Tag Archives: stitch

Crochet Hats De-Mystified

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It is interesting that you completely forget how you felt about something before it became common place. Okay, that sentence could apply to many things in today’s day and age, however I was personally thinking of my crochet. A conversation I had with a student juggled a little something free in my mind about hats.

I find crocheting hats a pretty relaxing past time at this point in my life, enough so that the yarn I post about on Fridays … that swatch usually becomes a hat…but I didn’t always feel that way. Hats were intimidating to me, probably because the only crochet hats I had seen as a kid growing up were usually worked vertically with short rows. I had never really seen a top down, or even bottom up worked crochet hat, until probably college.

Top down hats start as a flat circle

That does make my crochet life sound a bit sheltered, maybe it was. I did teach myself after all and I primarily crocheted with “hand-me-down” yarn form other people’s stashes. I made doll clothes and scarves, but if it was something to be adorned or admired, I made afghans …hundreds of them.

Anyway, when I would contemplate working a hat, I was always befuddled by the dome shape, and having it actually fit. Little did I realize how easy it was to make, so easy that since I learned it I have never looked back. Essentially a top down crochet hat begins with a flat circle. Yes, a flat circle. This seems a little counterintuitive, but it works. Creating a flat circle simply requires adding the number of stitches worked in round 1 to be added evenly throughout all other rounds. Meaning if I begin the first round with 12 double crochets, then I add 12 double crochets evenly in each following round, so round 2 would have 24 double crochets, and round 3 would have 36 double crochets.

After the circle is worked to a point where the outer edge, the circumference, measures the circumference of the head (usually somewhere between 20” and 22” (51-56 cm) for a typical adult), then you quit working any increasing stitches and continue working even (a single stitch in every stitch around), until you have the hat the desired length.

Here is a really basic pattern for a hat, nothing fancy…

Using any yarn and a corresponding hook,

Rnd 1: Ch 4, 11 dc in 4th ch from hook, sl st to top of beg ch. (12 dc)

Rnd 2: Ch 3, dc in same st, 2 dc in each st around, sl st to join. (24 dc)

Rnd 3: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next st, [2 dc in next st, dc in next st] around, sl st to join. (36 dc)

Note: Depending on your yarn and hook only continue working Rnds until circumference of hat is met with circumference of the circle, then work Body of Hat.

Rnd 4: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 2 sts, [2 dc in next st, dc in next 2 sts] around, sl st to join. (48 dc)

Rnd 5: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 3 sts, [2 dc in next st, dc in next 3 sts] around, sl st to join. (60 dc)

Rnd 6: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 4 sts, [2 dc in next st, dc in next 4 sts] around, sl st to join. (72 dc)

Rnd 7: Ch 3, dc in same st, dc in next 5 sts, [2 dc in next st, dc in next 5 sts] around, sl st to join. (84 dc)

Body of Hat

Ch 3, dc in each st around, sl st to join. Repeat this Rnd until hat is desired length.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Make a few hats, and considering helping your local community by donating a few to your local homeless shelter.

Crochet by Feel- Scrubby

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Scrubby is a crochet by feel! This yarn from Red Heart has been out for a little while, and it is quite unique. It has a variety of solid and variegated colors, and at first glance you may not believe it is a yarn.

This 100% polyester yarn is actually a fine strand that is plies together with 2 overtwisted threads. Overtwist is when a yarn or fiber is twisted in a continuous direction until it begins to bunch up or twist back on itself. This is sometimes noted as the “twist energy” of a yarn. You can see an example of it for yourself by taking any fiber of yarn you have at hand and holding it firmly on one end, twist the other end either clockwise or counter clockwise until bumps begin to appear. These bumps are points where the strand is beginning to ply onto itself. At this point you can bring both ends together, then grasp the middle and attempt to straighten the strands, let go of the middle and watch the strand twist.

This yarn has 2 overtwisted threads that have twisted bumps in various points throughout its length, this is what creates the unique scrubbing quality of the yarn.

This yarn probably has more uses then comes to my mind. With these scrubby bumps it does not provide a much defined stitch, so I do not recommend this yarn for beginning stitchers as it is difficult to see you stitches. It is designed for dishcloths and I can tell you I am sure it will fit that build very well. I know some that have used it to create body scrubs and have been quite happy. It is definitely not soft enough for garments, but could find a use in possible lite rugs or toys.

If you have been crocheting for a while, then you may want to give Scrubby a try. Just remember since crochet is forgiving, that not knowing where the stitches are, and crocheting by feel, can still be a great success.

A Perfect Flair for Summer- Dare to Flair Toddlers Dress

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I really enjoy when I have a design that looks fashionable and creative, and more difficult than it actually is to construct. The Dare to Flair Toddlers Dress fits this description. It can be found in the June 2017 issue of I Like Crochet Magazine, and dependent upon the size you make, uses no more than 2 skeins of Lisa Souza Dyeworks Hardtwist yarn.

This girls dress worked in Tunisian Simple stitch is comprised of strips, so you make only rectangles and triangles, these are put together with Reverse Single Crochet, to add an almost rope like edging between all the panels and the edging. I love how this dress allows even a relative beginner complete a project that shines like an advanced piece.

Dare to Flair Toddler Dress www.lindadeancrochet.com

Dare to Flair Toddler Dress Photo courtesy Prime Pulishing

The pattern is sized for a 2T through a girl size 8, and can easily be customized. Add length by making the rectangles longer, add width by making rectangles wider. You may need to make some adjustments on the triangles, but this will depend upon where you want the flair to begin, at the waist, at the thigh, maybe at the hip.

I enjoy the versatility that this dress has, and how it really allows variegated yarn to color pool in a way more like knitting. This design would also be fun worked in color blocks, meaning working different panels different colors and joined together.

www.lindadeancrochet.com

Photo courtesy Prime Publishing

Whenever I design clothes for kids, I always try to make it something that they can be successful getting dressed in themselves. So the piece has not really front of back, hence no way to put it on backwards. If it gets turned inside out, the fabric on the inside is just as pretty as the outside. Pair it with legging, or length it for a full dress effect. Ever little girl will want to wear this dress.

Crochet Leaves an Impression

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The use of doilies has decreased, you do not see them resting on as many table tops or vanities as you may have in the past, but that does not mean that their beauty cannot be enjoyed. I have a couple hanging on my wall, I have seen some worked up as window valances, and even pieces together as a jacket, but there are a few other more impressionable ways they can be used.

Crochet & Clay www.lindadeancrochet.com

A small crochet tablecloth and wet clay

I enjoy how my son has managed to be inspired by crochet and apply it in a different way. He has been playing in pottery and creating bowls and figurines in a local 4H project and one of his vases will leave a lasting crochet impression.

Using a small crochet tablecloth he placed an impression in the soft clay before completing his vase. He only used the center to create an almost flower like pattern. I have seen this done in other ceramic pieces, some artists have used doilies to create various textures in their designs. I have even seen pieces that use the doily as the art by encasing it in glass, like a bowl or glass, to highlight the effect of crochet stitches.

Crochet impression vase www.lindadeancrochet.com

Crochet impression vase

When my son worked the glaze for his vase, he highlight the crochet design a bit more by having the color radiate out from its center. I was surprised he used this approach to his project. He enjoys my crochet, but I never thought that he would incorporate it into any of his crafts.

I hope that he attempts a couple of other crochet stitch patterns, and I will admit I have suggested a few. His use of a table cloth has inspired some ideas within my own mind, of how I might be able to incorporate crochet in my metal working class, for instance. There is a large world of craft and crochet can fit nicely in many different artistic ways.

A Simple End Two Ways for Crochet

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I have found some debate on how one ends their work. This might seem like a something quite simple, but there a couple of different ways I have seen it done, and I am sure there are others.

Finish off. www.lindadeancrochet.com

Pulling the cut yarn through the last loop on hook.

At the end of a pattern it will say finish off or fasten off, both essentially mean the same thing, cut your yarn and end your work. It is the process to end your work that can get some discussion. No one really talks about it, as many are afraid that they may not being doing it correctly and they don’t want anyone to know. So this gets discussed in small private groups that people do not feel judged in, or when a brand new crocheter asks the question to a large group.

The two most common I have found in my discussions are to complete the stitch, leaving 1 loop on the hook, cutting the yarn and pulling through this one loop. This does leave a slight “bump” at the end of your work, because in a sense you are creating a knot. I will be honest, this is the approach I most often use, I like to feel that the end will not come undone, basically it is a piece of mind for myself.

Finish off. www.lindadeancrochet.com

Pull cut yarn though the end of last stitch.

The second is to finish the last stitch, cut the yarn and pull it through the last stitch. This is the method used when working an invisible join, and l feel it can have a really nice finish off, if you are prepared to weave in your ends immediately. There is the benefit of not having any extra little knot at the end of the work, giving a soft even feel across the entire fabric.

There really is not right or wrong way to finish off, it is a matter pf personal preference. You may feel that in some instances a different finish can benefit your work, and that is fine. As always as long as you are happy with your work, that is all that is important.