Crochet

Patterns, projects and techniques

APRIL GIVEAWAY – WEEK #2

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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 AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTION:

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO USE UP YARN SCRAPS (FROM INCHES TO PARTIAL OR TOTAL ORPHAN SKEINS)?  POST A LINK IF YOU CAN.

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

  3. I’ve been using leftover bits of cotton yarn to make small crocheted flowers. A variety of colors makes each flower different.

    Darla

  4. I like to use my “odds & ends” yarn scraps to make tassels & pom poms, these look great as embellishments on just about anything! Zipper pulls, drawstrings, borders & just fun on hats, mittens & baby items.

  5. I had a bunch of yarn left over from an afghan I made, and I turned it into my “project bag” based on the “Very V Hobo Bag” from Hooked Bags:
    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/very-v-hobo-bag

    I used a bigger hook and double-stranded the yarn, and ended up with a HUGE bag, big enough to tote 3 Caron One-Pounders and a current project!

    I plan on making another at some point here, because that V-stitch that holds it all together moves so quick.

    My mother has balls of orphan yarn in a bowl in her bathroom as decoration. I once got bored, grabbed a few and whipped up a pair of slippers while I was doing my laundry. Another good use for leftovers!

  7. hmmm, i do not have a link but i have been collecting small snippets for a bit waiting to start two projects. Alan Darts Farm as well as a mini veggie basket (found on ravelry). Lots of variety of texture and color will be fun to play!

  8. I made a giant queen size afghan completely out of leftovers from previous projects. It’s pretty crazy looking but it’s one of my favorites. My husband too, he loves it when I do some stash busting!

  9. I belong to a crochet group so we make square or stripes with our left over yarn and then we put them together and take them to charities. We just finished a baby blanket and are completeeing 2 more I plan to take to the womens shelter and I have started a full size striped blanket to donate to charity.

  10. I have a large bag of yarn scraps that I use for rug hooking. When I have enough gathered together I go for it. The different colors and textures make for some interesting projects.

  11. I’ve been making granny squares with leftover yarn to turn into a blanket in the future.

  12. Right now I’m combining all kinds of blues, greens, browns and cream colored scraps into an afghan. I just single crochet until I run out of one color and then switch. I’ll have lots of ends to weave in, but so far it looks great!

    My MIL makes mittens for local charity groups. Even a small color scrap can make nice looking stripes on the cuffs.

  13. This past St. Valentine Day I made small hearts using scrap red and white yarn. Last fall I made small pumpkins that I used as pins, and at Chrismas I made a wreath pin. My alltime scrap buster was a granny square afghan I made a long time ago. It is one large square, and every row is a different color.

  14. I’ve been making cupcake washcloths with my scraps. They are great for a baby shower or wedding shower. The best part is that you can use any yarn, roll it up, put a cherry on top, and they look adorable.

  15. I use up my small amounts of yarn to make granny squares that eventually go into an afghan. It makes a beautiful afghan that goes with most every decor and thus a wonderful gift for someone.

  17. If I have enough yarn after completing a project I use a nostepenne to make small cakes. These cakes are being saved for an afghan. I also use them to practice a new technique (to make sure I understand it) before starting or continuing with a project/pattern.

  18. I crochet up a bunch of little pouches for my daughter who is constantly collecting little things from nature.

Have you read?

Pattern Review: Georgie Granny Square Bucket Hat Crochet Pattern

The Georgie Granny Square Bucket Hat Crochet Pattern is one of those fun wearable crochet projects that has just the right mix of retro charm and modern festival style. If you have been seeing granny square bucket hats popping up everywhere and thinking, “I could make that,” this pattern is a lovely place to start.

This crochet bucket hat is worked in the round using granny-style clusters, giving it that familiar textured look without requiring you to join lots of separate squares. That is a definite win if, like me, you enjoy the look of granny motifs but don’t always feel emotionally prepared for a mountain of seams and ends.

The pattern uses worsted weight #4 yarn, with cotton or a cotton blend recommended, which makes sense for a summer hat. Cotton gives the hat a bit more structure and keeps it feeling breathable rather than floppy and sweaty. You’ll need around 80g of yarn, a 5.5mm crochet hook, scissors, and a yarn needle. The finished hat is designed to fit a head circumference of approximately 51–55cm / 20.1–21.7 inches, which puts it in the adult small/medium range.

What I like about this pattern is that it includes practical fit notes rather than pretending every head and every crocheter’s tension is magically the same. The granny mesh has stretch, and the pattern suggests trying the crown on after Round 5 before continuing with the body section. That is such a useful little check-in point, especially with hats, because nobody wants to finish the whole thing only to discover it either perches on top like a teacup or slides down over your eyes like a lampshade.

The instructions are written in US crochet terms and include a clear stitch key covering chains, clusters, double crochet, repeats, slip stitches, and spaces. The pattern also explains how the rounds are closed, how the beginning chain functions, and how to count the clusters at the end of each round, which is helpful for keeping the shape on track.

The construction is straightforward: you begin at the crown, continue down into the sides, and then work the brim. The brim shaping comes from an increase round that helps kick the edge outward into that classic bucket hat shape. Rounds 15–17 then hold steady to smooth out the brim edge, giving the hat a neat finish without making the shaping feel overly complicated.

I would call this an easy to confident beginner crochet pattern rather than a very first crochet project. You’ll want to be comfortable working in the round, counting repeats, and making double crochet clusters. Once the rhythm clicks, though, it becomes a relaxing, repeat-friendly project — the sort of crochet you can work on while half-watching TV, provided you don’t lose count during the increase rounds. Ask me how I know.

This pattern also has great colour-play potential. The yellow version feels sunny and wearable, the scrap yarn version has brilliant festival energy, and a red-and-green version would make a surprisingly cute Christmas market hat. It would also be a good stash-busting crochet project if you have leftover cotton yarns hanging around from dishcloths, bags, or summer tops.

Overall, the Georgie Granny Square Bucket Hat is a cheerful, wearable crochet pattern with strong Etsy appeal. It hits that sweet spot between nostalgic granny square style and modern handmade fashion, making it a great pattern for festival outfits, summer wardrobes, handmade gifts, and market sellers looking for a trendy crochet accessory.

Best for: confident beginners, granny stitch lovers, summer crochet projects, festival fashion, scrap yarn makes, and crocheters who want a wearable project that feels fun rather than fussy.