Author: Amanda Bryant

Happily married and a stay-at-home mom, I spend most of my free time creating. I am "bistitchual". I've been crocheting since the early 2000's, self taught through books and online videos, and I learned to knit at the age of 5, from my father. I enjoy sharing my passion with others.

Camo Beanie- Free Pattern

Camo Beanie

©Amanda Bryant 2019

Queue or Favorite ❤ This Pattern On Ravelry

Materials Used:

Red Heart Super Saver medium weight yarn (color Camoflauge)

Size 5.5 mm hook

Yarn needle for weaving in ends

Stitch marker (for noting end/beg of round)

Abbreviations Used (American Terminology):

Ch- chain

St(s)- stitch(es)

Sl st- slip stitch

Hdc Inc- increase (make 2 hdc in one st)

Hdc- half double crochet

Sc- single crochet

Sizing/Finished Measurements:

Adult medium (about 21″ circumference by 8″ length)

Gauge:

7 hdc and 6 rounds of hdc= 2″ 

Notes: 

  • each round is joined with a sl st in the first st from the previous round.
  • A ch-1 begins each round, and the first hdc/Inc is made in the same st as the join/ch-1
  • Each increase round increases the hat size by 8 sts

Begin with a Magic Ring

Round 1- ch 1, make 8 hdc in ring, join with a sl st to the first hdc (8 hdc)

Round 2- ch 1, hdc Inc in each hdc around, join (16 hdc)

Round 3- ch 1, (hdc Inc, hdc) around, join (24 hdc)

Round 4- ch 1, (hdc Inc, 2 hdc) around, join (32 hdc)

Round 5- ch 1, (hdc Inc, 3 hdc) around, join (40 hdc)

Round 6- ch 1, (hdc Inc, 4 hdc) around, join (48 hdc)

Round 7- ch 1, (hdc Inc, 5 hdc) around, join (56 hdc)

Round 8- ch 1, hdc around, join (56 hdc)

Round 9- ch 1, (hdc Inc, 6 hdc) around, join (64 hdc)

Round 10- ch 1, hdc around, join (64 hdc)

Round 11- ch 1, (hdc Inc, 7 hdc) around, join (72 hdc)

Rounds 12- 23- ch 1, hdc around, join (72 hdc)

Round 24- ch 1, sc around, join (72 sc)

Fasten off, weave in ends.

Recent Makes- July 29, 2019

Happy Monday Everyone!

I originally wanted to make this post two weeks ago. I had started to type it out, but it fell to the wayside, like alot of other things. I ended up taking a little bit of time off, here and there; I guess you could call it a series of mental health breaks, lol.

I’ve been wondering if I should just write about each finished project individually, in separate posts as I complete each project. It might be easier to write about just one thing at a time, not having to track down my notes and photos for each project. But then I think about the newsletter subscribers…is it a good idea to send out so many newsletters? Or maybe I should try to schedule a weekly or monthly newsletter where I can include the links to all of my recent posts?

And then there are all of my WIP’s. I’d like to start (or re-start) writing about all of them too (there are a lot of them! Lol). While I don’t always like to post about a WIP in case I don’t finish it, or if I don’t finish it for a long time, I do like to have some sort of documented history on what I’ve been working on. And then of course there’s the newsletter people again…I’m not so sure they’d like to receive updates on unfinished projects. Hmmmm, lol. I guess that in the end it’s my blog and ultimately I can write about whatever I want to! 😁 Having said that, I’m afraid of losing subscribers because my blog is so boring! I’m obviously not one of those professional bloggers with thousands of followers. This is just a hobby and I don’t get paid a cent to do any of it!

Having gotten those thoughts out of the way, let’s move on to what this post is suppose to be about…

The first completed project that I’d like to share with you in this edition of “Recent Makes” is actually not crocheted, but rather knitted. After I finished this one I did blog about it, but not here. If you’re not familiar with my adventures in knitting it might interest you to know that I have a separate blog for my knitted works. I have a handful of original knit patterns shared there, but also I write about my WIP’s and other finished projects. It is not a very active blog, as I spend most of my time hooking 😊. If you’re a knitter too, you can check out my blog Sometimes, She Knits.

Anyhow, back to this first project, which is a knit Slouchy Hat. I created this pattern this past fall, November 2018. It was originally made in blue, and I often thought that I might make it again, for myself, in the color purple (my favorite color!). However, that didn’t happen, because I’ve always got other projects on the go. Well, to my delight, a friend asked me to make it for her in purple, and to add a black flower to it as well.

Here are a few photos of my little Olivia hamming it up while modeling the hat 😂 (which by the way was completed at the beginning of July):

If you would like to read my post about this hat, which includes a link to the crocheted flower that is on it, click HERE.

Next up is a little pink and white crossbody bag for my friend’s two year old daughter, so that she can tote a couple of toys around with her. (Or rather, so that Mom doesn’t have to carry them around 😄). I found a small bundle of adorable Paw Patrol themed fat quarters at Walmart, to line the bag with (I used less than one of the quarters, so plenty left for other projects!). The pattern used for the bag is the kid sized version of my Mom’n’ Me Crossbody Bag. This project was also completed at the beginning of July.

Closing in on the middle of July, I finished making an adorable little black unicorn. It sits about 7″ tall, which is just right for the dashboard that it’s going to live on! I followed a pattern called Lil’ Baby Unicorn by Rachel Hoe of Little Yarn Friends. Since there are a lot more photos on the Ravelry listing than on the blog where the pattern is published, I will first share the link to Ravelry with you. I found that I needed to refer to more photos than what the blog shows (mainly for the mane and tail, which I ended up changing at the request of the person this unicorn was made for anyway). So, if you want to see photos click HERE to be taken to Ravelry. If you want to go straight to the pattern, click HERE.

And guess what’s next?!? Another Tame Triceratops of course! 😄 This one was made for an adorable, sweet little boy for his first birthday ❤️. I found a new yarn available at Walmart, by Red Heart called “Hello Gorgeous”. It is so soft and the color (Sedona) is exactly what I’ve been looking for for this project (I might’ve bought an extra skein and it might just turn into a winter hat for myself 😁).

In my previous posts about this pattern, the only link I had was to a direct download of the PDF. I’ve since discovered that this ebook (which is also available in hard copy, by the way) is listed on Ravelry. The link to the PDF is included on the page, so if you want to check out the book without downloading it right away, just click HERE. I completed this Triceratops on July 18th.

And this last project, an easy and quick baby blanket from The Spruce Crafts website, was a nice change of pace. It is a beginner level pattern, using the Moss Stitch. I found the pattern while scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed. I had some left over Bernat Baby Sport yarn that I wanted to use up. I wasn’t sure if I had enough to make a large blanket, so I just followed the directions for the premie sized blanket. Which I am glad that I did, because I only had enough yarn to make a 24″ square. If I had’ve used both the pink AND the white yarn in the body of the blankie, I could’ve made a larger blanket, perhaps even a toddler sized blanket. But in the end, I only used the white along the edge for a simple sc border. I finished this project on July 23. You can get the free pattern, which includes sizing for premie, newborn and toddler, at this link: Easy Crochet Baby Blanket.

And that’s all of my recent makes this time around. Like I mentioned at the beginning of this post I might start sharing my projects as I complete them, and I might also start writing about my WIP’s again too.

Also, I do post about my work regularly on the COTB Facebook fan page if you’re interested in checking that out instead of waiting for me to get my butt in gear about posting here!

Until next time,

Happy Hookin’!

~Amanda~

Recent Makes- July 2, 2019

This week I have a few more completed projects to share with you. I’m hoping to keep up with making a “Recent Makes” post regularly so I don’t ignore my blog and I can document, outside of Facebook, what I’ve been doing. And hopefully, I can give others some inspiration and ideas on what to make, what patterns work, and what kinds of things people are interested in buying. Most of my work lately is things for other people, outside of my family, who have requested the shown item.

So, the first project is another “Tame Triceratops” designed by Debbie Tabor. This one was made using Mainstays Basics yarn in the color “Teal” and Big Twist Value yarn in the color “Soft Gray”.

You can grab the free instant download PDF of the pattern (which is part of an ebook called “Crochet Animals Big & Small” from Red Heart) by clicking this link: Crochet Animals Big & Small. Be advised that when you click the link it’ll automatically start downloading to your device!

Next project to share with you is “Ginnie the Giraffe” designed by Jess Huff. This cute guy was made for an infant girl who shares the same birthdate as Neelix the giraffe who was recently born (January 2019) at the Albuquerque Zoo. I used Mainstays Basics yarn in the color “Gold”, as well as Red Heart Super Saver yarn in the colors “Cafe Latte” and “Aran”.

You can get the free pattern for Ginnie the Giraffe on Ravelry.

The next finished project is one made just because I thought it was cute and wanted to see how it would turn out. It is called “Cuddle Me Dragon” by Amigurumi Today. By the way, if you love the patterns produced by Amigurumi Today you might be interested to know that you can download, for free, the Amigurumi Today app on Google Play and have ALL of their patterns ALWAYS at your fingertips!

My dragon turned out a little bit wonky, but only because I didn’t sew the head and horns on straight. If I make another one, I’ll surely take the extra time to do it right! I used medium weight yarns instead of what the pattern called for, so my dragon is much larger (about 10 inches tall). I used Red Heart Super Saver in the colors “Pumpkin” and “Cherry Red”. However, I didn’t bother with embroidering a nose onto it.

You can get the free pattern HERE. You always have the option of paying for a downloadable/printable copy of it with Amigurumi Today.

My 4 1/2 year old daughter thinks it’s really cute, despite my inner turmoil about it’s wonkiness, lol. She slept with it last night 😊

And last but not least, my Rainbow Unicorn pattern which I published here on the blog last week (in case you missed it!😊).

I have more projects on the hook, as well as some knitting projects, being planned and queued, so soon I’ll have more “Recent Makes” to share with you 😊

Until next time,

Happy Hookin’!

Amanda ❤️

Rainbow Unicorn- Free Pattern

QUEUE OR FAVORITE ❤ THIS PATTERN ON RAVELRY!

Rainbow Unicorn Pattern

© Amanda Bryant 2019

Materials Used:

Medium weight (“4”) yarn-

Color A- Red Heart Super Saver Stripes- Color “Favorite Stripes” (2 skeins)

Color B- Mainstays Basics- Color “White”

Color C- Red Heart With Love Metallic- Color “White”

4 mm hook

15 mm plastic safety eyes

4 Stitch markers (1 for marking beg of ea round, 3 for marking increases for facial features)

Polyester fiberfill

Yarn needle (for weaving in ends)

Small length of black embroidery thread (or thin yarn) for nostrils

Finished Measurements:

About 13” sitting, 20” total

Abbreviations Used (American Terminology):

Ch- chain

Sc- single crochet

Inc- increase (make 2 sc in specified st)

Dec- decrease (I use the invisible decrease technique, but you can use sc2tog <single crochet two stitches together> technique if you prefer)

Blo- back loop only

Sl st- slip stitch

Instructions:
Body:

Starting at bottom of body, using Color A, ch 2

Round 1: make 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook

Round 2: inc in each sc around (12 sc)

Round 3: (sc, inc)  around (18 sc)

Round 4: (2 sc, inc) around (24 sc)

Round 5: (3 sc, inc) around (30 sc)

Round 6: (4 sc, inc) around (36 sc)

Round 7: (5 sc, inc) around (42 sc)

Round 8: (6 sc, inc) around (48 sc)

Round 9: (7 sc, inc) around (54 sc)

Round 10: (8 sc, inc) around (60 sc)

Round 11: (9 sc, inc) around (66 sc)

Round 12: (10 sc, inc) around (72 sc)

Rounds 13- 18: sc around (72 sc)

Round 19: (10 sc, dec) around (66 sc)

Rounds 20- 25: sc around (66 sc)

Round 26: (9 sc, dec) around (60 sc)

Rounds 27- 31: sc around (60 sc)

Round 32: (8 sc, dec) around (54 sc)

Rounds 33- 37: sc around (54 sc)

Round 38: (7 sc, dec) around (48 sc)

Rounds 39- 42: sc around (48 sc)

Round 43: (6 sc, dec) around (42 sc)

Rounds 44- 46: sc around (42 sc)

Round 47: (5 sc, dec) around (36 sc)

Rounds 48- 49: sc around (36 sc)

Round 50: (4 sc, dec) around (30 sc)

Round 51: sc around (30 sc)

Sl st in the next sc, fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing the body to the head.  Stuff the body firmly up to neck opening. Do not close the neck opening.

Head:

Starting at the nose, using Color B, ch 2

Round 1: make 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook

Round 2: inc in each sc around (12 sc)

Round 3: (sc, inc)  around (18 sc)

Round 4: (2 sc, inc) around (24 sc)

Round 5: (3 sc, inc) around (30 sc)

Round 6: (4 sc, inc) around (36 sc)

Round 7: (5 sc, inc) around (42 sc)

Round 8: sc around (42 sc)

Round 9: (6 sc, inc) 3 x’s, 1 sc in each of the next sc’s  around (45 sc)

Round 10: (7 sc, inc) 3 x’s, 1 sc in each of the next sc’s around (48 sc) *Using stitch markers, mark the 3 increases. DO NOT remove the markers. This makes it easier to add facial features later.

Rounds 11- 14: sc around (48 sc)

Change to Color A

Rounds 15- 17: 1 sc in each sc around (48 sc)

Round 18: (7 sc, inc) around (54 sc)

Rounds 19- 25: sc around (54 sc)

Round 26: (8 sc, inc) around (60 sc)

Rounds 27-31: sc around (60 sc)

Round 32: (8 sc, dec) around (54 sc)

Round 33: (7 sc, dec) around (48 sc)

Round 34: (6 sc, dec) around (42 sc)

Round 35: (5 sc, dec) around (36 sc)

Round 36: (4 sc, dec) around (30 sc)

Round 37: (3 sc, dec) around (24 sc)

Place the safety eyes on either side of the head, between rounds 22 & 23, lined up with the first and third stitch markers from round 10. Stuff the head firmly.

Round 38: (2 sc, dec) around (18 sc)

Round 39: (sc, dec) around (12 sc)

Round 40: (dec) around (6 sc)

Sl st in the next sc, fasten off, leaving long yarn tail for closing. Finish stuffing the head. Using the yarn needle, draw the yarn tail through the last 6 sc and pull closed tightly. Secure yarn tail and weave in yarn tail end.

Legs (make 2) :

Starting at the foot, with Color B, ch 2

Round 1: make 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook

Round 2: inc around (12 sc)

Round 3: (sc, inc) around (18 sc)

Round 4: (2 sc, inc) around (24 sc)

Round 5: (3 sc, inc) around (30 sc)

Round 6: (4 sc, inc) around (36 sc)

Rounds 7- 9: sc around (36 sc)

Round 10: (4 sc, dec) around (30 sc)

Round 11: sc around (30 sc)

Round 12: (3 sc, dec) around (24 sc)

Stuff the foot, and continue to stuff the leg as the work progresses.

Change to Color A

Rounds 13- 41: sc around (24 sc)

Sl st in the next sc, fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing the leg to the body.

Arms (make 2):

Starting at the hand, with Color B, ch 2

Round 1: make 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook

Round 2: inc around (12 sc)

Round 3: (sc, inc) around (18 sc)

Round 4: (2 sc, inc) around (24 sc)

Round 5: (3 sc, inc) around (30 sc)

Rounds 6-7: sc around (30 sc)

Round 8: (3 sc, dec) around (24 sc)

Round 9: sc around (24 sc)

Round 10: (2 sc, dec) around (18 sc)

Stuff the hand, and continue to stuff the arm as the work progresses.

Change to Color A

Rounds 11- 36: sc around (18 sc)

Sl st in the next sc, fasten off, leaving a long yarn tail for sewing arm to body.

Ears (make 2):

Starting at tip of ear, using Color A, ch 2

Round 1: make 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook

Round 2: sc around (6 sc)

Round 3: (sc, inc) around (9 sc)

Round 4: sc around (9 sc)

Round 5: (2 sc, inc) around (12 sc)

Round 6: sc around (12 sc)

Round 7: inc in each sc around (24 sc)

Round 8: sc around (24 sc)

Round 9: (3 sc, inc) around (30 sc)

Round 10: sc around (30 sc)

Round 11: (4 sc, inc) around (36 sc)

Rounds 12- 13: sc around (36 sc)

Sl st in the next sc, fasten off and leave a long yarn tail for sewing ear to head. **Do not stuff the ear!

Horn:

Starting at the tip of the horn, with Color C, ch 2

Round 1- make 6 sc in the second ch from the hook

Work in the blo from this point on

Round 2- sc around (6 sc)

Round 3- (sc, inc) around (9 sc)

Round 4- sc around (9 sc)

Round 5- (2 sc, inc) around (12 sc)

Round 6- sc around (12 sc)

Round 7- (3 sc, inc) around (15 sc)

Round 8- sc around (15 sc)

Round 9- (4 sc, inc) around (18 sc)

Round 10- sc around (18 sc)

Round 11- (5 sc, inc) around (21 sc)

Round 12- sc around (21 sc)

Round 13- (6 sc, inc) around (24 sc)

Round 14- sc around (24 sc)

Sl st in the next sc, fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing the horn to the head. Firmly stuff the horn.

Assembly:

Using the yarn tail from the neck opening of the body, sew the head and body together. Make sure to sew the head on straight. I find it helps to place a stitch marker in the center of the back of the head before sewing, to help me keep the head lined up properly.  Before completely closing the two pieces together, add a bit more stuffing to the neck opening.

Flatten the arm opening and sew through both thicknesses on to the side of the body, on the 5th round down from the top of the neck. Repeat for second arm.

Flatten the leg opening and sew through both thicknesses on to the bottom of the body, on about the 12th round. Repeat for second leg.

Flatten the ear opening and sew through both thicknesses to the head. Attach ear, slightly curved, in between the 8th and 15th rounds from the back of the head closing. Repeat for second ear.

Sew the horn to the middle of the head, between the eyes. Before finishing sewing, make sure the horn is stuffed firmly. Add a bit more stuffing if needed, then continue sewing.

Embroider the nostrils on the muzzle, the center cross of the X shape positioned on the stitch where the 1st and 3rd stitch markers were placed. 

Hair:

The mane and tail are created strand by strand, using a technique called “knotting”. For the

mane, cut 12 inch long strands of yarn in Color A (I separated the colors so I had 8 different colors). You will have to cut more strands as work progresses to fill in gaps. It is best to create the hairline first and then fill in the rest of the head with hair. Following the photo as a reference, insert crochet hook into space on head where you wish the hair to be. Fold a strand of yarn in half. Hook the fold in the strand and pull it part way through the space. Hook the cut end of the strand and pull it through the folded end (loop) and secure tightly. Repeat for each strand of hair. Each strand once folded and looped through will be approximately 6″  long. In the same manner, create the tail. Work the tail on rounds 13, 14 and 15. I alternated the 8 colors of the yarn across 8 stitches of each round. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below, you can see a variation of this pattern (this is my original unicorn, which was based on a previous horse pattern I created years ago).

For this unicorn I used Red Heart Super Saver Ombre, color “Jazzy”. Also, I used 16″ or 20″ (I can’t remember now, lol) strands of yarn for the tail , and then braided the tail and tied with ribbons. The mane also had strands of the Metallic yarn running through it. The horn was a tiny bit larger (I think I increased it up to 27 sts around).

Recent Makes

Busy Busy Busy! A photo post of my latest finished projects, with links to where to find the patterns!

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