Alien mask balaclava costume prop

I started to crochet this Alien Mask (free pattern by Cirsium Crochet) for my grandniece Jill, a tween who loves aliens. 👽

Ran out of yarn about 3/4 of the way through

 

But two things stopped me. First, I ran out of the Red Heart Super Saver yarn in the Spring Green colorway I was using. And second, I sent Jill's mom the in-progress photo of the mask at the point where I ran out of the yarn and asked if she thought Jill's two younger sisters, one who is still just a toddler, might think the mask was too scary if Jill wore it around the house. Jill's mom, who thought the mask looked really cool, reluctantly said, yes, it probably would be too scary for them.

So instead of going out and buying more yarn to finish the mask, I frogged the yarn and will save it for another project. 😂 Maybe I can make it again for Jill later, after her sisters get a bit older.

The pattern really does make an amazing-looking alien mask, though!! If you or someone you love loves aliens, you should give this pattern a try! 

Checking for size

1-2-3 Flip-brim Beanie free pattern

Two new free patterns released in two days! Wow!

Like a lot of us, I get busy with day-to-day things as well as just simply spending my time actually WORKING on yarncraft projects rather than blogging about them, so it can sometimes be months between my posts. Sigh. But sorry, there are only so many hours in a day. I'm sure you've been there, too, and can understand.

Today I am releasing this pattern for a 1-2-3 Flip-brim Beanie because in the USA, October has become the single biggest month for cancer-awareness causes in the form of the Pink October breast cancer movement.



Cancer (not specifically breast cancer) has profoundly touched my life and the lives of so many people who are close to me, and because of this, I feel moved to make and donate attractive caps each year to support the patients battling this terrible disease at a nearby cancer treatment center.

I offer this pattern for free, forever, in honor of Pink October and all the men and women who have battled and survived or lost the fight to any form of cancer.

If you download this pattern, please consider making and donating at least one of these hats to the patients at your local cancer center. Thank you so much.

The “1-2-3” portion of the name for this beanie comes from the texture that is achieved by working in repeating rounds of sc, hdc, and dc.

These instructions yield a simple but sophisticated cap with about a 20-22 inch circumference, depending on your yarn and tension, which should comfortably fit the head of an average adult - and particularly adults who have lost their hair to the cruel ravages of chemotherapy. The fit is intentionally a bit oversized (although not slouchy per se) for comfortable ease. The brim flips upward as you work the brim instructions and will remain in place on its own.

If you are making this hat to give to a chemo patient, choose a soft, hypoallergenic fiber by following the guidelines provided by Halos of Hope.

Simple Vertical Stripe Placemat free pattern

Just published on Ravelry: my new free crochet pattern for a Simple Vertical Stripe Placemat.



This super-easy project works up in just a few hours. I hope you will go check it out!

I made this one with Lily Sugar ’n Cream in Country Side Ombre, which gives the fabric almost an argyle plaid effect that I really like.