Sweepstakes runs for one day – Sunday, December 16, 2012 (12pm PST) Thanks for your entries – this giveaway has ended. Congrats to Tina K. on winning a custom-crocheted scarf
The prize: this chunky crocheted scarf in the color of your choice – Glacier Blue, Cobalt, or Eggplant ($30 value!)
Enter by sharing on Twitter or Facebook – Details below
Win this crochet cowl! In your choice of colors: Glacier Blue, Cobalt, or Eggplant
Winner, winner – Chicken dinner: Select the color for your crochet scarf
Free Crochet Cowl Giveaway
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It’s December! Where does the time go? It’s a cold, quiet Sunday afternoon here in Cleveland. I’m watching Inception, eating butternut squash bisque, and writing crochet patterns. Isn’t that what everyone’s doing?
Thanks to everyone who took my survey – over 200 responses and more coming in every day! The overwhelming majority of you said you wanted more crochet patterns and I aim to please (and shouldn’t be too hard – this is a crochet blog).
I’ve written a pattern for this lovely hat. It’s chunky, it’s bulky, and I have been wearing it all afternoon. Since we’ve determined not to turn on our heat until absolutely necessary, the air in the apartment has an edge to it.
This hat is ribbed. It’s made flat. You sew up the side and sew up the top and you have yourself a sideways-stitched hat. Most crochet hats are made in the round, from the top down, but this method makes the stitches go in a different direction. If you can make a rectangle – you can make this hat!
Crochet Hat: Free Pattern (Ribbed)
Materials
Size L (8.0mm) crochet hook
106 yards super bulky yarn – I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick. This pattern uses every last inch of yarn, so if you’re planning to make a bigger hat, you’ll need a second skein of yarn.
Stitches Used
HDC – Half-double crochet
Ch – Chain
SC – Single Crochet
Pattern
Note: Pattern is worked in back loops only (BLO).
Leaving 12 inch tail of yarn, Chain 24 + 2 (counts as first HDC)
Row 1: HDC in each stitch across (25 stitches)
Row 2: Chain 2, turn. Working in BLO, HDC in each stitch across (25 stitches).
Repeat Row 2 until you have 21 Rows. At this point, you’ll have a rectangle measuring 16.5 inches wide by 13 inches tall.
Do not fasten off yarn. Fold long sides together. Single crochet the sides together. This row will be ridged, just like the rest of the hat.
Do not fast off yarn. Single crochet around the edge of the tube you just made. This will be the edging of what you’ll fold up to be the brim of your hat.
Now, fasten off yarn.
Using the long tail of yarn you left at the beginning, loosely weave the needle the entire way around the second side of the tube in two inch long stitches. You’re trying to create a drawstring that will pull the top of the hat closed. Pull end of yarn so the top of your hat tightens.
Weave in ends.
This hat is easy to crochet – it’s the assembly part that can be a little tricky. Hope the picture helped. This is a quick crochet gift that’s perfect for those last minute parties.
I mostly write a blog post if I’ve created a new pattern or when I finished a project, but that just seems selfish. I’d be interested to hear what you’d like to see on this blog. Do you like the content I’m writing? What would you like to see more of?
Crafty democracy at its finest.
Take the poll below and let me know your thoughts… Thanks!
My coworker is having a baby and I could not be more excited! This coworker (let’s call him “JB”) was the first person to train me at my new job. As such, JB and I have a “complicated” relationship. Mostly it involves him trying to hate me and me trying to win his favor. I will often say “Jay-beee” around the office when I see him and it wasn’t til months later that he confided that he hates that nickname.
Well too bad, JB. It’s your name! And get this – JB’s wife is also “JB” and their son–who is due in two weeks–will soon be another JB. Soooo cute.
JB relentlessly kids about my crochet skills so I thought there would be no better way to finally bury the hatchet once and for all than to make his soon-to-be son a hat. And so was born (pun intended)….
Baby/Newborn Crochet Bear Hat Pattern
Materials
Size H (US 8/5.00mm) crochet hook
80 yards worsted weight yarn (I used Vanna’s Choice in Taupe)
5 yards of another color (center of the ears – I used Lion Brand Wool-Ease Worsted in Cocoa)
Crochet Stitches
Chain (ch)
Double Crochet (dc)
Front Post Double Crochet (fpdc)
Half Double Crochet (hdc)
Slip Stitch (sl st)
Single Crochet (sc)
Finished Size: Hat is 6.25 inches across (12.5 inches around) and 5 inches tall (not including ears). Will fit newborn sized baby.
Note:**Some crocheters are reporting a small hat – Repeat Rounds 5-7 a few more times to make a hat longer.
Newborn Crochet Hat Pattern
Chain 3. Join with sl st to form ring.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as first dc now and throughout), 9 more dc into ring. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [10 stitches]
Round 2: 2 dc in each stitch around. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [20 st]
Round 3: *2 dc in first dc, dc in next 2 dc*. Repeat from * to * around. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [27 st]
Round 4: *2 dc in first dc, dc in next 3 dc*. Repeat from * to * around. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [33st]
Rounds 5-7: Dc in each st around. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [33 st] **Note: If you’d like a longer hat, repeat Rounds 5-7 a few more times before Round 8.
Round 8: *dc in first stitch, fpdc in next stitch*. Repeat from * to * around. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st.
Fasten off.
Bear Ears (make two)
Using darker color yarn for center of ears, Chain 3. Join with sl st to form ring.
Round 1: Ch 2, 9 more hdc into ring. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [10 st]
Round 2: Join main color yarn used for hat. Ch 1, 2 sc in each stitch around. Join to top of ch-2 with sl st. [20 st]
Fasten off, sew ears onto sides of hat.
Instagram pic
JB’s wife is due in two weeks so the little guy could be here anytime! I hope she makes it through the weekend so I can give JB this hat on Monday. Hold on, little guy… only two more days!
What are some of your favorite patterns to make for newborn kiddos?
Crochet this bear hat with other Ravelry-ers here:
This is a short video of me crocheting quickly – I make a flower in under 2 minutes. Before you watch, I will warn you this is completely vain and narcissistic and silly and… odd. But who doesn’t love hearing about the origins of little Jayna learning to crochet at the age of 8?
There are plenty of details that I left out of the story, though you’ll find them smattered throughout these blog posts. Details like how the catalyst of JJCrochet was actually a scoliosis diagnosis that involved physical therapy, 1.5 years in a brace, and eventually spinal fusion surgery. How my dad bought me my first website domain when I was 14. Or how my mom came home one day with $200 of yarn, “just to get my started”. How I give my brother and sister free crochet lessons every Christmas.
Here’s me doing a more serious crochet time trial where I come one stitch short of being the world’s fastest crocheter. I’ve always wanted to compete in a “fastest crocheter” competition, but I can’t seem to find any details about events. Lisa Gentry and Lily Chin, where are you hiding!? If anyone knows of any crochet competitions or time trials going on, please let me know. In return for sharing this info, I will give you a crochet flower.
I thought I’d make some crochet video tutorials today, because – well, why not. Hopefully, my free crochet patterns have introduced you to two new stitches: the foundation chain (FCH) and herringbone half double crochet (HHDC).
These two stitches are the secret jewels of the crochet world.
You might think you know it all with your double crochets and slip stitches, but I urge you to at least give these two stitches a chance. It’s rare to find a pattern that calls for a FCH, but once you’ve learned how to do it, you’ll be surprised that you’ll start swapping out a normal chain in favor of a FCH. Being able to adapt crochet patterns to make them better is the sign of an advanced, innovative crocheter. Welcome.
The FCH can replace beginning chains in a project. It’s best used when you need a “stretchy” edge, such as the beginning row of a scarf. The HHDC, on the other hand, is the love child if a double crochet and half double crochet got a little cuddly one night. I use this when stitch when I want some nice texture and tighter stitches than I’d get when working in double crochets.
If you’ve made it this far in the post, you are probably a crochet lover/nerd so congrats! Watch these two short videos and then try your hand at the FCH and HHDC. Here’s a great pattern that uses both of these two stitches in case you’d like to start working on something fun and quick: Crochet Cowl with Infinity Loop. I promise you’ll love it.
You might remember when I started another project – a wonderful, rainbow-colored afghan – at the beginning of the year. This time, it was a ripple. Based off Attic 24’s crochet ripple blanket pattern, this blanket was to be comprised of over 17 different colors.
I watched as the blanket grew weekly–during late night crochet sessions, a movie, a phone call with a friend, or while watching some episodes of Arrested Development.
A pink ripple here, a purple ripple there. And now some orange. Stop. Look at the colors. What’s missing? Ooh… maybe some cobalt blue to make the colors pop.
Some ripple stats:
Finished size – About 5 feet, 5 inches tall by 4 feet wide
Rows – 156
Different Colors – 17
Stitch count – over 10,000 (or 9,984 plus a border of single crochet, to be exact)
The ripple is larger than the hexagon afghan I crocheted last year and when she’s spread out, she takes up quite some space. As usual, I took way too many pictures of the finished product, but the colors make it hard not to enjoy. I hope you, blog reader–even though you can’t touch the ripple, can’t feel how soft the baby cashmerino yarn makes her waves–can enjoy her, too through my humble pictures.
This blanket is ready to go to its new home where I know it will bring happiness and warmth. It’s been a real treat finishing her the past couple months and I know she’ll be in good hands. Hope you enjoyed!
Since I’ve moved to a new city and my sister has gone off to college, JJCrochet has needed to find a new model. Thankfully, my new friends are GORGEOUS. A couple knit cowls, a few crochet hats. Patterns and project details coming soon!
Free pattern for this chunky knit cowl by JJCrochet (click image for link to pattern)Chunky Knit Red CowlFree Short Crochet Cowl Pattern by JJCrochet (click image for link to pattern)Purple Hat with FlowerCrochet Chevron HatCrochet Hat with FlowerCrocheted Womens Hat with FlowerCrochet Newsboy Hat
A Saturday morning visit with an armful of crochet and knitted items and there you have it – new pictures for the site. Thank you, friend for being a lovely model! Which project do you like best for fall?
I work for a company that encourages creativity inside and outside the office. Case in point: our annual golf outing. Profusely declining since I have never played golf before in my life (mini and par 3, yes – real golf, NO), I somehow wound up taking a half day off work to spend time on the greens with my coworkers.
But this wasn’t your typical golf outing.
Before we got on the course, planning had to be done, yet none of it was actually focused around golf. Each foursome developed a “theme” accompanied by crazy outfits. Some were a 90’s boy band, others Gillian’s Island, but my team decided to go with the “Where’s Waldo” theme.
We found red and white striped shirts, but where were we going to get red and white winter hats in the middle of August? Thankfully, one of our foursome owns a crochet hat business (it’s me – that’s me) and was able to help out. Now if only she had allotted time to make them and didn’t have to wake up at 6am the day of the golf outing to crochet the final 3 hats… Oh well – you do what you gotta do and we looked FAB.
Seeing a group of Waldo’s clustered on the golf course was ridiculous.Around the 8th hole, we started getting creative and took “action” shots of Waldo…When we would run into any of our 80 coworkers on the course, we would start taking “true life” Waldo pics. Here, a 90’s boy band (and Justin Timberlake there on the right) were asking, “Where’s Waldo??”Close up to show the hat (and to completely get rid of any remaining dignity).
The hats themselves were very quick to make – size K crochet hook and Red Heart yarn – and worked up in less than 30 mins each. Three stripes red, three stripes white, then seven rows of red to make the bottom part of the hat. Some of the hats got a pom-pom, others did not since I ran out of time. I’m thinking JJCrochet won’t start selling this hat anytime soon, but based on the reactions we got, who know – might be the next best seller!
Ohhhh what we’ll do for the sake of the game and work-place comradery.
I hope you got a little laugh out of it, and maybe even some inspiration. Just remember: Crochet can do anything, even be part of outfits for work-related events.
Keeping good on my promise from JJCrochet’s Facebook page to share the pattern, I pulled out my notes and here you have it: a free crochet pattern for a chevron cowl. I’ve been obsessed with chevron/ zig-zag prints and made a cute chevron hat last night. I’m still working out the kinks of the pattern, but will hopefully have that finished soon.
Crochet Chevron Cowl Pattern
Materials
Size H (5.0mm) crochet hook
Worsted weight yarn (I used my go-to favorite, Vanna’s Choice)
Finished Size
6 inches wide; 31 inches around.
To make cowl larger or smaller, work in multiples of 12. Cowl is worked in flat, then sewn together using the infinity loop method.
Instructions
Chain 84 +2 (Extra chain 2 counts as first Dc).
Row 1: Skip 2 chain, Dc in next 3 chains. *2 Dc in next chain, 2 dc in next chain. Dc in next 4 chain. Dc2tog, dc2tog. Dc in next 4 chain.* [<–Repeat is worked across 10 stitches]. Repeat from * to * around, ending with 1 Dc. Chain 2, turn. (82 stitches)
Row 2: Working in back loops only (blo), Dc in first 3 chains. *2 Dc in next chain, 2 dc in next chain. Dc in next 4 chain. Dc2tog, dc2tog. Dc in next 4 chain.* Repeat from * to * around, ending with 1 dc. Chain 2, turn (82 stitches)
Repeat Row 2 seven more times until you have a total of 9 rows.
Using the infinity loop method, twist ends of cowl before sewing together. Using this method will put a half-twist in your cowl and allow it to lie flat.
Also, this was very unintentional, but I am about to leave for a long weekend and took a day off of work soooo this is a throw back to “Free Pattern Friday“. (For those who weren’t around last summer, every Friday, I would post–you guessed it–a free pattern.) Coming full circle – love it.
Before I dive right into the pattern, you may have noticed JJCrochet and this blog have gotten a facelift! No more blue and black borders – the pink and cream/ tan/ gray theme is in charge of the show. I was getting tired of the old layout and wanted a site that was better from a design perspective, now that I spend a good majority of my time (real job) online. I never was much of a pink girl, but it’ll do.
Okay – so onto the pattern. I was crocheting a hat yesterday when I wanted to add a flower, but not a typical flower. I’ve made designs in the past and figured it was time I chronicled the unique style of crocheting ONTO of the stitches. Yes, you heard correctly – this flower is worked all in one piece. The third round that gives the raised, 3-D circle in the center is made by working on the sides of the stitches of Round 1.
If it sounds confusing, don’t worry – I’ve made a video showing what to do:
The crochet video is also a good introduction of how to make this style of flower and is super easy and simple enough for someone who know a few stitches. I’ve gotten feedback from other videos I’ve made that I crochet a bit too fast (guilty), so I tried to slow it down. Watching it back, it still might be too quick, but I tried to crochet as slowly as I could without poking myself in the eyes. {If you listen closely, I sigh twice in the video during my painfully slow crochet session.}
So here’s the pattern for the flower. Either follow it the whole way through if you’re an adventurous, advanced crocheter, or stop after Round 2. Whichever way you choose to go, you’ll still end up with a cute little flower.
Worsted weight yarn (I used my go-to favorite, Vanna’s Choice)
Instructions
Chain 3. Join with sl st to first chain to form ring.
Round 1: Ch 2 (counts as first dc), dc into loop. *Ch 3, 2 dc into loop*. Repeat around until you have 10 dc and five, ch-3 loops. Join with sl st into first ch-3 loop of round.
Round 2: Ch 1 (counts as first sc). Work 5 dc, 1 sc into ch-3 loop. (Skip 2 dc from previous round), Work *1 sc, 5 dc, 1 sc into ch-3 loop*. Repeat around to make 5 patterns. Join with sl st to first sc.
Congrats, you’ve made a flower! If you’d like to work the ridge at the center of the flower, continue on. If not, Fasten Off.
Center Ridge of Flower (Check out the video for extra clarity)
Slip stitch into top of first dc from Round 1.
Work 1 sc into side of each double crochet stitch from Round 1 (10 sc). Join with sl st to first sc. Chain 1(optional). Fasten off.
If you need a visual for how to work the ridge, check out the video – I promise it’ll help.
So there’s the flower – did you like this pattern? Did you try the ridge? I’d love to hear if you did. Post below in the comments and let me know how it went for you.
