Dinosaur Hat for my Big Dinosaur Lucas

Most times I crochet just to see if I can follow a pattern.  Other times, I adapt a pattern for something I already like.  My son, Lucas, loves dinosaurs.  I mean, he LOVES them.  I've been looking at dinosaur beanies for a really long time, but none of them look like something I would be proud to make for him.

Today, I found a pattern with cool spikes and decided to adapt it for my version of a dinosaur hat.  The dinosaur hat pattern was a little too young for Lukie, but I think my changes make this hat perfect for him.

Can you tell he likes it?

Of course, he may have to fight his sister for it.  I guess I could always make one for her, too!

Newsgirl Hat

We have a lot of birthdays coming up around here.  I've been working hard to create projects for people.  One project was this newsgirl hat.  I started it for a very fashionable teenager and fell in love with it.  It was inspired by Polkadot Posh and I adapted it for an adult.  The pattern was free a few months ago and fits newborns through size 4T, but now is for sale here.  If you see this post and would like the edits I made to make this fit an adult, let me know.

Front view.  I love those X stitches

Look carefully.  See those stitches?  Those are X stitches.  They are actually double crochet stitches that are crocheted to cross over one another.  They are really easy and super fun to do.

I used Peaches 'N Cream yarn which is very similar to the Sugar 'N Cream yarn by Lily. It is a very dense yarn and since this hat is crocheted holding 2 strands, this is a very thick hat.  In fact, it is sitting on its side next to me and it is maintaining its shape!  Originally, I did not add any embellishments to the hat, but some friends suggested it needed a little more.  So, I added a band and crocheted 2 buttons to go on either side.

Cap without the band and buttons.

I added a band and crocheted buttons to the brim.

Barbie Dress

Gracie has a Barbie who is perpetually naked.  I think this is mostly because she came wearing a bathing suit that Gracie cannot get onto her by herself.  While cruising Ravelry the other day, I came upon some inspiration!  A crocheted Barbie gown that does not have any fasteners.  Instead, the dress is stretchy, so it can just be pulled over Barbie's body and held in place by her curvy-ness.

It was meant to be an evening gown, but sport weight yarn does not equal a quick project.  Plus, I was using an E hook! 

I found lots of other inspiration on the site and I'm thinking I may make her some more clothes.  It made Gracie very happy to be able to put the close on by herself.

The Pouchy Pouch

My friend, Nikki, and I are teaching a beginning crochet class at school this year.  The name of the class is still a work in progress, but one thing we have decided on is which stitches we will introduce in the first trimester of the class.  One trimester equals 3 1.5 hours classes, so we've had to be realistic about how much we can actually teach.

Our plan is to teach how to hold your crochet hook, chaining, single crochet stitches, and how to maintain your tension.  There may be some frogging in there as well.  The goal is that all participants will crochet their very own single crocheted scarf and by class #2, be able to work on a nifty pouch project.  The Pouchy Pouch from Maize Hutton's blog, is fantastic because it is created entirely of chains and single crochets.  Her original pattern was created using linen yarn and a C hook, but I tested it using worsted weight yarn and a G hook.

Here is the result:  a 5 inch tall pouch easily worn under your clothes or on top of them to hold a cell phone, your money (the paper kind) and/or a lip balm.

I made mine like this:

Begin by ch 11.
Sc in the second ch from hook and in each st across (10 sts).
Ch 1 and turn.  Sc in each st across (10 sts).
Repeat until you have 32 rows.

See Maize's blog for the folding and stitching of the sides.  She explains it the best.  As you decide how many to chain for the strap, stop every so often and place it around your neck to see where you would like it to fall.  In Maize's pattern, she chained 200 for the strap, but I used significantly fewer, about 110.  In retrospect, using worsted yarn, a chain of about 90 would put the pouch in the ideal position for me.  You'll need to test this though so that it works for you.

To personalize this more, you could add some sequins or buttons.  You could also crochet a fold over flap to close off the top of the pouch.  The possibilities are endless!

Enjoy!

Hats for Alexandria

Gracie and Luke, my twins, are almost 4.  When I try to think back to a time without them, it is difficult to remember a moment when they were not around.  When I try to think to the future, when they are all grown and gone, I simply cannot fathom it. We are lucky that Gracie and Luke are healthy and happy.

One of my twin mom friends wrote to me a few weeks ago about a little girl, just turned 4, who has been rediagnosed with cancer.  Cancer. How is that possible?  How is it possible that a small child should fight for her life against a disease with no mercy? No child, no person, should ever have cancer.  Ever. 

Alexandria is brave.  Recently, after starting a new round of chemotherapy, her hair started to fall out.  Rather than be depressed that she was losing her hair, she asked her mom if she could cut it off instead.  If only, I could look at something that devastating as simply a means to a change. 

Needless to say, I have been touched by Alexandria's story.  I hug Gracie and Luke tighter and pray for her every night.  Kris asked me if I would be willing to sell her some hats for Alexandria.  I don't sell my hats.  I only give them to people I care about deeply.  I told Kris that.  Then, I asked what Alexandria's favorite color is.

Tomorrow, this box will leave via the mail.

It has 12 hats in it.  Most of them have pink somewhere on them.  Pink is Alexandria's favorite color.  My hope is that they fit her and help her feel pretty every day.  I hope even harder that she will someday outgrow these hats and be able to pass them on to someone else.