Thought I better put another post here so people won't think the last one was my "last one". lol. I'm feeling better now and hope to get back to crocheting. I'm in the middle of making a preemie outfit. It's the same thing as the pinafore outfits I've been making only it's tiny. I'm looking for a frilly bonnet to go with it but it looks like I'm going to have to use my imagination and just make one up. I don't like the way the pattern I found is working up. I'll post pictures as soon as I finish.

I'm having a bad air day. lol Get it? Bad Air...bad hair...Anyway, I can't breathe. The weather turned off cold last night and that's probably why.

My friend, Sylvia, from work, once gave me a picture with that saying on it (when you can't breathe, nothing else matters). She knew the problems I was having even before I did. It's a quote from the American Lung Association, I think, and it's the truest statement I've ever heard. I'm an ex-smoker. The "ex" only coming on the day I was hospitalized and diagnosed with COPD. I left the hospital 11 days later without my cigarettes but with my new pal, the oxygen tank. Well, the doctors told me for years to quit. Son of a gun! They knew what they were talking about. That was 2 years ago (April 11, 2002) and I haven't worked a day since. You've heard of surprise parties? Well, I had a surprise retirement.

Today I can't breathe. Today I can't walk from my bedroom to the kitchen without sitting down to rest. Today I'm staggering around like a drunk (been there, done that, too). So, it's safer just to sit still and not move around too much.

Well, all righty then! Enough of that. Rant's over...it's off to bed with me, I need my rest, You never know, I might want to walk back to the kitchen again later today.

I am now a proud member of the Crochet Blog Ring. Thanks to Marlo for taking the time to visit my site and recommend that I join the blog ring...and thanks to Donna for being so patient with me and helping me get the ring's codes on my site. Without you I'd only have a pretty button and no way to navigate the ring.

Made a  couple changes today. Added a do hickie on the side to leave comments in if you want. Added a link to my album of pictures of completed projects and removed the WIPS list. Should have been a WILL (works in limbo list) anyway. I don't need a list of things sitting over there tormenting me every time I come here. I know they need to be finished I just don't want to finish them. If I ever do get them finished, I'll post pictures.

DOUBLE CROSSED 
      
 
copyright © 04/24/2004 Dot Matthews

07/02/04 This pattern has now been tested and corrections have been made in blue. I want to thank CatBookMom, aka Barbara, who took the time to identify the errors and email me with suggestions for corrections. Thank you so much Barbara, I appreciate your help.

This is my original pattern, I labored over every stitch, and wrote it all down as I went. I frogged it so many times I nearly wore out the yarn. That being said, please feel free to use this pattern in any way you want. I only ask that you give me credit (or blame me) for writing it, and pictures would be nice if you want to share.

Materials: I used ww cotton and a K hook. Finished hat weighs 6 oz.
Hat is worked holding 3 strands together.
Ch 3 counts as 1st st on every row.  Do not turn rows unless instructed to do so.

ROW 1: Ch 4, 11 dc in 1st ch, join in top of beg ch. (12 sts)

ROW 2: Ch 3, dc in same space as joining, 2 dc in ea st around. Join in top of beg ch. (24 sts.)

ROW 3: Ch 3, dc in same st as joining. (dc in next st, 2 dc in next st)around. Join in top of beg ch. (36 sts)

ROW 4: Ch 3, dc in same st as joining, (dc in next 2 sts, 2 dc in next st) around, join in top of beg ch. (48 sts)

ROW 5: Ch 3, dc in st to the right of the join (that's in the last dc of the previous row) sk next dc, dc in next st, dc in skipped st (that's the stitch you just skipped NOTE: this forms a crossed dc ), now working forward again, sk next dc, dc in next st, dc in skipped st around. Join in top of beg ch 3 (24 crossed stitch groups)

ROW 6: Repeat row 5

Row 7: Repeat row 5

Row 8: Ch 2 (counts as 1st Hdc), Hdc in ea st around. Join in top of beg ch 2(48 sts)

Working in back loop only
Row 9: ch 1, turn. Work in back loop only, (2 sc in next st, 1 sc in next st) repeat around. Join in 1st sc. turn (72 sts)

Row 10: (do not ch 1) work in back loop, only sl st in next 21 sts
Now, work in both loops, sc in next 5 sts, hdc in next 20 sts, sc in next 5 sts,
Now work in back loops only, sl st in next 21 sts around. Do not join, and do not turn. Mark beginning st with contrasting yarn or a stitch marker. (72 sts)

Row 11: Repeat row 10. (72 sts)

Row 12: Work in back loop only, sl st in next 21sts,
Now work in both loops, sc in next 5 sts,
(1 Hdc in next st, 2 Hdc in next st) repeat 9 times, sc in next 5 sts.
Now work in back loop only, sl st in next 21 sts around. (82 sts)

Row 13: Work in back loop only, sl st in next 21 sts, work in both loops sl st in next 40
Work in back loop only, sl st in next 21 sts around. (82 sts) Fasten off and weave in ends

I'm no longer doing the happy dance. I've tried three times to post the hat pattern here and three times I've lost it. I believe I'll put this away for now and come back to it later...but wait! Would you like to see a picture? You would? OK here goes...

Here's a picture of the pinafore outfit I finished this afternoon. I just love making it. I got the pattern at Crotiques web site. Now maybe I can get back to working on writing the hat pattern.

Sometime during the night, I learned a new trick...if you click on someones name in the comments it takes you to their blog. Now I'm sure you all already knew that but I didn't and I was fretting over how to reply to comments made. Is this what they refer to as "tagging"?

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