Mother Goose

You know I love a good hat costume, so this week has inadvertently turned into hat costume week... And I've got one more for next week.  They're just so practical!

Today is Mother Goose.  I know, I know, it looks like a funky witch hat.  In fact, if you wanted to use it as a witch hat you could, but I was really determined that I wasn't going to make a witch hat. In fact, Jake and I had a conversation a couple of weeks ago that went something like this:

Jaime: I want to make something fun for Halloween.
Jake: You should make a witch hat.
Jaime: There are a ton of adorable witch hats out there, everyone has a witch hat.  I want to do something different.
Jake: If it's your version, it would be different.  You should make a witch hat.
Jaime: No.
Jake: Then make a Lawn Gnome hat, but I really think you should make a witch hat.

LOL!!!!  Well, I got the Gnome hat finished and realized I had done 90% of the work of making a witch hat, so I'd just go for it and make my own version.  I sketched designs, a slouchy witch hat, a funky witch hat, trying to do something I hadn't seen a billion times on Pinterest...

I started the brim of the hat and it was short and weird and reminded me of something from my childhood.  I showed Jake and he thought it reminded him of European wood-cut prints of witches... Old world style...  Suddenly, we both were thinking 'Hansel and Gretel'-type witch, which made me think that we must have seen the same book when we were kids, because that was pretty random...

I consulted the Oracle (Google search) and realized it wasn't a witch we were thinking of at all!  It was Mother Goose!

18th century wood cut of Mother Goose by Luis d'Antin van Rooten 

So if you'd like to be something different, something that hasn't been seen a billion times on Pinterest, and you'd like to rock a funky witch hat, this is absolutely the pattern for you!!

Mother Goose Hat

Supplies:

Worsted Weight yarn (I used Loops & Threads Impeccable 100% acrylic yarn in Lavender)

Size G crochet hook

Yarn needle 

Scissors

R1: 8 hdc in a magic loop, pull loop tight and sl st to first hdc to close round (8 st)
R2: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (8 st)
R3: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (16 st)
R4: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (16 st)
R5: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (24 st)
R6: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (24 st)
R7: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 2 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (32 st)
R8: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (32 st)
R9: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 3 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (40 st)
R10: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (40 st)
R11: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 4 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (48 st)
R12: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (48 st)
R13: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 5 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (56 st)
R14: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (56 st)
R15: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 6 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (64 st)
R16: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (64 st)
R17: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 7 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (72 st)
R18: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (72 st)
R19: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 8 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (80 st)
R20-22: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (80 st)
R23: (work in front loops only) ch 1, sc in each st, sl st to first sc to close round (80 st)
R24: (work in both loops) ch 1, (2 sc in next st, 9 sc) 8 times, sl st to first sc to close round (88 st)
R25: ch 1, (2 sc in next st, 10 sc) 8 times, sl st to first sc to close round (96 st)
R26: ch 1, sc in each st, sl st to first sc to close round (96 st)
R27: ch 1, 5 sc, (2 sc in next st, 11 sc) 7 times, 2 sc in next st, 6 sc, sl st to first sc to close round (104 st)
R28: ch 1, (2 sc in next st, 12 sc) 8 times, sl st to first sc to close round (112 st)
R29: ch 1, sc in each st, sl st to first sc to close round (112 st)
R30: ch 1, (2 sc in next st, 13 sc) 8 times, sl st to first sc to close round (120 st)
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

xoxo

Lawn Gnome!

I am a big fan of the 'hat' costume: a hat so fantastic that you can just wear normal clothes and it still counts as a costume.  I am not a fan of cheapie drugstore costumes anymore, because alas, I am not a size 4 so none of them fit me right.  But a hat!  A hat costume is amazing.  You still can participate in the office costume contest (oh how clever, you say you made it yourself?!) and you can take it off when you go on your lunch break.  Now, I can't guarantee that you wont get hat-hair, but it's a small price to pay for not being dressed up as Effie Trinket from The Hunger Games at work all day...  Those eyelashes would begin to bother me after about fifteen minutes... 

Jake was a very good sport today.  He's going as the World's Tallest Lawn Gnome.  (He's 6'5" and the hat adds about 7")

Gnome Hat
Supplies:
Worsted weight yarn in Red (I used Red Heart Super Saver in Cherry Red - 1 skein should make 2 hats)
Size G crochet hook
Yarn needle
Scissors

R1: 8 hdc in a magic loop, pull loop tight and sl st to first hdc to close round (8 st)
R2: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (8 st)
R3: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (16 st)
R4: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (16 st)
R5: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (24 st)
R6-7: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (24 st)
R8: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 2 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (32 st)
R9-10: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (32 st)
R11: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 3 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (40 st)
R12-13: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (40 st)
R14: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 4 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (48 st)
R15-16: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (48 st)
R17: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 5 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (56 st)
R18: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (56 st)
R19: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 6 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (64 st)
R20-21: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (64 st)
R22: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 7 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (72 st)
R23-24: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (72 st)
R25: ch 1 (2 hdc in next st, 8 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (80 st)
R26-27: ch 1, hdc in each st, sl st to first hdc to close round (80 st)
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Gnome Beard
Supplies:
Small amount of worsted weight yarn (I used Red Heart Super Saver in White)
Size G crochet hook
Yarn needle
Scissors

ch 52
R1: hdc in 2nd ch from hook, hdc in each chain space across (51 st)
R2: ch 2, 24 hdc, 3 hdc in next st, 24 hdc (53 st)
R3: ch 1, 16 sc, 10 hdc, 3 hdc in next st, 10 hdc, 16 sc (55 st)
R4: ch 1, 16 sc, 11 hdc, 3 hdc in next st, 11 hdc, 16 sc (57 st)
R5: ch 1, 14 sl st, ch 2, (do not skip a stitch) 13 hdc, 3 hdc in next st, 14 hdc, ch 2, turn (30 stitches + ch sp before 13 hdc = 31 st)
R6: 15 hdc, 3 hdc in next st, 15 hdc (33 st)
R7: ch 1, 4 sl st, ch 2, 11 hdc, 3 hdc in next st, 12 hdc, ch 2, turn (27 st)
R8: 13 hdc, 3 hdc in next st, 13 hdc (29 st)
R9: ch 1, 5 sl st, ch 2, 9 hdc, 3 hdc in next st, 10 hdc
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Using red yarn, stitch beard to the sides of the hat.  I just used a simple running stitch.

This costume rocked extra, because I was able to use yarn that I already had to make it.  So basically, it was free!!  And free hat costumes are the best kind of hat costumes!

xoxo

Make A Hat Day!

Today is Make A Hat Day!  I thought it would be super cool to make a beret-style hat.  I've made a lot of beanies in my day, and I've made some fun sun-hat type hats, but I had never crocheted a beret before now.  I don't know what I was thinking.  Okay, that was a lie, I will tell you exactly what I was thinking.  I assumed that it would be simple to do and I could come up with something fun and cute and fast and put up a fun free pattern that you could do in a couple of hours.

You know what they say about the word assume...

This has been a complete labor of love.  It wasn't as simple as 'it goes out for a while, and then it comes back in'.  I had to stagger the decreases because lining up the decreases created a hat with points (think college graduation professor hats... Not the look I was going for...).   The first hat was based on a hat I had sewn a few years ago, but somehow translating the pattern into crochet caused  the dimensions became child-sized (so Mims looked cute in it, but it made my head look like a mushroom... Quite unattractive, and also not a look that I was aiming for...).  Finally I made the perfect beret!  Flattering!  Perfect shaping!  Fairly simple pattern that could be completed in a day (if you spent the whole day crocheting... But I took it as a victory anyway!)!  I was thrilled.  I had made it out of acrylic as my 'practice' beret, but when I went to make the 'real' version (ah, pattern testing!) I decided to make it out of wool.  Gorgeous autumnal-colored wool, something that would be warm and beautiful and wouldn't get pills before winter got here... I was so in love with the idea of my warm cozy beret, that I didn't even think that the wool worsted weight yarn might not necessarily work as a  substitution for the acrylic worsted weight yarn.  My acrylic yarn had been a slightly smaller worsted, and the wool was on the larger side of worsted.  I didn't notice until I was nearly done and thought, "Gee, this looks bigger than I remember..."  Yeah, the diameter was almost 3 inches larger!!!  Yikes!  So, I went back to the drawing board...

I refused to give up on my perfect beret, so this time I used the wool to design my perfect (and not gigantic) beret.  **Side note about hat design (skip to the next set of double asterisks if you don't care about the whys and only want the hows. I promise I won't judge you for wanting to get to the point!):  When you're designing a hat, you have to work with something called 'negative ease'.  Some of you who are sewers (seamstresses?) should be familiar with adding ease to a pattern to adjust the fit, but for those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, ease is the difference between the measurements of your body and the measurements of the finished garment.  In sewing, you want to add a few inches to that body number so that your finished garment will allow you to sit down without ripping out the seams.

Now, crochet is cool, because it stretches.  We use that stretching ability to our benefit when we make crochet hats, which is where that negative ease comes in.  We use negative ease, taking an inch (or inch and a half) away from the head measurement so that we don't have a saggy, ill-fitting hat.   Who ever thought that going negative could be such a positive?!! So, even though this hat has a finished band of 20.5 inches, it will stretch to fit my head and it won't give me a headache.  Plus, it won't fall down over my eyes (and become the dreaded 'too slouchy'!) if I wear it for more that 10 minutes, because we're using negative ease. Okay, back to what I was saying before...**

Since I had four different patterns to show me what I shouldn't do, this last pattern (lucky number 5!) actually came together pretty quickly.  It really came down to measurements and math, which are much easier to work with when you've already worked out the aesthetics part of the design.  It is my absolutely favorite hat that I've ever made. I am sure that there will be other hats in my future, but this one was so hard fought that it will always be special to me.

Dynamite Beret!
finished hat diameter across top is approximately 12"
Supplies:
210 yards of worsted weight yarn (I used Paton Classic Wool - worsted 100% wool yarn in Jade Heather)
Size G crochet hook
Yarn needle
Scissors
Approximately 30 inches of 7/8" grosgrain ribbon in coordinating color (I used black)

R1: in a magic loop, 8 hdc, pull loop snug and sl st to first hdc to close round (8 st)
R2: ch 1, 2 hdc in each st around, sl st to first hdc to close round (16 st)
R3: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (24 st)
R4: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 2 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (32 st)
R5: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 3 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (40 st)
R6: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 4 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (48 st)
R7: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 5 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (56 st)
R8: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 6 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (64 st)
R9: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 7 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (72 st)
R10: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 8 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (80 st)
R11: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 9 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (88 st)
R12: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 10 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (96 st)
R13: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 11 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (104 st)
R14: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 12 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (112 st)
R15: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 13 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (120 st)
R16: ch 1, (2 hdc in next st, 14 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (128 st)
R17: ch 1, 7 hdc, (hdc next 2 st tog, 14 hdc) 7 times, hdc next 2 st tog, 7 hdc, sl st to first hdc to close round (120 st)
R18: ch 1, (hdc next 2 st tog, 13 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (112 st)
R19: ch 1, 6 hdc, (hdc next 2 st tog, 12 hdc) 7 times, hdc next 2 st tog, 6 hdc, sl st to first hdc to close round (104 st)
R20: ch 1, (hdc next 2 st tog, 11 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (96 st)
R21: ch 1, 5 hdc, (hdc next 2 st tog, 10 hdc) 7 times, hdc next 2 st tog, 5 hdc, sl st to first hdc to close round (88 st)
R22: ch 1, (hdc next 2 st tog, 9 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (80 st)
R23: ch 1, 4 hdc, (hdc next 2 st tog, 8 hdc) 7 times, hdc next 2 st tog, 4 hdc, sl st to first hdc to close round (72 st)
R24: ch 1, (hdc next 2 st tog, 7 hdc) 8 times, sl st to first hdc to close round (64 st)
R25: ch 1, ch 1, 3 hdc, (hdc next 2 st tog, 6 hdc) 7 times, hdc next 2 st tog, 3 hdc, sl st to first hdc to close round (56 st)
R26: ch 3, skip st, (dc in next st, ch 1, skip st) 27 times, sl st to 2nd beginning ch to close round (56 st)
R27: ch 1, 2 sc in each ch space around, sl st to first sc to close round (56 st)
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Weave the grosgrain ribbon between the dc bars of R26.  Tie the ends in a cute bow!  Trim ribbon ends at an angle and seal cut ends with a lit match to keep them from fraying.

**A note about yarns:  I used 4 different colors of the same brand of wool yarn.  Each one was labeled 210 yards.  The first hat had about 10 yards of yarn left over when I finished.  The second and third skeins had approximately 4 yards of yarn left over.  The fourth skein was short about 4 yards, which necessitated ripping the hat out about 10 rows and switching to an F hook to re-crochet the hat in a smaller gauge.

So, what does this mean?  First off, it means that when label bands say 'approx' in front of the yardage number they really mean it!!  Second, if you KNOW that you're a 'loose' crocheter, I would totally switch to an F hook before you start, so that your hat doesn't become too large, and you won't run out of yarn before you finish.  Third, if you're one of the unlucky ones with the 'short' skein, it completely sucks, but rip it back to where you sl st the end of R16 together, swap your G hook for and F hook, and complete the hat with the smaller hook.  It won't be noticeably smaller, and you should have enough yarn to complete the project. **

Or, if you don't want to make it yourself, you can buy one at my new shop.  Grab one quickly if you want it, because I only have 3 available.

xoxo

Monster Beanie

Mims and I went to a baby shower last night.  It was for Jake's cousin Ro.   She and her husband are expecting a boy in September.  So exciting!  So why did I make a baby girl onesie on Friday?! ::shaking my head in disbelief::    Anyhoo, I wanted to make something cute to take to the shower, so I whipped up an awesome Monster Beanie.

Mims had one when she was about two that she wore everywhere.  I loosely based this new one on the one I had created for Mims.  I think it turned out super cute.  I'm not sure that the pictures do it justice.  In fact, I can promise you, it's so stinkin' cute in person that you won't want to give it away... but you will, because the only thing cuter than this beanie, would be a baby wearing this beanie... or perhaps a Corgi... (That was for you, K!)

If you'd like to make one for the little monsters in your life, here's the pattern:

Monster Beanie
fits newborn - 3 mos
Supplies:
Main Color: 100% cotton worsted weight yarn (I used Peaches & Creme in Avocado)
Size G crochet hook
Eyeball Color: 100% cotton worsted weight yarn (I used Bernat Handicrafter in White)
Iris Color: black embroidery floss
Size D crochet hook
Mouth-line Color: 100% cotton worsted weight yarn (I used Bernat Handicrafter in Country Red, but doubled up embroidery floss would also work)
Yarn needle

Beanie:
Use Main Color yarn and size G hook
R1: In magic loop, make 8 sc, sl st to first sc to close ring.  Tighten loop. (8 st)
R2: ch 1, (2 sc in next st) 8 times, sl st to first sc to close round (16 st)
R3: ch 1, (2 sc in next st, sc) 8 times, sl st to first sc to close round (24 st)
R4: ch 1, (2 sc in next st, 2 sc) 8 times, sl st to first sc to close round (32 st)
R5-6: ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first sc to close round (32 st)
R7: ch 1, (2 sc in next st, 3 sc) 8 times, sl st to first sc to close round (40 st)
R8-23: ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first sc to close round (40 st)
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Stubby Horns
make 2
Use Main Color yarn and size G hook
R1: In magic loop, make 5 sc, sl st to first sc to close ring.  Tighten loop. (5 st)
R2-3: ch 1, sc in each st around, sl st to first sc to close round (5 st)
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Sew horns to hat approximately 2 inches down from the top-center of the hat (which was about R8).  I spaced my horns 2.5 inches apart.

Eyeball
make 2
Use Eyeball Color yarn and size G hook
R1: In magic loop, make 6 sc, sl st to first sc to close ring.  Tighten loop. (6 st)
R2: ch 1, (2 sc in next st) 6 times, sl st to first sc to close round (12 st)
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Iris
make 2
Use black embroidery floss and size D hook
R1: In magic loop, make 8 dc, sl st to first dc to close ring.  Tighten loop. (8 st)
Fasten off.  Weave in ends.

Sew iris to eyeball.  Using photo as guide, sew eyes to front of hat.

Using Mouth-line Color and the backstitch, add a mouth line.  Quirky smiles are always cute!

It would be easy to make this beanie for larger sizes, just make the hat bigger.  This site has a list of  measurements to help you out.

And as always, if you make one you can add your picture to the Dynamo Gallery!  Just send me a jpg in an email!  I'll even link it to your site, if you'd like!

When we got home from the shower it was still 85 degrees out, which meant that it was even hotter in the house.  What were two overheated girls to do??  Yeah, we made mint limeade.

Mims helped me squeeze the limes, and wash the mint.  I made a simple syrup and infused it with mint, chopping the remaining mint to add to the finished limeade.  We poured it over ice, adding extra water because it was STRONG.  That made it just perfect for a hot, sweaty night.  We went upstairs and Mims watched a Netflixed episode of Wizards of Waverly Place while I put up a new Google+ page for Crochet Dynamite.  So if you Google+ you can now add the blog to your circles!

What a great day...

xoxo

I'm an Auntie!!!

My nephew was born yesterday.  I am now a very proud Auntie Jaime!  I had forgotten how tiny new babies are.  Mims is in the 95th percentile for height, I'm used to 44" tall five-year-olds.  I also got a chance to swaddle him, which was a bummer because it's been 5 years, and I'm so rusty that he was able to pop the blanket apart in ten seconds...

His initials are DC, and his daddy (and uncle!) are huge comic book fans, so of course I had to make him a DC logo hat.  I know, it's an old version of the logo, but it's iconic, and the new logo doesn't evoke the same nostalgia.  Also, I wasn't sure I could actually crochet the new logo... lol!

You might notice that I crocheted a baby head to model the hat.  If it helps, I felt like a nut when I did it, but I expect that my nephew is going to inspire a lot of creations, and I needed an 'at home' model. Mims tossed it around for a while like a ball, but quickly lost interest in it, so I think I'm actually going to be able to use it for it's intended purpose...

Anyway, I just wanted to brag that I have a new baby to love!  Congratulations to S and B, and welcome to our family DC!!!
xoxo