It’s Shark Week-Crochet a Shark and Help Halos of Hope

Posted on by

Crochet a Shark Hat and help Halos of Hope ship some hats.

100_6058From the Halos of Hope Facebook page:

It’s SHARK WEEK! Halos is offering our [Halos of Hope] signature knit or crochet shark hat pattern at a 40% discount. Halos has worked with shark enthusiasts over the past two years and raised over $10,000 to benefit the charity.

Your pattern donation sends another 19 hats to centers in need!

Visit our [Halos of Hope] Ravelry pattern store and enter SHARKWEEK for your discount.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/halos-of-hope-tm-crocheted-shark-hat

100_5913I have made a number of these hats.  I alter the pattern slightly for my preference and yarn on hand.  You can see my notes here.  But, if you make a hat as written, it’s great a lot of fun.  Hurry, Shark Week only lasts….a week!  PS, you gotta use the coupon code to get the discount: SHARKWEEK
100_6318
Buy 2 Get 1 Free on Ravelry, Crochet by Darleen Hopkins

Got Drool?

Posted on by

Got Drool?

I’d like to introduce a few of my latest designs….Drool Bibs!

Penguin Drool Spit Bib

Penguin Drool Spit Bib

Polar Bear Drool Spit Bib

Polar Bear Drool Spit Bib

Hippo Drool Spit Bib

Hippo Drool Spit Bib

Lion Drool Spit Bib

Lion Drool Spit Bib

Baby Bear Drool Spit Bib

Baby Bear Drool Spit Bib

Bunny Rabbit Drool Spit Bib

Bunny Rabbit Drool Spit Bib

My oldest was a drooler-big time.  He was an adorable, chubby, happy baby that soaked everything!  I wish I knew how to crochet back then (I learned when he was about 5) because I spent a small fortune purchasing cute drool bibs to soak it all up and keep him dry.

Babies like him are what inspired me to design these adorable drool bibs.  Make them in cotton or cotton blend yarn for maximum absorbency.  I made mine in Knit Picks Comfy Worsted-what a great yarn!  These bibs work up quick and are sure to be a hit at any baby shower.

Each bib pattern set comes with 2 patterns.  So far I have made 3 sets; Forest Friends-Adorable Bunny and Sweet Baby Bear, Safari Friends-Happy Hippo and Loveable Lion and just released, Polar Friends-Preppy Penguin and Charming Polar Bear.  Be on the lookout for more.  I’m addicted to designing them and have plans for many, many more Friends!

Patterns are available on Etsy, Craftsy and Ravelry for $3.50/ SET (2 patterns per set)  Don’t forget, all Crochet by Darleen Hopkins purchases on Ravelry are Buy 2, Get 1 Free!  No coupon needed!

Pattern Testing for Hope

Posted on by

Thank You Amazing Pattern Testers!

Whenever I’m ready to release a new pattern, I always tech edit and pattern test it.  There’s a great group on Ravelry where individuals volunteer to test patterns, for free.  They work through it and let me know if anything is confusing and could be worded better.  Or if stitch counts are wrong, if I missed a “ch 1 and turn” or even typos.  I usually ask my testers to list final yarn usage so I know if my amounts listed are accurate.  It’s a great group and everyone wins.  The testers get a lot of free patterns and the designers get a lot of free help from the very people who use the patterns.

When I was ready to test my Kissy! Kissy! Fish Face Hat, I tried something different.  With the help and blessing of the group’s moderator, Chris, I made an unusual request of the test that the tested hat be crocheted in chemo friendly yarn and then mailed to me to be donated to Halos of Hope for their Under the Sea Campaign for Atlanta area hospitals.  I wasn’t sure what to expect-postage is expensive and a lot of people don’t have the extra $$ for postage, but boy did this great group of ladies step up to the challenge.  I had 16 volunteers in a short period of time.  From the 16, I received 26 hats for donation!   What a great, giving group!

Kissy Fish Crochet Pattern by Darleen HopkinsCrochet Pattern Kissy Fish by Darleen HopkinsKissy Kissy Fish Face Crochet Pattern by Darleen HopkinsFish Hat crochet pattern by Darleen HopkinsHats for Halos of Hope

Check out these amazing fish!  I included the 3 that I’ve made so far.  I’ve got a couple more fishy hats I plan to finish up this week (Stash Busting for Hope!).  Once they are done, I’ll be packing up all 31 hats to send to those brave young fighters.

Find out more about Halo’s Under the Sea Campaign.  It’s not too late to make a hat and get it in the mail to them.  I’m offering a 50% off coupon on my Ravelry site for the Kissy! Kissy! Fish Face Hat pattern.  Use coupon code “HOHFishFace” to save $2.25 on the pattern, then, apply the savings to your postage.  You’ll be so glad you did. : )

Coupon code expires 3/15/2013 midnight EST

Enjoy!

Buy 2 Get 1 Free on Ravelry, Crochet by Darleen Hopkins

Stash Bust Update – Feb. 2013 Stash Busting for Hope

Posted on by

Stash Busting for Hope, Update – Feb. 2013

Kissy! Kissy! Fish Face Hat.

Kissy! Kissy! Fish Face Hat.

This month I have one hat to share in my Stash Bust Challenge-the Kissy! Kissy! Fish Face Hat.  This is a new pattern of mine.  I was able to make one this month with my CottonTots weighing in at 2.75 ounces putting my total yarn usage to 1 1/4 pounds.  (I promise to have more to share next month as I have 4 hats about 90% complete.)  This cutie pie will be donated to Halos of Hope for their Stitches South Under the Sea for the Kids in Atlanta collection.

If interested, you can find the Kissy! Kissy! Fish Face Hat on Etsy, Ravelry and Craftsy!

Stash Bust 2013 – update January

Posted on by

A Flapper, Patrick Star and a Frog

I’ve been steadily working on my Bernat CottonTots 100% cotton yarn stash.  This month I have three hats to share with you.

P1010745 (500x499)

Waiting for Spring Flapper Hat

The first is the Waiting for Spring, Flapper hat.  This is the first hat pattern I designed and offered for sale and have not made it in a long time.  While I was working on it, my husband said “going Old School on this one, huh?”  It’s an adorable hat and I guess I need to make it more often!  I made an XL which should fit most 3 yr. to small adult heads.

P1010663 (500x500)

Silly Hat

The second hat is my latest release, the Silly Hat.  It looks a little bit like my favorite starfish, Patrick Star from SpongeBob SquarePants.  Patrick is such a goofball; no wonder SpongeBob is best buddies with him.  It is a version of the Candy Corn Hat.  This is a medium (most 3-6 yr. old children).  It’s too tight for my almost 11-year-old to wear so it should be perfect for a younger child.

P1010751 (500x500)

Crazy Frog Hat

The last is my buddy, the Crazy Frog hat.  This pattern is included free with every one of Crochet by Darleen Hopkins patterns I sell (Ravelry, Etsy and Craftsy); just an extra bonus and thank you for your purchase!  I made a small/medium to fit most 3-6 yr. old kids.

I’m saving these three to donate to Halos of Hope when they arrive in Atlanta for Stitches South.  They are collecting regular and sea themed hats to benefit Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta – Egleston & Scottish Rite and will be distributing them that same weekend.

My three hats weigh in just over 9 ounces.  Add this to the two I donated in December to Halos of Hope, New England Chapter and that’s a little over 1 pound (so far) of CottonTots crocheted into soft hats for Halos of Hope!  Five pounds to go! : )

Free Pattern Friday-Showcase Minecraft Creeper

Posted on by

P1010644 (600x419)Christmas Creepers

Every year I try to make my boys a handmade item as one of their holiday gifts. I’ve made gnomes, silly monsters and kitty cats. This year, due to their recent obsession with the Minecraft computer game, I wanted to make them a Creeper. I was so thankful to find this pattern by Emjay Bailey aka Nerdigurumi. As you can see in the photo, my boys loved the Creepers. Check out her site. If you or anyone you know is into video games, she’s probably written a pattern to go along with it.
Thanks Emjay!!

Stash Bust 2013-update Dec.

Posted on by

P1010651 (600x600)P1010652 (600x600)Stash Bust Update!

I’ve been steadily working on my 6 pounds of Bernat Cottontots for my Stash Bust Challenge, 2013. I have two hats complete weighing just over 1/2 lb, only 5 1/2 pounds to go!! The two pink hats will go to Halos of Hope, New England Chapter. Erin has partnered with Halos of Hope to serve centers in the New England area. She is trying to collect 50 pink adult (female) hats by Feb. 1st, 2013.  I hope these two will bring comfort to a couple awesome ladies.

The Slouchy Newsboy Hat (bottom) is a pattern by Eileen Tepper and the other Cubed Slouch Hat (top) is a pattern I’m working on. All I have to do now is tag these two with yarn details and send them off!

Free Pattern Friday – Mr. Gnome

Posted on by

Mr. Gnome or Santa or Wizard Crochet Pattern

Mr. Gnome Crochet by Darleen Hopkins Pattern

Mr. Gnome Crochet by Darleen Hopkins Pattern

I plan to either offer or promote a free pattern on the first Friday of every month.   (I’m a day late this month due to an internet outage yesterday-don’t get me started on Windstream!) Last month I posted the pattern for my Slouchy Football Hat.  This month, I’ve decided to offer a Ravelry coupon code for a free copy of my Mr. Gnome! 

Mr. Gnome is an adorable little gnome I originally designed for my oldest son.  He was gnome crazy last year so I came up with this little guy as a Christmas gift.  The really neat thing about this pattern is you can make him into a wizard, a Santa or anything else that has a pointy hat!   I used leftover worsted cotton yarn but really any yarn will work; thinner yarn will yield a smaller gnome, thicker yarn, a larger gnome.  I used an old sock stuffed with plastic beans so he’d stay level.

I’d love to see the finished gnomes!  If you are on Ravelry, link yours up to the pattern.   Also, I love to post completed projects on my Facebook page, Crochet by Darleen Hopkins.  Get yours while you can and check out what else I have in my shop.  Remember, all patterns and pattern collections/eBooks are buy 2, get 1 FREE.  No coupon needed, Ravelry will automatically deduct the lowest priced pattern from your purchase.  The coupon code is “GnomeGiveAway ” and it expires December 31st 2012 at midnight, EST.   Find it here Crochet by Darleen Hopkins on Ravelry.

Enjoy!