Thursday, December 21, 2017

The Zipper Hat




THE ZIPPER STITCH HAT AND MESSY HAIR BUN HAT

I like to play with stitches and make them look different to what they are. In this pattern I have created a new look sc, which is combined with the hdc. The hdc is worked as normal, around the post, or in the back loop for subtle pattern changes.
I believe you will enjoy making this Unique Crochet Hat, the new sc stitch, which I am going to refer as to the zipper stitch (zsc), will be used in alternating rows and in color 2.


I have included a video of this stitch being made, it's at the bottom of this post.

The hat begins from the brim, which is made in a strip then joined, the hat is the made upward and in rounds that are joined. The pictures will illustrate the zipper stitch and the progress of the pattern. Lets begin.



This hat can be made in all sizes, from baby to adult, for males or females, it has a stitch repeat of just 1.
The brim when stretched out, needs to be the size of the circumference of the head you are making it for.
For example, I want a hat that fits a head size of 21 inches around, so I make the length of my brim measuring 21 inches when stretched (not stretched it measured 17 inches), for this size it was 46 rows.



You can use the hat size chart below as a guide to making the size you want.  
If you are making an infants size, simply stop the pattern at the length required and go on to the decreases for the hat pattern.
You will have completed about 7 of the pattern rows.

 
Suggested experience: beginner +

Materials needed:
10 ply/worsted weight
5mm/H-8 hook
Stitches used:
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
hdc = half double crochet
bl = back loop
fp = front post
bp = back post
dec = decrease


Special stitch used:
yif sc = yarn in front sc, I'm also going to refer to this method as the zipper single crochet.
zsc = zipper single crochet




To do the zipper stitch, bring your working yarn to the front of your work, hold it down with your thumb, then make a sc as normal, the stitch you just made looks like a knit st when held side ways.



To Begin: All sizes.
Make the band/brim
Ch 9 for an adult size, (ch 7 for a baby and work 6 sc's for 1st row)
Row 1. work 1 sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across, ch 1 and turn (8sc)
Row 2. work 1 sc into the back loop of each sc, ch 1 and turn (8sc)
continue working row 2 until you have reached the length for the size of your hat. Leave yarn attached, ch 1 and sl st to join using the back loops of the last row made and the unworked loops of the beginning chain row.
Do not join too tight as it may pucker.













Body of Hat: (sl st to join each round)
Round 1. ch 1, treating each row as a stitch, work 1 fphdc around each row end and the sl st join, change color, (leave main yarn attached)
 
 make sure you get a fphdc in the sl st join


Round 2. ch 1, work 1 zsc, in each hdc st to end, change color, (leave 2nd yarn attatched)
 
Round 3. ch 1, work 1 hdc in each sc to end, change color, (leave main yarn attatched)


Round 4. repeat round 2.

Round 5. ch 1, work 1bpdc around each sc of the round, change color, (leave 2nd yarn attatched)


Round 6. repeat round 2.
Round 7. repeat round 3.
Round 8. repeat round 2.


Round 9. ch 1, work 1 hdc into the back loop of every sc of the round, change color, (leave main yarn attatched)


Round 10. ch 1, work the zsc into the back loop (3rd loop) of each hdc of the round, change color, (leave 2nd yarn attatched)


Round 11.
repeat round 3.


Round 12. repeat round 2, break off 2nd color (unless you want to use it in the making of the crown)


Round 13. working in main color, ch 1 and work 1 zsc in each sc, sl st to join.



Count your st's, you will need to increase or decrease a few st's in this row so that the number of st's remaining is dividable by 6. I have 47 st's, I'm going to add a stitch in this round to get to the number 48, which is dividable by 6.
6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60, 66, 72, 78 etc.

Round 14. ch 1 and work 1 hdc in each sc (inc or dec evenly in this row)


Round 15. ch 1, *work 1 hdc in each of next 4 st's, work the next 2 st's together* (dec made) repeat from *to* to end, sl st to join


Round 16. ch 1, *work 1 hdc in each of next 3 hdc, work the next 2 st's together* (dec made) repeat from *to* to end, sl st to join


Round 17. ch 1, *work 1 hdc in each of next 2 hdc, work the next 2 st's together* (dec made) repeat from *to* to end, sl st to join.


For a messy bun hat finish hat here and work 1 round of regular sc's, for a complete hat keep decreasing


Round 18. ch 1, *work 1 hdc in next hdc, work the next 2 st's together* (dec made) repeat from *to* to end, sl st to join

Round 19. ch 1. *hdc 2 st's tog* repeat from *to* to end, finish of and sew around remaining st's to close the hole.


I forgot to mention, when I finished the hat, I went back to the hat edge and did a row of zsc around the band, it looked awesome!

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU'LL LOVE THIS
 




Free Pattern, Courtesy Of Cathy Wood
Aka, Cats-Rockin-Crochet.
2017.
You can sell your items made from this free crochet pattern
I’d love to see this pattern used for charity use
Please link back to this pattern if you use it.

Wednesday, December 13, 2017

THE FEATHER IN DISGUISE





 This feather is indeed in disguise.
Behind the feathered mask lays the
CHEVRON  STITCH
Yes folks the chevron stitch is the makings of this fine feathered feather.
 And the back bone/spine of the feather is a triple crochet that is made 2 rows below the row you are working on and is worked into the front post of that stitch, giving the over all effect of the rachis part of the feather. There is just 1 more little trick in the making of this crochet feather and that is by the time you get to the second row of dc's you work them into the back loop of the dc st. Oh yeah, of course there is the shaping of the tip of the feather, but that's just increasing less st's over a few rows and your done.
Lets make this crocheted feather together by following some simple picture tutorials.
Every picture tells a story right?
These are almost the same as a story, but in the form of an easy to follow along picture pattern!

Materials needed:
Your choice of yarn and hook
the sky is the limit, fly free
with color and yarn choices 

 The fun begins with chains and slip st's
Next we begin the chevron pattern, we need an extra ch 3, that counts as the 1st dc of this row, then increase in the 4th ch from the hook by adding 2 more dc's, make 3 dc's over the next 3 ch's, then dc 3 ch's together for the decrease.
The first part of the spine will be just a dc into the top sl st, when you have more rows you'll do the front post triple crochet instead.
The you basically repeat what you just did in the reverse order for this side.
Finish off this row with the increase of 3 dc's into the last ch, turn.
EVERY STITCH MADE (apart from the center st) IS NOW
WORKED INTO THE BACK LOOPS ONLY.
Chain up 3 and work an increase of 2 dc's into the 1st dc of this row. 1 dc into each of the next 3 dc's, then the decrease again, dc dec the next 3 st's together.
Now for our first front post triple crochet, but it's only 1 row below as we only have 1, but after this it will always be made 2 rows below the row you are working on. A little trick I learned here after the triple, was to count from the last stitch of the row and back to where I now wanted to do the dc dec over 3 st's,  starting with the 7th, 6th and 5th st's, because that middle stitch can get mixed up with that count, so that way made it easy peasy!
Picture 20 tells us that we have now made enough rows to do our front post triple in the middle st of 2 rows below, yay, finally.
The crochet feather is beginning to look more like a feather now.


Continue working the chevron stitch
for your desired length.
To shape the top of the feather,
you will only do a ch 3 and 1 dc in the first dc of the row, the middle section remains the same and finish the row with only 2 dc in the last stitch.
Onto the next row and the stitch count changes 
so work as instructed in picture 24.

 Getting smaller as we go and less st's to work on, follow the instructions in the pictures.
When you get to the final row, picture 28, decrease over all stitches,
ch 3, dc dec the 2 dc's, triple dec the front post triple, dc dec the last 3 st's all in one.You will have 7 loops on your hook and sl st to close them all.

 Now you get to sew in all the loose ends and make more.
Make some more, make some short ones and long ones and hang them ready for flight.



Wednesday, December 6, 2017

The Constructive Stocking





Sometimes we need to see something in pieces to understand the construction process. 
This is what I have tried to do within these pictures, I have also included a written pattern too. 
The sock begins from the top band, works down to the heel, the heel is made, works out to the toe, then the toe part is made.
I'm giving you instructions for a stitch count of 24 and rounds of sc and double crochet. This will also work with the half double crochet stitch, combined with the single crochet and other amounts of stitch counts that can easily be dividable.





 TOE DECREASES


Materials:
yarn of your choice and hook to suit the yarn
Stitches used: US terms
ch = chain
sl st = slip stitch
sc = single crochet
dc = double crochet
sc 2 tog = a decrease that is single crochet 2 sc's together
sc inc = single crochet increase = work 2 sc's into same st
Experience = beginner+

THE CUFF
To begin, ch 24, sl st to form a ring
Round 1. ch 1, work 1 sc in each ch (24 sc) do not join these rounds
Rounds 2 to 6, work 1 sc in each sc, on final round sl st to join and finish off yarn.
Option 2: work a total of 12 rounds, fold in half so the beginning round is kissing the end round
THE LEG PART
Round 1. Attach new yarn to the cuff, ch 3, work 1 dc in each sc, sl st to join round (1 x ch 3 and 23 dc)
Round 2 to 6. ch 3, work 1 dc in each dc to end, sl st to join. Last round finish off yarn.
THE HEEL. find the last dc you made in row 6 of the leg, counting down and to your right, st 5, st 4, st 3, st 2, st 1 is where you join in your new yarn with a sl st.
Row 1. ch 1, work 1 sc in same st as join, work 1 sc into the next 5 dc, into the top of the ch 3 and into the next 5 dc, ch 1 and turn (12 sc)
DECREASES:
Row 2. work the first 2 sc's together, work a sc into each sc until you reach the last 2 sc's of the row, work the last 2 sc's together ch 1 and turn (10 sc) repeat row 2 until you have 2 st's remaining
Increases:
Row 1. work 2 sc's into the first sc and work 2 sc's into the last sc, ch 1 and turn (4 sc)
Row 2 and onward. continue working 2 sc's in the beginning and end sc's until you have 12 sc's again. Next row, work 1 sc in each sc and break off yarn leaving a long tail, fold heel inside out and sew each heel edge together, fold heel right way out to begin next step.
MAKING THE FOOT PART: join yarn into a sc of the heel with a sl st
In the picture below, there is a space circled, if you include this as a dc over 2 spaces/or dc 2 tog in the next round 1 on both sides, it will form a lovely angel to your sock

Round 1. ch 3, work 1 dc into each sc and dc of the round, sl st to join (1 x ch 3 and 23 dc)
Round 2 to 4. ch 3, work 1 dc in each st of the round, break off yarn, join in new yarn where you just finished off
MAKING THE TOE
Round 1. ch 1, work 1 sc in each st to end, sl st to join (24 sc)
Round 2. ch 1, *work 1 sc in each of the next 4 sc, work the next 2 sc's tog (dec made)*, repeat from *to* to end (20 sc)
Round 3. ch 1, *work 1 sc in each of the next 3 sc, work the next 2 sc's tog (dec made)*, repeat from *to* to end (16 sc)
Round 4. ch 1, *work 1 sc in each of the next 2 sc, work the next 2 sc's tog (dec made)*, repeat from *to* to end (12 sc)
Round 5. ch 1, *work 1 sc into the next 1 sc, work the next 2 sc's tog (dec made)*, repeat from *to* to end (8 sc)
Round 6. ch 1, sc 2 tog to end (4 sc), break off yarn leaving a tail to sew toe closed. 
Sew in all loose ends and get ready to make another one.
I believe if you made a matching pair, they can be worn and not just used as a Christmas stocking.