…..because crochet is what you live for.
Do you have a prince or princess in your life that needs a crown?? Now you can crochet one and save the kingdom!!
Grab a hook, some yarn, your FREE copy of the Let’s Play! Royal Crown pattern, and come crochet with me! Find the links to download and the YouTube tutorial on the HodgePodge Crochet website! http://hodgepodgecrochet.net/2015/07/lets-play-royal-crown/
A little over three years ago I started up this tiny little blog with my first ever pattern, the Diamond Pattern Hat. I struggled FOREVER trying to help people who messaged me in facebook or emailed me understand how it was constructed and then decided that it would probably be better to put all that information up in a spot where everyone could just come to and find it on their own. I carefully edited a series of photographs and also recorded a very primitive film (done with an old Sony Cybershot balanced precariously on top of an oatmeal container…) and, for the most part, people seemed to appreciate the effort.
It’s the feedback I got from that very first post which inspired me and encouraged me to continue doing what I found that I really loved to do, and that’s to sit down and share what I love with all of you!
So today we’re going back to those humble beginnings as we revamp the diamond pattern hat into…A Girl’s Best Friend!
I’ve revamped the original video to this hat to put all of the parts into one cohesive tutorial and have streamlined it so that the important sections are shown without any distractions (such as background chatter or lots of unnecessary words).
If you want to get crocheting, grab some yarn and hit that play button below!
If you’re interested in snagging a FREE copy of the pattern (which I highly recommend before starting), you’re in luck! All you have to do is swing by my Craftsy or Ravelry shops to download it!
http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/crocheting/accessory/a-girls-best-friend-diamond-pattern-hat/36539
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/a-girls-best-friend-diamond-pattern-hat
Also, if you haven’t already clicked that FOLLOW HODGEPODGE button on the side of your screen, don’t forget to do it before you leave! You don’t want to miss out on upcoming freebies and fun!
Have you ever made that PERFECT hat for your kid that you absolutely fall in love with? The fit is amazing, the length is just perfect, and the project was just challenging enough to be adorable but not something you really want to repeat because it was a pain the first time. (We’ve all been there, right?!?!)
I’ve made several hats over the years for my kids that fit the above scenario. The SINGLE BIGGEST problem I always run into is that those hats I love so much only last for one winter. Why?
Well, it’s because when I dig them out to try them on when the winter season rolls back around, they all tend to look like this…
I swear this covered her ears last year…
So what can you do when you REALLY don’t want to crochet a whole new hat in a longer size? The answer lies is a simple Single Crochet Ribbing!
The first thing you want to do is to pull out the hat you want to lengthen and measure it across the brim. Once you know that measurement, you want to measure the length and figure out how much more you want to add to that.
For my hat I ended up with a width of 10″ and a length of 7.5″. I decided I wanted to add an inch to the bottom so I crocheted my ribbing to measure 2″ wide.
For me, that meant using a J hook and chaining 10.
Because you will be folding your ribbing you want to make it twice as wide as you need, so keep that in mind moving forward!
If you don’t know how to make a ribbing, the first thing you need to do is watch this short tutorial. If you have this part down, skip to the pattern below the video!
The basic pattern is pretty simple.
Chain any number of stitches.
Row 1 (Right Side): Single Crochet in 2nd chain from hook and in each chain across, turn.
Row 2: Chain 1, Single Crochet in Back Loop Only in each single crochet across, turn.
Repeat row 2 to desired length.
For this project you will need to crochet your ribbing to within a 1/2″ of the width of your brim. That means it needs to be SMALLER by half an inch.
Why smaller? We need to make it smaller because the ribbing has a ton of stretch. If you made it the same width or wider, the hat might ripple out and the cold would get in…pretty much making the hat useless against the winter weather!
Now, a small note before we move on. My hat is finished with a reverse single crochet but this technique will work on pretty much any type of hat. You can even use it on store-bought knit hats!
Now that you have your ribbing the correct length and crocheted together to create a large circle, you are ready to fold it and stitch it together!
In order to do this, fold your ribbing in half lengthwise and slip stitch between both layers to secure. Matching stitches, skip next row, slip stitch in next row, around. TAKE CARE TO LOOSELY SLIP STITCH! If you pull too tightly, you will not be able to work the next step!!
Leave a long length of yarn for sewing and finish off.
The next thing we need to do is ease the brim to your hat!
To make this work with as few tears as possible you will need a few safety pins. I use large sized pins because they are easier with all this yarn, but you can use smaller ones if that’s all you have lying around.
Flip your hat inside out and position your ribbing on the OUTSIDE with the slip stitches facing. Then carefully pin in place so that it’s even all the way around your hat.
Once you are happy with the placement, it’s time to start sewing. Thread a yarn needle with the leftover tail from your ribbing and begin whipstitching around the hat. DON’T PULL TOO TIGHTLY OR THE HAT WILL NOT FIT PROPERLY!!
When you’re done, flip it right-side out and enjoy!
Toasty Ears!
If it’s simpler for you to follow along to a video tutorial, then you’re in luck! Hit the play button below and you’ll be able to see everything I’ve just described above!
If you enjoyed this project don’t forget to click that LIKE button below and if you have the time I’d love to hear from you with a comment!! If you’ve tried this with one of your old hats and want to share a pic, I’d LOVE to see it! Come on over to the HodgePodge Crochet FACEBOOK PAGE to show off your stuff and don’t forget to hit that FOLLOW HODGEPODGE button in the side bar so you don’t miss out on more cool stuff!
Introducing my latest pattern: The Bobble Beanie!
I had a ton of fun creating this hat and what made it even more special is that I turned it into a collaboration! I selected three rockstar amazing crocheters and tasked them with the challenge to take the size I created (child/teen) and turn it into one other size to complete the series.
As of this post, the TODDLER size is complete!! I have to give it up to From Home for meeting and exceeding my expectations!
Sizes for ADULT has yet to be released but is currently testing and once it debuts I will update the post so you can be the first to grab a copy!
BLOG UPDATE!! 12/5/2013
The Bobble Beanie in size INFANT has just been released!! I’m proud to announce Mandie’s Krafty Kreations as the designer behind this edit for the INFANT section! She took this and ran with it, creating a 0-4 month AND a 4-12 month hat!!
BLOG UPDATE!! 12/14/2013
The final installment of the Bobble Beanie hat has finally gone live!! Many thanks to Looping with Love for doing such an amazing job with it!!
Bobble Beanie: Mandie’s Krafty Kreations: Size INFANT
Bobble Beanie: From Home: Size TODDLER
Bobble Beanie: HodgePodge Crochet: Size CHILD/TEEN
Bobble Beanie: Looping with Love: Size ADULT
My hubby left for the weekend on a trip up to the Smoky Mountains with a good friend of his. I’m thinking it’s about the guy bonding or something like that but honestly, it’s freezing cold up there and a LONG drive from our house so I’m okay with it 😉 From the pics he’s shared it looks like a lot of amazing trails and gorgeous sites to see.
Autumn mountain gorgeousness coming at you!
Wish you were here!!
While he’s out enjoying his time and getting back to nature, I’ve been keeping busy with our kids and of course, my yarn! Winter always has me on the hunt for new and interesting hat patterns for my family and last night I found one I couldn’t say no to over in Ravelry.
The stitch definition is glorious. It’s something I could look at and never get tired of. And not only does the stitch look good, when you run your fingers over it, the fabric reminds me of an old knobby and gnarled tree.
Sumptuous, right?!?
It’s also UNISEX–which in my house is always a good thing. People are always grabbing hats to stick on their noggin and it’s always comical to see who gets stuck with what hat.
The pattern, published by The Laughing Willow in 2010, is called the Deeply Textured Hat. She hasn’t blogged in a year *sadness* but the stuff she has up is all amazing! I highly recommend browsing her blog collection and pinning your favorites.
This hat works up quickly and can be altered to fit any size just by switching up your crochet hook or yarn (one of my favorite sizing tricks to do.)
Child hat made with an H hook and medium worsted weight yarn.
Adult hat made with a J hook and medium worsted weight yarn.
As far as hats go, I love this one. I’m a huge fan of textured crochet and this one has that and more. I can see lots more Deeply Textured Hats on my hook in the near future!
If you’ve made one and want to share, head on over to my facebook page to drop a pic! I’d love to see your work!
Juniper Bay Skirt eBook: On Sale Now!
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