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Crochet Bucket Hat – A Free Pattern & Tutorial

June 2, 2021November 5, 2022crochet, free pattern3 Comments

How to Crochet a Bucket Hat: click the pic for the YouTube tutorial

A Crochet Bucket Hat

The promise of summer is here! To celebrate, how about a crochet hat pattern!? Using just one roll of raffia, you can make a straw hat that’s perfect for protecting yourself from summer sun.

An impulse purchase has led to me having a roll of Wool and the Gang’s Ra Ra Raffia sat in my stash for about two years. I thought that one day inspiration might strike for it to become a cute clutch or little tote. Nope, it was a hat that won out in the end. This was due to some fine weather that was forecast for last weekend. A beachy time in Cornwall beckoned and I needed a hat! Alas, the hat wasn’t finished in time for Cornwall; such a shame because photos against a backdrop of sandy beaches would have looked awesome (although I did get some fab photos of my Perfect Cardigan)! Actually one version of the hat did get finished in time but I ended up frogging it half way down the A30. It was too big.

The tangled ball of papery yarn did not look quite so fancy anymore. Thankfully, it worked just as well after being ripped back. With some tweaks and adjustments, the second hat was completed yesterday and it fits like a dream!

Seeing as I’m off work this week I have found some time to film a crochet hat tutorial and write up the crochet pattern. It’s called the Bucket hat because that is exactly what it is! Other name suggestions were “Kick the Bucket” and “Bargain Bucket.” Not sure either of those are the best names though…. What about the Blossom Bucket? Did you watch Blossom on telly back in the 90’s?! That’s a blast from the past!

Yesterday was a beautifully sunny day so me and the boys took a stroll down to the river for a few snap shots. The eldest was paid a few quid to be a photographer for me. Unfortunately, there aren’t many river pics included here because the river’s beaches were busy with loads of people. There was lots of joyous laughter and cheerful frolics going on. Those guys were definitely making the most of the first day of June.

The boy did a great job as chief photographer; he didn’t seem to mind when more shots and more angles were demanded. But I guess you don’t want a massively long story and to be honest, it doesn’t need one. So here follows the pattern….

Next book on the reading list. Haven’t started it yet.

To make a bucket hat, you need:

1 roll of Ra Ra Raffia in Desert Palm (affiliate link).
4mm hook
Stitch marker or 2.

Notes & tips

The pattern is written in UK terms but, honestly, it’s dead easy to convert: UK htr stitch = US hdc. UK dc = US sc.
My head measures 57cm – about average I guess…
Every two stitches measures approx 1cm.
You can make a hat smaller by missing out the last increase round, this will reduce the size by 4 sts.
You can make your hat bigger by working an extra (4 st) increase round.
Raffia has a bit of stretch to it. If it feels slightly tight at first, worry not, it will give after wear.
Made top down, the hat is worked as a spiral, increasing as you go.
Use the stitch marker to note the first st of each round, move after each round.
Watch the YouTube tutorial HERE.

Channeling the 90’s with a Blossom style hat!

Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern

Rnd 1: 8htr into a magic ring.
Rnd 2: inc around – 16 sts.
Rnd 3: *1 inc, 1htr; work from * 8 times – 24 sts.
Rnd 4: *1 inc, 2htr; work from * 8 times – 32 sts.
Rnd 5: *1 inc, 3htr; work from * 8 times – 40 sts.
Rnd 6: *1 inc, 4htr; work from * 8 times – 48 sts.
Rnd 7: *1 inc, 5htr; work from * 8 times – 56 sts.
Rnd 8: *1 inc, 6htr; work from * 8 times – 64 sts.
Rnd 9: *1 inc, 15htr; work from * 4 times – 68 sts.
Rnd 10: *1 inc, 16htr; work from * 4 times – 72 sts.
Rnd 11: *1 inc, 17htr; work from * 4 times – 76 sts.
Rnd 12: *1 inc, 18htr; work from * 4 times – 80 sts.
Rnd 13 – 22: htr around with no increases.
Rnd 23: Repeat rnd 3 – 120 sts.
Rnd 24- 27: htr around with no increases. (Any more rounds than this and the brim will curl in on itself).
Finish by making 3dc stitches followed by 3 slip stitches. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Half way hat. Before the brim was started. Finger indicates last increase round.

And That’s it!

Such a quick and easy hat to crochet! You can wear it with the brim turned up or turned down. I added four rounds to the brim in the end. However, it did look good with just three rounds. Try playing around with different rounds to see which you prefer. This sort of hat is very forgiving (I am a big fan of forgiving crochet, it hides a multitude of sins!).

OK, I think that’s it for now. I will let the photographs below do the talking. But before you scroll on, if you enjoyed this fabulous pattern, please support my crochet work by buying me a Ko-fi or, check out my Free Patterns page. Cheers x

Don’t forget to share your makes on Instagram #zeensandroger

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A crochet hat ready for summer sun — Zeens and Roger crochet bucket hat

Made it this far? Haha, well done!! But also, thank you. xxx

10 Crochet Cowl Patterns, The Ultimate Winter Accessories

February 8, 2021January 29, 2023crochet, free pattern1 Comment

I was at the very cold and windy beach yesterday when I realised how much I LOVED the crochet cowl I was wearing! Sat securely & snuggly around my neck, it wasn’t going anywhere. The best thing about a cowl is that there are no flappy scarf ends, breeze whipping them about my face! Neither will it slowly work itself free and slide to the ground. A crocheter can also hook up a handmade cowl pretty quickly.

I started counting up how many there were in my crochet collection. A LOT is the answer!! And they all get worn at this time of year. The ice cold weather this week isn’t set to rise above 3 degrees. A warm cowl is the first choice crochet accessory that I’m going to reach for.

Whether fancy 4ply or super chunky, there are all sorts of styles you can try. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner crocheter as there are loads of easy cowl patterns to try. It doesn’t have to be fancy stitches or anything, you could smoosh together four largish granny squares (5 inches would do it) and that’s a cowl. When I say smoosh, I mean sew them together in a row and then join ends to create a circle. Voila, a cowl has been made.

This blog post is also a blatant excuse to share loads of my designs to tempt you into getting the yarn and hooks out. Of course it is….

Leaping Waves

I love this ripple cowl so much! I gave it to my mum for Christmas one year. Do you know I have never seen her wear it!? Shocking! It’s a DK merino project and the soft, buttery merino feels beautiful against a delicate neck.

I called it Leaping Waves as the ripple stitch undulates around. It’s also a nod to Outlander, which i haven’t seen for years. Everyone loved that first season, didn’t they?!! You can find the pattern HERE.

Isca Cowl

At one point last winter I briefly had red hair. It goes really well with the blue of my Isca cowl!

This pattern also comes with a matching head band too. You can find it HERE.

The mix of rib and bobbles stitches is one I would really like to visit again. It looks super sophisticated in this design. Especially as I’ve held a merino 4ply with a laceweight mohair. It’s gorgeous! The border of this design is a rib look that runs perpendicular to the verticle pattern on the main body, which is another feature that looks fab.

Striped Crochet Cowl Pattern

Companions, is a cowl and wrist warmers pattern set. I am so so pleased with this colourful stripey set. Ridiculously pleased. Every aspect works: the yarn, the pattern, the style. It’s exactly what I had imagined. This is the cowl I was wearing yesterday at the beach (the wrist warmers were left at home as I didn’t want them getting mucky whilst rooting through pebbles, looking for seashells!).

Companions. A crochet cowl and wrist warmer pattern.

Apres Ski, C2C Cowl

I’d say that this hat and cowl are suitable for beginners who fancy a quick project that’s simple yet visually effective. A corner to corner chevron? It’s all in the colour work. Here’s the YouTube tutorial to show you how. The same pattern can easily be turned into a hat too (it’s good to have options!). I use a thick woolly yarn that’s definitely going to keep you warm on the slopes. Or, more importantly, after the skiing while you have a drink or two. [disclaimer:: I have never been near a ski slope in my life]

I got the idea for a C2C chevron from the granny chevron I designed (below) which, in turn came from a big floofy version I did. (I am currently obsessed and delighted with how ideas beget ideas – it’s fascinating).

Granny Cowl

A couple of years ago I was asked to design a granny stitch cowl for the front cover of Mollie Makes magazine (still a very proud moment of mine). The brief was for it to look a bit like a shawl. A shawl that’s not a shawl! It turned out to be one of my most popular designs ever. It’s for sale on Ravelry, Etsy and LoveCrafts. I included a chart which shows the shaping on this one.

I see triangle cowls popping up more and more in the knitting and crochet community. I’ve got more than one design now too.

Brighter Future

See? Another triangular shaped crochet cowl!

Brighter Future is a really pretty cowl that hasn’t been popular at all! Poor thing. I think perhaps that is because it’s slightly different from my usual style. However, I am really pleased with its delicate stitches. Made in 4ply yarn, this keeps your neck warm but isn’t heavy or cumbersome. It doesn’t get in the way whilst you’re wearing it, which is a real boon.

All the Fun of the Fair

This colourful granny stripe cowl is made in aran weight yarn. It was originally inspired by the stripes of the big top circus tents. It comes in two different sizes so you can have a small, neat one that fits more snuggly. Or this larger one (above) that has lots of colour and is, as the name suggests, pretty fun! I hope you like the post stitch ribbed edges too. It’s now pretty obvious to me from sharing these patterns that I have a thing for ribbed borders and edges. I don’t know if I’d noticed before).

Claudia Crochet Cowl

The Claudia Cowl is a simple and beautiful one skein project. Make yourself something special out of that gorgeous hand dyed yarn you’ve been saving. The skein I used was bought for my by my friend Claudia of Crochet Luna when we were at Yarndale together in 2018. It has subtle stitch texture with a Join As You Go rib edging.

An Asymmetric Granny

I know I know, this blog post features a lot of granny stitch cowls! But I love Granny stitch, it’s my medicine and I make no apologies for that. For this design, I bought some chunky nep yarn one day when I fancied a splurge. It became this interesting shape of a granny triangle shawl. You may be curious to learn that the origin of this one came from all the scribbly sketching of different ideas for the Mollie Makes front cover.

It’s a free pattern on the blog HERE.

Have you made any? They don’t have to be small and simple. You can make elegant, double looping infinity scarves, or massive super chunky things that envelope your entire top half. There are loads of variants in between. Do have a favourite? Which one? Hopefully there’s something here to inspire you to get crocheting. Let me know how you get on!

Before I go there’s also a scarf and cowl bundle on Ravelry which is worth looking at. It’s a great starting point if you’re interested in quick but useful crochet projects.

xxx

Crochet Owl Decoration. Free pattern.

September 18, 2019free pattern5 Comments

This is from one of my first ever published patterns here on the blog. The other day I looked back at it and ugh, it was so badly written. I had very little pattern writing experience in 2015 and it shows!! I am keeping the original blog post up, mostly for laughs, but also because I don’t see why I should hide it. Yes, I have improved quite a bit but the whole point of this blog is to record what I’ve been up to. I won’t edit that.

To accompany the updated pattern I also recorded a free video tutorial for my YouTube channel. Click on the pic above to go directly to the tutorial.

If you would like to support my crochet adventures, please consider subscribing to Patreon.

Or if you would prefer, for the price of a cup of coffee you can buy one of my other patterns from Ravelry or Lovecrafts. Thanks ever so much. x

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Materials:

Small amounts of DK yarn in coordinating colours
3mm (C/2) hook
Stuffing
Fabric for lining approx 20cmx20cm
Buttons, felt pieces and embroidery thread for eyes
Sewing needle & darning needle

Abbreviations:

2trtog 2 treble sts together (US 2dctog) st(s) stitch(es) sp(s) space(s) ch chain ch-sp chain space htr half treble crochet (US hdc) sl st slip stitch tr treble (US double crochet) rep repeat beg beginning

Special Stitches:

2trtog: Yarn over, insert hook into st, yarn over and pull through, yarn over and pull through 2 loops (2 loops on hook), yarn over, insert hook into same st, yarn over and pull through (4 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through 2 loops (3 loops on hook), yarn over and pull through all 3 loops.

Notes:

Don’t crochet over your tail ends as you go or you will see them in your finished owl. Sew them in after you’ve completed the body.
Instructions are written in UK terms.
No turns at the end of the rounds.
The “2ch, 1tr” at the beg of rounds counts as a 2trtog.

Owl Body:

Chain 4 and join with a sl st or make a magic ring.

Rnd 1: 2ch, 1tr into circle, 1ch, (2trtog, 1ch) seven times, join with a sl st to the top of the first 2trtog. [8 2trtog]

Rnd 2: Sl st in next ch-sp, (2ch, 1tr, 1ch, 2trtog) into same ch-sp, 1ch, *(2trtog, 1ch, 2trtog, 1ch) in next ch-sp; rep from around, join with a sl st to the top of the first 2trtog, fasten off. [16 2trtog]

Rnd 3: Join new colour with sl st in any ch-sp, 2ch, 1tr in first ch-sp, 1 ch, *2trtog in next ch-sp, 1ch; rep from * around, join with a sl st to the top of the first 2trtog, fasten off.

Rnd 4 – 6: Repeat Rnd 3, changing colour each round.

Rnd 7: Sl st into any ch-sp, 3ch (counts as 1tr), 1tr in same ch-sp, 2tr in each ch-sp around, join with a sl st to the top of the 3ch. [32st]

Rnd 8: 2ch (counts as 1htr), 1htr in the top of each st around, join with a sl st to the top of the 2ch.

Rnd 9 -10: Repeat Rnd 8.

Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing head closed.

Turn inside out and using a darning needle, weave ends. Turn back the right way. Take the scrap of fabric and place inside the owl and stuff. Tuck in fabric neatly. Whip stitch the top closed using a darning needle and the long tail.

Eyes

Cut out circles of felt, sew buttons to the felt and using contrasting embroidery thread sew to the owls face. (Separate out two strands from the thread to give a finer stitch).

Beak

Using a darning needle, stitch on a beak with yarn. First, stitch on a triangle shape, then use five or six more vertical stitches to fill in the space. Finish it off with a couple of horizontal stitches across the top of the beak. Or stitch/glue on a little triangle of felt!

Wings

Chain 9.

1htr in 3rd ch from hook, htr in next st, 1tr in each of the next 3 sts, htr in next st, (1dc, 3ch, 1dc) in last st, turn work to crochet down the other side of the chains: 1htr, 3tr, 2htr, sl st to the top of the first st. Fasten off leaving a tail for sewing wing to body.

Other options

Tufty ears: use a crochet hook to pull three 10cm strands of yarn through the corners of the owl’s ears, take the ends of the yarn and poke through the loop. Pull tight. Trim.

Crochet a hanging loop by attaching yarn to the top of his head with a sl st, ch25 and sl st to join to head. Sew in ends

Don’t forget to add your owls to Ravelry and tag #zeensandroger over on Instagram. Cheers!

Copyright Rosina Northcott. 2019. zeensandroger.com

This pattern remains the property of Rosina Northcott/Zeens and Roger at all times and is for your own personal use only. Please respect my work and do not copy, reproduce, redistribute or re-sell this pattern.

Free Crochet Pattern. Easy Crochet Flower

September 4, 2019crochet, free pattern2 Comments

This is a quick crochet flower tutorial that has kind of sprung from nowhere. I created it because I needed something quick and small to disguise some ugly bits on a blanket! It was quick enough to film a speedy tutorial too. I hope you like it!

To get to the tutorial please click on the picture above or go to my YouTube channel HERE. The written pattern is below.

If you would like to support my crochet adventures, please consider supporting me on Patreon. It would mean the world. Thank you. x

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Not the best pic; that flower is wonky!!

The pattern couldn’t be easier! It is so fast! Use any yarn you like along with the recommended hook size for that yarn. I use cotton dk with a 3.5mm hook.

Pattern:

Chain 5 and join with a slip stitch. (You can also chain 4 for a slightly smaller centre, or do as I do and use a magic circle!

UK version:

Into the ring *(2ch, 3tr, 2ch, 1dc); rep from * four more times. Fasten off and sew in ends. Boom, done!

US version:

Into the ring *(2ch, 3dc, 2ch, 1sc); rep from * four more times. Fasten off and sew in ends. Boom, done!

xxx

Granny Square Bag. Free Crochet Pattern & Video Tutorial

July 11, 2019June 26, 2023crochet, free pattern7 Comments

Only two weeks after the last crochet tutorial (an asymmetric granny stitch cowl) and here are two more that show you how to make a granny square bag! Sorry, I’m flooding you with granny stitch designs at the moment. I swear I do have other crochet ideas that involve different stitches!

By the way, my YouTube channel is HERE. Please feel free to visit for podcast watching, as well as finding helpful crochet video tutorials.

Crochet a Granny Square Bag

Here are all the things you need to get crocheting…

To make your own crochet granny square bag you will need lots of lovely yarn in all your favorite colours. Mine is very much a stashbuster using double knit acrylic yarn. No need to buy yarn for this sort of project when you probably have plenty in your collection.
You will also need a hook that matches the yarn weight. I used my trusty 4mm crochet hook. You may even try going down a hook size to ensure that your bag has decent structural integrity. You don’t want a floppy bag, do you?!
You will also need some matching fabric (a polycotton will do nicely) and something to sew it (a machine is preferable but there’s nothing stopping you from sewing by hand). Along with, have some pins at the ready too. It’s also a good idea (but not essential) to get some interfacing to add to the sturdiness of the bag.
Bag handles, don’t forget bag handles! You can cut them from old knackered bags, or, I have found them by googling “long bag handles” before and up they popped. You can get all kind of bags handles for around a fiver.

Video Tutorials

Join As You Go Granny Squares

This tutorial is based on a granny square bag I made a couple of years ago. The original blog post can be found HERE. There are lots of details in that post that will be super useful here. However, this is a slightly different version. I’ve made this new crochet bag a bit less fussy, which is always a winner for makers.

There are two video tutorials for this project. Firstly, there’s How to Crochet Join As You Go Granny Squares. I start by making one granny square and then at the time stamp of 5.25 I begin to join them together. At first this can seem a little daunting but once you get your head around the construction, joining as you go is really good fun. Not to mention a huge time saver!

When I crochet my grannies, I don’t add chains between the clusters. This comes in handy a bit later, which I explain in the second video tutorial….

Turn Granny Squares into a Bag

The second video tutorial talks you through how to crochet the bag together so that it goes from basic rectangle to a functioning, useful project.

My helpful vid link is here:How to Put the Granny Square Bag Together. When I watched it back that noticed I dismissively say “whatever” a bit too much! Oops.

My rectangle piece of crochet is 4×6 Join As you Go Granny Squares. Once the ends have been dutifully sewn in, it’s time to turn it into a fab bag. At the two short ends I added some crochet rows that will become the handles. Then work UK dc stitches / US sc stitches down both long sides, popping stitches into the trebles of each cluster.

Fold the whole thing in half and slip stitch the sides together. This is the basic pocket created and a few extra steps are needed to finish off. Next is to attach the handles. You’ll see from the tutorial that I am not precious about my stitches but I would gently suggest you take more care than me.

Once you have the handles in place you could absolutely stop there. I make no judgement about this as sometimes it’ll be perfect right here. However, let’s say you want to keep a crochet WIP in your fancy new granny square bag, what’s going to fall through those lil holes?

There is no way that I am prepared to lose my crochet hooks so I am fully prepared to sew a pretty lining to make it super sturdy and structurally sound.

Lining a Crochet Bag

I use a similar technique each time I choose to line my crochet bags. I used it in my Hotchpotch Granny Stripe Purse, for example. And if you’re tempted to go one step further, I have a video tutorial for How to Attach a Zipper to your Crochet too!

When I suspect that you might be able to see through crochet stitches of a bag, I like to add a double lining. This is so that you can only see prettiness between any gaps. I am quite laid back in my approach to measuring for lining and don’t often get the tape measure out. The lining technique is demonstrated in the second video from about 17 minutes.

Please see below for some accompanying pictures. Not quite step by step photos but they will help you put your own crochet bag together, especially for when you get to add the bag lining. Like I said, I would always advise lining a granny square bag. How else do you stop things falling through the holes!?

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xxx

Asymmetric Granny Cowl. Free Crochet Pattern and Tutorial.

June 22, 2019May 11, 2024crochet, free pattern4 Comments

It has taken an age but I finally found time to record a new crochet tutorial! Hurray! Thank you for being so patient with me. Video tutorials take a lot of time to put together so it’s very easy to drop it lower on the list when something else pops up. Please click on the picture above to go to the tutorial or HERE to my YouTube channel. Don’t forget my Free Patterns page too, that’s HERE

Materials & Notes to make your Crochet Cowl

One colour: 2x 100g (135m) balls of chunky yarn. I used Stylecraft Alpaca Tweed.
Stripey version: 3x 100g (135m) balls of chunky yarn.
8mm hook.
Written in UK terms (converting is dead easy, a UK tr is a US dc, that’s it!).
3ch counts as a stitch (st/s).
I have a loose tension, go up a hook size if you don’t!
Scroll down for a “chart” showing colour changes and a it more info.

Crochet Cowl Pattern

Chain 28
Row 1: 1tr in 4th ch from hook, miss 2 sts, *3tr, miss 2 sts; rep from * to the last st, 2tr in last st, turn.

Row 2: 3ch, 3tr in each sp along to end, 1tr in last st, turn.

Row 3: 3ch, 1tr in same st, 3tr in each space along to end, finishing with 2tr in last st, turn.

Row 4 – 24: Rep Rows 2&3 ten times and Row 2 once more.

Row 25 (increase row): 3ch, 2tr in same sp, cont as Row 2 to end.

Row 26: Rep Row 3.

Row 27: Rep Row 2.

Row 28 (increase row): Begin as Row 3, end with 3tr in last st, turn.

Row 29: Rep Row 2.

Row 30: Rep Row 3.

Row 31 – 45: Alternately rep Rows 25- 27 and Rows 28 – 30.

Row 46 (edging): 3ch, 3tr in each sp along, (3tr, 2ch, 3tr) in corner sp, 3tr in each sp to end. Fasten off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Sew the short piece to the other end of the straight side (see chart below). Add tassels if desired! Voila, one seriously speedy granny cowl. Because you’re using chunky yarn with as big hook, you can crochet this in next to no time at all.

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Cheers! x

Free Crochet Pattern: Granny Market Bag

March 15, 2019December 11, 2022crochet, free pattern8 Comments

This granny stitch market bag was first published last summer in an issue of Olann And (a lovely Irish magazine that, very sadly, isn’t going anymore). I designed it especially for them after hearing about their online magazine through a fellow designer friend.

What you need to crochet your own crochet market bag

Cotton DK Classique Stylecraft, 100% cotton, 50g, 92 metres/100 yds, in Fondant x4 (Yarn B), Leaf x1 (Yarn C) & Nocturne x1 (Yarn A). Option 2: Fondant x3, Leaf x1 & Nocturne x2.
3.5mm hook.

Measurements
16 inches (41 cm) across x 15 inches (39 cm) deep

Abbreviations (UK terms)
Ch = chain, Htr = half treble (US hdc), Rep = repeat, Sl st = slip stitch, St(s) = stitch(es), Tr = treble (US dc), Yrh = yarn round hook.

Special Stitches
The crab stitch (also known as the reverse double)
Chain 1, insert hook in the st to the right, yrh and pull through st, yrh and pull through both loops.

Notes

Do not turn after rounds
3ch &2ch at the beginning of rows count as stitches
Be careful not to twist the chains when making the handles
Please note that this crochet pattern is written in UK terms. All you need to remember is that a UK tr is a US dc .

Crochet Market Bag Pattern

With Yarn A chain 4 and join with a slip stitch. Or use a magic ring
Rnd 1: 3ch, 11tr into ring, join with a sl st to the top of the initial 3ch [12 st]

Rnd 2: 3ch,1tr into same st, 2tr in each st around, join with a sl st to the top of the initial 3ch [24]

Rnd 3: 3ch,1tr into same st, *1 tr in next st, 2tr in next; rep from * around, join with a sl st to the top of the initial 3ch [36]

Rnd 4: 3ch,1tr into same st, *1tr in next 2 st, 2tr in next; rep from * around, join with a sl st to the top of the initial 3ch [48]

Rnd 5: 3ch,1tr into same st, *1tr in next 3 st, 2tr in next; rep from * around, join with a sl st to the top of the initial 3ch [60]

Rnd 6: 3ch, 3tr in same space, miss 2st, *4tr in next st, miss 2 st; rp from * around, join with a sl st to the top of initial 3ch [20 clusters of 4tr]

Rnd 7: 3ch, 2tr in space between clusters, 3tr between 2nd & 3rd tr of cluster, *3tr between clusters, 3tr between 2nd & 3rd tr of cluster; rep from * around, join with a sl st to the top of initial 3ch [40 clusters of 3tr]

Rnd 8: 3ch, 2tr in same space, *3tr in next space between clusters; rep around, join with a sl st to the top of initial 3ch

Rnd 9 – 37: Rep Rnd 8

At the end of Rnd 11 fasten off and attach Yarn B or for Option 2 attach Yarn B after Rnd 17

Rnd 38: Attach Yarn C to any st, 3ch, 1tr in each st around, join with a sl st to the top of initial 3ch [120]

Rnd 39 – 40: Rep Rnd 38

Rnd 41: 2ch, 1htr in next 4st, 65ch, miss 40sts, 1htr in next 20st, 65ch, miss 40sts, 1htr in next 15sts, join with a sl st to the top of initial 2ch [170]

Rnd 42: 2ch, 1htr in next 4st, 1htr in each ch along, 1htr in next 20sts, 1htr in each ch along, 1htr in next 15sts, join with a sl st to the top of initial 2ch

Rnd 43: 2ch, 1htr around, join with a sl st to the top of initial 2ch

Rnd 44: crab st around, join with a sl st to the first st.

Fasten off and sew in ends. Go shopping!!

I adapted the pattern too. Check out the simple changes I made for this khaki/grey market bag HERE. It has become my main shopping bag and it fits a ridiculous amount in it!

Ok, I think that’s it! Enjoy your weekend. x

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Easy Crochet Slipper Socks

November 9, 2018March 27, 2023crochet, free pattern23 Comments

Crochet socks have a bad reputation but there are some amazing designs out there. I like to think of these cosy slipper socks as a good introduction to crocheting your own footwear. As socks go, they’re super easy. They use simple stitches and what with using aran weight yarn, they work up very quickly indeed.

Click on the pic above to go to the video tutorial. Find the written pattern below.

Before you read on, don’t forget to check out my other free crochet patterns. Thank you. x

Right, on with the good stuff…

These cosy crochet socks are made out of aran weight yarn, they’ll be comfy in wellies but probably not your posh shoes. Splodge some of that sticky stuff on the soles so that they turn into non-slip slipper socks. I always intended to buy some for these but never got round to it.

A word of advice: go for the Leader of the Pac yarn (or similar) rather than the Three Bears yarn, which I used in the tutorial. The latter has very little stretch and is also not as soft or squishy. The sock I made in that came up slightly smaller too. I’m also not convinced that you should go for 100% natural fibres for socks. They need to be made of something that won’t wear away as quickly so a splash of nylon or acrylic in the mix is not a bad thing.

Something else to note: accuracy is important for socks but I think these ones are more forgiving than ones made from finer yarn. However, it is definitely worth getting the measurements of the foot you’re making these socks for.

The Sock Pattern

Things you Need to Crochet these Socks

4.5mm hook (you may wish to go to a 5mm depending on your tension – my tension is normal to loose).
2 x 100g balls of main colour and scraps of contrasting colours. I used Hobbycraft Leader of the Pac (90% acrylic, 10% alpaca), aran weight (170m per 100g). My socks weigh 78 grams each.
In the video tutorial I used Three Bears Yarn 100% BFL, (80m per 50g). I don’t know if this is still available and I prefer the yarn for my original pair of socks anyway.

Crochet Abbreviations

BPtr = back post treble (US BPdc), Ch = chain, Ch-sp = chain space, Dc = double crochet (US single crochet), Dec = decrease, FPtr = front post treble (US FPdc), Htr = half treble (US half double crochet), Inc = increase, Rep = repeat, St(s) = stitch(es), Tr = treble (US double crochet).

Notes to Read before you get Started

The pattern is worked toe up.
The pattern is worked in the round.
The heel is a reverse of the toe rows.
The pattern is written is UK terms (see abbreviations for US equivalents).
A stitch marker may be useful to mark the beginning of rounds.
You might want to go down half a hook size to make the cuff for a better fit.
Follow along with my Easy Crochet Socks Video Tutorial.

Sock Sizing

This crochet pattern includes small, medium and large sizes. I made a Medium; I’m a shoe size UK 5/6 (US 7/8, EU 38/39).
Fun fact! There is 6mm between shoe sizes (3mm if you include half sizes!!).

Toe and Foot
With main colour chain 7
Rnd 1: 1dc in 2nd ch from hook, 1dc along to end, turn and work 6dc down other side of ch. [12 sts]
Rnd 2: 1dc, 1 inc, [1dc in next 2 st, 1 inc] three times, 1dc. [16]
Rnd 3: 1dc, 1 inc, 4dc, 1 inc, 2dc, 1 inc, 4dc, 1 inc, 1dc. [20]
Rnd 4: 1dc, 1 inc, 6dc, 1 inc, 2dc, 1 inc, 6dc, 1 inc, 1dc. [24]
Rnd 5: dc around
Rnd 6: 1dc, 1 inc, 8dc, 1 inc, 2dc, 1 inc, 8dc, 1 inc, 1dc. [28] For Small size go to Rnd 11
Rnd 7: dc around
Rnd 8: 1dc, 1 inc, 10dc, 1 inc, 2dc, 1 inc, 10dc, 1 inc, 1dc. [32] For Medium go to Rnd 11
Rnd 9: dc around
Rnd 10: 1dc, 1 inc, 12dc, 1 inc, 2dc, 1 inc, 12dc, 1 inc, 1dc. [36]. Change colour if desired.
Rnd 11 … : Htr in the round. Place stitch marker in first st, this will guide you when it comes to the ankle.
Continue to work htr sts in the round until the place where the heel will start (you will need to measure your foot for accuracy. From the first round of htr sts to the heel start I measured 12cm for Medium.

Ankle
Begin at the sock side (work up to where it aligns with toe and stitch marker)
14, 16, 18 htr, ch 14 (16, 18), miss 14 (16, 18) sts and rejoin with a htr in next st, continue htr st until desired length (from this point mine measure 16cm including contrast colours). Slip stitch in final st and fasten off.

Cuff
Rnd 1: 2ch (does not count as a st), 1 tr in same st, 1tr around, join with a slip st to the first st. [28, 32, 26]
Rnd 2: 2ch, *1FPtr, 1BPtr; rep from * around, join with a slip st to the first st.
Rnd 3: Repeat Rnd 2. Fasten off.

Heel
Join yarn to one corner of the heel space 28 (32, 36) sts around.
Go to Rnd 1 for Large, Rnd 3 for Medium, Rnd 5 for Small

Rnd 1: 1dc, 1 dec, 12dc, 1 dec, 2dc, 1 dec, 12dc, 1 dec, 1dc. [32]
Rnd 2: dc around
Rnd 3: 1dc, 1 dec, 10dc, 1 dec, 2dc, 1 dec, 10dc, 1 dec, 1dc. [28]
Rnd 4: dc around
Rnd 5: 1dc, 1 dec, 8dc, 1 dec, 2dc, 1 dec, 8dc, 1 dec, 1dc. [24]
Rnd 6: dc around
Rnd 7: 1dc, 1 dec, 6dc, 1 dec, 2dc, 1 dec, 6dc, 1 dec, 1dc. [20]
Rnd 8: 1dc, 1 dec, 4dc, 1 dec, 2dc, 1 dec, 4dc, 1 dec, 1dc. [16]
Rnd 9: 1dc, [1 dec, 2dc] three times, 1 dec, 1dc. [12]

Turn your socks inside out a sew gap of heel closed and sew in ends.

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Christmas Crochet Socks

Check out the picture below. These are also using Leader of the Pac yarn. I worked 3 or 4 additional rounds before working the cuff.

The Holly leaf motif is from Attic 24. I still used an aran weight yarn but it has no halo so worked up a tad smaller than if I’d used the same yarn. I also went down a couple of hook sizes for the leaves and berries.

The berries are 6htr sts worked into a magic ring and joined with a slip stitch. Make sure you leave tails so you can stitch them to your socks.

holly5

xxx

C2C Cowl & Hat. A Free Crochet Pattern

September 27, 2018January 29, 2023crochet, free pattern14 Comments

Just a heads up, I got the yarn for this pattern for free from Hobbii. During some correspondence I asked if they’d been interested in collaborating in my Corner 2 Corner CAL. Rather happily, they said yes! How great is that!? They are going to give away four balls of Happy Sheep wool as one of the CAL prizes!! OK, on with the show…

As part of the C2C crochet along that I’m hosting this autumn, I thought it’d be a nice idea to have a free pattern on the table. When I first mentioned the idea of a CAL a lot of people told me that they’d not tried the C2C stitch before. I think a few people had tried it and were put off by the (only slightly) weird start (honestly, you get over it pretty quickly!). I decided a free pattern might coerce these fab people into giving C2C another chance. I thought that a video tutorial to accompany it might persuade a few others too…

Here we have a cowl and a hat using 4 x100g balls of aran weight yarn. The colours and pattern have a funny eighties vibe about them; I’m thinking shell suits and ski jackets, therefore the name of this set is Apres-Ski! I made the cowl first, had loads of yarn left over so thought I’d better squeeze in a hat too. Follow the same chart for the cowl and the hat. For the cowl you just sew up the rectangle (I used mattress stitch) and for the hat, you add some FP/BP stitches along the bottom and gather the top. Easy peasy!

The design is pretty simple, uncomplicated colour changes an no carrying of yarn. That’s not too bad, right?! I drew up the chart on Stitch Fiddle. It’s a been a few years since I stumbled upon Stitch Fiddle and since I’ve been using it, it has become much much better and more advanced. Seeing as it’s a free programme, this is fantastic [and before you question my motives, I am not affiliated with the site, I just use it a lot and like it]. The chart is below but I think I can also share it via Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, so I’ll do that too.

Notes & Things you need to Crochet

5mm hook
4x colours aran weight yarn. I used 4x 100g balls of Happy Sheep Woolpower
Needle for sewing in ends
Not much time. These things are super speedy!
Optional: 10cm pompom maker
Pattern is written in UK terms but in the video I use both UK & US speak. A UK treble = US double
I changed my colours around a bit but if you want both hat and cowl to be identical, there should be just enough yarn of your chosen main colour to do that.
Find the video tutorial HERE
Once complete the rectangle measures 19x53cm

C2C Crochet Cowl Pattern

Row 1: 6 ch, 1 tr in 4th ch from hook, 1 tr in next 2 st, turn. [1 block]

Row 2: 6 ch, 1 tr in 4th ch from hook, 1 tr in next 2 st, ss into the 3 ch-sp of previous row, 3 ch, 3 tr into same 3 ch-sp, turn. [2 blocks]

Row 3: 6 ch, 1 tr into 4th ch from hook, 1 tr in next 2 st, *ss into next 3 ch-sp of previous row, 3 ch, 3 tr in same 3 ch-sp; rep from * to end, turn. [3 blocks etc]

Row 4 -11: Continue increasing as Row 3

Row 12: Repeat Row 3, ending with 1 ss in the last 3 ch-sp (ie. do not make the last block), turn.

Row 13: Ss along the next 3 st and into the first 3 ch-sp, (3 ch, 3 tr) in same ch-sp, continue making blocks in each 3 ch-sp to the end, turn.

Repeat Rows 12 & 13 until Row 28.

Row 29: Ss along the next 3 st and into the first 3 ch-sp, (3 ch, 3 tr) in same ch sp, continue making blocks, end with 1 ss into the last 3 ch-sp, turn.

Rep Row 29 to end. To finish ss across the last 3st and into the corner. Fasten off.

Mattress stitch the ends together and voila! A cowl is made!

Turning it into a Hat

Round 1: Attach your chosen colour to any stitch along the bottom and chain 3 to count as your first st. Make 2tr into the horizontal bars and 1tr into each of the 3 vertical stitches of the blocks (see hastily hand drawn chart below). Double check you have an even number of stitches. I had 70st.

Round 2. 2ch (doesn’t count as a st), *1 front post tr, 1 back post tr; rep from * around and join to the first st, no turn.

Rounds 3 & 4. Repeat Row 2

Fasten off. With a needle and yarn, gather the other opening to close. Attach a pompom (please watch Episode 39 of my podcast where I make the pompom and sew it on to the hat, as I chat).

Slightly embarrassing …but I’m pretending to hold a ski pole!

And before I go I just wanted to say thanks to Hobbii, they have been great. The emails we exchanged felt really friendly and warm. They were totally up for coming on board the CAL and I got a free row counter (and sweeties!) in my parcel!

I’d love to see your makes. Tag me on Instagram @zeensandroger and if you’re joining in with the CAL, don’t forget to use the hashtag #c2cCAL18

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hatcowl ;p

Hotchpotch C2C Crochet bag

August 20, 2018February 6, 2024crochet, free pattern12 Comments

Colourful Corner to Corner Crochet

Do you like my new colourful crochet bag!?! I love love love it!! It is made using the corner to corner stitch (or C2C, as it’s frequently called) and is based on a Granny Hotchpotch bag I made a couple of months ago. Here it is…

Stashbusting Crochet Projects

The idea for both handmade bags is for them to be the ultimate crochet stashbusters. You know the sort of thing, all those yarn scraps you saved and don’t know what to do with but don’t want to throw away. I knotted loads of straggly ends together using the magic knot and just got hooking. No particular plan was followed, it was very much a winging it sort of craft project.

Both the crochet bags are made using my leftovers of Paintbox Simply Aran acrylic yarn but you can use pretty much any woolly stuff you want. It’s a hotchpotch of stuff, see?!

Crocheting a C2C bag - Copy

Hotchpotch-C2C-bag

Notes on Winging a C2C Crochet Bag

Below I have added the notes I scribbled out in the hope that these will give you a better idea of what’s what. It also provides a peek inside my crochet designer brain. Although, that’s not necessarily pretty but ah well!!

I’m not writing a specific pattern for this one because, if you know the basic Corner to Corner stitch, you already know how to make this colourful crochet Hotchpotch bag. However, before you disappear, I will tell you that I have other patterns and tutorials that show you how to C2C. Check out my free crochet patterns to find some lovely examples, and also my YouTube channel.

Info for How to Crochet a Stashbusting Bag

For a useful video tutorial on how to crochet the granny stripe bag go HERE. I demonstrate the magic knot technique and give a bit of advice about lining and zips, which you can apply here.
To hear me gush about my Hotchpotch C2C bag, go here to YouTube for my crochet podcast
To hear me go into a bit more detail about the granny version go HERE for another podcast episode
I bought the bag straps from Amazon. Blue ones HERE. Brown ones HERE
Adding the handles is pretty simple. Line them up evenly and it’s just a question of adding a few stitches through the holes. I recommend reinforcing these by stitching through a layer of fabric lining too.
Lengths of yarn needed: I saved the shorter yarn scraps for each end of the ball as that’s where the shorter C2C rows will fall. Some of the longer yarn pieces in the middle weighed about 4 or 5 gram balls (at a guess). It’s a good idea to have the yarn leftovers at different lengths. This creates the best hotchpotch look.
I have started a board on Pinterest especially for Corner to Corner crochet – I love it that much!
For a more thorough C2C bag pattern I have one for sale in Ravelry. It has photo tutorials on the C2C stitch, how to line the bag and add the magnetic clasp.

These are the **C2C bags I have on Ravelry.** There are 3 colourful designs in one pattern.

Super Basic Guide on How to Crochet a C2C Bag

Right, the notes are extremely basic but I reckon you’ll be able to glean most of the info you need from them. Give us a shout if they befuddle, baffle or bemuse. But, hmm, they kind of also offer a hideous insight into what my design process looks like. Apologies for the ugly scribbles!!

Let’s type up the most important info needed:

I used approx 179 grams of different colourful yarn scraps. This is very much stashbusting territory.
It’s all aran weight acrylic yarn here but you can use other yarn weights too.
I used a 4mm crochet hook. C2C fabric shouldn’t be too drapey for a crochet bag.
The bag is made of a C2C rectangle of 21 x 33 blocks.
The depth of the bag measures 29cm / 11.5inches. The length is 38cm / 15 inches.
Work one round of UK dc / US sc around the outside of the crochet fabric. To do this, work 2 stitches into the horizonal “bars” of a stitch, and 3 stitches along each block when the stitches are vertical.
This is then folded in half and joined at the sides.
To neaten the opening, working a round of UK htr / US hdc. At each join, I worked two stitches together.
Finally, add lining and handles!

If you crochet a bag of your own, don’t forget to get in touch to tell me all about it! #zeensandroger @zeensandroger over of IG.

Cheers. x

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xxx

C2C-Hotchpotch-bag