My Tip On Crochet Gift Wearable's

When giving a wearable yarn made item cut out the washing instructions from the yarn label and pin it to the item made.

This will take the guess work out of how to wash it for the receiver.

You can always fancy the instructions up, tape it to a gift card etc.

  

I have the free cable stitch neck warmer here on my blog.

Golfers Elbow Cure?

There is pain toward the top of the elbow which is called tennis elbow and then there is pain from the bottom of the elbow which is called golfers elbow, almost in the same place as your funny bone.

My golfers elbow pain was brought on by making fine jewelry, so I gave that a rest, but the pain did not go away, it hurts when I do any sort of cleaning, wiping or scrubbing things and when I chop up vegies and in other ways too.

For the past week or so I have been crocheting like mad to get some orders out and when I went to scrub up a couple of spills that my grand daughter Cindy had made, the pain had lessened!

For the first time in months  it was not as painful to scrub and the only thing different I had been doing was more crochet than usual.

The crocheting movements must be working the affected are in my elbow.

Hubby has been nagging me to go to physio, but I was just putting up with it as physio costs money and time and I hate anti inflammatory medication.

Lesson learned?

 Crocheting is great physiotherapy for golfers elbow.

Benefits?

Save money, time and not having to take any nasty medication.

=

Crochet Rocks!

Which Stitch Hat

Which Stitch Hat Pattern

What's with the name?

Which Stitch.

Well this stitch has more than one name.

The UP and DOWN st.

The GRIDDLE st.

The LEMON PEEL st.

 And maybe even more.

I prefer the Up and Down stitch as it makes sense to me.

Once the first pattern row is established which is

1 sc, 1 dc, repeat the last 2 stitches to the end.

The up and down bit becomes clear on the next and every alternative row.

1 sc worked into a dc stitch, 1 dc worked into a sc stitch, worded this way it's really the down and up stitch.

NECK WARMER PATTERN HERE.

 The benefits of this st is that it works up very quickly and gives a closed piece of work (no holes) which is perfectly suited for a neck warmer or a hat.

Materials needed: Hook 4 to 5 mm, yarn DK 8ply, sewing needle

tape measure and some scissors, stitch marker

US terms used:

ch = chain

sc = single crochet

dc = double crochet
fpdc = front post dc
bpdc = back post dc

Level = beginner to expert.
Size = small to medium
Time approx 2 to 3 hours

 Pattern

 You will need the basic dc crown to begin, (click for link) once that is made, follow the instructions below.

Either size will work with the pattern instructions.

We will be joining rounds until the end of round 3.

Row 1, of the stitch pattern. You will be in the position of having made a slip st into the top of the ch 3, now ch 1 and make 1 sc into the same place as the sl st, 1 dc into next st, *1 sc into next st, 1 dc into next st,* repeat from *to * to end of the round, you should finish with 1 dc into the last st, sl st into the first sc of round 1

Row 2, ch 3 (first dc), work 1 sc into the next st, *work 1 dc into the next st, work 1 sc into the next st*, repeat from *to* to the last st, the last st will be a sc into a dc, make that, you will now increase into that same st with a dc, sl st into the top of the ch 3 to join

Row 3, ch 1, work 1 sc into the same place as the join (top of ch 3 space), *work 1 dc into next st, work 1 sc into next st*, repeat from *to* to end of the round, do not join round.

Row 4, this row will make up the rest of the pattern.

Work 1 dc into the next st, (use your st marker on this st if you want to keep track of your row count), *work 1 sc into next st, work 1 dc into next st,* repeat from *to* to 1 st before st marker, do not join round, now repeat pattern in rounds. A sc into a dc, a dc into a sc.

 You may not want to use that annoying st marker, you can just go around and around until you to get approx, 7 inches total hat length and then make a ribbed look edging, finish with a dc st, no need to join round.

Ribbed Look Hat Edge.

Row 1, work 1 dc in each st around, sl st into the first dc of this round

Row 2, ch 3, *work 1 bpdc around the next st, work 1 fpdc around the next st, repeat from *to* to end, come in from behind the back of the chain 3 and sl st to join round

Row 3, ch 3, *work 1 bpdc around the next bpdc, work 1 fpdc around the next fpdc,* repeat from *to* to end,
come in from behind the back of the chain 3 and sl st to join round

You may want to finish your hat edge here, or repeat row 3 for more length. If the hat edge needs to be a little tighter, do a round of 1 sc into each st.

Finish off and tie in ends.

I use a flower very similar to this one, free pattern here on my blog.

 BONUS FLOWER PATTERN

Flower Pattern

Chain 4, sl st to beginning ch to form a ring

Row 1, ch 2, work 10 dc into ring, to join, sl st into the 1^st dc of the round (10 dc), this will give us 5 pairs of 2 dc for each petal

Row 2, *ch 3, work (2 dc, 1 trbl) in same space as ch 3, work (1 trbl, 2 dc) in next dc, ch 3, sl st into the same dc, sl st into the next dc* repeat 4 more times (5 petals), end with a sl st into the beginning ch 3

Row 3, *ch 6, bring the ch 6 around the back of the petal and sl st into the next ch 3*, repeat 4 more times, to join, sl st into the 1^st ch 6 space

Row 4, *ch 3, work (3 dc, 3 trbl, 3 dc) in the ch 6 space, ch 3, sl st into the same ch 6 space, sl st into the next ch 6 space* repeat 4 more times, end with a sl st into the beginning ch 3

Row 5, repeat row 3

Row 6, *ch 3, work (3 dc, 5 trbl, 3 dc) in the ch 6 space, ch 3, sl st into the same ch 6 space, sl st into the next ch 6 space* repeat 4 more times, end with a sl st into the beginning ch 3, finish off, leave a long tail for sewing your flower onto your project

I wanted a slightly raised center for my flower, after completing the flower I attached my yarn to a center dc and made a front post dc in each of the 10 dc’s to give me this effect

Free Pattern Courtesy Of Cat Wood

Aka, Cats-Rockin-Crochet.

You can sell your items made from this pattern

I’d love to see this pattern used for charity use

Please link back to this pattern if you use it

TO PRINT OUT THE PATTERN, COPY AND PASTE TO A WORD DOCUMENT ON YOUR COMPUTER.

The Joel M Hat Pattern

The Joel M Hat Pattern

My inspiration for this pattern was Joel Maddens hair color, he changes it every week or maybe every day. 

He is a coach on The Voice.

 

 My Version

 I usually make my medium hats with a beginning crown of 72 st's, but the pattern used for the hat, made it shrink, so I had to start over with a crown count of 84 st's, it was a perfect count as the stitch pattern is dividable by 14 st's.

Below is the 70 st count for the crown, it was too small for a medium adult.

Below is the 84 st count, big difference!

The Joel M Hat Pattern

Hook size: AU 4.00mm. US G/6

Yarn ply: AU 8 ply. US 4 ply medium approx 120 gm’s

Tension: 9 dc’s, 2 inches wide. 1 dc, half inch high

US terms used
Beginner +

Time approx 3 hours: Size medium adult

Stitches used:

Ch = chain

Sl st = slip st

Sc = single crochet

Hdc = half double crochet

Dc = double crochet

Fphdc = front post half double crochet

Bphdc = back post half double crochet

Dec = decrease

Inc = Increase = more than 1 stitch in the same stitch

Yo = yarn over hook

Special Instructions:

Pattern is a 14 stitch repeat. Make your crown (end count) in multiples of 14. Example, I am using 84 dc which was an easy target to get to using the basic dc crown; I increased in 1 more row.

 I am using this size as the pattern tends to shrink down one size, so I am calling this size a medium.

Very small adult size you will need 70 dc st’s in the crown. You can manipulate the stitch count by adding or subtracting a stitch anywhere in the last row of making your crown, you may need to add or subtract 2 or 4 st’s, but that’s okay.

dc dec, next 3 st’s = yo hook, insert hook into next st, pull up a loop (3 loops on hook), yo pull through 2 loops only, yo hook, , insert hook into next st, pull up a loop (4 loops on hook), ), yo pull through 2 loops only,  yo hook, insert hook into next st, pull up a loop (5 loops on hook), yo pull through 2 loops, yo pull through remaining 4 loops on hook

To begin make the basic dc crown found here.

To get 84 st’s complete row 7 below.

Row 7, Ch 3, work 1 dc in next 4 dc, work 2 dc in next dc, *work 1 dc in each of next 5 dc, work 2 dc in next dc,* repeat from *to* to end, sl st to join in top of ch 3 (84 dc)

Set Up Row for Pattern, (color changes will not be mentioned)

Row 1, Ch 3, work 1 dc in the next 3 st’s, work 1 sc in the next 6 st’s, *work 1 dc in the next 8 st’s, , work 1 sc in the next 6 st’s,* repeat from*to* to the last 4 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 4 st’s, , sl st to join in top of ch 3

Pattern:

Row 2, Ch 3, work 2 dc’s in same space as sl st (inc made), work 1 dc in next 3 st’s, dc dec, next 3 st’s (dec made), dc dec, next 3 st’s (dec made),  work 1 dc in next 3 st’s, work 3 dc’s in the next st (inc made),

(14 st, pattern just made)

*work 3 dc’s  in the next st (inc made), work 1 dc in next 3 st’s, dc dec, next 3 st’s (dec made), dc dec, next 3 st’s (dec made),  work 1 dc in next 3 st’s, work 3 dc’s  in the next st (inc made),* repeat from *to* to end of the round, sl st to join in top of ch 3

Row 3 and remaining rows of pattern, repeat pattern row 2 approx 6 or 7 times in total (or length desired i.e: slouch look)

It’s up to you if you want a straight hat edge or the wave hat edge. If you want the wave hat edge add more rows of the pattern for length desired

Straight Hat Edge

Row 1, work 1 sc in the next 4 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 7 st’s, work 1 sc in the next 3 st’s. *work 1 sc in the next 3 st’s, work 1 dc in the next 8 st’s, work 1 sc in the next 3 st’s* repeat from *to* to end, sl st into the first st of the round

Special size instructions:

For a tighter hat edge replace the hdc with sc’s.

For a looser hat edge replace the hdc with dc’s.

Row 2, ch 2 (first hdc), work 1 hdc in each st to end of the round, sl st into ch 2 space to join

Row 3, ch 2,* work 1 bphdc in next st, work 1 fphdc in next st,* repeat from *to* to end, sl st into ch 2 space to join

Row 4, repeat row 3 for length desired.

Finish off and tie in ends.

You may find this amusing, this is how I jotted down the pattern as I made the hat and pattern.

Chickie Magoo helped test this pattern and she did find a mistake, lucky for me she did!
This is her hat made from the pattern 
Chickie chose a slouch look. 
This is Chickie's feed back.

I opted to add a few rows of FPHDC/BPHDC to enhance the slouch look. Just a note, the depth from crown to edge is a tad long for a non-slouch @ 84 sts ... at least it is for me. My head circ is 22". This hat measures 8" from top of crown to the beginning of the post stitch edge, then another inch for the post stitch edging.... that's why it's slightly slouchy. I don't mind that look so it's all good but just so you know. As for speed, once I figured out the pattern, it was a breeze and didn't take long at all, no more than just a plain hat really and the repeats are very easy to remember. After the first coloured stripe (once I figured it out lol) I didn't need to refer back to the pattern till I got to the straight edge... I would say it's quicker than it looks! Thank YOU x

 
Good luck with your project, I’d love to hear your feed back. Please do not sell this pattern, please link back to me if you use this pattern, I’d love to see this used for charity, and you can make and sell items from this pattern too.

 TO PRINT OUT THE PATTERN, COPY AND PASTE TO A WORD DOCUMENT ON YOUR COMPUTER.