Crochet? Hooray!: Captain America Beret

Full disclosure: I have actually been crocheting for about a year and a half now.

I found my grandmother's hooks in my basement while cleaning one day. She had died when I was...I wanna say 10? I was in school and the funeral was out of state, so I wasn't able to go. When my parents came home, they brought me a few trinkets, some jewelry and her pouch of crochet hooks. She was very creative. I have one of her afghans, one she made me for Christmas one year. It's my favorite blanket, warm and soft and full of love. I tried at one point to learn how to crochet in middle school, but some tension issues and adolescent frustration lead to putting them away for many years. I picked up knitting and I loved it, but when I found the hooks, I felt guilty for not using them.

So, I set out to change that. I sat down with her hooks, and some yarn, and a few YouTube videos, and made my first granny square. Then a shawl. And I loved it. Now, I crochet almost every day. I hardly ever knit, crochet is so much faster. I still have my needles, and maybe someday I'll pick them up again. But for now, it's happy hooking for me.

Last year, a friend wanted a hat to commemorate her love of all things Cap. I couldn't find a pattern at the time, so I designed one. I crocheted through this pattern a few times, and the number of stitches of blue to crochet around the star hasn't been quite...consistent. But the overall technique is solid. So here it is, in time for the upcoming premier of  Winter Soldier, the Captain America Beret:

I used the silvery yarn and a darker red to look more like the shield from the movies, but bright red white and blue work equally well.

G hook

~With white yarn~

Create a slip knot.
5sc in loop, pull tight
2sc in each sc around (10)
*2sc in stitch, 1 sc* around (15)
*sl, ch 6, [1sc in 1st ch, 1hdc, 1dc, 1htc, 1tc], skip 1 stich, s1* 5 times
sc around
sl st join 2nd color [blue]

~Blue~
ch 5, 1tc, 1htc, 1dc, 1hdc, 1sc, *1hdc, 1dc, 1htc, 2tc, skip 1, 2tc, 1htc, 1dc, 1hdc, 3sc* repeat 3 more times, 1hdc, 1dc, 1htc, 1tc, sl to join {ed. note: No matter how many times I test this, this row, and as a result the next, are always a bit off. The take away is basicly to transition from triples at the bottom to singles at the points.}
ch3, dc, hdc, 2sc, sl *sl, 2sc, hdc, 3dc, hdc, 2sc, 2sl* repeat 3 more times, s1, 2sc, hdc, dc, sl to join 3rd color[red] (55)

~Red~
ch3, *4dc, 2sc in same st* around, sl to join (66)
ch3, *5dc, 2dc in same st* around, sl to join [white] (77)

~White~
ch3, *6dc, 2dc in same st* around, sl to join (88)
ch3, *7dc, 2dc in same st* around, sl to join [red] (99)

~Red~
ch3, *8dc, 2dc in same st* around, sl to join (110)
ch3, dc around, sl to join (110)
ch3, *8dc, dctog* around, sl to join (99)
ch3, *7dc, dctog* around, sl to join (88)
ch3, *6dc, dctog* around, sl to join (77)
ch3, *5dc, dctog* around, sl to join (66)
ch3, *4dc, dctog* around, sl to join (55)
ch3, *3dc, dctog* around, sl to join (44)
ch2, hdc around, sl to join, twice
ch1, sc around, sl to join
Repeat final row once, finish off

If you use this pattern, please do not sell the items. It is for personal use only. However, feel free to send me a picture, I love to see what people make!

Nerdy Knits: Twilight Alphabet for Knitters

It's been well over a year, but my Potter Alphabet continues to be my most popular post, by far, outstripping all other posts combined. In that vein, I have decided to continue with a series of sci-fi/fantasy fonts so that you lovelies can let your own creativity shine. SO with out further ado, I present, the Twilight font:

I chose to do all lower case, as the book titles are all written in lower case.

As always, you are free to use this pattern in any way you see fit, provided two things:

1.) Do not sell my charts directly
2.) If you sell an item made using my charts, please credit it back to this page

Other than that, it's free, always will be. Have fun!

New! A Doctor Who font!

Nerdy Knits: Baby Corset

I'm finally getting around to posting more of that outfit I made for my sweet niece, V.

  

I hear she was the hit of the steampunk wedding. I made the dress, too, but that was just adjusting some seams on a 2T snap side turtleneck, and making poof sleeves out of the excess fabric. I then used a bit of lace to create a bustle, and a small rosette for the neck, tacked down with a scrolly silver button. The meat of this was the corset. 

It took me about a day to complete, beginning to end, and I really enjoyed the challenge. I improvised the whole thing, and, luck for you, wrote it down as I was going. It ended up being about a 9-12 month size, but with the lacing, that's kind of flexible.

As before, If you find an issue, please tell me so that I may correct it. The "boning" is created by simple striping, and the slanted "boning" utilizes short rows to maintain a rectangular shape. I used size 4 needles, but you can size up or down for fit.

co14 mc
k 3 rows
k1 [yo k2tog] 6 times k1
k 5 rows
switch to cc
k 2 rows
switch to mc
k 8 rows
switch to cc
k 2 rows
switch to mc
k 8 rows
switch to cc
k 2 rows
switch to mc
k 8 rows
switch to cc
k 2 rows
switch to mc
k 4 rows
k11, turn and k back
k8, turn and k back
k5, turn and k back
k2, turn and k back
switch to cc
k 2 rows
switch to mc
k 1 row
k2, turn and k back
k5, turn and k back
k8, turn and k back
k11, turn and k back
k 8 rows
k11, turn and k back
k8, turn and k back
k5, turn and k back
k2, turn and k back
k 1 row
switch to cc
k 2 rows
switch to mc
k2, turn and k back
k5, turn and k back
k8, turn and k back
k11, turn and k back
k 4 rows
switch to cc
k 2 rows
switch to mc
k 8 rows
switch to cc
k 2 rows
switch to mc
k 8 rows
switch to cc
k 2 rows
switch to mc
k 8 rows
switch to cc
k 2 rows
switch to mc
k 5 rows
k1 [yo k2tog] 6 times k1
k 3 rows
Bind off

I then picked up all of the stitches on the bottom, and knit a simple ruffle, though, alas, I didn't document it. This part is optional anyway.

Weave in all ends, lace up with a complimentary color of cording or ribbon. Enjoy your elegant infant!

(My sister-out-law with her beautiful baby)

Nerdy Knits: Doctor Who Fob Watch

So. Recently I made a steampunk outfit for my adorable niece Vi to wear to a theme wedding. It was fun and easy to make, and holy crap is she cute in it. I mean, vomit inducing cute. Pictures to follow as soon as I have them, I promise.

Her father is possibly a bigger Whovian than I am, so when I got the idea to add a pocket watch to her costume, I knew which one it had to be. The Doctor's watch. The Fob. Since the idea made me giggle, I figured the finished project would be fairly epic. It was also an insanely quick knit, finished in one evening. I simplified the map of space time to be easier to embroider with something as bulky as yarn.

DISCLAIMER: Only I have knit this and only once. If there are mistakes, let me know and I will happily fix them. This is my very first written pattern, so be gentle.

Materials used: Caron Simply Soft in heather and black, the back of a plastic grocery bag, cut to size

Gauge and needles: About 4st/inch. I used size 3, use whatever you need, or size up or down for desired size.

Abbreviations used: co-cast on; st-stitches; k-knit; p-purl; k1fb-increase by knitting into the front and back of one stitch; k2tog-knit two together. Got it? Good, moving on.

The pattern:
For both the back piece and the watch cover start here-
Using the longtail method, co 5st
Row 1: knit
2:k1, k1fb, p1, k1fb, k1
3:knit
4:k1, k1fb, p3, k1fb, k1
5:knit
6:k1, k1fb, p5, k1fb, k1
7:knit
8:k1, k1fb, p7, k1fb, k1
9:knit
10:k1, k1fb, p9, k1fb, k1
11:knit
12:k2, p11, k2
13:knit
14:k2, p11, k2
15:knit
16:k1, k2tog, p9, k2tog, k1
17:knit
18:k1, k2tog, p7, k2tog, k1
19:knit
20:k1, k2tog, p5, k2tog, k1
21:knit
22:k1, k2tog, p3, k2tog, k1
23:knit
24:k1, k2tog, p1, k2tog, k1
25:knit
(Bind off here for cover, keep knitting for back)
26:k1, s1, k2tog, psso, k1
27:knit
28:purl
29:knit
30:k1, k1fb, k1
31:knit
32:k1, k2fb, k1
33:knit
34:k1, k2tog twice, k1
35:k2tog twice
2 stich icord 2 inches or so
k2fb
4 stich icord 4 inches or so (to fit the baby's hand)
k2tog twice
k2tog
trim yarn, pull through final loop
double over the 4 stitch icord, sew down end

See diagram for picture to embroider w/contrast color

Sew two pieces together w/cc, stuffing with plastic bag, adding rattle if desired.

For more Who goodness, check out my new Doctor Who font!

Nerdy Knits: Potter Alphabet for Knitting

I have been knitting some Hogwarts inspired items lately, and wanted to incorporate lettering. I looked high and low, but, to my astonishment, I couldn't find anyone who had charted the lettering for my knitting use. Therefore, I have spent the last couple of days hunched over my laptop, recreating, as faithfully as possible, the iconic Potter font in knit chart form. I know my fellow crafty fans will make great use of it, so I wanted to freely give it to you.

With a few exceptions (M, W, etc...) I have tried to block them in a simple 15x15 grid. This might make smaller items impossible, but you can't get a whole lot smaller without losing too much detail. If there is demand, I can post individual letters, but the resolution will be the same. I hope you guys enjoy using these!

Update:
I have also posted a chart for a Twilight inspired font for the Twi-hards, and a Doctor Who font for you Whovians.