Beary Adorable.

I recently got a request for a trio of bear hats. I was so excited to try it out as I've been seeing patterns for bear hats everywhere. The customer wanted a specific look. At first the task was daunting. I couldn't find a hat pattern that worked. I finally decided on a hybrid. I used this pattern for the hat, and this pattern for the ears. I've made a couple changes to the pattern so I decided to post it here. I do have another pattern in pictures in the works. I just have to finish these hats.


Beary Adorable Earflap Hat

Materials:
G (4 mm) hook (for ears)
J hook (for hat)
around 3.5 oz of worsted weight yarn
tapestry/yarn needle

Abbreviations:
ch= chain
sl st = slip stitch
dc = double crochet
hdc = half double crochet
hdc dec = half double crochet decrease
rnd = round
sc = single crochet

Pattern Notes:
Crochet the hat holding two strands of yarn together. Use only one strand for the ears.

Ch 3, sl st to form a ring.
Rnd 1: Ch 3 (counts as first dc here and throughout) 9 dc in ring. Join with a sl st to the top of beginning ch 3. (10 dc)
Rnd 2: Ch3, dc in same st as join. 2 dc in each stitch around. (20 dc)
Rnd 3: Ch3, *2 dc in next st. dc in next st* Repeat *-* around. (30 dc)
Rnd 4: Ch3, dc in next st *2 dc in next st, dc in next 2 stitches* Repeat *-* around. (40 dc)
Rnd 5: Ch3, dc in next 2 stitches, *2 dc in next st, dc in next 3 stitches* Repeat *-* around (50 dc) [for *bigger sizes check Options at end of pattern]
Rnd 6-10: Ch3, dc in each st around. (50 dc) If your hat looks a little shallow, add more rnds here.
Rnd 11: Ch3, dc in each of next 35 stitches. Ch 3, turn.

Now you'll be working in rows.
Row 1: skip 1st dc. dc in each st around. Ch 3, turn. (34 dc)
Row 2: skip 1st dc. Dc in next 10 stitches. (10 dc) (Beginning of earflap)
Row 3: work a dc decrease in first 2 stitches. dc in each st across until last 2 stitches. Work a dc decrease in last 2 stitches.
Continue in this fashion until you only have 2 decreases. Fasten off.

Join yarn on the other side of the hat. (15 stitches from previous earflap) 12 stitches in. Follow the same instructions for the previous earflap, except for Row 2. Work Row 1 as follows:

Row 1 of second earflap: Ch 3, dc in each of next 1o stitches. Skip last dc. (10 dc total, not counting beginning ch 3)


Ear: (Make 2) These are worked in a spiral. Don't join the rounds.
Rnd 1: make a magic ring/adjustable ring sc 5 in ring. (5 sc)
Rnd 2: 2 hdc in each st around. (10 hdc)
Rnd 3: 2 hdc in each st around. (20 hdc)
Rnd 4: hdc in next st, 2 hdc in next st (30 hdc)
Rnd 5 & 6: hdc in each st around (30 hdc)
Rnd 7: work [hdc, hdc dec] around (20 hdc)
Rnd 8: hdc dec in each st around (10 hdc)

Fasten off, leaving a tail long enough to sew the ears closed and sew them to the hat. The ears will look like a mushroom cap while you're crocheting them. Don't worry! You can squish them down and mold them into perfect little bear ears.


This is where you really get to personalize it. You have lots of options in regards to the rest of the hat. You can find a contrasting yarn and crochet a slip stitch or single crochet border around the bottom of the hat. You can add a chin strap that attaches to either velcro or a cute button. These are some of the options for the hat.

Options:

*to make an adult sized hat, add as many more increasing rows as you need. Just continue in the same fashion as the 3-5 rounds, adding a single crochet between increases (2 dc in one stitch) Then work the hat the same way you'd make the kids' sized hat. Add a few more rows worked even (1 dc in each st around) if needed. Everything else can be worked the same.

For a simple chin strap for any hat, ch as many as needed to go under the chin with a few extra. Ch 3 and dc in each of the chs. Once you get to the end, ch 5, sl st in the first ch you made and fasten off your work. Sew it to the hat so the side with the ch 5 on the same side as the button.

For simple but eye catching straps, take the end of your yarn and hold it in the webbing between your thumb and index finger. Wrap the yarn around your elbow and bring it back up to your thumb and index finger 6 times. cut the yarn you have bunched at your thumb and index finger. You're essentially making really long fringe. Take 3 strands and fold them in half. Insert your hook into the end of an ear flap and pull the bend of the fringe through. Now pull the ends of the fringe through the loop you just made. Pull it as tight as you can, now separate the 6 strands of yarn into 3 groups of 2 and braid them. Tie a knot at the end. Repeat for remaining 3 pieces of fringe on other ear flap.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!
an option within the options: If you decided to do a border in a contrasting color, and you want to do the ties, Make 4 pieces of long fringe in the main color, and 2 in the alternate color. Follow the same instructions for the ties, except you'll have 2 strands of main color and 1 of the alternate color. (obviously, you can reverse the colors if that's your preference.)


Enjoy, and as always email any questions or pictures of finished products to me at armyofowls@gmail.com

The Saturday Stitch: Front (and Back)post double crochet.

There has been a few weeks of sick folks and crochet orders in my house. Sadly, the blog has suffered and I apologize. Hopefully I can get us back to a sort of regularly scheduled programming.

Some weeks ago I promised the next Saturday Stitch would be front post and back post double crochet. This gives whatever you're making a ribbed, 3-D effect. When working with crochet, you're told to go into the stitch. This is the top of the work you did on the row or round previous.
In front or back post crochet, you insert the hook into the "post" of the stitch. (see photo) This stitch is abbreviated fpdc or bpdc.


The pattern I've chosen is a pretty straightforward one. It's for a 3-D scarf. This pattern is created entirely on theory, so if it doesn't work out well or it looks like garbage, let me know.



3-D Scarf

Materials:
Two 5-7oz. skeins of any yarn, although worsted weight will work best.
H hook (bigger hook=bigger, looser scarf.)



Ch 22 loosely. (I tend to prefer skinnier scarves. If you'd like a wide scarf, just chain a multiple of 2, plus an additional 2 chains.)

Row 1: dc in 3rd ch from hook and in each ch across. (20 dc)

Row 2: ch 2, turn. *fpdc (front post double crochet) in first dc. Bpdc (back post double crochet) in next dc.** Repeat from * across.

Repeat Row 2 until piece is desired length.


Alternate version:
Same Materials.

Ch 222 loosely. (once again, your personal preference comes into play. This chain will be the length of the scarf, so just stop when it gets long enough. Just make sure it's a multiple of 2, plus 2 additional chains.)

Row 1: dc in 3rd chain from hook and in each ch across.

Row 2: *fpdc in first dc, bpdc in next dc** Repeat *-** across.

Repeat row 2 until scarf is desired width.

Since I've never tried this pattern out, please send me photos of your finished products if you make one. Email me at armyofowls@gmail.com.

Fanatic Fridays

This Friday, in honor of the holiday, I've decided to post a pdf of a pattern I used to crochet Easter baskets for my son and nephews.

http://www.premieryarns.com/patterns/124.pdf

It was very easy to adapt. I made one basket sort of shallow, one tall, and for the third one I'll probably make it really really wide and shallow.

I adapted the pattern a little bit to add handles. The last row says to slip stitch around the entire top of the basket. I went to halfway, chained 14, then continued slip stitching around. When I got to the end I chained 14 again, slip stitched into the first slip stitch, and fastened off.

I will definitely post pictures once I'm done crocheting lots of Easter eggs. You all can also be pretty confident that the next "Saturday Stitch" will be front post double crochet. (Back post too, probably.)

Have fun and remember to email the pictures of finished products to me (armyofowls@gmail.com) and I'll put them up on the blog.

Pixie Hat

Here's the hat without ties.

Here it is with ties. It comes highly recommended from Dexter.

I originally got this pattern from someone's blog. They have some discrepancies in regards to how many double crochets they tell you to do and how many there are supposed to be in the completed row. I'm going to do my best to write a corrected pattern here, as well as post some pictures I took of my son and his roommate wearing them.




This pattern calls for an H hook, but I crochet very tightly so I didn't get a toddler sized hat until I went up to a J hook. The hat I made with an I hook barely fits the 13 month old living at my house.


Make a magic ring (or slipknot.)

Row 1: in the magic ring, ch3 (this is the 1^st dc), 8 dc around and join. (9 st)

Pull the magic ring closed.

Row 2: ch 3, 1 dc in each of previous dc, join to top ch 3(9 st)

Row 3: ch 3, dc in the same st as ch3, 2 dc in each remaining st and join. (18 st)

Row 4: ch 3, 1 dc in each st around, join to top ch 3 (18 st)

Row 5: ch 3, *2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next st. Repeat from * around and join.

(27 st)

Row 6: ch 3, 1 dc in next st, *2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next 2 st. Repeat from * around and join

(36 st)

Row 7: ch 3, 1 dc in next 2 st,* 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next 3 st. Repeat from * around and join .

(45 st)

Row 8: ch 3, 1 dc in next 3 st,* 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next 4 st. Repeat from * around and join .

(54 st)

Row 9 -12 : ch 3, 1 dc in every st around and join. (54 st each row)

Row 13: ch 3, sk next st, 1 dc in each of the next 39st, sk next st, 1 dc in next st and turn work.

(41 st)

Row 14: ch 3, sk next st, dc in next 39 st, turn work. ( 40 st)

Row 15: ch 3, sk next st, dc in the next 13st, work a dc decrease 6 times. 1dc in next 13 st, sk 1 st, dc in last st and turn work. (33 st)

Row 16: ch 2, 1 hdc in next st, 1 dc in next 6 st, 1hdc in next st, sc in last st and turn work.

Row 17: ch 1, sc in next st, hdc in next st, 1 dc in next 4 st, hdc in next st, sc in last st and turn work

Row 18: slst around work up to the last 9 st of the previous row, ch2, 1 hdc in next st, 1 dc in

next 6 st, 1hdc in next st, sc in last st and turn work .

Row 19: ch 1, sc in next st, hdc in next st, 1 dc in next 4 st, hdc in next st, sc in last st and tie off.

Finish : Weave in loose ends.

As always, email me if you have any confusion regarding the pattern. (armyofowls@gmail.com) Pictures of your finished versions are welcome too.

The Saturday Stitch: Decrease

This week's stitch is a companion piece to the last one. It's used mainly in situations where you need to shape a piece. This could mean shaping a head for an amigurumi doll or making neck straps for a baby bib.

Here's a picture:

This is a single crochet decrease. Essentially, you just insert your hook into the designated next 2 stitches and pull up a loop in each one. Then pull through all the loops on your hook. When adapting this to a double crochet decrease, you just yarn over before inserting the hook into the designated stitches. Pull through the first loop, leave the second loop alone until you've gone in all the designated stitches. Then pull through all loops left on hook.

Here's a picture of that:




The example pattern I have for this isn't one I've tried yet, just one I've stocked away for when I had plenty of leftover yarn. This can either be a blanket, or hung in a corner of a bedroom ceiling, holding stuffed animals. It's basically a crocheted triangle, and once I give it a try I'll post a better picture.



Triangle Blanket


Materials:

-lots of yarn.
-K hook




Ch an even number plus 1 if you're doing sc. Add 2 if you're doing dc. These are the turning chains. As you're making the chains, measure how wide you want the triangle, once you get the width you want, add the turning chain (or chains) and start the blanket.

Foundation Row: either sc (or dc) in each ch across. Ch 1 (or 2). Turn.
Row 2: Work a decrease in first 2 stitches. sc (or dc) in each stitch across until you reach the last 2 sc (or dc). work decrease.

Repeat Row 2 until you run out of stitches. The rows should get smaller and smaller. If you run into a situation where you have 3 stitches in a row, just work the decrease in all three of the stitches. It will bring them down to one stitch. Cut your yarn and tuck away the ends in the blanket.


Like I said, I'll be working on this soon and once I have it all figured out I will post a pattern in pictures perhaps. Good luck and as always, email me any pictures of my projects you've made. I'll post them on here. Send any pictures or questions to armyofowls@gmail.com.

Fanatic Fridays

Welcome to a new segment of the blog. I buy a lot of crochet pattern books and magazines. I also try to frequent a lot of crochet blogs. I chose Ana Paula Rimoli as my first subject because she's got both. Her blog has plenty of free patterns, but her books are completely worth what they charge on Amazon. Her first book, Amigurumi World, focuses mainly on animals. There are a few patterns for food related toys. The owl pattern I've grown to love is in this book. I've also made the octopus pattern in here. They're just as cute. I asked to post the owl pattern here, in order to entice you all to buy the book. Ana was very gracious but had to say no because of copyright stuff.


Her second book, Amigurumi Two!, is full of twice as many cute patterns. This one also focuses on animals, but there are more baby toys in this book. I made the baby doll for my friend Liz's daughter and she sleeps with it every night. The doll was probably my favorite thing to make so far. It comes with a removable diaper. It's also easy to make 12-15 little granny squares and sew them together for a blankie for the doll.











Not only are these patterns unbelievably cute, they're so easy to follow. The owls take me maybe 2 hours (whenever I can get 2 uninterrupted hours!) to make. Her patterns are ingenious. It's easy to follow her patterns and make beautiful, handmade presents for friends and family. I get so many compliments on the ones I've made. I promise I'm not trying to be humble when I say that it's not my skill as a crocheter. It's entirely the ease of these patterns. I can't say enough nice things about her and her books.

Pattern in Pictures: Baby Bib

Lili came up with this pattern and I've sort of made a Frankenstein version of my own. It's not entirely how she does it, but the bones of this pattern are hers. I call this version of it the Spring bib, and I felt like posting it because I am so ready for this cold weather to be over with.


Materials:
- J hook for the bib, H hook for the flower
- 1 skein of green yarn and 1 skein of pink yarn (or whatever colors you choose. It would probably even look good if the bib and flowers were the same color)
-tapestry/embroidery needle

Chain 29. (My crochet gauge is pretty small, so chain a length that sits comfortably across an infant/toddler's chest. I'd say a good 6-8 inches) Just make sure your total number of chains is a multiple of 3 plus 2 extra chains for turning.

Dc in third ch from hook, and in each ch across. (27 total)

Ch 2, turn.

dc in each dc across. (27 dc total)

Continue until you get about 14 rows. If your sides are uneven, count the number of dc you have in each row. You should have 27. The ch 2 in the beginning doesn't count as a dc.

Ch 2, dc in next 8 dc.

Ch 2, turn, dc in each dc across. (8 dc)

Continue until you have 7 rows of 8 dc.

ch 35

Working in back loops only, sl st in each ch.

sc in the sides of the dc until you reach the corner of the neck area.

Work a sc decrease in the corner. (sc decrease = insert hook into designated stitch, yarn over and pull up a loop. insert hook into next stitch. yarn over, pull up a loop. Yarn over and pull through all loops on hook.)

Sc across work until you're 8 stitches from the end. Dc in last 8 stitches. Ch 2. turn.

Dc 8 across until you have 7 rows of 8 dc. ch 35 and sl st in back loops only.

Sc to corner of neck area. sc decrease in corner. cut yarn and weave in ends.

For the flower, use the H hook.

ch 4.

sl st to first ch to form a ring.

ch 1, single crochet into ring.

ch 2, 2 sc in ring. Repeat until you have 5 ch 2 spaces.

sl st to beginning ch 1.

sl st to first ch 2 space.

ch 1, sc, hdc, dc, tr, dc, hdc, sc all in the same ch 2 space. (petal)

Repeat petal around. sl st to beginning ch 1. Cut yarn and leave a long tail for sewing. Sew to bottom right corner of bib.

*I'm having a contest for anyone who wants this bib. I'm trying to get the word out about my blog and all my crafty stuff for sale. If you've told a friend and they're now following the blog, leave a comment. Next Monday I'll put the names together and draw a winner and they'll get the bib.*