Writing A Pattern For Speciality Yarn

If you do write a pattern for a specialty yarn, it's best to make sure that the yarn will be available for ease of purchase.
I recently made a hat and scarf set for my sister in law that deemed to be very popular, so I began to write a pattern for it, although the initial set I made was easy to make up, once I started writing the pattern for readily available yarn, I had to make many alterations to the original pattern. I knew that the specialty yarn was old stock and I was not able to recommend an alternative yarn for my readers to use. What made further difficulties for me was that I used a yarn ply I was not familiar with. You may be wondering why I did that. The reason being is that here in Australia , we have a nation wide department store that is now stocking Red Heart yarn! This was my first chance to use it in writing a pattern, this ply of yarn is universally available.
So I had lots of frogging and deleting/retyping text, this is all while I have a head cold too. What would have taken me 2 days at the most has become double that and all for the love of crochet.

This is the original crochet hat and scarf set, the buttons really set it off

I love the crocheted textures within the hat and scarf

The beginning crown of the hat, reminds me of an older style tupperware lid

I have 2 sizes almost completed with the Red Heart yarn

This is how I mapped out the pattern for the body of the hat pattern

Rachelle's Hand Crocheted Treasures

I was almost blown away when I saw these pictures from Rachelle.

She has combined 2 of my free patterns for a matching baby set.

The one piece booties has been and still is one of the most used baby patterns that I designed, the baby rails hat pattern is a recent pattern that I wrote too. I think she is very clever putting the 2 patterns together, it's almost as if they were made for one another.

You can visit Rachelle's page on Face Book, she has a variety of hand made crochet goodies and I believe she does take orders for her hand made goodies too.  

Alternatively, you can visit Rachelle at her blog.

 Pictures courtesy of Rachelle

http://cats-rockin-crochet.blogspot.com.au/2014/04/baby-rails-free-crochet-pattern.html

http://cats-rockin-crochet.blogspot.com.au/2011/05/cats-one-piece-wonder-bootie-pattern.html

Unisex, Teaser Slouch, Free Crochet Pattern

Introduction: The teaser slouch hat pattern is not only a unisex design, it has a unique simple stitch pattern that will keep you warm on the coldest of winter days. 

The hat can be made with an assortment of your favorite colors to match any existing fashion outfits that you have, or you can choose to make it in the one color, any color choice will still bring out the beauty of this pattern design.

Why did I call this stitch pattern the Teaser?

I felt like the stitch pattern was teasing me, just as I had established 2 rows of the pattern, I felt like the pattern was moving in one direction, then once I completed the next 2 rows of the pattern, it headed in the opposite direction and was giving an amazing and subtle decorative stitch pattern, it even feels amazing!

The Stitch pattern is formed over 4 rows in total. The first 2 rows are the same as each other and the next 2 rows are the same as each other, so it will not be difficult to memorize the  pattern.The band of the hat is also duplicate rows.

The pattern stitch count is multiples of 2, so it can be adjusted very easily for any sizing. Let's say for instance you do not want a slouch and prefer a beanie/toque for an adult medium, you will  stop your increases at the stitch count of 72 for the crown, then continue on with the pattern instructions and also make it a shorter length for the beanie/toque.

To fit: Adult, Male or Female
Yarn: 8 ply approx 200 gm’s US DK/Medium
Hook size: 4 mm US G/6
US crochet terms used
Skill level: beginner +
Tension: medium
Time: approx 4 hours
Stitches used:
Sl st=slip stitch
Ch=chain
Sc = single crochet
Hdc= half double crochet
Dc =double crochet
Bpsc = back post single crochet, there is a video tutorial on how to do the bpsc on the video's page of this blog.

Fpdc = front post double crochet 


Please note! the beginning chain 2,of the rounds are not counted as a stitch
To begin: working from the top of the hat and down to the hat edge

Chain 4, sl st to first ch to form a ring. Or use a magic ring
Row 1, ch 2, work 12 dc into ring, to join, sl st into the 1st dc of this round (12 dc)
Row 2, ch 1 work (1 hdc,1 dc) in each dc to end, join (24 st's)
Increase in every 2nd stitch
Row 3, ch 2 work 1 dc in 1st st, work (1 hdc, 1 dc) in next st, *work 1 dc in next st, work (1 hdc,1 dc) in next st* repeat from *to* to end, join (36 st's)
Increase in every 3rd stitch
Row 4, ch 2, work 1 dc in 1st st, work 1 dc in next st, work (1 hdc, 1 dc) in next st, *work 1 dc in each of next 2 st's, work (1 hdc, 1 dc) in next st* repeat from *to* to end, join (48 st's)
Increase in every 4th stitch
Row 5, ch 2, work 1 dc in 1st st, work 1 dc in each of the next 2 st's, work (1hdc, 1 dc) in next st, *work 1 dc in each of next 3 st's, (1hdc, 1 dc) in next st* repeat from *to* to end, join (60 st's)
Increase in every 5th stitch 
Row 6, ch 2, work 1 dc in 1st st, work 1 dc in each of the next 3 st's, work (1hdc, 1 dc) in next st, *work 1 dc in each of next 4 st's, work (1hdc, 1 dc) in next st* repeat from *to* to end, join,
(72 st's)
Increase in every 6th stitch 
Row 7, ch 2, work 1 dc in 1st st, work 1 dc in each of the next 4 st's, work (1hdc, 1 dc) in next st, *work 1 dc in each of next 5 st's, work (1hdc, 1 dc) in next st* repeat from *to* to end, join,
(84 st's) finish of increases
Row 8, ch 2, work 1 dc in 1st st, work 1 hdc in next st, *1 dc in next st, 1 hdc in next st* repeat from *to* to end, join
Pattern rows:
Working into dc stitches only
Row 9, ch 1 work (1 hdc into the eye of the 1st dc, work 1 fpdc around the same dc), skip next st, *work (1 hdc, 1 fpdc in next st), skip next st* repeat from *to* to end, sl st to join in the 1st dc of this rnd, (42 hdc, 42 dc)
Row 10, repeat row 9, to join, sl st into the 1st hdc of this round
Working into the hdc st's only
Row 11, ch 1, work (1 hdc, 1 fpdc) in the 1 st hdc of this round, skip next st, *work (1 hdc, 1 fpdc) in next st, skip the next st* repeat from *to* to end, to join, sl st into the 1st hdc of this round (42 hdc, 42 dc)
Row 12, repeat row 11
Rows 9 to 12 form pattern.
Continue working pattern for a length of approx 9 inches (or your desired length)
Hat Edge:
Row 1, ch 1 work 1 sc in each st to end, do not join
Row 2, to make the 1 st bpsc, come in from behind the ch 1, insert hook into the space between the ch 1 and the 1st sc and make the bpsc around the 1st sc, work 1 bpsc in each st to end, make join into the top of the 1st bpsc
Row 3, ch 1 work 1 sc in each st to end, do not join
Row 4, work 1 bpsc in each st to end, join
Row 5, ch 1 work 1 sc in each st to end, do not join
Row 6, work 1 bpsc in each st to end, join
Row 7, ch 1 work 1 sc in each st to end, do not join
Row 8, work 1 bpsc in each st to end, join
Row 9, ch 1 work 1 sc in each st to end, do not join
Row 10, work 1 bpsc in each st to end, join
Row 11, ch 1 work 1 sc in each st to end, do not join
Row 12, work 1 bpsc in each st to end, join
Row 13, ch 1 work 1 sc in each st to end, do not join
Row 14, work 1 bpsc in each st to end, join, you can finish off here or continue for length desired

If you would like to see how I was able to carry my yarn whilst making the Teaser Slouch, just click on the picture below

Free Pattern Courtesy Of Cat Wood

Aka, Cats-Rockin-Crochet.

2014.

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

How To Carry Non Working Yarn

I am currently working on a hat pattern that uses different colors, I do not want to have to sew in lots of tails upon finishing my hat, so I have carried all of the colors along the seam of every round.

In this picture you can see the inside of the hat with the beginning and ending strands of yarn.

On the exterior side of the hat you can barely notice what has been happening on the inside of the hat

This is how I achieved this as I ended and started each and every round. I folded the non working strands over my hook and pulled the new working yarn through the non working yarns and then through the stitch on my hook and made a slip stitch, to join the round and to begin a new round of my hat.

I then pulled the non working strands nice and snug against the beginning of the round I am now working into. Those non working strands of yarn are now ignored as I continue to crochet this round, you do not want to work over them any further as they will not be in place for the next color change.

If you click on the picture below to enlarge it you will see that every strand is neatly tucked away. 

This helpful tip is brought to you with pleasure from Cats-Rockin-Crochet

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