Works in Progress--March Edition

Here I am again with another WIP list.  As always, Thanks for Tami for making it so much more fun.

Active Projects (work on one or more of these every day or close to that)

• Hats for Harmony's friend--purple feature
• Green & Tan Custom Hat for Etsy Customer
• More Green & Tan hats, perhaps others for newborn photo props?
• 2-3 Adult-Size Sunhats, 2-3 kid size as well, get pattern put into a readable form.

Back Burner, but still on the stove

• Finish up Smoky Mountain Dishcloth Restock
• Go through everything in the clear tote, decide if I'm going to finish it or not.  If yes, put it on this list.  If no, donate it or toss it.
• Ripple stitch blanket for Heather (?)

• Hat for Greg
• Secret present for Eric (c.p.)
• Several camo hats to go with picture that Harmony took, list in shop.

• Restock Chunky Beige Scarf

• Restock Lacey Scarf

• Restock Slippers

• Restock/add to newsboy cap stock (make grey, let welchva know)

• Restock fingerless gloves

• Make more peach fingerless gloves, then list with pics of Barbara's

• Make a scarf/cowl like the one Tonia asked about.
• Work on (finish?) garden of pink baby blanket, write up pattern.
• Make a hairband something along the lines of this.
• Dodger hat for Doug (?)

Someday, (I hope!)

• Reclaim yarn from thrift store sweaters
• Make/Design Beret
• New Winter Cap for me, using that big button and 3 already made flowers.
• Design/Make Potholders (for wedding gifts)
• Design/experiment with long stocking caps (Robert)
• Afghan for M.E.C.
• Make/Design Soap Socks for family, gifts, possibly etsy shop.(popcorn stitch on one side, plain on the other.
• Re-learn to tat.
• Use up scrap yarn--new living room afghan?  Grandma Long Afghan?
• Make those dishtowels that hang from the stove
• Make/Design leg warmers for H and other girls?
• Make/Design/Refine Convertible Mittens pattern
• Dodger hat for Doug
• Go through specialty yarn, imaginate (scarves?)
• Make infant hats with interchangeable buttons to give as shower and general new baby gifts.  

And there we have the list.  I'll be interested to see what changes come on it in the next month.  Time will tell I guess.

 

Spring, Spring, Spring

I've finished a new hat, and I have to admit, I'm quite pleased with how it all turned out.

Do you blame me?

Melon shirt, purple floral skirt, imitation pearl necklace, and brown leggings.
Yes, this girl is three years old, and insists on dressing herself.
Choosing my battles friends, I'm choosing my battles.  

As I mentioned earlier, I used this pattern as my jumping off point.  I had to adjust the brim from what the pattern gave, because when I followed the pattern exactly, the brim was waaay too wide and floppy for my taste.  Also, the pattern (for which I didn't check my gauge) gave me this size hat, instead of a hat sized for an adult woman.  This was fine with me, since I was shooting for a hat that would fit a "tween-ish" girl.  More on that later.

I used a creme cotton/ramie blend that I had reclaimed from a thrift store sweater sometime last year.  I definitely wanted to use cotton yarn, as I felt that acrylic or wool would add a lot of insulation to the hat, which would entirely defeat the purpose of making a spring sun hat in the first place.

I added a green adjustable crochet ribbon around the brim, to make it easier to change the hat size as necessary.  I also added the flower, being careful that when I sewed it on, I kept the ribbon free from any stitching (so that it would still be adjustable).

I also tried something a little new for me.  Following the instructions on the video below, I added some wire to the brim of the hat, giving it more form, and more adjustability.  

This is my first experience with the tutorials made by this woman, and I am really impressed and very appreciative of her taking the time to make such a helpful, quality tutorial.

If I get more involved in making hats that require wire, I might go ahead and invest in some millinery wire.  In the meantime though, I found a spool of red and white electrical wire at Lowes that seemed to be about the right consistency for me, once I had unbraided the white wire from the red, that is.  

At the moment, I'm working on another prototype of the same hat, but in my size.  If that goes well, I'll probably put some of them up for sale in the etsy shop, and I'll post the patterns (or at least my own adjustments from the Lion Brand pattern) here on the blog.  With any luck, that will be happening in the next week or so.

And that pretty much sums it all up.  Before I close this post, I just have to put up another picture of that hat (and Her Little Highness).  This shot is definitely an out-take of the little impromptu photo shoot we had yesterday afternoon, but it cracks me up enough that I feel it must be shared.

Goofy girl!

       

Another Lots of Hugs pattern

Let's be honest.  The original Lots of Hugs blanket is quite girly, right?  I mean, I don't know of many dads that would be all that excited about having their son sport a blanket with quite so many ruffles.

So, I put together a variation that is just a little bit less frilly.  

I call it the "Lots of Hugs" boy variation.  I know, pretty original title, huh?

Here's the pattern:

Lots of Hugs Baby Blanket, boy variation

Designed by Charlotte Cantwell

www.salutationscrochet.etsy.com

Materials:  

Worsted weight yarn in main color:  approx.  16 oz

Worsted weight yarn in contrasting color:  approx. 8 oz

Worsted weight yarn in accent color: approx. 2 oz

Size J crochet hook or size needed to obtain gauge 

(I use a size I hook, because I crochet more loosely than anyone I know)

Gauge:  10 dc & 6 rows = 3”

COPYRIGHT This pattern may be printed for your personal use only.  Please do not in any form reproduce, transmit or distribute this pattern, without crediting salutationscrochet.blogspot.com by name and hyperlink (if applicable). Copyright © 2012

PATTERN STITCHES

Treb Bobble Stitch: Work 4 treb into next stitch, leaving last loop of each stitch on hook, yo and pull loop through all 5 loops on hook.  (Treb will bend to right side to form bobble when next dc is made.)

Dc Bobble Stitch:  Work 3 dc into next stitch, leaving last loop of each stitch on hook, yo and pull loop through all 4 loops on hook.  (Dc will bend to right side to form bobble when next hdc is made.)

MAIN PANEL

Ch 75 loosely,

Row 1:  Dc in 3rd ch from hook, and in each ch across.  Ch 3, turn.  
Row 2:  Dc in each dc to end.  Ch 3, turn.
Row 3:  Repeat Row 2.
Row 4:  Dc in first dc and next six dc, work treb bobble stitch in next dc; *dc in next eight dc, work treb bobble stitch in next dc; rep from * to end, ch 3, turn.  
Row 5:  Dc in next dc, and in each stitch to end.  ch 3, turn.
Rows 6-7:  Rep round 5.
Row 8:  Dc in first dc and next two dc, work treb bobble stitch in next dc; *dc in next eight dc, work treb bobble stitch in next dc.  Repeat from * to end, ending with 3 dc.  Ch 3, turn.  
Rows 9-11:  Rep rows 5-7.
Rows 12-67:  Repeat Rows 4 through 11 until you have 16 bobble rows, ending with three rows of dc, no bobbles.  Fasten off.

Main panel complete. 

Switch to Accent Color.  

BORDER

Rnd 1: With right side facing, join with ch 2 in top right corner stitch. Sc twice more in same stitch, then *work 63 sc evenly to next corner. Work three sc in corner st, then work 99 sc evenly to next corner. Work three sc in corner st, the repeat from * to end. Join with sl stitch to first stitch, chain 3.

Rnd 2: 3 sc in next corner stitch, sc in each sc aroun, working 3 sc in each corner stitch. While joining contrasting color, join with sl stitch to first stitch, chain 3, turn.

Rnd 3:  Hdc in next 4 sc, work dc bobble st in next sc. *Hdc in next 8 sc, work dc bobble in next dc.  Rep from * to corner, working 3 hdc in corner stitch.  Rep for other three sides.  Join with sl stitch to first stitch, ch 3, turn.  

Rnd 4: Hdc in next stitch, 3 hdc in next stitch (because it's a corner stitch) hdc in next eight stitches so that you are half-way between the two bobble stitches. *Skip one stitch and work fptr around post of sc made in round 1. Work fptr around post of sc skipped ("X" made), skip two hdc behind "X", hdc in next seven stitches so that you are half-way between the two bobble stitches. Repeat from * to corner. Work 3 hdc in corner stitch. Rep for other three sides. Join with a sl stitch to first stitch, ch 3, turn.

Rnd 5: Hdc in each hdc and treble st around, 3 hdc in all corners. Join with sl stitch to first stitch, ch 3, do NOT turn.

Rnd 6: Repeat Row 3, spacing your hdcs so that you have a bobble over each X.

Rnd 7: Repeat Row 4, spacing your hdcs so that you have an X over each bobble. While joining accent color, join with sl stitch to first stitch, chain 3, do NOT turn.

Rnd 8: Sc in each hdc and treble st around, 3 sc in all corners. Join with sl stitch to first stitch, chain two, do NOT turn.

Rnd 9: Sc in each sc around, 3 sc in all colors. Join with sl stitch to first stitch, fasten off.

I'm linking to these parties:

  

Work-in-Progress, a hat for summer

At the moment, I'm working on this:

Only (hopefully) smaller.

I'm using the pattern here.

(You have to register with Lion Brand Yarn to see the pattern, but I've not regretted signing up.)

More details as to why and how (and how it's all turning out) at a later date.  

Lots of Hugs Baby Afghan Pattern

Well, here it is, my long worked on pattern for the Lots of Hugs (and a few kisses) baby blanket.  It's been quite the project to work on this pattern, and I'm not entirely sure that I've got it down pat yet, but I'm hopeful, you know?  

Anyway, my plan is to leave this pattern up here for a week or two, and then to take it down and have a link here to another place where it can be found.  I might try having it on Ravelry first, just to get my feet a little more wet there, and eventually, I'm planning to have it for sale at salutationscrochet.etsy.com.  We'll see how it all works out.  

At any rate, without further ado, here is the pattern:






UPDATE:  The pattern is now on sale (for a total of $3) here.  

  I'm linking to these parties: