Bobble Poof Earflap Hat by Moogly: Pattern Review

This hat has been in my queue on Ravelry for a long time and I finally took a day to make it. It’s adorable in the pictures Moogly has posted (and she has awesome tutorials to go along with it, perfect for beginners or those who are slightly less confident in their crochetabilities – a new word, yes). I’m trying to make more new things this year, trying to get out of ruts, trying to be a little less predictable when it comes to gifts, etc. So I was looking for another hat pattern and this fits the bill.

The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn, so I was concerned about how it would work up with a bulkier weight yarn, but it worked out great. I think Baby’s First yarn might be a new favorite. This hat is adorable and I’ll definitely be making and gifting many more.

Crochet Owl Hat by Repeat Crafter Me: Pattern Review

This Owl Hat is my go-to baby gift. They’re “in” right now, and I think they’re absolutely adorable. Repeat Crafter Me has some amazing patterns and tutorials, and I’ve learned several new things. Her technique for joining is amazing and I can’t make myself use anything else.

I was a little bit worried about how it would work up with Lion Brand’s Baby’s First yarn, but I think it came out beautifully.

Hexagon Baby Blanket – Pattern Review

My granny gave me several balls of Lion Brand’s Baby’s First yarn in Cotton Ball and Honey Bee. Since then, I’d been looking for the perfect project and the perfect baby to gift it to. When I found out one of my mom’s friends was expecting, and they weren’t finding out the gender, it was perfect. And when I found this pattern by Red Heart, it was perfect.

I followed the directions exactly, though I think I ended up with fewer rows than suggested.

I absolutely love this yarn though! It’s so soft, a 55% Acrylic, 45% Cotton blend. I’m hoping it holds up well and I’d really enjoy working with it again. I think I might have enough left for a set of matching newborn owl hats, so keep an eye on the Etsy shop for those!

Pattern Review: Nordland Morning Mist Cowl

Let’s talk pattern review! (it’s been a long time, I know)

I was given two skeins of Homespun Thick & Quick in Painted Desert for Christmas. I positively love the colors. After a hectic few months and a year or so of making things for everyone else, I decided those were going to go towards something for me and I set out to find the perfect pattern. The Nordland Morning Mist Cowl was my pattern of choice and I couldn’t be any happier with the results.

It uses an M hook, which was great because I was being lazy. I almost went back to pattern searching when I saw the “chain 129″ part. That’s not my favorite thing in the world to do. I prefer to work the short side a hundred thousand times than the long side six. I’m so glad I stuck with it though because it worked up FAST. My cowl ended up being 80″ in circumference and 5” wide. That seems to be the ideal size for wrapping twice if you want a more decorative look, or three times if it’s really actually cold outside and you’re freezing to death. It only used one skein of yarn, so I’m going to be looking for another project, or making another cowl to giveaway.

Happy Crocheting!

 

Pattern Review: Red Heart One-Ball Ripple Scarf

I’ve never crocheted a ripple pattern before. I’ve seen them in afghans, I’ve recognized them as traditional, but I’ve never had much success with them. This yarn has been in my stash for awhile. I fell in love with it, paid a little more for it, and decided I was going to make something for myself with it, but I didn’t know what that was.

I was browsing Ravelry on Sunday when I found it. Red Heart’s One-Ball Ripple Scarf Crochet Pattern. It was perfect to show off the colorways.

I used a larger crochet hook than recommended, an M since my L is stuck in a bag somewhere with an unfinished project. The yarn is Yarn Bee’s Aurora Borealis Twist in Blue Mountain. The pattern was easy to follow, and after the first row I didn’t even look back at it. It memorized easily. I absolutely love this scarf and the pattern gets an easy 4 stars.