ponytail bun hat

Just thought I'd pass these links along for those who aren't on my Facebook page. 

The ponytail / bun hats are very popular right now. I ran across this excellent tutorial featuring one method of making this type of hat. It's very simple as well. Check out Donna Wolfe's Naztazia channel. If you prefer having a paper version, she has that also, on her web site (as well as lots of other great stuff).

Vashti has a wonderful tutorial on making the star stitch. She always has lots of great information in her newsletters and I highly recommend you subscribe if you haven't already. 

And yet another good link is for making a blocking station. This would be particularly useful if you block a lot of items. I rarely block but I believe it's a good thing to do. I'm just lazy that way and have no really good place to do blocking. The squares I am making right now could do with a good blocking.

Happy crocheting!
Sandie

scarf

Remember all that yarn I bought in preparation for the Osgood, trying to find the right colors? Well, it has to be used for something. :-)  I decided to use the Red Heart Super Saver Beige in a scarf.

The scarf is all double crochet. The chain was 32 for 30 double crochets. I used an I hook for the body and an H hook for the edging, which is single crochet. In the corners I used (sc, hdc, sc). I finished off with the invisible finish off, then sewed in all the dangling tails and called it done.

Finished size is about 9 1/2" wide (wider than most that I make) by 68" long. It could be used as is or double to make a thick but narrower bit around the neck.

That's pretty much all there is to say about this scarf. 

Happy crocheting!
Sandie

hearts

I have been working on a small afghan using the nursery hearts pattern by Leisure Arts. It's a very popular pattern and one I've used many times. You can currently purchase it at Leisure Arts web site for $5.99 as a digital download.

I am using Baby Bee Sweet Delights Sugarplum (purple) and BBSD Charming. It's a #3 light weight yarn so I'm using a G hook. I bought two skeins of each color. My thought is to find the green in the variegated and perhaps use that for assembly with a join as you go. However, at this point it's anybody's guess what I'll end up doing. I'm just enjoying the process of making the squares on a leisurely basis.

Here is one square. It's about 7" across and 6 1/2" top to bottom.

Here is what I have done so far laid out on my bed. It may or may not look this way when I'm done. LOL

Happy crocheting!
Sandie

Christmas stocking

I was going over some files and ran across my pattern for a Christmas stocking ornament. It's a simple pattern, just a 5 point granny, a pentagon. I'm sure many others have thought of it too. I had it on the web site many years ago. You can still find the pattern at Crochet Cabana, along with more information on how to form the pentagon into a stocking. You can also find other holiday patterns there.

Since we're getting closer to Christmas, I thought I'd share it with you here. They are quick to  make and you could include one with your Christmas gifts if your recipients appreciate handmade items.




Christmas Stocking Ornament
c2009 Sandra Petit, http://www.crochetcabana.com

Materials:  small amount of 4 ply worsted weight yarn in desired color (green, red, Christmas variegated work well), H hook, large eye needle for sewing in ends
If you want a more delicate stocking, you can use thread and a steel hook 

Abbreviations
hk = hook
YO = yarn over
dc = double crochet
ch = chain
rep = repeat
sl st = slip stitch
sp = space
wk = work
ea = each
beg = beginning

shell = 3 dc

Pattern:
ch 6, join with a sl st to form a ring OR use the adjustable ring as your starting point.
Round 1: ch 3, 2 dc in ring, ch 3,  * 3dc in ring, ch 3* rep from * 3 times (5 shell groups), join with a sl st to top st of beg ch-3

Round 2: Sl st in ea of next 2 dc, sl st in ch-3 sp, then in same sp wk (ch 3, 2 dc, ch 3, shell) (first corner),
ch 1, in next ch-3 sp wk (shell, ch 3, shell) (2nd corner), 
ch 1, in next ch-3 sp wk (shell, ch3, shell) (3rd corner), 
ch 1, in next ch-3 sp wk (shell, ch3, shell) (4th corner)
ch 1, in next ch-3 sp wk (shell, ch3, shell) (5th corner)
ch 1, join with sl st to top of beg ch-3. 

At this point, you will have 10 shells.
If you want to make a larger stocking with more rounds, remember that you will always put 3 chains between your corner shells, that you will have a chain-1 space separating your corners from each other, and that a shell consists of 3 double crochets. 

Round 3: sl st in ea of next 2 dc, sl st in ch-3 sp, ch3, 2dc, ch3, shell in same sp (1st corner made),
ch 1, shell in ch-1 sp between groups to form side, ch 1, in next corner ch-3 sp work (shell, ch 3, shell), (2nd corner)
ch 1, shell in ch-1 sp between groups to form second side, ch 1, in next corner ch-3 sp work (shell, ch 3, shell), (3rd corner)
ch 1, shell in ch-1 sp between groups to form third side, ch 1, in next corner ch-3 sp work (shell, ch 3, shell), (4th corner)
ch 1, shell in ch-1 sp between groups to form fourth side, ch 1, in next corner ch-3 sp work (shell, ch 3, shell), (5th corner)
ch 1, shell in ch-1 sp between groups to form fifth side, ch 1, join with sl st to top of ch-3.
Finish off.

You can finish your stocking in one of two ways. You can put a border around your entire pentagon and then fold and sew the sides together, leaving the top open and adding a strand for hanging, OR you can fold now and join with a single crochet stitch. I chose the second method. 

With front side facing up, with two corners at the top and three at the bottom, join contrasting yarn on the top right side, east corner.
Work 1 sc in corner ch-3 space and 1 sc in ea st and space across. Do not finish off.
Fold right side of pentagon to the back, leaving the opposite front side facing you, toe pointing east. The white border you just completed should be on top.
 
(You could do a ch-10 here for your hanging loop if you want to.)
 
Using a single crochet, join stitches along left side, putting one sc in ea dc and in ea ch-1 sp, 3 single crochets in the ch-3 corner space (heel of stocking), then continue with one sc in ea dc and in ea ch-1 sp along the bottom, finishing up in the ch-3 at the tippy toe.

Sew ends in and then add a hanging strand if you haven’t already done so. 

Once you've made one, you'll have a very easy time making many more. You can vary it up by using different colors for the main stocking and/or the edging. Gold or silver would make a nice edging.

Happy crocheting!
Sandie

ribbonghan

My last crocheting hours have been spent working on a cancer ribbon awareness afghan. The pattern can be found at Crochet Cabana. 

I used Caron Natura yarn which is discontinued. I found some on Ebay. Although this is a No Dye Lot yarn, different skeins DO look different, so buyer beware if you're picking some up to finish a project. I was fortunate to find 11 skeins in one lot. I tried to buy 2 additional skeins but when they came in, they were not only different from the skeins I already had, but were different from one another. No worries. They will get used eventually, but I didn't want to use them for this ghan.

The ghan is 12 squares. Each square took one of the 3 ounce skeins with a small ball leftover. With the leftover balls I was able to get square #12 and do the edging. There are 6 ribbon squares and 6 plain squares. I left a long tail 4x the width of the square and used that to assemble with a whipstitch. I assembled the four rows first and then put the rows together. Edging is (sc, ch 2, 2 dc, sk 2).

This yarn is a little stiff when working but soften beautifully upon washing.

Each square is about 13 1/2" . With that in mind, I'm going to say it is about 40" x 54". I used almost all of the 33 ounces. If you're buying 3 ounce skeins, I would buy one skein for every square you want to make.

I used an I hook for the main body of the square and an H for the sc edging around each square.

It will be heading off to the recipient today.

Happy crocheting!
Sandie