Improvising; orThree Rows to Go and Out of Yarn

As predicted, I ran out of yarn with just three rows to go. I decided to try to use scraps of two of the fleck colors in the Vanna White yarn and went with red and orange. I am trying to decide whether to put a finished edge on it with a contrast color, with a bulkier gray yarn I have or let it go.

 I'm also thinking about embelishments. Buttons? maybe. Leather strap buckle? perhaps. Flower? um, no.

 The finished hat, using an Amour brand J hook and worsted weight yarn, is 22 inches at it circumference. That fits me really well, and I have a largish adult head. You could use a smaller hook to get a smaller hat.
 I've written the pattern and am now testing it for consistency. I got the idea for this hat from a cloche pattern that is in "It Girl Crochet".

 It's quite a bit different but after making it I decided to use the short row shaping to make a hat with vertical ribs throughout. What is your favorite crochet hat pattern or style?

Busy Days and Creative Moments

I'm still trying to get the tutorial made for the star ornament. The past week has been incredibly hectic, but in a good way. The musician who contributes our beautiful music to the Daily Prayer videos was in the area and we threw together a last-minute concert at Bethel UCC in Cahokia, Illinois. We loved it so much that I edited the concert and there are six pieces of it in our worship sanctuary this week instead of the usual weekly worship. If you get a chance, hop over to  Living Well of Bethel and check out Richard Bruxvoort Colligan and his PoMo renditions of the Psalms.
Also on the "why the tutorial isn't ready" list is the fact that my own personal video producer (wife) has been spending a lot of time at her two jobs (since she's the pastor of Living Well of Bethel and co-pastor of Bethel United Church of Christ-Cahokia)  and hasn't been able to set up the camera for me. In the mean time, I have a couple of #WIP pics to show you. I'm trying to design a beanie that is shaped with short rows at the crown. I'm doing a HCD and SC alternating rib stitch on it, so it's reversible, with one side having skinny ribs and one having fat ones.

I got a skein of yarn on clearance and am hoping that I don't run out before the hat is finished. It is not looking good at this point, though. This hat may end up having a wedge of a complimentary yarn, but remember as Bob Ross said, there are no mistakes, only happy accidents!

(I've made a bit more progress since these photos were taken)

What kind of WIPs do you have going? Are you gearing up for the holidays? I try to make all of my birthday and Christmas/Yule gifts but am a bit behind at this point. I really wish people would stop reminding me how close Christmas is!

It is my hope and prayer that you are finding time for peaceful reflection and time to be creative today and every day.

My First Crochet Pattern! (for someone other than me) Holiday Star Ornament

Have you ever seen something on Pinterest and found there wasn't a pattern for it? Then you search and search and find a pattern for something similar but your own ideas are quite a bit different? That's what happened here. I fell in love with this star and could not find a way to make it. This one is my version and I'm sure there are others out there, too. I was so happy with the result that I decided to write it down. This is the first time I've written a pattern that is for use other than my own. Now, I'm giving these ornaments to my grandchildren (all 9 of them) for Christmas and will also send some to my kids, too. It takes about ten to fifteen minutes to make one of these, so it's a fast, easy and fun way to get in the holiday spirit!

 I welcome questions and suggestions and I am working on a tutorial that I hope to get up this weekend. 

Puffy Center Star

I used a worsted weight yarn and a J (6.0 mm)  hook, specifically Red Heart Holiday and made some with an Amour hook and some with a Susan Bates wood handle hook. This is a fairly heavy worsted yarn and the recommended hook is actually a K. You could use lighter (or heavier) yarn and an appropriately  sized hook and vary the size of the finished star. As I worked it, the star is about 4       inches at the widest point. You can make these into ornaments or even make a garland or a bunting. You could attach a big button to the center, too instead of using ribbon and small buttons at the top. You could also change colors on each round.

Materials: worsted weight yarn

                     Size J hook

                     Tapestry needle to weave in ends

For ornament: two contrasting or complementary colors of ribbon, one a bit wider than the other.

Glue gun and glue stick

Small buttons

*********************************

Gauge is not important to this project.

Terms used:

Sl St-slip stitch

Puff cluster-see round 1 for instructions. There will be 5 puff clusters into the ring when you complete round 1.

Cluster V1: 3DC-Ch1-3DC

Cluster V3:  3DC-Ch 3-3 DC

DC-double crochet

SC-single crochet

Ch-chain stitch

YO-yarn over

FPTC-front post treble crochet

If you have any questions about how to do crochet stitches, I recommend checking out Moogly Blog

Or any of the other great blogs that make crochet video tutorials.

Step 1) make a slip knot and chain 4. Join in first chain to make a ring.   You can try to make a magi circle but I found it’s too difficult to maneuver in because the puff stitches require so much manipulation.

Round 1) Chain 3. *YO-keeping tension on your yarn to maintain height of the chain 3, put hook into ring and YO, pulling up a stitch to the same height. Repeat 3 times. YO again and, holding down on the ring with your left hand, bring the yarn through all 9 loops on the hook. Chain 1 to lock the puff stitch, then chain 1 again.* Repeat from *4 times for a total of 5 puff stitches, each with a chain 1 locking the stitch on top and another ch 1 inbetween the next puff cluster.

Join w sl st in the top of the chain 3 to complete round.

Round 2) YO-Skip the first puff cluster. *3 DC-Ch1-3 DC in next ch 1 space between the puff stitches* Repeat from * to * around for a total of 5 cluster V 1 puffs. Sl st into base of the first dc you worked in this round.

Round 3) Ch 1, sc in space between cluster V1 puffs that you just made. It should be right below where your hook is located. * Skip 3 DC then -3DC-Ch3-3DC (cluster V3) in chain 1 space at the top of the cluster V1 stitch on round 2. Skip next 3 DC. SC into space between the cluster V1 stitches* Repeat around, except after last Cluster V3 stitch, sl st into first sc to complete the round.  Fasten off.

That’s it! Now weave in your ends and you have a star.

 

Variations:

To make an ornament:

1)      Heat glue gun with glue stick.

2)      Place about an 8 inch length of ribbon wrong side up and put a small bit of hot glue on the end nearest you.

3)      Place the star on it, wrong side down onto the glue.

4)      Put a small amount of hot glue on tip of star on the right side and bring the ribbon down, making a loop.

5)      Make a small bow out of a different or of the same ribbon and attach it with a bit of hot glue to the base of the ribbon loop over the star’s tip.

6)      Glue a small button onto the bow.

 

To Make a 4^th round in a contrasting color:

Start at the first dc of any cluster V3 and sc into the DC, sc in next 2 dc, 3 sc in ch 3 space. Dc in next 3 dc. Place a FPTC into the “locking” chain at the top of the puff on round 1. Be sure to leave the stitch behind it on round 3 unworked as the FPTC is that stitch. Repeat this around the star, joining with a sl st into the first dc after you work your last FPTC.

If you'd like to print this off, you can delete the photos and copy and paste the text onto your own document. I am working on a printer-friendly version but this will work while it's in process.