Fred's beanie from Big Hero 6!

Now, Fred's beanie is actually pretty detailed and I think the most accurate version that could be made would be done with fingering and knitting, but my friends are nice enough not to hold it against me if I use worsted and crochet. I've already cosplayed Honey Lemon from the lab,

and a friend of mine was fun enough to say she would be Fred, too. Which meant we needed his beanie.

I used Cool Green Simply Soft for my Teal, and Dark Sage Simply Soft for my Dark Green, and what I assume is Limelight Simply Soft for my Light Green, although I lost that label, so I'm guessing (But what other color could it be? Really.)

I completely improvised this pattern. I used a sketch of what's on the front of his beanie and laid my crochet down on top of it as I went to make it match. I used a G hook and a variety of stitches:

Chain stitch
Slip stitch
Single crochet
Half-double crochet
Double crochet
Treble crochet
Half-double crochet decrease 
Double crochet decrease
Treble crochet decrease
(The last three alternately written as '2dctog' or '3trctog' where it was easier to write.)

I used the different stitches to shape the three-eyed monster as I went. I believe the different size stitches make smoother lines than trying to chart a sc grid on a hat. If you disagree with my choice in stitch at any point, feel free to change it. Use the pattern as a guide and go from there, if that floats your crochet boat. Go for it!

You should have some experience with crochet colorwork before diving into this. The yarn strings get kinda funky in the middle there because we're going in the round. But don't worry! The back can look as ugly as you want; no one'll ever see it!

I took pictures almost every row, so that you can see the development of the hat as I went. I hope it helps you understand what I was doing!

Round 1: 80 foundation hdc

(I do hdc instead of sc by yarning over once at the beginning of the fsc stitch, so that there is an extra loop to pull through at the end. I chose foundation stitches because they are stretchier than crocheting into the chain, and I don't have my Fred here to measure the hat on as I go. Feel free to ignore this row if you are uncomfortable with foundation stitches. You can chain 80 and hdc around, instead.)

I joined in the round by chaining 1, then slip stitching into the bottom of the right side and the left side at the same time, then chaining 1 again, and slip stitching through the top of the right side, then through the top of the first fhdc like would normally be done to join in the round.

Round 2: ch2, hdc around

Round 3: ch2, 30hdc, hdc dec, sc, slip stitch twice, sc twice, hdc twice, dc twice in same stitch, dc twice in same stitch, hdc twice, sc twice, slip stitch twice, sc, hdc dec, hdc to end

Round 4: ch2, 30 hdc, switch to dark green, hdc dec, dc twice, switch to light green, dc, sc, sl stitch, switch to dark green, hdc twice, 2 hdc in next stitch, 2 hdc in next stitch, hdc twice, switch to light green, sl stitch, sc, dc, switch to dark green, dc twice, hdc dec, switch to teal, hdc to end.
 
Round 5: ch 2, 31 hdc, Switch to dark green, hdc twice, switch to light green, hdc, slip stitch twice, switch to dark green, hdc eight times, slip stitch, change to light green, slip stitch, hdc, switch to dark green, hdc twice, switch to teal, hdc to end.

Round 6: ch2, 33 hdc, switch to dark green, sc, hdc, dc, 8 hdc, dc, hdc, sc, switch to teal, hdc to end

Round 7: ch 2, 26 hdc, 3 dc, 22 hdc, 3 dc, hdc to end

Round 8: ch 2, 25 hdc, ch1, dc, hdc, 4 sc, 18 hdc, 4 sc, hdc, dc, hdc to end

Round 9: ch2, 24 hdc, 2dctog, change to light green, sc, hdc, dc, change to dark green, 2 dc in next stitch, change to light green, dc, hdc, sc, change to teal, 14 hdc, change to light green, sc, hdc, dc, change to dark green, 2 dc in next stitch, change to light green, dc, hdc, sc, change to teal, hdc to end

Round 10: ch 2, 27 hdc, change to light green, sc, hdc, dc, change to dark green, 2dctog, change to light green, dc, hdc, sc, switch to teal, 2 hdc in next stitch. At this point, you might have two sets of the light green and dark green strings carrying under your stitches. I recommend tucking them in every other stitch through the nose. First stitch, one set. Second stitch, second set, back and forth through this section to thin the fabric a little. 2 dc, 2 hdc, 4 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, 2 hdc in next stitch, change to light green, sc, hdc, dc, change to dark green, 2dctog, switch to light green, dc, hdc, sc, switch to teal, hdc to end

Round 11: ch2, 32 hdc, dc, 3 trc, 2 dc, 2 hdc, 4 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, 3 trc, dc, hdc to end

Round 12: ch2, 31 hdc, 2 dc, 3 trc, 2 dc, 2 hdc, 4 sc, 2 hdc, 2 dc, 3 trc, 2 dc, hdc to end.

Round 13: ch2, 33 hdc, 3 sc, change to light green, 1 sc, 2 hdc, dc, dc2tog, switch to dark green, 3 dc in next stitch, switch to light green, dc2tog, 2 hdc, 2 sc, switch to teal, 2 sc, hdc to end

Round 14: ch2, 33 hdc, 4 sc, switch to light green, 2 hdc, dc, dc and trc in next stitch, switch to dark green, 3trctog, switch to light green, fasten off dark green, trc and dc in next stitch, dc, 2 hdc, sc, switch to teal, fasten off light green, 3 sc, hdc to end

Round 15: ch2, 39 hdc, 7 sc, hdc to end

Round 16: ch2, hdc in each hdc of the previous round, sc in each sc of the previous round.

Round 17: ch2, hdc around
^---Repeat until hat measures 7 inches from brim

Round 18: ch2, 6 hdc, 2hdctog around

Round 19: ch2, 5 hdc, 2hdctog around

Round 20: ch2, 4 hdc, 2hdctog around

Round 21: ch2, 3 hdc, 2hdctog around

Round 22: ch2, 2 hdc, 2hdctog around

Round 23: ch2, 1 hdc, 2hdctog around

Round 24: ch2, 2hdctog around

Round 25: ch2, 2hdctog around, cut the yarn leaving a tail, sew through all remaining stitches, pull tight, and fasten off.

I do notice that the face is leaning toward the right. If you find a good time, that you're comfortable with, to shift it one stitch over between the mouth and the first set of eyes, or between the first set of eyes and the third, go for it. I didn't find one, but I was improvising a pattern on the fly. ^_~

Honey Lemon in Fred's hat because Why Not?

Tiered Display Piece Found Art Yarn Bomb

So it's nearing another bulk pick-up in the neighborhood. Perfect time to go looking for good junk for found art pieces. I picked up 3 pieces, and hopefully they'll all amount to something.

First, I found this 4-tier display piece made of particle board and wood legs.

The plan is to wrap each tier in crochet lace, then wrap the legs with loose yarn.

It will be placed in the library on FIU's Biscayne Bay campus.

FIU Biscayne Bay Campus Yarn Bomb Update

Tried out the longest of the pole cozies on one of the posts today. It looks pretty great. Only a foot left to go!

FIU Biscayne Bay Campus Yarn Bomb

The plan is to cover the four yellow concrete guard poles around the parking meter machine in 4 different yarn cozies. I'm using my grandmother's stash yarn for this, because it's all sturdy acrylic that could last a few days outside if no one removes it sooner.

The poles are each 7 inches in diameter and about 3.5 feet tall.

Three of the cozies are in progress, and this is what they look like so far:

Queen Anne's Little Lace Gloves

 I was looking to make a pair of fingerless gloves that would cover a lot of ground without using up too much yarn, and happened to have a Queen Anne's Lace Scarf lying right next to me. I wrapped it about my hand, examined it closely, then jotted down this pattern. It took a little bit of trial and error to get it just right, and I tried to add a lace trim over the wrist, but after several rounds of failure, I realized the gloves looked best with no trim at all.

I've found the best way to go up and down in size, is to go up and down in hook size. Making this glove with an H hook was too big for my hands, but trying it again with a G made it just right. Using a ruler, my hand is about 3 inches across. If yours is bigger, then an H or I hook might be better for you.

Gauge:
With a G hook, 1st motif's diameter was 2.5 inches.
With an H hook, 1st motif's diameter was 3 inches.

For the first four motifs, we follow the Queen Anne's Lace pattern exactly. That is:

1st motif:
ch 6, sl st to join.
ch 3, 13 more dc into the ring, do not join, turn.
sc into the first 2 dc, *ch4, sc into next 2 dc (Picot made), repeat from * to the end (Which includes a sc into the beginning chain). ch 6, turn

2nd motif:
sl st into the first picot, ch3, turn.
13 dc into the ch6 loop. Sl st to the sc on the end of the 1st motif, ch1, turn.
sc into the first 2 dc, *ch4, sc into next 2 dc, repeat from * to end. ch6, turn.

3rd motif:
sl st into first picot, ch3, turn.
13 dc into the ch6 loop. sl st into the nearest free picot, ch1, turn.
sc into first 2 dc, *ch4, sc into next 2 dc, repeat from * to end. sl st into nearest free picot, ch6, turn.

Repeat instructions for the 3rd motif for the 4th, and to begin the 5th. On the 5th motif's outer most row (The sc and ch4 picots) do this, instead:

After 3 picots have been made, the 4th picot will be ch 2, sc in 1st motif’s 2nd picot, ch 2, sc into 5th motif as normal. That will be the 4th picot. On the 5th picot, ch 2, sc in 1st motif’s 1st picot, ch2, sc in fifth motif as normal. Continue to end, then continue on into 6th motif as per Queen Anne's Lace instructions (ch6, 14 dc in loop, etc).

On the sixth motif’s outer most row, after 4 picots have been made, the 5th picot will be ch 2, sc in 2nd motif’s closest picot, ch 2, continue on 6th motif as normal to the end. Slip stitch into the fifth motif’s closest picot, as you would in the normal pattern (It is already connected to another picot, as well). Finish off, weave in end.

For second glove, follow the same pattern, then fold it inside-out.

I do not have fancy charting software, so I drew a chart as best I can, and color-coded the picots that should be connected at the end. I hope it helps this make sense!

Floating Bell Sleeves

Silly me, I just had to knit myself the Season 12 Tom Baker scarf from Doctor Who, and only after I was done did I realize I had nothing to wear it with. I don't wear brown, I don't wear mustard, I live in Florida... What am I going to do with an extremely long brown and mustard scarf?

Why, make a costume as an excuse, of course. The only other character I could think of who wore an extremely long scarf was Rikku from FFX. Conveniently, FFX-2 explained her outfit away as proper Thief wear, so it was relatively easy to substitute the Doctor's scarf instead. Shortly thereafter I made a Doctor-themed headband and adapted Doctor-themed sleeves, too.

This is the pattern for the sleeves. I left them in garter stitch to match the scarf, but feel free to mess with it all you like. This is more of a basic guide than a true pattern and I welcome you to edit it to suite your needs.

The yarn I used was Vanna's Choice and I knit with a size 9 pair of circs, but I'm a loose knitter, I think. Without stretching, these wrap around my arm and leave only a 1-1.5 inch gap for the lacing. If the gap is too large or small for your liking, add or remove stitches to change the size.

At row 32, the sleeve reached from my upper arm to my elbow. If you are taller or shorter than me, add more or decrease the rows before you start the increasing rows.

Cast on 35.
Row 1: Knit across
Row 2: Knit across
Row 3: K1, yo, k2tog, K to last 3 stitches, k2tog, yo, K1
Rows 4-8: Knit across

Repeat rows 1-8 3 more times.
The pattern should make a solid row, a hole row, 2 solid rows, repeat for a total of 4 sets, 16 garter rows, 32 rows. Then we allow it to increase.

Row 33: Knit across
Row 34: Knit across
Row 35: K1, yo, K to last stitch, yo, K1
Row 36-40: Knit across
Repeat Rows 33-40 until you reach row 108, or your own desired length.
Bind off, weave in ends.

To finish, you can use a bulky yarn or a ribbon to lace the sleeves. I used a lucet and the beige Vanna's Choice to make a cord for mine (Google Lucet, if you don't know).

To help keep them on my arms, I cut a strip of fabric and hand-sewed it into the top of the sleeves, and when I wore them, I used fashion tape to adhere them in place.

Good luck and have fun!