Coming up

It's been slow on the blog. My family has run into a small, and hopefully temporary, crisis. But I am also working on some new things that I am excited about. I'm drafting some new baby patterns. 3 girl hats are currently in the works.

I am also starting a YouTube vlog with beginner crochet tutorials, working up to more complicated things. I also want to use it to post pattern-support videos for my patterns that I get the most questions about. That would be the pattern stitch in Morgan and how to form the Mobius in 2 cowl patterns arriving soon: Quinn and Charlotte.

In the meantime, if you make something based off one of the free patterns listed here or any of my paid patterns, I would love to see them! Comment, email me at TangledArts@gmail.com or put up a ravelry project page. Love seeing those FO's!

And here are some gratuitous pictures of my face. (That first one is Quinn, btw)

Crochet How-To One-Piece Mobius

I'm a big fan of the one-piece Mobius. A Mobius gives a nice shape and drape to a piece. You can achieve a Mobius by just crocheting a rectangle and adding a twist before joining. I use that technique in Chloe. BUT I am not a big fan of seaming. It seems so tedious. And when I finish crocheting something, I want to be done with it. I don't want to have to do a bunch of sewing.

 

This technique for a one-piece Mobius forms a seamless piece. I've used this method in two soon-to-be released cowl patterns: Quinn and Charlotte.

 

The technique is really quite easy, but it's a little difficult to explain in writing. So I created a simple, short tutorial video to help explain.

 

 

 

More crochet tutorials are on their way, so be sure to check here or my YouTube channel often. Also, you can stay up-to-date with everything going on with TangledArts including new free patterns by becoming a fan on Facebook.  Thanks for watching!

I really dropped the ball.....

Here is that story I promised

 

My Button Elephant

Sometimes I just need a break from crochet. I know, I know, it's hard to believe. But it's true nonetheless.

So, what do you do on a crochet break? Craft something else, of course!

There's a project I've been meaning to do for a while, so I broke out my glue gun and here is the result:

Sorry for the blurry pic. I'll try for a better one later.)

I basically followed the fabulous tutorial by Busted Button.

I made a few very minor changes. I did not use her elephant outline; I did my own. I also put it on fabric in an embroidery hoop instead of on a frame. I like hoops. I thought about sewing the buttons on instead of gluing them, but then I wouldn't have been able to make more than one layer, which makes it more dense so less fabric shows through the buttons on the elephant. Plus the layering is super cute.

Overall, I like it. I wish I had made the yarn for the flowers (balloons?) a little straighter. I was trying to make it not quite straight and I ended up going too far the other way. But once it's glued, it's glued, so I'm calling it fine, lol.

It was also really quick. I did it all in one evening after my daughter went to bed. (Hot glue + 18-month-old = trouble)

This is now hanging in Sofia's room and it goes great with her paisley elephant curtains.

So.....I have two more embroidery hoops.......

FREE PATTERN - Basic Chunky Earflap Hat

It's a bit out of season, but here is the pattern for Kara:

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Materials:

  3oz bulky (5) yarn
Crochet hook size J (6mm)

Yarn needle

Rnd 1: Ch 2, work 8 hdc in 2nd ch from hook; join with slip stitch to 1st hdc; turn.  (8 hdc)

Rnd 2: Ch 1 (does not count as hdc here or throughout), work 2 hdc in same stitch and in each stitch around; join with slip stitch to 1st hdc; turn.  (16 hdc)

Rnd 3: Ch 1, work 2 hdc in same stitch as join, hdc in next stitch, *2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in next stitch; repeat from * around; join with slip stitch to 1st hdc; turn.  (24 hdc)

Rnd 4: Ch 1, work 2 hdc in same stitch as join, hdc in each of the next 2 stitches, *2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in each of the next 2 stitches; repeat from * around; join with slip stitch to 1st hdc; turn.  (32 hdc)

Rnd 5: Ch 1, work 2 hdc in same stitch as join, hdc in each of the next 3 stitches, *2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in each of the next 3 stitches; repeat from * around; join with slip stitch to 1st hdc; turn.  (40 hdc)

Rnd 6: Ch 1, work 2 hdc in same stitch as join, hdc in each of the next 4 stitches, *2 hdc in next stitch, hdc in each of the next 4 stitches; repeat from * around; join with slip stitch to 1st hdc; turn.  (48 hdc)

Rnd 7: Ch 1, hdc in same stitch and in each stitch around; join with slip stitch to 1st hdc; turn.  (48 hdc)

Rnd 8-14: Repeat Rnd 7.

First Earflap

Rnd 15: Ch 1, hdc in each of the next 8 hdc; turn.  (8 hdc)

Rnd 16: Ch 1, hdc2tog over next 2 hdc, hdc in each of the next 4 hdc, hdc2tog over last 2 hdc; turn

Rnd 17: Ch 1, hdc in each of the next 6 hdc; turn. (6 hdc)

Rnd 18: Ch 1, hdc2tog over next 2 hdc, hdc in each of the next 2 hdc, hdc2tog over last 2 hdc; turn

Rnd 19: Ch 1, hdc in each of the next 4 hdc; turn.  (4 hdc)
Rnd 20: Ch 1, hdc2tog over next 2 hdc, hdc2tog over last 2 hdc; turn

Rnd 21: Ch 1, hdc in each of the next 2 hdc; turn.  (2 hdc)

Rnd 22: Ch 1, hdc2tog. Fasten off.

Second Earflap

Skip 16 sts from 1st earflap along Rnd 14. Join yarn with a slip stitch to the 17th stitch.

 
Rnd 15: Ch 1, hdc in each of the next 8 hdc; turn.  (8 hdc)

Rnd 16: Ch 1, hdc2tog over next 2 hdc, hdc in each of the next 4 hdc, hdc2tog over last 2 hdc; turn

Rnd 17: Ch 1, hdc in each of the next 6 hdc; turn. (6 hdc)

Rnd 18: Ch 1, hdc2tog over next 2 hdc, hdc in each of the next 2 hdc, hdc2tog over last 2 hdc; turn

Rnd 19: Ch 1, hdc in each of the next 4 hdc; turn.  (4 hdc)
Rnd 20: Ch 1, hdc2tog over next 2 hdc, hdc2tog over last 2 hdc; turn

Rnd 21: Ch 1, hdc in each of the next 2 hdc; turn.  (2 hdc)

Rnd 22: Ch 1, hdc2tog.

Edging

Ch 1, sc in same stitch, work 5 sc evenly along side of earflap, sc2tog over edge of earflap and next hdc of Rnd 14; sc in each hdc to stitch before next earflap, sc2tog over next hdc and edge of earflap, work 5 sc evenly along edge of earflap to point, [2 sc, ch 2, 2 sc] in point, work 5 sc evenly along side of earflap, sc2tog over edge of earflap and next hdc of Rnd 14; sc in each hdc to stitch before next earflap, sc2tog over next hdc and edge of earflap, work 5 sc evenly along edge of earflap to point, [2 sc, ch 2] in point, join with a slip stitch to 1st ch 1. Fasten off.

Ties

Cut 6 2-foot lengths of yarn, loop through ch-2 space at peak of one earflap and braid, holding 2 strands together. Knot end. Repeat at other earflap.