advent calendar garland: crochet hats

I winged this pattern the first time and it came out exactly as I hoped, so I wrote it down.  I did it bottom up, which I normally don't like to do, but this one made sense to do that way since it was pointy, and the ribbing would match the look of the mittens and stockings (patterns available here and here).  you'll need 12 hats for the garland.

hat pattern

ribbing:
ch 7, 1 sc into back bump of 2nd ch from hook and following 5 sts, ch 1 and turn.
1 sc into back loop of each st across, ch 1 turn.  repeat for 26 more rows.
fold ribbing in half and sl st closed.

body of hat:
ch 1, make 30 sc sts, equally spaced, around the top edge of ribbing, sl st to join round.
ch 1, sc into each stitch around, sl st to join.  repeat for 4 more rounds.

decreasing:
ch 1, *1 sc into next 4 sts, 1 sc2tog, repeat from * 4 more times, sl st to join.
ch 1, 1 sc into each st around, sl st to join.
ch 1, *1 sc into next 3 sts, 1 sc2tog, repeat from * 4 more times, sl st to join.
ch 1, 1 sc into each st around, sl st to join.
ch 1, *1 sc into next 2 sts, 1 sc2tog, repeat from * 4 more times, sl st to join.
ch 1, 1 sc into each st around, sl st to join.
ch 1, *1 sc into next sts, 1 sc2tog, repeat from * 4 more times, sl st to join.
ch 1, 1 sc into each st around, sl st to join.
ch 1, 5 sc2tog, sl st to join.
ch 1, 1 sc into each st around, sl st to join.
fasten off with a 10" tail, using yarn needle, thread yarn tail through the front loop of the remaining 8 sts and pull tight.
weave in ends.

attach pom pom to top of hat.

optional loop:
fold hat in half, attach yarn to the top left corner of ribbing, ch 10, sl st to first ch, tie knot with starting tail and weave in ends.

advent calendar garland: crochet stockings

I sorta mixed-n-matched some patterns to make a stocking.  I used the basic starting point of the mittens (check out the previous post here for the pattern), but didn't increase for the thumb part of the hand.  when it was long enough to my liking, I did the heel and toe like Yolanda demonstrates in her Christmas stocking video tutorials.  you'll need 7 stockings for the garland.

stocking pattern

ribbing:
ch 7, 1 sc into back bump of 2nd ch from hook and following 5 sts, ch 1 and turn.
1 sc into back loop of each st across, ch 1 turn.  repeat for 20 more rows.
fold ribbing in half and sl st closed.

body of stocking:
use the same color yarn or attach new color.
ch 1, make 24 sc sts, equally spaced, around the top edge of ribbing, sl st to join round.
ch 1, sc into each stitch around, sl st to join.  repeat for 8 more rounds.

heel:
use the same color yarn or attach new color.
ch 1, sc into 12 sts, ch 1 and turn.
sc2tog into first 2 sts, 1 sc into each st across, sc2tog into last 2 sts, ch 1 and turn.
repeat decreasing row until you have 4 sts left.
2 sc into first st, 1 sc into each st across, 2 sc into last st, ch 1 and turn.
repeat increasing row until you have 12 sts again, ch 1 turn.
1 sc into all 12 sts across.
fold heel in half, right sides facing, and sl st or whip stitch seams together. 

foot:
use the same color yarn or pick up yarn from before the start of the heel.
ch 1, sc around ankle and heel (24 sts), sl st to join, ch 1 and turn.
1 sc into each st around, sl st to join, ch 1 and turn. repeat for 6 more rounds.

toe:
use the same color yarn or attach new color.
ch 1, *1 sc into first 4 sts, sc2tog.  repeat from * around, sl st to join, ch 1 and turn.
*1 sc into 3 sts, sc2tog.  repeat from * around, sl st to join, ch 1 and turn.
*1 sc into 2 sts, sc2tog.  repeat from * around, sl st to join, ch 1 and turn.
*1 sc into 1 st, sc2tog.  repeat from * around, sl st to join, ch 1 and turn.
sc2tog 4 times, sl st to join.
fasten off with a 10" tail, using yarn needle, thread yarn tail through the front loop of the remaining 4 sts and pull tight.
weave in ends.

optional loop:
fold stocking in half with heel on the left side, attach yarn to the top left corner of ribbing, ch 10, sl st to first ch, tie knot with starting tail and weave in ends.

advent calendar garland: crochet mittens

I saw a mini mitten garland in one of the shops on the Strand in Galveston and thought along with some stockings and hats, it would make a cute little advent calendar.

I started crocheting November 1st, my goal to make one a day so by December 1st it would be ready to go.  I always cram too much into my holiday seasons, why would being pregnant, having an ill household, and house hunting make the slightest difference in the workload I put on myself? :\  so far it's going okay, though.  one a day is definitely a doable goal.

I'm using up leftover scraps from my yarn stash, other stuff I had on hand, and the patterns are free.  this project mostly cost me my time in the evenings while I watch TV, so besides it coming along to be adorable, it is practically free and I love that! :)

so this first pattern is mittens.  you'll only need 6 of these. I would say this is the more difficult of the patterns, so once you learn this one the rest will come easier.

the preschool size mittens pattern from CrochetMe is what I'm using.  I usually prefer videos, but this written pattern is easy enough to follow.  I think hers is worked in a continuous circle from the way it's written, but the copy I have below is written so that each round is joined.  it's still basically the same, I just typed it out so it was easier for me to work from.

mitten pattern

ribbing:
ch 7, 1 sc into back bump of 2nd ch from hook and following 5 sts, ch 1 and turn.
1 sc into back loop of each st across, ch 1 turn.  repeat for 19 more rows.
fold ribbing in half and sl st closed.

body of mitten:
ch 1, make 23 sc sts, equally spaced, around the top edge of ribbing, sl st to join.
ch 1, 1 sc into each of the next 10 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 9 sts, sl st to join.

ch 1, 1 sc into each st around, sl st to join.

ch 1, 1 sc into each of the next 11 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 10 sts, sl st to join.

ch 1, 1 sc into each st around, sl st to join.

ch 1, 1 sc into each of the next 12 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 11 sts, sl st to join.

ch 1, 1 sc into each st around, sl st to join.

ch 1,1 sc into each of the next 13 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 12 sts, sl st to join.

ch 1, 1 sc into each st around, sl st to join.

ch 1, 1 sc into each of the next 14 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 2 sts, 2 sc into the next st, 1 sc into each of the next 13 sts, sl st to join.

ch 1, 1 sc into each of the next 12 sts, skip the next 10 sts (for thumb), 1 sc into each of the next 11 sts, sl st to join.

ch 1, 1 sc into each st around, sl st to join.

repeat previous round for 9 more rounds.

ch 1, [1 sc into each of the next 6 sts, sctog] 2 times, 1 sc into each of the next 5 sts, sc2tog, sl st to join.

ch 1, [1 sc into each of the next 3 sts, sc2tog] 4 times, sl st to join.

ch 1, 1 sc into each st around, sl st to join.

ch 1, sc2tog 8 times, sl st to join.

fasten off with a 10" tail, using yarn needle, thread yarn tail through the front loop of the remaining 8 sts and pull tight.

weave in ends.

thumb:

join yarn to any thumb stitch and make 10 sc stitches around, sl st to join.

ch 1, 1 sc into each st around, sl st to join. repeat for 5 more rows.

ch 1, sc2tog 5 times, sl st to join.

fasten off with a 10" tail, and using yarn needle, thread yarn tail through the front loop of the remaining 5 sts and pull tight.

weave in ends.

optional loop:
fold mitten in half with thumb on the right side, attach yarn to the top left corner of ribbing, ch 10, sl st to first ch, tie knot with starting tail and weave in ends.

April 20th, 2015

so this is what #3 looks like at 9 weeks :)  I've been so sick and haven't felt like doing anything, so this is coming really, super-de-duper late.  I'm 16 weeks now and am finally feeling better.  it's felt like ages, but I almost feel normal now.

Dollar Tree pregnancy test - got my money's worth.

I started feeling pregnant a couple of weeks before I got a positive on a home pregnancy test, so I wasn't surprised, but it was still exciting to see the line show up.  I left it out where I knew Matt would find it, and he was thrilled - it's all he can do to not tell everyone he comes in contact with as soon as he knows we're expecting, which I know was very difficult for him while a lot of his family were in town recently.

the last, big, disgusting thing I ate before morning sickness moved in and kept anything good from entering my stomach.

food became tricky by week 4.  nothing sounded good and anything I did manage to choke down didn't sit right.  salad was alright, but not filling or satisfying at all.  I tried to eat small amounts of different things, which worked okay for a few days, then I would start craving one thing and burn myself out on it.  I never felt like I craved much with my first two pregnancies, but this time I actually, really wanted those giant pickles, and ate pickle after pickle.  I just kept shoveling them away to the point that at the end of the jar I wanted to drink the juice - this has never been appealing to me.  ever.  I did stop myself because I could only think how dehydrated I would be after!  I also tried some pickle flavored Lays... I do not recommend these.  apples seem to be my only friend right now.

I think Jack senses his role as the baby coming to an end because I've been getting more cuddles and random kisses from him.  he also wants to lay on my stomach - I didn't like that one so much when I was feeling like I was about to toss my cookies (which was all the time), but I tried to stand it as long as I could because there won't be room for him there much longer, and by the time there is room again, he might not be interested in sitting in my lap :(

I was trying not to say too much to Leo about it early on since he has such a good memory and repeats everything he hears, but now I try to talk more with him about the new baby because he understands more of what's going on than Jack does, and I'd like him to be prepared for another sibling.

stuff-wise, we are set if this is a boy, but we are totally at odds on boy name choices so I'm really hoping it's a girl this time!  we just have to wait a few more weeks to see.  luckily we're at the end of the year when the weeks just fly.

16 weeks