Crochet Baby Sunhat Pattern Prototype

I'm still working on my own crochet pattern for a baby sunhat, and so far I like what I've come up with, but the only drawback is sizing them.  The two I made did fit ok on my baby doll model, but I'll be seeking real baby models to try them on before I publish the pattern.

What do you think?  (click photos to enlarge)

Flecked hat on babydoll model

Flecked hat on babydoll model

White sunhat on babydoll model

White sunhat on babydoll model

White with blue/yellow/lime green flecks

Solid white sunhat

Flecked hat with flower

I've made both of the hats so far in a single color, but will try adding a band of an alternate color too, perhaps where the openwork is, and the last row of the brim.   I might not be quite done with this sunhat pattern yet, but I'm pretty close!

~ Marie Anne

The Challenge of the Baby Sunhat ... I Won!

Yesterday I posted about wanting to spread out and knit or crochet something outside of my comfort zone, so with a 6-month-old granddaughter who lives in NC, I decided on a baby sunhat.

The pattern was listed in sizes for infant and toddler, and Catie Alice is a big girl, so I went with the toddler size.  It's definitely too big, but I think it turned out ok for my first attempt.  I'm going to modify it to try to get between the infant and toddler sizes and see how that works out.  I also don't like the flower I chose, so will work on that a bit more too.

Once I get the sizing figured out, I'm going to get really brave and try to write up my own crochet pattern for a baby sunhat.  You won't want to miss that!

(click photos to enlarge)

The photos aren't the best since it's cloudy again, but I cheated and added my own sunshine and pretended I was at Onslow Beach.

My model definitely needs to grow into this hat!

~ Marie Anne

Crocheting or Knitting Outside of Your Comfort Zone

If you knit or crochet, you probably have your favorite patterns that you turn to frequently, or like to make certain items, regardless of pattern.  I love to crochet baby blankets and sometimes start with one pattern, then adapt it some to make it my own.  Dishcloths are another favorite, and I've come up with a few simple crochet and knit patterns of my own.

I've made some lovely baby blankets and afghans, and friends love my dishcloths, but I'm in a rut and want to step out of my creative comfort zone.  I love to play with color and each blanket or afghan looks different, but I want to expand my horizons.  I want to learn to do amigurumi (that will be a tough task, for sure), and I also want to make hats, particularly baby hats.

The issue for me with hats is determining correct sizing.  I know there are charts and tutorials all over the internet, but I can't get past the sizing hurdle.  What if I make a hat and list it for sale as fitting X, when it's much too large or small and really would fit Z?  I have no little ones here to model anything.  My only grandchild is several states away, so she's not much help in the short term.

I've heard of people blowing up balloons to represent different sizes, but, while round, a balloon is still not the same shape as a child or baby's head.  I know, I know, I'm being anal about it, and I need to get over it and just DO it.

(click photo to enlarge)

Catie Alice needs a sunhat, don't you think?

Is there something that you'd love to learn how to make, but there's something holding you back?  Here's the challenge ... pick one thing that you've never done and do it.

I'm going to do a baby sunhat to send to my granddaughter.  I have plenty of cotton yarn here, and there are a bazillion free patterns out there, so no excuses.  Anyone with me?

~ Marie Anne

Free Yarn Contest from Red Heart and AllFreeKnitting on Pinterest

Red Heart is joining up with AllFreeKnitting and sponsoring a contest to give away a prize package full of yarn, knitting needles, tote bag, and a slew of other goodies.  To enter, create a board on Pinterest for free knit patterns from Red Heart, then repin at least 10 patterns that Red Heart has on their board, and fill out the short entry form on the contest page.

 One entry per person and must be at least 18 years old to enter.  Contest ends at midnight on May 8, 2013 so get your entry in, then share with all of your crafty friends.

Even if you don't win, you're bound to find some cool new patterns to try.  I saw several pretty knitted shawl  patterns, and while I don't knit as much as I crochet,  I might just have to break out the knitting needles and see what I can whip up.  

~ Marie Anne

Yarn Score at Jo-Ann's and Hobby Lobby

As usual on my trips to town on errands, I stop at Hobby Lobby with my 40% coupon in my pocket and pick up a skein of yarn, whether I need it or not.  Even if I don't have an immediate need for a project I'm working on right then, I'll grab a skein of white or black or another color that I use often to keep my yarn stash fed.

While at Hobby Lobby, I always check the sale bins and once in a while I'll come away with a nice little extra.  A week or so ago I saw some I Love This Cotton on sale and debated whether to grab all that was there.  I'd never used it before and it seemed much softer than what I usually use for dishcloths, so I didn't want to buy a bunch and find it not usable for that purpose.  I grabbed one each of two different colors and gave it a try.  I love it!

While there today, I saw that there were three skeins left, so I grabbed all three of them for a good price.  One of them was the same as I had picked up before, really cool Mexican fiesta or southwestern colors.  It's actually called Tuscany, but it doesn't say Tuscany to me at all.  The other two remind me of Christmas candy and that's pretty close, because the name of the color is Christmas.

I Love This Cotton yarn in Christmas and Tuscany

Next stop was Jo-Ann's, with my 50% off one item coupon, and another coupon for 15% off, even sale items.  They didn't have the colors of regular worsted yarn that I needed, so I looked around to see what else might catch my eye.  I don't like using a coupon just to buy something cheaper that I don't need, but I'll often use it to buy something that I haven't tried yet.  They had a big display on the end of one of the aisles with 12oz skeins of Bernat Handicrafter cotton yarn in gorgeous colors.  Even in the larger skein they weren't much cheaper than buying the small balls of yarn, but throw a 50% coupon on that baby and it was definitely worth it.  I couldn't decide which color to get, so bought both of them that I couldn't choose between, and used the 15% coupon on the other (not nearly as much of a savings, but eh, sometimes you gotta splurge, ya know?).

It's Bernat's Cotton Candy Collection, and the colors I got are listed as Cotton Candy and Blue Snow Cone.  I'm not sure those names are spot-on, because the one is between a pink and a peach and I don't think looks like pink cotton candy at all, and the other is more of a bluish-aquamarine, but it's close.  Regardless, they're very pretty and I think will make nice eye-popping dishcloths.  They also had a bright yellow, off-white/beige, black, and I think a dark brown.  I don't see the Cotton Candy Collection on the Bernat website, so it must be a seasonal or promotional item.

Bernat Cotton in Blue Snow Cone and Cotton Candy

I'm almost finished with a big afghan that's a custom order and have another just like it to do, but this yarn will come in handy to knit and crochet dishcloths when taking a break from the larger project.

~ Marie Anne

Free Yarn and Scissors Giveaway

What fun colors for spring!  Lion Brand is giving away 5 skeins of Vanna's Choice Baby Yarn in great colors, and they're also throwing in two pair of Fiskars scissors -- one pair for the house, and one small folding scissor to put in your tote bag to take with you.  Good scissors are expensive, so this is a great prize, one that I'd like to win for sure.

Contest ends April 30, 2013, so head on over there now before you forget.  Must be 18 yrs or older to enter, and living in a country where Lion Brand will ship (list at the link above).

What would you make with the yarn if you won?  I'd make a colorful baby blanket, of course!

~ Marie Anne

Free Knitting eBook, How to Cast on and Bind Off

I crochet more than I knit, but I've known how to do the basics of both since I was a child, and even after all these years (we won't say how many), I never realized there was more than one way to cast on and bind off in knitting.

(Photo by elitatt)

Knitting Daily is offering a free eBook on the various ways to cast on and bind off, so head on over and grab it so you'll have it handy when you pick up your needles for your next project.  Since I'm pretty set in my ways, I'll probably continue to cast on and bind off the way I've always done it, but I'm going to download this ebook for the sake of curiosity, if nothing else.

~ Marie Anne