Alpine stitch balaclava

At least five years ago, my daughter LadyU asked me to make her a balaclava she could wear while walking the dogs during winter. It took me a long while to finally get around to making it for her, but hopefully she will like it! (There has been a bit of a long saga predating today's project.)

Inspired by the Alpine Ninja balaclava, I used the Crochet with GG video tutorial at this link to learn how to make the alpine stitch in the round (top down), but I worked the top of this hat differently than was shown in the video.

Top part of hat (above the opening for the wearer's face) is worked with a J/6mm hook; bottom part of hat (cowl) is worked with a K/6.5mm hook.

I prefer to work hats top-down, but I don't like patterns where the top stitch count increases so rapidly that the top of the hat curls ferociously until you work far enough down the sides that it helps to tame the curling a bit. That was what was happening on this one when I tried to follow the stitch counts in the video tutorial. So instead I started with 10 sts and made standard increases on that count (next row 20, next row 30, etc.).

My goal was to end up with a total of 72 sts after all the increases, but somehow I ended up with 76 sts on the last increase row; I figured that was close enough (the most important thing was to end up with an even number of sts for the alpine stitch to work). The crown is worked with alternating FPDC and BPDC sts because it's easier to do increases with that combo of sts than it is to try to do increases in the alpine stitch, and I like how the alternating FPDC/BPDC more closely resembles the texture of the alpine stitch at the crown (it looks better than making the crown with all plain DC).

I didn't actually keep count while working the crown, but I think the crown here is 22 rows in purple (the first 6 or 7 rows are alternating FPDC/BPDC increases, then I switched to alpine stitch). If you want to change colors where the balaclava splits to make the face opening, it's important to end the first color on an alpine stitch row where you're working the FPDC/DC sts. The next row is a SC row. I was beginning/ending rounds at the center back. Place stitch markers at each side of the face opening. Then on the SC row,  join your new color and SC to first marker; FSC for however many sts you need to skip to reach the next marker; at the next marker, SC normally to the end of the round. This way when you continue the following row in alpine stitch (FPDC/DC), the color change will look better because the post stitches are reaching across an SC row of the same color (rather than an SC row of a different color).

That's just the way I wanted the color change on this hat to look. It probably could look cool to do the color change over a contrasting SC row as well (so if that's the way you want to do it on your project, go for it!). I also increased the stitch count for the cowl portion to 78 for a bit more ease around the wearer's face.

It only took a few days to complete the crocheted portion of this project. The part that subsequently took months to do was searching for an acceptable pair of buttons to sew onto the folded tab as the last finishing touch. Originally I wanted to use a pair of Pokemon character buttons, but I wasn't able to find any I liked or that would be suitable here. So finally I settled on these washable coconut wood buttons, which I think look nice with the project.

Updated to add a removable 3.5-inch pom:

Tag It luggage tag free pattern

We have been using these little tags on our luggage for nearly 10 years now. The tags are soft and pliable, so they won't scratch the bags, and their bright colors definitely help make it easier to pick out which suitcases are ours as they pass by on the luggage carousel!

New tag made in 2021 next to an old tag from 2013

We recently added a new suitcase to our collection, so naturally I pulled out my remnant of Day Glow and whipped up another tag before our next trip.

One of my first tags made in 2013

This is the quick and easy crochet Tag It pattern by Tamara Kelly, aka Moogly, which is available for free on her blog.

One of my first tags made in 2013

As I said, I like to use Red Heart in the Day Glow colorway to make these (the bright colors are so easy to see). If you want to have a contrasting color for the edging, Red Heart in the Glow Worm colorway complements the Day Glow nicely.

If you have to attach these to a large handle on your luggage, I suggest using a 4mm hook and starting with a chain of 35.

Cookie Monster costume hat

Cookie Monster is my all-time favorite Muppet, so I wanted to make a messy-bun-style hat of this character. I started mine too late to wear it for Halloween this year, but I'll totally be ready next year!

I used a variation of the Loopy Chemo Cap pattern from my free Chemo Cap Bundle. Instead of starting at the very top of the hat, I started with 40 foundation HDCs (the equivalent of round 4) and then continued to work the pattern as written from there.

I used the Addi Pro 22-needle knitting machine to make the white part of Cookie Monster's eyeballs. My first attempt turned out looking super lumpy and squished, which led me to conclude that the eyes needed a bit of polyfil stuffing to help them hold their round shape.

To make the eyeballs: Cast on with white yarn and knit for 19 rows. Cut a long tail and use a bent-tip needle to cast the stitches off the machine. Gently stretch the knitted piece, and then gently cinch the ends. Fold one end inside the other (same as when you're making a beanie). Pull the yarn tails through the "top" of the cinched ends and knot securely. (This cinched end will be the front of the eyeball; you will later cover this cinched end with a crocheted black pupil.) Thread one tail onto a yarn needle. Grab one handful of polyfil and poke the needle through the center of the polyfil, then slide the polyfil down the yarn tail until it's sitting inside the "cup" of the eyeball. Using the tail on the yarn needle, pick up the bar in the middle of every third stitch along the top of the folded edge (these stitches will be used to cinch closed what is currently the folded end of the eyeball). Gently pull on the yarn tail to cinch the folded end closed, then stitch across the cinched opening to secure. Thread the other yarn tail onto the needle and poke it through the center of the eyeball and out the other side that you just cinched closed. Being careful not to pull too hard and squish/flatten the eyeball, knot the yarn tails together again several times to secure. Leave the long white tails for now so you can use them later to sew the eyeball onto the hat.

Using black yarn, crochet a small "pupil" for each eyeball by working 6 SC into a magic circle. Use the invisible joining technique to finish the outer edge. Tightly cinch the center of each pupil and knot to secure. Leave a long tail to sew each pupil onto the front of each eyeball, centered over the front cinched end. Knot to secure and hide black yarn tails inside the center of the eyeball.

Using the long white yarn tails, attach the eyeballs to the hat and knot several times to secure. Weave in ends and wear your Cookie Monster hat with pride!

Ribbed crochet messy bun hat with brim

Love the look of this hat - perfect for keeping warm and also stylish, and the brim will be handy on those cold but sunny winter days. It's the Ribbed for Him and Her Messy Bun Optional Hat by Marly Bird.

I deviated from Marly's pattern by working this top down (instead of bottom up), and I also used this YouTube tutorial by "Pleasant Seas" to knit the brim and then added this brim form from tops2toesboutique on Etsy to help the knitted brim hold its shape. It seems like no matter how hard I try I just cannot get the crochet slip-stitch brim technique to work, so for me it's easier to just knit the brim.

I completed all the crochet and knitting for this project in two evenings, but I had to wait a few days for the brim form to arrive in the mail before I could finish off the project.

BaaBaa Black Sheep Last-Minute Halloween costume

I wanted to make a quick and easy hat to serve as a last-minute costume I could wear while handing out Halloween candy. I remembered having this sweet pattern, Baa Baa by Melissa Mall, and thought it would make a great prop to wear. All I have to do to finish my costume is draw on a black nose, wear a comfy black T-shirt and black leggings, and I'll be set as the best (OK, the ONLY) Black Sheep on my block. 

I deviated from the pattern by making the hat with an open top (messy-bun style), a larger stitch count (to accommodate my big cabesa), and with a bottom band made of HDCs. On the ears I also added an extra increase row and two extra straight rows (for adult sizing). I also worked the body of the hat with the wrong side (inside) facing me, because doing it that way means you don't have to push the textured "bumps" out to the right side of the hat. With the stitch combination used in the pattern, the bumps naturally bump out to the side of the fabric facing away from you as you're working, so doing that part with the wrong side facing you saves you from having to do that extra step to get the texture to show where you want it.

This makes a great last-minute costume hat because it works up quickly. I made this in a single evening with small amounts of Red Heart Super Saver in the Black and Charcoal colorways and a 6mm hook. Baaaaaaaa!

Next Halloween, if I manage to plan ahead a bit further, I'd love to work up a Cookie Monster costume along the lines of one I saw a picture of just this morning by Agnes Hsu of hello, Wonderful. She made this for her son, who is just super adorable. She tells you all about how to make this costume on her blog.

Cookie Monster has always been my favorite Muppet, from way back when I was a child growing up watching "Sesame Street," so I would LOVE to dress up in a Cookie Monster costume. I even crocheted a Cookie Monster hat for Caleb, way back in the day.

OK, I couldn't resist crocheting a quick Cookie Monster character hat based on my Loopy Chemo Cap pattern, just in case I don't have enough time to make an adult size of that amazing Cookie Monster costume above.

I used my Addi Pro 22-needle knitting machine to make the eyeballs, and then added one round of SC for the pupils. Whatcha think?