Some more little finishes

Hello, everyone,

how was your Christmas? We decided not to celebrate really, just take it easy and relax, didn't even buy presents (only for the kids). Still, I managed to eat more and move less than what I intended.
I am having a bad backache again, and really need to lose weight to help my back. :( I started yesterday but not with much success so far :D


Anyway, I have been stitching and knitting a bit, here is the result. I finished another pattern on my Celtic afghan, this time it is a pattern from a library book, a Celtic Cross. It was originally designed to look like stone in different shades of grey, but I changed the colours so it matches the other patterns more.

And this is what the afghan looks like now. Sorry it is not ironed. I am planning to do four smaller pattern in the corners and then I will see if it needs more or not. Don't want it to bee too much - there are lots of colours in it already.

And I knitted a hat for myself so I have something to go with the scarf I received from my daughter.

I am also knitting a pullover for her in different shades of grey, and I have organised my embroidery threads, among them lots of vintage threads. Will have to take a photo of the boxes and bags tomorrow, when there is more light.
I might want to start some small cross stitch too, tonight. I was looking at pattern books and feel an urgent need to stitch LOL.

I will be soon back with more pictures.
Until then, have fun, friends.

Crocheted and knitted hat tutorial

The weather has turned really cold. One morning it was minus 17! And of course, I have lost my hat.
So I took some yarn from my stash. This is how I made my new crotted hat. Or knicheted? :D

First, I crocheted a circle about 13 cm in diameter, with single crochet:





Then I picked up stitches all around and put them on knitting needles. First tried the double ended versions, but I needed five just to fit them on:



So after a few rows I swithced to circular needles. I knitted 24 rows of garter stitch - about 9 cm. I wanted garter stitch because it is so warm. I had to keep in mind that garter stitch, when knitted on circular needles, is one row knit, one row purl.





This is what it looked from the top:



Then I cast off my knitting.



With the last stitch remaining, I started crocheting again. One row of single crochet was followed by the shell pattern.

If someone wonders, shell pattern works like this: *one single crochet, skip two stitches, 5 double crochet in the same stitch, skip 2 stitches* and repeat between the *-s. For the next row, start with a single crochet in the middle of the "shell", on top of the arc, and make the 5 double crochets in the single crochet of the previous row.



Then, when it reached almost my ears, I thought, it was a bit too wide. (Starting from the top gives us the opportunity of trying the hat on as we go.) So I thought I needed some ribbing. Picked up stitches on the knitting needles again and stitched a knit-one-purl-one rib. I also decreased every 8th stitch, and in the next row every 7th. So it became a bit more snug around my head - although it is still just a little loose.

I don't have a photo of this stage as I was knitting in the car while going and coming home from work.
After 5 cms of ribbing I cast of again, and did three more rows of the shell crochet pattern. Had to pull the hat together a little in the back, so it doesn't fall forward on my eyes, so I did that with a few stitches.

Here. It can be worn as a hat, with the shells as a brim:



or the second shell-part folded back and hiding the ribbing totally (I prefer it this way):