Project: Crochet Earflap Aviator Hat

This was a design I had come up with a while ago, and took many pictures documenting how I did it for you!

The bad news is, that since I did this so long ago, I cannot find my notes with how much yarn I used of each color.  I did not use a full skein of either the main color or the goggle color, but you should be safer rather than sorry.

Here goes!  Hat was made to fit my 12 month old.  This is Worsted Weight Yarn (Caron One Pound and Red Heart Super Saver) and an I Hook.

With Main Color
Magic Loop.
Round 1: Ch 2, 10 DC into ML.  Join with Sl St. Pull ML closed.
Round 2: Ch 2.  2 DC in same DC as Ch2. 2 DC in each DC around. Join wiht Sl St. (20 DC)
Round 3: Ch 2. DC in same DC as Ch2. *2 DC in next DC. DC in next DC**.  Repeat from * to ** around. Join with Sl St. (30 DC)
Round 4: Ch 2. DC in same DC as Ch2. *2 DC in next DC. 1 DC in each of next 2 DC's**.  Repeat from * to ** around. Join with Sl St. (40 DC)

Round 5: Ch 2. DC in same DC as Ch2. *2 DC in next DC. 1 DC in each of next 3 DC's**.  Repeat from * to ** around. Join with Sl St. (50 DC)

Round 6 - 10: Ch 2. DC in same DC as Ch2 and in each DC around. Join with Sl St. (50 DC)
Round 11 (Hat): Ch 2. In back loops only DC in same DC as Ch2 and in each DC around.  Join with Sl St (50 DC)

Round 12 (Hat): Ch 2. DC in same DC as Ch2 and in each DC around. Join with Sl St. (50 DC)
Switch to Secondary Color
Round 11A (Goggle Band):  Join Secondary color in Front Loop of Round 11.

 Ch 2.

DC in same st as Ch2 and in next 14 front loops.

Skip 20 Front Loop stitches and insert stitch marker in front loops of 21st stitch.

NOTE:  This is where Foundation Double Crochet (FDC) will begin.
To begin FDC stitches, yarn over, insert hook into same front loop as last DC, yarn over, and draw up loop.  There are three loops on hook.

Yarn over, draw through loop (chain made), yarn over, draw through two loops, yarn over draw through two loops.  First FDC completed.  Complete 29 additional FDC's for a total of 30 FDC stitches.
NOTE:  You will now connect the FDC stitches to the hat at the stitch marker.  To do this, yarn over.

Insert hook in front loop of stitch where the marker,

insert hook in bottom chain loops of last FDC,

yarn over

and draw through loops of FDC

and Front Loop on hat. You now have three loops on hook.

Complete DC in front loop as you normally would.

*DC in next Front Loop**

Repeat * to ** until end. Join with Sl St to top of beginning stitch of Round 11A

Round 12A (Goggle Band): Ch 2. Working only in Round 11A, DC in same St as Ch2 and in next 22 sts.

FDC 8 sts. Skip 6 sts, DC in next two sts. FDC 8 sts. Skip 6 sts,

DC in remaining 23 sts.  Join with sl st.

Fasten off, weave in all ends of secondary color.
Switch to Main Color
Round 13: Ch 2.

 DC in next 15 DC by working through all loops of both Main Color Stitches and Secondary Color stitches.

DC in next 20 DC of Main Color only.

DC in next 15 DC by working through all loops of both Main Color Stitches and Secondary Color stitches. (50 DC)
Round 14:  Ch 2. DC in same DC as Ch2 and in each DC around. Join with Sl St or invisible join. Fasten off, weave in ends. (50 DC)

Counting from the back seam, place a stitch marker in the 7th stitch, the 13th stitch, the 38th stitch and the 44th stitch.  These will mark the beginning and end points for the earflaps.

Earflap
Row 1: Insert hook into first stitch marker, draw up a loop and chain 2.  DC in same stitch as Ch 2. DC in next 6 stitches (last DC will be where second stitch marker is) (7 DC)

Row 2: Ch 2, turn. DC in same stitch as Ch2 and in each of next 6 DC. (7 DC)
Row 3: Turn.

Sl St in next 2 DC's.

Skip next DC.  5 DC in next DC. Skip next DC. Sl St in last DC.

Row 4: Turn. Skip Sl St. 2 DC in each of the next 5 DC's.  Sl St in Sl St from Row 3.

Fasten off, weave in ends.  Remove stitch markers.

Repeat Earflap instructions with third and fourth stitch marker.

Finishing:
SC all around bottom edge of hat and earflaps using Main Color.

For the embroidery around the eyes, I cut a length of Main Color yarn about 36" and split the 4 ply into 2 ply.  I used a G hook and chain stitched around the eye hole.  I did this for both eyes.

Project: Wet Jet Mop Cover

This post contains links to items I used in the activities described.  I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.  I was not paid by these brands nor did I receive goods or payment to recommend the products, they are just the products I chose for the project.

We have three kids, a messy dog and a kitchen and dining room with vinyl floors and a breakfast room with undefinable floors that need regular washing and wipe downs.  I am the proud owner of a Swiffer Wet Jet - this cleaning item is super easy to use since all I have to do is pull it out of the garage to give my floors a nice once - over to last between real washings.

The disposable pads cost too much for the amount I tend to go through!  I had seen on Pinterest a while back a pattern for a regular dry Swiffer mop head cover.  When I clicked the link, Pinterest told me users had reported Spam and other deviant content, so I was resolved to designing my own.  Besides, I have a wet jet which has those spouts on either end which need to be exposed for it to work correctly.

If you do not crochet, and would like a mop head cover of your own, please Request a Custom Order from my Etsy shop, and I will gladly make you one with your choice of colors.

Here it is, from me to you, a crochet pattern so you can make your own Wet Jet mop head cover.

Pattern:
Wet Jet Mop Cover

Materials:
H Hook
1.8 oz Worsted Weight Cotton - I used a discontinued color of Lily Sugar and Cream similar to this one.

Gauge: 10 HDC & 10 Rows HDC = 3"

Chain 62.
Row 1:  HDC in 3rd Ch from hook. HDC in each Ch across. (60 HDC)
Row 2: Ch 2, Turn. HDC in each HDC across (HDC)
Row 3 - 14: Repeat Row 2.
Fasten off, weave in ends.

You now have a rectangle that measures roughly 17" x 4".

With wrong side facing, fold over edges counting 10 HDC (for me this was just about 3" on each end). I place a stitch marker to align the folded flaps to the body of the mop head.

Insert hook at side fold, and draw up loop. Ch to secure.  Through both layers, SC across all 10 stitches.  SC in each of next 20, and through both layers for the last 10 HDC.  Fasten off, weave in ends.

Turn piece to finish off the other side.

Again, in the folded edge, insert hook, draw up loop. Ch to secure.  Through only one layer, HDC in same stitch and each of next 10.  You should now be at the edge of the folded piece.  Foundation HDC 20 sts. To join to open edge at opposite side:
YO, Insert hook in bottom of previous FHDC, insert hook into first stitch of open edge, draw up loop, draw through all loops on hook.
HDC in next stitch, and remaining 50 stitches. Join. Fasten off, weave in ends.

To place on your Wet Jet, be sure the "open" end is facing forward where the spouts are, and stretch across the mop head.  When it gets dirty, you can even flip it inside out to keep cleaning before throwing the whole thing in your washing machine!

Happy crafting and cleaning!

Project: Market Bag Crochet Pin-along with Vickie Howell

I love Pinterest, and use the Android mobile app to easily follow throughout the day while I hang out with my kids.  I've been noticing all kinds of posts from Jo-Ann with #WIP and #JoannCPAL and snuck onto my PC to start researching what this was all about...

I am super excited to say that I have just finished an afghan I had been working on, and while joining this party a little late, I have decided to join in on this awesome idea of a crochet along with one of my favorite craft stores!

The information is found here at the Jo-Ann blog, along with all the Pinterest board information.  Check out their board here!

So for starters, I do not have this yarn in my stash and I hadn't budgeted for this since I joined spur-of-the-moment.  I did have plenty of this pretty Light Blue Lily Sugar'n Cream cotton handy so this is what I chose to use for the project.

Here's my first picture of what I accomplished during my kids' morning nap.

I have decided that when I complete the bag, I am going to do a blog giveaway for it! Stay tuned!

Update 6/22/2013:

As I kept working, I noticed all of a sudden the mesh had gotten bigger in one spot.  I counted my chains and that was right and then I realized I had Double Crochets in the previous row instead of Single Crochets.  I had to rip out the work and redo that row. 

This is the fixed bag after I ran out of my first skein of yarn.

This is a picture of the twins deciding I should not be crocheting and I should be singing the Wheels on the Bus with them instead.  Always a good excuse for a break!

The color is off in this picture because I took it at night, but this was my work at the end of Day 2.

Update 6/24/13 - Morning

Starting the handles today - the pattern wasn't clear if I should be putting handles on the three rows of Single Crochet or the single row of Single Crochet.  I had used the three rows as the "bottom" but didn't like the way it fell, so I decided to use the three rows as the top.

Beginning the handles of the Market Bag.

Update: 6/24/2013 - Evening

I finished the bag!  The handles were a lot thicker than I would have made them, so I decreased in the straps about halfway up each side.  The baby loved the bag.

The baby in the completed market bag.

She especially loved how many of her toys fit in the market bag.

The completed bag.

I loved doing the Crochet Pin-Along but didn't like the pattern.  For my first market bag, I would have enjoyed making something with a little more shape to it rather than just a big rectangle.  There's always next time!