Hats, Hats, and Hats

Truck on the Road Hat

You would think I was preparing for a snowstorm or something with all the hats I've made lately! Geez...

Sailor's Watch Cap

Finished three this week alone!

Wave Hat

It's been quite nice to have so many heads to cover though. *cheesy grin*

Boba Fet Hat

Is there anything to make like crazy in the colder months??

(Links to Ravelry in the captions of each photo.)

Earflap Hat for 18inch Doll - Free Pattern

For any of you that have an 18 inch doll in your life than this pattern is for you!

Since Kit has become a part of our family, my daughter and I have been working on a few things to add to her ever growing wardrobe.

Who knew a doll could need so many accessories?!

Since it does get rather cold (only sometimes) around these parts, naturally Kit needed an earflap hat just like her 'big sisters' have.

This is a very quick project, and a pretty good one for a beginner also (or a good incentive to learn to crochet).

Pattern:

Materials:

- Ball of worsted weight yarn
- Small ball of contrast yarn worsted weight (optional)
- Size G hook
- scissors


Directions:

Using US terms.

Hat:

• Ch 3, join to make loop
• Round 1: Ch 2. 9 dc into loop. Join to top of ch 2. (10 sts)
• Round 2: Ch 2, 1 dc in same space. 2 dc in each st of previous round. Join to top of ch 2 from this round. (20 sts)
• Round 3: Ch 2. 2 dc in next st. *1 dc in nest st, 2 dc in next st.* repeat to end of round. Join to top of ch 2 from this round (30 sts)
• Round 4: Ch 2. 1 dc in next st, 2 dc in next st. *1 dc in the next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st.* repeat to end of round. Join to top of ch 2 from this round (40 sts)
• Round 5: Ch 2. 1 dc in next 6 sts. 2 dc in next st. *1 dc in next 7 sts, 2 dc in next st.* repeat to end of round. Join to top of ch 2 from this round (45 sts)
• Rounds 6-9: Ch 2. 1 dc in each st till end of round. Join to top of ch 2 from this round (45 sts)
• Cut yarn leaving about 5 inches from hook. Ch 1 and pull tail through. (tie off)

Earflaps:

• Count 7 stitches to the right from where you just tied off. Attach yarn and sc in next 6 sts. Ch 1, turn. (6 sts)
• Sc 2 tog, 1 sc in next 2 sts, sc 2 tog. Ch 1, turn. (4 sts)
• Sc in each st (4 sts)
• Sc 2 tog, twice. (2 sts) Tie off again.

Make another earflap the same way, counting 7 stitches in the other direction from the tie off of the hat.

Finishing:

• Starting near the hat tie off, attach contrasting yarn and sc around entire hat and both earflaps. Tie off.
• Cut 6 pieces of contrasting yarn about 12 inches in length. These will be your ties, they will be about 5 inches in length.
• Take 3 pieces and fold in half. Take the looped end and put it through one earflap, from the outside in, and pull the tails through the loop. Braid the ties, and knot. (make 2)

Enjoy!

Ravelry page.

Edited to add:  I would LOVE to see any projects you create with this pattern! Feel free to join & share in my Flickr group: Your Lyanna Jean Designs.

Just a reminder, my patterns are for your personal use and enjoyment only. These are not to be produced for profit of any kind. If you have any questions please email me at lyannaanderson@gmail.com.

Oh Monday

How is it that you manage to come EVERY week and still feel the same??

Eh, either way I'm looking forward to this week.

The items on my 'to-do' list are slowly dwindling getting ready for the baby, there are only 3 scheduled 'events' on my calendar for this week (joy) 2 are doctor's appointments, and my que on Ravelry is calling me since I've been so good at finishing projects lately! Though I'm still not sure how I only have 12 things in my que.

Here's a few recent FOs & my first try with a cookies press:

Piper's Hat, yes I need to weave in that one thread.

Martha's Reversible Purse I made for me. LOVE it.

Kit's Winter Hat, tutorial coming soon.

Hearts Hat, this is what you get with a click and shoot camera after getting a nice one.

Light Pink Diaper Cover & Earflap Hat

I'm also quite excited to send out my squares for my first ever fabric swap. Did I mention I'm excited?!

I even took a photo of my squares, haha. I chose to do royal blue, but mostly by default simply because it was the first color on the list that I found 10 FQs worth of fabric for. There are 200 squares there, all 4 inches. I can't wait to get back all the colors after the 'swapping'.

I'm also thinking of sending along a little gift for the woman hosting this swap, I mean I'm not sure I would enjoy doing 3 rounds of sorting thousands of 4 inch squares to make sure everyone gets one of each fabric. Maybe if I had a day without all my kids around....

Wow, I feel like this post is just a hodge podge of everything. Sorry. My brain is kind of all over the place lately.

Hopefully your week is looking good too!

ROYGBIV Ripple Finished

Since this blanket was finally gifted I can blog about it, I only finished it about 2 weeks ago so I didn't have to wait too long.

I absolutely LOVE this blanket! I love the colors, I love how wonderful it was to work on, and I love how soft it came out. I'm thinking I need one of my own!

Stats:
- Tutorial: Neat Ripple @ Attic 24
- Finished size: about 46 inches by 52 inches.
- Cast on: 227 (has 16 ripples)
- 118 rows
- Hook size: G
- Started: Nov. 16, 2011
- Finished: Jan. 27, 2012
- Ravelry: ROYGBIV Ripple

Posted about it here, here, and here.

I'm Hooked

I mentioned in my last post something about tons of crochet this month.

Big Brother Little Brother Hats

Maybe it just feels like a lot to me because I've made or finished 6 crochet projects this month, and one more will be done today. That's huge for me since crochet has been a little on the back burner for sometime. It always seems that my crochet projects end up being the ones that travel with me and get done during 'waiting times', and for some reason I'm always making a blanket (and I finished one of those this month too).

My ROYGBIV Ripple is DONE!!! More on that later...

I found a really cute pattern on Ravelry, Earflaps Hat for Kids, and I LOVE it. Of course, I only made 2 that were by the pattern, but made 3 others that were bigger just by adjusting the pattern.

Brother & Sister Hats

There you have it, I made 5 hats this month and am finishing one for me (yes me) today. It's just like the little pink one pictured above, funny cause I think pink is my least favorite color but I love how this one looks! I rarely ever make something for myself, and this month this is the second thing I've made for me. I feel like I'm spoiling myself.

This Week...

Tuesday brought with it my first (successful) knitting and crochet group. Two good friends came by my place and had their first lessons, one knitting and one crocheting. It was such fun! I don't think I've laughed that hard in quite a while.

Between trying to teach 2 completely different things, I did not work on any of my own projects which I really didn't mind.

Progress is coming along nicely with my ROYGBIV Ripple. I decided I didn't like the first yellow that I picked, the texture was all wrong. So, after on 3 rows of frogging I was at it again, and much happier with the second choice.

Lots and lots of baking was happening, and apparently Martha was the go-to source for recipes. This week I made:

Chocolate Crackled Cookies
These were great! They are like a cross between a brownie and a cookie, so good!

Cranberry Shortbread
These are a favorite in my family!

...and...

Oatmeal Butterscotch Cookies (not Martha's, but Hershey's)
New recipe for us, but everyone loved them. Definitely a keeper!

My oh my... I don't need to do much more baking or I'll need to make myself some mumus to wear (the not-so-pretty ones).

Friday night brought our church Christmas Party (one reason for so many cookies). We had lots of fun. My family along with my in-laws sang 'Away in a Manger' together, and I stood the farthest from the mic... I know better than to quit my 'day job'.  Yes, our youngest is hidden in the back, but this was the best photo.

The best part of this week so far though by far was when my little girl sang 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' at the Christmas Party.

Thankfully today will be an easy one because we'll be celebrating this guy's birthday!

Nothing like tons of family around, and hopefully I get lots of photos.

To Grandmother's House We Go

Tonight we head out!

Our 'little' family will be going to my grandma's house in West Virginia, I've only blogged about it a few times... here, here, and here.

Thankfully, we'll be stopping tonight at my Dad's in Maryland and staying the night. It'll be nice to break up the drive, it would be about 7 hours one way (and that only includes 2 short stops) otherwise. Making that drive in a Mazda MPV with 4 kids isn't exactly easy/fun.

I've got a project (possibly two) going along with me. I'm pretty excited to get lots of hooking done on this soon-to-be baby blanket (on Ravelry here):

This is a project that was inspired by Lucy at Attic24, she's doing a ripple-along, her ripples are simply adorable!

Loving all the colors. Maybe I'm trying to get more into scrappy crochet... I've got tons of granny squares that I need to kick myself into making into something because I think I'm abandoning the original King-sized plan for them. (I know, how horrible to abandon an original project... it's either that or it's gonna sit for much longer than it already has.)

Wish me luck (and sanity...).

Holiday Crafting In Full Force

How many of you are cranking away at all your holiday crafts?

I'm pretty impressed with myself so far, a little pat myself on the back I know....

Usually December 1st rolls around, I watch it pass, and I still haven't actually started any of the projects I have lined up as gifts.

Not this year folks!

Here are 2 blocks I've finished towards a gift, and since I'm not putting any more blocks into the project I feel like I've passed a milestone within it. They're both the same block, a Star of Hope, and the green came out a little darker in the photo.

Hoping this one will be done by tomorrow.

I've already finished up making PJ pants for each of my boys and their Build A Bear guys (hoping those ones fit... making a pattern from something so tiny was a little different).

Also, on the hook this week is the first scarf (of hopefully a lot) I'll be donating to a local charity that gives tons of stuff to the needy. I'm thinking a few hats and maybe some mittens will be in order too, just depends.

I can't remember the name of it at the moment, it's kind of a long one. But, they give bookbags with school supplies in the end of summer, hats scarves & gloves in the beginning of winter, and many other things to needy children locally throughout the year. A friend from church is a big part of it, so it's nice to be able to give her stuff as I make it.

Yesterday I got 10 Simplicity patterns for $1 each. Seeing that I saved $139.87 printed on the bottom of my receipt was like winning the lottery! Oh it was great I tell ya. I only got 10 patterns, and some 1/2 off candy corn (of course), so almost all of that savings was on patterns. It's absolutely ridiculous how much patterns cost sometimes.

I'm planning on making the PJ dresses for my girls, some bow ties for the boys, and my oldest daughter and I will work on a coat for her doll for Christmas. I'm really looking forward to all the sewing to come!

I even found a great pattern that will make a cute dress for me that I'm hoping will work great for the pregnant belly and even after wards, it's #2660.

Linked up with Our Creative Spaces, please check out the site it's pretty awesome.

Grandma Dot's Bobble Square

This pattern is a translation that I did from an original work of my Grandmother's. She created the pattern but stopped working on it, and lost the pattern she wrote down. I tried my best, and credit goes where credit is due!

*On a side note: this is my husbands favorite blanket (apparently it's 'his' now) because it's just warm enough. He's the type of person who is always on the warmer side, and he just loves it.

Supplies: 

• Worsted Weight Yarn, I used Red Heart Acrylic, Super Saver size (any material will do, raid you're stash for a colorful blanket!)
• Size H hook
• Scissors
• Yarn Needle

Pattern:
Block measures 7 inches square.

Pattern in US terms. I took a photo at the end of each round so that if you are a very visual person (like me) it might make things easier. Plus, you can hold up your work and compare if you want (I always do). The pins in each picture are placed in the corner stitches. Also, I got about 12-13 blocks from each skein, it is always better to get one extra skein when trying a new pattern just in case.

On Ravelry here.

Bobble: *Pull loop on hook slightly to make it a little larger. YO, insert hook into stitch on previous round, pull loop through.* Repeat twice more, total of 6 loops on the hook. YO and pull loop through all 6 loops, chain 1 to complete bobble.

• Ch. 3, join to make ring.
• Round 1: Ch. 3. 11 dc into ring. Join to 3rd ch. st. 

• Round 2: Ch. 1, pull loop to make slightly larger (about 1/2). Make bobble where you joined round 1. Make another bobble between the next 2 dc from previous round. Make one more bobble between the next 2 dc from previous round. Chain 4.  Repeat making 3 bobbles then chain 4 a total of 3 more times. Join to top of first bobble in round.

• Round 3: Slip stitch into space between first two bobbles of previous round. Make 1 bobble in space between the first 2 bobbles of previous row. Make another bobble between the next 2 bobbles of previous row. Ch. 1, 5 dc, ch. 1 all in chain 4 of previous round. *Make 1 bobble in each space between the 3 bobbles from previous round, ch. 1, 5 dc, ch. 1* repeat  from * to * 2 more times. Join to top of 1st bobble in the round to finish round.

• Round 4: Slip stitch into space between first two bobbles of previous round. Make one bobble in space between the 2 bobbles. Ch. 1, (1 dc, 1 ch) in next 2 dc from previous round. (1 dc, ch, 1 dc, 1 ch, 1 dc, 1 ch) in 3rd dc. (1 dc, 1 ch) in next 2 dc. *Ch 1, 1 bobble in space between the 2 bobbles from previous round, ch 1, (1 dc, 1 ch) in next 2 dc from previous round, (1 dc, 1 ch, 1 dc, 1 ch, 1 dc, 1 ch) in 3rd dc from previous round, (1 dc, 1 ch) in next 2 dc.* repeat from * to * 2 more times. Join to top of bobble to finish round.

• Round 5: Ch. 4. 1 dc and 1 ch in space between bobble and first dc from previous round. Then continue working 1 dc and 1 ch into each dc from previous round and on either side of each bobble, in each corner stitch do (1 dc, 1 ch, 1 dc, 1 ch, 1 dc, 1 ch). 

• Round 6: Ch. 3. 1 dc and 1 ch in each dc of previous row. In each corner dc from previous row do (1 dc, 1 ch, 1 dc, 1 ch, 1 dc, 1 ch).

Crochet the number of blocks needed to make the size you would like. Each block measures inches square. I made 30 blocks, and 40 were given to me, so 70 total.

Sew blocks together to create the blanket. The one I'm working on is 7 blocks by 10 blocks, makes a nice throw size.

Edited to add: I would LOVE to see any blocks/projects you create with this pattern! Feel free to join & share in my Flickr group: Your Lyanna Jean Designs.

Just a reminder, my patterns are for your personal use and enjoyment only. They have not been tested, so if you find an error feel free to let me know at lyannajeandesigns@gmail.com.

Linked up with:

Our Creative Spaces

Ripple It

There are a few blogs I like to follow (ok, quite a few blogs...), one of them being Attic24. I love Lucy's color choices and her style.

Crochet was the first handcraft that I learned as a child, I believe I was 5 or 6. Not quite sure when I started because I nagged my mother and grandmother for quite a few seasons before they felt I was ready to learn (or they finally felt ready to teach - not sure which).

Either way, Lucy is doing a ripple-along right now. I've been eying her ripple pattern for some while now, and with it being baby crazy in my neck of the woods there are plenty of baby gifts to be made.

I think this ripple-along will help me stay motivated to finish this gift before it's needed.

This is indeed reviving my love for crochet and it's relaxing powers. Sitting and crocheting reminds me of the time spent with my grandma crocheting. She taught me to make tiny finger puppets when I was about 7. It's funny because stuff like that is all over the internet now.

If you feel so inclined you should join it! There's a Flickr group for it and everything.

Here is the project on my Ravelry.

Linked up with:

Just Make a Choice

This morning was a busy one for us, or me mostly. Of course, most days are pretty busy for a stay-at-home-mom of 4 kids with one on the way.

Anyway, I was at the grocery store in the checkout line. This was my last errand for the morning, and I was to the point where the thought of being at home was a very nice feeling. The lady at the checkout asked "how are you today?" (she's the lady I go to just about every single time I'm in this store).

I didn't know what to say. I was tired, stressed, and thinking about the list that is 9 miles long waiting for me to do, at the top being: clean the kitchen where pots have been accumulating for 2 days and laundry.

I looked at her and smiled. Then I said "I could complain, but not today."

You see, I'm really trying to be much more of a positive person when I get really tired & stressed.

She smiled and said "sometimes it feels better to vent". So, my response was "well, I am a little bummed that it's rainy and the leaves aren't crunchy today to go play in."

She laughed.

I'm not quite sure why this was so important for me to blog about, but it seemed to be a turning point for the day.

Putting 'the list' aside, and all the stress. I had a great morning!

I finished the bobble blanket I've been working on since late July of this summer. It's the one that my grandmother passed along to me, and I love how it turned out. I am usually a very colorful, random matching of things kind of crocheter for blankets that are done with squares, but the single color of this one works wonders.

My photo isn't so great, super overcast-y and drizzly day here so not really good light. Maybe once the sun shines again I can take it outside and get some good ones.

I also scored BIG at the farmer's market (Willey's in Townsend) this morning. They had local cauliflower that was huge and simply beautiful, 2 crowns for $6. Must have weighed at least 2 pounds each. The real reason I went was to get my supply of apple seconds:

50 pound bushel for $10. Last year I got about 16 quarts of applesauce and 8 pints of apple butter out of it (as well as eating just a few), and we just ran out of applesauce last month. I'm thinking of not making the apple butter this year though, no one here liked it. Maybe some apple pie filling is in order. Some smaller portions of applesauce would be a good idea too since we'll have a little one in need before this time next year. I have been thinking about getting another bushel, but I'll save the final call on that one for after this one has been taken care of.

My house smells so nice with the addition of this bushel of apples.

Did I mention that the gentleman who helped me take it to the car carried it on his shoulder like it was a beach towel? You should have seen me carrying it up the 6 steps to get it into my house, it was probably quite hilarious to any onlookers....

Besides, Thursdays in the fall can't be all that bad, Project Runway is on tonight!

Staying Committed

to finishing this blanket:

It is the beautiful, awesome project that my Grandma gave to me upon my last visit.

I love my Grandma and have so many fond memories of spending summers and Thanksgivings with her. Watching her bake, cook, can, garden, crochet, and everything else was simply fantastic. I pray that I can be that kind of grandmother to my grandkids (and that kind of relief to my children in the summertime).

She would teach me to do everything and anything she knew how to do, and it was amazing.

(I'm trying not to cry right now - by the way- and I'm hoping it's just as much the hormones as it is the memories)

-Back to the blanket-
I'm just about done!! Only 7 more blocks to make, and only 3 rows to sew onto the sides. I'm so excited to have a blanket that both my Grandma and I worked on. It also feels nice making something that I know my family will be enjoying. I don't think there is a single quilt that I have made that we have kept.

Also looking forward to finishing things up so I can wrap my head around typing out the pattern (and it making sense).

Maybe I have issues with giving things away to other people that I think would need it more than us. I'm a sucker for charity!

Lucky to Receive

When I was visiting my grandparents last week, I was lucky enough to be the receiver of some very wonderful things from my grandmother.

She gave me some homemade herbal tea, seasoning mix, and jam. The BEST in the world, by the way.

 She gave me quite a few books.

I think these 2 are the coolest. The Victorian Crochet is a compilation of small newspaper type booklets that were published around beginning of the 19th century. And, the Star Wars is just self explanatory coolness.



She gave me quite a bit of yarn.

And, best of all, she gave me 40 squares that she crocheted. She told me that she couldn't remember the last time she worked on them, and had plenty of yarn to finish the project. I was so happy that she wanted to give them to me!

I think they are beautiful, and I can imagine the finished afghan in my living room.

My grandmother is a left-handed lady, so she crochets left handed. Growing up I was not able to 'read' her work and make a pattern from it because I wasn't able to grasp how it looked being produced by a left-hander. Since then, I have taught my daughter to crochet, and funnily enough she is left handed. So, in teacher her I had to teach myself to crochet left handed to better teach her (it was very hard to show her mirror image, facing each other).

Long story short, now I can read the pattern from a left-handed crocheter. It's still kinda tricky, but do-able.

I am planning to post the pattern, with photos, soon!