[Hat]

I have a friend who really loves vintage items. Anything that looks vintage is her "thing" so I decided to make up a crochet hat pattern that would pay homage to her taste. I came up with this:

I don't know how many people are as in love with the Roaring 20s as she is, but I figured I'd post the pattern anyway for those who are.

You start with a very basic hat "base". I prefer to use an I-hook and worsted weight yarn, preferably Red Heart Super Saver (seriously, I should be a VIP with their company considering how much business they get from me.  )

Hat
I begin with a magic circle.
1. Chain 3, double crochet 11 times (in this and all rounds, chain-3 counts as a DC). Join with a slip stitch. (12 DC).

2. Double crochet twice in each stitch around. Join with slip stitch. (24 DC).

3. Double crochet in a pattern of (2 in stitch, 1 in next stitch). (36 DC).

4. Double crochet in a pattern of (2 in stitch, 1 in next stitch, 1 in next stitch). (48 DC).

Work 8 rows double crochet around (or the amount needed to comfortably fit on your head).

Work 3 rows of single crochet. I switched to a different color for the last round, but that's up to you.

Flap
Begin by sewing a guide using scrap yarn for the width you want your hat flap to be. I chose a small-ish flap, but you can go as big as you want.

Use scrap yarn of a contrasting color to sew a "guide" for where you want your hat band to end. I would suggest putting the hat on your head and looping some yarn into your last row of stitches to show where you want your guide so that you don't make the flap too short or too long, but it's all about what works best for you.

Sew an embroidery chain (A great video tutorial can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGbj_VmcIR0)
Using a tapestry needle, pull the tail of your yarn through to the back (this makes it easier to hide the ends when you've finished). Your working yarn should still be at the front of your hat. Use your finger to hold the tail in place so it doesn't pull through or sew your tail into your hat--whichever fits your preference.

1. Single crochet into each embroidery chain you made. In my case, I had a chain one and seven single crochet. Chain one and turn.

2. Working through back loops only, single crochet across. This technique is what creates the nice ribbed effect across the flap. If you're not sure how to do that, there's a nice picture guide here of how to identify back, front & both loops: http://www.redheart.com/files/workinback_zoom.jpg

3. Continue to work back and forth, single crocheting across through back loops only until your hat band is the approximate length you want.

This next part is optional. If you want your band to have a square edge, you're finished! Simply fasten off your yarn and skip to step 5.

4. Single crochet into your first stitch. Locate your middle stitch and complete a shell. In my case, I used a seven-double crochet shell. Locate your last stitch, single crochet, chain 1 and turn. Work a round of single crochet across each stitch. Fasten off.

5. Using a contrasting color (or the same, it's your preference), single crochet around the "loose" flap of the hat. This hides away all the rough edges of the flap. Fasten off and weave in all your ends.

6. Pick a button and sew onto the hat through both the band and the hat.

7. Put hat on head and enjoy!

I've tried to explain as best as I can how to make the hat, but if you have any questions, feel free to comment and I'll do my best to help. I'm self-taught so my explanations may not always make sense to other people (I've tried to explain knitting before and shudder at the thought of ever doing it again).

Also, if you use the pattern, post pictures. I'd love to see what other people come up with! 

[Base Hat]

I've never attempted to explain how I've done a hat before, but I'm going to do my best since Halloween is fast approaching & I think this little gem would be much appreciated:


For this pattern, I used Red Heart Super Saver. It looks like a lime green, but I think the color name is "Spring Green".

I used an I/9 hook and I honestly don't use a gauge for my hats. I usually just test fit and work more rows if it's too short. (I know I offend the Gods of Crochet by saying that, but I promise, I test gauge with big or very important projects).

A lot of what I did was fooling around & I didn't actually write a pattern so I'll give a general idea of what I did for that.

I'm going to write out the pattern rather than abbreviate so hopefully it will be user-friendly for beginners.

Base Hat
First off, you make your base hat. For an adult, I usually increase to 48 stitches.

At the end of each round, you will join with a slip stitch & chain three to begin the next round. Chain-threes count as your first DC.

1. Start with a magic ring. Chain three and double crochet 11 times (12 DC). Join with a slip stitch.

2. Double crochet two times into each stitch around. Because your chain-three counts as a double crochet, you would only double crochet once into the first stitch after the chain three. (24 DC) Join with a slip stitch.

3. Double crochet around in a pattern of (2 double crochet in stitch, 1 double crochet in next stitch). I tend to count "1, 2, 3" as I work around the pattern to remind me that I am, in effect, working three stitches for each pattern repeat. (36 DC). Join with a slip stitch.

4. Double crochet around in a pattern of (2 double crochet in stitch, 1 double crochet in next stitch, 1 double crochet in next stitch). I count "1, 2, 3, 4" as I work each pattern repeat (make sure you've only covered 3 of your stitches from the previous round). (48 DC). Join with a slip stitch.

5 - 12. Double crochet around. You will continue to work a double crochet into the first stitch after your chain-3 so you will not continue to have 48 stitches. If you do, there's a chance the hat will end up being too tight and will only fit a child.
At the end of round 12, I had 56 stitches.

Test the fit of your hat. If you feel it's too short, feel free to work more rounds to lengthen it to a comfortable fit.

13 & 14 (OPTIONAL). Using a smaller hook, single crochet around. Join with a slip stitch. I did this to help tighten the fit on the hat, but it's up to you.

Brains
For the brains, I didn't write a specific pattern.
I used scrap thread to sew on a basic guideline for how I thought brains should move around.
I then made an embroidery chain (a video can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGbj_VmcIR0).
After I finished the chain, I simply crocheted around, varying between single crochets, skipped stitches, double crochets & shells of 5-9 double crochet.
That's the best way I can think of to explain it. I felt like it should be kinda whimsical since brains don't make a lot of sense.
I then worked a circle of embroidery chain around that and used my green to crochet random shells & single crochet around to look like torn flesh.

Eyeball
For the eyeball, I started with "Cherry Red" & then changed to white.

1. Make a magic ring. Chain three & double crochet 11 times into the ring. (12 DC) Join with a slip stitch.
NOTE: When you have the last two loops of your last double crochet on your hook, pick up your white yarn & pull finish the double crochet. Cut your red yarn leaving a nice long tail and begin to work the rest of the stitches in white.
2. Single crochet around working a pattern of (2 single crochet in one stitch, 1 single crochet in the next, 1 single crochet in the next). I'm not sure if that's what I did because it's hard to see the stitches, but it sounds about right.
3. Work row two again.
4. Work sc around each row.
5. Begin decreasing. I think I worked a pattern of decreasing every other stitch.
Repeat round 5 until there are only a few stitches left.
Stuff the eyeball with scrap yarn or fiberfill. I used scrap yarn.
Sew your eyeball closed, leaving a long tail. Pull tight & use the tail to sew the eye onto the hat.

Take some black scrap yarn and sew it in an X to make the "missing" eye.

I hope that made sense to all of you. If not, feel free to comment here and I'll try to explain as best as possible. Also, if you feel I made any errors in the pattern, let me know. Sometimes my brain runs faster than I type. 

I've decided to post some hats I made lately that were pretty simple and fun to make. It took multiple skeins of yarn and buttons in order to make them, but I've had a lot of compliments.
The pattern I created uses double crochet, double crochet decrease, joining in the round, use a magic loop, single crochet & reverse single crochet (aka crab stitch). I will not be posting the pattern because of the concern that someone will sell it as their own.


This hat was made with two colors of Red Heart Super Saver yarn--Cherry Chip & Turqua. I used buttons from my notions stash & some scraps of Bright Yellow for the beak (also Red Heart Super Saver yarn).


This hat was made with two colors of Red Heart Super Saver yarn--Coffee & Carrot. I used buttons from my notions stash & some scraps of Bright Yellow for the beak & part of the braided ties (also Red Heart Super Saver yarn).


This hat was made with Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Sandy Print. I used buttons from my notions stash for the eyes, Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Cherry Red for the "hat", edging & mouth as well as scraps of Caron's Simply Soft in Bone for the rest of the mouth.


Picture of my favorite little man wearing the Sock Monkey hat.

After coveting the knitted tetris blankets I've seen on the internet, I decided to try my hand at crocheting one. I made granny squares from a very simple pattern & then stitched them together to form the shapes. I initially sewed together squares into the tetris shapes. In hindsight, I should have stitched them together into rows so that the back wouldn't be so unattractive, but fortunately, the person receiving this lapghan can use a sewing machine so she's going to sew some fabric to the back.
It measures about three feet square.
After joining the shapes, I single crocheted black yarn around them and joined the entire blanket together with single crochet. As you can see, it's a little sloppy & crooked so if you plan to imitate, I'd find some other method of joining.
I made up the placement of the shapes based on a real game of tetris, meaning that there are not full rows of color. I made black squares to fill in the blank spaces & then finished with a purple border in reverse single crochet, but any border would look fine, I'm sure.



In case you're wondering, here's the pattern I used for the granny squares:

Make a magic adjustable ring. Ch 3 (counts as DC here & throughout pattern). Double crochet into the ring 11 times. Join to 3rd ch of ch-3 with slip stitch.
Ch 3. (DC, 1 TC, 2 DC) in same space as ch-3. DC in next 2 DC. *(2DC, 1 TC, 2 DC) in next dc, DC in next 2 DC* 3 times. Join with slip stitch & fasten off.

In case this is confusing... the 2DC, 1 TC, 2 DC is the corners of the square. If you have any questions or use this pattern for anything, feel free to post here & I'll get back to you ASAP.

So...after creating a couple cupcake hats, my best friend suggested that I try adapting the pattern to make Mario Mushroom hats. Well, I decided to go over the top & make the pattern up myself....although I did take a lot of what I've learned from other patterns.
I will not be posting the pattern for a variety of reasons including:
1. the concern that people will use it for financial gain
2. it still has quite a few kinks to work out
3. some of the pattern I worked impulsively and didn't write down (plus I couldn't explain it well if I tried)

Anyway, I don't have any red or green yarn right now, so I decided to make a "prototype" hat out of pink Lion Brand Pound of Love yarn (which I currently have a ton of).
Here is what I came up with:


I think it looks pretty great, but I want to try again and make it twice as thick since the cap part is pretty flimsy (the pink area). The stalk (white part) is great though, nice and warm.
So, there it is.


EDIT 8/28
Finally completed the "real hat".
Here's a picture in-progress:


Here's a picture of it completed. As you can see, it is sturdy enough to stand on it's own.


Here is it with my best friend of 10 years modeling it.


It is SUPER warm, especially the body part, which fits over the ears. It's also nice and snug. I plan to eventually make one in green also. The picture quality isn't so great, but I can't do anything about that.

This is my first time posting finished projects that weren't part of a CAL.

The first hat I made (which I've been thinking of as the Butterfly Garden Cupcake), was made using Caron Simply Soft in "Bone" for the base & Lion Brand Jiffy in "Coral Gables" for the frosting. The butterflies are made from random assortments of yarn & the flower was made using Bernat Baby Coordinates in "Lemon Custard"


This is the first hat before I attached the butterflies and flower.


This is a view of one of the butterflies and the flower. The hat wasn't wanting to stand for decent photos. 

The second hat I made (I call it the Strawberry Delight Cupcake) was made using Caron Simply Soft in "Bone" for the base & Lion Brand Pound of Love in "Pastel Pink" for the frosting. I used Caron Simply Soft in "Chocolate" and "Off White" for the vanilla & chocolate sprinkles.



And, finally, the cloche hat. I used Lion Brand Pound of Love yarn in white & Lion Brand Jiffy yarn in "Rose Spray" for the flower.



Thanks for looking. I used free patterns found on the internet for all the hats so if anyone is interested and likes them, let me know. I'll be glad to post links for everything. 

[not]

I found a free hat pattern on Bernat's website that I liked and decided to adapt it. Why?
1. The pattern was for a girl and I wanted something universal.
2. The pattern was sized for 6 months & up and I wanted a newborn hat.
3. When I tried the original pattern, I found that it was difficult to try to sew the seams together and hoped that, by adapting it, that problem would be gone.

So this is my question. If you adapt a free pattern from a website, can you post your adapted version to share with other people when you are not trying to make money off of it?

The only reason I want to post this pattern is because I think that my adapted version looks wonderful for both baby girls and boys and I want to share it with other people.
Anyone have thoughts on this?