Originally published in the Winter ‘07/Spring ‘08 issue of Knitscene, the crochet pattern is now available as in a free eBook from CrochetMe (How to Crochet Granny Squares with CrochetMe). The pattern with full article on how to dye the motifs with food coloring is available for sale through the Interweave online store.
Just updated on Ravelry, the Star Jasmine crochet lace headband pattern is now available in Australia/New Zealand/United Kingdom crochet terminology. Both the US/Canada version and the AUS/NZ/UK version are included in the Ravelry purchase.
$5.50 USD
Saturday afternoon, Satura Cakes, Ward Center. Browsing Ravelry, crocheting a neckwarmer, drinking an iced coffee (it looks a little odd b/c I put nonfat milk in it), and eating salted chocolate cookies.
My summer was extremely hectic, and things have begun to settle down (for now, at least). My pattern sales were way, way down this summer – it’s usually a slow period, but this year was really slow, despite this year having warm-weather appropriate patterns (the Star Jasmine headband and the Jules & Julia hat set). I do have some cold-weather appropriate patterns in the works but no clear timeline for when they will be done – I went back to one that’s been marinating for several months and *I* could not follow the instructions even though I wrote them and had crocheted a sample! Definitely time for a re-write, and the symbol diagrams need to be tweaked too.
Today I’m sewing up a curtain for my new place and getting started on another curtain – the results are either going to be delightfully tropical bohemian, or a hot mess of aloha print. I’ve been looking through my vintage crochet lace edging booklets, because patchwork aloha print might not be enough for me…this could get loud.
Pattern: Basic Crochet Baby Beanie with some alterations for thinner yarn (smaller hook, additional rounds)
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton, organic colors Birch 30, Clay 31, and Skinny Dyed 310 Coffee. I had one skein of each and I am thinking there may be enough left over to make a second hat, but I might have to change the stripe pattern on the sides to include the Birch 30.
Hook: E/3.5 mm
This was whipped up quickly as a gift for friends expecting their first child (and one of them made a beautiful patchwork baby blanket for me to gift to another friend), so I didn’t take detailed notes while I was doing this; I wanted to get it done and wrapped and delivered without delay.
Ears were worked in as part of a round, into the front loop only as (chain 4, 4 dc into next st, chain 4, slip st into next st), slip stitched in the front loop only to the next ear (worked as the first), then back to hdc into ea st. On the following round the hdcs were worked into the back loop from ear to ear. This does make that section a little tighter and the ears could just as easily be added on afterwards. Eye and mouth details were embroidered on afterwards.
I was calling this a bear, but it’s really unclear and sort of oddly generally animal-ish. I showed a photo around at an Aloha Knitters meeting, just asking those present to tell me what animal they thought it was. Answers included hedgehog, agouti, otter, dog, rabbit, and woodchuck, so hey, it’s whatever you want it to be! What I like best about this hat is that the wee face on the top has ears, and from the side, the baby wearing it has ears too. Aww!
Craft Supply of Honolulu’s King Street branch has closed, and Craft Supply’s Ribbon and Yarn Store has opened upstairs. Specializing in ribbons and yarns for making leis with, Craft Supply’s Ribbon and Yarn Store offers crochet and ribbon lei making classes, free with purchase of supplies. Classes are offered twice a day every day (except Sunday, when the shop is closed); for details on classes and times please call them at (808) 942-5044.
Yarns for sale include standards like Red Heart, Sugar ‘N Cream, Bernat (Baby Coordinates, Cotton Tots, Baby), and novelty/eyelash yarns from Crystal Palace and Trendsetter.
A small parking lot with free parking for customers is located behind the building; if you are driving east on S. King, the entrance to the parking lot is before the building. Nearby bus stops are served by routes 1 and 6 (check with TheBus for times and other possible routes).
1960 South King Street
(808) 942-5044
Monday – Friday 9am – 3pm
Saturday 9 – 12
Sunday CLOSED
So the yarn-tasting at the Hawai’i State Library downtown this past Saturday went well – but I didn’t take any pictures, and when I realized that, immediately thought “great, now nobody is going to believe me.” I had capped attendance at 25, figured we’d be lucky to get 20, and then 30 people signed up (and I think a couple more showed up).
Fortunately for me, Nadine Kam from the Honolulu Star-Bulletin was there, took photos, and blogged about it (thanks Nadine!)
Yarn ‘Tasting’ at the library (Fashion Tribe)
There were a couple of things I wish I’d managed to do differently – I’d wanted to talk more about knitting/crocheting for charity, and I also wanted to chat more with the attendees! I did get to talk briefly with a few people, but I wanted to hang out with *everyone* who attended – I hope I’ll get to see some of them at an Aloha Knitters meeting, ’cause like I said at the tasting, you people are the ones I need to talk to – you don’t need to be listening to me. Seriously, you should have seen some of the gorgeousness being kipped/cipped in that crowd! Thanks to all who attended, and for reals, I want to hang out with you all.
Most of the yarns in the tasting came from Isle Knit. The Maui Yarns came direct from Sara, and the Peaches & Creme came from Wal-Mart (and as I mentioned at the event, Wal-Marts nationwide are closing their craft departments – Ben Franklin has Sugar ‘n Cream; if they don’t have Peaches & Creme you might want to ask them about carrying it).
Oh, and someone had asked about a knit clothes hanger cover pattern in a book – I knew I’d seen at least one.
Twinkle’s Weekend Knits by Twinkle Chia, and Glamour Knits at Home by Erika Knight both have a pattern. However, the library doesn’t have those books at this time. There’s a free online pattern by Sara Golder (Easy Coat Hanger Covers), though!
My current plan is to have a short talk on the library collection of knit/crochet books and specific books particularly applicable for our climate, and then a quick review of the yarns. I haven’t chosen and acquired all the yarns yet; Blue Sky Alpacas Organic Cotton and Skinny Cotton, Cascade Eco Wool, Lana Knits Hemp for Knitting, and a seacell/silk blend are on the for-sure list, though.
Quick update:
“Come to the library for quick reviews of knitting and crocheting books in the library collection and a yarn-tasting! Sample bags will include mini-skeins of yarns good for tropical-weather garments as well as yarns good for use in felting and making warm garments and accessories for cold-climate friends, relatives, and charitable organizations. Feel free to bring a project to work on during the presentation, or to show off afterwards if you like. There will be a brief Q&A session if you have any questions about knitting/crocheting in Hawai’i. No how-to knit/crochet/spin lessons will be given at this event; reviews of instructional books, videos, and DVDs will be included in the presentation, though, and a handout of yarn shops and where you can take lessons will also be available.”
Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton (pickle, shell, shrimp, sky)
How to turn ‘beginning of baby beanie’ into ‘oh I was just swatching for fun’ – forget the really simple, basic guidelines for crocheting a flat circle, and start with 8 sts when working in single crochet, and wind up with a circle that begins to ruffle. I think single crochet at this particular gauge was going to wind up too firm anyway, so score 1 for color study.
This will vary based on gauge, yarn, desired results, etc., but for a basic flat circle I use the following guidelines:
single crochet: begin with 6 stitches, increase 6 stitches each round.
half-double crochet: begin with 8 stitches, increase 8 stitches each round.
double crochet: begin with 10 – 12 stitches, increase 10 – 12 stitches each round.
triple crochet: begin with 12 – 14 stitches, increase 12 – 14 stitches each round.
For those using UK terminology:
US single crochet = UK double crochet
US half-double crochet = UK half-treble crochet
US double crochet = UK treble crochet
US triple crochet = UK double-treble crochet
$5.50 USD
A quick pattern for a simple floral lace headband, with options for ties or a covered elastic strap to secure, as well as an elasticized version that goes all the way around the head. As of July 2010, there are two versions, one with North American (Canada/US) terminology, and a version using AUS/NZ/UK terminology. Both versions give measurements in both inches and centimeters. Both versions are included in the Ravelry purchase.
Pattern includes full written instructions and crochet symbol charts.
Individuals and small groups may make and sell up to 12 headbands per pattern purchase; please contact me if you have any questions.
for styles 1 and 2 (partial headband with ties or covered strap):
YARN: Sport/5-ply/12 wpi yarn, such as Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton, 100% organic cotton, 150 yds/137 m per skein, or Southwest Trading Company a-MAIZing, 100% corn fiber, 50g/130m per ball. Pattern uses about 25 yards/23
meters. Cream-colored version in photo is Skinny Cotton Organic, color Birch 30, and turquoise-blue version is a-MAIZing, color Little Boy Blue.
HOOK: E/4/3.50mm crochet hook
NOTIONS: for style 2 (covered elastic band): sewing or beading elastic, 2 pieces, each about 7”/18cm long (for covered elastic band version). If you can find clear beading elastic, it will show through the least.
for style 3 (full band):
YARN: Cascade Fixation, 98.3% cotton/1.7% elastic, 50 g/100 yds/91 m per ball, or Elann Esprit, 98.3% cotton/1.7% elastic, 50 g/100 yds/91 m per ball. Pattern uses about 25 g/50 yds/46 m.
HOOK: G/6/4.5 mm crochet hook
Sizes: S, M, L
S: 12”/30.5cm long, 2”/5cm wide
M: 14” /35.5cm long, 2”/5cm wide
L: 16” /40.5cm long, 2” /5cm wide
Gauge: 2dc-cluster measures 1″/25mm wide
style 1: ties 11”/28 cms long
style 2: covered elastic 5.5”/14cm long
Abbreviations used (US/Canada):
ch = chain
sc = single crochet
sl st = slip stitch
dc = double crochet
… = repeats skipped in chart due to space issues
Abbreviations used (AUS/NZ/UK):
ch = chain
dc = double crochet
sl st = slip stitch
tr= treble crochet
… = repeats skipped in chart due to
space issues
Springtime Baby Beanie (no flowers)
For a the newly arrived baby of longtime friends, I chose to purchase handmade items as gifts so that I’d have things ready to send before the child entered kindergarden. Crocheting a simple beanie felt attainable to me, though, so I chose some Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton from my stash (I’ve been wanting to use this Pickle Green for a while now) and did a simple striping with Lemongrass Yellow and Shell Pink. Cute, right?
Well, the color changes for the stripes weren’t completely even. I wasn’t going to rip back and redo them, so I figured I could just do a quick flower and cover it up.
Springtime Baby Beanie (1 flower)
Aww. Might redo the embroidery in the center, though.
It was getting late, but I had an idea about other flowers I could make, so I stayed up to crochet “just one more.”
Springtime Baby Beanie (3 flowers)
Okay, two more. And I think I need to do more to the one on the right.
Pattern: Basic Crochet Baby Beanie (it’s free, and you can use it to make and sell as many finished items as you like). I haven’t worked up full instructions for the flowers yet; I’ve been thinking about doing a for-sale pattern set of multiple sizes in different yarn weights and might chart up the flowers for that set. I’m also thinking about formatting the free version as a downloadable PDF for Ravelry.
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Dyed Cotton. Pickle Green (body), Lemongrass Yellow (stripes) and Shell Pink (stripe). kpixie.com has it on sale as of this writing.
