The Olympics

I have been completely obsessed with the Olympics this year.  I have never been like this before.  Nothing around the house is getting done.  My son is pretty into it too, which doesn't help matters.  It's so funny; we have been sitting on the couch watching other people exercise.  

I've never really listened to the Olympics before, and I think that's the difference this time around.  The announcers make everything sound so exciting.  I realized I was hooked when I was watching cross country skiing, something I had always found incredibly boring.  Boy was I wrong!  Those announcers are shouting about this and that and I can't look away.   And Short Track, I can't begin to express my love for you.  My stomach is in knots as the skaters race around and around that small oval.  

So, thankfully, the Olympics will be over soon and I can turn off the TV and get back to things. My fingers have been itching to get something into production for my new niece or nephew due in a few weeks. Time is running short, and I haven't even decided what to make, much less found a pattern.  My sister-in-law is a quilter, so I don't think I should make a blanket, as I am sure she has made a beautiful one of her own.  But, maybe.  You really can't have too many blankets I don't think.  Looking to do something classy and timeless.  I will have to tear my eyes away from the Games and start perusing Pinterest and Ravelry and see what I can come up with.

Gracie's Hat

Here is the pattern for the hat I made for Michelle's new daughter, Gracie.  It is a very simple pattern.  Doesn't require much counting, but isn't as boring as a plain single crochet hat.   Once done with the increase rounds it is an absolute breeze.  I wrote up a pattern for newborn, baby and child.  This hat has a lot of stretch to it, so keep that in mind.  There are a couple of pictures with notes after the newborn size pattern to help with any confusion.

Stuff I used:

Clover I - 5.5 mm hook

Clover H - 5 mm hook

Caron Simply Soft color Off White

Stitch Marker

Gauge:  End of Round 5 should measure around 3.75" across flat circle.

Throughout the pattern: All stitches are made into the single crochet stitches; the double crochet stitches are ignored.  Join each round with a slip stitch into the first single crochet stitch of that round, NOT the chain-1.  Do NOT turn.  When starting a new round, the first cluster goes into the same stitch as the join from previous round.  The last round is done using the smaller size hook.  

I recommend marking your first single crochet of each round, especially through the increase rounds, to make it easier to see the beginning of the round.

Special stitches: CL - cluster- (sc, dc, dc) all in same stitch

                                

Newborn: About 12" finished circumference

Using I hook, Make a ring

Round 1:   Ch 1, *sc, dc, dc* repeat 3 more times in ring.  Join - 12 stitches

Round 2:   Ch 1, 2 CL in each sc around.  Join - 8 clusters

Round 3:   Ch 1, *2 CL in sc, 1 CL in next sc* repeat around.  Join - 12 clusters

Round 4:   Ch 1, *1 CL in sc, 1 CL in next sc, 2 CL in next sc* repeat around.  Join - 16                                   clusters 
Rounds 5-14:  Ch 1, 1 Cluster in each sc around.  Join - 16 clusters

Change to H hook

Round 15:  Ch 1, sc in same stitch as join.  5 dc in next sc, *sc in next sc, 5 dc in next sc* repeat around.  Join - 8 shells.

Your done! Fasten off and weave in those ends.

It does look a bit like a flower in the beginning, but rounds out after all the increases

Baby: About 14" finished circumference

Using I hook, Make a ring

Round 1:   Ch 1, *sc, dc, dc* repeat 3 more times in ring.  Join in sc - 12 stitches

Round 2:   Ch 1, 2 CL in each sc around.  Join - 8 clusters

Round 3:   Ch 1, *2 CL in sc, 1 CL in next sc* repeat around.  Join - 12 clusters

Round 4:   Ch 1, *1 CL in sc, 1 CL in next sc, 2 CL in next sc* repeat around.  Join - 16                                   clusters

Round 5:   Ch 1, 1 CL in each sc around, join - 16 clusters

Round 6:   Ch 1, *1 CL in sc, 2 CL in next sc, 1 CL in each of next 2 sc* repeat around.  Join -                       20 clusters

Rounds 7- 18:  Ch 1, 1 CL in each sc around.  Join - 20 clusters

Change to H hook

Round 19:  Ch 1, sc in same stitch as join.  5 dc in next sc, *sc in next sc, 5 dc in next sc*                                 repeat around. Join - 10 shells

Your done! Fasten off and weave in those ends.

Child: About 17" finished circumference

Using I hook, Make a ring

Round 1:   Ch 1, *sc, dc, dc* repeat 3 more times in ring.  Join - 12 stitches

Round 2:   Ch 1, 2 CL in each sc around.  Join - 8 clusters

Round 3:   Ch 1, *2 CL in sc, 1 CL in next sc* repeat around.  Join - 12 clusters

Round 4:   Ch 1, *1 CL in sc, 1 CL in next sc, 2 CL in next sc* repeat around.  Join - 16                                   clusters

Round 5:   Ch 1, 1 CL in each sc around, join - 16 clusters

Round 6:   Ch 1, *1 CL in sc, 2 CL in next sc, 1 CL in each of next 2 sc* repeat around.  Join -                       20 clusters

Round 7:   Ch 1, 1 CL in each sc around.  Join - 20 clusters

Round 8:   Ch 1, *1 CL in each of next 4 sc, 2 CL in next sc* repeat around.  Join - 24 clusters

Rounds 9-22:  Ch1, 1 CL in each sc around.  Join - 24 clusters

Change to H hook

Round 23:  Ch 1, sc in same stitch as join.  5 dc in next sc, *sc in next sc, 5 dc in next sc*                                 repeat around.  Join - 12 shells

Your done! Fasten off and weave in those ends.

Babies, Babies Everywhere!!!

I am at the age where everyone I know seems to be having babies.  I love it!!  So, I have started on a baby item marathon.  

The past couple of weeks were spent on friend Michelle's new baby girl.  She got a gorgeous granny square blanket at her shower, so I didn't want to compete with that by making a blanket.  I figured I would just make a few hats.  I love making hats.  (I apologize for the quality of all of my pictures.  One day I will take a photography class.)

It was an owl themed baby shower, so I had to make an owl hat.  This was pretty simple - just your typical beanie pattern with a few embellishments sewn on.  The hardest part was getting the eyes to both be in the right place.

Next was an earflap hat made with super fluffy and soft yarn - Bernat Pipsqueak, color Pretty Pink.  This might be the softest, squishiest  hat I have ever seen!   I thought about putting on cute little ears to make it look like a bear, but decided against it.  

Made just one more for a non-pink option.  I really like how it came out.  I will get a pattern written up for it this week.

So I will send these off to Michelle today.  Hopefully she will send me some action shots that I can post.