Slouchy Beret Hat - FREE PATTERN!

I have a tried and true favourite pattern for a beret style hat with a lovely flower motif (pattern and hat I made) but for gifting I wanted a more simple, snuggly pattern. I couldn't find a single one that I just loved, so I made my own, and after 2 failures I finally got what I wanted!

This hat pattern can be made to look slouchier by adding in extra rounds in rounds 11 to 16. 

If you notice any mistakes in the pattern please contact me at littleredfoxyarns@gmail.com

This pattern is free for you to make items for yourself, friends and the general population. If you make these to sell I simply ask that you refer people back to my site. Also please take a picture and post it on my facebook page! 

Edit: I made a second hat and now this pattern has an alternate 'ending' depending on whether you want a loose band or tight band around the head

Materials:

-Approx 150 metres of DK weight yarn (I used a Cleckheaton merino yarn)

-5mm and 7mm crochet hook (Please note, if you are a loose crocheter, use a 6mm hook instead of 7mm for the majority of the hat)

-Tapestry needle

-Stitch marker

Pattern:
This is crocheted in a continuous spiral so I highly advise using a stitch marker!

Slip stitch on to 7mm (or 6mm) hook and ch 2

Round 1: 10 HDC’s in 2^nd ch from hook (10)

Round 2: HDC into first to join, HDC into same st, 2 HDC in each st around (20)

Round 3: *2 HDC in next st, HDC in next* repeat around (30)

Round 4: *2 HDC in next st, HDC in next 2 st* repeat around (40)

Round 5: *2 HDC in next st, HDC in next 3 st* repeat around (50)

Round 6: *2 HDC in next st, HDC in next 4 st* repeat around (60)

Round 7: *2 HDC in next st, HDC in next 5 st* repeat around (70)

Round 8: *2 HDC in next st, HDC in next 6 st* repeat around (80)

Round 9: *2 HDC in next st, HDC in next 7 st* repeat around (90)

Round 10: *2 HDC in next st, HDC in next 8 st* repeat around (100)

Rounds 11-16: HDC in each st (100) –Add more rows here to make hat slouchier-

Round 17: *HDC2tog first 2 st, HDC in next 8 st* repeat around (90)
For a tight hat continue with this:

Round 18: *HDC2tog first 2 st, HDC in next 7 st* repeat around (80)

Rounds 19-22: Sc in each st using a 5mm hook (80) Bind off and sew in loose ends.
For a loose hat continue with this from round 17:
Round 18 - 24: Sc in each st (90)
Round 25: *Sc2tog, then sc in 11 st* repeat 6 times then sc in last 12 st (84)
Round 26: Sc in all st (84) Bind off and sew in loose ends.

Zarafa the Giraffe - Free Pattern!

Well here it is, my first free pattern!

This giraffe has been made for a customer and so while I made it I wrote down exactly what I did. Hopefully there aren't any/many mistakes in here. If you do find any please contact me at littleredfoxyarns@gmail.com.

This pattern is free for you to make items for yourself, friends and the general population. If you make these to sell I simply ask that you refer people back to my site. 

Materials

3.5mm crochet hook

Yellow (approx. 200m) and brown (approx. 150m) yarn 8 ply (I used Panda ‘Cotton Blend’) Using an acrylic or wool yarn may make the giraffe a little larger.

2x12mm safety eyes

Yarn needle

Stuffing

Nose

Work through back loops only

Yellow yarn

Round 1: Ch 2 then sc 6 into the second ch from hook (6)

Round 2: 2 sc in each st (12)

Round 3: 2 sc in first st, sc in next, repeat around (18)

Round 4: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 2 st, repeat around (24)

Round 5: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 3 st, repeat around (30)

Rounds 6-8: Sc in each st (30)

Round 9: Sc2tog in first st, sc in next 3 st, repeat around (24)

Round 10: Sc2tog in first st, sc in next 2 st, repeat around (28) Bind off with a long tail.

Ears (make 2)

Work through back loops only

Yellow yarn

Round 1: Ch 2 then sc 6 into the second ch from hook (6)

Round 2: 2 sc in each st (12)

Round 3: Sc in each st (12)

Round 4: St2tog around (6)

Round 5: Sc in each st (6) Bind off with long tail

Horns (make 2)

Work through back loops only

Brown yarn

Round 1: Ch 2 then sc 6 into the second ch from hook (6)

Rounds 2-5: Sc in each st (6) Bind off with long tail

Upper Legs (make 2)

Work through back loops only

Round 1: Ch 2 then sc 6 into the second ch from hook using the brown yarn (6)

Round 2: 2 sc in each st (12)

Round 3: 2 sc in first st, sc in next, repeat around (18)

Round 4: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 2 st, repeat around (24)

Rounds 5-6: Sc in each st (24)

Round 7: Sl st in yellow yarn then sc in each st (24)

Rounds 8-12 : Sc in each st (24)

Round 13: Sc2tog in first st, sc in next 10 st, repeat once (22)

Round 14: Sc in each st (22)

Round 15: Sc2tog in first st, sc in next 9 st, repeat once (20)

Round 16: Sc in each st (20)

Round 17: Sc2tog in first st, sc in next 8 st, repeat once (18)

Round 18: Sc in each st (18)

Round 19: Sc2tog in first st, sc in next 7 st, repeat once (16)

Rounds 20-21: Sc in each st (16)

Round 22: Sc2tog in first st, sc in next 6 st, repeat once (14)

Rounds 23-24: Sc in each st (14)

Lower Legs (make 2)

Work through back loops only

Round 1: Ch 2 then sc 6 into the second ch from hook using the brown yarn (6)

Round 2: 2 sc in each st (12)

Round 3: 2 sc in first st, sc in next, repeat around (18)

Round 4: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 2 st, repeat around (24)

Round 5: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 3 st, repeat around (30)

Round 6: Sc in each st (30)

Round 7: Sl st in yellow yarn then sc in each st (30)

Rounds 8-9: Sc in each st (30)

Round 10: Sc2tog in first two st, sc in next 3, repeat around (24)

Round 11: Sc2tog in first two st, sc in next 2, repeat around (18)

Round 12: Sc2tog in first two st, sc in next 1, repeat around (12) Bind off with a long tail

Head/Body

Work through back loops only

Round 1: Ch 2 then sc 6 into the second ch from hook using the yellow yarn (6)

Round 2: 2 sc in each st (12)

Round 3: 2 sc in first st, sc in next, repeat around (18)

Round 4: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 2 st, repeat around (24)

Round 5: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 3 st, repeat around (30)

Round 6: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 4 st, repeat around (36)

Round 7: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 5 st, repeat around (42)

Round 8: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 6 st, repeat around (48)

Rounds 9-15: Sc in each st (48)

Round 16: Sc2tog in first two st, sc in next 6 st, repeat around (42)

Round 17: Sc2tog in first two st, sc in next 5 st, repeat around (36)

Round 18: Sc2tog in first two st, sc in next 4 st, repeat around (30)

Round 19: Sc in each st (30)

Round 20: Sc2tog in first two st, sc in next 3 st, repeat around (24)

Attach nose, ears, safety eyes and horns here. See attachment details

Round 21: Sc in each st (24)

Round 22: Sc2tog in first two st, sc in next 2 st, repeat around (18)

Rounds 23-29: Sc in each st (18)

Round 30: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 8 st, repeat (20)

Round 31: Sc in each st (20)

Round 32: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 9 st, repeat (22)

Round 33: Sc in each st (22)

Round 34: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 10 st, repeat (24)

Round 35: Sc in each st (24)

Round 36: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 7 st, repeat around (27)

Round 37: Sc in each st (27)

Round 38: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 8 st, repeat around (30)

Round 39: Sc in each st (30)

Round 40: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 4 st, repeat around (36)

Round 41: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 5 st, repeat around (42)

Round 42: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 6 st, repeat around (48)

Round 43: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 7 st, repeat around (54)

Round 44: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 8 st, repeat around (60)

Round 45: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 29 st, repeat (62)

Round 46: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 30 st, repeat (64)

Round 47: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 31 st, repeat (66)

Round 48: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 32 st, repeat (68)

Round 49: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 33 st, repeat (70)

Round 50: 2 sc in first st, sc in next 34 st, repeat (72)

Rounds 51-60: Sc in each st (72)

Round 61: Sc2tog in first 2 st, sc in next 10 st, repeat around (66)

Round 62: Sc2tog in first 2 st, sc in next 9 st, repeat around (60)

Round 63: Sc2tog in first 2 st, sc in next 8 st, repeat around (54)

Round 64: Sc2tog in first 2 st, sc in next 7 st, repeat around (48)

Round 65: Sc2tog in first 2 st, sc in next 6 st, repeat around (42)

Attach upper legs, lower legs, felt shapes and stuff the neck and upper body. See attachment details

Round 66: Sc2tog in first 2 st, sc in next 5 st, repeat around (36)

Round 67: Sc2tog in first 2 st, sc in next 4 st, repeat around (30)

Round 68: Sc2tog in first 2 st, sc in next 3 st, repeat around (24)

Round 69: Sc2tog in first 2 st, sc in next 2 st, repeat around (18)

Round 70: Sc2tog in first 2 st, sc in next 1 st, repeat around (12)

Round 71: Sc2tog in first 2 st, repeat around (6)

Round 72: Sc in first and fourth st, pull tightly to close off gap, bind off then push excess yarn through to body with crochet hook.

Finished! =)

*** If you can, add weighted beads (preferably tied up in old pantyhose) to the bottom of the giraffe in between rounds 65 and 66. This will make him more balanced.

Attachment details:

Horns

Sew on horns using tail to the 4^th round of the head on opposite sides.

Ears

Sew directly below the horns

Nose

Sew to round 12 of the head

Eyes

Push through space between rounds 10 and 11 and attach safety backing

Upper legs

Partially stuff the legs so that they have shape but aren’t perfectly round. Sew to round 40 on either side of body.

Felt squares
Cut squares and other shapes out of a brown felt that is a similar colour to your brown yarn, approximately 1-2cm². Sew onto back leaving gaps between them using a yellow embroidery thread.

Lower legs

Stuff fully and attach upper edge to round 57 of the body.

Ernest the Owl

Today is my sister's 24th birthday!
A while ago she'd requested that I crochet something for her instead of buying a present and she wanted a pink and purple giraffe  That didn't quite work out due to a lack of nice purple yarn (I shall remedy this one day by dyeing my own). So instead I told her I'd make an owl!

I decided to make this completely on my own, with no pattern to go from. The beginning took forever! I find it difficult to work with very dark yarn because my eyes suck. One thing that was really lovely about just doing it my way is I could use whatever stitches I liked. So I threw in half-double crochet, single crochet (normal and through the back loops) and double crochets. It was really fun and I actually wrote up the pattern, I'm planning on selling it in my Etsy store which is being set up and hopefully opening in December.

Here are some pictures of Ernie (as Lucy has lovingly named him)

Button eyes!

Happy birthday Lucy!

Another Hat

So after I made my green hat I loved it so much that I decided to make the same one for my friend Tobi. Since I tried knitting, 8 months ago, I promised to make her a hat but never did. She'd already chosen wool so I just had to get my act together.
For this one I used a larger crochet hook, a 5 or 5.5mm I think. The hat ended up bigger than mine, which was the plan, and it fit really well.

The flower starting to take shape.

Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the completed hat so I will have to get her to take one someday!

I've very excited as tomorrow I am picking up a spinning wheel that I am renting for a few weeks to try it out. After learning to crochet, then decided to dye wool I ended up watching tonnes of youtube clips of how to spin wool and so I thought I'd give it a try!

Flower Beret with Hand-dyed Yarn

Well I used up the first lot of hand-dyed yarn for a toy, pictures will come in the next few weeks as it is a gift and therefore cannot be put up until after it has been given! I decided to try again, attempting not to damage the wool as much as last time it came out rather rough. Well this time it work a charm, I didn't leave it in the hot water as long and used less vinegar. The results were fantastic! I didn't take any pictures of the dyed skeins but I already crocheted a hat out of it!

I used this free pattern: http://kellsbubble.blogspot.com.au/2011/10/tea-time-doily-beret.html

Here are some images of the progress!

Here is the beginning of the petals.

Flower motif finished, beginning on the bulk of the hat.

All finished!

The day I finished it I wore it out with a friend to the Tesselaar Tulip Festival

Originally I really struggled with making the hat, I was used to simple toy patterns so using a variety of different stitches was a bit confusing. But I succeeded and have already made another hat for a friend! A blog post for that is coming up =)

First yarn dyeing experiment!

After doing some research yesterday and getting a little bit over-enthused I decided to try dyeing some old cream colour yarn I had using food dye.

The basic method is to use vinegar and heat to allow for the dye to penetrate the wool and then heat again to set it in place. My very lovely Mumsy let me have her old slow-cooker for my dyeing adventures so with a giant bottle of vinegar in hand I started! And here are the results: 

I'm pretty please with it. Looking forward to seeing how it will look once crocheted, although I haven't quite decided what I will make from it.

I will probably upload a photo-tutorial at some point in the next month!

Happy yarning!