Design 17 Hat In Noro Silk Mountain Yarn

Noro Silk Mountain Hat Knit in Design 17

I quickly knit up this hat out of Noro Silk Mountain (colorway 3) using Design 17 from one of my favorite little Noro books, Noro: Designer Mini Knits . It's got lots of great little projects that are perfect for when you want to knit, but don't want to start on some involved project.

The yarn is gorgeous, of course, since it's Noro. And with this pattern the striping is very subtle.

Free E-books Available

I just found link to free ebooks and videos on the Interweave Press site.

Interweave Press/Crochet Me Afghan (photo is from their website)

Besides this crocheted afghan there are a number of other free books or videos as well. You will need to provide your email address to get the free patterns, but I've found the info you get from them is helpful, and there aren't an annoying number of emails sent. As I study the pattern I'm not in love with the style of the border. I'll of course go to my favorite source for edgings, Edie Eckman.

Every afghan I've made, whether crocheted or knitted, I've managed to find the perfect border, or combo of borders from this book. What I like best about the book is how easy it is to modify a pattern. You can easily add a row, take off a row, or combine rows from different patters together. A definite must have in any crochet library!

Free Slouchy Knit Hat Pattern

Thanks to some helpful comments on Ravelry I've updated my free Slouchy Hat Pattern. I hadn't looked at the pattern in years, and when I recently did the crown shaping instructions made absolutely no sense. Hopefully these improvements work....

I've updated it on Ravelry (download here if you're a Ravelry member) or you can print this page:

EASY SLOUCHY HAT

Twisted Sisters Jazz Handpaint, 1 skein each color 60 & 69

#6 Needles Double Pointed Needles

Gauge: 4” = 20 stitches and 24 rows

CO 96

For entire hat do 2 row stripes alternating colors 60 and 69.

Work 2 x 2 rib for 1 1/2”

Increase 8 stitches. (104 stitches)

Work stockinette until 9 1/2” from beginning.

Crown

On the next round (work 24 sts, k2tog) 4 times. [100 sts]

Work one round even.

Shape crown as described below.

Round 1: *Work 8, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [90 sts remain]

Round 2: Work even

Round 3: *Work 7, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [80 sts remain]

Round 4: Work even

Round 5: *Work 6, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [70 sts remain]

Round 6: Work even

Round 7: *Work 5, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [60 sts remain]

Round 8: Work even

Round 9: *Work 4, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [50 sts remain]

Round 10: Work even

Round 11: *Work 3, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [40 sts remain]

Round 12: Work even

Round 13: *Work 2, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [30 sts remain]

Round 14: Work even

Round 15: *Work 1, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [20 sts remain]

Round 16: Work even

Round 17: *K2tog. Repeat from * around. [10 sts remain]

Finishing

Cut yarn, leaving a generous tail. Draw tail through remaining stitches on the needle. Pull gently to close hole. Weave in tail. Weave in ends.

Updated 4/15/12

 

Basic Crocheted Square Pattern

This is a generic crocheted square that can be made any size by varying how many rounds you make. It's not as open and lacy as a traditional granny square which makes it more suitable for things with a denser texture. I used it for the straps on a bag I made.

Finished Basic Granny Square (3 rounds)

Instructions on how to crochet a basic granny square:

TIPS:

Keep a smaller hook nearby to use when weaving in ends and attaching new colors to your work. It seems to be easier, especially through the many stitches around the ring.

Work your ends in as you go. It seems like an almost insurmountable task if you wait until all your squares are finished. And it's just nicer to work on neat tidy squares without all sorts of strings dangling.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Start with a sliding ring. Interweave has a nice visual tutorial with good pictures of this prcess on the crochet me website.

Basic Granny Square - Round 1

Round 1: Ch 4, 3 dc in loop, [1 trc in loop, 3 dc in loop] 3 times, join to 4th ch of beg ch 4. Fasten off.

Basic Granny Square - Round 2

Round 2: Join new color at one of the trc. Ch 3, 1 trc and 1 dc in same st as joining, [(1 dc in next 3 dc), (1dc, 1trc, 1dc in next trc)] 3 times, 1 dc in next 3 dc. Join to 3rd ch of beg ch 3. Fasten off.

Basic Granny Square - Round 3

Round 3 and subsequent rounds: Join a new color at one of the trc. Ch 3, 1 trc and 1 dc in same st as joining. For rest of round, 1 dc in each dc and 1 dc, 1 trc, 1 dc in each trc. Join to 3rd ch of beg ch 3. Fasten off. 

I've made this square as large as 12 rounds. It's a good one to use on "Babette" style blankets and scarves. (I've got a diagram for different sized squares made into a blanket here.)

No matter how carefully I stitch I find my squares curl and and are uneven. A few minutes of blocking makes assembly much easier. I pin the squares (at about every inch) onto a Quilter's Board and float over them with a steam iron, not actually touching the squares with the iron, just letting the steam float down onto them. They'll be dry in an hour or so & ready to much more easily assemble. (Especially if you've faithfully woven those ends in all along!)

Basic Granny Square - blocking

I've found I use my Quilter's board constantly. They come in a few different sizes, have a handy carry handle and are a perfect size to pop onto the kitchen counter for quick pressing or blocking.

This is my favorite one.

It's 14" x 22" and has a rulered cutting surface on the back to use with rotary cutters or x-acto knives.

A slightly smaller (about 14 1/2" x 15 1/2") and cheaper option is this one, which is also great to take to classes and workshops.
 

I've got a couple of each as I always seem to have about 5 projects going on at a time.

Crocheted Granny Square Bag

Crocheted Granny Square Bag with Striped Strap

I used odds and ends of needlepoint wool & washed it in warm water in the machine to full it a bit. I found a piece of vintage knit boucle from my grandmother’s stash for the lining. Yes, it took me three years to finish this one… A day to crochet it, a day to line it and 3 years of it lying around in the “to do” pile.

The squares are made by doing 5 rounds of a traditional granny square pattern as follows:

Main color is used for Rnd 5 to edge each square.

Make 12 squares using different color combos (no two squares alike!) on the first four rounds


Ch4, join with sl st to form a ring.

Rnd 1:Ch 3, 2 dc in ring, ch 3, * 3 dc in ring, ch3. Rep from * 2 more times. Join and break off on this and every rnd.

Rnd 2:Join yarn in any ch-3 sp, ch 3, work 2 dc, ch 3 and 3 dc in same sp, * ch 1, work 3 dc, ch 3 and 3 dc in next ch-3 sp. Rep from *2 more times, end ch 1.

Rnd 3:Join yarn in any ch-3 sp, ch 3, work 2 dc, ch 3 and 3 dc in same sp, * ch 1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp, ch 1 work 3 dc, ch 3 and 3 dc in next ch-3 sp(corner). Rep from * around end ch 1.

Rnd 4:Join yarn in any ch-3 sp, ch 3, work 2 dc, ch 3 and 3 dc in same sp, * (ch1, 3 dc in next ch-1 sp) twice, ch 1, work 3 dc, ch 3 and 3 dc in next corner sp. Rep from * around, end ch 1.

Rnd 5:With Main Color, sc in each dc and in each ch-1 sp, working 3 sc in ch-3 corner sps.

Create the strap by doing random colors of single crochet in the desired width (I did a 2" width) and length.

Assemble the bag by first joining 6 squares together for the front, and 6 together for the back.

Sew the ends of the strap together, Then sew onto the front and back. Cut lining to fit and attach with blanket stitch.

These are my working notes, and hopefully correct, accurate and understandable. And feedback is welcomed!

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Featured on Crochetvolution

A photo of my afghan is featured in an article - 5 tips for getting started in Freeform on Crochetvolution.

Click here to see weekly notes on how the blanket all came together.

Free Knitting Pattern: Sari Silk Pillow on the Bias

Recycled Sari Silk Knit Pillow

Garter stitched squares are knit on the bias and sewn together to create this pillow cover. This is a great project for the beginner who’s ready for something a bit more challenging than a scarf. You’ll practice increasing and decreasing. And there’s so much going on with the yarn that your stitches don’t have to be perfectly even, and assembly is a breeze. No neat sewing required!

KNITTED MEASUREMENTS:

18” Square

MATERIALS:

700 g. Recycled Sari Silk Yarn

18” pillow form

1 pair US 7 (4.5mm) needles

GAUGE:

16 sts and 14 rows to 4”/10cm

NOTES:

The recycled silk yarn is uneven in both size and color throughout the balls. I prefer to buy skeins (instead of balls) so that I can see the colors and control how the color plays out. If you can’t find skeins, you can either unwind the balls, or, just let the color come naturally and be surprised!

SQUARES:

Cast on 3 stitches.

Increasing:

Row 1 (Increase Row): Knit into front and back of first stitch. Knit to last stitch. Knit into front and back of last stitch.

Before turning work, place a safety pin on the first stitch of this row. The safety pin is placed so that you know when to increase. Whenever the pin is on the right-hand side of your work, you increase at each end.

Row 2: Knit across row

Repeat rows 1 and 2 until you have 47 st on the needle (edges should measure 9”.)

Knit across row.

Decreasing:

Decrease Row 1: K2tog, k to last 2 st, k2tog.

Decrease Row 2:Knit across row.

Repeat these tow rows until 3 st remain. Pull yarn through 3 stitches and knot.

Make a total of 8 squares.

ASSEMBLY & FINISHING:

Sew together 4 squares for front, and 4 for back.

Block to measurements.

Sew three sides together. Insert pillow, sew remaining side.

You can view this project on my Ravelry page

How to Figure How Many Granny Squares You Need For an Afghan

There are a number of things you need to keep in mind when figuring how many squares you'll need to make an afghan or blanket.


1. Make several squares in the pattern you've chosen.
2. Block and measure the squares. Blocking is especially important when assembling a blanket out of squares. It's one of the few times I actually block my work. The time and headache saved in assembly more than makes up for what you spend blocking. I have photos and written instructions on the process I follow here.
3. Decide how you're going to assemble your squares. The assembly method you choose will affect the finished size of your blanket. Whipstitching or single crocheting the blocks together won't afect the size much. But joining with a decorative stitch can affect the outcome. Even just a 1/4" added on a join can add 4 - 5" to the overall size of a king blanket using 4" squares. So if you're choosing something fancy like that you're going to have to piece a few together to figure out what the size is of your blocked, assembled square.
4. Divide the length and width of the blanket you want to make by the size of your finished squares (including whatever you added for assembly). This probably won't be a round number, so you'll have to decide whether you want to round up and make a slightly larger blanket, or round down & make a slightly smaller blanket. (Keep in mind that if you round down you can add a decorative border.) Then multiply the number of squares you need across by the number of squares you need for the length and you'll have the total number of squares you'll need to make. 

Bobble Granny Square

Four Rounds of Bobble Granny Square

BOBBLE GRANNY SQUARE

Starting with a round of bobbles, this square begins as a circle for the first two rounds. The third round squares it up. Rounds continue in the same way until desired size.

ABBREVIATIONS & STITCH INSTRUCTIONS:

sl st: Slipstitch

dc: Double crochet

Bobble: wrap the yarn around the hook, insert the hook into next spot, pull a loop through, wrap the yarn around the hook, pull through the first 2 loops. Repeat 2 more times into the same spot. Wrap yarn around the hook all pull through all (4) loops. Work 1 ch to close.

For instructions on basic crochet stitches see: http://www.crochet.org/lessons/lessonr/lessonr.html

TIPS:

Keep a smaller hook nearby to use when weaving in ends and attaching new colors to your work. Seems to be easier, especially through the many stitches around the ring.

Work your ends in as you go. It seems like an almost insurmountable task if you wait until all your squares are finished. And it's just nicer to work on neat tidy squares without all sorts of strings dangling.

INSTRUCTIONS:

Start with a sliding ring. (go to http://www.crochetme.com/forums/t/28917.aspx for instuctions.)

Round 1: 3 ch, 2 dc into the ring(this will count as your first bobble), chain 1.

*Work 1 bobble stitch (see above) into the ring, 1 ch.*

Repeat between ** 6 more times (8 total bobbles.)

Sl st in 3rd of 3 ch at the beginning of the round. Fasten off. Tighten sliding ring and weave that end in.

Round 2: Join yarn in ch space, 3 ch, [2dc, ch1] in same space. [3dc, ch1 in next ch space] 7 times. Sl st in 3rd of 3 ch at the beginning of the round. Fasten off.

Round 3: Join yarn in ch space, 3 ch, [2dc, ch1] in same space. *[3dc, 2 ch, 3 dc, 1 ch] in next space. [3dc, ch1] in next space. Repeat from * 3 times. [3dc, 2 ch, 3 dc, 1 ch] in next space. Sl st in 3rd of 3 ch at the beginning of the round.

Round 4 and all subsequent rounds: Continue as in round 3, with 2ch between clusters on corners and 1 ch between clusters on sides. Each round will have more clusters on the side. 

 (v1)tested: 8/20 CC.