Newborn Button Beanie

This hat is so cute and so tiny! As my toddlers get older it's easy to forget how small a newborn's head is.  I needed a basic newborn hat pattern with all the babies around in my world so I came up with this.

Notions:
Size 6 dpn
DK weight baby yarn
yarn needle
two buttons

Main Hat:
CO64 stitches and join in the round taking care not to twist
K2 P2 for 4cm to create the ribbing
K around until the hat is 9.5 cm

Decrease:
[K6, K2tog] around
K around
[K5, K2tog] around
K around
[K4, K2tog] around
K around
[K3, K2tog] around
K around
[K2, K2tog] around
K around
[K1, K2tog] around
K around
[K2tog] around

Using a yarn needle, thread the excess yarn through the stitches that are left and tie off on the inside of the hat.  Then sew the two buttons to the ribbed area as shown.

Copywrite Material: This pattern may be used to make gifts or donations but you cannot sell items made from this pattern.  You cannot sell this pattern.  This pattern cannot be reproduced, rewritten, or reposted anywhere.  Feel free to link to this pattern if you would like to share it. Happy knitting! 

Yarn Bowls

This is a great  project that just about anyone over the age of 2 could do!  It is inexpensive and doesn't require much time outside of waiting for the glue to dry.  One skein of yarn will make a large bowl but you could use scraps or various types of yarn.  These are the basis for the baskets I made my kids for Easter.

To make the paste:

In a large mixing bowl, mix 1/2 cup of flour and 2 cups of cold water with a whisk

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large sauce pan and then add the flour and cold water mixture

Bring all of it to boil once again

Remove from the heat and add 3 tablespoons of sugar

Let the mixture cool.  The paste will thicken as it cools.

To make the bowl:
As the paste is cooling you can prepare to make the bowl.  Choose a bowl to serve as a mold for your bowl.  I used a large metal mixing bowl and a small ceramic candy dish.  Cover your bowl mold with saran wrap and place it upside down on a baking sheet or tray. Although I haven't tried it yet, I would suggest using a bit of butter or oil to grease the bowl before putting on the saran wrap so that your yarn bowl is easy to get off the mold bowl.  I had a hard time separating mine and at times I thought I'd have to break the bowl the get it off.

Next you should get your yarn nice and gluey!!!  I put about 5 ft of yarn at a time into the glue and just saturated it.  I rang it out a bit, enough to be moist but not dripping.  I chose to start in the bottom center of both bowls and created a spiral shape but you could probably start anywhere you like so long as the yarn is stuck to the bowl.  The bowl will be hard when complete so you could really get creative and do all kinds of gravity defying things.  Once the bowl looked how I wanted it to, I added a bit more glue and smoothed everything out to make sure all yarn was coated well.

It will take a few days for the bowl to dry.  Once the yarn bowl is fully dry separate it from the bowl mold and peel the saran wrap off the inside.  You may need to let it dry another day if the inside is still moist.  I used a nail file to smooth any rough edges and to remove excess glue from the spaces in my bowl.  To seal, protect and harden the bowl, I used a glossy acrylic spray hardener and sealant.  Your local craft store should offer various types/brands.  This clear coating usually dries within a few hours and you have a hand crafted bowl! Enjoy!

Yarn Baskets

I came up with this idea of yarn mache to create home made Easter baskets for my children.  They don't take much work, time or money and the kids loved them.  My children are toddlers so they didn't partake in the crafting but this would be really fun and rewarding for kids that are a bit older.  These baskets are surprisingly sturdy and held the weight of all the goodies that spring bunnies bring.  I used various sizes of kitchen mixing bowls to use as molds for my baskets.  You can use any kind of yarn in whatever colors tickle your fancy so get creative!

To make the paste:

In a large mixing bowl, mix 1/2 cup of flour and 2 cups of cold water with a whisk

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large sauce pan and then add the flour and cold water mixture

Bring all of it to boil once again

Remove from the heat and add 3 tablespoons of sugar

Let the mixture cool.  The paste will thicken as it cools.

As the paste is cooling you can prepare to make the basket.  Choose a bowl to serve as a mold for your basket.  I used two different sized metal mixing bowls.  Cover your bowl mold with saran wrap and place it upside down on a baking sheet or tray. Although I haven't tried it yet, I would suggest using a bit of butter or oil to grease the bowl before putting on the saran wrap so that your yarn basket is easy to get off the mold bowl.  I had a hard time separating mine and at times I thought I'd have to break the basket the get it off.


Next you should get your yarn nice and gluey!!!  I put about 5 ft of yarn at a time into the glue and just saturated it.  I rang it out a bit, enough to be moist but not dripping.  I chose to start in the bottom center of both baskets and created a spiral shape but you could probably start anywhere you like so long as the yarn is stuck to the basket.  The basket will be hard when complete so you could really get creative and do all kinds of gravity defying things.  Once the basket looked how I wanted it to, I added a bit more glue and smoothed everything out to make sure all yarn was coated well.  To make the handles, I used several strands of yarn to make a braid.  You can do whatever length you want.  I used hair bobbie pins to hold the braid ends together and saturated the braids in the glue.  For one of them, I wrapped another piece of yarn in a contrasting color around the braid.  Once the handles were wet with paste I laid them flat to dry on a baking sheet.


It will take a few days for the basket to dry.  Once the basket seems fully dry separate it from the bowl mold and peel the saran wrap off the inside.  You may need to let it dry another day if the inside is still moist.  I used a nail file to smooth any rough edges and to remove excess glue.  Then I used all purpose craft glue to attach the handles to the basket.  I had to use clothespins to hold them in place while they dried over night.  To seal, protect and harden the basket, I used a glossy acrylic spray hardener and sealant.  Your local craft store should offer various types/brands.  This clear coating usually dries within a few hours and you have a hand crafted yarn baskets! 

Bomber Ear Flap Hat

This is another version of my bomber ear flap hat with a few more stripes and finishing touches.  This hat size would be ideal for a child 2-5 years of age.

Size 8  dpn and circular needles
3 different color skeins of Bernat Satin yarn worsted weight 100% acrylic
2 buttons
G crochet hook
yarn needle
stitch marker

Ear flaps (make 2) using dpn
CO3
Purl across
K1, MK1R, K1, MK1L, K1
Purl across
K1, MK1R, K to last stitch, MK1L, K1
Purl across
Repeat the last two rows until you have 21 stitches and end with a purl row
knit across row
purl across row

Main Hat: (Use circular needles)

CO12, knit across 21 from one ear flap, CO22, knit across 21 from other ear flap, CO12 (total of 88 stitches)

Join in the round taking care not to twist your stitches. Place stitch marker.

K 4 rows in main color

K2 rows in second color (Don't worry about jogs in the stripes since the seam will be covered by the bomber flap)

K1 rows in main color

K3 rows in third color

K1 row in main color

K1 row in second color

K1 row in main color

K1 row in second color

K1 row in main color

K1 row in second color

K in main color until the hat measures 12 cm (not including ear flap)

Decrease:

[K8, K2tog] repeat to end of round

K across row

[K7, K2tog] repeat to end of round

K across row

[K6, K2tog] repeat to end of round

K across

Continue with this pattern until the last round is K2tog around

Sew yarn through the last stitches, tie knot and sew in all loose ends

Finishing:

With the size G crochet hook, and third color of yarn, single crochet across the 24 stitches on the front of hat (the side with the stitch marker).  Single crochet back and forth until flap measure approx. 10.5 cm (enough to cover the stripes). Tie off.  Using the second color yarn, start at the tip of an ear flap and single crochet around the frame of the hat including the outside of the bomber flap.  You should end at the tip of the ear flap where you began.  Tie ends together and weave in.  For the bomber flap trim: Using second color yarn, slip stitch into the first stitch of the bomber flap then [CH4, slip stitch] up the side of the flap.  From the top corner [CH4, skip stitch, slip stitch] across the top of the flap.  Finish the other side by [CH4, slip stitch] down the other side.  Sew the two buttons to the top corners of the bomber flap to secure it to the main hat.

Braids:  Cut 12 strands of each color of yarn 80 cm (24 strands total).  You will use 6 strands of each color for each ear flap.  Using the darning needle, thread the 6 strands of each color through the end of the ear flap. Divide the yarn into three sections.  There should be 4 strands of each color in each of the three sections.  Braid to the bottom.  Using a piece of main color yarn around 20 cm tie a knot at the bottom of the braid and wrap the excess yarn around.  When there is only a bit left tie a triple knot and use your crochet hook to pull the knot to the back of the wrapped area and put the ends in with the tassel at the end of the braid.  When both braids are done, trim them so they are even. 

Copywrite Material: This pattern may be used to make gifts or donations but you cannot sell items made from this pattern.  You cannot sell this pattern.  This pattern cannot be reproduced, rewritten, or reposted anywhere.  Feel free to link to this pattern if you would like to share it. Happy knitting! 

Lots of crafting and not enough blogging!

No idle hands here!  I have so many projects going on right now and will be writing about all them very soon!  I'm working on a rug, a hat, some yarn bowls (you can see one of them in the pic below) and Easter baskets for my kids and it seems all of these things are going to be coming to fruition at the same time.  For now I'd like to share my excitement about becoming a knitting ninja.  I have been itching to go big as I mentioned here and my neighbor made it happen.  I am now the proud owner of giant knitting needles!

Stay tuned for projects completed with these weapons of mass knitting...

Big Knit Pillow

I had never really thought of knitting a pillow before but the idea came to me when I was thinking about what I could make for a photographer friend who has been taking our family photos as a favor.  I wanted to make him something that could be used in his studio as a prop.  I liked the idea of knitting a pouf but those are more of a seat and he photographs a lot of babies so I thought a giant pillow would be better to let the babies climb on.  I liked the idea of a chunky knit to provide texture to the photos and I also had to consider a neutral color that would be able to go with almost anything. I didn't want to do an intricate pattern that might come off as too masculine or mature.  I like to get creative and funky with my knits but I had to consider the purpose of this pillow and it had to be something that everyone could like. I chose Montana Super Bulky yarn in color 011.  This yarn is 100% unprocessed wool roving and the natural colors are created by the sheep's own coats.

You will need:
3 skeins of Super Bulky yarn
Size 19 straight knitting needles
24"x 24" pillow
1 square yard fabric
yarn needle
sewing needle
thread to match fabric
straight pins

Gauge= 3 stitches per inch

Pattern:
CO 74
K2, P2 for 62 rows
BO

Fold the knit in half and sew 2 sides together with the bulky yarn.  Set this pouch aside until the fabric pillow case is complete.

Fold the fabric in half so the part that will be on the outside is inside.  Sew one of the sides and then stuff the pillow in the corner you have created.  Making sure the fabric isn't pulled tight, pin the opposite side from the seam you just sewed.  Remove the pillow and sew the seam you just pinned.  You should now have a pouch for the pillow.  Stuff the pillow into the pouch, fold each of the open flaps inward and sew them together.

I find sewing to be quite tedious and it really just isn't my thing. However, I hand sewed this pillow case and it only took about 30 minutes to complete even though my sewing skills are mediocre at best.  You don't have to have perfect seams or stitches since you will hardly see this case from the outside.  Hints of the fabric will show through the chunky knit but the details of the seams will not be visible.

Now you will stuff the pillow into the knitted pouch, taking care to fit the pillow snug into the corners of the knit and also ensuring that the knit is evenly stretched over the pillow.  Using yarn sew the opening closed and your pillow is complete! This pattern is very simple and the pillow came out beautiful.

Copywrite Material: This pattern may be used to make gifts or donations but you cannot sell items made from this pattern.  You cannot sell this pattern.  This pattern cannot be reproduced, rewritten, or reposted anywhere.  Feel free to link to this pattern if you would like to share it. Happy knitting!

Fusion Newborn Bomber Hat

There are so many babies everywhere!!! I can't knit hats fast enough!  This bomber is for a friend who is pregnant with a boy due the end of March.  They live in Colorado and I'm hoping that it's cold enough there for him to get some wear out of it.  I will add photos of him in it as soon as I get some but for now the hat will be modeled by a bear.

For this project you will need:

 Size 6 (4mm) double pointed knitting needles

Size F crochet hook

3 colors worsted weight acrylic yarn

yarn needle

2 buttons

Stitch marker

Ear flaps (make 2 with main color)

CO3

K1, MK1R, K1, MK1L, K1

Purl across

K1, MK1R, knit to last stitch, MK1L, K1

Purl across

Continue with this pattern until there are 15 stitches on the needle.  End with a purl row.

Main Hat:

CO9, knit across 15 from one ear flap, CO16, knit across 15 from other ear flap, CO9 (total of 64 stitches)

Join in the round taking care not to twist your stitches. Place stitch marker.

K 3 rows in main color

K2 rows in second color (Don't worry about jogs in the stripes since the seam will be covered by the bomber flap)

K3 rows in third color

K2 rows in second color

K in main color until the hat measures 8 cm (not including ear flap)

Decrease:

[K6, K2tog] repeat to end of round

K across row

[K5, K2tog] repeat to end of round

K across row

[K4, K2tog] repeat to end of round

K across

Continue with this pattern until the last round is K2tog around

Sew yarn through the last stitches, tie knot and sew in all loose ends

Finishing:

With the size F crochet hook, using the secondary color of yarn, single crochet across the 18 stitches on the front of hat (the side with the stitch marker).  Single crochet back and forth until flap measure approx. 5cm. Tie off.  Using the third color yarn, start at the tip of an ear flap and single crochet around the frame of the hat including the outside of the bomber flap.  You should end at the tip of the ear flap where you began.  Tie ends together and weave in.  Sew the two buttons to the top corners of the bomber flap to secure it to the main hat.

Copywrite Material: This pattern may be used to make gifts or donations but you cannot sell items made from this pattern.  You cannot sell this pattern.  This pattern cannot be reproduced, rewritten, or reposted anywhere.  Feel free to link to this pattern if you would like to share it. Happy knitting!