Pom free crochet hat pattern

Pom is my latest little creation. I have to say my inspiration for the hat was not the unusually cold weather, but rather a ski hat worn by Claudia Cardinale in the first Pink Panther Movies with Peter Sellers and David Niven. I got the yarn at my new local yarn store, the Quarter Stitch in Wilmingon, NC. I picked a smooth and round cushy yarn, Rowan Pure Wool Worsted.

I loved the look of the beanie with the big pompom, and the slight texture. I simplified the texture to simple front post double crochet stitches against a background of double crochet stitches.

The pattern is so simple all sizes from newborn to adult follow the same pattern at the beginning. A simple rib edging finishes the hat.

For the pompom to be substantial, the best is to make the pompom circumference half of the hat circumference. I like a big pompom!

The hats were so quick to make, I have already made 4, all of which have been claimed. It is time to make more. All I need is a little worsted weight yarn. I will go check my stash for odds and ends, and might come up with a wild hat or two! Striped or not striped, I tell you these are fun to make.

Pom is offered as a free pattern on Ravelry.

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fragonard free crochet cowl pattern

After finishing the writing of the building blocks pattern, I told you I had already started thinking about my next project. I had some yarn left from the sweater and wanted to make something that would require no more than 200 yards.
I went for a walk with my daughter, and during our walk I ran into a neighbor who told her she looked like a Fragonard painting.
We came home from the walk, and I knew what I was going to crochet a rushed cowl, that would re-interpret the beautiful gathers and drapes of the garments worn by the beautiful women Fragonard painted.

The pattern is a simple play on increases and decreases and uses only 2 stitches, single crochets and double crochets. There is really nothing to it. But the result is rich with texture.

The texture catches the light beautifully. It makes this cowl very special. You know what the best part is ? You can have it done in an evening of crochet. I crocheted it watching one of my favorite series, Downtown Abbey.

I am offering the pattern as a free pattern on Ravelry !

I hope you will enjoy crocheting Fragonard. One word of warning these cowls are addictive. I have already made 2!

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building blocks free crochet pattern

The sweater I have been working for the last few weeks is now a free pattern available on Ravelry. I called it building blocks.

Publishing a pattern always gives me great satisfaction. I adore the creative part of designing. Testing is my chance to fine tune, and I love to take my time. Then there is picture time. We took pictures this morning, and my little Leo was in a wiggly mood which made my life a little hard in particular with the low light. I was determined though, because I knew the light would play beautifully with the natural colors.

Then came the pattern transcribing into a word processor, the proof reading and the formatting. I just finished uploading to Ravelry, and I feel happy. I have already started sketching the next project...
This little sweater is a classic with an updated fit. I really like playing on this classic / modern feeling. I picked neutral colors to create subtle textures in the stitches. The sweater is crocheted using a worsted yarn. It is so quick and simple to make that I think you could have a newborn size one ready even if the baby was due tomorrow!

The sleeves are drop sleeves for an easy fit. There is a back neck buttoned opening to allow for easy putting on and taking off. Sizes range from newborn to 3 years. I recommend you use the chest measurements to select the size.

I am offering this pattern as a free Ravelry download. I hope you will give it a try. Happy crocheting!

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a new life

If someone had told me last year where I would be today, I would not have believed them. Our lives have changed completely. We changed our lives completely.

We sold our home in Boston, left our jobs, and moved to Wilmington, North Carolina. We dropped our belongings in our new 1930's cottage. We helped our college son settle in our new home.

But this was not the major change. We bought a sailboat. Rolfe and I decided to live our dream or traveling and living most of the time on a sailboat with our younger homeschooled children. We looked at many boats until we found her in Beaufort, South Carolina. For those of you who sail, she is a Catalina 28. She is not huge, but she is enough for us. We named her Lucy. Here she is on a frosty morning. Excuse her appearance she had just woken up and had not tidied up yet!

A couple weeks ago we started going back up the ICW. What a wonderful trip. I saw landscapes like I had never seen. At times we anchored at night, and at times we docked in a marina.

The most memorable sight were a foggy sunset in Georgetown.

I am in awe of sunsets on the water. This one I saw as we were getting close to home on the Cape Fear river.

There is nothing like crocheting on the deck, sitting in the sun while your husband is navigating. I did quite a bit of work on my new sweater pattern. The testing is almost complete.

For now, we are back home, on land, enjoying time with our oldest son. This will give me time to publish my new pattern. We have not decided where we will be going next. I guess the winds will decide...

 

 

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