Swirl  -A colorwork hat, worked in the round-

This is my attempt to create a pattern for a hat I improvised.

The chart is based on a much larger chart created by Jessica Tromp.

I chose to use a G hook to help keep the stitches tighter so that the carried yarn doesn't show as much through the stitch work.

MATERIALS:
DK weight yarn:  
   -about 150 yds of the main color
   -about 100 yds of white.
G hook (4.0 mm)

I used Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable, which is listed as worsted but works more like DK, and Bernat Baby Coordinates. 

FINISHED SIZE:
Based on your head size... 

STITCHES USED:

sc- single crochet
dc- double crochet
fpdc- front post double crochet
bpdc - back post double crochet

INSTRUCTIONS:

Main Body-

The chart is in 20-stitch repeats, so measure the circumference of your head and work a starting chain, in multiples of 20, that is closest to your head size.  I chose to go slightly larger because this hat does not have a lot of "stretch" to it.  My starting chain was 120 stitches. Join the chain to form a ring.  

Mark the join, so you can tell where your rounds begin.

The only stitch used for the chart is single crochet (sc).

Work 6 rounds in the main color, as shown in the color chart below.

When indicated in Row 6 of the chart, join white and continue working in sc as the chart shows, in continuous rounds.  (Working in continuous rounds prevents an obvious "seam" in the finished project).

Cut and work in the main color after completing round 23.

Work 2 rounds in white, as indicated in the chart.

Round 26:  After the second row of solid white (row 25), begin decreasing to create the top of the hat.  I decreased every 5th stitch for about 8 rows.  

By round 33 or 34, there should be a very small opening left in the hat.  Finish the opening by cutting about 4" of the white yarn, and weave it through the remaining stitches.  Pull that single strand of yarn tightly to gather the opening closed, then tie off on the wrong side (inside) of the hat and work the loose end in to hide it.

Edging-

To finish the opening of the hat, rejoin the main color to the opening chain

 Round 1: Work dc in each ch all around (120 dc, or whatever number of chains you needed to fit your head).

Join the last dc to the first dc with a slip stitch, ch3.

Round 2: Begin forming a ribbed effect.  Work fpdc in next dc, bpdc in dc repeat alternating fpdc and bpdc around edge.  Join last fpdc to beginning ch3 with slip stitch.  Ch 3.

Round 3 and 4:  repeat round 2, working fpdc in the fpdc below and bpdc in the bpdc below to create a ribbed effect.

Cut main color, tie off and work in the end to hide it.

I hope you have success with this hat, and enjoy wearing it!

A Rose By Another Name

I found a lovely pattern for a scarf, named Juliet, by Louisa Harding.  It is a lovely little scarf, and it is a knitting pattern.

I am not a big fan of knitting lace.  I'm not good at it.  I do, however like crocheted lace, so I decided to try my own version... a rose of any other name CAN smell as sweet.

This is not a pattern so much as a description of what I did.  I hope that viewers will take my comments and create their own individualized project. 

 

I also hope you have some fun creating your own version...
 

MATERIALS:

• Fingering weight yarn:  1 skein should be enough for the main color.  A few yards of a coordinating color for the rose will also be needed..
• D hook (3.25 mm)

FINISHED SIZE:

• Approximately 60" X 7"

Make the flower first.  There are tons of 3-dimensional flowers in the Ravelry database.  I improvised mine.

After your flower is finished, chain about 8 stitches across the back (wrong side) of the finished flower.  This will be the base for starting the actual scarf, and also will make the keyhole to hold the scarf when finished.

 

I worked 20 dc into the chain loop.  I then continued in a mesh pattern until I ran out of yarn.

The mesh pattern I used is a sort of variation of a V-stitch pattern, and I think it made a nice, delicate-looking scarf.  The diagram below is as close as I can get to the stitch pattern I used in this project.  It's a sort of marriage between a V-stitch and a Star Stitch.

I found the project edges were not as even and "finished" as I wanted, so I allowed enough yarn at the end to do an sc edging around 3 edges of the scarf.

Here is the finished item and I think it looks really nice when worn.with the square end pulled through the keyhole.

Thanks for viewing!

Budding Arches

So many lovely shawls and wraps are available, but there are some designs that are not often done in crochet.  This is a form that is similar in look to many popular knitted wraps/shawls, but is crocheted. 

 

This piece is worked in sections, but without seams.  First the "body" is worked.  When the body is completed, the yarn is joined to one side and the edging is worked directly along the edge, without seaming. It is on the easy side of intermediate in skill level, due to increases, decreases, and chart reading.

 

I hope you like this as much as I do.
 

MATERIALS:

• Fingering weight yarn:  430-900 yds, depending on size desired.
• D hook (3.25 mm)

FINISHED SIZE:

• Approximately 60" (across longest edge) X 15" (center widest point)

FIRST POINT OF BODY

Chain 4

ROW 1:  Skip 3 dc. Work 2 dc in first ch.  Ch 3. Turn

ROW 2:  *Work 1 dc between 2 dc of previous row* Repeat between * once. Ch 3. Turn

ROW 3 :  Work 2 dc between 2 dc of previous row(one increase completed). *Work 1 dc between 2 dc of previous row* Repeat between * twice. Ch 3. Turn

 

Continue in the pattern created in rows 2 and 3, increasing 1 stitch only on one side of of your work, until the piece measures 20” (or about 1/3 the desired length).

 

Make last row as Row 2 (a row without an increase).


BODY MIDDLE

Continue in the pattern created in row 2, until the piece measures 20" (or about 1/3 the desired length).

Assure that the last row of this section ends on the "slanted side of the First Point of Body, so that the decreases in the Second Point of Body are on the same side.
 

SECOND POINT OF BODY

ROW 1: Work in pattern (1 dc between the dc of posts of previous row) to the last 2 stitches.  Work dec over last 2 spaces of the row.

ROW 2:  *Work 1 dc between 2 dc of previous row* Repeat between * to end of row. Ch 3. Turn

Work Rows 1 & 2 (decreasing on only one end of every other row) untll there are 4 dc.  Tie off yarn and work in the end to complete the body.

The body is now a long strip with pointed ends.

I used one entire skein of about 450 yards for the body.  To continue with the edging, I joined a new skein and did a simple edging all around, using 2sc on each post along all 3 sides.  From there, the lace edging can be added.
 

ANGLE-SIDE LACE EDGING

For the pattern of the lace edging, I feel more comfortable using a chart.

 

The lace edging is worked from one point along the pointed side of the triangle to the opposite point.

LONG-SIDE EDGING

The straight long edge of the triangle may be left in simple sc, working 2 sc over each dc post along the top edge, or more edging of your choice may be added.

 

Wayfaring Stranger

An asymmetrical wrap/shawl, inspired by Hitchhker, a knitted shawl pattern, by Martina Behm.

Wayfaring Stranger is mostly Basic Tunisian crochet, with a few sc thrown in as needed.  This pattern assumes the user is familiar with those stitches and does not explain them.






Gauge and hook size are not important.  Use whatever weight yarn makes  you happy.  I do suggest that you use a hook slightly larger than called for the yarn you are using.  With Fingering yarn, I used a G hook (4.00 mm), rather than the suggested D (3.25 mm).


Setup:

Ch. 3

1. Work 5 sc in the first ch. - 6 stitches total.
2. Pull "rods" for Tunisian in each of the 6 stitches of the previous row.  Complete the row in Basic Tunisian.
3. Increase 2 stitches at the beginning of the row by pulling a "rod" up between the first two rods of the previous row, draw a loop through the rod below (as normal for Tunisian) then pull up another "rod" in the space between the second and third "rods".  Pull loops through "rods to the end of the row, as for Tunisian.  Finish row as for Basic Tunisian, remember to work the 2 increases in the order they occur on the hook.
4. Repeat row 3.
5. Repeat row 3, except do not work the last 4 stitches.  This creates the first "tooth".

Working the Shawl:

• Continue working as in the Setup. 
• Increase 2 stitches at the beginning of each row.
• Work 4 rows even, then on the 5th row, leave the last 4 stitches unworked.  This will make the 5th row become the first row of the next tooth.   A tooth is 4 rows by 4 stitches, in size and all teeth occur on the same side of the shawl, and on the opposite side from the increases..
• Continue working until you run out of yarn, or reach the size you want.
• Basic Tunisian does curl.  Do not panic.  Edging the entire shawl in sc, once it is the right size, should eliminate the curling.

The increases on the one side will created a curved edge.  The second edge will have "teeth", and the third edge will be straight.