Saturday was a lazy day for my daughter and I, because of the humidity most of our time was spent indoors.

We did wash Mr. Bentley, our Shih Tzu, outside. He wasn’t thrilled about that!

Mulberries were picked, and when we came inside my daughter and I worked on various crafts.

Since I knew I had one pattern left to test, I started crocheting the scraptastic hat.

When I saw the crochet designers call for pattern testers, I leaped at the opportunity. I really liked the style of the hat, since it reminds me of the crocheted tam hats that I adore. The designer, Sarah Jane Designs, calls it a Scraptastic hat, and requested that the pattern testers use their scrap yarn. 

 

This crocheted hat is so soft! I crocheted this hat using a wool//cashmere blend.

You know… It’s funny, I can work with wool, cashmere, and mohair, as long as it stays in my hands, but I can’t place any of those fibers on other parts of my skin. My skin is sensitive to them, and I’ll experience breakouts.

Although I received the correct gauge with this hat, it didn’t fit my head. I measured it several times, while crocheting. My head’s too big! 🙂 

I’m still going complete this hat, and donate it to an organization. The softness of this wool fiber is amazing, if I weren’t allergic I’d have been tempted to press it to my face, so the fibers softness could brush against my cheek.  

 

One size fits all? Think again….

Finding hats that actually fit has always been difficult, I have a lot of hair, and I’ve already mentioned…

I have a big ole head. 🙂 One size fits all? Yeah right, those hats never fit my head. Even the times I’ve cut my hair down to about an inch.

About twelve years ago, when I walked into my friends natural hair care salon, I was thrilled to find hats, handmade crocheted tams that actually fit me; and I snapped up several pairs. I wasn’t crocheting at the time.

 

This second hat is truly scraptastic! And it fits! I adjusted the pattern, so it does fit my head. In this picture I still had about ten rows to complete. And you’re not seeing the total hat, since the sides are tucked behind the hat.

Originally, when working on this hat, I wasn’t liking the colors as much and nicknamed it “my craptastic hat”. I loved the design, but wasn’t as fond of the colors. My opinion changed once the crocheted hat was completed. I really like how it’s turned out!

Although the yarn used in this hat is mainly cotton, there are a few rows of washable silk, and at least two rows of synthetic yarn. The type of yarn used ranges from fingering weight (sock yarn) to bulky (very thick yarn). 

Early this morning, I finished the second crocheted hat, and sometime later today I’ll follow up with the crochet designer, update my Ravelry project page, and  post updated pictures on Celebrate Life.

Since I’ve learned to crochet in December 2011, I’ve made several crocheted tams. My first crocheted hat was created about a month after I learned to crochet, no design, just me playing with stitches.

We’ll be heading to church in a few hours, I believe I’ll wait until we return home before I gather the mulberries.

It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything for finished object Friday. It’s not that I haven’t been doing anything, I have. I just have been too busy to post.

I’ve decided to include a few of my finished objects….

I pattern tested this bracelet. My daughter loves this crocheted beaded bracelet, and it happens to be in one of her favorite colors too.

I made the jewelry. Silver wire was used with this project. I coiled the silver wire into the desired shapes. I then used a manual Atlas pasta machine, to flatten and “set” the wire. Silver wire was woven through the grey and black tubes, and coiled at the end. If you look closely you’ll see tiny loops. I did that purposely, since I’ll be attaching hand-crafted charms.

I must say… it’s so nice to include my love of jewelry making into my crocheted and knitting items. I’ve done it with knitting, and it’s one of the reasons I learned crochet in December 2011. I wanted to include it with some of my crochet designs. 

 

 

Originally, I’d made this crocheted lady bug beanie hat for my daughter, but since she has a lot of hair; long, thick, and curly, it was too small for her head. It’s found a home on one of her large teddy bears. I must say; he wins the cutest hat award. Another hat was given to a girl that adores ladybugs.

Here’s the latest amigurumi crocheted doll I’ve made. It’s Coraline! Angel the guinea pig also joined the photo shoot.

A few weeks ago, my daughter and I saw the movie Coraline for the first time. I’d read Neil Gaimon’s book many years before, although the movie differs from the book. We both enjoyed the movie, I was able to complete my daughter’s crocheted Coraline for her birthday. I even made Coraline a matching messenger bag.

Other Finished objects…

There are plenty of items I’m not showing such as the knitted stockinette scarf, that I made for one of my daughter’s Monster High dolls, or the knitted stockinette hat I’ve made for a local homeless shelter where I volunteer. I’m currently working on a knitted stockinette scarf in the same color, and then I’ll make gloves. The items are thick, and soft, and will keep someone warm during the cooler months.

I used a bulky yarn, and size 10 circular knitting needles. Last week, is when I started using circular needles. For the past 33 years I’ve been using straight needles, and double pointed needles. You know, I still have the first pair of size 8 knitting needles that I received when I was eight years old? I’m not sure why I didn’t use circular needles before. I must say; I’m enjoying them immensly.

There are many other finished objects I’ve made in the past week. I just haven’t had a chance to snap their pictures. Perhaps they’ll make its way into next weeks Finished Object Friday post?

Sites I’m linking too…

1. Tami’s Ami’s 
2. Natural Suburbia
3. Wisdom Begins in Wonder