Friday, July 18, 2014

Crochet Template For The Beginning of a One Piece Dress/Sweater/Jumper



One of the very first things you may ask when using this information is how many chain st's do I begin with?
If you think about making a hat and that you have to increase to a certain amount of st's for the hat to fit, that count will be the guide for you to make this to fit over the head of your subject
My subject is for a new born to 3 months and they need a hat with approx 60 st's that will fit their head, so I made a beginning ch of 60, then divided them as equally as I could to make a rectangle.
The rectangle is the beginning shape to fit the shoulder and neck area, that triangle will then become a square as st's are added to shape the garment and once again equally. 
Here is a drawing of what we are looking to achieve.

We also need to make these calculations knowing what yarn ply and hook size we are using.

This is my stitch count as I made the garment
As you can see, it begins in the shape of a rectangle
This fits well on my model
The increases are being made and the rectangle is slowly becoming a square
Which still fits well on my model
The square is now more obvious
The shape folds and forms a perfect garment

More rows and increases are made
Now you can really see the shape of the square, I have been using 10 ply and a 4 mm hook

If you would like written instructions, please leave a comment and I will be pleased to provide them.
 

Online Photo Editor




I love to make my pictures pop if I have taken a good shot, I then go to a free online photo editor and make a collage, add a frame and even words, here is one  free photo online editor I use the most.

free on line photo editor

free on line photo editor

free on line photo editor

free on line photo editor

free on line photo editor


Saturday, July 12, 2014

Rocking Knit Chair



rocking knit chairrocking knit chair amazing


Technology advances in the blink of an eye – while many are obsessed with the latest high-tech devices, let’s not forget that low-tech innovation can also be revolutionary. ECAL students Damien Ludi and Colin Peillex have created a brilliant “Rocking Knit” chair that uses kinetic energy generated from the chair’s gliding motion to knit a winter hat while you sit! The pair unveiled the multitasking rocker at ECAL‘s ‘Low-Tech Factory’ exposition during Designers’ Saturday in Langenthal, Switzerland.


The Rocking Knit chair was created by Lausanne Damien Ludi and Colin Peillex, students at the ECAL University of Art and Design. At first glance, the chair looks a lot like a porch swing or glider chair. Settle into the comfy seat, and you’ll find that it takes little effort to rock back and forth. While you become engrossed in your book or phone conversation, something magical is happening above your head. The chair’s to-and-fro motion turns gears in the frame above your head, activating low-tech machinery that draws yarn up from a spool beneath the seat. As you enjoy a rare moment of relaxation, the Rocking Knit goes to work, knitting a winter hat that soon begins to emerge right above your head!

Friday, July 11, 2014

Meet The Crochet Dude


Elevate your next crochet project with three stunning textures. Join popular instructor Drew Emborsky, aka The Crochet Dude, in this FREE mini-class!

Follow this link to the video, you can finally see the Crochet Dude in person and along with some great tips!

Thursday, June 5, 2014

I've Been Knitting Up A Storm





I've had the knitting needles out making hats and head band/ear warmers and I've been having so much fun with it, especially when I can combine knit and crochet together.
Here are some pictures of my recent knitting and crochet adventures.

cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun
Cindy above and her Mum Casey-Jo below

cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun

 Certainly a favorite of mine, a set I made for my daughter and my grand daughter, the hat is knit and the neck warmer is a crochet pattern of mine

Quick and Easy Polo Style Crochet Neck Warmer

cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun


cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun

cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun
 I have been playing with stitches and colors with these knitted hats
cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun

cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun

cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun
 I knitted a tree into this none
cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun
 You can decide what this is, but I see a house
cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun

cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun
 I've even got the yarn bobbins out I bought for braiding, so I'm using craft supplies that have been unused for a while.


 Another favorite of mine, crochet and knit together once again, head bands/ear warmers, I have the crochet flower patterns here on my blog.
cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun

cats rockin crochet free flower pattern
cats free flower pattern

free crochet flower pattern

 A little bit of fun with yarn varieties and knit stitches

cats-rockin-crochet, knit and crochet fun

This was the first one that I made, I've never knitted an adult hat before this one :)

I figured out how to make the cable owls and got my gauge correct too
knit owl hats

knit owl hats

knit owl hats

Thanks for stopping by

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

A Piece Of Pie Crochet Hat



This is a fun little crochet project for a hat, almost as much fun as playing with mud pies!
I have been toying with this idea for some time now, I had some left over yarn from recent projects sitting in front of me on my work bench and decided to start making the triangles from the yarn scraps.
Crochet triangle hat instructions
The information I am giving you are instructions for making the hat rather than an exact pattern as there are so many variables to cover in making this style of hat for all sizes, I will try and be as clear as mud. I was making the the hat to fit a 2 to 3 yr old, but this can be made in any size by taking your head measurements and divide that by 6.

Crochet triangle hat instructions

For this project, 8 to 10 ply yarn and a 4 to 5 mm hook
US terms used
sc and hdc st's are used
some crochet knowledge is needed
Once I had made a few triangles, I soon realized that there was more to making the hat this way than what I had originally  planned.
Crochet triangle hat instructions
The triangles would form the crown of the hat and every crown needs measurements.
The triangles I had made were 4 inches wide, I was making a hat for a 2 to 3 year old, so my 6 triangles at 4 inches wide measured 24 inches around, a size 2 to 3 hat is approx 20 inches around, this was going to be too large for the size 2 hat in a beanie style, but I knew it would be a great size for a beret.

I have made 2 sizes with this design now, the 3 inch triangles have given me a beanie style hat for a 2 to 3 yr old.
Crochet triangle hat instructions
The triangles are made with the sc stitch, beginning at the peak of the triangle with gradual increases on the sides of alternate rows see's a well formed triangle.
Each triangle once finished is crocheted around with an alternate color with the sc stitch and using 2 sc's in each corner as you turn to work the next side.
Crochet triangle hat instructions
The 6 triangles are then sewn together to form a circle for the crown of the hat, there may be a small opening where the peaks of the triangle are joined, leaving a tail from joining the triangles you can pick up and crochet st's in a sl st to close this hole, or sew it closed.
Crochet triangle hat instructions
Make 6 triangles:
Making the triangle, after row 3 you will increase at each end on every 2nd row
Row 1, Ch 2 and turn, work 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook, ch 1 and turn (1 sc)
Row 2, work 3 sc in the sc, ch 1 and turn (3 sc)
Row 3, work 1 sc in each sc, ch 1 and turn (3 sc)
Row 4, work 2 sc in 1st sc, work 1 sc in next sc, work 2 sc in next sc, ch 1 and turn (5 sc)
Row 5, work 1 sc in each sc, ch 1 and turn (5 sc)
Row 6, work 2 sc in 1st sc, work 1 sc in each sc to the last sc and work 2 sc in the last sc, ch 1 and turn (7 sc)
Row 7, work 1 sc in each sc, ch 1 and turn (7 sc)
Row 8, work 2 sc in 1st sc, work 1 sc in each sc to the last sc and work 2 sc in the last sc, ch 1 and turn (9 sc)
Row 9, work 1 sc in each sc, ch 1 and turn (9 sc)
Row 10, work 2 sc in 1st sc, work 1 sc in each sc to the last sc and work 2 sc in the last sc, ch 1 and turn (11 sc)
Row 11, work 1 sc in each sc, ch 1 and turn (11 sc)
Row 12, work 2 sc in 1st sc, work 1 sc in each sc to the last sc and work 2 sc in the last sc, ch 1 and turn (13 sc)
Row 13, work 1 sc in each sc, ch 1 and turn (13 sc) approx 3 inches
Row 14, work 2 sc in 1st sc, work 1 sc in each sc to the last sc and work 2 sc in the last sc, ch 1 and turn (15 sc)
Row 15, work 1 sc in each sc, ch 1 and turn (15 sc)
Row 16, work 2 sc in 1st sc, work 1 sc in each sc to the last sc and work 2 sc in the last sc, ch 1 and turn (17 sc)
Row 17, work 1 sc in each sc, ch 1 and turn (17 sc) approx 4 inches
Keep working this way and increasing every alternate row for a larger triangle, measure as you go to get your size
For an adult size beret I would make the triangles approx, 5 inches, for an adult size beanie, I would make the triangles 4 inches.
Crochet triangle hat instructions
After joining all of your triangles to make the circle, the next stage of the hat is to join your yarn in any sc space at the bottom edge of the crown.
Work 1 sc in each sc around the hat and sl st to join. Make a note of how many sc's you have made from this round and measure the circumference of the hat.

head size chart for hat making
This size chart above is a guide for a beanie size hat, it is also the size you will need for the beret hat once you need to decrease for the brim of the hat.

The remaining instructions are for any size Piece Of Pie Crochet Hat you are making:
For a beret style hat a count of approx 100 st's or more is great, make several rows with this count using the hdc st, for the depth of your beret style that you are pleased with, then follow the next set of instructions to decrease for your hat edge.

Crochet triangle hat instructions

For a beanie style hat and the beret hat edge, you will need to make decreases, using the hdc st decrease in every 6th stitch around (dec stitch 6 and 7 together), it's more than likely that your st count will not be accurate, but we just need it close enough.
Using the size chart for your measurements, you may need to further decrease to get your size, the next row you can decrease every 5th and 6th st's together, the next round can be decrease every 4th and 5th st's together until you get your size.

Crochet triangle hat instructions
Once you have the size you need,continue working the hdc st in each st round until you have reached the length of your hat. Refer to the size chart or try your hat on.
It's a nice little touch to work your hdc's into the back loops only for the hat edge.
Then you will finish off and sew in your ends.

Some Tips:
You want your triangles the same size, the green triangles below are too small, a difference with yarn brand or ply may cause this.
Crochet triangle hat instructions
 This is the side of the triangle you need to measure to get your hat size
Crochet triangle hat instructions

Crochet triangle hat instructions

Crochet triangle hat instructions

Crochet triangle hat instructions