Stash Bust Challenge 2014, Update Aug

Posted on August 30, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Divine Hope

I took a quick break from designing to work up a hat for Halos of Hope. I have been eyeing the Divine Hat by Sarah Arnold for some time. I remember trying it when I was new to crochet and just couldn’t figure it out. It has been on my to-do list ever since. The stitch pattern is beautiful and once you get the hang of it, it doesn’t require much concentration. In other words, it is a “get in the zone” hat. I had some tweaks to the pattern as it calls for worsted and I choose Caron Spa, a lighter weight yarn. You can see my notes here. This is a beautiful pattern and it is free so there are a ton of projects on Ravelry. I love seeing the variations others have made; extra long slouchy style, stripes with pom-poms, big flowers added, sc edging with buttons, brims and bows are just a few of the adjustments. There are so many ways you can make this simple and beautiful hat your own. Give it a try. If you can’t figure it out right away, bookmark it and come back to it after you have a little more experience. You will be glad you did.

This hat weighs 2 3/4 ounces.

Total hats made in the 2014 Stash Bust Challenge: 13

Total weight of the hats to date: 2 pounds, 8 1/2 ounces.

Shark Week 2014, Day 4 and 5

Posted on August 15, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Shark Week Hat Update!

I made a lot of progress on the hat Wednesday (day 4) as you can see by the photo! I really like the two colors together. I was a little concerned about the different yarns as one is worsted/aran and the other is bulky or maybe even chunky weight. I worked the bright blue, the thinner yarn, in hdc and the aqua, the thicker yarn, in sc and used the same hook for both yarns. Therefore, the sc stitches are stitched pretty tight. Last night (day 5), I finished up the body of the hat and started on the fins. Unfortunately, it looks as if there won’t be enough yarn for all the fins so I will have to frog a couple of rows. I’ll just make the gums and teeth section larger to make up for any lost length. There’s nothing wrong with a lot of big shark teeth!

Shark Week 2014, Day 3

Posted on August 13, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Update on the Shark Hat for Halos of Hope

Last night I realized I wasn’t going to have enough of the bright blue yarn to finish the shark. I’ve made them before and they usually use more than a full skein. So a frogged a few rounds and added some aqua stripes. They are totally random and I add a stripe as I feel it is needed. I’m happy with the progress so far. I have a couple free minutes so it is time to squeeze in a round or two. Check back tomorrow. : )

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?

Stash Bust for Hope 2014, January

Posted on February 2, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

January 2014 Stash Busting for Hope Update

Wow, only one month in and I’m already falling behind in my goals. I’ll get there, I PROMISE! I did manage to get one hat for Halos of Hope completed during January. If you are on Ravelry, plynn (blog) has started a CAL/KAL forum for Halos of Hope hats. Since I don’t really knit much, I’m participating in the CAL. For January she chose the Shells and Trellis hat by Melody Hamor. It is a really cute hat and easy pattern. With a few modifications, you can use just about any yarn. As always, I made a few tweaks. You can read my notes on my project page. This pattern has been on my radar and I’m glad to finally have had a reason to make it-thanks Pat!

Stash Bust 2014 hats made to date: 1

Total weight made to date: 1.75 ounces

Want to see more hats made for Halos of Hope? Check out this Pinterest board!

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

Posted on January 5, 2014 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Goodbye 2013, Hello 2014

2013 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

Mid-year Resolutions Check In

Posted on July 15, 2013 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Resolutions Check-In

We are officially over 1/2 way done with 2013, yikes! I thought I’d better check in on my 2013 Crochet Resolutions and see how I’m holding up to them.

1. 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! I already started this with my Stash Bust 2013 Challenge.

I’ve pretty much stuck to this one. I recently grabbed up some clearance yarn-one of my favorites-but then found the willpower to “just say no” and gave them back to the cashier at check out. I’ve bought some yarn, but only for specific patterns and have returned yarn that was purchased for a project and then not needed.

2. Complete the Crochet Guild of America’s Master Crochet Program.

Not there yet. I’m looking to sign up in August.

3. Complete at least 2 hats per month for Halos of Hope.

Yup, I’ve done that and more most months.

4. Self publish at least 8 new patterns.

On track for this. So far, in 2013, I’ve self-published:

Actually, that’s 8! Wow, I didn’t realize I did so many the first 6 months of the year-I’ve been busy! And I re-released Mr. Springy, The Robot Hat too!

5. Learn to crochet with my left hand. I’ve been “in training” for this by learning to use the mouse with my left hand.

Still in training…

6. Complete that scrap felted throw rug I’ve been wanting to make for a couple of years now!!!

Haven’t started this either.

10 days – 17 states – 4,272 miles – 21,384 stitches

Posted on July 8, 2013 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

ROAD TRIP!

Before Road Trip

My family and I recently went on a road trip. We drove from north Georgia to Yellowstone National Park with a number of stops along the way there and the way back. It was a great trip and we saw some amazing sights and created memories that will last a lifetime.

Some of the sights we saw were

After Road Trip

St. Louis Arch
A jackalope (I love them!)
Badlands National Park
The straightest road ever created running from South Dakota to North Dakota
Pump jacks pumping oil in North Dakota
Windmills as far as the eye could see in Minnesota
The gorgeous Black Hills of South Dakota
Mt. Rushmore
Crazy Horse Memorial and the annual June Night Blast
The Rocky Mountains
Buffalo
Old Faithful (erupted on time!)
Mud pools and geysers and hot springs
Buffalo
A grizzly bear
Devil’s Tower
A prairie dog town
A hail storm like none I’ve ever experienced before
A missile silo
Buffalo
Breathtaking Grand Teton National park
An end-to-end rainbow
Buffalo
Chicago rush hour-ugh.
The Big Sky of Montana
Bear Tooth Pass from Montana to Wyoming-amazing drive
Snow skiers and sleders and snow gliders in June

My husband planned the entire trip and drove all 4,000 miles. We had a number of detours as he is an avid geocacher and has a goal of finding a geocache in all 50 states (I’m really looking forward to Alaska and Hawaii!). I sat back, enjoyed the ride (except for the hail storm and Chicago’s traffic), crocheted and read. I had plans of getting more crocheting done but the sites were too amazing to pass up.

Hike in Custer State Park, South Dakota

If you are lucky enough to live in the Black Hills of South Dakota or in Wyoming with a view of the Rockies, you may find me as your neighbor in a few years.

It was a beautiful adventure and I hope to visit again.

Stash Bust Update-March 2013

Posted on March 10, 2013 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Stash Busting for Hope, Update March 2013

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.

(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.

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

Stash Bust Update – Feb. 2013 Stash Busting for Hope

Posted on February 28, 2013 by CrochetByDarleenHopkins

Stash Busting for Hope, Update – Feb. 2013

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!

Crochet By Darleen Hopkins

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