Totatlly Neglectful... But with good reason

I feel like I haven't writtern or even crocheted in forever.  I've been going through my fininshed projects, writing descriptions and deciding which ones I will be selling on Etsy.  I had labels printed and I found special safety pins that can attach them without gettig tangled or create pulls.  I love them!

I'm so anal retentive about listing and how things are organized it has taken me some time to get everthing together, but when I do start posting and selling I will have a well oiled machine ready to go!  I just finished a project that I am proud to list: Red Ripples Cowl (pattern to follow soon).

Etsy or not to Etsy...

For over a year now people have been urging me to sell my fininshed crochet products.  I've had an Etsy.com account Happy Accident Crochet on Etsy for a while now, but so far have yet to list an item.  It just seems so professional to say I have an actual seller account and it can be really intimidating. Not to mention that I am an incredible perfectionst and I want to have a process in place for how to list an item so that things get listed the same way each time and that I answer any buyer's questions in all the info I list, and blah, blah, blah... I could go on like that for  while.  If I step back they all look like excusses. 

What is really holding me back from listing items and trying my hand at selling my craft?  I've been asking myself that very question for the last week and I've come to a few conclusions:

1. I'm totally freaked that no one will like what I have to sell
2. I'm totally freaked taht people will love what I have to sell and I won't be able to keep up with demand
3. I'm kinda lazy and haven't wanted to take the time to list an item

And lastly and probably most important: I'm not sure I want to part with some of the amazing projects I've completed.

No one item is ever created the same (partly why I hate making mittens or slippers) and so each finished product is a little unique part of me.  It's a really strange concept to have people I don't even know taking ownership of my little babies.  When I make things for people I know it is very personal and I've usually created it just for them. There is an odd informality to selling online.  You don't get to see the person try the item on or see their eyes light up when they find that "must have". 

I think one of these days I'll just need to bite the bullet and list something. 

All Natural Beanie

This stitch looks complicated and delicate but is actually very easy to do. I used an all natural Alpaca/Wool blend that makes this simple hat eco friendly!

Wattle Stitch Basic Tutorial

Foundation chain: Worked in multiples of 3 sts + 2
1st Row: Skip 2ch, *work [1sc, 1ch, 1dc] into next ch, skip 2 ch; rep from * ending 1sc into last ch, turn

Ch 1 (counts as 1 sc), *work [1sc, ch1, 1dc] into next ch sp, skip 1sc and 1dc; rep from *

Materials:

Cascade Yarns– Eco Duo 100g

Hook– H (5.00 mm)
Stitch Marker
Yarn Needle
Beginning: Chain 3, work 12 dc into 3rd ch from hook
Row 1: Work 2 dc in each st around
Row 2: *Work 1 dc, 2 dc in next st* repeat around
Row 3: *Work 1 dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st* repeat around
Row 4: *Work 1 dc in next 3 sts, 2 dc in next st* repeat around
Row 4: Work sc in each st around
Row 5: Wattle stitch in each st around until hat reaches desired length (see directions for stitch to the right)

Finishing Round 1: Dc in each st and ch sp around

Finishing Round 2-3: Dc in each st around

Embellish as desired!

The appliqué used on this hat came from Tangledness.com For the pattern please see their Helleborus pattern by Shelby Allaho! Thank you so much for helping to contribute free patterns online!

Key Tab Mobius

I am super excited about this pattern. I love everthing about the stitch and the yarn and the drape... I could just eat it up. (Not to toot my own horn or anything.)  I hope you enjoy this pattern as much as I have. I get tons of compliments on the finished product.  This mobius is worked in multiples of 4 plus 6 for the foundation chain. This pattern can be easily altered to fit any size or width.

Materials:
Yarn: Sport Weight  (using a more delicate yarn with loose drape adds drama and elegance to this pattern)
Hook: Size F (3.75 mm)

Ch = Chain
St = stitch
SL = Slip Stitch
SP = Space
SC = Single Crochet
DC = Double Crochet
Cl = Cluster

Cluster Stitch Guide

Work 3 Dc into next st until 1 loop of each Dc remains on hook, yarn over and pull through all 4 loops on hook

Beginning: Chain 30, work 1 Cl into 5th ch from hook, ch 1, skip 2 ch, 1 sc into next st, *ch 3, 1 Cl into next ch, ch 1, skip 2 ch, 1 sc into next ch* repeat from * to last 2 ch, ch2 1 dc into last ch, turn

Row 1: Ch 4, 1 cl into fist 2 ch sp, ch 1, *1 sc into next 3 ch sp, ch 3, 1 cl into same sp as last sc, ch 1* repeat from * to last ch sp, 1 sc into last ch sp, ch 2, 1 dc into 3rd of 4 ch at beginning of previous row, turn

Repeat Row 1 until mobius reaches about 9 inches (or desired width), seam the ends together using a sc along the edges.

Edging: Ch 1, sc evenly around, sl st to ch 1

Row 1: Ch 1, *1 cl in next st, sc in next st* repeat from * around, sl st in ch 1, finish off.

Repeat edging on top and bottom of mobius. Finished!

Spreading the Crochet Plague

Today was a really awesome day for me in the world of crochet! My co-worker and I have been working together to teach her how to do hats and she is almost done with her first one! It's so exciting to be able to share my passion for crocheting with others and to see them succeed. It's sometimes difficult to have patience to teach someone something new. They are slow and unsure and make many mistakes, but when you see that light brighten behind their eyes and you know that they get it, makes the wait worth while. Thanks, Jay for letting me teach you some new stitches and techniques and sharing my joy for the craft!

Rustic Ruffle Bucket Hat

I recently got this really great chunky yarn and didn't find a pattern that I absolutely loved, so I created my own. I still need to pick up a really creamy silk ribbon to finish off this hat but I think it turned out really well.  It is amazing sometimes to just let your hook do what it will and not be sure what the finished product will be until it is sitting in front of your face. As always, feel free to ask if you have questions and share freely.

Beginning: Ch 3, work 11 dc into 3rd ch from hook

Row 1: 2 dc in each stitch around

Row 2: *1 dc, 2 dc, repeat around from *

Row 3: *1 dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc, repeat around from *

Row 4: 1 dc in next 3 sts, 2 dc, repeat around

(repeat increase until hat is the same size as the crown of the head)

Row 5: dc around without joining until hat measures 2.5 inches short of desired length

Row 6: For this next row you will need to find the loop behind below/behind the stitch and do a hdc into that loop, continue hdc around, see figures for help in finding the loops needed for this stitch

Row 7: Hdc into the stitches of this row, NOT the loop behind

Row 8: Dc into next st, *ch 2, skip st, dc into next st* Repeat from * around

Row 9: Dc around

Row 10: (sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc) into first stitch, skip a stitch, *sc into next stitch, (sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc) into next stitch, skip a stitch, repeat from * around

Finish: Thread ribbon through gaps created by row 8

CABLES! CABLES! CABLES!

Cables are one of those scary patterns that most novice crocheters look at in terror, but once you understand how to do front posts and back posts the concept of cables comes a lot easier.  If you're looking to expand your crochet techniques and have yet to try a cable patterns yet, challenge yourself and go for it. It will change the way you look at crochet patterns.  When you get that "ah-ha" moment and it finally makes sense cables can be really fun! 

I started slow getting into the hang of front post/back post stiches with learning to do a cuff on mittens and hats. And then I moved on to something a little more complicated like this hat pattern from Sarah Arnold: Rheatheylia.com.

When I was confident with fpdc/bpdc I started to take on more complicated patterns like these:

Owl Slippers

Cabled Hat

Cables can be complicated if you're not used to reading patterns or if you are unsure how to do the fpdc/bpdc stitches, however, once you get the hang of the stitches and become more accustomed to reading the patterns I think that you will find cables to be a really great tool to have in your crochet toolbox.