Crochet Vina Hat

So if you read my last post you already know I’ve been trying to find a good top down cabled hat. As a recommendation from @astitchshyofnormal on Instagram I thought I’d try the Vina Hat.

The first 3 rows went beautifully and then I got stuck on the 4th round. For the life of me I couldn’t figure it out. After several tries, I persevered. I kept on keepin’ on (thank you Veggie Tales). I am so glad I didn’t give up on this pattern. It turned out beautiful. It is slightly big and long for my head so I actually didn’t do the last 3 rows of the brim. I like it anyway.

Just in case you’re wondering. I didn’t intentionally make this a Santa inspired hat. If you’ve read many of my posts you’ll know I prefer to practice patterns I’ve never done before. This was no exception. I was using scrap red yarn and ran out. It was between a white or black brim. Ternie and I decided on white. I guess if you’re an Indiana University or University of Mississippi fan this is the hat for you.

Also, I just have to say I’m so excited to finally have a model head. I don’t care if she’s styrofoam. It may sound weird but she seemed to stand out at Hobby Lobby amongst all the other heads like she was saying “Pick me! Pick me!” I think that means she needs a name. Any suggestions?

Happy Crocheting,

Britnee

Crochet Top down Cable Beanie and Alternative to Faux Knit Brims

First, isn’t this yellow gorgeous? I admit I’m longing for spring/summer and this reminds me of sunny days.

In my last post on the blog I made an adult sized purple cabled beanie. I really enjoyed it on a few super cold and breezy days.

While I was making the purple beanie I thought I would prefer a top down cabled beanie. A ribbed brim takes forever (seemed like it anyway since I was eager to start cabling) plus not caring for cinched tops, it all seemed to make sense in my head.

As usual off to YouTube I go. I couldn’t find any top down cabled beanies that I cared for. Retraction: I did end up finding one but I was having a hard time following along. Also, there is another one on Ravelry I haven’t mastered yet so that’ll be in a later post.

Well now what do I do? Try to come up with my own, of course! So here’s what I know from the purple beanie: I was working with a total of 60 stitches. So I increased the yellow hat to 60 stitches followed by a round of 1 double crochet. Then I followed the regular cabled pattern as usual. Essentially they’re upside down cables but it worked and looked nice. So once I got as many cables as I wanted I needed to figure out how to get a faux knit look. I didn’t want to use the typical alternating of front post and back post. On YouTube though I found several tutorials that teach a method that looks just like if I had started with the brim. Here’s how it works: after slip stitching to join you chain up however wide you want the brim to be (I only did 5 chains since it was a child’s hat). Then you single crochet in the back loop only back down the chain. To anchor the brim you slip stitch into the next 2 stitches. Then work back up the back loops of the chain. It was much easier than I’m making it sound. The tutorial I recommend is from @tlyarncrafts.

So here’s what I think about working top down cables and the alternative faux knit brim: While top down works up much faster it’s worth taking the time to start with the brim and work your way up. It just has a more polished finish overall. The alternative faux knit brim looks kinda wonky so maybe I just need practice. Toni’s looked great in her video so I’m sure it’s me. Also the typical crown increasing just looks kinda odd. It gives the crown a kind of square shape that I like a lot less than a cinched crown I can halfway hide.

Lastly, here’s the details on the size, hook and yarn. I’d love to know if you have a favorite top down cabled hat pattern. Leave a comment.

Hat size: 12 months

Hook: I9/5.5mm

Yarn: Hobby Lobby I Love This Yarn Sport in color Sun Yellow.

Britnee

Pink Camo Messy Bun Hat & Triangle Granny Cowl

Now available in my Etsy shop: $20 plus shipping

Patterns: Messy Bun Graceful Granny Hat by Stitch Upon a Star on YouTube

Triangle Granny Cowl by Tea Time Crochet on YouTube

Hook size: Hat: I/9 5.5mm Cowl J 6mm

Yarn: 1 skein Bernat Camouflage (discontinued) color Pink Rose

Custom Orders Available 

Email: turtleburgercrochet@outlook.com

Instagram @turtleburgercrochet

Crochet Granny Shrug

Look at me getting 2 posts in the same week. I’m trying to get it together crochet-wise so hopefully you’ll be seeing and reading more from me. 

This is my Crocheted Granny Shrug. I’m pretty sure it’s a universal pattern but I’m giving credit to Nadia at Yarnutopia. I love her YouTube videos. She’s very easy for me to follow. 

Here’s the details on my particular shrug:

Yarn used: Bernat Pop in color Scarlett Sizzle (3 skeins)

Hook: K

Dimensions: pattern calls for square to be 40 inches but I made mine 35 inches and used a smaller hook size because I’m short and thought it would’ve been too big and long. Next time I’ll be doing the full 40 inches. Also I ran out of this yarn so I didn’t do 2 rounds of edging or the cuffs on the sleeves. Even still it is very comfortable and cozy. 

Contact me at turtleburgercrochet@outlook.com for your $40 custom shrug.

Photo credit: Thank you Ternie for taking photos for your silly wife.

Crochet Granny Triangle Cowl

Hello to all. I can’t believe it’s apparently been 18 days since my last post. Thanks WordPress for informing me via Stats. 
Today I’m sharing a Crocheted Granny Triangle Bandana Cowl. I knew in my head exactly what I wanted but didn’t know how to translate it into my Cowl. Thanks to Youtube I found exactly what’s been in my head and how to achieve it. The pattern and method I used is from Tea Time Crochet. Yarn used is Yarn Bee Sugarwheel in color Soda Pop Party. Hook size used is J. Since this is a self-striping yarn I did need to cut the yarn to ensure each of the 4 colors made into my cowl. This was a really quick project and I will be making more to add to my craft fair inventory as well as my Etsy shop.

Time Flies

I didn’t realize until just now how much time has passed since my last post. I truly am sorry. Nevertheless, my fingers must crochet at least a few stitches everyday. Some days I’m blessed to get that.

Even as time flies and life moves on Christmas season is now on the minds of many crafters. I’m no exception. I’ve been busy trying to make items for my first craft show. Unfortunately I missed out last year but not this year!

Here’s my first item which will be available for $20.

A Christmas Baby Cocoon with Beanie

Christmas Tree Skirt

This year I really wanted to make a Christmas tree skirt. Maybe it’s just me but there seems to be something special about making a skirt that adorns a beautiful tree that your family came together to work on and created a memory around. Hopefully, this skirt will be around for years to come. Once I got the hang of the beginning, the pattern was super easy. I started (and stopped and ripped apart) several different skirts (including some that were just a basic double crochet) but none of those worked out for me. I just wasn’t getting it I guess. This is the first one that I was finally understanding and had an elegant while simple design. If you’re a beginner, this is a great pattern. If you’re not a beginner but it’s your first tree skirt (like me) this is the pattern I recommend, at least until you understand the basics of the formation. The designer provides the formation of the pattern and then at the end it is easily customizable. I used Red Heart Super Saver in colors Cherry, White, and Paddy Green.

Peppermint Hats

Back in November my Mom asked me to make some hats. One set was for two sisters. They are 7 and 8 years old. The oldest has cancer. She either had just started or was about to start chemo. The hat choice was for her but the little sister would want to be like her big sister. As if that wasn’t heartbreaking enough, the third hat was for an 18 month old who had already started chemo. Mom and I decided on maybe something Christmas-y. My personal preference was something appropriate for Christmas time but would be cute for the rest of the year too.
As I was looking through Pinterest (of course!) I found this Girls Christmas Flower Hat by Cream of the Crop Crochet. It reminded me of a peppermint but I thought it would be pretty any time. I made the baby’s hat first. I knew it needed to be soft, not scratchy and easy to take care of. I used I Love This Yarn Sport by Hobby Lobby. I used Red and Ivory (I didn’t realize I did that until I took the final 3 hats together photo). I didn’t have enough of that particular yarn to make 3 hats so, ironically, on that day, I got a package from my mom with more yarn (yay! Thanks Mom). Included in it was some unnamed red and white cotton yarn..enough for 1 more hat. Then I had enough of Red Heart Super Saver to make the third hat. I only had 2 white buttons but I didn’t realize it until after I made the hat for the baby (I call her a baby but I guess toddler). So the sisters buttons are crocheted buttons because I wanted at least those 2 to match. Here’s a photo of the 3 hats after being completed.

Like I mentioned, this was about a month ago. I mailed them right away but I haven’t had time to do a post about them. After yesterday I’m so glad I didn’t! I got the most adorable photo of the baby wearing my hat. I now know her name too: Kylie. It’s the first time I’ve seen someone that’s not family wear something I made. As exciting as that is for me, I hope Kylie gets better soon and that her family knows prayers are being sent for her not only where they are in Mississippi but also in Indiana and wherever you might be reading this too.

Interview with a Crocheter

Several weeks ago my mother-in-law and I went to several local craft fairs. We saw a lot of really great handmade items using different materials such as wood and tin in a recycled and purposeful way. We also saw more crochet than I think we were expecting. There were tons of dishcloths, baby hats and doll clothes. One of the tables we saw really impressed us. From memory, Elizabeth had baby hats, cup cozies and sewn children clothes. I think not only was it the items she displayed it was her quality of what she had displayed. Everything looked neat and organized and professional. To be honest, it was exactly what I had envisioned my first craft fair to look like, whenever that eventually gets to happen. Without thinking before speaking, I told her I had a small blog and asked if I could interview her. I walked away thinking she probably thinks I’m a weirdo.
Skip forward about a week, I decided weirdo or not I’d send her a message through her Etsy shop and just see what happens. To my surprise she said she wondered if she’d hear from me. So from that initial meeting here are questions I was curious about and thought others might be too.

1. Please give an overview of yourself and what type of crochet items you make (i.e. how did you start crocheting, do you focus primarily on babies or hats or blankets or just a mix of everything?, etc.)
My name is Elizabeth Kelly. I’ve been a stay-at-home Mom for about 3.5 years. I have two children, a daughter (4) and a son (almost 3). I started crocheting when I was a little girl. My mom showed me the basics and taught me how to make an afghan and a simple beanie. It was after my son was born I decided I would try to sell items. I started out making hats for babies and kids. With requests for other items I’ve tried almost every kind of crochet and many styles.

2. Do you remember the first project you ever completed?
My first completed project was a beanie I made in high school. I was so proud and wore it to school then ended up making more for all my friends.

3. What is your favorite item to make?
I don’t really have a favorite item that I make.  But I love receiving pictures of babies in their hats or photo prop items. I also love when I receive requests for something I haven’t already done. I really enjoy challenging myself. 

4. What is your favorite type of yarn? Do you have a favorite brand?
My favorite yarn is the I Love This Yarn brand by Hobby Lobby. It’s so soft and they offer such a wonderful variety of colors to create complex designs.

5. Do you follow patterns, change patterns or design your own?
When I first started selling I was using some patterns, especially for sizing items. But I haven’t used a pattern in at least 2 years and most of my designs are original or written by me.

6. When did you realize you love crocheting and wanted to start selling?
I decided to start selling since I was a stay-at-home mom and really needed something to make me feel busy and productive other than mommy duties. I had worked for so long that being at home was really hard on me at first. My husband really encouraged me to try it. He wanted me to be happy and he knew how much I loved to make things. He could’ve cared less if I was ever successful or if I failed. He would’ve supported me no matter what. Also, for me, its never been about making money. I truly just enjoy making things and the feedback I receive from my customers.

7. Do you only sell on Etsy and craft fairs? How do you find craft fairs and decide which you want to sell at?
The craft fair we met at was actually my first craft fair. I was asked by a friend if I wanted to sell. I had always wanted to try it out. I haven’t decided if I will do more in the future.  I mainly sell through Etsy and Facebook.

8. What is your hottest seller?
I would say I sell baby items the most and cabbage patch hats are very popular around Halloween.

9. Do you have any tips on starting to sell crochet?
My tips for selling would be to always challenge yourself. Try to never tell a customer you can’t make something (unless you’re really busy or its an outrageous request). Also, the pictures you use for listings should be clear and good quality. You can search Google for many ways to take nice photos even with a phone.

10. Do you have any tips or tricks for beginner crocheters?
Beginners should start simple. Learn the basics and get a feel for crochet. Don’t try to push too far ahead so you don’t become discouraged, but don’t stick with one style. Try all sorts of patterns, stitches and types of crochet. I highly recommend RepeatCrafterMe (www.repeatcrafterme.com). She has a wonderful website full of free patterns that are written wonderfully.

11. Is there anything else you want readers to know about yourself, your crochet or crochet in general?
I absolutely love everything crafty. I would craft all day every day and I think my love for it is what has made crocheting easy for me. I don’t get discouraged. I keep trying. I think for sellers the most important thing would be to love what you do.

12. Other than Etsy, where can you be found? (Ravelry, Instagram, Facebook, etc)
I can be found on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/sewoncrafts), Etsy (https://www.etsy.com/shop/sewoncrafts),  and Instagram (Sewoncrafts)

Thank you Elizabeth.

Please visit Elizabeth with Sew On Crafts at any of the above sites to see all her adorable creations.

All photos are courtesy of and property of Elizabeth Kelly of Sew On Crafts.

Berries Jubilee Infinity Scarf-2016 Holiday Stashdown

I mentioned a couple of posts ago that I was participating in the 2016 Holiday Stashdown. Pictured above is one of the projects. The pattern is Berries Jubilee Infinity Scarf by Oombawka Design.As beginners, we learn the most basic stitches first: chain stitch, single crochet, half-double crochet and double crochet. In my opinion, based on my experience, the double crochet is the most used stitch. If you are a beginner who knows those basic stitches, but are ready to see how those stitches take shape and make a design, this pattern is for you! A shell stitch is incredibly easy but looks “fancy” and produces a beautiful product. The scarf is worked row by row and then sewn together at the end. If you wanted, you could even add a few more rows and leave it un-sewn as a regular scarf. Usually, when I sew scarves together I’m left with an ugly and very noticeable seam. The cool thing about this scarf is she used an overlap seam so its barely noticeable. See for yourself:

For my scarf I used 100% wool from Patons North America Classic Wool Worsted. It is super soft and squishy. I actually am becoming quite smitten with this design and may end up making one for myself as well as making some as gifts.

Berries Jubilee Infinity Scarf now available on Etsy.

Do you have any tips for avoiding hideous seams in your projects?