Slouchy Beanie: Reloaded

Hello! Well, it's been a while... But here I am with another hat - because crochet hats and scarves are pretty much the only things that I do finish when I start them. And because who doesn't want another nice beanie to brighten up short winter days? :)

And guess what? This one took me just two days, working a couple of hours a day!

I already made a beanie for myself using this pattern that I found here in 2012 (almost 5 years ago!!), and I wear it every winter since then - it still looks cool and stylish.

This time I made one as a gift.  I used thicker yarn and larger hook (6 mm instead of 4 mm), and made 14 rounds of puff stitches instead of 16. Hence the incredible speed of making! It's less slouchy, but that's not a bad thing too. Also the ribbed band is 7 stitches wide (instead of 10 sts in original pattern).

And here's 2012 me in 2012 version of hat, just for comparison =))
Have a warm and cozy winter everyone! 

Really Silly Crochet Socks

If you think of handmade socks, you most certainly imagine them knitted. I wanted to destroy that stereotype and find out if I could crochet my own pair of socks. So I searched the web and soon enough I stumbled across this pattern.

I crocheted my socks using yarn leftovers. I understood that they will be silly anyway, so I decided to make them different from each other. Because it's boring to crochet the same sock twice, isn't it?)

I wouldn't wear them outdoors, because they seem not so durable. Maybe someday I will crochet another pair, using different pattern for a smaller hook.

But these socks, they do have that cozy vibe to them. So relaxed and so appropriate for a weekend morning at home with a big mug of tea.

Braided Crochet Earwarmer

Here's my turn on this nice pattern - knit-looking crochet headband/earwarmer.
I decided to make the earwarmer version (the thicker one).

Despite looking easy, the pattern turned out to be challenging. At first it just didn't work for me - I could not achieve the desired "knitted look" by alternating rows of "front loop only" and "back loop only" hdc's. It took a couple of tries and fails to understand that I've been using "center loop" instead of the "front loop"!  I figured it out only after reading this comment of the pattern's author to the original entry:

"...basically when you’re looking at the hdc and it’s 3 loops, I’m referring to them as the front, center and back. The front being the one closest to you. By only using the front or back loop it leaves the other two which gives it that “knit” look and by alternating front and back each row it keeps those extra loops on the same side."  

I also had a bit of a hard time with foundation hdc's, but eventually (after watching some video tutorials) it all worked out. And the braiding video was super helpful!
Here's the result. Is it "knitted" enough? :)

Since the original description contains not so many pictures, I decided to provide more photos for those of you who are not sure how the resulting piece will look when it's put on.

P.S. Yes-yes-yes, it's time for Christmas lights :)

Crochet V-Stitch Cowl

It's official crochet season again: season of golden leaves, hot tea, cozy blankets and evenings spent at home.

And while I finish a new beanie hat and start a knit-like looking headband (yes, although I don't post here, I still do crochet) - here's my creation from last autumn. As usual it's a gift to a friend :)

The pattern is from All About Ami -  she has many simple, but nice fall/winter garments and accessories on her blog.

Despite the fact that it's my first post this year, let's hope it won't be the last!

Crochet Lace Top

Time to share a little totally-weather-inappropriate piece of crochet work with you.
Originally it should have been a Summer Lace Top, but since it's November already, let's rename it to Boudoir Lace top.
Because it's kinda sexy, if you ask me.
 

And... Now I have one question. Did I actually make this? With my own hands, really?

Well, yes, I did. =)
Unsurprisingly, it took me over a year. Or even almost two years, as I don't remember the exact date when I started... But, nevertheless, it's finished now. And quite a reason to be proud.
A very satisfying feeling. I definitely want to experience it again. And again. :)

As usual, this top was meant to be a gift to one of my friends. It fits her much better than me, but (of course) I couldn't resist taking a few pics while wearing it myself. :)

A couple of words about the pattern: cups are basically the same as in my version of Pineapple monokini, but using hdc instead of dc. I had a problem with the string ties: every one that I had made before had a nasty habit of rolling into spirals, and that seemed totally inexcusable for this project. So I had to learn how to make Romanian crochet cord, and it was the first time in my crochet "career" when I wasn't able to figure out the pattern without watching a video tutorial. It's in Italian, by the way, but it doesn't matter - you can watch it even with sound turned off. :)

The rest of the lace patterns are from all over the Internet, Japanese books and Russian forums... It took me long time before the final picture of the garment formed in my head. I guess it turned out nice in the end - not perfect, but then again, the idea of handmade is about having a soul, not about being perfect  :)