FO Friday Bernat Mystery CAL 2012 Finally Finished!

Finally! I'm done. I arranged the pieces differently than the pattern. I added some pieces on the sides so the edges would be a bit more even. used a different method to join the pieces. It was supposed to be an invisible join, but I wanted to utilize the deep red color more and I liked the idea of having each motif outlined. Lastly, my edging is different then the original afghan pattern. You may have to register and log in to view the afghans on the Bernat site.

FO Friday: Oceana Slouchy Headband Hat & Pattern!

For my Finished Object, I submit the Oceana Headband Hat. I kind of made it up as I went along, writing down what I did in each row. I will be posting it on Ravelry after I post it here, though the pattern is here.
The name of the hat is a play on my daughter, Ceana's name.

Note how the hat matches my daughter's eyes! 

*This is the first time I've written down a pattern for something that is a "make it up as I go along" creation. I've been over this at least twice after typing it out. Please let me know if there are any typos, or if there's something that just doesn't work. As of this typing, this pattern has not been tested.*

Oceana Slouchy Headband Hat

1 skein Berry Colorful Yarnings light sport superwashed 100% merino 2-ply – Teal

Hook: G

Gauge: I don't really have a gauge. If you use the weight and size hook I used, it should be fine since it's fairly stretchy so there's some room for error. 

Stitches used:

Slip stitch (sl st), single crochet (sc), half double crochet (hdc), double crochet (dc), triple crochet (tc)

Special stitches:

Puff Stitch (puff st): YO, Insert hook into indicated stitch, yarn over and pull through a loop.  You should have 3 loops on your hook; Yarn over again in preparation to insert the hook into the very same stitch once again. (4 loops on hook);  Insert the hook into the same stitch, yarn over and pull through a loop.  You should have 5 loops on your hook.   Yarn over again in preparation to insert the hook into the very same stitch once again. (6 loops on hook);  Insert the hook into the same stitch, yarn over and pull through a loop.  You should have 7 loops on your hook. Yarn over again and draw the yarn through all the loops on the hook.  This completes the puff stitch.  You can work an extra chain to secure the stitch. 

Herringbone half double crochet (Hhdc): YO,  insert hook into indicated stitch and yo; pull through (3 loops on hook),  Do NOT yo over again. Just pull through the first loop on hook. (2 loops rem on hk), YO, Pull through both loops on hook. Herringbone half double crochet made.

Double crochet decrease (dc dec): Work a double crochet in the specified stitch until two loops remain on the hook. Double crochet decrease made.

Triple crochet decrease (tc dec): Yarn over twice, insert hook in stitch indicated by pattern instructions, draw up a loop, (yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook) twice, yarn over twice, insert hook in next stitch, draw up a loop, (yarn over and draw through 2 loops on hook) twice, (3 loops on hook), yarn over, draw through last 3 loops on hook to complete stitch.

Instructions:

Create and adjustable ring (also called “magic ring,” or “magic loop”). There are some good tutorials online. Here’s one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvjYPFBP85c

Rnd 1: after you have formed your slipknot, ch 2. Dc 9 around; Pull tail to close ring completely; sl st in top of ch 2 to join.

Rnd 2: Ch 2; 1 dc in top of ch 2 from below, ch 1, dc in next dc, ch1; *2 dc in next dc; ch 1, 1 dc in next dc, ch 1* (repeat from * to *) around. Join with sl st in top of ch 2.

Rnd 3: Ch 2; Dc in top of ch 2 from below, dc in next ch1 space; dc in next dc; dc in next ch 1 sp; *dc in next 2 dc, dc in next ch 1 sp; dc in next dc, dc in next ch 1 sp*  (repeat from * to *) around. Join with sl st in top of ch 2.

Rnd 4: Ch 3; dc in space between dc and ch 2 directly below ch 1; *dc in space between next 2 dc’s, ch 1* (repeat from * to *) around to the end. Join with sl st in space between ch 3 and dc.

Rnd 5: Ch 2; dc in same space as ch 2; 2 dc in next ch 1 sp; 2 dc in each ch 1 sp around to end. Join with sl st in sp between ch 2 and dc.

Rnd 6: ch 2; *puff st in next ch 1 sp, ch 1;* (repeat from * to *) around to the end. Join with sl st in top of ch 2.

Rnd 7:  Sl st in top of puff st; ch 2. 2 dc in ch 1 sp, *dc in top of next puff st, 2 dc in next ch 1 sp* (repeat from * to *) around to end. Join with sl st in top of ch 2.

Rnd  8: Ch 1, sc in top of same ch 2; *ch 5, skip next dc, sc in next dc* (repeat from * to *) till one dc before end. Ch 5, sl st in ch 1 sp to join.

Rnd 9: sl st in next 2 ch; sc in same ch 5 sp; ch 4, *sc in next ch 5 sp, ch 4* (repeat from * to *) around to end. Sl st in sc to join.

Rnd 10: sl st in first ch of ch 4. Sc in ch 4 sp, ch 3; *sc in ch 4 space, ch 3* (repeat from * to *) around to end. Sl st in sc to join.

Rnd 11: ch 2; 2 hdc in next ch 3 sp; *hdc in next sc; 2 hdc in next ch 3 sp* (repeat from * to *) around to end. Sl st in top of ch 2 to join.

Rnd 12: ch 2, Turn; Hhdc in back loop only of next hdc and in each hdc around to end; sl st in top of ch2 to join.

Rnd 13: ch 2, Turn; Hhdc in back loop only of next Hhdc and in each Hhdc around to end; sl st in top of ch 2 to join.

Rnd 14 & 15: repeat rnd 13.

Rnd 16: ch 1, sc around to end, sl st in ch 1 to join.

Rnd 17: ch 2; dc in next 3 sc, *dc dec; dc in next 4 sc* (repeat from * to *) around to end. Sl st in top of ch 2 to join.

Rnd 18: ch 4, tc dec in next st,* tc in next 4 sts, tc dec* (repeat from * to *) till 3 stitches before the end, tc in last 3 sts. Sl st in top of ch 4 to join.

Rnd 19: ch 4, tc dec in same st; *tc in next 3 sts, tc dec* (repeat from * to *) till 2 stitches before end, tc in last 2 sts. Sl st in top of ch 4 to join. TURN.

Rnd 20: ch 1; sc around in top of each tc and tc dc. Sl st in ch 1 to join.

Rnd 21: ch 1; in back loop only: sc in top of each sc around to end. Sl st to join. TURN.

Rnd 22 & 23: Repeat Rnd 21

Rnd 24: ch 4; tc in each sc around to end. Sl st in top of ch 4 to join.

Rnd 25: ch 4; tc in each tc around to end. Sl st in top of ch 4 to join.

Rnd 26: this is where it gets tricky. Hopefully the photos will help. Ch 2. 3 hdc down along the front of the ch 4 below, 3 hdc down along the front of the ch 4 below from Rnd 24. Hdc in the sc below next tc from rnd 24. 3 hdc up along front of next tc from rnd 24 and 3 hdc up along tc from rnd 25. Hdc in top of tc. Follow this pattern around to the end. Sl st in top of the next 6 hdc in front. Sl st in sc that the hdc is attatched to. You will be making the sc in the middle of the “legs” of the hdc that has been stitched to that sc.

Rnd 27: ch 1. Sc in next st and in every st around. For every other sc you will be working into the middle of the hdc around to end. Sl st to join. TURN

Rnd 28: Repeat rnd 21 twice.

Finish off, weave in ends.

Finished Object Friday - Hunger Games Yarn

I finished the cowl I making with the Hunger Games yarn. The WIP post for it along with yarn and pattern information can be found in this post can be found here.

Here's the finished cowl:

I made this for myself. It is a little big for my daughter, Amanda, who is modeling as I outweigh her by almost 100 pounds. It still works for her at this size too. 

FO Friday - Perry the Platypus Knit Hat

Okay, drumroll please.......

If I had to do it over again (which I probably will...), I think I would have definitely done a black outline around the eyes and made the eyebrows two rows of black instead of one. I might also have two rows of black outline for the beak...not sure about that. Maybe make the ends of the bill a bit more rounded? 

Also, keep in mind, the black yarn is thinner than all the other yarns. The orange is slightly thinner than the turquoise and white. This was just a prototype using yarn I already had.  When I do it again, I'll buy yarn that is all the same. I guess what I'm trying to say, is I think I can do much better. This one was for a friend of my daughter, so she only got to wear this for the photo. 

I decided to knit the pattern part flat. I C/O 72 and did a K1, P1 ribbing for three rows. I did one row of turquoise before starting the pattern, then just used a stranded/intarsia combo method. Once I got past the eyebrows, I switched to circulars till decreasing (I decreased at 6 points around) then DPNs as it became smaller.  I tied it off at the top, wove in all the ends, then stitched it up in the back. Not sure what the stitch is  called, but you can't tell it's been stitched up unless you tug at it.

Before I try this again, I'm going to do a version with just one color where the pattern is outlined by purl stitches on a knit background (or vise - versa).

I won't be selling these, of course since I'm not licensed to use Perry the Platypus. If they tell me cease and desist from making them, even for free, I might get a lawyer and tell them I'll cease and desist when they put a Perry Hat out there that is made like this (or better) --and not like this:

You see how the bill and eyes are just embroidered on top? That is just cheating! 

FO Friday

While checking out some of the other Finished Object Friday posts, I have noticed that a lot of bloggers are putting up a FO Friday post even if they don't have a finished object --often just to say they don't have anything finished yet. I kind of feel like, if I don't have a finished object to display, then I shouldn't do a Finished Object Friday post - or I should at least refrain from including mine in the blog chain for that day. I am picturing some unsuspecting person clicking on my blog link on Tami Ami's  or whatever other blog I'm also linking to, only to find there are no finished objects to behold and they'll feel they've been duped. So without any further ado, here is my finished ear bud bag:

I used Red Heart Classic Crochet thread, size 10 in Frosty Green. I believe the hook I used was a size 7 steel hook.

I am also linking to: The Crochet Way and Ambassador Crochet

FO Friday Watson Scarf...and a Hat

I finished the Watson Scarf in time to wear it to "A Game of Shadows," then promptly gifted it to my son before I remembered to take a picture of it. He brought it by the house a couple of days ago so I took some snaps. First up, the original Watson scarf from the latest Sherlock flick:

Next, the one I made with Vanna's Choice in taupe, ummm..I can't remember the names of the blue and white, but they were all Vanna's Choice yarn:

And here's the hat I was working on from last week:

The colors kind of look like a combination of the above and the below pics.   Like I mentioned last week, this is the yarn I used to make his now lost "Jayne Hat."

FO Friday - Yeah, I know.

Yeah I know in many areas it's already Saturday. But right now, as I type this, it is still Friday where I live in Southern California. Here's my FO:

Same yarn as the needle case. 

Finished Object Friday

Today was kind of a crazy day, so I'm just going to go right to it:

I finished this a few weeks ago. I crocheted this using Noro Silk Garden. I ended up using at least 3 different color palettes. I love this yarn! Not great for an afghan though--still kind of rough for that, but then I'm kind of picky about those things. And no, I didn't block it. I got the pattern for this case right here. Oh, I added the straps and made my own puffy buttons.