Freebie Friday - Crochet Seafarer's Cap by Beth Hall

OK, I admit it, I did not design this weeks free pattern. 

But I've had several people ask me about this style of construction and it's a technique worth knowing.  It uses stitches of varied heights - including our stitch of the week half double crochet.  Single crochet and slip stitches are used to create shaping at the crown as well as a thick stretchy brim.

In fact, this free pattern is my most favorite for hats donated to charity, because they are very warm and the brim can be rolled down over the ears. 

Let’s take a closer look at the Crochet Seafarer's Cap by Beth Hall for the Seamen's Church Institute. Please refer to the pattern for specific instructions. All stitches are worked BLO.

Row 1 - Worked directly into the chain, I like to use the back ridge loops.

See how it looks different when you switch from slst to sc?

And again when you switch from sc to hdc? Place a marker in your first hdc as a reference point.

Place a second marker in your last hdc as a reference point. Move these markers up each row until you feel familiar with how the stitches look.

The slip stitch rows can be confusing if you can’t identify the proper loops. be sure to tilt the top edge toward you in order to see the entire last row, and most importantly that back loop.

Work 16 slst - up to your hdc marker, then ch1 and turn, working back toward the edge. These are the short rows that make the brim extra stretchy.

Turn that top edge toward you to see your working loops!

As you turn again at the edge, you’ll have a “step” at the end of the slst rows.

Just work right down into the first hdc. Again, tilt that top edge to find that back loop.

Work the rest of the row down, alternating rows of 6 slst and 3 slst at the crown. Repeat these rows to length.

After several rows, you can see how the stitch changes are going to shape the hat, wide stretchy brim, softer fabric in the middle, and narrowing at the crown so it will be nice and flat.

When you're ready to start seaming, bring the edge with your starting chain up in front of your working row, and slip stitch through both edges at the same time.  I like working under both remaining loops of my starting chain, and the back loop only of the working row.  I think it makes for a tighter, better looking seam.

You can see the difference between the way the seam looks on either side of the fabric.  Turn the hat so that the "right side" or outer side is the one you like best.

I hope you make as many of these fantastic caps as I have... and if you do... be sure to share some with your local homeless shelter or veterans resource center.  It will warm your heart to help them stay warm!

Tutorial - Half Double Crochet

There's an exception to every rule, right? 

That applies to crochet as well.  Just when you thought it was safe to assume that the (US) name of a stitch told you how many loops to have on your hook when you begin, and how many pairs of loops to remove... along come half stitches.

The most common half stitch is half-double crochet, so let's go over it step by step.

Like regular double crochet, half-double crochet (hdc) starts with two loops on the hook.  We create that second loop with a yarn over.

To work hdc, insert your hook under both loops of the stitch below - that teardrop/chain shape.

Yarn over and pull up a loop. 

Just like double crochet so far, right? But here's the twist.  Normally we'd begin to remove loops in pairs, but a half-double is only half... um... double.  ;o) 

So it starts out like a double crochet and ends like a single crochet.

Yarn over, and pull through *all* three loops on your hook.  Do not remove any in pairs.

I've worked a few stitches so you can see what they look like, front and back.

To work half-triples (or taller) then, you would work the stitch as named until you have three loops remaining on your hook.  (In the care of a triple, start with three loops, and remove in pairs until three loops remain.)  Yarn over, and remove those last three loops together.

One of the coolest features of half-double crochet is this extra loop on the back of the stitch.  Some patterns like to use that to special effect. 

So with a half-double stitch you not only have back loop only (BLO) and front loop only (FLO) but third loop only. 

This means you work your next row into that third loop... below the top two loops.

When you've worked a row this way, you can see how working the third loop pushes those unused top loops to one side, creating a nice surface chain as you go!


Just like all the other stitches, half double crochet can also be increased, decreased, posted... here let me show you.

Weekend Update! Staying Small...

Sometimes you just have to carry on... but attitude counts!

It's been a while since I posted a project update, and for those of you who know about my health struggles, I know you aren't surprised about the ebb and flow, because I talk about ebb and flow a lot.  No really, a lot.

Almost as much as I talk about my health.  :oP  But when something takes up the majority of your time, it's sometimes all you've got to talk about.

Since my last update, I've been x-rayed and MRI'd.  Along with everything else, I've managed to rip two large holes in my rotator cuff.  Large enough where my primary doc thinks surgery will be the only real answer.  So, I waited two weeks to get into the only shoulder surgeon in my area.... and the day before my appointment they called and postponed for another two weeks. 

I realize life happens to us all, so I do my best to be patient, but, wow, it pretty much stinks.  Besides the pain and weakness , my arm is numb, and both my husband and I are justifiably nervous about how I am going to get things done as my arthritis begins to flare at the end of my Remicade cycle - especially if they tell me I have to put that treatment on hold (it can increase the risk of infection).

So, you'll understand when I say I am staying small at the moment! 

I am still working on the Tunisian blanket for my grandson, a few more stripes and I will be ready to start the edging.

But in order to satify my need for finished items, I've been working on a variety of smaller projects ... like the BB-8 beanie addition to my free Droid Beanies pattern.

It's even been grandson approved!

I also had a lot of fun working on these fantastic gauntlets in Maleficent inspired colors. 

I used Wendy Lewis' Fervor Gauntlets pattern and it's fantastic.  I will end up making more of these... some without the extra points at the fingers.  They are easy to make,  the fabric is nicely solid, and they fit great!

My favorite Hogwarts at Ravelry challenge of the week was to order a drink at The Three Broomsticks Pub in Hogsmeade.  I went with a nice frothy butterbeer.

Which coincidentally also transforms into a cozy hat for the Michigan Veterans Foundation.

Its my free pattern The Basic Guy Hat.  You know... no frills, just comfortable.  ;o)

Last but certainly not least, making toys is one of my favorite things for many reasons.  It makes me smile just because it's a project with no other purpose than to entertain me.  It keeps my mind off my troubles while I am working on it, but also, it's just fun to be able to say "I made that!" when it's done.

More importantly, it makes other people smile, and in this case at least two other people which is a bonus in my book.

The pattern is Shaun the Sheep Plushie by Abigail Gonzalez.

So... don't be afraid to get geeky when you need a lift.  Sometimes finding the fun is also the path to finding what gets you through another day!