Super Stitcher Goals for 2014 and a NEW Stash Busting for Hope Challenge

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Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014

Super Stitcher2013 was a great year for me crochet-wise.  I met some of my 2013 goals and completed a 6 pound stash bust challenge.  Crochet by Darleen Hopkins on Facebook is establishing a cozy community (come join us!), Pinterest is up and running and even a monthly Newsletter (Feelin’ Loopy) is getting ready for its second issue.  So what is there to accomplish in Crochetland for 2014?  LOTS!!  A few of my top goals or to-do’s for 2014 are listed below.  The Super Stitcher in me is determined to complete them all.

1) Complete the Crochet Guild of America’s Master Crochet Program.  I’ve signed up and received the materials, now it is time to start stitching.

2) Work from yarn stash and only purchase yarn when absolutely necessary for a specific project; don’t buy yarn just because it’s on sale!  This is ongoing.  I started it in 2013 and plan to continue until I can get this huge stash under control!

3) Stash Bust for Hope Challenge 2014.  This is my favorite goal.  Last year I crocheted 6 pounds of Bernat CottonTots into soft hats for Halos of Hope.  In addition to the 32 hats completed in that challenge, I also crocheted many other hats for Halos of Hope that were made from other stash yarns.  So this year I challenge myself to crochet 7 POUNDS of my stash yarn into soft hats for Halos of Hope stitching at least 2 hats a month and, like last year, post photos and report on the total stitched yarn weight.

4) Continue to work on left-handed crocheting.  Every once in a while I give this a try.  I’m not there yet but I’d like to be comfortable enough using my left hand so I may be able to one day teach a lefty.

2013 flew by in what seemed like a nanosecond. The years are going faster and faster and sometimes I feel like my hooks can’t keep up, but I’m going to try.  What are your crochet goals for 2014?  Be a Super Stitcher too and have fun with whatever you make.  Last, enjoy all the new year has to offer.

Darleen

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

Owl Hat from two patterns Crochet by Darleen Hopkins

Stash Busting for Hope – Challenge Update and ALMOST DONE!

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Stash Busting for Halos of Hope, 2013 Wrap Up

It’s been a year now that I have been working on my 6 pounds of Bernat CottonTots yarn stash-6 pounds!!!! There was so much yarn in the box (a standard paper box) that the lid didn’t close properly. Why I had that much yarn, I have no clue.  But I had it and I decided to spend 2013 crocheting it into soft hats for Halos of Hope.  Hats were crocheted that looked like frogs, sharks, pigs, owls, bunnies, chicks, baby birds, fish, cats and a cartoon character. I also made hats with hearts, flowers, stripes, swirls and stars. And a few solid hats as well. It’s been both a joy and a challenge to find the right pattern for the yarn on hand. Especially towards the end of the challenge when I had less full skeins and lots of partial and small bits of yarn. Being true to my thrifty self, I have been determined to use every last bit of yarn, even those scraps no bigger than a yard or two.
Happy Kitty Hat crochet pattern by Darleen HopkinsOver November and December I made 7 hats.  I used the last full skein on the Yellow Kitty Hat.  The remaining hats were made with partial skeins and the small leftovers.

Owl Hat from two patterns Crochet by Darleen HopkinsThe Owl Hat is one of my favorites.  For the owl features I followed the Owl Bib pattern and for the hat, I followed the Crazy Frog Hat pattern  (psssst!  That pattern is FREE with every Crochet by Darleen Hopkins pattern purchase.)

Based on Crazy Frog Hat crochet pattern by Darleen HopkinsThe Pink Heart Hat and the Blue/Green/Purple Striped Hat are both based on the Crazy Frog Hat pattern as well.  I just changed color as I ran out of yarn.  The cute heart is a pattern by Jill Gilbank and you can find it on her website, PlanetJune.

Swirl Hat for Halos of Hope by Darleen HopkinsStriped hat for Halos of Hope by Darleen HopkinsBoth the Blue/Brown Swirl Hat and the Pastel Stripes were patterns I was just playing around with, possible prototypes for future Crochet by Darleen Hopkins patterns!

Daisy Hat for Halos of Hope based on pattern by Akua Lezli HopeThe last, the adorable striped hat with the huge flower, is an adaptation of the Daisy Hat pattern by Akua Lezli Hope.  I had to adapt it a little for the heavier weight yarn.  I love how it came out and I’m excited to one day make the hat as the pattern is written and in a lighter weight yarn.

Shortly after starting the draft of this post, I found out about Halos of Hope’s-Stripe It Up January.  I guess I had a Stripe It Up December.  Stripes are a great way to use leftover yarn.
In just 3 easy steps you can use up those last little bits of yarn and make a hat that costs nothing.
1. Group scraps that go well together.
2. Follow a hat pattern you like.
3. Change color when you run out of yarn.  It is that easy!

Got Scraps? Join Halos of Hope this January and Stripe It Up!  See Hat Guidelines for more information.

The Final Stash Bust Countdown

November and December’s 7 hats weigh in at 1 pound 1 1/2 ounces.

Total hats made in the 2013 Stash Bust Challenge: 32!

Total weight of the 32 hats made: 5 pounds 15 1/2 ounces!

I am JUST UNDER 6 pounds!  I don’t have enough yarn left for any more hats but I do have some ideas for what is left.  So, I’ll have one last post in this challenge!  Please check back.   : )

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

Stash Bust Challenge 2013-Update Sept 2013

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Stash Bust Challenge 2013, September Update

Textured Halos of Hope Hat, pattern by Yvonne Tate

Textured Halos of Hope Hat, pattern by Yvonne Tate

September was a busy month.  I’ve been working on two blanket designs, both of which I hit a snag in the design and had to work it out.  Because of this, I fell behind in my other projects and only made 1 hat in my Stash Bust Challenge for this month.  But I really like this one.  This design was written by Yvonne Tate, specifically for Halos of Hope.  You can find it on her blog.  I used a thicker yarn than the pattern calls for so I made few adjustments and ended up with a slightly slouchy hat rather than the beanie as the pattern is written.  You can see my notes on my Ravelry project page.  I’m real pleased with the results.  It’s a cute hat pattern.  Thanks Yvonne!

The hat used almost an entire 3.5oz skein of yarn.  I’ve got 3 months left in this challenge and 2 pounds to go.  I gotta get stitchin’!

Total hats made to date: 21

Total yarn used to date: 4 lbs 1 oz

Stash Bust Challenge Update – June/July 2013 Catch Up

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Stash Bust Challenge 2013 Update – June/July Catch Up

Chirp! Chirp! Tweet! Tweet!

Chirp! Chirp! Tweet! Tweet!

As I mentioned in my last update, I feel behind in my stash busting for June and July.  I made lots of hats for donation, just not with this type of yarn.  So I vowed to make up for it in August-and I did.  The last week of August was busy.  I wrote up a new pattern, had it tested by the fantastic testers in the Happy Hooker group on Ravelry and made 5 myself! Phew!!

You can find this adorable (if I do say so myself) pattern – Chirp! Chirp! Tweet! Tweet! as well as the inspiration behind it, on my new site-Free Crochet Patterns by Darleen  (www.FreeCrochetPatternsByDarleen.blogspot.com).  This is where I’ll be posting, um, if you can guess by the name, free crochet patterns.  Please note, this is a different site from this blog so if you subscribe to this blog and want to receive notification of the new patterns there, you will also need to subscribe to that one.  (The links are posted on the bottom sidebar for RSS feed or email notification)

These 5 cuties will be going out with my next batch to Halos of Hope.  The 5 hats weigh in at 12.5 ounces.

Total Stash Bust Yarn Used To Date: Almost 4 lbs. (3 lbs, 14 ounces)

Total Stash Bust Hats Made To Date: 20

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

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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

Stash Bust Challenge Update: Aug. 2013

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WHOooo’s Stash Busting?

P1020887 (750x543)I fell a little behind in my stash busting for June and July.  Although I made a lot of  hats for Halos of Hope, I didn’t use the Bernat CottonTots in my Stash Bust Challenge.  I plan to make up for it this month.  I have a current design I’m working on and a magazine deadline (yeah!) to meet, but I hope to squeeze in a couple more hats this month.  I did spend this weekend working on two cuties.  The design is from Sarah Zimmerman and you can get the pattern here: Crochet Owl Hat.  I made some modifications to the hat design to make it work with my smaller scrap pieces (you can see my notes here).  Overall, I’m real pleased.  It’s a fun, quick hat to make.  Together, they weigh in at 4 1/2 ounces.

Total Stash Bust Yarn Used to Date: Just over 3 pounds!  Officially 1/2 way done!

Total Stash Bust Hats Made to Date: 15

Stash Bust Update-March 2013

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Stash Busting for Hope, Update March 2013

P1010969 (750x750)Phew! It’s been a busy month and it’s only the 10th! I spent this last week finishing up a few hats I had started but hadn’t gotten around to completing. My incentive was to get the Kissy Fish Hats out to Halos of Hope ASAP. I also heard about a little girl in Michigan who could use a few hats. This is what was written about her on a facebook page I stumbled upon.

575945_10200270821846047_1728585048_n(From Debbie Fry Kruse via Crochet Club Facebook Page)
This is Kaelee, (on the right) and her twin sister. She is in the 3rd grade. Kaelee just had to shave her head as she is fighting cancer. She is from a small town and I’d like to show her no one fights alone! Her teacher will post pictures of the hats from around the world! If you would like to send a hat to her at school, the address is: Hopkins Elementary School, 400 Clark St., Hopkins, MI 49328 attn: Heather Fuss

and this article about an upcoming fund-raiser for her family.

P1010973 (750x750)P1010961 (750x563)So this month, two of my Stash Busting for Hope hats will go to Kaelee (green with flowers and pink stripes with heart) and two (fish) of my hats will go to Halos of Hope.  The four hats together weigh in at 13 ounces.

Total Stash Bust Yarn Weight to Date: just over 2 pounds! (1/3 done!!)

Total Stash Bust Hat Count to Date: 10

Pattern Testing for Hope

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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

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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!