I really love this scarf. It is quick and it is just a huge circle. It is super comfortable and doesn't have those long tails to worry about. (I didn't come up with the idea for a circle scarf. I have seen them before in the store. This is just my version of it) I am going to make one for my daughter next. Last year one of the kids at school pulled on the tails of my daughter's scarf and it choked her. Now she is afraid to wear scarfs. This way she won't have to worry about that, hopefully. I modeled it a few different ways so you could see how awesome it is. (I really hate modeling but I didn't have anyone else around to con into being my model and my mannequin head doesn't have shoulders :( ) What do you think?

Wrapped around 3 times


Wrapped around 2 times


Wrapped around 2 times and cinched up close to neck


Wrapped around 2 times a little looser


Fold in half and slide in loop (I hope that makes sense)


Here is the pattern:

Simply Sweet Scarf
by April Draven

K hook

4.5 oz. Simply Soft Yarn

This scarf measures about 80 inches around. If you don’t know how to work in rounds you can always skip the joining part and just sew it together when it is done. You wrap it around a couple times so you could hide the seam easily ;)

Ch 200, join with 1 ss
Rnd 1: Ch 3, sk 1, 1 dc, *ch 1, sk 1, 1dc*rep from * to * around, Join with 1 ss
Rnds 2-13: Ch 3, * 1 dc in the next ch 1 space, ch 1* rep from * to * around, Join with 1 ss
1 ss, FO

My daughter brought home the Velveteen Bunny book from school. (ah the memories of balling like a baby when I first read that book as a child. Fortunately, this was a child's version so it wasn't so bad) I plan on making her a bunny soon but I don't know when I will be able to get to it. I might make it a Yule Gift if time allows lol. I made her this hat for now. I had some baby yarn left over from a hat I made a long time ago so I used it to make it soft and fluffy. I didn't really expect her to wear it to school because to me it looked like a baby hat (probably because the yarn was marketed that way) but when she got to school everyone swarmed her. They loved it. Now it is her current favorite hat. I love it when I can make something she loves ;D What do you think? I have the pattern available for $3 in my Etsy Shop if anyone is interested :)

For some reason with the colors of this hat it reminded me of a Goblin. I made this as a Yule gift for my friend Kathrine (Kathrine: you knew it was for you ;) lol) I wanted to make a hat that was long enough for a scarf but wasn't super bulky toward the top of the hat. The tail is skinnier than the other hats I have made in the past. I like it. Less time to make lol. What do you think? I have the pattern available in My Etsy Shop for $3.00 if anyone is interested :)

Here is one of the large projects I have been working on. (well large for me since it is all single crochet) I have been working on it off and on since June. I have a short attention span lol. What do you think?





Here is a link that might help if you don't know how to use a chart

Doctor Who Crochet Bag
© April Draven (Folts) 2011

This is a free pattern. All I ask is for you to credit me if you use my pattern or chart in any way. I just want people to know I was the one who designed it.



Hook Size: H hook
(2) 7 oz skeins of main color yarn

With main bag color: Form a Magic Circle (AKA: Adjustable Ring) (you could also just form a circle how you normally would) Ch 1
Rnd 1: 10 sc in ring, insert marker, Do not join with 1 ss.
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each sc around (20)
Rnd 3: *1 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (30)
Rnd 4: *2 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (40)
Rnd 5: *3 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (50)
Rnd 6: *4 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (60)
Rnd 7: *5 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (70)
Rnd 8: *6 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (80)
Rnd 9: *7 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (90)
Rnd 10: *8 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (100)
Rnd 11: *9 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (110)
Rnd 12: *10 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (120)
Rnd 13: *11 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (130)
Rnd 14: *12 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (140)
Rnd 15-32: 1 sc in each sc around (18 rounds)
Rnd 33: 74 sc, start the black on the bottom of the Tardis on the chart. (The reason you do the 74 sc first before starting the chart is so your image will be centered)
Rnd 34-72: working the chart, 1 sc in each sc
Rnd 73-75: With main bag color, 1 sc in each sc around (3 rounds)

Handles:

Row 1: ch 1, 52sc, ch 1, turn
Row 2: sc2tog, 31 dc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn
Row 3: sc2tog, 29 dc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn
Row 4: sc2tog, 27 dc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn
Row 5: sc2tog, 25 dc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn
Row 6: sc2tog, 23 dc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn
Row 7: sc2tog, 21 dc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn
Row 8: sc2tog, 19 dc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn
Row 9: sc2tog, 17 dc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn
Row 10: sc2tog, 15 dc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn
Row 11: sc2tog, 13 dc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn
Row 12: sc2tog, 11 dc, sc2tog, ch 1, turn
Rows 13-43: 11 sc, ch 1, turn (30 rows)
Sc down the side
70 sc, Repeat Rows 2-43
sc down side, 18 sc, 1 ss, FO
Sew straps together
Attach yarn to where you sewed the straps and sc around the edge repeat the same on the other side (this makes the trim look smoother, also you could make the trim a different color for an added effect)
Sew button on and make your loop however you want. I just chained 10 and attached a loop to the back. I think I might make a thicker loop later.

My daughter loves cats. So I made this for her. Right now she is learning how to read and there is something called RAZ-Kids that she does on the computer for school. She can gain levels by reading the stories they have. When she reads she gains points. A bar will fill up just like an experience bar in a video game. I have been crocheting her stuff for every level she gets. A star or a ball whatever color she wants. She seems to like that. She is on her last level so I wanted to make her something special so I came up with this. She named it Cutie. So now she has to work hard so she can play with it. Motivation is key ;D Also I can make one of these in about 2 hours, depending on how distracted I am. I am thinking I will make a whole bunch more in different colors for stocking suffers ;) I didn't add a nose or mouth because it looked so cute with just eyes. If I do one in another color I might add to it. It's kinda hard to get details on a black stuffed animal. What do you think? I have the pattern available in my Etsy Store for $3.00 if anyone is interested.

Like I said before I am not that great at picking names for a hat, I chose Fallen Star because it was a black star. Yah I know it's corny lol. Anyways, I have been meaning to make another slouchy hat pattern with a star, now that I know so much more about writing patterns and crochet in general. You never stop learning ;) This is what I came up with. It is so comfy. Great for bad hair days. (or in my case when I take my daughter to school. I'm not a morning person. This way I don't have to brush my hair. shhhh don't tell anyone) It is warm but not too warm and people don't expect you to take your hat off because it is "stylish" hehe. I think it is my favorite hat right now :) I loved it so much I made another one with glow in the dark yarn. I can't wait to wear it to the bar. (I know a bar that has a blacklight hehe) What do you think? The pattern is available in My Etsy Store for $3.00 if anyone in interested :)

I ran out of ideas for hat names, so I just decided to make one up that sounded exotic. The hat is brown, I was craving Coffee and Chocolate, so the name was born haha. I needed a new winter hat but I didn't want a plain one. I wanted texture. So I came up with this. What do you think? I have the pattern for sale in my Etsy Shop for $3.00 if anyone is interested. Thank you everyone for your support :)

This is my latest creation. I love her. Her body is stuffed with Rice and the Earth is stuffed with Rice and Lavender. Getting her shaped just right was a bit of a challenge but I did it. I wanted to get more detailed with the eyes but she is only 7 inches tall so that was difficult. Once I put the felt on her though I realized it was the perfect face and I wouldn't want it any other way :D I tried to make her look like a tree, brown on the bottom and green on top. I felt that was appropriate ;) I have been wanting a Goddess statue for a long time now but for some reason I didn't even think to make one. The pattern for sale in my Etsy shop for $5.20. The pattern is 9 pages long with pictures. What do you think?

Oh what a summer it has been this year. I hope you all had a wonderful time :)

Here is my newest creation. This year I was considering dressing up as a witch for Halloween. I was looking at what other people came up with for witch hats and I decided I really didn't want to take the classic route. The points are too long and the brim is too wide. I wanted to be able to wear it more than just Halloween. So I decided to make the top and brim shorter. This is what I came up with. I named it Earthy Witch Hat because it reminded me of bark on a tree. I can't wait to wear it hiking :) It will keep the flies away from my head and help protect against the sun :) My dad kinda gave me inspiration for this hat too. When I was little we would go on walks in the woods and he would let me wear his hat. (that is one of the fondest memories I have of him) It was a men's hat but the brim was perfect. Not too big not too small. That is kinda what I wanted to achieve with this.

What do you think?

If you want the pattern it is available for $3 in my Etsy Shop







You can fold up the brim if you like :)





For those of you who don't know how to do cables here is A link to a video someone made that should help :)

I decided to make a video. I know a lot of people come to my blog and look at my hats and think that they are too complicated. They really aren't. (well most of them aren't) I have looked online and I haven't found any really good videos on how to crochet a hat (that doesn't mean there aren't any good ones out there, just that I didn't find any in my search that covered everything needed) so I decided to make my own. Most of the ones I found are filmed from the side or from the front. I made a weird rig with coffee cans, duct tape, hangers, and a pen (lol) so I could get the camera to record my perspective. Hopefully this will help beginners. The music in the video is "Ash Koley" My friend Ben introduced me to their music and I immediately loved them. I needed music for the video because I cover so much and there was no way I could talk that fast enough to keep up with the video. If I didn't add music it would be 10 min. of silence. Not very entertaining lol. I really wanted to use their songs so I contacted them and asked permission. Ash replied and told me it was alright. You should check them out. They are really awesome :) Here is a link to the video.
For those of you who already know how to make hats and read a pattern, scroll down. I posted it here. Remember, if you use it please give me credit for the design :)





Plain Slouch Hat © April Folts 2011

Hook size: H

Gauge: 4 inches = 13 stitches and 14 rows

Yarn:
3.5 oz Bernat Mosaic psychedelic 4 ply 100% Acrylic Worsted Weight
a little bit of Red Heart Turqua 4 ply 100% Acrylic Worsted Weight

Abbreviations:

Ss: slip stitch
Sc: single crochet
Dc: double crochet
Fpdc: front post double crochet
Bpdc: back post double crochet
FO: Fasten off

This pattern is worked in the round with a marker. Do not join with a ss unless specified

With Psychedelic yarn form a magic circle
Rnd 1: 8 sc in ring (8)
Rnd 2: *2 sc in each sc* rep from * to * around (16)
Rnd 3: * 1 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (24)
Rnd 4: * 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (32)
Rnd 5: * 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (40)
Rnd 6: * 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (48)
Rnd 7: 1 sc in each sc around (48)
Rnd 8: * 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (56)
Rnd 9: 1 sc in each sc around (56)
Rnd 10: * 6 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (64)
Rnd 11: 1 sc in each sc around (64)
Rnd 12: * 7 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (72)
Rnd 13: 1 sc in each sc around (72)
Rnd 14: * 8 sc, 2 sc in next sc* rep from * to * around (80)
Rnd 15-34: 1 sc in each sc around (80) (20 rounds)
At the end of rnd 34, switch colors to turqua and join with 1 ss
Rnd 35: 1 sc in each sc around, Join with 1 ss (80)
Rnd 36-40: ch 2, * 1 fpdc, 1 bpdc* rep from * to * around, Join with 1 ss (5 rounds)
FO and hide tails

I really wanted to design a hat with a 4 leaf clover on it. My family is mostly Irish so it feels good to make something in honor of them ;D Mostly I made it for my daughter though. She was really excited about Saint Patrick's Day so I wanted to make something special for her. This is what I came up with. What do you think? I have the pattern for $3 in my Etsy shop if anyone is interested. Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

I really wanted to make something for Valentine's Day. I decided I wanted to make a hat with hearts going all around it. I dug out the graph paper and got to work. I figured I would go with my Convertible hat pattern and just add the hearts. I love hats where you can put your hair through the top. I can't get the hair on my mannequin to go through the top of the hat (It's just a wig). I have been sick so I didn't want to model looking all sickly lol but you can still pull your hair through if you like :) What do you think?











and here is the chart you can use with the Convertible Hat Pattern