Year of the Stitches Week 46 – Treble Crosses

Treble Crosses Stitch

Well hello my lovelies! I hope you have all had lovely weekends!! We have had a rather activity weekend, so I think these two have earnt a movie night. They seem to be enjoying a double whammy of blanket yumminess!!! Surely you can’t have enough snuggly blankets around you can you?!?! The back one is a granny square blanket that I made for my daughter a few years ago!! It’s a firm favourite in our house.

So this weekend we have managed two big walks. The Long Mynd on Saturday and Thorpe Cloud today. It was so nice to get out and about in the fresh air. Unfortunately as you can see, we didn’t have the best of weather yesterday. It was like we were walking in the clouds. I don’t think it dampened our spirits though.

But by the end of the walk, it was clear blue skies and bright sunshine. The walkers seem to appear out of the woods at that point! My old faithfuls are still going strong!!

I think we were the only crazy ones that were out early in the morning. Just to give you an idea, we had got up, cooked and ate a big breakfast, driven to the Long Mynd (over an hour away,) walked up and around the The Mynd (9km to be precise) and then managed a yummy pub lunch by 1pm. So I reckon that’s pretty good going!! Either that or it’s just usual life with a little one that needs to sleep early afternoon!! Bless him. I know it’s not forever, so we don’t mind arranging our day around him!! And definitely don’t want his naps to end just yet!! Ekk!!

We have definitely had an active weekend – so today  we ended scrambling up Thorpe Cloud!! And we had the amazing weather that we had hoped for!! Wow!! We were so lucky!!! Just incredible!

If you are ever in the area, it is definitely worth a trip!! There’s the famous stepping stones that you can walk to, but then the adventurous ones go up Thorpe Cloud! It’s a bit of a scramble at the beginning and definitely not easy for my poor husband with a back pack and a little boy who is getting bigger by the minute on his back!! Totally worth it though!! The view was amazing! My daughter kept saying how easy it was and why were we taking so long!! Bless her!! She has so much energy!!

This walk had definitely earnt a mulled cider at the Old Dog Inn afterwards!!! Dare I say it – felt like the beginning of chrimbo!!

We ended up in Ashbourne afterwards and had a lovely cuppa in the F’coffee cafe!! My son even had a babychino, but it’s wasn’t any normal one!! He absolutely adored it!! Mega coffee bar if you are ever in Ashbourne!!! Hmm, just looking at this photo – do you think he likes diggers?? Haha! Bless him!!

Well we have definitely had a lovely weekend making lots of family memories!! Happy days!!

So onto a spot of crocheting. So this weekend I have published my Simply Snuggly Hat pattern. Now this is a great pattern for any of you who are new to crocheting and want to make something easy, but also for crochet addicts like me who love giving crocheted pressies to everyone. This one uses a  back loop double crochet stitch, which is extremely easy to make up. So no worries there!!

My other Weekend Hat pattern, will be ready to go mid week I think. This will be my second hat pattern and once again it is extremely easy to make up. It uses the back loop treble stitch, so it’s a lot quicker than the back loop double crochet hat, but obviously gives you a different look.

This is one I am making for my Mum. She adores this cerise colour, so hope she will like it. The wool has been hand dyed by the wonderful Easy Knitter!! Hoping to find a matching pom pom for it!!! Definitely needs a pom pom, doesn’t it!!

So onto the blanket and this weeks instalment of Year of the Stitches CAL. So this week I have chosen a lovely stitch called the Treble Crosses Stitch. It’s a pretty cool stitch. It’s kind of like a spike stitch in the sense that you work trebles in the row below, but crossed!! Hope you like. It’s good fun to work up. Just watch your tension. Make sure your tension is quite loose, as otherwise it will pull the stitch down!! Hope you like it!

Supplies –

This week I have used a 100% Double Knit wool from the Cascade range!! It’s ever so nice to work with!! As always I have used about 30g of yarn. Remember you can use any double knit yarn you like. Don’t forget your 4mm hook, scissors and a blunt ended tapestry needle.

Stitches – 

Chain (ch) – To make a chain stitch, make a slip knot on your hook and then place the yarn over your hook and pull through the loop. Repeat this action to make a row of stitches.

Treble Crochet (tr) – Yarn over your hook and insert the hook through the stitch, front to back, then yarn over hook and pull back through stitch. You will have three loops on your hook. Then yarn over your hook and pull through the first 2 loops. Then yarn over your hook again and pull through the last 2 loops.

Ok so here we go …

1 – Attach your new yarn onto the wrong side of your blanket and chain 3. Now work 1tr in the same stitch. Then work 1tr in each stitch across the row. (200)

2 – Now turn your work and chain 3. Then work 1tr in the same stitch. Now miss 2 stitches and then work 1tr in the base of the next stitch. So work the tr stitch around the back of the tr post. Can you see where the arrow is pointing.

So to do this, yarn over your hook and insert your hook around the back of the stitch like so.

Then yarn over and pull back through and up to same height of the row. You should have 3 loops on your hook.

Now finish the stitch by placing the yarn over your hook and pulling through the first 2 loops and then yarn over your hook and pull through the last 2 loops to complete the stitch.

Now work 1tr in the 2nd of the missed stitches. This is where the arrow is pointing.

Ok so now you are ready to work 1tr around the base of the first tr stitch that you missed. So we are going to put the yarn over your hook and insert your hook where the arrow is pointing.

So place it around the back of the stitch like last time.

Now yarn over your hook and pull through. This will give you 3 loops on your hook.

Then finish the stitch by yarn over your hook and pull through the first 2 loops and then yarn over your hook and pull through the last 2 loops.

Now work 1tr in the next 3 stitches. The first stitch needs to go where the arrow is pointing. You need to make sure this is the stitch that hasn’t had a treble stitch underneath. If you start in this one you will end up with a higher stitch count!

Son once you have worked the 3 trebles you have finished the treble cross stitch.

Ok so now it’s time to repeat. So *miss next 2 tr stitches, work 1tr in the base of the next tr stitch.

Then work 1tr in the second of the missed tr stitches.

Then 1tr in the base of the first tr stitch missed.

Now work 1tr in the next 3 stitches.*

Repeat this ** across the row. (200)

3 – Now turn your work and chain 3. Now work 1tr in the same stitch and then 1tr in each stitch across the row.

End with 1tr in the last stitch and then fasten off and sew in your ends.  (200)

And there we have the wonderful Treble Crosses Stitch. Hope you like it. Still a bit shocked that we are on week 46 of Year of the Stitches!! I really hope you are enjoying this CAL as much as I am!! Think it’s going to be a magnificent blanket once it’s finished. Fingers crossed!!

Anyways, happy hooking everyone!

🌈 Xx

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One Simply Snuggly Hat

Simple Double Crochet Hat  

Hello my lovelies!! Hope you are all well and keeping warm in this cool weather!! It’s been rather a busy week in our household, so rather thankful that it’s Friday. In celebration of it being Friday, I couldn’t resist sharing this with you. Maybe a little project for the weekend me thinks?

So here is the first of my two ubberly simple hat patterns. This one uses the Back Loop Double Crochet Stitch, where as the next one will be a Back Loop Treble Crochet Stitch. They are both extremely easy and quick to whip up and also very easy to accessorise – as you will see in my third hat pattern that I would like to share with you!! Hmmm, hat mad… maybe!! Hee hee, accessorising is the best bit!! Well, I hope you like them. These are so versatile and great for Christmas or Birthday pressies! I’m making one for my Mum for Christmas with a Pom Pom from the wonderful Knitting Corner!!

But this one I have made is rather special, as it was designed and made for my wonderful Father-in-law, who had rather a special birthday. He is an avid sailor, so it was only fitting we made him a Jacques Cousteau hat for his birthday. I reckon I’ve done rather a good job replicating his hat. What do you think?

Right then, let’s get down to business.

Level – Easy

Sizes

I have tried to give you a wide range of hat sizes, so hope it all makes sense and it’s all easy to follow.

3 month old – Oh so small!! So this measures about 11 inches, but will fit a 16 inch head.

6 month old – A cute little size. So this measures about 12 inches, but will fit a 17 inch head.

12 month old – So this size I would make for a 1 – 2 year old. This measures about 13 inches, but will fit an 18inch head.

Toddler – This size would be a 2 year old to a 4 year old. This measures about 14inches and will fit a 19 inch head.

Child – So I would make this for a 5 year old to about 10 years old. (This is the size I made for my daughter.) This measures 16 inches, which would fit a 21 inch head.

Small – This size will fit a teenager up to a young adult. This measures about 18 inches, which will fit a 22 inch head.

Medium – Small to medium adult. I would usually use this size for a ladies hat. (This is my Mum’s hat size.) This measures about 19inches and will fit a 23 inch head.

Large – This is for a large sized adult. I would usually use this size for a gentleman’s hat. This is the size I have made for my Father-in-law. This measures 20 inches which will fit a 24 inch head.

Supplies  –

Now the amount of wool depends on which size hat you are working on. I have used my favourite sublime cashmere/merino/silk Double Knit yarn, but you can use any Double Knit wool you would like.

3 month, 6 month, 12 month and toddler will all need 1 ball of 50g wool.

Child, Small, Medium will need 2 balls of 50g yarn.

Large will need 3 balls of 50g yarn.

Stitches

Chain (ch) – To make a chain stitch, make a slip knot on your hook and then place the yarn over your hook and pull through the loop. Repeat this action to make a row of stitches.

Double Crochet (dc) – Insert the hook through the stitch, front to back, then yarn over hook and pull back through stitch. You will have two loops on your hook. Then yarn over your hook and pull through both loops.

Back Loop Double Crochet (bldc) – Insert the hook through the second part of the stitch, front to back, then yarn over hook and pull back through stitch. You will have two loops on your hook. Then yarn over your hook and pull through both loops.

Ok so here we go…

So we are going to start by making a foundation chain. Now the amount is different according to the size you are making. The length of the chain stitches determines the height of the hat.

3 month old – Work 25 chain stitches.

6 month old – Work 30 chain stitches.

12 month old – Work 35 chain stitches.

Toddler – Work 40 chain stitches.

Child – Work 50 chain stitches.

Small – Work 50 chain stitches.

Medium – Work 55 chain stitches.

Large – Work 60 chain stitches.

Once you have worked your chain stitches for the size you are making, turn your work and chain one more stitch.

Ok so now it’s time to work 1dc in the second chain from the hook and then 1dc in each chain across the row.

Now work 1 Back Loop Double Crochet (bldc) in the first stitch. To do this insert your hook in the back loop of the double crochet stitch. This is where the arrow is pointing.

See how the hook is in the back loop of the double crochet stitch.

Now yarn over your hook and then pull back through. Now finish off the stitch by placing your yarn over your hook and then pull through both loops. Now work 1bldc in each stitch across the row.

*At the end of the row, turn your work, chain 1 and work 1bldc in the same stitch and then each stitch across the row.* Repeat this ** across each row in the hat.

Carry on working your back loop double crochet stitches in each row. Don’t forget to chain 1 at the start of each row to give you the height for a double crochet.

Now for each size you need to work a slightly different amount of rows.

So this is a large sized hat, so I have worked 115 rows. The final product in length measures 20inches, but will stretch out to 24inches.

For a medium hat you will need 107 rows. So it needs to measure about 19 inches across and stretches out to 23inches.

For a small hat you will need 101 rows. This needs to measure about 18 inches across and will stretch out to 22inches.

For a child’s hat you will need 93 rows. This little hat needs to measure about 16 inches across and will stretch out to 21 inches.

For a toddler’s hat you will need 81 rows. And for this hat, it needs to measure about 14inches across and will stretch out to 20 inches.

For a 12 months olds hat you will need about 75 rows. So when it’s measured, it needs to measure about 13 inches. This will stretch out to 18 inches.

For a 6 month olds hat you will need about 69 rows. So it will measure about 12 inches. This will stretch out to 17 inches.

For a 3 month olds hat you will need about 62 rows. So it will measure about 11 inches. This will stretch out to 16 inches.

You can see in the photo below how I am measuring the large hat at 20inches finished, but it will easily stretch out to 24inches. The beauty of this stitch is that it has so much movement and stretch, so it’s perfect for hats.

Right then, so now it’s time to fasten up the hat. So to do this, place one half of the hat on top of the other.

Now chain 1 and then insert your hook into your first stitch, then also into the first chain in the foundation stitch. Now yarn over your hook and pull through the chain and then also back through the dc stitch. You should now have 2 loops on your hook.

Now finish the dc stitch by placing the yarn over your hook and pulling through both loops. Now continue working 1dc into each stitch in this same way – so working through both the dc stitches and the foundation chain stitches.

At the end of the row, once you have worked the last dc stitch, work a slip stitch in the same stitch.

Now you should have a nice little ridge. This little ridge will be the inside of your hat. So now we need to sew up the top. So fasten off at the top of the little ridge, leaving a nice long tail. Now thread your needle with this tail and start threading it along the top stitches of each row.

Keep weaving the needle through these stitches so that the hat starts to form. You can see this happening in the photo below.

Now pull the needle through so that it forms the top of the hat.

Keep making stitches to secure it, making sure there isn’t a hole. Then fasten off and sew in your ends.

And here’s the finished article. All you need to do now is turn it inside out. I hope you have enjoyed this hat pattern. Please give me a shout if you get stuck. Can’t wait to see your finished articles. Don’t forget to link it to @pipsrainbow if you share it on social media.

 

Happy hooking everyone.

🌈Xx

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