Top 100 Blogger of 2015

I'm so excited! 

For the 4th year in a row I'm a Top 100 blogger for All Free Crochet! 

I think that is great for not blogging very much this year, 

but some of my patterns are just some of your top favorites! 

What a great honor!  I'm so grateful for this! 

To see the full list of all top 100 patterns just click the picture below! 

So what was my top pattern! 

The Universal Slouchy

I may have more in the list but sometimes they change names and I miss it! 

So check out these great patterns! 

I wish you lots more crochet time in 2016!! 

Yarn Talk Thursday: Knitting and Hearts

Well Hello! Have you missed me! Things have been far to quiet here on the blog and Facebook! This season has been an incredibly hard one for sickness! My dear kids got the flu & Strep so we battled that for a week and then they kindly shared there germs with me! I ended up with the Flu and upper respiratory infection the following week. Then a felt good for about a day. Then, I got a raging Sinus Infection! Ouch! Still dealing with that some this week but lets just say to many visits to urgent care for one month! I sure am looking forward to feeling happy and health again! 

All the sickness took away from crochet time and really the desire to even try! I have several designs in mind that I want to work on. It's so hard to choose where to start again! So since I don't have any thing new ready for you just yet I thought I would share a few projects that I hadn't had a chance to share yet! 

I've been playing around with knitting for a few years now. Finally started to catch on to it more within the last year! It was time to try something new! I found a fun free pattern for a knit/crochet slouch and I was immediately drawn to it! I don't know why I was so scared of cables! Honestly knitting cables is easer that crocheting them! I think it's just easier to see the stitches and they lay so perfectly in knitting! 

If you know me I love a good slouch hat! This one starts with a knitted brim and then the rest of the hat is worked in crochet rounds. Pretty simple and easy to adjust! I didn't really follow of slouch part directions of the pattern as I knew how I wanted it to lay from designing some of my own slouch patterns previously, (you can see that here)  but I did follow the brim directions exactly! 

Isn't this a pretty color too? I love my jewel tones! I used my favorite worsted weight yarn. Hobby Lobby's I Love this yarn in Antique Teal. 

I'm sure you'll want to make one too! Your in luck because it's a free pattern 

Dana Cable Slouch Hat by RAKJ Patterns

My next project was just for fun! My MIL saw these on pinterest and asked if I could make them! Of course I said! Any excuse to try a new pattern! I love this Graphing technic! It gives really clean lines and after making 10 graph hats right before this project for a large order using a different technic I think I'll try this next time instead! 

These are also a free pattern

Heart & Sole Slippers by My Hobby Is Crochet

I worked these up using The same hook suggested but wasn't sure what yarn to use as I don't really have any DK weight in my stash. I went with Vanna's Choice worsted weight and it worked up perfectly. I only use one skein for both slippers of the main color.  Now my MIL and I have small feet size 6 so you may need an extra skein :) 

I followed the pattern exactly but I did crochet pretty tightly to match gauge but I do that naturally. The only adjustments I made was to the length of foot portion by removing a few repeats and I just went by my foot for measuring! Following everything else it came out perfect!

These are so squishy and soft! I'm going to have to make me a pair to keep! Maybe in purple :) 

My Hobby is Crochet also just released these in a child size too! 

You might be able to whip up a pair for Valentines Day next week! 

So which on will you make? 

2014 Top Blogger

I got an exciting email yesterday! I'm once again one of the Top 100 Bloggers for All Free Crochet! This is the 3rd year in a row I've received this fun award! It makes my heart so happy! Thank you so much for enjoying the free patterns and I look forward to offering more in the coming year! 

Here are the top 100 Free patterns from All Free Crochet 

Top 100 of 2014

From me, you loved: 

The Universal Slouch! 

They called it the most popular hat pattern ever in the latest Newsletter.

How awesome is that!!! 

Have you made the Universal Slouch?

I would love for you to link up your projects in Raverly or add it to your favorites! 

Pattern Review: Ups and Downs Slouch by Moogly

I follow a lot of crochet designers. I see lots of fabulous patterns in my Facebook feed but every so often I see one that I have to drop everything and make it right away! I loooove slouchy's! I have a ton and written several patterns myself but this one was unique and I just had to make it! 

This slouch is called the Ups and Downs Slouch by Moogly! I've made many Moogly patterns and I'm never disappointed. The pattern is well written and there are lots of pics and links to help you with it along the way! What I loved about this pattern is I learned a new braided look technic. I love learning new things! 

Now the hard part was picking out what yarn to use! I'd recently picked up a few skeins of this amazingly soft yarn called Berrcco Comfort. It's pricier that I usually pay but this blue shade called my name. 

I have a smaller head so I made the Medium but, even though I checked my gauge I think that I pulled a little tight (as I usually do and I was excited about the hat) It fits but the yarn itself doesn't have a lot of stretch so while it fits, it is a beanie style. I still love it and added these fun leopard buttons!  I tried to get my little Calleigh to model it as it fits as a slouchy on her but she didn't want blue. She wanted purple! 

So 2nd attempt I knew I needed purple!! I went with Vanna's Choice Twists in Plum Jam. 

I made the large and it's perfect! I love this yarn and and fit and the whole design. This will be my morning school bus stop hat once it's not like 100 degrees. fall and winter coming soon??? I love fall! 

I decided to just use one button instead of two on this one. 

Thank you Moogly for another great pattern! I would totally suggest you make this hat! 

New Release: Rios Slouch

It's been a long time coming! A new  crochet pattern is here! You know I love slouchy hats! I wanted to designs something light and open for fall. So here it is ......

The Rios Slouch

I choose to use one of my favorite new yarns. Lion Brand Heartland Tweeds. I really could make this hat in every color. This yarn has great drape, it's lightweight and so soft! Even if you don't like slouchy hats you could just leave off a few rows and make it a beanie instead.  This hat works up nice a quick too! 

You can find this pattern in my Ravelry Shop on Sale for a $1.00 off. 

Sale runs Today Wed, Aug 13 - Fri Aug 15th (ending Midnight Central) 

No coupon needed. Discount will apply at check out! 

Buy Now - Rios Slouch

Current Projects and Crochet Cables

I've been obsessed with crochet cables lately! I've been able to test some fun patterns and been inspired to maybe try some of my own cable ideas eventually but I have no idea when! So many ideas and so very little time. Here are a few great cable projects I've done in the past few weeks. 

My friend Rachel over at Silly Stitches wrote this really awesome pattern for a cabled cowl 

called the Myrna Cowl. 

The pattern even includes directions for a cozy, furry lining. This is super warm and fun to make! I made this with Lion Brand Tweed stripes and just looove the way the colors worked up.  

If you love this as much as I did! Then your in luck because she is having a 20% off sale in her 

Etsy Shop Items and Patterns this weekend! Just use the code: 20percentssale

You can see her other two amazing cable patterns I've made here

Cables Button Slouch and Mitts

With all the fun inspiration of cables I'd had, I decided to try my hand at this 

"It's a Hoot Beanie" again. 

I'd made this one around Christmas 2012. It came out smaller than anticipated so it was perfect for Calleigh. I just added a fuzzy trim and big ol' pom pom for fun.  

I've been loving Lion Brand Heartland so I thought I'd try to make a cabled Owl slouch, but I ran out of yarn! I'll have to grab another skien to add a brim to make it slouch more. I also would recommend  doing the owl cable hat in light or brighter colors. I was excited for this charcoal color but you can't really tell the owls are there very well. They just don't pop. I like the way this one turned out but I still have some finishing details I'd like to add. 

Have you tried crochet cables? What did you make? 

Cross Your Heart Slouchy Crochet Pattern

Introducing my newest design! Valentines is just around the corner and slouch hats have been so popular this year that I thought this design was a must! The pattern comes in three versatile sizes toddler, kids, and adult. 

My daughter already loves hers! You can make this in so many color ways. I like a bright color to make the hearts pop! 

The design features cross stitches and simply made heart shapes. It's not difficult but it is rated intermediate. There are a few videos included to help you with the stitches and of course I'm always just an email away if you get stuck! 

This new design is on sale in my Ravelry Shop for $3.50 -  Jan 9-11, 2014 

Cross Your Heart Slouch

(ending midnight central, no coupon needed, discount applied at checkout)

After you make one be sure to link up your projects in Ravelry! I loooove to see your work! 

Want a chance to win a copy of the pattern! Come visit us on Facebook! 

Like, Comment and Share this photo here. (see post for details) 

Oh and If you like the hat be sure to check out this matching freebie!!

Cross Your Heart Coffee Cozy 

Thank you & Enjoy!