Thursday, October 24, 2013

My owl-hat experience (Pattern Link Below)

I first came across this pattern a year ago and made one owl.  Never did anything with the owl - I was going to give it to my nephew but it got buried at the bottom of my closet.  A year later I found it and brought it to work and everybody loved them!  I got a couple different orders for them from my coworkers...here's one of them:


It's a super easy pattern, great for beginners branching out, and I found it here:
http://www.repeatcrafterme.com/2012/09/crochet-owl-hat-pattern-in-newborn.html

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Easy Flower Headband Crochet Pattern

The other day I was having trouble finding a headband pattern I like.  A girl I work with asked me to make her one so she didn't have to spend $25 on the one she wanted.  None of the patterns were looking good so I just created one!  It's a super easy beginner level headband that looks like it could be intermediate or maybe even advanced.  It's available for just $3 in my Etsy shop (flower pattern included): https://www.etsy.com/listing/166295373/flower-headband-crochet-pattern?





Friday, October 11, 2013

Free CROCHET Cable "Knit" Tutorial

Update:  I finally actually tried the pattern, and.........................it's great!  Finished the hat no problem.  I did get hung up in one area..The third set of instructional photos I thought was meant for row 7, but the worded instructions for that round were different than what the pictures were saying.  I figured out the pictures were actually for row 8, and I was to follow the worded instructions for row 7.  I made one of these using worsted weight yarn as suggested and it's pretty thick.  I wanted it to be a bit thinner so I used Patons Lace Sequins on my next one and I liked that look a little better.

Original Post: I love the cable knit look, but as the name says, it's a knit technique.  Once upon a time I bought a pattern that was for a cable knit item, but using crochet.  I was totally confused and had no idea what I was doing so I gave up.  Recently, I came across this tutorial on how to do it.
Even if you don't want to make the hat, this is a really helpful cable "knit" crochet tutorial that can be applied to other projects.
Here it is:





Bubble Stitch Crochet Hat

Love this pattern!  Here are a couple hats I crocheted using a bubble stitch.  Really easy and goes really fast!
They are for sale in my Esty shop (http://www.etsy.com/shop/kelyseboutique)

Or here's a link to buy the pattern (which is not mine): http://www.etsy.com/listing/101936271/popcorn-slouch-beret-crochet-pattern?ref=shop_home_active





Hey, Another Free Pattern! Shell Stitch Fingerless Gloves

Here's another pattern...I can't take credit as it being mine, I found it on Red Heart - it's listed as intermediate.  I took some of the more complicated stuff out but if you like a challenge here's the link to the actual pattern:
http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/crochet-lace-fingerless-mitts
If you just want to stay here and go the easy route, read on...
What I like most about it is that you work in rounds and don't have to sew the sides together at the end. Here's what they look like (I'm a horrible photographer by the way):

Directions are for size medium.  Directions for large is in parentheses.

Gauge:
2 repeats (16 sts) = 2¾”; 2 rnds = 7/8” in pattern
Use any size hook

Abbreviations:
st = stitch
ch = chain
HDC = half double crochet
sl st = slip stitch

Special Stitches:
V-St (V Stitch) = (dc, ch 1, dc) all in same st.

Fan (Fan Stitch) = 5 dc in same ch-1 space or st.

Ch 40 (48).  Join with a slip st to top of first st without twisting.

Rnd 1 (Right Side): Ch 4, dc in same st as slip st (counts as first V-St) * skip next 3 sts, Fan in next st, skip next 3 sts **, V-St in next st; repeat from * around, end at **; join with a slip st in 3rd ch of ch-4; TURN.

Rnd 2: Loosely slip st across next 3 dc, ch 4, dc in same st as last slip st, * Fan in next ch-1 space **, V-St in 3rd dc of next Fan; repeat from * around, end at **; join; turn.

Rnd 3: Repeat Rnd 2

Thumb Opening-Row 4: Loosely slip st across next 3 dc, ch 4, dc in same st as last slip st, [Fan in next ch-1 space, V-St in 3rd dc of next Fan] 4 (5) times; turn leaving last V-St of Rnd 3 unworked; do NOT join.

Rnd 5: Slip st in ch-1 space of first V-St, ch 3, 4 dc in same ch-1 space, [V-St in 3rd dc of next Fan, Fan in next ch-1 space] 4 (5) times, ch 5, slip st in top of ch-3, slip st in next 2 dc; turn.

Rnd 6: Ch 4, dc in same st as last slip st, Fan in 3rd ch of ch-5 space, * V-St in 3rd dc of next Fan, Fan in next ch-1 space; repeat from * around; join; turn.

Top Edging-Rnd 12 (14): Ch 1, *sc in each dc of Fan, 2 sc in ch-1 space of V-St; repeat from * around; join to first st. Fasten off.

Cuff
Rnd 1 (Right Side): Attach yarn to ch on palm side of mitt body; ch 2, hdc in each st around; join with a slip st in top of ch-2 – 40 (48) sts.

Rnds 2-10: Ch 2, hdc in each st around.  Join in top of ch-2.

Fasten off at end of Rnd 10. Weave in ends.

Free Pattern: Simple Fingerless Gloves

I'll start my blog off with a free pattern!  I haven't perfected the art of creating patterns so these are basically just the notes I wrote down to make the gloves you see in the picture.




My materials:
Red Heart Boutique Midnight
Yarn weight - 4 (medium)
Hook size - J-10 (6 mm)

Abbreviations:
ch = chain
st = stitch
Sl st = slip stitch
HDC = half double crochet
DC = double crochet

Ch 24 (as I said, I'm not an expert pattern maker, but I'd say increase or decrease by 2 to change sizes)

Without twisting, sl st to beginning ch to form ring

Round 1: ch 1, HDC in each st around.  Sl st to ch 1.  Do not turn.

Round 2: ch 2, DC in each st around.  Sl st to top of ch 2.  Turn.

Round 3-4:  Repeat round 2

Round 5: sl st across 3 DC.  DC in next 18.  (Leave the remaining 3 stitches of this round unworked and that will equal out to be 24!) DO NOT JOIN.  Turn.

Round 6: ch 2, DC in 18 DC.  Ch 5.  Sl st to 1st DC.  Turn.

Round 7: ch 2, DC around.  Turn.

Round 8-9: Repeat round 7.

Round 10:  ch 1, HDC around.  DO NOT TURN.

Round 11-16 (or however long you want the cuffs):  Repeat round 10.