Trying To Be More Organized

Good Morning!

I've got a few photos to share with you, of a project I'm working on at the moment and it's not crochet! I'm making a craft planner to try and organize my time a little better. I was inspired to make it by one of Lilibee's lovely classes and a planner kit, that I wish I'd bought when it was out! The folder is upcycled, it was a guide to money for new parents, given to me by my midwife.

 

To decorate the planner I used papers and embellishments from Sassafras-Sunshine Lollipop, Prima-Rebellious, American Crafts-Craft Fair and Blue Skies, Cosmo Cricket-Nutmeg. I've also used Red Velvet Art Paper Dolls, embroidery patterns and some black and white colouring book illustrations which came free with the RVA Small Craft Class that I took last year.

 To make the page tabs, I downloaded and printed off some free fonts from dafont.com, onto printable acetate. Since taking this photo I have changed it a little bit and double up on the months, because the planner was filling up too fast and it only had dividers in it!

 

More to come soon!

XxX

My First Blog Award

I've noticed a few new faces here, so thank you all very much for reading my blog. I can't explain how much it means to me when I see someone has left me a comment or has started following my blog.

The other day I received my first blog award from Jo, thank you so much! It came as a total surprise. I have decided though not to post these awards on my side bar. I will however tell you seven facts about myself, because there are a couple of things I've nearly mentioned before but then just not been able to.

1. I'm a fair weather person  and get quite depressed if there's no sunshine, although I do really love it when it snows.

2.  I was hit by a car when I was 11 years old and it's left me too nervous to drive.

3. I can touch my nose with my tongue. My party trick!

4. My dad took his own life on 14th December 1999. I've never mentioned it on my blog before because I still find it hard to talk about. And I like to keep my blog a happy place, so I'll probably never mention it again.

5.  Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom is actually one of my favourite programmes, not just something I have to watch because Dylan likes it! :)

6. I've got just about every set of pencils that Derwent have ever released, and I like to keep all the pencils inside in rainbow order. Dylan also has this habit and he's only 2 1/2!

7. I've got a terrible memory and have to write lists for everything.  And then hope I can remember where I've put the list!

So, now you all know I'm a bit crazy!

XxX

Crochet Dinosaur Hat

Crochet Dinosaur Hat
Originally uploaded by FizzPopBang

Hi here's a free pattern I've made to share with you. It's for a dinosaur hat that I made for Dylan. He's 2 1/2 years old, but he's quite large for his age. I made the hat fairly big though, so I think it would fit a child up to the age of about 5. You could adjust the size of the hat by using a different weight yarn or size crochet hook. You could also make more or less of the increase rows to change the width and adjust the length by changing how many none increasing rounds you make. Hope that makes sense? This is my first time at writing a pattern, so there may be mistakes in it, if there are, feel free to correct them in the comments section. :)


The hat is made in continuous rounds, do not join the rounds, mark the first stitch of each round to make it easier to keep count. When making a colour change do not break off the yarn, leave it attached and carry the colour not in use on the wrong side of the hat until it's needed again. Crochet through both loops through out the pattern. This pattern is written in US terms.



st = stitch

sts = stitches

ch = chain

sc = single crochet (UK double crochet)

hdc = half double crochet (UK half treble crochet)

hdc2tog = half double crochet 2 together (decrease) (UK half treble 2 together)

hdc3tog = half double crochet 3 together (decrease) (UK half treble 3 together)


Hat - Make 1 (I used Green and Blue Woolcraft Acrylic New Fashion DK and a size 5mm hook)

Round 1 - Make a magic ring for 6sc using green = 6sts

Round 2 - 2sc in each st = 12sts

Round 3 - 2sc in next st, 1sc in next st, 6x = 18sts

Round 4 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, 6x = 24sts change to blue

Round 5 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts, 6x = 30sts

Round 6 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts, 6x = 36sts

Round 7 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts, 6x = 42sts change to green

Round 8 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts, 6x = 48sts

Round 9 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 7 sts, 6x = 54sts

Round 10 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 8 sts, 6x = 60sts change to blue

Round 11 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 9 sts, 6x = 66sts

Round 12 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 10 sts, 6x = 72sts

Round 13 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 11 sts, 6x = 78sts change to green

Round 14 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 12sts, 6x = 84sts (continue to change colour at the end of each 3rd row)

Round 15-34 - Sc in each st around = 84sts


Earflaps - Make 2, 1 on each side. Green Yarn

Hold the hat with the rim facing upwards right side facing out. Keep the colour change area to the back. Mark the centre of the front of the hat with a safety pin, count 17 stitches around to the side pull the yarn through and attach with a slip knot.

Row 1 - Ch 2 hdc 13 = 13 sts

Row 2 - Ch 2 turn, hdc2tog, hdc in next 9 sts, hdc2tog = 11sts

Row 3 - Ch 2 turn, hdc2tog, hdc in next 7 sts, hdc2tog = 9sts

Row 4 - Ch 2 turn, hdc2tog, hdc in next 5 sts, hdc2tog = 7sts

Row 5 - Ch 2 turn, hdc2tog, hdc in next 3 sts, hdc2tog = 5sts

Row 6 - Ch 2 turn, hdc2tog, hdc in next st, hdc2tog = 3sts

Row 7 - Ch 2 turn hdc3tog = 1st


Sc evenly around the edge of the hat and earflaps starting from the back of the hat.


Braids - Make 2

Take about 60cm of yarn in green and blue, I used 3 of each colour. Use a large yarn needle and draw the yarn through the point of the earflap. Now braid together. Leave about 8cm at the bottom unbraided, knot to make the tassel.



Horns - Make 4, green

Round 1 - Make a magic ring with 4 sc

Round 2 - 2sc in next st, sc in next st, 2x = 6sts

Round 3 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, 2x = 8sts

Round 4 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 3sts, 2x = 10sts

Round 5 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts, 2x = 12sts

Round 6 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 5 sts, 2x = 14sts

Round 7 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 6 sts, 2x = 16sts

Round 8 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 7 sts, 2x = 18sts

Round 9 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 8 sts, 2x = 20sts

Round 10 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 9 sts, 2x = 22sts

Round 11 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 10 sts, 2x = 24sts

Round 12 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 11 sts, 2x = 26sts

Fasten off leaving a long end for sewing.

Stuff lightly with polyfill and stitch to the hat.


Eyes - Make 2, white

Round 1 - Magic ring with 6sc = 6sts

Round 2 - 2sc in st = 12sts

Round 3 - 2sc in next st, sc in next st, 6x = 18st

Round 4 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts, 6x = 24sts

Round 5 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 3 sts, 6x = 30sts

Round 6 - 2sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts, 6x = 36sts

Fasten off leave a long tail for sewing to hat.


Eye - Make 2, black

Round 1 - Magic ring with 6sc = 6sts

Round 2 - 2sc in each st around = 12sts

Fasten off leaving a long end, stitch to the white of the eye. I stitched mine on wonky for a googly eyed dinosaur! :) Stitch the completed eyes on to the hat.


Teeth - Make 4, white

Round 1 - Magic ring or 3scs = 3sts

Round 2 - 2scs in each st = 6sts

Round 3 - sc in each st = 6sts

Round 4 sc in each st = 6sts

Fasten off leave a long end for sewing, stitch to front edge of hat.

And your done! Enjoy!

There are more photos of this hat on my Flickr account if you'd like to see them.


PS. I am happy for you to sell items made from this pattern but please do not claim the original  pattern as your own. If you post photos of the hat you have made on your blog/website, please link back to this page.

Added - This hat measures approx 20 inches circumference. 

Many Thanks.

XxX

Happy New Year!

Image from weheartit.com

Thank you for following my blog during 2010. Best wishes to all of you for 2011.