Flower Hat

Conundrum: I crocheted this 'women's' hat following the pattern's recommended yarn, gauge, and hook - and it fits my 2.5-year-old sister. Oh well. It looks adorable on her. However, I do find myself lying awake at night wondering if my family's heads are disproportionately large.

P.S. I just realized that my sister is wearing the same shirt here that she wore when she last modeled for me. Rest assured: she does own more than one shirt.

• Hat pattern (I used a J hook and only worked through round 13)
• Flower pattern: I made one up, and now I can't remember how I did it. This pattern looks similar. 

No Time for Crocheting

I'm a busy girl. Sewing for my shop has taken up all my creative energies this week, so I apologize for the lack of posts.

I'm hoping to start on some crochet Christmas presents soon. They'll probably turn up here.

Please don't think I'm one of those people. You know - the women that have all their Christmas presents purchased by October, and their house is always clean, and they only wear True Religion or Seven for All Mankind jeans. Because I'm certainly not (in fact, 99% of my pants are from Goodwill).

It's just that I love to be able to make Christmas presents myself (my bank account loves it too) but I tend to get more Etsy business in Nov./Dec., so I don't feel like making presents then. Thus - early present-creating. I'll keep you updated.

An Apple For Teacher

{photo source: me}

I just finished crocheting this apple, and realized how awfully clever it would be to place one of these on your teacher's desk when school starts. Just a thought.

{photo source: me}

I used a pattern from Tasty Crochet: A Pantry Full of Patterns for 33 Tasty Treats. It's a lovely book and if you get it from your library (as I did) all the patterns are, naturally, free. The projects are happily bereft of cute faces and over-sized heads - I'm not against amigurumi, but it's nice to see something a little different on the market.

Some Things I've Realized

{photo source: me}

• There are many cool crochet patterns to be found in books - not just on the web. And, if you get said books from your library, the patterns are free. Here's a few I'm liking:

-Get Hooked Again: Simple Steps to Crochet More Cool Stuff (looks hopelessly tween-centered, but if you get past the jean jackets and cheesy poses, there are nice patterns in here)

-Kid's Crochet: Projects for Kids of all Ages (okay, I'm starting to look immature here, but these young people are onto something: the patterns here are classy, simple, and modern - and, unlike the last book, the photography and styling are beautiful)

-Crochet Me (this one has a bit of an awkward, middle-aged hipster-wannabe vibe about it, but there are a few stand-out patterns and, if you can overlook some odd yarn choices, the rest of them are quite decent)

• This low-fat chocolate mousse is really good. And I'm the last person who would like anything described as 'low-fat chocolate mousse'.

• Crocheting for charities is fun. I'm currently making a few things to mail in Operation Christmas Child shoe-boxes to disadvantaged children in third-world countries. 

Über-Cool Weekend Pattern: Nell Babydoll Top

'Über-Cool Weekend Pattern' - in which I post an extra-awesome pattern that's above and beyond my skill level, but deserves a shout-out nonetheless.

                            

{photo source: berroco.com}

This top is so right, but when I imagine myself actually making it, it's so wrong. I don't even know the name of most of the stitches used in the bodice. Add the difficulty of fit, and it's a bad picture. 

{photo source: berroco.com}

However, it is undeniably chic. It looks like high-end ready-to-wear, which, if we're perfectly honest, most crochet clothing patterns never approach. I hope one of you has the skills to make it. I'll save babydolls for the distant future. 

• Nell Babydoll Top

Zinnia Headband

I've never made a crochet flower before this. It was fun and instantly gratifying. And, since my little sister can never have too many hair accessories (mainly because she loses all of them), I attached the flower to a 5/8" wide elastic band to make a headband. 

{photo source: me}

{photo source: me}

I'm not sure why she made this face. Probably because I had just told her that I'd give her a marshmallow if she stood still for a second. 

• Zinnia pattern  (I switched yarn colors on round 4)

• To make a headband, cut a piece of elastic that fits around your (or the person you're making the headband for) head comfortably, adding a 1/2" for seam allowance. Lap the ends over each other by 1/4" and hand-stitch together. Slip on the headband and decide where you want the flower. Pin it in place and remove headband. Sew the flower in place through the flower's center.

Slouchy Beanie

{photo source: me}

The other day my sister was shopping the web for one of those slouchy hipster beanies (average price: $10 -$20). "Not if I can do it for $4!" I cried. Needless to say, I didn't charge for the 2-3 hours labor - just the yarn, a skein of Caron Simply Soft.

It took me awhile to locate the perfect pattern: it had to accommodate my lack of experience, look decent, and use worsted weight yarn and a hook size I owned. The one I managed to find is gold (not to mention a great way to practice your double crochet).

I should note that I changed the pattern slightly. I only worked through round 21, and then I did one round of single crochet in just the back loops to create an edge for the hat.
I also worked 5 decrease stitches in that last round. I tried to make the decreases even (following this method). Didn't work. However, it looks fine. So if you want to make one like mine, just be sure to decrease 5 times. Placement is unimportant.

FYI: My sister's head measurement is 22 inches.

{photo source: me}

{photo source: me}

• Slouchy Beanie Pattern