The Fifth and Sixth Hats of Christmas

(click here for the intro post on my Twelve Hats of Christmas)

For the Fifth Hat of Christmas I truly crocheted for me... more than 5 colorful rings...

I finally found a good use for my Noro Silk Garden - it's been sitting in my stash for over 3 years!  

Ravelry project notes:  I modified the beginning chain to only 78 stitches. I also modified the last few rows (top of hat) to make it more oblong rather than circular (crocheted together in front and back area more than sides).

For the Sixth Hat of Christmas I truly crocheted for me... one hat a laying...

I say "a laying" because this hat is a bit floppy so it takes some work to get the bill to sit properly.  I tried felting a bit, but got tired before it did much.  

Ravelry project notes:  This is a really cute pattern. The smaller stitches made it take a bit longer, but it’s an easy pattern - basically just a bunch of double crochet and some single crochet.

This yarn is theoretically DK, but actually probably a bit thinner. It lays and drapes well, which I’m not sure is good for a hat pattern, but I like how it’s low-profile.

I added one more row of double crochet, but I don’t think it was necessary in hindsight.

I needed to block this a lot as it curls - I think more for the yarn and looser stitch. I need to re-block the brim a bit.

FYI, yarn amounts are only approximate. My battery died on my scale. I used 2 strands for the flower.

My Hat Queue Status
* subject to change based on my whim

1. Women's Peaked Cap - done!
2. Felted Fedora from The Color Book of Felted Crochet - done!
3. Crochet Owl Hat for a toddler... or maybe an adult like me because it's so cute - adult done!
4. Puppy Hat for 6-9 month old - done!
5. Cap with flower (pdf) - done!
6. Slanting Stitches hat (photo is bad, but it looks cute when you roll up the brim) - done!
7. Audrey's Lace Cap
8. Lacey Newsboy Cap (I have no idea the real name - this is a Japanese pattern from this book)
9. Puff Stitch Newsboy (ditto on the name - from this other Japanese crochet book)
10. Relax Ramie Hat (pdf)
11. Tsubaki Cotton Hat (pdf)
12. Girly-style hat (pdf)

Maybes

• Princess Leia Bun Hat (Ravelry link, sorry for non-ravelers)
• Campus Field Cap 
• Fan Lace Beanie (I have no idea the real name - this is a Japanese pattern from this book)
• Fan puff stitch and flower cloche (ditto on the name - from this other Japanese crochet book)
• Wildlife motif hat (pdf)
• Pompom beanie (pdf)
• Dolce Lino casquette (pdf)
• Platinum Kirakira cotton casquette (pdf)
• "Hat" (pdf)
• Granny squares braided beanie (Ravelry link, sorry for non-ravelers)
• Elegant hat

Please post links to any crocheted hats you think I should make in the comments!

Team Colors Earflap Hat Pattern Release & Embroidery Tips

Represent your school!!  I just released the Team Colors Earflap hat on Etsy and Ravelry.

It uses half-double crochet and single crochet for an easy work-up.  Note that this pattern is for the base hat, NOT for the embroidery representing any particular team.  So, this blog post describes how I added my team embroidery so that you can get ideas on how you can customize your hat.

First, I found an image that I wanted to use and printed it out.  I reduced the size by making a copy and reducing it by using the copier setting (old school style).  Next, I used a thin, translucent paper to trace the image.  Actually, I used parchment paper, like the kind for cooking since I don't have fancy tracing paper or that special temporary fabric used for embroidery.

Let me take a time out to note that embroidering on crochet is an imperfect art.  The spaces between stitches can distort stitches.  I found that making a good image worked better by only embroidering the outline rather than filling it in.  For the embroidery masters out there, please chime in with tips.  My guess is sewing some fabric to the back of the forehead flap may make an improved embroidery "canvas".

Back to the instructions...  I cut out my traced image (keeping some border space) and placed it on top of the forehead flap where I wanted the final image to go and temporarily pinned it there.  Next, I used back stitch to embroider the outline of my design.

Finally, I carefully removed the tracing (parchment in my case) paper in small bits to ensure that I didn't distort any of the stitches.  I tested filling in the outline at this point but was not successful in producing something that I liked, so I kept it as an outline.  

I'd love to see your own results or hear your tips!

The Third and Fourth Hats of Christmas

For the Third Hat of Christmas I truly crocheted for me... a hat for the play pen...

This was actually my second hat from this designer - I learned that I needed to tighten my gauge a bit when I accidentally made an owl hat that fit myself instead of my friend's toddler.  As they say, we learn from our mistakes.  Here is the Puppy Hat with some bonus photos of the Puppy Hat on a Puppy.

   

Ravelry Project Notes:  I had to go down one hook size to get approximate gauge. I also consciously tightened up a bit. I made an extra round on the nose, and also stuffed it with yarn scraps before sewing it on. Cute hat.

For the Fourth Hat of Christmas I truly crocheted for me... one big bird...

Alas, the aforementioned giant owl hat theoretically for a toddler.  I may have found my new Mardi Gras hat.  :)  Oopsie...

 

Ravelry Project Notes:  So, my gauge was off, but I was too lazy to pay attention until it was too late. Poor me. Stuck with a really cute owl hat that was supposed to be for a child that now happens to fit me. :)

I fixed my gauge in the same designer’s puppy pattern by going down to a G hook and purposely crocheting with a bit more tension. I love her designs.

My Hat Queue Status
* subject to change based on my whim

1. Women's Peaked Cap - done!
2. Felted Fedora from The Color Book of Felted Crochet - done!
3. Crochet Owl Hat for a toddler... or maybe an adult like me because it's so cute - adult done!
4. Puppy Hat for 6-9 month old - done!
5. Cap with flower (pdf)
6. Audrey's Lace Cap
7. Lacey Newsboy Cap (I have no idea the real name - this is a Japanese pattern from this book)
8. Puff Stitch Newsboy (ditto on the name - from this other Japanese crochet book)
9. Slanting Stitches hat (photo is bad, but it looks cute when you roll up the brim)
10. Relax Ramie Hat (pdf)
11. Tsubaki Cotton Hat (pdf)
12. Girly-style hat (pdf)

Maybes

• Princess Leia Bun Hat (Ravelry link, sorry for non-ravelers)
• Campus Field Cap 
• Fan Lace Beanie (I have no idea the real name - this is a Japanese pattern from this book)
• Fan puff stitch and flower cloche (ditto on the name - from this other Japanese crochet book)
• Wildlife motif hat (pdf)
• Pompom beanie (pdf)
• Dolce Lino casquette (pdf)
• Platinum Kirakira cotton casquette (pdf)
• "Hat" (pdf)
• Granny squares braided beanie (Ravelry link, sorry for non-ravelers)
• Elegant hat

Please post links to any crocheted hats you think I should make in the comments!

The First and Second Hats of Christmas

For the First Hat of Christmas I truly crocheted for me... a quick and easy project under an oak tree...

The results are in, and I'm 1 for 2.  The peaked hat came out cute, and it was quick and easy:

 

Ravelry Project notes:  Cute and quick hat. I had no problem with sizing. My natural tension fit the size of my head. I did have to redo the brim though. I assumed I would need to tighten up a bit, but that was clearly the wrong assumption as it made the brim curl and stick to my forehead rather than stick out like a real brim. Instead, I loosened up a bit more than natural and it came out fine. Love it!

For the Second Hat of Christmas I truly crocheted for me... a felted fedora that I really do not love...

Yeah, so this originally came out more like a top hat until I manipulated it into a salvageable cowboy hat.  I was a little freaked out before the felting, but it shrank up fine after about an hour of agitation... talk about a workout!  I don't like the hat so much, but it was fun exploring felting, and I'm sure this won't be my last felting project.

 

Ravelry Project Notes:  So, this was supposed to be a felted fedora. It originally came out more like a top hat, but I was able to manipulate the crown a bit to make it shorter and look more like a cowboy hat. It’s all different colors because I kept running out of yarn. So, it wasn’t the greatest project, but I do like how felting comes out so I might try felting out a bit more. The higher difficulty is only because of the work involved in agitating for a hard felt.

My Hat Queue Status
* subject to change based on my whim

1. Women's Peaked Cap - done!
2. Felted Fedora from The Color Book of Felted Crochet - done!
3. Crochet Owl Hat for a toddler... or maybe an adult like me because it's so cute
4. Cap with flower (pdf)
5. Audrey's Lace Cap
6. Lacey Newsboy Cap (I have no idea the real name - this is a Japanese pattern from this book)
7. Puff Stitch Newsboy (ditto on the name - from this other Japanese crochet book)
8. Slanting Stitches hat (photo is bad, but it looks cute when you roll up the brim)
9. Relax Ramie Hat (pdf)
10. Tsubaki Cotton Hat (pdf)
11. Girly-style hat (pdf)
12. TBD

Maybes

• Princess Leia Bun Hat (Ravelry link, sorry for non-ravelers)
• Campus Field Cap 
• Fan Lace Beanie (I have no idea the real name - this is a Japanese pattern from this book)
• Fan puff stitch and flower cloche (ditto on the name - from this other Japanese crochet book)
• Wildlife motif hat (pdf)
• Pompom beanie (pdf)
• Dolce Lino casquette (pdf)
• Platinum Kirakira cotton casquette (pdf)
• "Hat" (pdf)
• Granny squares braided beanie (Ravelry link, sorry for non-ravelers)
• Elegant hat

Please post links to any crocheted hats you think I should make in the comments!

The 12 Hats of Christmas

As some of you may know, I'm an avid triathlete.  Well, was an avid triathlete.  You see, I did Ironman Texas in May and haven't quite gotten the itch to be "avid" since then.  In the meantime, I need another endurance sport to pursue, so I have chosen crochet hat-making.

While this may be no true marathon, it will probably take about 26.2 hours to finish all 12 hats I intend to make in this challenge and may even come with some chaffage.  Hopefully not.  I can't imagine yarn chaffage would be good.

Without further ado, let the race begin...

My Hat Queue Status
* subject to change based on my whim, though I'm definitely open to suggestions from fans and friends
** sorry for the lack of pictures - I'm trying to follow copyright rules so I will post photos of my own projects when they are done - in the meantime, you can check out the official photos at the links below

1. Women's Peaked Cap
2. Felted Fedora from The Color Book of Felted Crochet
3. Crochet Owl Hat for a toddler... or maybe an adult like me because it's so cute
4. Campus Field Cap 
5. Audrey's Lace Cap
6. Lacey Newsboy Cap (I have no idea the real name - this is a Japanese pattern from this book)
7. Puff Stitch Newsboy (ditto on the name - from this other Japanese crochet book)
8. Slanting Stitches hat (photo is bad, but it looks cute when you roll up the brim)
9. Princess Leia Bun Hat (Ravelry link, sorry for non-ravelers)
10. Another TBD baby animal hat
11. TBD
12. TBD

Maybes

• Fan Lace Beanie (I have no idea the real name - this is a Japanese pattern from this book)
• Fan puff stitch and flower cloche (ditto on the name - from this other Japanese crochet book)
• Granny squares braided beanie (Ravelry link, sorry for non-ravelers)
• Elegant hat

Please post links to any crocheted hats you think I should make in the comments!