2015 Stash Bust for Charity, Mid April Update

Posted on April 17, 2015 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

More Crocheted Bears

6 Wee Bears for Team Lewis ready to mail!

Three more bears for Team Lewis. The striped matching bears are made with alternating rows of Sugar ‘n Cream ombre and a solid lavender. This yarn was given to me by very generous crocheter (Read more!) The pink striped bear was made as the sibling to the blue striped bear I posted last week. I used a couple different brands of cotton/acrylic blend yarn for her and she is super soft!

The bears are a lot of fun to make. I’m honored to be able to help out this group and I hope the bears can bring some comfort to those who are going through the worst thing imaginable. The three bears weigh 5.75 ounces-before stuffing!

Team Lewis is a sweet organization, please check it out.

Total hats made in the 2015 Stash Bust Challenge to date: 6

Total bears made in the 2015 Stash Bust Challenge to date: 6

Total weight of yarn used in the 2015 Stash Bust Challenge to date: 1 pound, 10.25 ounces!

Sunny Days Baby Mobile crochet pattern by Darleen Hopkins #CbyDH

Time for Spring, April 2015

Posted on April 14, 2015 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Springtime Crochet

Spring was late to north Georgia this year but when it finally did arrive, it brought the beautiful and bright colors of the springtime flowers. First the sunny yellow daffodils, then the bright purple pink of the redbud trees and the sweet purple of vinca. Currently the white and pink dogwoods are in bloom and azaleas in many shades of pink to red and white are starting to show their colors too. Of course the new green leaves are popping out and to the dismay of many, the light green of pine pollen covers just about everything in sight. It is because of the pine pollen that I am always happy to see April showers. Springtime is beautiful and colorful and often wet.

I finally had a chance to peruse the latest issue of ILikeCrochet.com, April 2015. And just like the colors Mother Nature brings us in the spring, this issue is full of gorgeous and bright patterns and projects to bring a little springtime to everyone, even if nature is a little late. From the bright Flower Power Throw on the cover to one of my favorites, the Retro Flower Cushion (adorable!). Blooms abound on hats, bags and in the lace of shawls, wraps and tops. There are some wonderful gift ideas for new baby and Mother’s day.

photo courtesy of ILikeCrochet.com

And because we are always thankful for April showers that not only bring May flowers but clear the pine pollen from the air and the cars, the Sunny Days baby mobile would make a great gift to any expectant parent. I just had to give a shout out to my design. 🙂

I’ve already started a Darling Baby Hat in extra large as one of the hats for my 2015 Stash Bust Challenge. What will your first project be?

2015 Stash Bust for Charity, Early April Update

Posted on April 11, 2015 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Bears and Hats and Hats and Bears

The Cubed Hat with alternate striping.—–>

This past week my boys been on spring break so we decided to take a quick road trip to Tennessee and Alabama. The road trip was fun and we saw some great sites. Raccoon Mountain, Cathedral Caverns, Russell Cave National Monument and Little River Canyon National Preserve. Whenever we road trip my husband does most of the driving. This gives me lots of crochet time. This is good because as mentioned in my last post, Pat, with 12 months = 24 hats challenged me to hat-off. We are competing to see who can make more hats for Halos of Hope this month. In addition to hats, I’m making bears for Team Lewis. Lots to crochet in April!

I decided to make a Cubed Hat as my first hat for this challenge as my husband wears his Cubed Super Slouchy a lot and I thought it would be nice to make one for donation. Halos of Hope always seems to need hats for men. My intent was to make a Cubed Hat, Super Slouchy but apparently I picked up the pattern for the Cubed Hat, Relaxed Beanie! Whoops! About 80% into the hat I realized I was making a beanie. Oh well. The good thing about this error was I had enough green yarn to make a second beanie. I used the same pattern but adjusted the striping. My husband really liked the color combination so it looks like I’ll be making him one as well.

The bears are a lot of fun to make. Team Lewis is a sweet organization, please check it out.

It’s been a busy month so far! The two hats and three bears weigh 12.25 ounces.

Total hats made in the 2015 Stash Bust Challenge to date: 6

Total bears made in the 2015 Stash Bust Challenge to date: 3

Total weight of yarn used in the 2015 Stash Bust Challenge to date: 1 pound, 4.5 ounces!

Crochet Photography 101

Posted on March 13, 2015 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Crochet without a hook and yarn.

Kitty on crocheted blanket, Shells of Love pattern by Darleen Hopkins

My kitty with Shells of Love baby blanket.

It’s mid-March. Wow! Have you heard time goes by faster the older you get? It is so true. It is hard to believe 2015 is almost 1/4 over. Not only is this year flying by but I’ve hardly had any crocheting time in 2015. I’ve been busy, really busy, just not with crochet. The beginning of the year is always hectic. Because I do all the bookkeeping and tax filing for my husband’s business, the first couple of months of the year are full of year-end processing and payroll, corporate and personal tax filing. On top of this more than average work-at-home paperwork, my real job had significant deadlines last month and just to make it all a little more crazy, Mother Nature threw in an ice storm (no power for far too long), and some snow to the mix. Add two active boys and a husband and it’s been hectic. Last, and because I believe I’m superwoman, I decided to take a photography class. All my free time has been dedicated to this class and I’m loving it.

I purchased my first DSLR camera last fall. It was time to step up from the point and shoot as I just wasn’t getting the photos I wanted for my crochet patterns. Yup, that’s right. I bought a camera for my crochet. Sounds like another “you know you are addicted to crochet when…” but it is true.

The Nikon D3200 is great. It’s an entry-level DSLR and so far I’ve been really pleased. Up until this photography class, camera operations were a mystery to me. I stuck to the pre-programmed settings as aperture, f-stop, ISO and shutter speeds were recognizable words but were so confusing to me. But why have a camera that can do all sorts of tricks and not use them? So I enrolled in a beginner photography class and when it completed last week, enrolled in the intermediate class. I’m hoping to continue on to the advanced class. If not next month, maybe this summer.

Because I purchased the camera to take photos of my crochet, I decided to have all my class photos crochet related. THIS is how I’m working on my crochet. Not with a hook and yarn but with a camera. In the beginning this wasn’t too bad. The assignments were basic; use your shutter speed to show motion or adjust the aperture to vary your depth of field. But the homework is getting a little harder and a little more abstract in the intermediate class. It might be a little easier for me if I took photos of flowers or scenic landscapes. Having to work crochet into each photo is starting to prove a bit of a challenge. However, this is a challenge I welcome. Although I don’t have any current hats or other designs to share with you, I’d like to share some of my favorite photos from the beginner class.

Shells of Love Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern by Darleen Hopkins

Shells of Love Baby Blanket Crochet Pattern modeled by my kitten 🙂

Piranha Monster Fish Crochet Hat Pattern by Darleen Hopkins

Black Piranha Monster Fish Hat modeled by my oldest 🙂

Charmed Shawl Crochet Pattern

Cubed Slouch Hat Crochet Pattern by Darleen Hopkins

Cubed Hat modeled by my husband 🙂

Picture Perfect Crochet Baby Banket Pattern by Darleen Hopkins

Picture Perfect Crochet Baby Blanket Pattern

Glacier Crochet Hat Pattern by Darleen Hopkins

Glacier Crochet Hat Pattern modeled by my youngest 🙂

I’m taking the class at the local university through the continuing education program. The instructor is great and it is a great group of students-even a couple of crocheters in the bunch! I’ve learned a lot but have so much more to learn. If you have any interest in photography or have a DSLR camera but haven’t made it beyond full green auto, check out a class. You will be glad you did. I know I am.

Snow in Georgia and Warm Crocheted Hats

Posted on February 26, 2015 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Bentley and Glacier, Crocheted Hats for Young Men

Old Man Winter is Back in Georgia

This winter has been unreal. The northeastern US has really been hit with insane amounts of snow. Up until about 2 weeks ago, I thought the southeast was going to escape the wrath of the multiple winter storms. Nope, no way. Mother Nature wasn’t going to let The South get off easy. We were hit with an ice storm on 2/16 and as a result, we went without power for 4 very long days. Temperatures sunk to single digits during the time we had no heat and no water. (This is something I learned the hard way. When you have well water, once the power goes out, so does all water!) Although we had a generator to keep the freezer going, a few lights, an occasional TV show and the microwave to heat up hot chocolate, we were still pretty cold. There’s just so much space heaters can do. But we survived and we were lucky to have no damage to our water pipes.

Then more snow came on 2/23 and once again on 2/25. Thankfully, we didn’t lose our power with the arrival of the last storm. This last batch of snow brought us about 3 inches. I used to live in upstate New York and up there 3 inches is nothing. But here in Georgia we don’t have snow plows and only a couple salt trucks for the entire county. Three inches of snow cripples all transportation. In fact, my boys have only been to school one day in the last two weeks and I’m sure they will have another snow day tomorrow. Temperatures are reaching into the 40s today and the sun is shining brightly. Lots of the snowy mess is melting but what remains will freeze again tonight. But before the sun melted it all away, my boys, my husband and myself got out and enjoyed this rarely seen winter wonderland. And to keep them warm, I thought it would be fun for each of them to wear a different hat. They modeled and I snapped pictures-Enjoy.

Glacier, Cubed and Bentley Crocheted Hats

2015 Stash Bust for Charity, Early February update

Posted on February 7, 2015 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Fun Fur Silliness, Phase One

My last post stated “I’ve got some funky fun fur that needs to used…” and this is the result of the first fun fur hat in 2015. It’s pretty stretchy and should fit most about 8 years old and up. I’m hopeful it will find a home to someone with a unique sense of humor. This hat weights 2.25 ounces.

Total hats made in the 2015 Stash Bust Challenge to date: 4

Total weight of yarn used in the 2015 Stash Bust Challenge to date:
8.25 ounces

Happy Puppy Hat, crochet pattern by Darleen Hopkins

2015 Stash Bust for Charity, Mid-January update

Posted on January 19, 2015 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

New Challenge for 2015

It’s a new year and therefore time for a new challenge. A couple of years ago I decided I was going to work on busting out some of my stash yarn and make hats for chemo donation. My 2013 Stash Bust Challenge was focused on a box full of Bernat CottonTots yarn. I ended up crocheting 5 pounds, 15.5 ounces of it into 32 hats for Halos of Hope or other charitable donation. I had also crocheted other hats for donation in different yarn that I didn’t include in the count. I was pretty busy with hats that year. Last year’s challenge didn’t focus on any yarn in particular, just random yarn in my stash. Last year I made 24 hats out of 5 pounds, 4.25 ounces! I must have made some pretty heavy hats!

It would seem that most of my stash yarn would be close to gone at this point. Sadly, no. I still have too many boxes of yarn. So 2015 will once again be all about working from stash yarn for charitable causes. This year’s goal will be a minimum of 24 hats and 5 pounds of yarn. I’ve got some funky fun fur that needs to used and a ton of cotton and cotton-blends that will be perfect for chemo hats. I also hope to make a lapghan or two.

Let’s start this challenge off with the first 3 hats of 2015 completed!

The first is called End’s Swell. I won this pattern in the Gift-A-Long on Ravelry last month. It is stitched with slip stitches which was totally new to me. The final result is adorable. The pattern is a great way to use up smaller leftovers without having to work in a million ends. I can see making more of these in random stripes as leftovers come available.

Next is another Divine Hat. This is a great pattern and my third one. I used Caron Simply Soft for this one. It looks great but, going forward, I’ll use thinner yarns when making this pattern. I loved it in Caron Spa.

Last is a Happy Puppy. Last month I re-worked the pattern in Vanna’s Choice by Lion Brand. I also re-formatted the pattern and took new pictures. The pattern was originally written with Bernat Denim Style-a great cotton/acrylic blend. Unfortunately this yarn has been discontinued. I (of course) have a few skeins of it in my stash and found this hat partially finished. Because Denim Style is super soft and perfect for chemo hats, I finished it and will include it in my next batch of hats to Halos of Hope.

This 2015 challenge is on and off for a good start!

The three hats weigh 7 ounces.

Total hats made in the 2015 Stash Bust Challenge to date: 3

Total weight of yarn used in the 2015 Stash Bust Challenge to date: 7 ounces

Gift-A-Long Designer, Sarah Jane Jackson

Posted on December 16, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Sarah Jane Jackson, Crochet Designer

The Frostberry Hat Crochet Pattern by Sarah Jane

I’ve not had the opportunity to meet Sarah in person (I’m in Georgia, USA she’s in Queensland, Australia) but was first introduced to her when I tested The Acacia Cloche pattern of hers in 2011. She was so sweet and friendly during the test that I was more than excited when I had an opportunity to get to know her a little bit better through an online designer forum. In the last year, I’ve made two more of her patterns, The Winter Tracks Hat and The Frostberry Hat. Her designs are beautiful and stylish and always current with today’s trends. And of course, exquisitely modeled on her lovely children.

Let’s get to know a little more about Sarah.

The biggest thing about me I guess is that we have 8 children! 7 of them at home, the kids at home range in age from 23 down to 4 and 5 of them are boys (which always leaves me short of models!). It’s busy but housework seems to have become more optional as I get older, leaving me enough time to crochet ;). My youngest starts school next year and I am hoping to turn designing into a decent part time job…..we will see how that goes!

How long have you been designing and what led you to design?

When I first learned to crochet I only knew chain, so I used to design things made with chains and find a way to link them together. I didn’t learn to read patterns until I was about 20 so I have always designed. A few years ago I came across a little ad on a website looking for sample knitters/crocheters and designers, I sent off an email and haven’t looked back since…..I stumbled across Ravelry about 6 months later and that was a match made in heaven, I couldn’t believe that there was actually somewhere I could sell my own designs!

Why crochet? What is it that interests you? What do you enjoy most about the craft?

I have crocheted as long as I can remember with a few breaks for other types of craft. I always come back to crochet because I love the portability and convenience, Also the sheer creativity in being able to take a piece of string and a hook then being able to turn it into something beautiful, it thrills me every time!

What inspires you and/or your designs?

Just about anything, colour, fashion and yarn I think would be the top 3. I am often inspired by a stitch pattern I love and want to find a way to use and I often want to create a certain ‘look’ with what I am making. My steampunk collection was the result of chasing a type of style or ‘look’.

How many WIPs do you currently have and do you think you will ever finish all of them?

Hmmmm I am not counting my wip’s…I might give myself a heart attack. I am sure I have more than I actually remember! I always have at least 3 things on the go at a time and there are a few that are in time out or hibernation. I am pretty ruthless though, if I get bored with them or decide I won’t finish then I rip them out. I am often ripping something out if I am not happy with it. The ladies in my craft group have been known to almost cry when I start ripping something that is almost completed (this happens more often than I like to admit).

What was the last thing you crocheted for yourself?

Unfortunately here in Brisbane most of my style of crochet is not really wearable although I try and wear at least some of my hats. I haven’t finished anything specifically for myself yet but I am in the (very slow) process of making myself a summer top. I’m not quite sure I will ever get it finished though as the colour isn’t thrilling me at the moment.

Thanks Sarah! I anxiously await some more of your designs.

The hat at above is Sarah’s Winter Tracks Hat. It is the second time I made this hat. I accidentally left the brim off this one but it still looks fantastic anyway. See below for links to where you can find Sarah and her designs.

Ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/designers/sarah-jane
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sjack44/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SarahjaneDesignscrochet
Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/Sarahsshoppe

Gift-A-Long Designer, Cynthia Levy

Posted on November 30, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Cynthia Levy, Knitting Designer

One of the great things about the Gift-A-Long on Ravelry is the opportunity to get to know other designers. Today I had the pleasure of interviewing Cynthia Levy, a knitting designer. Many of Cynthia designs incorporate amazing and lovely cabling. She has published a number of beautiful knit sock patterns as well as some quick-to-knit designs that would be perfect for the holidays that are fast approaching. After you get to know her a little bit better, check out her gift suggestions and get stitching!

How long have you been knitting and how did you first learn?

I’ve been knitting ever since I was a pre-teen figure skater. I considered it essential to have a sweater and mittens to coordinate with every skating outfit and the best way to collect them was to make them myself. The first thing I actually remember knitting was a fair isle yoke sweater to match a skating skirt. My mother was used to my habit of jumping right into a complex project, instead of ever starting a new hobby with something simple, so she agreeably purchased the yarn and delegated any necessary assistance to my grandmother.

What is your favorite design of yours, why?

Snow Flurry Mittens Knit Pattern by Cynthia Levy (Redtiger)

Snow Flurry Mittens by Cynthia Levy (Redtiger)

One of my favorite original designs is Snow Flurry Mittens. I live in the Canadian sub-arctic and -40C is normal winter weather. Anything warm and cozy is bound to be well loved by me. The pattern was a bit of a challenge to get just right so I’m quite proud of it. The snowflake pattern is worked with the mitten held inside-out, so that the pattern stitch can be easily accomplished in the round, and a variety of needle sizes are used to accommodate the gauges of the various stitches.

What is your favorite project of yours, why?

I absolutely adore Julia Farwell Clay’s Bartok Tunic pattern published in Interweave Knits Spring 2013. I fell in love with the pattern the second I saw it. I made my tunic in the yarn and colors specified in the magazine, but shortened the length and narrowed the sleeves. It’s the most comfortable sweater ever and garners compliments everywhere.

What are your favorite knit tools or notions?

I have a real weakness for double-pointed sock needles. My current favorites are Knitters Pride Karbonz and Kollage square needles. And I have recently become a fan of pretty stitch markers. I recently acquired some stitch markers from Caliope’s Fibre that make me happy whenever I look at them.

When you aren’t knitting, what are you doing?

If I’m not knitting or designing, I’m probably toiling away at my more than full-time day job. But if I’m not working or knitting, I certainly won’t be idle. My husband is a private pilot so our summers are dedicated to enjoying our little Cessna floatplane. My other activities include pottery, quilting, weaving, tole painting and stained glass, as well as fishing, camping, hiking, gardening, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling. Too many interests, too little time!

Where can we find you?

The best place to find me is on Ravelry as redtiger. I spend way too much time gazing at all the great patterns and yarn displayed there. My original designs are available through my shops on Ravelry, Craftsy and Patternfish. I’m also on Twitter as Redtigerdesigns.

Thank you Cynthia! Your designs are beautiful and inspiring. I’m a huge fan of your gorgeous cabling. Keep warm (-40C !!!) and happy stitching!

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!

Crochet By Darleen Hopkins

Crochet tips, tricks and patterns

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