Made In America Slouch

By: Amanda Melton

12-13-11

This hat was not intended to be a slouch hat. My husband had a coworker who had great difficulty finding a hat to fit his head at 24” circumference. We measured twice and unfortunately I crocheted twice, because the first hat began to appear rippled or gathered. After having worked on that for two nights, I decided to go back to my basic crown and just enlarge that by two increase rows to get the desired 96 stitches around. I didn’t want the hat to look like a bag, so I decreased at the band area. There is a lot of color change throughout the hat, but I wrote the pattern for the easiest method I found. In addition, the pattern is color coded by row, and there are special instructions for the last row.

Stitches & Abbreviations Used

Chain (ch)

Slip Stitch (ss)

Single Crochet (sc)

Double Crochet (dc)

Together (tog)

Decrease (dec)

Hook, Yarn & Fit

- K/10 ½ - 6.50mm

- Red Heart Super Saver Solids

o Blue

o Hot Red

o White

- This hat is fairly large. Even taking it in to 84 sts at the band, it slipped down over my eyes, as you will see in the pictures. You can also decrease to 72 sts in the band if you prefer a more snugly fitting band. Not only is the hat large circumferencewise, it is also a long hat (it completely covers my face), which is why I consider it a slouch. I would not recommend this hat as written for children, unless you decreased to 60 sts in the band.

Instructions

Notes	- Holding all three colors together, tie an adjustable/slip knot. - At each ** ss 3 strands tog to top of beginning ch (3, 2, or 1), ch with selected color for the following row - Be sure to keep the yarn you are working to the far left (for right hand crochet) to avoid getting them tangled
Begin 12dc	Ch 4, ss to first ch; ch 3, 11 dc inside ring; **
Row 1 24dc	Ch 3, dc in same, 2 dc in each around, **
Row 2 36dc	Ch 3, 2dc in next, dc, 2dc in next; repeat from ; **
Row 3 48dc	Ch 3, dc in next, 2dc in next, dc, dc, 2dc; repeat from ; **
Row 4 60dc	Ch 3, dc in next 2, 2dc in next, dc, dc, dc, 2dc; repeat from ; **
Row 5 72dc	Ch 3, dc in next 3, 2dc in next, dc, dc, dc, dc, 2dc; repeat from , **
Row 6 84dc	Ch 3, dc in next 4, 2dc in next, dc, dc, dc, dc, dc, 2dc; repeat from ; **
Row 7 96dc	Ch 3, dc in next 5, 2dc in next, dc, dc, dc, dc, dc, dc, 2dc; repeat from ; **
Row 8 96dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 9 96dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 10 96dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 11 96dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 12 96dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 13 96dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 14 96dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 15 96dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 16 96dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 17 96dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 18 84dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in next 5, dec in next 2, dc, dc, dc, dc, dc, dc, dec in next 2; repeat from ; **
Row 19 84dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 20 84dc	Ch 2, dc in same, dc in each st; **
Row 21 84/72sc	Ch 1, sc in same, sc in each st; -OR-** Ch 1, sc in same, sc in next 4, dec in next 2, sc, sc, sc, sc, sc, dec in next 2; repeat from ; **
Row 22 84/72sc	Ch 1, sc in same, sc in each st; ** Clip red yarn leaving a 4” tail
Row 23 84/72sc	Work first part of row over red tail Ch 1, sc in same, sc in each st; ** Clip white yarn leaving a 4” tail
Row 24 84/72sc	Work first part of row over white tail Ch 1, sc in same, hold hat as if you were going to continue working in the same direction as first 23 rows, but sc in first st to right and each st around MOVING TO THE RIGHT; ** Working sts in opposite direction produces a rope look that lends a more finished look to the final row.

Wearing glasses comes in handy for keeping the hat in place!

The band can be turned up for a different look/fit

Trying to show the overall coloration, but it also illustrates the length of the hat

Rope effect created by crocheting in stitches moving RIGHT rather than left

Inside of hat where colors are carried

Do You Ears Get Cold?

By: Amanda Melton

12-02-11

This hat was based on the general design of Valerie Whitten’s Pretty in Pink hat available on her blog Vallieskids, and my own Purple People Eater hat available from my blog An Adventurous Life At Home. I was commissioned to create two earflap hats for my 15 month old niece, and I did not like the design of Purple People Eater for such a young child. Instead, I rethought my approach to creating the earflaps. These earflaps are slightly cupped.

Stitches and Abbreviations Used

- Chain (ch)

- Stitch (st)

- Single Crochet (sc)

- Double Crochet (dc)

- Slip Stitch (ss)

- Back Loop (bl)

- Front Loop (fl)

- Earflap (EF)

Hook & Yarn

- H/8 – 5.00mm

- Red Heart Super Saver

Instructions

Hat
Begin & Row 1 30dc	Ch 32, dc in bl (this row only) of 3^rd ch from hook and each ch across, turn and dc in fl (this row only) of each st across (including beginning dc); ss to top of beginning dc
Row 2-11 30dc	Ch 2, dc in same and each st around; ss to top of beginning dc
Row 12-13 30sc	Ch 1, sc in same and each st around; ss to top of beginning sc
Earflaps
Notes: - Please look at the accompanying pictures that show pulling up a loop, hook placement, and stitching over the loop. This will be very important for correct tension and fit of the finished hat! - Although I have given the number of skipped stitches between EF as well as the beginning placement, you may need to determine this for each individual hat. To do so: o Lay hat with “seam” down (you should be looking at the side of the hat opposite your hook) and flatten into a squarish shape o Mark the st farthest left and right in R13 (I usually tie a scrap of contrasting yarn around the post) – this will be the center of each EF o Count to the 6^th st before and after your center st marker on each EF – mark these 4 sts as well o Count from the first marked st to the third marked st of each EF to be sure you only have 13 sts total for each EF before proceeding with EF construction Loops pulled up between earflaps
Begin & Right Side 13/13/13/ 13/13/13 10/10 7 4 2	Pull up a loop. Insert hook in 2^nd from last st of R13, ss - R1: Ch 1, sc in same & each of the next 12 st - R2-6: Ch 1 (turn), sc in 13 sts - R7: Ch 1 (turn), sc in 2^nd sc from hook, dec in st 5/6, dec in last 2 st - R8: Ch 1 (turn), sc in 10 sts - R9: Ch 1 (turn), sc in 2^nd sc from hook, dec in st 5/6, dec in last 2 - R10: Ch 1 (turn), sc in 2^nd sc from hook, dec in st 4/5, dec in last 2 - R11: Ch 1 (turn), sc in 2^nd sc from hook, dec in next 2 - Loosely ss in ends of EF rows to base of EF opposite where first row started Pull up a loop. Skip 19 sts. Insert hook in 20^th st, ss.
Left Side 13/13/13/ 13/13/13 10/10 7 4 2	- R1: Ch 1, sc in same & each of the next 12 st - R2-6: Ch 1 (turn), sc in 13 sts - R7: Ch 1 (turn), sc in 2^nd sc from hook, dec in st 5/6, dec in last 2 st - R8: Ch 1 (turn), sc in 10 sts - R9: Ch 1 (turn), sc in 2^nd sc from hook, dec in st 5/6, dec in last 2 - R10: Ch 1 (turn), sc in 2^nd sc from hook, dec in st 4/5, dec in last 2 - R11: Ch 1 (turn), sc in 2^nd sc from hook, dec in next 2 - Loosely ss in ends of EF rows to base of EF opposite where first row started

Hat
Row 14	After ss to base of left side EF: Ch 1, sc in same & each st around WORKING OVER THE PULLED UP LOOPS BETWEEN EF! Ss to top of beginning sc
Row 15	Ch 1, sc in same and each st around. Ss to top of beginning sc
Pom Poms
I use Clover’s Large Pom Pom maker. For each “arm” of the device, I wrap my yarn 75 times, 150 times total. When snipped, each pom will have 300 end tassels. There are instructions available online if you do not have a pom maker. The first pom I ever made was wrapped around a 3 ½” diskette from my computer. It is my favorite one! You can also use 2 plastic food lids with a center hole and a slit for passing the yarn through. The possibilities for making poms are virtually endless! Stitching over loops between earflaps

An Adventurous Life @ Home

Monday, January 2, 2012