Missing the South

Missing the South
Missing the South...

Friday, May 23, 2014

My latest team hat!

I love doing team hats!  We are big college football fans and I get requests for all kinds of team hats.  This UVA hat is my latest.





Some others I have done are Alabama, Auburn, LSU and Va Tech.



Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Vintage Cloche

My Very First Pattern!!!!  Here it is!  Thanks so much to my testers who made this pattern much easier to read!!!  Enjoy!  Feel free to share photos

GO TO THE BOTTOM FOR THE LINK TO THE PDF VERSION!

                                             
Ladies’ Vintage Cloche
By:  Southern Love Crochet                                 


GAUGE:  10 rows,  9 HDC = 3 inches
   
YOU WILL NEED:
  • Size I Hook
  • Size F Hook
  • 1 Skein Acrylic Worsted Weight Yarn (I use Red Heart Soft or Caron’s Simply Soft Yarn)
  • 1 Contrasting Yarn (small amount, less than 1/8 skein)
  • Tapestry Needle
  • Pearl buttons or beads (4)
  • Needle and thread (to match contrasting yarn)


To begin:  Using the Size “I” hook, CHAIN 2  (or use magic circle)

Row 1:  In 2nd chain from hook, 8 HDC, sl st in 1st hdc, ch 1 (8)

Row 2:  2 hdc in each hdc of row 1, slst in 1st hdc of same row, ch 1 (16)

Row 3:  *2 hdc in 1st hdc of row 2, 1 hdc in next hdc of row 2, * *repeat 7 more times for a total of 8 sets, slst in 1st hdc of row 3, ch. 1 (24)

***Now you will start to change the locations of your increase stitches so that you will have a more rounded shape instead of “corners” or a hexagonal shape. 

*** You will also use a stitch marker to mark the first stitch of each row as you will be  crocheting in the round until  you have 18 rows.

Row 4:  *2 hdc in 1st st  of previous row, 1 hdc, 1 hdc*,  *repeat 7 more times* for a total of 8 sets  (32)   DO NOT JOIN!!



******PLEASE NOTE: after Row 4, any stitches before the *...* and any  stitches after, together form another complete set, they are just broken up to vary the locations of your increases.  So, for each row, you are actually crocheting a total of 8 sets of each sequence.



Row 5:  hdc in each of the 1st 2 sts of previous row, *2 hdc in next hdc, hdc in next 3 stitches*,  *repeat  times 6 more times* and then 2 hdc, 1 hdc in last hdc.  (40)

Row 6:  1 hdc in the 1st st of previous row, then  *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 4 sts,*  *repeat 6 more times , then 2 hdc in next st, 1 hdc each in last 3 sts to finish row.  (48)

Row 7:   hdc in each of  1st 4 sts of the previous row, then*2 hdc in the next st, hdc in next 5 sts*, *repeat  6 more times*, then 2 hdc in next st,  1 hdc in last st of round. (56)

Row 8:   hdc in 1st 13 sts of previous row, then *2 hdc in next st, hdc in next 13 sts*,  *repeat 2 more times*, then 2 hdc in last st of row (60)


Diameter at this point should be approximately 6.75, which should result in an approximate circumference of 21 inches. (depending on tension in stitches).

BODY:

Rows 9-18:  HDC in each st around.
Join to 1st stitch in same row with slst, tie off

Change to contrasting color for band

BAND – Join contrast color to previous row with a slst

Row 19:  SC around , including 1st (sl st) (60)

Row 20: SC around (60), sl st in 1st sc of row, tie off for color change
****For a thinner band, crochet only ONE ROW (19) using hdc instead                                                                    of single crochet. 


BRIM:  Return to your original color

Row 21:  Foundation to begin brim:  join to band with slst and sc in any stitch, sc around., sl st to join to 1st sc,, (60)

ROW 22: hdc in joining st, 2 hdc next,  continue 1 hdc, 2 hdc around,  sl st to join to 1st hdc (90)

ROW 23: hdc in joining st and all st around (90); join with slst to first st of row and tie off.

(if you would like a wider brim, add additional rows.  If you do so, I recommend that you do an increase on row 24 to keep the wave in the brim:  {*8 hdc, 2hdc*  x 10}   (100 stitches total)



TRIM:  change back to contrast color                      


Begin anywhere on the brim:

Slst in first hdc of brim, then 1 ½  sc  in next HDC,    continue alternating slst and 1 ½ sc around.              

Join to 1st slst, tie off.    
      
 *Pictures and instructions below for 1 ½ sc*                                                                                    


*1 ½ Stitch Explained:  (see close up pictures below and on next page)

**1 ½ stitch:  when you normally crochet in a HDC, you slip your hook right under the top two threads.  There is always one thread immediately below these top two stitches (I call it the “filler”) and above where the stitch joins the previous row.  Alternate with slst around.





For a 1 ½ sc, insert hook around 3 threads instead of the normal top 2.  (see the 3rd thread?)











FLOWERS:
Use same yarn as contrast and Size F Hook
(Larger if you want larger flowers)

This calls for a magic circle.  

If you don’t use the magic circle you can do this:  just chain 3, instead of two (this would be your chain two in your first petal of the flower} then begin your DC in the very 1st chain].   I do it both ways and they turn out the same. 

Begin with Magic Circle   (leave a tail of about 4-5 inches for attaching flowers to hat)

First Petal:  Chain 2, 2 DC, Chain 2, sl st to circle;  

REPEAT THREE MORE TIMES (total 4 petals)

After final slst, CLOSE THE MAGIC CIRCLE, then from your final slst, cut off leaving another tail of about4- 5 inches, tie both tails together, tightly, double knot.  Use tails to connect flower to hat.


Make four (4) flowers total.


LEAF: (make as many as you want, I use two)

Chain 12
SC in 4th ch from hook, then  sc, hdc x 3, sc, skip 2 chains, then slst in last chain.  Tie off.

  
COPYRIGHT   © Southern Love Crochet  and  @  Kutenkrafty on Etsy
Please do not copy or sell my pattern as yours in any way.  I worked very hard to make this pattern and tested it many times.  You are more than welcome to sell items from my pdf patterns. I ask that you include a note about the item being a ‘Southern Love Crochet” design on the tag or a link to my shop 
www.etsy.com/shop/Kutenkrafty when selling in an online store (like Etsy).



Click to get a PDF Version of this pattern from Google DriveClick here for PDF/printable version of the pattern. THANKS!

Sunday, May 18, 2014

More Beautiful Results are IN!

Thank you so much to Anna Patten.  Your hat is beautiful also. I love the additional color added to the hat with the green leaves.  It is fun to see all of the different versions of one pattern.  Thanks, also, for your valuable feedback!  You guys work so quickly....



Coming Soon! My second pattern ever! Keep your eyes out!

This is actually my first real pattern but I have not had the time to put it into written form, which I am working on now.  I saw a picture of the actual shawl, with no pattern, but I had to have it so I made my own.  It should be ready to test in the next few days!  Check back in to look for it.  My FREE Vintage Hat Pattern will be available within the next few days.



First tester's results...Awesome!

Thanks so much to Betty Dixon.  Beautiful job!  Looking forward to receiving more end products.  FREE PATTERN to follow in a few more days!

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Coming Soon - Being Tested

My new Vintage Hat Pattern is currently going through the testing process and will be avaiable HERE ONLY as a free pattern.  Please return over the next few days, as I hope to have it available within 48 hours!

Isn't it gorgeous?  Would make a great summer hat and a great hat to make for that special chemo patient!  I am sure they would LOVE IT!


Sunday, May 4, 2014

I just had to have it!!


In the middle of two crochet projects and with several items to do for my Etsy customers, I decided last night that I needed (wanted) a new wreath on my door.  I had the burlap, which had been lying around for a month or so.  I always have wreath frames.  I put the burlap on there first and then couldn't figure out how to jazz it up.  I realized that I had bought a wooden "K" but I couldn't, for the life of me, figure out what color to paint it, whether to paint a pattern on it, and how to apply it to the wreath (where it would look good and where it would not ruin the burlap).  So...I played with a few colors and then I decided that I wanted the "distressed" paint look.  I finally decided on a mixture of gray and white.  Not too bad.

This morning, as I was getting ready to hang it on the door, I wanted to add just.one.more.thing. I went through my box of flowers (while my husband rolled his eyes) and found the blue ones.  Then, I found the little fuzzy looking things.  Finally, it all came together.

Things like this just sometimes take a little time.  Not too bad for a "night before" project.

My New Hat and First Pattern!!


















I crocheted and tore apart, crocheted and tore apart a hat that I was making for a friend.  She had given me an "idea" of what she wanted.  She wanted it in off white and it seemed that everything I made just looked so boring!  Finally, after about 3 weeks of doing that, I came up with an idea for her.  She loved it, I loved it and I have even sold a few in my Etsy store!  Persistence pays off!

And...I just love the little flowers!  Sort of vintage looking, don't you think?


I  am currently working on writing my first two patterns and this is one of the two.  I think I am almost done.  I am making one more hat to test it before publishing it.  Being my first pattern, it will be a freebie.

Keep your eyes open for it!

As if I don't already have enough to do...

The bottom line is this:  I love crochet and other crafts and they are my "getaway" from the rest of the world.
I asked myself why in the world I would want to start another blog!  I guess in looking back, I think of all that crocheting, making jewelry and wreaths and personalized notecards, and all of  my other annoying habits and what they have meant to me as a woman, as a mom and wife, as a teacher who sometimes feels totally overwhelmed, and as a person in search of what's important in life.  I look back and I realize that rediscovering my crafty side has changed my life.

I have found something besides my family and career that means something to me.  It has brought me through some very stressful times, times of mourning, and times when I just need to get away.  If you are a craftster, you will definitely understand.

On the other hand, if you are not a craftster and you are looking for something to wrap yourself up in, why not try your hand at something?  There are so many choices out there.  There is definitely a demand for your skills.  You may think, "What can I do?"  I think that if you really ponder it for a while, reflect on your passions and skills, you may just find a crafty little person inside of you trying to get out.

Look on Pinterest!  Oh, my!  You would be surprised at the wonderful ideas that you can find on there and the very helpful "How to's".  There are also many, many helpful YouTube videos and other blogs that will help you find your niche!  Just take a quick look on Etsy and you will see the things that people make, the things that people want, and the possibilities that exist for you.

After all, what do you have to lose?