Popcorn stitch granny square

I am hatching a holiday plan to make a small blanket with bright colours contrasted with black.  I couldn't find a pattern to match what is in my head so I am worked out a square this morning.

Using - Stylecraft special and a 4mm hook

First create the popcorn "flower"......

Round 1 - 16 treble crochets into an adjustable ring

Round 2 - 8 x 5 stitch popcorn "petals" on alternate trebles from the previous round with 3 chains between each petal

Front of flower....

back of flower

Granny border

Round 3 - attach green to one of the 3 chain spaces behind the petals.  Chain 3 and then double crochet into the 3 chain space.  Repeat 7 times more to create 8 chain spaced "loops"..

From the back,.,,,

Sidewards view to show the double crochet

Round 4 - 3 chains and 2 treble crochets into the first 3 chain space to create granny cluster.  1 chain then 3 trebles, 3 chains, 3 trebles into next 3 chain space to create first corner.  Repeat around to create a square around the popcorn flower. Slip stitch into the top of the first 3 chain to complete the round.

Round 5 - slip stitch into the next 1 chain space.  3 chain and 2 trebles to create granny cluster.  Then create granny cluster corner with 3 trebles, 3 chains, 3 trebles.  Continue around the square with 3 treble granny clusters in the chain spaces.

Round 6 - change to black and repeat the same method as round 5.

Toby's triangulation hat

Yarn - Stylecraft life in Bracken/Hobbycraft chunky blue (half a ball that has been hanging around for years)
Needles - 4.5mm/6mm
Pattern - Triangulation by Kat Goldin

Ah the trials and tribulations of choosing a hat for Toby.  There's so much choice on Ravelry which is great but a bit bewildering to someone who likes to over think these kinds of crafty decisions.  After a couple of Worsted weight false starts I settled on purchasing a pattern for the Triangulation hat by Kat Goldin.  I was apprehensive about colour work and using magic loop due to usually getting in a tangle with both.  Turns out I didn't get in that much of a mess.  I was careful to unravel the two colours at the end of each round.  I don't yet understand how people can knit such colourful creations without getting muddled but maybe there is hope for me yet.

The best thing about making this hat was one little boy's response when I presented him with it.  To say he loves it is an understatement.  He has slept with it, wore it constantly during waking hours and told at least 5 people about it during yesterday's trip to the opticians.

As for notes, well my gauge was off vertically.  What is that all about?!  I must try and understand it as my stitch count across was fine.  So I added extra rows although I could have safely knitted an extra repeat of the triangles.  I made the pom pom with a clover pom pom maker.  It's nice and full and fluffy.

Toby has requested a second hat with orange triangles.  Brown and orange?!  What a fantastic retro plan.

Resolution review - February

How things are going......

1. Learn to use DPNs   -  Hmmm, not even started

2. Finish or Frog abandoned WIPs - working hard on my Sunny Spread which I started last june.  Ahem, not much else finished but I did "assess" another half finished crochet blanket by getting it out of its bag and then putting it back in again.

3. Knit a pair of socks - I bought the yarn.  Does that count?

4. Learn Tunisian crochet - Not yet

5. Blog/Ravelry finished items - One item finished and added to ravelry.  High achiever!

Christmas makes 2014

Where to start?!  There was fair bit of crafting this Christmas.  Mostly crochet.

Sooooo..

Make number 1

Santa Baby (from Simply Crochet magazine) by Cara Medus

Using Stylecraft special dk


Make number 2

Robins adapted from Attic 24.  I made 6 for the school fair and others for friends


Make number 3

Nativity from this fabulous pattern

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/holy-family-nativity-set

Made in double knit but I would really like to try these in DMC Petra.

Make number 4

Sprout (okay mine looks more like a cabbage),  Pattern from here

http://messyla.typepad.com/messyla-blog/2014/11/christmas-wrapping-ideas-crochet-brussel-sprout-.html

Make number 5

Snowman wreath from Repeat Crafter Me blog.

And finally one fairy light.  Not very effective on it's own but I may well come back to this one
next year.

Resolutions

1. Learn to use DPNs
2. Finish or Frog abandoned WIPs
3. Knit a pair of socks
4. Learn Tunisian crochet
5. Blog/Ravelry finished items

Happy New Year

A new year and a fresh resolve to blog about my crafty exploits.  I made a lot of stuff in 2014 which I failed to document here or on Ravelry.  I guess it takes up valuable crafting time but it is also good to be able to look back.

The numbers on the bunting are from the fantastic Moogly website http://www.mooglyblog.com/the-moogly-crochet-numbers/  Made with Stylecraft special double knit in teal.  The bunting itself is made with chunky stylecraft special.  I started ad the bottom of each flag and then just increased every other row until they were big enough.  I then did a double crochet (sc uk) edging. The edging is a bit random and not very tidy but I quite like it that way (really).  I joined it all by double crocheting along the top (chaining 30 or so for the side bits to tie it up).  It was just a quick New Year make so I didn't want to spend a lot of time on it.  Next year I will update the "5"!

Minecraft wolf

My notes (and not at all a tested or checked pattern!!).

*****I only made this once and would have to make it again to turn it into a more useful pattern.  The notes are just for future reference really.  It was a lot of sewing. Pretty sure it could be made a lot more simply by those more clever than I.  Still it made one little boy very happy.*****

Notes.....

Yarn - Stylecraft special double knit in silver, parchment, dark brown, white

hook - 3.5mm

Stitch used - single crochet (UK)

The head -

Crochet two squares of 12 chains x 12 rows to make the squares for front and back.  The sides (make 4) are 12 chains x 4 rows. Plus the extra turning chain.  I slip stitched the pieces together to try and get a "blocky" look.

The nose -

Make six pieces of 4 chains x 4 rows.  I hooked the foundation chain and first row in dark brown for three pieces (which I used for the muzzle). Use parchment for the rest and for the whole of the other three pieces.  I embroidered the nose on using dark brown.

Sew the nose onto the head and embroider eyes on using dark brown and white.

The ears - 3 chains plus turning chain x six rows.  Fold over and stitch around then stitch them to the back of the head.

Neck ruffle middle bit -

Make one turquoise square - 16 x 16 sc/rows
Make one silver 16 x 16 sc/rows
Make four grey/silver 16 sc x 10 rows

The body -

Make 2 - 16 sc x 16 rows silver (sides)
Make 2 - 16 sc x 14 rows silver (top and bottom)
Make 2 - 14 sc x 16 rows silver (front and back ends)

The legs - erm, I cannot remember how I made these.  It looks like 8 sc for approx 12 row and then sewn up into a sausage shape

tail - 10 sc - sc a few rows until long enough to sew into a sausage shape.