Shark Week, 2014 Day 1 and 2

Posted on August 12, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Crochet a hat for Shark Week!

In honor of Shark Week, I’ve decided to crochet a shark hat for Halos of Hope. I’ve made a number of these hats before and I have a lot fun giving each shark a different personality.

The crochet pattern is available here and the knit version here. I always make a few adjustment to the pattern as I prefer to work in the round and the crochet pattern is written for rows. In addition, the pattern is written for bulky yarn and I only have aran available so I’ll add few stitches to adjust for the sizing.

I started the hat on Sunday but was REALLY tired and didn’t get to far. That is a good thing because I frogged what I did and restarted it last night. I wanted to make my shark in hdc so I started over. Now I’m really behind and have a lot of catching up to finish it before the week is over.

Anybody care to join me?

Three times the charm…crochet shawl pattern

Posted on August 1, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Naming Crochet Patterns

On more than one occasion I’ve been asked where I get the names for my patterns. Some are obvious, The Happy Pets pattern set, for example, includes both a smiling kitty hat and a smiling puppy hat in the pattern set. Sometimes my family members make suggestions on the name. My mom named the Picture Perfect Baby Blanket and my husband suggested the name for the shawl, Whispers. Occasionally a name just pops in my head, Nighty Night Baby Blanket is one of those.

But not every pattern has a name that easily jumps out to me. Often I have to ponder the options during the design process. When this happens, the final name can appear to be a little obscure or random but there is always a logical reason. For example, the Black Raspberry Shawl was named after one of my favorite candles. Every fall the local high school and middle school bands sell candles as a fundraiser. My oldest son plays trombone in the band now but I’ve been buying these candles from the neighborhood kids for a number of years. My favorite scent is one that is a mix of black raspberries and vanilla. While I was working on the shawl design, I had one of the candles on the table next to me. I enjoyed the scent for many hours while I worked out the details of the shawl. In addition, the yarn I used was very similar in color as the candle itself. So when it came time to name and publish the pattern, it was obvious (to me) what to call it. I realize not everyone will use the same yarn and color used to write the pattern. So if you choose to make your Black Raspberry Shawl in orange or beige, then go for it!

My latest pattern has a story to its name as well: The Charmed Shawl. When I swatched, drew out, chose yarn and started crocheting the initial design, the shawl had a different name. I’m keeping that name in reserve as it may appear in a later design. Unfortunately, I ran into a couple of issues as I worked the pattern. My goal was to design a shawl that used a specific amount of yarn, no more than the 6 balls I had. As I neared the end of the shawl I realized my supply was going to fall short. So rather than order more yarn, I reworked the body of the shawl a total of three times before I was happy with the results. In addition, I had to work the edging three times to perfect the lovely eyelet lace with the given amount of remaining yarn. So…you’ve heard the saying…Three Times the Charm…that is this shawl! I believe the finished design was well worth reworking as the shawl turned out stunning AND it can be made with exactly 6 balls of Knit Picks Galileo! Phew!

Waiting for Spring Crochet Pattern by Darleen Hopkins https://crochetbydarleenhopkins.com/patterns/hat-flapper-waiting-for-spring/

Crochet Pattern Re-lauch

Posted on July 11, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Pattern Nightmares (not really) Episode 1: Waiting for Spring, Flapper Hat

My husband and I are big fans of Chef Gordon Ramsay and all his crazy cooking shows. We watch Hell’s Kitchen, Master Chef, Kitchen Nightmares and Hotel Hell. He seems to always have something airing every season. My favorite show of his is Master Chef. Even though his entertaining antics and colorful language and sayings keep us giggling and wonder what the heck will he do or say next, I prefer the encouraging chef he is on Master Chef as opposed to the ticked-off chef on Hell’s Kitchen. A close second is Kitchen Nightmares. If you aren’t familiar with the show, Chef shows up to a restaurant that is failing (at the request of the owners) and he tells them what they are doing wrong and (tries to) help them. The smart ones take his advice and the others often end up closing their doors for good. The first 40 minutes of the show highlights all the things wrong with the restaurant with a lot of nuttiness in the mix. There’s usually about 10 minutes of self-realization for the owners, makeover of the kitchen, dining room and menu and the last 10 minutes of the show is re-launch night of the new and improved Restaurant X.

So, what does all this have to do with my Waiting for Spring Crochet Hat pattern? I’m re-launching it of course! This was my first self-published pattern, 2 1/2 years ago. Although the pattern never was a “nightmare”, I’ve learned a lot and have made many formatting adjustments over the past 2 years. So, the pattern has been reworked to my current format. The pattern itself is the same, just a lot prettier and cleaner in its presentation.

This is a perfect hat to work in worsted cotton for the warmer months. It is available in 5 sizes to fit premie to teen/small adult. Got an American Girl fan in your family? Make the Extra Small to fit an 18″ doll and a matching one for the big girl!

Get it while you can on sale! A restaurant can only serve so many people at one time-so, the first 25 to respond will get this adorable hat pattern for 50% off! Use coupon code “RelaunchWfS” at checkout or click this direct link: http://www.ravelry.com/redeem/crochetbydarleenhopkins The sale is running now until 7/18/2014 midnight EST.

Penguin Bib, crochet pattern by Darleen Hopkins

4th of July, Penguins and Crochet

Posted on June 28, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

What do the 4th of July, Penguins and Crochet have in common?

Macaroni Penguins have a beautiful yellow crest that covers the top of their heads. English explorers named Macaroni Penguins after the fashionable young men of the 18th century called ‘macaronis‘.

Make me a Macaroni Penguin!

The song, “Yankee Doodle”, which references the macaroni style, was a popular song during the American Revolutionary War. The American holiday, Independence Day or 4th of July, is a celebration of the United States declaring its independence from Great Britain. So, what does this have to do with crochet? Nothing really. I just thought it was a fun fact and wanted to share. Anyone want to turn this cutie into a Macaroni Penguin? I’d love to see it!

“Stuck a feather in his cap and called it macaroni.”
– Yankee Doodle

Independence Day is less than a week away. Have a fun and safe 4th!

Dog Themed Charity Chemo Hat by Darleen Hopkins

Stash Bust Update, June 2014 Busting out the Dogs

Posted on June 18, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Who Let the Dogs Out?

I’m still working on making a hat or two for the Kanine Kap Kampaign. I just finished my second, Woof! Woof! The pattern was improvised as I went along and used EXACTLY a full skein of Hushabye Solid by Baby Bee. This is a really soft 50/50 cotton/acrylic blend in aran weight. I’m really pleased with how the slouchy style turned out and it will likely end up as a pattern in the future but most likely minus the Woof Woof. The hat weighs in at 3.5 oz.

Total hats made in the 2014 challenge to date: 11

Total weight of the hats made in the 2014 challenge to date: 2 pounds 1/4 ounces

I’m still behind in my challenge but I’ll keep on stitching! : )

Stash Bust Update, May 2014

Posted on June 2, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Stashing Busting for Halos of Hope

Last week I mentioned how lucky I was to receive some beautiful samples of Cascade Yarn. (See post here.) I also made a brief mention of Halo of Hope’s latest hat collection campaign, the Kanine Kap Kampaign. I wanted to transform some of the cotton Cascade Yarn into a dog hat for this collection but was stumped. What kind of dog can I make with bright red yarn….hmmm… Seriously, I don’t know where my brain was. It hasn’t been that long since I was teaching my boys how to read…with CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG easy readers!!!! Finally my brain fart ended and ding! the light bulb went off. I just love Avalon and it was the perfect yarn and the perfect red for this hat. I didn’t use a pattern. I kind of made up the ears and nose as I went along and had to work them a couple of times as I had to limit the hat to just the one skein of yarn. I ended up with about 8 inches of yarn to spare. The nose and whites of the eyes are scrap yarn and he has shiny black button eyes. This hat weighs in at 3 3/4 ounces.

Total hats made in the 2014 challenge to date: 10

Total weight of the hats made in the 2014 challenge to date: 1 pound 12 3/4 ounces

Stitches South, Always a Pleasure

Posted on May 30, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Stitches South and Halos of Hope

A few weeks ago I volunteered to help Pam with Halos of Hope and the booth at Stitches South (Stitches) in Atlanta. For those not familiar with a Stitches event, it is an event put on by Knitting Universe; basically a yarnie convention. There are classes for knitters and crocheters, a fashion show and a market where you can buy yarn (surprise!) but lots of other vendors are there too; local yarn shops will get booths, manufacturers of various knit and/or crochet related gadgets, local guilds, yarn companies and many more. Halos of Hope had a booth to promote the charity, sell fundraising patterns and collect hats. Last year Pam put out a call to help man the booth so she could take a break or two and I eagerly offered. When she asked again this year, I was the first to raise my hand.

This is me donating hats I made.

I absolutely love experiencing the stories of those who stop by. Although many are happy, some are sad. Those who told stories of loved ones who lost the battle to cancer made my heart weep. But being able to talk of their loved one, if only to a stranger and for a few minutes, helps them heal and allows their memory to live on. One woman came by and told how her husband was recently diagnosed. Pam instantly pulled out the big bin of donated hats and found some manly ones for him.

I love the stories of the survivors who stop by and the nurses who work in centers where the patients receive donated hats. And I love when others come by with hats they made, whatever their motivation to knit, crochet or sew for Halos of Hope may be, they come with lovingly handmade hats to bring hope to others who need it most.

This year the Halos booth was located across from the Cascade Yarn booth. I recently had the pleasure to work with Cascade Yarn’s Avalon when I designed the Picture Perfect Baby Blanket or Throw. It is a lovely super-soft cotton yarn. Pam introduced me Shannon Dunbabin with Cascade Yarn-a very nice woman who could knit without looking at her work-an accomplishment I hope to achieve one day with my crocheting.

The event took place just south of Atlanta which is about an hour and a half drive from where I live. So I made a day of it and spent a little bit of time enjoying the market before and after my shift was done. After I strolled around the market and returned to the booth to collect my things, I found a bag full of yarn samples Shannon had given Pam to share with me! How sweet! and when I walked over to thank her, she gave me another beautiful hank of yarn! WOW!

I’ve already started working with the red Avalon yarn. Can you guess what I’m making? I’ll give you a hint-it has to do with Halos of Hope’s current campaign,the Kanine Kap Kampaign and has something to do with a dog who is red (obviously) and big. : )

Stash Bust Update, March 2014 – Stash Busting for Halos of Hope

Posted on April 13, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Still On Safari with Halos of Hope and Stitches South

Going along with the On Safari theme, I made three more hats in March for Halos of Hope. Two are flamingos, a variation of my Chirp! Chirp! Tweet! Tweet! pattern. The third is another wacky variation of the Zombie Monkey pattern turned into a Lion. After making two of these lion creatures, I still have some Pomp-A-Doodle left. I guess a third lion will appear later in the year. I had the privilege of dropping these hats and others off at Stitches South yesterday. It was a great day-check for a blog post about it later this week. The 3 hats weigh in at almost 8 ounces.

Total hats made in 2014 challenge to date: 9

Total weight of the hats made in the 2014 challenge to date: 1 pound 9 ounces

Save with Daylight Savings

Posted on March 9, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Flash Sale on all Crochet by Darleen Hopkins Patterns on Ravelry

Use coupon code “Savings25” for 25% off your entire purchase, today only! March 9, 2014 until midnight Eastern Standard Time. Over 30 patterns on sale!
CLICK: Crochet by Darleen Hopkins on Ravelry

Men in Crocheted Pants

Posted on March 2, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

You know you are a real man when…

I seem to spend as much or maybe even more time looking at crochet online than actually crocheting. It’s a sickness I can’t get control of; I’m hopelessly addicted to all things crochet. Because I spend a lot of time online, I find some unique stuff. We all know the saying, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. This saying applies to crochet too. There are some who would never touch acrylic yarn, it is lace-weight wool only for them. There are some who would never crochet a silly hat, it’s shawls and baby blankets only for them. And of course, there are those who would never crochet, it’s knit only for them, but that’s another post… Anyway, there are some who would never crochet the man in their life a pair of pants and there are men who would never wear a pair of crocheted pants. But the opposite was true for these fellows-or maybe they made the pants themselves, I don’t know. Either way, congratulations to these men who proudly wear the crocheted pants in their family!