangle and less like an oval. (Feel free to skip this if you want the edges of your bow to be very rounded.)
- Weave in any ends you have so that they'll disappear under the center wrap when you finish your bow.

Step Three:

- Pinch the bow in the middle so that it folds up sort of like an accordion.
- Make sure that both edges are facing the same direction.
- Tie a small length of yarn around the center to keep it cinched.
- Trim the ends so they're easy to hide when you wrap the center of the bow in the next step.

Step Four:

- Using a longer length of yarn wrap the center of your bow until it looks finished.
- Tie off in the back and trim the ends so they'll be easy to hide when you attach your bow to whatever it is you choose.

Step Five:

- Attach your bow to an alligator clippie, barette, hair tie, or headband ... or really anything else you'd like ... and voila.

Row 1 was repeated three times in the pink bow and four times
in the purple bow. You can see the slight difference in fullness
between the two.

To make a headband:

... like the pink bow is attached to in the above picture simply make a chain the circumference you need to fit, slip stitch the ends together (making sure the chain is facing the same direction all the way around), and weave in the ends to finish it. Then attach your bow.

Easy Rolled Brim Hat (Knit Pattern)

This is a very simple rolled brim hat knit on double-pointed needles. It has quite a bit of stretch to it to accommodate growth, and the rolled brim allows parents to roll the brim up or down to fit their baby perfectly. It's the perfect hat!

Download the PDF version here!!

Never used DPNs? Don't be scared! Once you figure it out you'll wonder why you never tried it before! Here and here are two Youtube videos that might help you learn. You can either cast on all your stitches to one straight needle and then divide them between your 3 dpns, or you can cast on directly to your dpns while making sure to divide your stitches evenly (this is my preferred method). Feel free to ask me questions if you get confused!

NOTE: Make sure to measure your gauge and adjust appropriately! As I've mentioned before, I tend to have a tighter gauge than the average knitter.
 

Materials:

• Worsted Weight Yarn (I used Knit Picks Chroma Worsted Yarn in "Lollipop")
• Size 7 DPN's
• Tapestry Needle for weaving in ends
   

Abbreviations:

• DPNs: Double-Pointed Needles
• k: Knit
• k2tog: Knit Two Together
   

Gauge:

2"x2" = 10 stitches x 15 rows (stockinette stitch)

Size:

0-6 months (6-12 months, toddler)

Pattern:

Cast on 70 (80, 90) stitches, distributed evenly between your three DPN's.
Knit every row until your hat measures approx. 4.5 (5.25, 6) inches from the cast-on edge.

Begin Shaping Top:

Round 1: *k8, k2tog* (repeat around)
Round 2 and every alternating round: knit
Round 3: *k7, k2tog* (repeat around)
Round 5: *k6, k2tog* (repeat around)
Round 7: *k5, k2tog* (repeat around)
Round 9: *k4, k2tog* (repeat around)
Round 11: *k3, k2tog* (repeat around)
Round 13: *k2, k2tog* (repeat around)
Round 15: *k1, k2tog* (repeat around)
Round 17: *k2tog * (repeat around)

Finishing Option 1:

Continue knitting in the round on your 7 remaining active stitches (make sure to keep your stitches as tight as possible so your needles don't slip out -- the less stitches, the harder it is to keep them on there) until your "tube" measures approx. 3 inches. Cut your yarn, leaving about a 10 inch tail, and thread it through your active stitches using your tapestry needle. Pull the end through the top of the hat (this is why we left the tail so long -- so it can make it through the whole "tube") so it's on the inside (wrong side) of your hat, then pull tight to close the hole. Loop you "tube" around in a knot, getting the knot as close to the top of the hat as possible, and pull tight. Cut the tail left on the inside of your hat, and weave in any ends you may have.

Finishing Option 2:

Cut your yarn, leaving about a 6 inch tail, and thread it through your active stitches using your tapestry needle. Pull the end through the top of the hat so it's on the inside (wrong side) of your hat, then pull tight to close the hole and weave in your ends. Leave the top smooth or add a pom-pom.

Long Time ... No Post

I'm finally finished with the work in progress I last posted about. Between the 20,000+ single crochets and my thumb deciding to spend a week too tight to bend, this blanket took forever. Foreeeeeeeever! But it's done and I think it turned out nicely. I was surprised at how nicely Red Heart yarn softens up after a couple of washes. I was a little worried it'd be too stiff and coarse, but it's very nice for an acrylic yarn (after washing, that is).

Hopefully now that my thumb is feeling better I"ll be able to get more accomplished and get back to posting again!

Rainbow Granny Stripe Blanket

I told you I'd be finished with my "WIP Wednesday" project by today! I finished late last night (and I mean late, I didn't put my hook down until 3:00am!) and washed it this morning so I could take pictures. Here it is:

This wasn't for anyone in particular, I just really wanted to make a rainbow baby blanket. Since I ran out of yarn for the blanket I was working on (last week's "WIP Wednesday") I needed something else to keep me entertained between smaller projects, and since I had most of the colors to start this, I did!

The pattern is "Granny Stripes Afghan", free on Caron International's website. I went up a hook size, from H to I, to keep the blanket soft and flowy since it's a baby blanket. I used Caron Simply Soft in the following colors: soft pink, light country peach, sunshine, pistachio, soft blue, orchid, and white for the border. I also added 24 additional chains to the beginning to make it slightly larger, and used a scalloped edge instead of the edge given in the pattern to make it read a little more "baby". It took me 4 days of crocheting --only in the evenings, mostly after my kids had gone to bed-- and was just about as simple as a pattern could be. If you want a quick project I certainly recommend this!

Cloud-Soft Shells Blanket (WIP)

I've been working on a pattern out of the book "Our Best Baby Afghans" by Leisure Arts. It's made up of shell stitch and v-stitch, and is very simple and repetitive. I am loving the pattern because it's very quick, has great texture, and I can see my progress after each row. I'll definitely be using this pattern again.

I chose Caron Simply Soft Paints for this project because I loved the "Driftwood" colorway. I've used Caron Simply Soft about a million times before for various baby items, blankets, etc and have always loved it. I'm not the biggest fan of the sheen it has -- I don't like that for every project, but you can't beat the softness. I assumed that the Paints line would be the same ... but I've been disappointed. Paints is much coarser in texture. When I washed my swatch with fabric softener and dried it with a dryer sheet it didn't soften up at all. I tried a second time in hot water, hoping that would get out all of the chemicals and dyes that could possibly be making it feel rough, and it still felt the same. I'm not sure "Simply Soft" is an appropriate name for the Paints line.

I used an I hook for this blanket, even though the wrapper on the yarn recommends an H. I should have gone up to a J even, and have been considering frogging what I have completed and re-starting with a J hook, but I'm 3 skeins in already. If I ever use this yarn again (which I am not sure I will) I will not use anything smaller than a J hook.

Three skeins of Simply Soft Paint. (Remote is for size reference.)

Speaking of 3 skeins ... that's nothing. I'm going to need probably 4 more skeins to finish, and that's before I add the border. Which means I'll need 4 more skeins of the Paints, and 1 skein of regular Simply Soft in a plain color (I'm thinking off-white with a single crochet brown border on the very edge) before I've finished this blanket. That's a crazy amount of yarn to me for a crib-sized blanket. I guess what they say about crocheting taking 3 times more yarn than knitting is true. I've never used more than 2 or  maybe 3 skeins to finish a [knit] crib-sized blanket before, and I'm not even halfway done with this one. Hopefully I can keep going as quickly to finish it up as I've been going so far. Crochet certainly works up more quickly than knitting, even if it does take a considerable amount more yarn.

Intertwining Diamonds Cabled Headband/Ear-Warmer (Knit Pattern)

Download the PDF version here!

This pattern is worked back and forth on two straight needles, NOT in the round.
The ends are joined at the end of the project to create the loop.

Materials:

• Worsted weight yarn (I used Hobby Lobby "I Love This Yarn" in Royal)
• Size 8 Needles
• Cable Needle (or 1 Double-Pointed Needle)
   

Abbreviations:

• Cable 4 Back: Slip next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold in back, K2 from left-hand needle, then knit the 2 sts from cable needle
• Cable 3 Left: Slip next 2 sts onto cable needle and hold in front, P1 from left-hand needle, then knit the 2 sts from cable needle
• Cable 3 Right: Slip next st onto cable needle and hold in back, K2 from left-hand needle, then purl the st from cable needle
   

Gauge:

I didn’t measure my gauge for this (sorry!). If you tend to knit loosely you might want to go down a needle size. I knit on the tighter side.

Size:

Adult

Note:

The "Knit 3" at the beginning and end of each row creates the ribbing necessary for your headband/ear-warmer to fit properly.

Pattern:

Cast on 24 stitches.
Row 1: Knit 3, Purl 1, Knit 2, Purl 4, Knit 4, Purl 4, Knit 2, Purl 1, Knit 3
Row 2: K3, work each stitch in the manner it presents, K3
Row 3: K3, P1, K2, P4, Cable 4 Back, P4, K2, P1, K3
Row 4: K3, work each stitch in the manner it presents, K3
Row 5: K3, P1, Cable 3 Left, P2, Cable 3 Right, Cable 3 Left, P2, Cable 3 Right, P1, K3
Row 6: K3, work each stitch in the manner it presents, K3
Row 7: K3, P2, Cable 3 Left, Cable 3 Right, P2, Cable 3 Left, Cable 3 Right, P2, K3
Row 8: K3, work each stitch in the manner it presents, K3
Row 9: K3, P3, Cable 4 Back, P4, Cable 4 Back, P3, K3
Row 10: K3, work each stitch in the manner it presents, K3
Row 11: K3, P3, K4, P4, K4, P3, K3
Row 12: K3, work each stitch in the manner it presents, K3
Row 13: Repeat Row 9
Row 14: K3, work each stitch in the manner it presents, K3
Row 15: K3, P2, Cable 3 Right, Cable 3 Left, P2, Cable 3 Right, Cable 3 Left, P2, K3
Row 16: K3, work each stitch in the manner it presents, K3
Row 17: K3, P1, Cable 3 right, P2, Cable 3 Left, Cable 3 Right, P2, Cable 3 Left, P1, K3
Row 18: K3, work each stitch in the manner it presents, K3
Row 19: K3, P1, K2, P4, Cable 4 Back, P4, K2, P1, K3
Row 20: K3, work each stitch in the manner it presents, K3

Repeat these 20 rows until headband/ear-warmer measures roughly 20-21" in length. Bind off and sew beginning and ending rows together, making sure not to twist headband/ear-warmer. Weave in ends.

A Simple Headband/Ear-Warmer (Knit Pattern)

Find the flat knitting version here.

Download the PDF version here!

Materials:

• Worsted Weight Yarn (I used Hobby Lobby's "I Love This Yarn" in Red)
• Size 8 16" Circular Knitting Needle
• Stitch Marker

Abbreviations:

• K: knit
• P: purl
• Sts: stitches
   

Gauge:

4 sts = 1 inch in stockinette stitch

Size:

Child or Adult

Notes:

The flower is crocheted, but apparently the pattern I used is no longer available, so here is one that is very close you can try instead. Any knit or crocheted flower, or practically any other embellishment, would look just as good. And if you're not so into embellishments I think it looks pretty good just on it's own as well!

(Sorry about the slightly blurry picture!)

For a child:

Cast on 84 sts. Place stitch marker.
Rows 1-5: K2, P2
Rows 6-10: Knit all sts
Row 11: Purl all sts
Row 12: Knit all sts
Row 13: Purl all sts
Rows 14-18: Knit all sts
Rows 19-23: K2, P2
**Bind off loosely. (If you bind off tightly your headband/ear-warmer will not stretch.)
Weave in ends.
 

For an Adult:

Cast on 92 sts. Place stitch marker.
Rows 1-6: K2, P2
Rows 7-12: Knit all sts
Row 13: Purl all sts
Row 14: Knit all sts
Row 15: Purl all sts
Rows 16-21: Knit all sts
Rows 22-27: K2, P2
**Bind off loosely. (If you bind off tightly your headband/ear-warmer will not stretch.)
Weave in ends.
 

Note about binding off:

I flip my headband/ear-warmer inside out and bind off in the opposite direction than I've been knitting because I think it looks better, with a more "finished" look, this way.
 

The Cheeseburger Hat (Crochet Pattern)

NOTE: PLEASE CHECK YOUR GAUGE and adjust hook size if necessary! I tend to crochet tighter than average, so what fits children for me and my gauge might fit adults for yours.

Download the PDF version here!

Photo courtesy The Not-So-Mad Hatter.

Materials:

• Worsted Weight Yarn in the following colors: (what I used will be in italics inside parenthesis)
  • Tan (Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn - Sun Gold)
  • Green (Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn - Jelly Bean)
  • Red (Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn - Red)
  • Yellow (Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn - Yellow)
  • Brown (Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn - Brown)
  • Off-White/Ivory (Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn - Ivory)
  • Size J (6.00 mm) Hook
    - PLEASE CHECK YOUR GAUGE! I suggest going down one or two hook sizes (US size I or H) if your gauge does not match mine.
  • Tapestry Needle
     

Abbreviations:

• sts: stitches
• sk: skip stitch
• sc: single crochet
• hdc: half double crochet
• dc: double crochet
• *___*: repeat whatever is between the *'s around
 

Gauge:

2"x2" = 7 hdc x 5 rows

Sizes:

This pattern will fit preschoolers up to older children.

• To make a toddler size you will need to leave out row #7 (which will give you 60 sts instead of 66 sts), make 2 less tan rows in the upper section than called for, and 1 less tan row in the last section than called for.
• To make an adult size simply go up one hook size.
   

Notes:

Join each round with a slip stitch in the first stitch.

Pattern:

Begin with tan yarn and a magic loop. If you don't know how to do a magic loop, watch this video for a tutorial. (If you are uncomfortable with the magic loop you can chain 2 and start with Round 1 into the 1st chain.)

Round 1: 9 hdc in magic loop. (10 sts)
Round 2: ch 2, 2 hdc in each st. (20)
Round 3: ch 2, *2 hdc in 1st st, 1 hdc in next st* (30)
Round 4: ch 2, *2 hdc in 1st st, 1 hdc in next 2 sts* (40)
Round 5: ch 2, *2 hdc in 1st st, 1 hdc in next 3 sts* (50)
Round 6: ch 2, *2 hdc in 1st st, 1 hdc in next 4 sts* (60)
Round 7: ch 2, *2 hdc in 1st st, 1 hdc in next 9 sts* (66)
Round 8-10: hdc in each st

Switch to green yarn.

Round 11: dc in each st
Round 12: work this round in front loops only - *sk 2, sc, sk 2, 6 dc in st*
Round 13:  dc in each back loop of round 11 (you will have a ruffle of "lettuce" sticking out -- don't worry about this until later)

Switch to red yarn.

Round 14: dc in each st

Switch to yellow yarn.

Rounds 15-16: sc in each st

Switch to brown yarn.

Round 17: *sc, dc*
Round 18: *dc, sc*
Round 19: *sc, dc*

Switch back to tan yarn.

Rounds 20-22: hdc in each st
Round 23: sc in each st

Fasten off and weave in all ends.

Finishing:

Using the green yarn and tapestry needle, sew down the "lettuce" ruffle, taking care not to make it too tight which will keep the hat from stretching properly.

Embroider sesame seeds using off-white/ivory yarn and tapestry needle. Make a tear-drop shaped outline and then fill it in.