the basics: rolling yarn into a ball

When you think of yarn, you usually picture it rolled up into a ball. But if you've ever been down the yarn aisle at a craft store, you'll notice that the yarn is surprisingly not rolled into balls. Instead the yarn comes in skeins or hanks. This is how the yarn is divided up and wound at the factories where the yarn is produced, and then shipped out to get to us.

My dad has told me several "horror" stories from when he was a child; his mom would make him roll her yarn into balls and it would take him hours, so now he is "scarred for life" and won't touch another piece of yarn again. I personally can't wait till Kenendy is old enough to do this for me, Tyler tried it once but couldn't catch on ;)

Although it does take up a decent chunk of time, my dad may be a little dramatic, because as a crocheter it is well worth it to roll your skeins of yarn into balls. 

When I first started crocheting I didn't know why I was taking the time to do this until, on several occasions, I would come across "bad yarn" or knots inside of the skeins. By rolling my yarn into a ball I was able to make sure I wouldn't run into any of these problems in the middle of a project and have to either start all over or cut it off and re attach my yarn. 

Before you begin a project set aside some time to get each of your skeins rolled into balls, I usually do this while watching a TV show, or on the floor watching Kennedy play. It may seem like it takes forever, especially the first few times you do it, but once you get a hang of it you will get used to it and it will wind up quick. 

Find the "tail" (loose end) of your yarn skein.

Begin to wind it a few times around three fingers.

Slip it off of your fingers and begin to wrap the yarn the opposite way creating a tiny ball.

Keep wrapping the yarn around your tiny ball, turning it here and there to evenly distribute the yarn and as you do so it will get bigger and bigger until you have used all of the yarn in your skein and you have yourself a big ball of yarn!

Now you are ready to learn how to make a starting chain!

the basics: where to begin

I have received several requests by friends and family members asking me to teach them to crochet. For a few years now I've been wanting to do detailed tutorials for everyone but I just haven't found the time.

Most people who want to learn to crochet start by picking a pattern and try and learn from there, but that can get really complicated. I would definitely recommend taking the time to slowly learn the process and everything that you need, especially if you are wanting to start a serious crochet journey.

Its great to have a project in mind that you would like to make, but if you take the time to learn the fundamentals and all of the basic stitches in the beginning, you will be glad that you did. 

For this tutorial, I will explain everything that you need in order to begin your crochet journey in detail so that you know everything that you will need. Over the course of the next few weeks, I will post several other tutorials until I have covered everything. Along the way of your journey, if you have any questions or specific things you want covered I would love to hear from you.

Here we go!

Lets begin with everything that you will need along the way. 

Here is  a list of everything you will need to purchase and have on hand. Below, you will find descriptions of everything and why you need them.

SUPPLIES:

-scissors 

-crochet hooks

-yarn

-tapestry needle

-stitch marker

Lets begin with the yarn.

My favorite yarn for all basic crochet projects is I Love This Yarn by Hobby Lobby. Not only is it always super soft, but it is always durable and I have never once had a problem with it. 

For all basic crochet patterns you will normally use 100% Acrylic 4ply medium yarn, like this.

There will be some projects that require a different type of yarn whether it be thinner for small baby booties or chunkier for thick scarves, always make sure to check your pattern first to make sure you purchase the correct yarn in order for it to turn out right.

Now, lets talk about the hooks.

Every crochet project will require a different size hook, and although at first it may not seem like it really matters if your hook is just .5mm off of what you need, I promise this DOES matter! I know from experience ;)

If you are just wanting to know how to crochet one thing and you don't plan on doing any other projects you can just go purchase the size hook that you need, but, I promise it will become extremely addicting and you will want to do more! So….instead of purchasing one hook for the one project, I highly recommend purchasing a set of hooks with all of the sizes. 

I got THIS set at Hobby Lobby and it came with all of the basic hook sizes that you could possibly need at first. Of course it doesn't come with every size on this earth, but you can always go purchase those when you come across a project that needs it. 

The best part about this set is that it is only $14.99 and DONT FORGET to use your 40% off coupon that is always in the ad or simply on the mobile Hobby Lobby site. Just search Hobby Lobby coupon in google and it will pop right up. I can't even begin to tell you how it bugs me when people don't use their coupon ;)

Now that you have your yarn and hooks, you should be set, right? Nope! Don't forget these:

First things first, a good pair of scissors. This may not seem very important but if you are wanting to become  a serious crocheter, it is! I bought a pair of good scissors in the fabric section and have had them for years and they are still as sharp as they were when I bought them, as long as you use them to but your yarn and ONLY your yarn. 

Don't buy a pari and use them for everything, make sure they are designated for your yarn so that they always give you a quick, sharp, perfect cut that won't fray your yarn. I promise, you do not want to fray your yarn with crappy scissors!

Next up would be a stitch marker. This is pictured in the middle next to the scissors. What the heck is a stitch marker you ask? Well it is exactly what its called, it marks your stitches for you. You will not need this for every project, in face the only time I have ever used mine is for complicated projects like little baby booties where you MUST make sure you count every stitch, and that is where this comes in handy. 

You can find this in the same aisle as the crochet hooks and there are several to choose from but it really doesn't matter which one you choose. If you need one, but don't have one and can't get to the store you can use a bobby pin or a paper clip and they do work fine, but I just find these stitch markers to be easier to take on and off of your yarn.

And last, but not least, one of the MOST IMPORTANT things you could possibly need for any project…a tapestry needle! These come in metal or plastic and it doesn't matter which one you get, I just prefer the metal because I can't count how many plastic ones my dog has stollen from me, so with the metal, he can't chew it!

Why is this so important? Because this is how you will finish off all of your work! When you are done with any project you will have little ends of yarn sticking out and it is EXTREMELY important that you do not just cut those, because then eventually your whole project will come unravelled and that would not be very fun!

Now you are ready to begin! Lets start with how to roll your yarn skein into a ball.

Now that you know everything you need in order to begin your crochet journey its time to head out and  get everything! Coming soon, I will have detailed tutorials on everything you need to know, including:

-how to roll a ball of yarn and why you need to do this

-how to make a foundation chain 

-all of the basic crochet stitches

-how to count your stitches

-how to finish a crochet project

crochet minnie and mickey mouse earflap hat pattern

I got a request from a friend asking if I could make her daughter a Minnie Mouse hat and her son a Mickey Mouse hat. Instantly I got excited and started to question why I never made KK a Minnie hat because she has always loved her.

Once I got to thinking I decided to use the same earflap hat pattern that I used for the Mike Wazowski pattern, but of course I added two ears to the top!

For the Minnie hat I crocheted a pink bow and attached some tiny while polka dots and for the Mickey hat I added two white buttons.

I think they turned out awesome, I have even had a few requests to make the minnie mouse hat in red which you could do as well. 

If you would like to purchase one you can find them HERE  on my Etsy shop :)



Crochet Minnie and Mickey Mouse Earflap Hat Pattern
size H 5.00MM crochet hook
tapestry needle
white and black yarn
2 white buttons &
red yarn for Mickey hat
pink or red yarn for Minnie hat

Size: 0-6 Months

*start with black yarn and switch to either red or pink at row 6*Row 1: magic ring, 11 dc into the magic ring, join to the first dc
Row 2: ch 2, 2 dc in each around, join to top of ch 2 (22 dc’s)
Row 3: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next,* repeat around and join (33 dc’s)
Row 4: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 2,* repeat around and join (44 dc’s)
Rows 5-10: ch 2, dc in each around then join (44 dc’s)

do not fasten off, continue with earflap written below

Size 6-12 Months

*start with black yarn and switch to either red or pink at row 8*

Row 1: magic ring, 11 dc into the magic ring, join to first dc

Row 2: ch2, 2 dc in each around, join to top of ch 2 (22 dc’s)
Row 3: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next,* repeat around and join (33 dc’s)
Row 4: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 2,* repeat around and join (44 dc’s)

Row 5: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 10,* repeat around and join (48 dc’s)

Row 6: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 11,* repeat around and join (52 dc’s)

Row 7-12: ch 2, dc in each around then join (52 dc’s)

do not fasten off at the end of the row begin on the earflaps, see below

Earflaps for 0-6 and 6-12 Sizes:

Earflap 1:

Row 1: ch 1, sc in next 10 stitches where you left off, turn
Row 2: ch 1, sc decrease, sc in next 6, sc decrease,  turn
Row 3: ch 1, sc across (8 sc’s)
Row 4: ch 1, sc decrease, sc in next 4, sc decrease, turn
Row 5: ch 1, sc across (6 sc’s)
Row 6: ch 1, sc decrease, sc in next 2, sc decrease,  turn
Row 7: ch 1, sc across (4 sc’s)
Row 8: ch 1, make 2 sc decreases,  turn
Row 9: ch 1, sc decrease, fasten off and weave in ends

Earflap 2:

Fold your hat in half and on the opposite side of the hat from the first earflap, begin the second earflap.
Row 1: ch 1, sc in next 10, turn
Row 2: ch 1, sc decrease, sc in next 6, sc decrease, turn
Row 3: ch 1, sc across (8 sc’s)
Row 4: ch 1, sc decrease, sc in next 4, sc decrease, turn
Row 5: ch 1, sc across (6 sc’s)
Row 6: ch 1, sc decrease, sc in next 2, sc decrease, turn
Row 7: ch 1, sc across (4 sc’s)
Row 8: ch 1, Make 2 sc decreases, chain 1, turn
Row 9: ch 1, sc decrease, chain 1

Finishing: continue by sc in each stitch around the entire bottom edge of the hat as well as the earflaps. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Braided Tails:

Cut 6 long strands of yarn, 2 of each: black, white and either  pink or red whichever you used. Whatever length you want, then put together all of the strands and pull them through the end of the earflap.  Knot it, then braid all the way ending with another knot. Trim the ends of braided tails so the yarn is even, do this for both earflaps.

Ears:

*make two*

Row 1: magic ring, ch 1, 7 hdc into ring, join to ch 1

Row 2: ch 2, hdc in same stitch and every stitch around, join

Row 3: ch 2, hdc in same stitch, *1 hdc in next, 2 in next,* repeat around, join

Row 4: ch 2, hdc in same stitch, *1 hdc in the next 2, 2 hdc in next, repeat around, join

Fasten off and weave in ends 

Minnie Bow:

Row 1: ch 40

Row 2: ch 2, hdc in each stitch 

Repeat row 2 seven more times

Fold piece in half and sl st together to make a circle

Fasten off 

Lay piece flat then take your yarn, leaving a tail, and start to wrap it tightly in the middle so that it pinches it creating the bow

Cut off yarn and tie a knot with the tail you left

Weave in ends

For polka dots:

You can do this or use small white buttons

Row 1: Magic ring

Row 2: ch 1, 5 hdc, join

Fasten off 

*make 6 small polka dots and use the two tails to tie them onto the bow

Weave in the ends inside the bow 

Sew the two ears on top of the hat with some yarn and your tapestry needle.

For Mickey hat:

Sew on your two white buttons

For Minnie hat:

Attach the bow in between the ears

Size: Child 

*start with black yarn and switch to either red or pink at row 11*

Row 1: magic ring, 11 dc into the magic ring, join to first dc
Row 2: ch 2, 2 dc in each around, join to top of chain 2 (22 dc’s)
Row 3: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next,* repeat around and join (33 dc’s)
Row 4: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 2,* repeat around and join (44 dc’s)

Row 5: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 10,* repeat around and join (48 dc’s)
Row 6: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 11,* repeat around and join (52 dc’s)
Row 7: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 12,*repeat around and join (56 dc’s)
Row 8: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 13,* repeat around and join (60 dc’s)
Row 9: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 14,* repeat around and join (64 dc’s)
Row 10-15: ch 2, dc in each around then join (64 dc’s)
do not fasten off at the end of the row begin on the earflaps, see below

Size: Adult 

*start with black yarn and switch to either red or pink at row 12*

Row 1: magic ring, 11 dc into the magic ring, join to first dc
Row 2: ch 2, 2 dc in each around, join to top of chain 2 (22 dc’s)
Row 3: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next,* repeat around and join (33 dc’s)
Row 4: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 2,* repeat around and join (44 dc’s)

Row 5: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 10,* repeat around and join (48 dc’s)
Row 6: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 11,* repeat around and join (52 dc’s)
Row 7: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 12,* repeat around and join (56 dc’s)
Row 8: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 13,* repeat around and join (60 dc’s)
Row 9: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 14,* repeat around and join (64 dc’s)
Row 10: ch 2, *2 dc in first, dc in next 15,* repeat around and join (68 dc’s)
Row 11-16: ch 2, dc in each around then join (68 dc’s)
do not fasten off at the end of the row begin on the earflaps, see below

Earflaps for Child and Adult Sizes:
Earflap 1: 
Row 1: ch 1, sc in next 12,  turn
Row 2: ch 1,  sc decrease, sc in next 8, sc decrease, turn
Row 3: ch 1, sc across (10 sc’s)
Row 4: ch 1, sc decrease, SC in next 6, sc decrease, turn
Row 5: ch 1, sc across ( 8 sc’s)
Row 6: ch 1, sc decrease, SC in next 4, sc decrease, turn
Row 7: ch 1, sc across ( 6 sc’s)
Row 8: ch 1, sc decrease, sc in next 2, sc decrease, turn
Row 9: ch 1, sc across (4 sc’s)
Row 10: ch 1, make 2 sc decreases, turn
Row 11: ch 1, sc decrease, fasten off, weave in ends

Earflap 2:

Fold your hat in half and on the opposite side of the hat from the first earflap, begin the second earflap. 

Row 1: ch 1, sc in next 12, turn
Row 2: ch 1, sc decrease, sc in next 8, sc decrease, turn
Row 3: ch 1, sc across (10 sc’s)
Row 4: ch 1, sc decrease, sc in next 6, sc decrease, turn
Row 5: ch 1, sc across ( 8 sc’s)
Row 6: ch 1, sc decrease, sc in next 4, sc decrease, turn
Row 7: ch 1, sc across ( 6 sc’s)
Row 8: ch 1, sc decrease, sc in next 2, sc decrease, turn
Row 9: ch 1, sc across (4 sc’s)
Row 10: ch 1, make 2 sc decreases, turn
Row 11: ch 1, sc decrease, ch 1

Finishing: continue by sc in each stitch around the entire bottom edge of the hat as well as the earflaps. Fasten off and weave in the ends.

Braided Tails:

Cut 6 long strands of yarn: black, white and either  pink or red whichever you used. Whatever length you want, then put together all of the strands and pull them through the end of the earflap.  Knot it, then braid all the way ending with another knot. Trim the ends of braided tails so the yarn is even, do this for both earflaps.

Ears:

*make two*

Row 1: magic ring, ch 1, 7 hdc into ring, join to ch 1

Row 2: ch 2, hdc in same stitch and every stitch around, join

Row 3: ch 2, hdc in same stitch, *1 hdc in next, 2 in next,* repeat around, join

Row 4: ch 2, hdc in same stitch, *1 hdc in the next 2, 2 hdc in next, repeat around, join

Fasten off and weave in ends 

Minnie Bow:

Row 1: ch 40

Row 2: ch 2, hdc in each stitch 

Repeat row 2 seven more times

Fold piece in half and sl st together to make a circle

Fasten off 

Lay piece flat then take your yarn, leaving a tail, and start to wrap it tightly in the middle so that it pinches it creating the bow

Cut off yarn and tie a knot with the tail you left

Weave in ends

For polka dots:

You can do this or use small white buttons

Row 1: Magic ring

Row 2: ch 1, 5 hdc, join

Fasten off 

*make 6 small polka dots and use the two tails to tie them onto the bow

Weave in the ends inside the bow 

Sew the two ears on top of the hat with some yarn and your tapestry needle.

For Mickey hat:

Sew on your two white buttons

For Minnie hat:

Attach the bow in between the ears

crochet chunky baby/toddler cowl pattern

Once the weather started to cool I began digging up my scarves from the back of my closet. I came across my favorite chunky black one that I made myself a few years ago and I thought, hmm, this would be so cute to make a mini one for Kennedy!

After messing with the adult pattern I finally perfected it for her size and they turned out so amazing that I just had to make them in just about every color and add them to my Etsy shop! They have been such a hit and I have been blessed with so many orders and great review that I thought I would share the pattern with y'all :)

If you would like to purchase one you can find them HERE on my Etsy shop.

They are the same size as the toddler cowls I previously made her here when she was just one years old and the sweet little five year old that I watch tried one on and they fit her as well! Thats why I decided to call them baby/toddler cowls, because they seem to fit well on babies and toddlers.

There is also an added bonus to these for us moms. At the craft fair I did before Christmas I had these cowls for sale and several people grabbed them and put them on their heads as ear warmers! They fit great and I have used them that way a few times ;)

*For these cowls it is very important that you use two strands of yarn since that gives you the "chunky" look. I have bought two skeins of yarn and used strands from each however if you are just wanting to make one, I have also just taken the two ends from one skein of yarn and used them together. I can get 3 cowls out of one skein of my favorite yarn, I Love This Yarn by Hobby Lobby.

Crochet Chunky Baby/Toddler Cowl Pattern
size K 6.5MM crochet hook
tapestry needle
2 strands of yarn


ch 50
join to the first ch and be careful not to twist
you should have a circle now and will be working around it
*ch 3 dc in each stitch around
join to the top of ch 3*
repeat from * to * until you have done 6 rows
fasten off

Enjoy! :)

cozy blankets for the important women in my life

This Christmas I really wanted to do something special for my mother and my mother in law, so I decided to make them each a blanket to match their personalities and their homes. So starting in October I purchased the yarn and started to make them because I knew I wanted to get them done before the hustle of the holidays and I pulled through!

For my mother in law, Karen, I wanted to do something fun. She has a really bold personality and I didn't want to do anything simple. 

 Her living room is neutral colors with hints of blue so I decided to accent that and do two shades of blue and a cream color and did it in a ripple pattern to show off her. 

It was so exciting to see her face when she opened it on Christmas Eve, I don't think she was expecting it which made it even better!

And of course KK loved it as well :)

It took me longer to figure out what I wanted to do for my mom. Her home is so primitive and she decorates so nicely I had a hard time finding a pattern and color scheme that didn't clash, until I saw one on Pinterest and I knew she would love it. 

If I were to describe my mom, I would of course talk about what a great mother she is and on and on but the one thing I would add is her love of Christmas I so big I bet shed leave her decorations up all year if my dad would let her!

This blanket really shows off her love of christmas with the green and red, but the deep colors go with her Primitive style and the best part is she can keep it out all year long! I kept the pattern simple by just using the granny square pattern and repeating it over and over until it was a giant granny.

I will admit it was hard giving these blankets away, they were both so warm and cozy! After making these, I now have more motivation to make one for myself! :)

Happy New Year!

With the holidays wrapping up and the new year beginning tomorrow I have been looking back on my year and I am so blessed with all of the accomplishments and memories I've made.

It all started last December when bought our first home and Tyler and I got engaged. 

We began planning our wedding and said I Do on September 20th, it was such a beautiful day and I am so happy to now join him and our daughter with the last name Bynum. I got to see some very dear family members that I don't get to see often and we were so blessed to have my uncle marry us.

Kennedy turned TWO in April, and we spent a few weeks trying to put together a swing set! I still can't get over the fact that in four short months she will be three.

We  added a new family member, Ryder, our chocolate lab puppy. It was a rough start with him, there were several times I considered giving him back! He thinks he is a small lap dog and continues to run around the house like a goober and constantly lays on top of us. He also has decided he's a human and sleeps with Kennedy and Tyler and I with his head on his own pillow. But he is going on 8 months old and he has fit right in with us and I couldn't ask for a better dog to protect and love our family.

     

We decided to ditch our carpet and install new laminate wood flooring ourselves, it took way longer than we planned and we still haven't put the baseboards up but I am more than happy with how great they look!

I still feel full from the 3 thanksgivings we had and I am having a blast watching Kennedy play with her new kitchen we made her!

2014 was such an amazing year, I can't wait to see what is in store for us in 2015 :)

Happy New Year!!

Big Granny

I thought I would share the blanket I made for my good friend a few months ago. I really enjoyed making this blanket because it was so different. I never would have thought to put these colors together until she picked them out and they turned out perfect!