Crochet Minnie Mouse Hat

Little kids say the darndest things, don't they?  Well, my "niece" is in love with Minnie Mouse.  She will bring the DVD to me and ask, "watch?"  She's the cutest.  Spending a week with her at the beach was an enormous amount of fun. 

Materials:

5.0 mm hook
Loops & Threads Impeccable in black and soft rose

Size:

Fits most 1-3 year olds.  I made this hat for my cousin's 1.5 year old and she loves it!

Abbreviations:

magic ring: here is a tutorial for right handed crocheters

ch: chain

sl st: slip stitch

dc: double crochet
sc: single crochet

Hat:

Note: for all sl st at the end of the rounds, be sure to sl st them with your first dc and NOT your ch 2

using black
Rnd 1: 10 dc in magic ring, sl st in first dc (10 sts)

Rnd 2: ch 2, 2 dc in the same st as you sl st, [2 dc] around, sl st in first dc (20 sts)

Rnd 3: ch 2, 2 dc in the same st as you sl st, dc in next st, [2 dc, dc] around, sl st in first dc (30 sts)

Rnd 4: ch 2, 2 dc in the same st as you sl st, dc in the next 2 sts, [2 dc, dc in next 2 sts] around, sl st in first dc (40 sts)

Rnd 5: ch 2, 2 dc in the same st as you sl st, dc in the next 3 sts, [2 dc, dc in next 3 sts] around, sl st in first dc (50 sts)

Rnd 6: ch 2, 2 dc in the same st as you sl st, dc in the next 4 sts, [2 dc, dc in next 4 sts] around, sl st in first dc (60 sts)

Rnd 7-14: ch 2, dc around, sl st in first dc (60 sts)

CHANGE COLORS... here is a good video tutorial on how to change colors for a round when crocheting

Rnd 15-17: ch 2, dc around, sl st in first dc (60 sts)
Rnd 18: sc around edges with the color of your choice (60 sts)

Bow:

ch 19
Row 1: hdc in second ch from hook, hdc across (18 sts)
Row 2-6: ch 1, hdc across (18 sts)
sc around the edges, F/O and weave in the edges

Ears:

Make 4
Rnd 1: 10 hdc in a magic ring, sl st in first hdc (10 sts)
Rnd 2: ch 1, 2 hdc around, sl st in first hdc (20 asts)
Rnd 3: ch 1, [2 hdc, hdc] around, sl st in first hdc (30 sts)
when you finish the third round on your third ear, continue to round four
Rnd 4: ch 1, sl st together with an ear that is already made for 24 sts (leaving 6 sts) leaving a foot of yarn for attaching to the hat

Assembly:

lay the hat flat, in the seam between the 3rd and 4th rounds, begin stitching the ears you made onto the hat

F/O and weave in ends

tie the pink yarn around the center of the bow piece that was made, wrap it around until it is the desired thickness, weave in the end, and attach to the first round of the hat

F/O and weave in ends

Hope you enjoy this pattern! Happy hooking!

Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only.  If you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog.

Here's my little cutie pie!

Cast Iron Skillet Handle Holder

So, you all know that I enjoy to cook but, I don't think I've mentioned my love for my cast iron skillets.  They are perfect for searing fish and finishing it off in the oven, making a "steak house worthy" steak, blackened chicken (I will post my recipe soon), and so much more.  The only problem with cast iron is how hot the handle gets (and how it smokes sometimes but, that's besides the point).  My hot pads have seen better days, they get washed each time the towels need to be washed.  I tend to get them a little dirty and this is unfortunate when they are in the washer and I want to use cast iron.  Well, I had some 100% cotton yarn left over from making dishcloths last year for Christmas presents.  So, last night, as I'm sitting on my couch with a hot pad on my back I started playing around with a skein of yellow.  Well, The result was a cast iron skillet handle holder (that fits wonderfully).  Here is what you need to do:

Materials:

4.00mm hook

100% cotton yarn (I used Sugar n' Cream in yellow) -- I have also used the Peaches and Creme brand

scissors

Abbreviations:

ch: chain

sc: single crochet

sl st: slip stitch
st: stitch
sts: stitches

Gauge:

5 sc = 1 inch

totals 5 inches in length

Tutorial:

chain 6

single crochet 5 across

insert your hook into the first stitch on the
other side of your foundation chain

single crochet across the back side of the foundation chain

finished product without the reverse single crochet edging

notice the additional real estate that the
reverse single crochet round adds

Directions:

ch 6

Round 1: in second st from hook, sc 5 across, sc 5 across on back side of foundation chain (10 sts) (here is a good video tutorial) 

Round 2: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next 2 sts, sc in next 3 sts, 2 sc in next st (14 sts)

Round 3: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next 2 sts, sc in next 5 sts, 2 sc in next st (18 sts)

Rounds 4-5:  sc around (18 sts)

Round 6: sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 7 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts (16 sts) (here is a good video tutorial of sc2tog) 

Rounds 7-20: sc around (16 sts)

Round 21: sl st in next 2 sts, F/O and weave in ends

If you're interested in a more interesting edge, don't weave in the ends, instead, reverse sc around and then F/O and weave in ends.
Note: this will add some more length to the skillet holder.

Happy Hooking!

Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only.  If you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog.

Hooded Infinity Scarf

My boyfriend's mother (who I made the Eagles Head Warmer for) cannot wear things tight on her head. She was asking me if I could make her a hat that would be comfortable for her. I had found a hat/scarf combo a while ago that I thought would look great. Lucky me, she loved the pictures of it.

Well, I start making this hooded scarf and the pattern and something just wasn't looking right. When I started the scarf... chaining 130 wasn't quite right and when I finished round 8, it wasn't the correct gauge. So, I continued making more rounds (10 total). Then, when I started making the hood, I stopped after the initial chain 60 (because it was not long enough to go around my head like a hood should). I thought this was weird since both of us are using Red Heart yarn but, ohh well I guess.

This is when I decided... I like how the pattern I found had the custom back loops and front loops so, I am changing the measurements and round counts.

Materials:
Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Aran Flecks (I used one 5 oz skein plus some that I had left over--approx 6 to 7 oz)
Size K crochet hook (6.50mm)
Scissors
Yarn needle

NOTE: the yarn is slightly scratchy, so I softened it.  Directions on softening yarn can be found here.

Gauge:
12 sts = 4 in
Scarf:
Hood: 20 1/2 in x 9 1/2 in

Abbreviations:
ch: chain
sts: stitches
hdc: half double crochet
FL: front loop
BL: back loop
sl st: slip stitch

Scarf:
ch 165, sl st in first st (make sure that your chain is not twisted)
Round 1: ch 2, hdc in the same st as sl st, hdc around (165 sts)
Round 2-12: ch 2, turn, hdc FL in the same st as sl st, hdc BL, [hdc FL, hdc BL] around, sl st in first st (165 sts)
--This is meant to be wrapped around your neck once. If you want a cowl, ch 80 and follow the pattern, ending in 80 sts for each round.

Hood:
ch 76
Row 1: In second ch from hook, [hdc CFL, hdc CBL] around (75 sts)
Row 2-24: ch 2, turn, [hdc FL, hdc BL]
F/O and weave in ends

Fold the hood rectangle in half, whip stitch (or slip stitch) the initial chain together, starting from the end that will be attached to the scarf. (Note: to make the hood lay on your head better, once you get ___ inches up the ) Line up the seam of the hood with the seam of the scarf; whip stitch the hood to the scarf.

Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only.  If you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog.

Crochet Small Basket with Handles

My friend recently moved to the area and of course (if you have read a previous post) I made her a gift basket, literally. I hadn't even considered crocheting a basket so, this has to be fun, right? I didn't even have to go looking for the pattern... I already had the pattern pinned on my pinterest page!  I saw these baskets and fell in love with them.

The basket shown is the smallest size for the pattern I found.  So, the pattern I followed--with modifications, or course-- is the one I found here.

Modifications include:

• Instead of holding 2 skeins of super thick and chunky yarn together, I held 4 strands of worsted weight yarn together.  I ended up using Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Aran Flecks.  The pattern took a little less than 2 skeins of yarn.  
• I extended the base of the pattern by one round.  So, after Round 6, I continued to increase so my final stitch count was 56 instead of 48. (Message me if you have a question about this)
• For the handles (Round 14-15 in the pattern):
• Rnd 14: Ch 2, hdc in next 9 sts, ch 12, skip the next 10 sts, hdc in next 18 sts, ch 12, skip the next 10 sts, hdc in the next 9 sts, join with sl st
• Rnd 15: Ch1, sc in the same st and in the next 9 sts, work 15 sc under the ch 12 space (do not work into the stitches, instead when you would go into them, go under them instead), sc in the next 18 sts, work 15 sc under the ch 12 space, sc in the next 9 sts, join with sl st, F/O and weave in ends

This basket makes a great gift.  I might make one for my boyfriend as an Easter basket this year.

ENJOY!

Crochet Wine Bottle Cover

One of my best friends moved into the area (YAY) so, of course I am putting together a house warming gift for her.  There are many things that I have seen about what you should give: Bread so you'll never go hungry. Candles so you'll always have light through the darkest times. Honey so you'll always enjoy the sweetness of life. Olive Oil so you will be blessed with health and well-being. Salt so there will always be flavor and spice in your life. Wine so you will always have joy and never go thirsty.

Well instead of following this closely, I have decided to make my own version: Wine so you can have a good time (on girls day when we drink wine and watch movies), a wine bottle cover (so nobody knows we are boozing), a basket (to keep the wine--among other things-- in... duh), a wine bottle opener (well we need to open it don't we), and love (since I am crocheting the wine bottle cover and basket for her).

So, let the pattern search begin!  The baskets were easy to find (I actually found the pattern a while ago and have been itching to make one of them).  But, I was looking and looking and looking and could not find a free crochet pattern for a wine bottle that I liked so, I decided to make one of my own!

Materials:
worsted weight yarn (medium 4), I used 'Loops & Threads Impeccable' in True Grey
5.0mm(H) crochet hook
stitch markers
white ribbon
scissors

Abbreviations:
magic ring: here is a tutorial for right handed crocheters
sc: single crochet
st: stitch
sts: stitches
sl st: slip stitch
ch: chain
MC: main color
CC: contrasting color

Directions:
Note: this pattern in made in continuous rounds so, use a stitch marker to mark your first stitch (to make my bottom nice and flat, I prefer to sc through both loops in rounds 1-7)

Round 1: 6 sc in magic ring (6sts)
Round 2: 2 sc in all 6 sts (12 sts)
Round 3: [sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] around (18 sts)
Round 4: [sc in next 2 sts, 2sc in next st] around (24 sts)
Round 5: [sc in next 3 sts, 2sc in next st] around (30 sts)
Round 6: [sc in next 4 sts, 2sc in next st] around (36 sts)
Round 7: [sc in next 5 sts, 2sc in next st] around (42 sts)
Round 8: sl st in the first st, (in back loops) sc around (ending in the sl st) (43 sts)
Round 9-46 (my wine bottle took about 37 rows to make it to it's lower neck but yours might be different so, yours could vary in length): sc around (42 sts)
Round 47: [sc in next 3 sts, ch 3] around (42 sts)
Round 48-55: sc around 42 sts)
Round 56: sl st around (42 sts)
F/O and weave in ends.

I then decided that I would make a small heart ornament for the ribbon.  I found the pattern relatively easy but, I did modify the pattern--I only completed round 1!  After the slip stitch, I chained 11 and slip stitch into the first chain, F/O and weave in the ends!  Super cute and super easy!


Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only.  If you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog.

Eagles Striped Ear Warmer

So... My boyfriend, and his mom, are Philadelphia Eagles fans, which means when she asked me to make her an ear warmer, the first thing my boyfriend asked was... "Can you make it Eagles?" Well, Christmas is just around the corner...

He showed me a picture of the beanie he wanted it to look like, and simply asked for the striped pattern around the bottom... Super easy! And you can make it any combination of colors you want!

Materials:
3.75mm hook
grey, Kelly green, and white worsted weight yarn (medium 4), I used 'Loops and Threads' Impeccable brand
yarn needle
scissors

Abbreviations:
sc: single crochet
hdc: half double crochet
dc: double crochet

Directions:
With white, chain 96, turn
Round 1: sc across, change colors to Kelly green for the next row (here's a good tutorial on how to change colors at the end of a row...) (95 sts)
Round 2: ch 1, turn, sc across, change colors to grey for the next row (95 sts)
Round 3: ch 2, turn, hdc across, change colors to Kelly green for the next row (95 sts)
Round 4: ch 1, turn, sc across, change colors to white for the next row (95 sts)
Round 5: ch 2, turn, hdc across, change colors to Kelly green for the next row (95 sts)
Round 6: ch 3, turn, dc across, change colors to white for the next row (95 sts)
Round 7: ch 2, turn, hdc across, change colors to Kelly green for the next row
Round 8: ch 1, turn, sc across, change colors to grey for the next row
Round 9: ch 2, turn, hdc across, change colors to Kelly green for next row
Round 10: ch 1, turn, sc across, change colors to white for next row
Round 11-12: ch 1, turn, sc across
F/O and weave in loose ends

With the color of your choice, whip stitch the two ends together

REALLY easy and simple. Fits a woman's head (approx 21" in diameter). Merry Christmas!

Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only.  If you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog.

Crochet Rose

My boyfriend's niece is 5 and is a girly girl.  She loves pink and purple and dresses and flowers (and rocks).  So, I have some purple yarn left over from making a scarf and decide that a flower can't take too much yarn right?  And I made two!  A large rose and a small rose.  It was ridiculously easy and took maybe 10 minutes.

Large Rose:

use a 5.0mm hook

ch 39

work 5 tr in the 3rd chain from hook, sl st in the next st

[work 5 tr in next st, sl st in the next st] until you have completed 6 "pedals"

[work 5 dc in next st, sl st in the next st] until you have completed 5 "pedals"

[work 5 hdc in next st, sl st in the next st] until you have completed 4 "pedals"

[work 5 sc in next st, sl st in the next st] until you have completed 3 "pedals"

F/O and leave approx 12 inches of yarn for assembly

Small Rose:

use a 3.5mm hook

ch 26

work 5 dc in the 2nd chain from hook, sl st in the next st

[work 5 dc in next st, sl st in the next st] until you have completed 5 "pedals"

[work 5 hdc in next st, sl st in the next st] until you have completed 4 "pedals"

[work 5 sc in next st, sl st in the next st] until you have completed 3 "pedals"

F/O and leave approx 12 inches of yarn for assembly

Assembly:

using a yarn needle, starting with the smal pedals, twist in a circular motion as you stitch it together, morphing it into a rose

ENJOY

Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only.  If you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog.

Cable Stitch Ear Warmer

I know someone who had brain surgery earlier this year causing them to be unable to wear hats.  I was looking for a way that I could make a cute ear warmer for her and came across the pattern for the Cable Stitch "Jenna" Headband ... I modified the start/end slightly.

In the beginning I:
ch3, turn
hdc across, increasing the number of stitches in each row's iteration until you get to 13 hdc... then begin the pattern

In the end: I decreased the hdc in the outsides, until it was 1 hdc on each side of the fptr.  Then I sc around the edges, and F/O my end.

Thanks so much for the pattern, Melissa!

Enjoy everyone!

Child's Dino-RAWR Earflap Beanie

I made owl baby booties for my cousins new born as a Christmas present. So, I had to find something I could make or her 3 year old. I get to thinking and a hat cant be too hard, right? Wrong! I couldn't seem to find a nice looking pattern for a kid (with a large dome piece). As I'm reading other patterns, I pick up on a similarity with all of them so, it can't be too hard to make my own pattern.

I realize, I cant just make him a hat. I mean, I made his brother's gift look like owls... Good thing I knew he was a dinosaur for Halloween and loved it...  So, here is the pattern to the hat shown below:

Size:

4-9 year old child (19"-20" circumference)

Materials:

5.0 mm hook

stitch marker (I don't have one so, I use a bobby pin instead)

worsted weight yarn: brown and green

Abbreviations:

hdc: half double crochet

magic ring: here is a tutorial for right handed crocheters

sts: stitches

sc: single crochet

sl st: slip stitch

MC: main color

CC: contrasting color

Notes:

this beanie is made in a continuous circle (which is why I used the bobby pin to mark the first stitch in my circle)

Beanie:

Row 1: 7 hdc in magic ring (7 sts)

Row 2: 2 hdc in all 7 sts (14 sts)

Row 3: [hcd in next st, 2 hdc in next st] around (21 sts)

Row 4: [hcd in next 2 sts, 2 hdc in next st] around (28 sts)

Row 5: [hcd in next 3 sts, 2 hdc in next st] around (35 sts)

Row 6: [hcd in next 4 sts, 2 hdc in next st] around (42 sts)

Row 7: [hcd in next 5 sts, 2 hdc in next st] around (49 sts)

Row 8: [hcd in next 6 sts, 2 hdc in next st] around (56 sts)

Row 9: [hcd in next 7 sts, 2 hdc in next st] around (63 sts)

Row 10: [hcd in next 8 st, 2 hdc in next st] around (70 sts) -- at this point my hat was 7" in diameter

Row 11-16: hdc in every st around (70 sts)

Row 17: hdc in the next 69 sts, sl st in the last st (70 sts)

(leave the yarn in it's place and we will now begin the earflaps)

Ear Flaps:

Row 1: ch 1, hdc in next 12 sts, ch 1, turn (12 sts)

Row 2: (back loops) sc2tog, sc next 8 sts, sc2tog, ch 1, turn (10 sts)

Row 3: sc across, ch 1, turn (10 sts)

Row 4: (back loops) sc2tog, sc next 6 sts, sc2tog, ch 1, turn (8 sts)

Row 5: sc across, ch 1, turn (8 sts)

Row 6: (back loops) sc2tog, sc next 4 sts, sc2tog, ch 1, turn (6 sts)

Row 7: sc across, ch 1, turn (6 sts)

Row 8: (back loops) sc2tog, sc next 2 sts, sc2tog, ch 1, turn (4 sts)

Row 9: sc across, ch 1, turn (4 sts)

Row 10: (back loops) sc2tog, sc2tog, ch 1, turn (2 sts)

Row 11: sc across (2 sts)

ch 1, sc around the edge of the hat until you reach the point on the other side where you wish to start the second ear flap and repeat Rows 1-11

Once you have completed the ear flaps, sc around the hat with your MC

Attach your CC and sc around the entire hat, fasten off your yarn and fold in the ends

For the spikes I used a free pattern I found.  They are from a blog called Tots and Bottoms and the spikes are from her Stegosaurus Dinosaur Hat (and make sure you leave at least a foot of yarn on the spikes after you fasten them off)

Once I had all of the spikes made, I laid my hat flat and placed the spikes where they are supposed to go.  I used a whip stitch to secure them to the top of the hat. Fasten off the end of the yarn once you have finished the whip stitch. 

Enjoy!

Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only.  If you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog.

Crochet Chunky Infinity Scarf

I was searching and searching for a simple scarf pattern I could make for someone for Christmas. I know that I want to use a 9.0 mm hook so that it goes quick and I purchased thicker wool yarn to make it with.  Well as I'm googling, searching for a good pattern to make, I come across a blog called "Fiber Flux" and I fell in LOVE with an infinity scarf pattern under her Free Crochet Patterns tab.  It is called the Pavement Infinity Scarf.  However, I make it through the foundation row and realize that in row 1, I can't tell where my "chain 1 spaces from the previous row" are... I guess I just haven't been doing this long enough yet.  So, I decide I'll do something that I know how to do and just use the Pavement Infinity Scarf for inspiration. (Note: someone else may have written a pattern similar or exactly like this one but, I didn't use any other pattern besides the Pavement Infinity Scarf for inspiration)

I hope that you enjoy it!

Materials:

N (9.0 mm) crochet hook
Super bulky (weight 6) thick yarn (approximately 200 yards) -- I used Loops and Threads Cozy Wool in clematis

Abbreviations:

hdc: half double crochet
sc: single crochet
dc: double crochet
sts: stitches
ch: chain
sl st: slip stitch

Gauge:

approx 6 sts = 2 inches

Instructions:

Chain 20

Row 1:  hdc in the 3rd chain from the hook, hdc across (18 sts)

Row 2: ch 1, turn, sc across (18 sts)

Row 3: ch 3, turn, dc in first st, ch 1, [skip 1 chain and then dc in the next stitch, ch 1] until there are 3 stitches left, skip 1 chain and then dc in the next stitch, dc in the next stitch  (18 sts)

Row 4: ch 1, turn, sc across (18 sts)

Row 5:  ch 2, turn, hdc across (18 sts)

Row 6: ch 1, turn, sc across (18 sts)

Row 7: ch 3, turn, dc in first st, ch 1, [skip 1 chain and then dc in the next stitch, ch 1] until there are 3 stitches left, skip 1 chain and then dc in the next stitch, dc in the next stitch  (18 sts)

Repeat rows 4, 5, 6, 7 (ending with row 7) until the scarf reaches approximately 55 inches.

ch 1, turn, sl st the two ends together all the way across, knot the yarn at the end

weave in the ends of the yarn 

attach yarn to the end and sc all the way around the circle, sl st the last st, knot, weave in ends (repeat on the other side of the yarn)

This scarf goes by very quick, it took me approximately 2 hours to complete (and that included writing the pattern).

Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only.  If you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog.