WINTER, FORESTS and CROCHET HATS

You fill up my senses,

like a night in the forest,

like the mountains in springtime, 

like a walk in the rain 

Most of you will recognize these words as the famous song by John Denver "Annie's Song", for me these words convey how I feel about the great outdoors. I love being outdoors in the forest (my favourite), or surrounded by mountains, give me the wide open spaces anywhere in nature and I am fulfilled and happy. 

Crochet Hat Patterns

You may wonder how this relates to crochet, but it is exactly this love of the outdoors which has lead me to wearing hats all the time. Whether for warmth, or to keep the sun off my face, I AM A HAT WEARER, ALL THE TIME! That is why I love crocheting hats and I love creating new crochet patterns for hats.

Creative Crochet

I often play with ideas for crochet hats and then leave them lying around for years before I get back to them and eventually get around to writing up the step-by-step instructions for the pattern. And most certainly when I do get to that stage, I guarantee you I will probably revise the crochet hat and remake it with new yarns.

FOREST HAT Crochet Pattern

This is where I come to talk about my latest crochet hat pattern, it is an old hat from my market stall days in the Old Spitalfields Market, London, UK. That is where the first FOREST HAT was designed and created in a range of colours (with three little flowers attached). Funnily enough, I didn't sell many Forest Hats in London, but instead sold more of these hats on my return back to Australia at the markets in the Northern Rivers, NSW. 

Go figure, somewhere where it isn't as cold as London and I sell more FOREST HATS. You just never know who is going to like what?

Today I have revised the Forest Hat crochet pattern, I have updated to a heavier yarn weight and larger hook than the original FOREST HAT and I have also given it an optional cotton lining for extra warmth and comfort. 

PATTERN DETAILS:

DIFFICULTY:  Easy
YARN:  Freedom Purity Chunky ● Wool 85% Alpaca 15%
HOOK:  6mm (J-10) 
SIZE:  Three (3) sizes - Child to Adult

This pattern is available in USA (American) 
and UK (British) Crochet Terms.

You will need to SELECT the CORRECT PATTERN TERMINOLOGY prior to purchase.

FOREST HAT CROCHET PATTERN 

AVAILABLE from my online shops

CRAFTSY       RAVELRY 

Enjoy!

ciao, ciao!

Copyright © 2008

Barbara Summers Hand Knit and Crochet.

All rights reserved.

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Crochet Baby Mittens RAINBOW

Baby Mittens Crochet Pattern

At long last, I have finally had the time to sit down and write out the mittens pattern and everyone who has been patiently waiting for the instructions for these baby mittens can now enjoy making them.

RAINBOW Crochet Mittens 

PATTERN DETAILS:

DIFFICULTY:  Easy

YARN USED:  BWM Cotton 8ply ● 6 colours

NOTIONS:  G-6 hook, Yarn needle

This pattern is written in USA American crochet terms.

Perfect Newborn Baby Gifts

These baby crochet mittens are ever so cute and they are perfect for that newborn gift for a baby boy or a baby girl. They are made with a lovely soft, cotton yarn, ever so comfortable for delicate baby hands and also very easy to wash and they look fabulous in bright rainbow colours.   

You can match them up with the colourful baby hat crochet pattern called TROPO, (pictured in the photo above), it has been one of my most popular crochet hat patterns for newborns.  

You could also stretch your crochet skills and make mittens, hats and scarf with the ebook RAINBOW TREASURES.

All these patterns, hats, scarf and mittens were inspired by the RAINBOW Baby Blanket I made in 2012 for my grandchild. 

If you would like to read more about the RAINBOW blanket see my previous blog here.

RAINBOW BABY MITTENS

PATTERN AVAILABLE  

from my online shops

CRAFTSY         RAVELRY

enjoy

ciao, ciao!

BARBARA SUMMERS HAND KNIT AND CROCHET

NEW YEAR 2014 CROCHET

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014

May you all have a wonderful 2014 year, crocheting and knitting many projects and conquering new techniques and stitches.

For the past 12 weeks I have been "down-under" travelling and visiting family, with NO TIME to crochet a stitch. 

My mother's 80th - photo of mum and her four 4 offspring (I am second from the right)

Now I am back in the UK and I am excited about all the ideas floating around in my head for new patterns and keen to get started.

As soon as I get over the jet lag which is forcing me to sleep way too early in the evening, resulting in the waking at 2.30am and patiently waiting for the clock to hit 4am so I can get up.

This too will change. And life will return to normal. I am confident it will.

For now I would like to thank everyone who has supported my creative work during 2013 and I am looking forward to sharing my new designs in 2014.

In the meantime let me share with you all my FREE PATTERNS which are available from my online stores:

 RAVELRY and CRAFTSY

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE FREE CROCHET HEARTS PATTERN written by me (Barbara Summers) for DMC Creative World

HERE

WISHING YOU ALL

A CREATIVE AND EXCITING NEW YEAR

Ciao, ciao...

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JAZZY Crochet Baby Blanket

Embossed crochet afghan blanket 

the perfect gift for a newborn.

This is the perfect pram or cot blanket 

for a baby boy or baby girl.  

As promised, I now have the pattern for this lovely baby blanket in UK (British) and USA (American) crochet terms available for you to try out your crochet skills.  

History:

I had great pleasure designing this embossed motif blanket for the new arrival into the family.  Baby girl born in the early months of the Australian winter.  I chose my favourite James C. Brett yarn, a beautiful soft pure merino DK.  Grandad chose the colours based on some inside information regarding the colour purple, and from there grew the colour scheme and the playful embossed reversible motif square.

I am so lucky to have a great haberdashery in Canterbury which also sells a variety of yarns which are not available from any other local yarn store near me, so all I had to do was order my colour choice and wait for the delivery.  The project took a bit longer than anticipated due to other projects needing attention but in the end I managed to finish the blanket in time for the birth, 28 June.

The pattern includes two different border edges: 1. scalloped fan (as shown in the photo on the left); or 2. simple plain edge (see photo on the right). 

PATTERN DETAILS:

The perfect pram or cot crochet blanket for a boy or girl.

An afghan square with a reversible embossed motif and made with a soft, merino yarn makes this a cozy blanket for winter. 

This pattern is written and is available in UK - BRITISH and USA - AMERICAN Crochet Terms. 

Please select the correct pattern terminology prior to purchase.

SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate 

YARN: James C. Brett Pure Merino DK 

HOOK: H-8 (5mm)

MEASUREMENTS: 42 square motif blanket will measure approximately 36in/91cm by 30in/76cm (excluding the decorative border)

PATTERN AVAILABLE   from my online shops

CRAFTSY       RAVELRY

enjoy

ciao, ciao!

BARBARA SUMMERS HAND KNIT AND CROCHET

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BLISS Crochet Blanket - Afghan Style

Best gift to celebrate the birth of a child 

is a crochet afghan blanket.

A simple square with an embossed design 

and beautiful vibrant colours.

This is the perfect pram or cot blanket 

for a boy or girl. 

This is my second afghan motif blanket and I think I am hooked - doh!  

HISTORY:

This afghan motif was created back in May 2012, and since then it has sat quietly on the back-burner, patiently waiting to be incorporated into a crochet pattern and waiting to be released.  

In January 2013, I had found the perfect yarn and selected the colours, a lovely green with contrasting burnt orange, and a cream for the main border colour.

As soon as a sample motif was crocheted, there was no stopping me.

The BLISS crochet blanket was completed by the third week in February 2013.  I am so grateful for the cold winter days which give one plenty of reason to stay indoors and crochet.  

Finished in plenty of time for the birth of another baby girl addition to the family, born early March 2013. Woo hoo!

The pattern includes two different border edges: 1. simple and plain (as shown in the above photo); or 2. fan style (see photo below). 

Hope you all enjoy this afghan blanket as much as I enjoyed designing and making it!

PATTERN DETAILS:

Perfect pram or cot blanket for a boy or girl.

A simple afghan square creates this vibrant comfy blanket made from cotton, silk and cashmere. 

This pattern is written and is available in UK - BRITISH and USA - AMERICAN Crochet Terms. 

Please select the correct pattern terminology prior to purchase.

SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate 

YARN: Debbie Bliss Bella 

HOOK: 4.5mm (7) and 5mm (H-8)

MEASUREMENTS:  42 square motif blanket will measure approximately 36in/91cm by 30in/76cm (excluding the decorative border)

PATTERN AVAILABLE

from my online shops

CRAFTSY       RAVELRY

enjoy

ciao, ciao!

BARBARA SUMMERS HAND KNIT AND CROCHET

---ooOOOoo---

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Keep warm and cozy with a Crochet Blanket

SUN and STARS Crochet Blanket was designed specifically for my first grandchild. It is my very first attempt at designing a motif blanket.  I had long resisted granny squares for the simple fact of having to hide all those ends, and then attaching all those motifs to each other.  What a chore!

However, when the time came to making something really special for my daughter's first born, I decided to create something totally new and different from any other baby blanket or afghan blanket I have seen.  I hope you like the result?  I know for a fact my daughter loved it. 

WHY I HAVEN'T POSTED FOR A WHILE 

Simply I am suffering with a lovely pinched nerve in my neck, caused obviously by too much crochet and too much pattern designing, and too much computer work, and too much mouse use; not to mention the unforgivable cursed word - AGING and early signs of degenerative disc disease.   SOUNDS AWFUL... but it really is manageable.  I just have to undergo physiotherapy and acupuncture and totally limit my activities which aggravate the situation.  I am now in my 7th week and starting to feel normal again, but I think the days of 8-10 hours of crochet are gone for me.  Boo hoo!

HISTORY:

The design of this motif afghan blanket began in February 2012, and it's creation took a few months, due to other more urgent projects needing my attention, so it's completion was in May 2012, in plenty of time for the birth of baby girl CC born on June 30, 2012.  Yes, of course I was there for the birth!

PUBLISHED:

This pattern has been published in INSIDE CROCHET magazine Issue 37, January 2013.

PATTERN DETAILS:

This is the perfect pram or cot blanket for a boy or girl.

A simple octagon and a small square create this warm and comfy blanket made from organic wool cotton yarn.

This pattern written in UK - BRITISH and USA - AMERICAN crochet terms.

Please SELECT the CORRECT PATTERN TERMINOLOGY prior to purchase.

Skill Level: Intermediate 

Yarn: Rowan Belle Organic Aran 

Hook: 5mm (H-8) 

Measurements: Blanket consisting of 20 octagon motifs will measure approximately 76cm/30in by 61cm/24in

PATTERN AVAILABLE 

from my online shop

CRAFTSY 

enjoy

ciao, ciao!

---ooOOOoo---

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