Wide headband free pattern

I got a hankering to make some wide headbands in crochet, and the first pattern I tried was the Nadie wide headband pattern designed by Susan Iacuone.

It has a nice open weave and closes with a button. I made this blue one in Lily Sugar-n-Cream cotton.

But this design also looks cute in this Mini Mochi yarn in the Intense Rainbow colorway.

Knit to crochet: Lost in translation

I'm a firm believer that some patterns are best suited to knit and some patterns are best suited to crochet.

If you are like me and generally prefer one technique over the other (in my case, if given a choice, I would always choose to crochet a piece and only resort to knitting as a last resort).

But sometimes it's fun to take an attractive pattern that was designed in one technique and attempt to translate it to the other technique - for example, to take a pattern designed for knit and translate it into crochet.

That's what I recently attempted to do with Adela Illichmanova's lovely and unique Capucine hat, which she designed for knit. (The following samples were made with Lily Sugar'n Cream Cotton from 14-ounce cone in 02178 Potpourri.)

I worked up her basic pattern (meaning just the hat portion without adding the finishing tassels).

However, translating from one technique to another does not always yield the desired result - or if it does, sometimes it requires more than one attempt to be successful, as we will see here.

As I was working, I could tell that what I was crocheting was going to turn out to be far too small to fit an adult's head, and by the time I was about halfway through with the ridged portion, I could see what my piece was becoming: My first attempt to translate Adela's knitted Capucine design into crochet resulted in what I can only call a girl's pioneer-style sunbonnet. (And probably in a toddler girl's size at that.) So I finished it up by adding some chin ties and will pass this first translation "failure" along to one of my grandnieces for dress-up playtime. (Of course, it really isn't a "failure" if you end up with something usable, eh?)

But there is definitely a big difference between the knitted Capucine hat (left) and my first attempt to translate it to crochet (right).

Now back to the drawing board to try again! That's the fun part.

Friends on Ravelry

Are any of my friends on Ravelry, and if so, how do I find you there???

It seems that some people really get into the site, but it's taking me a while to figure it all out. As far as social networking goes, Ravelry is lacking a feature that many other social sites have: the option to search your email contacts for other site users (whom you would already know, obviously).

If you're seeing this blog post and you want to add me to your Ravelry friends, here's a link to my profile page: https://www.ravelry.com/people/booniesangel

Go to my page and click the little button to add me to your friends! 💜

Simple Mesh "Fishbowl" Project Tote with Bamboo Handles free pattern

Crochet pattern by Susan Benitez. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved. Pattern may not be sold or duplicated in any form. The written instructions, templates and illustrations are intended for personal, non-commercial use only.

Gauge: 

Gauge is not critical to this project.

Abbreviations used:

ch - chain

dc - double crochet

sc - single crochet

sl - slip stitch

st - stitch

yo - yarn over

Special stitch used:

dc2tog: To perform this stitch, yo, insert hook into next st, and pull up a loop. Yo and pull through first 2 loops. Yo, insert hook into next st, and pull up a loop. Yo and pull through first 2 loops. Yo and pull through all 3 loops on hook. Results in dc decrease by 1 st.

Materials list:

Crochet hook 5.5 mm (US size I)

Worsted weight cotton yarn, 2 balls (50 g each); sample was made using Lily Sugar-n-Cream
Pair of bamboo-style circular handles, 6-inch diameter

Notes:

Tote is worked in the round starting at the bottom. With the exception of the final round of the project, do NOT turn your work after you join the end of each round; continue working the following rounds in the same direction. For the FINAL round, when you join the handles, you will turn the piece and work because it results in a neater appearance on the outside (right side) of the tote.

Round 1

Ch 3. Work 11 dc in third chain from hook. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (11 dc made.)

Round 2

Ch 2 (does NOT count as 1st dc here and throughout). Work 2 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 2 dc in each stitch around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (22 dc made.)

Round 3

Ch 2. Work 2 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in next st. Work *(2 dc in next st; 1 dc in next st). Repeat from * around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (33 dc made.)

Round 4

Ch 2. Work 2 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in next 2 st. Work *(2 dc in next st; 1 dc in next 2 st). Repeat from * around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (44 dc made.)

Round 5

Ch 2. Work 2 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in next 3 st. Work *(2 dc in next st; 1 dc in next 3 st). Repeat from * around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (55 dc made.)

Round 6

Ch 2. Work 2 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in next 4 st. Work *(2 dc in next st; 1 dc in next 4 st). Repeat from * around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (66 dc made.)

Round 7

Ch 2. Work 2 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in next 5 st. Work *(2 dc in next st; 1 dc in next 5 st). Repeat from * around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (77 dc made.)

Round 8

Ch 2. Work 2 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in next 6 st. Work *(2 dc in next st; 1 dc in next 6 st). Repeat from * around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (88 dc made.)

Round 9

Ch 2. Work 2 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in next 7 st. Work *(2 dc in next st; 1 dc in next 7 st). Repeat from * around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (99 dc made.)

Round 10

Ch 2. Work 1 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in each st around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (99 dc made.)

Rounds 11-18

Repeat round 10.

Round 19

Ch 2. Work 1 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in next 6 st; dc2tog. Work *(1 dc in next 7 st; dc2tog). Repeat from * around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (88 dc made.)

Round 20

Ch 2. Work 1 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in next 5 st; dc2tog. Work *(1 dc in next 6 st; dc2tog). Repeat from * around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (77 dc made.)

Round 21

Ch 2. Work 1 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in next 4 st; dc2tog. Work *(1 dc in next 5 st; dc2tog). Repeat from * around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (66 dc made.)

Round 22

Ch 2. Work 1 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in next 3 st; dc2tog. Work *(1 dc in next 4 st; dc2tog). Repeat from * around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (55 dc made.)

Round 23

Ch 2. Work 1 dc in same st as ch 2. Work 1 dc in each st around. Join round with sl at top of 1st dc. (55 dc made.)

Round 24

Repeat round 23.

Round 25

Ch 1. Work 1 sc in same st as ch 1. Work 1 sc in each st around. Join round with sl at top of 1st sc. (55 sc made.)

Round 26

Ch 1 and TURN. *(Hold 1 bamboo handle against the inside of the tote with the top of the handle in line with the top edge of the tote. Work [2 sc in each st] 7 times over bamboo handle; sl in next 21 st.) Repeat from * with second bamboo handle. Sl to join end of round.

Fasten off. Weave in ends and enjoy your new tote!