Pages

Friday, March 29, 2013

Moss Stitch Headbands Two Versions

I love spring. The weather starts picking up and you have fewer  cold days and many more excuses for flip flops, short sleeves and all around bright colored outfits. I've been growing my hair out for awhile and decided to make a few headbands to brighten my wardrobe and keep my hair from flying into my face with those nice spring breezes.  It's a pretty easy pattern and can easily be adapted to fit any size head, so make up a bunch in different colors and get stylin'!

Materials needed:

Worsted weight yarn. Cotton works best for non-slip headbands, but any yarn will work.
I hook (5.5 mm)
½” button (if you want to do the buttoned version)

Stitches used: 

ch - chain
sc - single crochet
dc - double crochet
*sc, dc* repeat is the moss stitch

Gauge swatch:

Ch 13. Sc in 2nd ch from hook, dc in next stitch. *sc, dc (moss stitch)– repeat until end. 12 stitches.
Ch 1, turn. Sc, dc – repeat until end. Repeat row 3 more times. 5 rows, 12 stitches (6 sc, 6 dc each row).
Gauge measurement: 3 inches long, 1.5 inches tall.


Tied version:

Row one: Ch 65. (mark ch 10)
Turn and sc in the 2nd ch from hook. Sc in next 9 stitches. Mark stitch. (10 sc)
*Sc, dc. Repeat 21 times. You should be at the stitch before the one you marked in the chain. (22 sc, dc repeats)
Sc in last 10 stitches.
Ch 1, turn.

Row two: sc in next 10 st.
Repeat from * to ** (moss stitch) 22 times. You should end with a dc in a sc right before the stitch you marked.
Sc in the last 10 stitches.
Ch 1, turn.

Repeat Row 2 for as many times as you want. I found that five rows made an average sized headband, but you can add more or less to suit you.

Finish off at the end of a row. To make braided ties, cut at least six strands of yarn 24” long. Pull through the ends of your band, and braid together. Tie a knot at each end and trim the strands to match.

Button version:

Row one: Ch 81. (mark ch 15)
Turn and sc in the 2nd ch from hook. Sc in next 14 stitches. Mark stitch. (15 sc)
*Sc, dc. Repeat 24 times. You should be at the stitch before the one you marked in the chain. (25 sc, dc repeats)
Sc in last 15 stitches.
Ch 1, turn.

Row two: sc in next 15 st.
Repeat from * to ** (moss stitch) 25 times. You should end with a dc in a sc right before the stitch you marked.
Sc in the last 10 stitches.
Ch 1, turn.

Repeat Row 2 for as many times as you want. I found that five rows made an average sized headband, but you can add more or less to suit you.

Instead of finishing off, ch 1 and sc across the end of your band. Mine was 6 rows wide, and so I did 6 sc across the end. Ch 1 and turn. Sc back across the band, skipping either 2 or 3 stitches and chaining 2 or 3 instead (skip 2 if you have an even amount of rows, skip three if you have an odd amount.) Sc in the last stitches and ch 1 at the end. Sc back across the row and finish off. Sew your button in the middle of the other end of the band.  

Size adaptations: If it is too long, you can shorten your starting chain. You will need to start with an odd number of chains for the pattern to work correctly, so keep this in mind. For the tied version, a chain that wraps fully around the head with no overlap should be sufficient. For the buttoned version, you will want at least 2 inches of overlap, because the pattern will shrink the starting chain. If you have done the button version and it ends up too short after you start, you can easily sc back and forth along the end of your band to make it longer before creating the buttonhole. 

Other Ideas: If you want a more finished edge to your headband, you can also add a sc row in between your starting chain and row one on either headband. Finish off with a row of sc and complete pattern as normal. 
You can also add some flowers or other appliques to your headband - check out Ravelry for some great free options!

Feel free to message me at daughterofanace@gmail.com if you have any trouble with this pattern!


Text and images Copyright ©2013 by Daughterofanace Craft and Crochet, and by Kiley Jones, all rights reserved. No pattern may be reproduced or distributed — mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying, without written permission. Finished products created with this may be used for commercial sale. It is appreciated if design credit to Daughterofanace Craft and Crochet is listed with your finished products.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Starburst Hotpad Pattern

So I've been on Ravelry a lot in the past couple days, and I noticed this awesome pattern for a starburst hotpad, but the link is no longer active. Since this was always a free pattern, and since there was a French copy available, I re-translated it to English and published it here so everyone has access to it.
If you liked my translation and want to see more work by me or help with other patterns, like me on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/DaughterofanaceCraftAndCrochet or vist my Etsy page at http://www.etsy.com/shop/Daughterofanace.
I'm also on Ravelry as Kiley Jones.
All credit for this pattern is given to Loretta Schepp - I am just making it accessible again since the link is broken. The pictures in this tutorial are mine and may not be shared without my permission.


Materials: Worsted weight cotton in two colors. A multicolored strand and a solid color look great, or two solid colors together will work too. If you're feeling really creative, you could even use a third color for the connecting of the motifs and sewing them together.
Hook size: 4-5mm (G-H), or whatever size you usually use with your cotton.
Embroidery needle to sew in ends and for attaching to make starburst appear.



Crochet 5 motifs:
With the color A (multicolored) Chain 5, sl st to close the circle.
Round 1: Chain 3, 3dc in the circle, chain 6, * 4dc, chain 6 *. Repeat 2 times from * to *. Sl st in the 3rd loop of starting chain. Finish off. (Four 4dc groups and four ch6 loops)
Row 2: With the color B (white), join in a ch 6 loop. Chain 3, 11dc in the same space * 12dc in the following space*. Repeat 2 times from * to *. Sl st in the 3rd loop of starting chain. Finish off.


Attaching: Place motifs facing up. With color A, join at the beginning of one 12dc cluster. Sc around the top of that cluster and the next. (24 sc). Join with a sc to the 2nd motif at the beginning of a 12dc cluster. Crochet in next 23 dc. (24 dc) Continue for all five motifs. On the last motif, crochet all the way around, and join back to the fourth motif. You will crochet back around the bottom of all the motifs. Slip stitch in the first sc. All squares should have a row of color A around them. Tie off. Use your tail to tie the first motif to the fifth motif with all motifs facing up.

Making the starburst:
You will be using a strand of cotton yarn in color A to sew the motifs together, and then you will press the corners out to make the starburst. Connect your yarn to the sc between the two inside 12dc groups on the first motif. Thread between the two inside 12dc groups on all five motifs and back to the first one, then pull tight. Finish off.

Pull the petals out from each group and flatten. If you want them to stay permanently, you can tack them down with a small piece of yarn or sewing thread, or you can gently iron them on steam press.