Ribbed Winter Hat

Here is a pattern I came up with for a hat for my husband. I love crocheting hats but lets be honest, they dont always look great on men. I love the knit look but I have yet to learn to knit, probably in part because I love to crochet so much. So here is my pattern for a "knit style" crocheted hat. Its obviously crochet but has that ribbed, albeit chunky, knit look. I used two colors, which is totally my own preference, it would work fine with one. So here goes!!

Materials needed

1 skein of Stitch nation full o sheep yarn in Honeycomb

1 skein of Stitch Nation full o sheep yarn in black (although this pattern would work fine with any worsted weight yarn)

size J 6.00 crochet hook

yarn needle

*Gauge isnt really important since hat stretches to fit most adult size noggins

*Please note: This pattern is worked in back loop only but the FIRST and LAST stitch of EVERY row is worked in both loops for stability.

Chain 41

1. Sc in second chain from hook and all the way across, chain 1

2-72. Sc in back loop only all the way across, chain 1

Leave a long tail for weaving hat together and sewing ends in

When you have finished with all the rows put the two ends together so you have a long tube. Using your hook sc all the way across connecting the two longer ends. You should end up with a tube.

Using your yarn needle and the tail you left to finish off, weave tail in and out of the top of the tube until you come all the way back around to where you started. Pull tightly on the tail to close the tube. Tie off and sew in ends. This should leave you with a scrunched looking top to the hat.

on the open end of the tube, using your contrasting color, attach and sc all the way across, weaving ends in and tying off.

Make a pom pom for the top with the contrasting color and attach to top of hat. Voila!!!

If you are not sure how to make a pom pom, I posted an instructional video from youtube (which is not mine) on the sock monkey hat pattern.

Hope you enjoy and Happy crocheting!!!

Pieces for a piggy hat!

So next on my pattern list are the PIECES for a piggy hat. I capitalized pieces because its not an actual hat pattern, but the pieces that you sew onto an already made hat to create a pig hat.

You can find my pattern for a basic earflap hat here http://ruthmcneilsblogging.blogspot.com/2011/11/basic-hat-with-earflaps-i-had-request.html

So for this hat you want to use a soft pink for the main color and either a darker pink or white for the accent color (i.e. the border of the hat)

Materials

Size H 5mm hook

pink and white yarn

yarn needle

black yarn

Ears (make 2)

chain 8

1. Sc in second chain from hook and all the way across, chain 1 turn

2. Sc all the way across, chain 1, turn

3. Sc 2tog, sc all the way across

4-8. repeat row 3

Fasten off and leave long tail for sewing

Eyes (make 2)

with black chain 2

6 sc in second chain from hook, slipstitch into first sc and tie off, leaving a long tail for sewing

with white chain 2 (this piece is worked in the round

1. 6 Sc in second chain from hook

2. 2 Sc in each stitch around, place stitch marker in first sc of round

3. 2 Sc in next sc, place stitch marker in first sc of round, sc in next stitch, repeat until you reach stitch marker, fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing.

*Eye assembly- sew black "pupil" onto the white of the eye, this becomes your full eye. I placed my pupil at the bottom of the white, but I just liked the way it looked. You could even make it cross eyed for a silly pig!

Nose (worked in rounds using a stitch marker)

with pink

Chain 2

1. 6 sc in second chain from hook

2. 2sc in each sc around (place stitch marker in first sc of the round)

3. 2 sc, sc, repeat around

4. Sc blo in each stitch around

5. Sc in each stitch around, fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing

*with two pieces of black scrap yarn, tie "nostrils" to the front of the nose, leaving the tail inside so its hidden when you sew piece onto hat.

*When sewing nose on stuff with scrap yarn to make sure it doesnt go flat

And there you have it! Have fun with it too! Add a red bow or eyelashes to the piggie to make her more feminine!

Happy Crocheting!

Bear Hat

Here is a basic pattern for the pieces that attach to a bear hat. First you will need the pattern for the basic earflap hat which you can find here http://ruthmcneilsblogging.blogspot.com/2011/11/basic-hat-with-earflaps-i-had-request.html

Then you will need yarn for the colors of the bear. I did a polar bear because my son loves them. But if you did brown with black instead of white and black you have a brown bear....voila!

Materials

Hook size H 5mm

Worsted weight yarn in white (or brown)

Worsted weight yarn in black

NOTE* This is a pattern for pieces that you sew on. Not a hat pattern

Ears (make 2)

Chain 2

1. Sc 6 in first chain, working in rounds use stitch marker
   
2. 2 sc in each stitch around (using stitch marker)
   
3. *2 sc in next stitch, 1 sc in next* repeat around
   
4. Sc around
   
5. Sc around
   
6. Sc around Fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing

*When sewing on ears you will be folding them so they for a sort of cup. The bottom of the ears that you sew onto the hat are the open end of the ears.

Eyes (make 2)

With black Chain 2

1. In first chain Sc 6 Attach to first sc fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing

Nose

With black chain 2

1. 6 Sc in first chain, Break black and join white, working in rounds use stitch marker

2. *Sc in first stitch, 2 sc in next, repeat from * all the way around

3. Repeat row 2

4. Sc around

5. Repeat round 4 fasten off and leave a long tail for sewing

**If you want a larger nose just add an extra row of sc....or for a wider nose add an increasing row

Sew all pieces onto hat in appropriate places and there you go!! Happy Crocheting!!

Basic Hat with earflaps

I had a request recently to write a pattern for some animal hats. I love doing animal hats and have done enough that it wasnt too hard a request. The hat pattern is always the same so I figured I would write the hat pattern and then the "parts" of the hats in seperate entries. That way I dont have to keep writing out the hat. The earflaps and braids on these hats are optional and are totally what you prefer. I love the earflaps though, so most of my hats have them!

Supplies

Size H 5mm hook

Any worsted weight yarn

Yarn needle

Chain 2

6 SC in first Chain space

2 SC in each SC around

2 SC in first SC space, *1 SC in next, 2 SC in next SC space continue from *

2 SC in first SC space, *1 SC in next two spaces, 2 SC in next SC space, continue from *

2 SC in first SC space, 1 SC in next three spaces, *2 SC in next SC space, 1 SC in next 4 SC spaces, continue from *

2 SC in first SC space, *1 SC in next five spaces, 2 SC in next SC space, continue from *

2SC in first SC space, *1 SC in next six spaces, 2 SC in next SC space, continue from*

2 SC in first SC space, *1 SC in next seven spaces, 2 SC in next SC space, continue from *

2 SC in first SC space, * 1 SC in next eight spaces, 2 SC in next SC space, continue from*

2 SC in first SC space, * 1 SC in next nine spaces, 2 SC in next SC space, continue from*

2 SC in first SC space, * 1 SC in next ten spaces, 2 SC in next SC space, continue from *

2 SC in first SC space, *1 SC in next eleven spaces, 2 SC in next SC space, continue from *

2 SC in first SC space, * 1 SC in next twelve spaces, 2 SC in next SC space, continue from *

2 SC in first SC space, *1 SC in next thirteen spaces, 2 SC in next SC space, continue from *

SC around

SC around

Break A and fasten B

SC around

Break B and Fasten C

SC around until you have a total of 35 rows from top to bottom ( if your head is smaller or larger, add or subtract rows)

Break C and tie off. Weave in ends

Ear flaps: make two

Chain 15

SC in second chain from hook and all the way across

SC2TOG, SC across, CH 1, turn

*Continue this pattern until you have 1 SC space left, SC in last space

SC all the way around the earflap, leave a long tail for sewing, You will end up with a tail at the bottom of your earflap, what I do is weave it through so the tail comes out of the end of the top and I then use the tail to attach the ear flap onto the hat

For the braids that come off of the earflaps I take six long pieces of yarn (approx. about twenty inches give or take) and pull them through the last sc space on the bottom of the earflap. I then braid them down until I get the desired length I want and tie them off (tightly) with a smaller piece of yarn of the same color. then trim the bottom so the fringe is about 1 1/2 to 2 inches long.

Coffee Cozy

Tomorrow night a bunch of us girls are getting together for a learn to crochet + wine night. Should be a lot of fun! I was trying to find an easy beginner pattern to use, and became very frustrated after looking and looking and coming up with ......nothing! So I decided to write my own pattern. I made these coffee sleeves last year and I used mine every time I went to Starbucks or DD. They are much nicer than the disposable ones they give you, and they cut back on waste, AND they are super easy to make. I usually like to do my sleeves I use with ribbing but since this is a starter pattern I figured the easiestway to do it would be a simple easy sleeve done in single crochet. So here it is....enjoy!!

Materials needed

Size H / 5 mm crochet hook

worsted weight yarn, in any 2 colors

A being the main color (mine was a pink)

and B being the accent color ( I used cream)

yarn darner

3 buttons

Needle and thread

Chain 12

Rnd 1 SC in 2nd ch from hook and all the way a

cross chain 1 turn - 11 stitches

Rnd 2 SC all the way across

Rnds 3-36 repeat round 2 break off A

Round 19 attach B ch 1 sc across do not turn

sc all the way around entire coffee sleeve adding an extra sc in each corner

with right side together and forming a ring, slip stitch the two ends together break off and weave in all ends

(I like the way the raised edge of the slip stitch looks on the outside of the sleeve, if you prefer the flat side as your "right side" just sew the buttons on the flat side)

sew your buttons vertically near your B color

voila!

Button up neck cowl

Button up neck cowl

Skill Level: Experienced Beginner

Materials: Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick - I used Glacier

Size K hook 6.5 mm

4 Buttons of your choice

Yarn darner

Needle and thread

Abbreviations : DC double crochet

BL back loop

FL front loop

Neck Cowl

Chain 40

1. dc in 2nd chain from hook and all the way across, chain 4, turn

2. dc all the way across in bl only, on first and last stitch dc in both loops, it will be the same for the entire pattern, chain 2, turn

3. dc across in fl only, chain 4, turn

rows 4, 6, 8- repeat row 2

rows 5, 7, 9- repeat row 3, fasten off and weave ends in.

the chain four spaces will provide the button holes for the cowl. Sew buttons on where the holes will line up.

**If you need the cowl to be a little larger to fit around your neck more loosely, just add two stitches to your chain 40, or however many you feel will accommodate the size you need.

Family

So I have been missing my family so much lately. Obviously not my kids and husband, because they are right here. Two of which are sleeping on the couch because they both fell asleep watching a movie. But, my sisters and a few others. I have been having a hard time the last few weeks knowing that I cant just get in the car and go visit them. Its funny, because when youre little they are the cause of all your headaches, and when you are grown they are the few people you can count on to always love you and be there for you, no matter what youve done or who you are.

I am so glad that my kids have each other to love when they are older and we are gone. I can see it when they play. I watch them and think of myself when I was younger and how I related to my siblings. Finnegan finds a nice shiny toy to play with and Manny swoops in and takes it, leaving Finn crying (or biting, you never know which one your gonna get with Finn). Or when I am showing someone other than Everett affection and he feels the need to scream and push whoever is in my lap out of it. But all that will eventually turn into support and kindness, I hope. I know it doesnt always work out that way, but Im hoping the strong bond I have with my sisters is genetic ;).

One of the things that triggered this "emptiness" of sorts, is finding out that my youngest sister is going to have a baby! What could be anymore exciting than that? Twins? Lets hope for her sake that theres only one bun in the oven. Otherwise Im buying her a lifetime supply of tylenol and kleenex. She will make such a wonderful mother, wether she knows it or not yet. It has been instilled in us since we were little how important family is, and how we need to stay close and connected. Which is one of the reasons its so hard for me to be away from them.

I want my kids to know their kids, and I want to babysit for them, and have wine with them, and go shopping with them. We have to much of a bond to be so far apart. But, alas, this is the case for us. What to do about it? I guess for now I will just have to keep them on the phone for hours at a time, making them listen to me tell them about what Everett had for dinner, and how Finnegan was trying to ride the cat like he was a horse, or how Manny talked for eight straight hours about Bumblebee and Optimus Prime.

I miss them, but I also know that no matter how far apart we are, or how long we go without talking on the phone, we will never loose the love we have for each other, or the strong bond we share thanks to our Mother. Love you guys!!