Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

APRIL GIVEAWAY – WEEK #1

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Do you like old crochet and craft books?  I do!  I have a house full of them.  When I find them at a garage sale or thrift store, I grab them and buy the whole lot.  When I get home, I  discover duplicates.  So, this week, I’m offering a DOZEN of my authentically elderly books for the April Giveaway.

First is this little Coats and Clark book from 1967.  It’s mostly knit, but has several crochet patterns, including some lovely afghan stitch mittens.  The other 11 books are old copies of Workbasket Magazine.  These are not in mint condition – NOT.  But, they are intact and full of amazing patterns, recipes, gardening tips, etc.  If you’re not familiar with Workbasket, you’ve been missing out!

READ THE RULES BELOW THEN ANSWER THIS WEEK’S QUESTION:

WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO CROCHET FOR SPRING, 2010?

Here are the rules:

Each item will be mailed to the winner by USPS – books by media mail.  For now, this contest will only be open to participants with a U.S. mailing address.

This is how it will work.  Each Monday, I’ll pose a question on my blog.  Everyone who answers the questions will be entered in the drawing on the last day of that month.  Some ‘answers’ may require you to post a link to a specific pattern or site.  The winner will be announced along with the next Monday’s question.  The winner will have 48 hours to contact me with mailing information.  If the winner doesn’t contact me, the prize will be offered on another occasion.

RESPONSES MUST BE POSTED HERE AND NOT EMAILED TO ME PRIVATELY OR POSTED ELSEWHERE FOR ENTRY.

TO MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR, THE WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THE DAY OF EACH MONTH (OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER) AND THE WINNER MUST EMAIL ME ([email protected]) WITHIN 48 HOURS OF THE ANNOUNCEMENT.  So, for sanity’s sake, that deadline will really mean that I need to hear from you no later than 8 PM the following Monday (so you have plenty of time to email me and I’ll get the email for sure even if I don’t sign on to my email on a Sunday).

Simply enter to win by leaving a comment on this post answering the question posed.

Comments

  1. (Ooh, vintage crochet!)

    I’m planning to crochet a few doilies this spring. I’m almost finished with my first one ever, and I’m already excited to try another. (I know some people think doilies are old-fashioned– but that’s actually part of the reason I like them!) I think they’ll be great warm-weather projects, since they’re so small and lightweight.

  3. I am very excited to be crocheting bamboo, linen and rafia hats for this Spring/Summer 2010. Switching over to light weight, unique fiber yarns so we can keep out UV rays and stay cool!!! I just made pink bamboo aviator cap – unique and beautiful.

  4. Ideally.. a jellyfish with pink blue and purple for my daughter. Maybe a matching set of rabbits, one for her, and one for my son. I’d also really like to make some bibs for a friends upcoming baby to be. I haven’t quite found something to make for myself though, unfortunately, lol. 🙂

  5. There’s a bundle of joy coming in June. I’m planning on crocheting a onesie & booties, of course both in cotton yarn!

  7. I’ve found some great patterns for crocheted swimsuits and am hoping that if I start in Spring then I’ll have one ready for summer. It requires a little bit of sewing (lining) though and I’m not too good with that yet so we’ll just have to see.

  8. I’m crocheting socks! I made some heavier, furry socks for winter and now I want to branch out into lighter, spring socks.

    I also am crocheting a doormat out of hemp string (like you might use for macrame) and acrylic yarn in rainbow colors. It’s not specifically for spring, but it’s spring and I’m making it for now, so I think it counts.

  9. I am making a scarf for a new friend of mine. She just celebrated her 86th birthday and is a lovely lady. I am also double crocheting all my odd ends of yarn into a multiple color afghan to be given to displaced families at an Indian reservation in Tucson, AZ.

  11. I have a feeling my entire spring and most of my summer will be spent crocheting a Christmas present for my brother 🙂 It’s a huge picture afghan with a golf theme – I am SO excited!

  12. I’m going to crochet a bird’s nest that’ll hold some old mercury glass eggs I have. After that, it’ll be time to start working on a blanket for my first grandchild.

  13. I’m finishing up a couple of baby blankets. After that, I’m planning to make 2 cute crochet dresses for the youngest 2 baby grands.

  14. I plan to make a little “pocket purse” for my 13-yo granddaughter. And I want to make a doily. Of course more dishcloths. LOL! And whatever else catches my eyes. Plus, my dgd asked me to make her an afghan. It will be my first ripple pattern, and I am looking forward to that.

  15. Right now I’m crocheting a broomstick lace scarf without a pattern. I can’ decide whether to sell it, keep it, or give it away.

  17. I want to try crocheting recycled strips of the ubiquitous thin plastic grocery/shopping bags into a sturdy reusable bag.

  20. I am finishing up a baby outfit, dress, bloomers and hat for my first great-grandchild due in July, and I am also starting a lavender coat for her. Yes, we know it is a girl. Can’t wait, first great-grandchild from first grandchild’s wife.

  21. I am going to make a shawl to wear in stores and restaurants and church. I am also going to make a light weight blanket to use while watching TV.

  22. I’m working on my monsterous afghan project for my grandparents 50th anniversary, hopefully I’ll be done in time- only three more months.

  23. I want to crochet myself a shell top and skirt to match using a lightweight boucle yarn. I also am in the process of teaching myself to do fine crochet as I want to make edgings for pillowcases, towels, sheets, etc. and some crochet motifs and flowers for embellishments on crazy quilt blocks and other projects I am working on at this time.

  24. Hi, this is not an entry for the contest but I am looking for knitting clothing pieces that were popular during the mid 1960’s and early 1970’s particularly for skirt, long/short sleeved tops, cardigans and dresses using lightweight boucle yarn…I knitted quite a few clothing pieces but am unable to find the pattern books…If you happen to run across a magazine/patterns/pattern book that is from the time period and has patterns for clothing, please let me know. I have turned my house upside down trying to find the patterns but so far have had no luck. I would appreciate it very much. Thanks, Marilynne

  26. OH MY! I just got 3 large show boxes of old Workbaskets that were my grandmother’s (she past this last Sept)! I love those books. About 5 years ago I bid, and won, an E-Bay auction of a large box of them too. I still haven’t gotten through them all because I keep crocheting coasters & doilies from them! LOL

  27. I will be crocheting baby hats to be donated to military hospitals. The hats are for the newborns of military personnel who are deployed, about to be deployed or just returning.

  30. hi marilynne,
    have you visited the knitting blog on craftgossip to ask about the knitting patterns? terrye kinch is the editor there and might offer more help than any of the crocheters – altho’ many people both knit and crochet. good luck with your search!
    jd

  31. lovely things and stuff, i can remrmber the magazine from years ago, my mother and my aunts used this book alot. it would be nice to have one in my own hands. thank you…

  32. i’m kniting and crocheting infant hats for a local hospital. love to have one those books, they bring back alot of memories. thank you…

  33. At times I test patterns, and am now using one of the patterns to crochet a stole for my daughter. Haven’t decided if she will get it for her birthday or Christmas.

Have you read?

Pattern Review: Granny Dots Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern

There is something wonderfully cheerful about a crochet bucket hat, especially when it has that granny-style texture that makes us all say, “Oh yes, I could make that in five colours from my stash.” And let’s be honest, any pattern that lets me justify keeping those half-balls of yarn tucked away in a basket is already off to a strong start.

The Granny Dots Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern is a fun, easy crochet bucket hat pattern worked in colourful granny-style clusters with a simple single crochet brim. It has that lovely retro handmade look without needing to sew together a stack of separate granny squares, which is always a win in my book because joining motifs is where many good intentions go to quietly disappear.

This pattern is written for adult one-size fit and uses medium weight yarn in five colours. It is a great stash-busting crochet project, especially if you have leftover worsted weight yarn from blankets, scarves, or all those “I only bought one skein because it was pretty” moments.

The finished hat has a playful dotted look across the crown and body, then a neat striped brim that gives it a polished finish. I especially like how easily the mood changes depending on the yarn colours. Soft pastels make it sweet and springy, oranges and browns give it a warm autumn feel, and greys and blacks make it look more modern and unisex.

If you love granny-style crochet accessories, you might also like our free Georgie Granny Cluster Bucket Hat over on CraftBits, which has a similar beginner-friendly feel and works well as a companion project for anyone wanting to try more crochet hats. You can also browse our roundup of crochet bucket hat patterns to make this summer if your hat-making mood has officially taken over the craft table.

What I Like About This Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern

The best thing about this pattern is that it gives you the look of granny crochet without becoming overly complicated. The crown begins in the round and builds out using double crochet groups, then continues into the body with repeating granny-style rounds. Once you understand the rhythm, it becomes one of those cosy “just one more round” projects.

The brim is worked in single crochet, which gives the edge a little more structure than the body. I always appreciate that in a crochet bucket hat because a floppy brim can go from cute to “why is this sitting on my eyebrows?” very quickly. You could also gently steam or block the brim if you want a smoother shape, especially if you are making it for photos, gifting, or selling finished hats at markets.

This is marked as an easy crochet pattern, and I think that is fair. It is not a first-ever crochet project, but it would suit a confident beginner who knows how to chain, slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet, work in rounds, and change colour. The colour changes are the only part that require a little attention, but they are also what make the hat so much fun.

For yarn, a medium weight cotton or cotton-blend would be lovely for a summer bucket hat, while acrylic or wool-blend yarn would make it warmer and softer for cooler weather. If you are buying supplies, Mary Maxim is a good place to look for colourful worsted weight yarn, and Amazon is handy for crochet hooks, yarn needles, and blocking supplies if your craft drawer has mysteriously eaten them again.

Colour Ideas For The Granny Dots Bucket Hat

This is where the pattern really shines. Because it uses five colours, you can make it feel completely different each time.

A few combinations I would try:

Soft Pastels: blush pink, mint, lilac, buttercream, and pale blue
Autumn Spice: mustard, rust, olive, cranberry, and camel
Earth & Sky: teal, chocolate, goldenrod, dusty pink, and denim
Modern Neutral: black, charcoal, silver, cream, and soft grey
Cottage Garden: rose, lavender, sage, butter yellow, and robin’s egg blue

This is also a lovely pattern for using up scrap yarn, provided your yarns are all a similar weight. I would avoid mixing very stiff cotton with very soft acrylic in the same hat unless you are prepared for a little shaping drama. Ask me how I know.

Helpful Tips Before You Start

Check your gauge before you begin, especially if you want the adult fit to come out neatly. The pattern gauge is 15 single crochet and 16 rows to 4 inches, and because hats need to fit around an actual head — not just look pretty flat on the table — gauge matters more here than it might on a scarf.

Use stitch markers to mark the beginning of each round. When you are changing colours often, it is very easy to lose track of where a round starts, particularly if you are crocheting while watching television and pretending you are “just doing one more row.”

Weave in ends as you go if you can bear it. Five-colour crochet is gorgeous, but it does come with ends, and future-you will be much happier if you don’t leave them all until the end in one terrifying little yarn nest.

Who This Pattern Is Best For

This crochet bucket hat pattern is a good fit for makers who enjoy colourful crochet accessories, quick wearable projects, and stash-friendly patterns. It would make a great handmade gift for teens and adults, and it has strong market stall potential because you can create several versions in different colour palettes without changing the main pattern.

It is also a nice project for anyone who loves the look of granny squares but does not necessarily want a sewing-up session at the end. The texture gives that familiar granny crochet feel while keeping the construction more straightforward.

You could make one in soft spring colours for a festival look, one in earthy shades for autumn outfits, or one in monochrome greys for someone who insists they “don’t wear colourful things” but still secretly appreciates handmade.

Etsy Listing Note

This is a digital PDF crochet pattern, not a finished hat. The PDF includes the written pattern, materials, abbreviations, gauge notes, colour change guidance, brim instructions, stitch key, mockup inspiration, and colour palette ideas.

For crocheters who enjoy easy crochet hat patterns, granny stitch texture, and colourful stash-busting projects, the Granny Dots Crochet Bucket Hat Pattern is a sweet, wearable make with lots of room for personality. It is cheerful without being fussy, practical without being boring, and exactly the sort of project that makes you start looking at leftover yarn in a whole new way.