Tutorilal: How to crochet a baby gnome hat

I want to start by welcoming all the readers that have come over from Made, where this post is participating in "Celebrate the boy". 

Dana has giveaways and a wonderful collection of tutorials for making all kinds of cute boy stuff, so if you haven't already, go and check it out. A wonderful group of bloggers will be contributing tutorials. Not to mention the lovely tutorials Dana herself will be posting as well! It lasts all month, and into march a little too, so keep going back to see whats going on over there! :) 

I decided to share crochet instructions for a baby gnome hat!  If you want to read about my inspiration for the hat and what not, you can read it over on Made. :)

I only used one skein of "Charisma" by Loops and Threads, a bulky 5 weight acrylic yarn. I chose a thick yarn for warmth, and acrylic for wash-ability. This was my second time using this yarn, I am really happy with the way it turned out and will probably use it again in the future. It is really soft and doesn't itch like some acrylic yarns. I have made this hat using a lighter weight yarn and it works fine, the spaces between stitches are a little larger though.

Most of the hat is crocheted in the round and is worked almost entirely using the double crochet stitch. The pattern I am sharing is for a 12month old - 3 yr old size head.

The hook I used was US I 9 / 5.50mm.

Gauge

3 rows of 6 dc = 2in x 2in

Here is a key for all the abbreviations I use.

dc = double crochet

ch = chain

sl st = slip stitch

rep = repeat

sk = skip

beg = beginning

rnd = round

Lets get stared,

Ch 4, join with a sl st to form a ring.

Rnd 1: ch 2 for first dc, 8 dc in ring, sl st to top of beg ch. 

(9 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 2: ch 2 for first dc, dc in each dc, sl st to top of beg ch. 

(9 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 3: ch 2 for first dc, dc in 1 dc, *2 dc in 1 dc, dc in next 2 dc, rep from *, sl st to top of beg ch. 

(12 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 4: same as rnd 2.
(12 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 5: same as rnd 3.
(16 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 6: same as rnd 2.
(16 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 7: same as rnd 3.
(21 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 8: same as rnd 2.
(21stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 9: same as rnd 3.
(28 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 10: same as rnd 2.
(28 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 11: same as rnd 3.
(37 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 12: same as rnd 2.
(37 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 13: same as rnd 3.
(49 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 14: same as rnd 2.
(49 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 15: same as rnd 2.
(49 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 16: same as rnd 2.
(49 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 17: same as rnd 2.
(49 stitches counting the ch 2.)

Rnd 18: same as rnd 2.
(49 stitches counting the ch 2.)

After round 18 is finished fasten off and thread extra yarn into the hat.

You should now have a cute little gnome hat with no ear flaps.  If you don't want ear flaps you can stop here and call it good. If you do want ear flaps keep reading. :)

If you look at your hat you will see a "seam" of stitches where you joined each round and started the next one.  Lay the hat flat so that The "seam" is in the middle to make counting stitches easier. (Like in the photo below.)

 To add the first ear flap; Start working in the 10th stitch from the "seam". (see top photo above) Work the first row of the flap with the wrong side (inside of the hat) facing you.

Ear flap row 1: ch 3 for 1st dc, (working to the right) sk 2 dc, sl st,
(working to the left now) 7 dc (8 stitches total counting ch 3) in the same stitch that the ch 3 is coming out of, sk 2 dc, sl st. (See photo above.)

 Flip over and work the next row on top of the row you just made. Work with the right side (outside of the hat) facing you.

Ear flap row 2: ch 3, (working to the right) sk 2 dc, sl st, 

(working to the left now) 2 dc in every 1 dc (16 stitches total counting ch 3), sk 2, sl st. 

Fasten off and thread the extra yarn into the hat. (See photo above)

For ear flap 2 rep Ear flap row 1 and 2, starting on the 10th stitch from the "seam" on the opposite side of the hat. (See top photo above.) 

The "seam" should end up being on the back of the hat.

To make the ties cut 2 long strands of yarn. These should be three times longer than the length you want the finished ties to be.

Fold a strand in half and loop hook in the center fold of strand.

In the middle stitch of the ear flap (see bottom photo above) and pull strand of yarn though stitch. 

ch as many chain stitches it takes to run out of yarn. (Or as many ch stitches it takes to tie a bow under the chin of the person it is made for.) Fasten off and Trim excess.  

Do it again on the other flap.

 You hat should now look like the photo below.

Yippee You're done!!Put it on your little one to keep their little ears and cheeks warm and cozy.

 (Or just to see how cute they look in it.)  :)

If you want you can change it up a bit you can add pom poms or tassels to the ends of the ties.  Or you could change the color of yarn every row to make stripes. The possibilities are endless.

Happy crocheting everyone!!!

EDIT: I noticed that I forgot some details in the ear flaps. If you needed some clarifications there just read the red text.  I just added it. :) hope that helps.

Spreading the word

My sister Merrilee in having a sale on these lovely prints to benefit this amazing family! Their daughter Davy was born with a cleft lip and palate, congenital heart defects and several other conditions.
 All Lovely Love print proceeds are going to benefit the family! Merrilee posts more about it here. Check it out is really is a lovely post!
If you buy one this week you get another print of your choice free!! That deal is only going on this week so hurry and get one! I know I want one I just can't decide on a color. Go to her shop here and get yours! 

snippet

 I'll be out for a few days since I'm super busy this week.
Plus I'll be getting ready for this!

How lucky I am to be part of such a talented group of creative people!

Here is a hint at what I am working on...

See you soon!

Tutorial: pocket valentines

I was at Michaels with my sister a few weeks ago.
(Something I don't usually get to do so that was awesome! :) :) Thanks for coming to Logan to play with me Annie Carie!)
While we were there we found some cute scrapbook paper that looked like stamps.

You can't beat 25 cents so I figured I could cut each one out and make them into valentines. They ended up being pretty small so I revisited a past project and made pocket valentines again! 

The idea is to make the tiny valentine be bigger, and cuter, by sewing a heart pocket to a piece of card-stock for the tiny card to fit into.

1. First I cut the paper into smaller pieces with postage stamp scissors.
2. Then I used spray adhesive to attach book paper to the card-stock for a vintage look ( If you want simplicity you don't have to do this part.)
3. Then I cut the card-stock into 4x5 in pieces. (I didn't actually measure so I'm not sure the exact size.)
4. After that I cut out a bunch of hearts from pink paper. (Regular weight, not card-stock.)
5. Then I laid the heart onto the card-stock piece, sandwiched the tiny valentine in-between the two (but peeking out a bit), and sewed a straight stitch around the valentine to make the pocket the right size. (Another way to do this is to trace the outline of the tiny valentine onto the heart, and follow the lines on with your sewing machine. Erase all pencil marks when you're finished.)

 You're done! Aren't they adorable?!! Kids will want to take it out of the pocket and put it back in over and over! Enjoy!

(This post in linked up in these link parties! )

from the library: Patchwork Style by Suzuko Koseki

Trent and I almost always have both our library cards maxed out. Patchwork Style is one of my recent favorites. I am loving quilts and quilted things right now.  I just started a quilt inspiration photo file in pintrest and hope to fill it with all my favorite quilts! If you haven't tried Pintrest yet go and do it! It's free and it saves the site info of where you found the picture. I had been saving my inspirational photos on my hard drive but was having to type all the urls into the file names and use up my storage. Pintrest is so much easier for me!

These bags are so pretty!

The photography is really pretty to!

Thanks for stopping by! Oh and I have been working on something for Celebrate the boy so keep coming back. :)

Tutorial : How to make a window in your origami box

Remember when I figured out how to cut a hole in the top of my origami boxes? Ever since then I have been wanting to make a video. Well I finally did!

I have a tripod now so the video isn't as wobbly as my other video so thats nice. I don't teach how to make the box itself in this video so to learn how to make the box go here. I made some as gift boxes for Christmas presents for my nieces. I put little recycled Rosette hair clips inside them. It was because of the window that they turned out so adorable I think! I am so excited to share this with you all! Lets get onto the video!

{I link up in these link parties}

Tutorial : Candy filled valentine doily

I have had this idea in my head for a long time now and I am so excited to share it with you!  Seriously, can you get any cuter than valentine doilies laced up and filled with candy? Adding a heart window flap just magnifies the cuteness!  Plus the lacing part is super easy and fun for kids to do.

 

Materials

• red card stock
• hole punch
• large scallop scissors
• yarn
• candy
• cellophane (or recycled plastic bag)
• x-acto knife
• tape

1.  The first thing you need to do is make two doilies. (See my doily tutorial here... Also, instead of punching two rows of holes I only did one).

2.  Next you need to cut a little heart window out of one of the doilies. I made a heart template and traced it in the middle. following the tracing lines, I cut only half the heart with an x-acto knife. (This part is not intended for kids.). Then I folded it over to make a cute little flap that finishes the other half of the heart shape. (Remember to erase any pencil marks when finished.)

 

3.  Now you need to put plastic in the window. (You can use cellophane but I just cut out a piece of plastic from an old bag I had on hand.) Tape the plastic to the back of the doily to cover the hole.

4.  Grab some yarn, lace it up three fourths of the way, and fill with candy. Finish lacing and tie a pretty bow at the top.

Ta-da you're done!
Enjoy your sweet little valentines!

{I am linking up at these link parties}