Many fellow Ravelry crochet buffs should be familiar with the pattern this scarf is based upon, none other than RepeatCrafterMe's Owl Hat pattern.

• Yarn: Vanna's Choice (4). Barely, White and Dusty Purple
• Hooks: G, H, J
• Pattern is in American terms
• Stitches used: single crochet (sc), half-double crochet (hdc), slip stitch (sl st), chain (ch)
• Scarf dimensions: 54" long x 5" wide
• 3/4 inch black buttons

Scarf:
With G hook and Barely, Chain 5
1. Sc in second chain from hook. And in remaining chains. Ch 1. Turn. (4 sc)
2. Sc in each sc. Ch 1. Turn (4sc)
3. Sc in next 3 sc, inc.  Ch 1. Turn. (5 sc)
4. Sc in each sc. Ch 1. Turn. (5 sc)
5-22. Continue in this method until you have 15 sc across.

23-26. Hdc in each stitch across. Ch 2. Turn (15 hdc)
27. Switch to Dusty Purple. Hdc in each stitch across and continue until you
scarf measures 41 inches.

Decrease
1. Sc in each hdc across.
2. Sc in next 13 sc, decrease. Ch 1. Turn. (14 hdc)
3. Sc in each sc across. Ch 1. Turn (14 hdc)
4. Sc in next 11 sc, decrease. Ch 1. Turn (13 hdc)
5. Sc in each sc across. Ch 1. Turn (13 hdc)
Continue in the method until you have 4 sc across.

Do not fasten off, but using Barley and J hook, create a sc border around scarf switching to dusty purple and then back to Barley as appropriate. Two rows.

Owl eyes and beak.
For eyes use RepeatCrafterMe Owl eyes small using H hook.
For beak use RepeatCrafterMe beak size medium using G hook. But add a sc edge to beak.

Cut 18 strands of each color in desired length for braided tail. Use 3 strands per tail of each color to create braid. For ear tufts cut 8 strands of each color in desired length. Use 2 strands of each color per ear tuft.

A few posts back I shared my experience working with a vintage Lion Brand pattern. Naturally I loved it and hope to make more vintage patterns in the future. So many patterns, so little time, so little Ben Gay needed from sitting in one position crocheting till my eyes are blurry. ha!

I always test new patterns before I make final pieces for my peeps. I want to know the ins and outs of a pattern and all its quirks. It should come as no surprise I alter about 99% of patterns I use. Every experienced crocheter does this IMHO. We just develop our personal likes and dislikes for working in rounds, rows, chains, etc. It is not a reflection on the pattern writer.

So yes my bud Willow (future stuntman) needed a cute Christmas bonnet. I brought over her bonnet and also my stash of yarn for making her a winter hat, scarf and mitten set. She dived right into that box of yarn. Future fiber lover perhaps! Knitting or crocheting as she jumps from an airplane for a movie stunt? Who knows! Anyway Willow. Thanks for all the cute opportunities in crochet.

Seems like the demand is up for hoods this year. Can't say I blame folks as they are awful cute. I whipped up this little pattern for my bud Willow (who, BTW, has been practicing for her future as a stuntman and hurt herself the other day.) One thing I will say is that the photos of hoods flat and not on people never does them justice. They just end up looking like some very oddly unbalanced piece of apparel. I am sure once I get a shot of Willow in her hood it will look better in photos. Trust me though, this is adorable and a keeper!

The pattern is featured in a size that will easily fit a 12-24 month old child. But it is easily adjusted. The pattern, with a stitch of (sc, 2 dc), is easily made bigger or smaller by adjusting your starting chain by multiples of 3.

• Skill level: easy!
• Yarn: Big Twist Chunky (5). Bubble Gum
• Hook: K
• Pattern is in American terms
• Stitches used: sing crochet (sc), double crochet (dc), chain (ch), slip stitch (sl. st.) and whip stitch.

Hood
Chain 25
1. 2 dc in 4th chain from hook, skip 2, (sc, 2 dc) in next chain, skip 2. Repeat pattern o end. Sc in last chain. Chain 2. Turn.
2. 2 dc in first stitch, skip 2, (sc, 2 dc) in next stitch. Repeat to end. Sc in last stitch. Chain 2 turn.
3. Repeat row 2 to 35 rows total. Fasten off yarn.
4. Fold in half and sew up the seam with a whip stitch.

Scarf
Chain 73
And same steps from hood until you have worked 9 rows.
Fasten off yarn.

Attaching scarf to hood.
Count 3 "puffs" in on scarf and, lining up the 3rd puff on the scarf with the 1st puff on the edge of the hood, either slip stitch scarf to hood or whip stitch. Choice is yours.

Edging.
Either fasten off yarn or begin edging of hood with sc all the way round with 2 sc in corners. Do 2 rows. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Attach your buttons.

Common hat/head size chart
Hi all. Been looking at your posts below and the common question is how to know how many chains of 3 to add to accommodate the size you need. mention this below already but I always go to Bev's Country Cottage's web site. She has a chart of sizes for all sorts of things including head/hat dimensions  worked out based on the average size head for a person of that age. Here is the link.

http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/size-chart.html#hat

Ha! yeah, its way over. Time to get serious about the upcoming holidays and events, which are many. Lots happening over here. I'm trying really hard not to go into psycho mode and be running around.

Lets see:

1. I decided to finally get certified yoga level 1
   
2. I have two requests for pieces. yay!
   
3. I have a date for a photo shoot in January for my stuff. Very exciting
   
4. And lastly waiting, waiting to hear about that craft fair.
   

Well actually there is more to that little list than I listed. Each one has about 20 steps to each but I'll get there.

Hope to have a new pattern to post soon and some fun photos of the latest and greatest I have been making.

OchrePome

My buddy Willow likes to keep me busy. Which is great! I am on the hunt for a proper, cute Christmas bonnet and also a hat, scarf and mitten set. Needless to say I will probably be creating that myself adapting various patterns. Its usually like that with children's patterns. You find a bonnet you like but there's no matching pieces. That's just fine. Adapting patterns really isn't as hard as one might think.

But back to Vintage. Yes, I said everything that is old is new again. Well, looking for a bonnet I came upon Lion Brand Yarns recent upload to Ravelry of a knitting and crochet book of patterns from 1912! Oh give me more Lion Brand! The beauty of this upload is that its the entire book right down to stitch techniques. You say, hey aren't stitch techniques always the same? Well for the most part yes but let's say you come across a puff stitch. Everyone has a different version of the puff stitch mostly consisting of more yarn overs and drawing up extra loops on the hook. The way the patterns are written they are referencing their techniques and without those details the patterns would be pretty difficult to achieve. I have never seen patterns written in such short-hand. They're efficient but I did find myself wondering often if I had enough stitches on the hook per the pattern and just winging it. That's why I always do what I call a "comp" of every design I try the first time. This is an opportunity to work out the kinks.

Another interesting problem with a pattern from 1912 is all the yarns are just not made any more. This pattern called for Eider Wool. No information was provided about the weight of the yarn or standard hook/needle sizes for it. I spent some time researching online and found others trying to figure out what the weight was and came to the conclusion that Eider Wool is a #5 Bulky yarn.

The next challenge - hook sizes. Yes they list them. Use a No 9 hook or a No 2 hook. Guess what. We don't refer to hooks like that any more. Its all mm and alphabets mainly. That lead me into researching hooks and I learned a lot of about the history of crochet hooks. Mainly that the patent for modern hooks started in 1912 (strangely the same year of our pattern). I never did find a conversion chart for No 9 equals the following modern hook. So I just used a hook that was appropriate to the yarn weight.

All that being said, thank goodness for Ravelry because I can jot all that information down when I uploaded a project for that bonnet. All the dirty details are in there. I didn't use a bulky weight yarn for starters. I used a heavier worsted weight but for the size bonnet I wanted that was perfect. The pattern makes a child's size bonnet and I wanted a toddler.

Here is the link to the pattern and the book:
A Manual of Worsted Work

Here are my modifications. Using a 6.0mm (J) hook I did the following:

1. I used a worsted weight yarn. A bulkier one. I used Big Twists Premium yarn but another similar weight choice would be Red Heart with Love.
   
   
2. I added one more increase row with an increase every third stitch.
3. I used single crochet on first row edging instead of slip stitch. I did my single crochet all the way round.
4. At the neck portion of the trim, I turned at the end of the 1st single crochet round and did another single crochet row. Turned, Ch2 and did a HDC row. Turned again and did another single crochet row.
   
   
5. I threaded the ribbon through the HDC row on the neck.
   
   

One of the best things about crochet is its versatility. I know many people love knitting and don't get me wrong I like it too. But when it comes to make adorable pieces like these, knitting just can't compete. :-)

This little kitty may stay here or be part of tomorrow's give-away. I haven't decided yet. I get so attached to these little critters. I think I will just have to make another one for myself.

As for the owl cozy, this is my first attempt at branching out my crochet. I have long stuck to very traditional crochet using only yarn and buttons as embellishments. But then I discovered a couple of designers on Ravelry that were incorporating beads, buttons, fabric and  embroidery in their work. The result is so whimsical and personal it was exactly what I was looking for. The missing piece as it were to what I have been doing. This cozy is destined for tomorrow's give-away. In fact its the sole reason I made it. I will have to take a few moments to jot down the directions for the owl pieces before the party. I hope whomever wins this tomorrow falls in love with it as much as I have.

OMG! I don't even know what to say. Here's my little model! Isn't she adorable!!!! :-)

Let's face it, I'm on a roll and since I have this pattern hiding on an unpublished page from the old site, I thought I'd bring it back.

Free! Enjoy. 

Yarn: Yarn Bee, First Love, Hobby Lobby
Weight: Bulky (5)
Hook size: J (6.0 mm)

Stitches Used: (American)
Slip Stitch (sl st)
Single crochet (sc)
Double crochet (dc)
Front Post Half-double Crochet (fphdc)
Back Post Half-double Crochet (bphdc)

First chain in each round does not count as a stitch
Crochet in rounds

Pattern:

• ​Row 1: Chain 2
• Row 2: 12 sc in second chain from hook, join with sl st. (12 sc)
• ​Row 3: Chain 2, 2 dc in each stitch around, join with sl st to first dc. (24 dc)
• Row 4: Chain 2, *1 dc in next stitch, 2 dc in next stitch* repeat until end, join with sl st to first dc. (36 dc)
• Row 5: Chain 2, *1 dc in next 3 stitches, 2 dc in next stitch* repeat until end,  1 dc in last stitch, join with sl st to first dc.  (45 dc)
• Row 6-10: Chain 2, 1 dc in each stitch around, jin with slip st to first dc. (45 dc)
• Row 11: Chain 1, 1 sc in each stitch around, join with sl st to first sc. (45 sc)
• Row 12-13: Chain 2, *fphdc in next stitch, bphdc in next stitch* repeat until end, join with sl st to first fphdc. (23 fphdc, 22 bphdc)

Weave in ends

A pattern. Say it ain't so. Well it is. I am making crochet headbands for the upcoming craft fair and through some modification I came up with this simple pattern. It's lovely. You can use any size hook, any weight yarn, any width just do the chains in multiples of threes.

For the photo pattern
Hook F (3.75 mm)
Vanna's Choice (#4 worsted weight)

Chain 9

• R1: Slip stitch into 3rd chain from hook. Chain 3. Skip 2 stitches and slip stitch into 3rd stitch. Chain 3. Skip 2 stitches. Slip stitch into last chain. Should be 3 loops. Chain 3. Turn.
• R2: Slip stitch into 2nd chain of each loop. Chain 3. Turn.
• Repeat R2 until you reach the desired length.
• Whip stitch the ends together. Weave in yarn.

That's it. A very simple but versatile headband. It also has a nice stretch to it for fitting snugly to your head.

Since I really hate it when a pattern maker says make length to fit whomever's head it's being made for, I am adding this link from Bev's Country Cottage for average head sizes for all ages. Thank you Bev! You're a lifesaver.

Bev's Size Chart for Hats and Headbands

Oh. Pattern is free. Make it, sell it, go mad! :-)