copyright © 08/27/04 Dot Matthews

Materials
4 oz ww yarn
I hook

Specialty St:
PUFF ST: (yo, insert hook in designated st, yo draw up a loop) 3 times. there will be 7 loops on hook. Now yo, draw through 6 loops, yo draw through remaining 2 loops. Puff Stitch made.

Note 1: pattern is worked with every other stitch a puff stitch, example=dc, puff, dc, puff, dc, puff.
Note 2: numbers at the end of the row in ( ) indicate number of stitches for the row.
Note 3: beginning ch 3 counts as first dc

ROW 1: Ch 4, 11 dc in 1st ch, join in 3rd chain. (12 sts)

ROW 2: Ch 3, puff st in same st as join, (dc and puff st in next st) around. Join in top of beg ch. (24 sts-12 puff st and 12 dc) Note: refer to specialty stitch instructions at beginning of pattern to see how to make a puff stitch

ROW 3: ch 3, puff st in same st as join, (dc in next st, puff st and dc in next st, puff st in next st, dc and puff st in next st,) around. Join in top of beg ch. (36 sts - 18 puff sts and 18 dc)

ROW 4: ch 3, puff st in same st as join, (dc in next st, puff st in next st, dc and puff st in next st) around. (48 sts - 24 puff sts and 24 dc)

ROW 5: ch 3, puff st in same st as join. dc in next st, puff st in next st, dc in next st.
Puff st and dc in next st, puff st in next st, dc in next st, puff st in next st.
(dc and puff st in next st, dc in next st, puff st in next st, dc in next st.
puff st and dc in next st, puff st in next, dc in next st, puff st in next st.) around. join in top of beg ch.
(60 sts - 30 puffs and 30 dc)

ROW 6: ch 3, puff st in next st, (dc in next st, puff st in next st) around. Join in top of beg ch 3.
(60 sts - 30 puffs and 30 dc)

ROW 7: repeat row 6

ROW 8: repeat row 6

next row is a decrease row

ROW 9: ch 3, puff st in next st, dc in next st,
sk next st, puff st in next st, dc in next st, puff st in next st,
(sk next st, dc in next st, puff st in next st, dc in next st,
sk next st, puff st in next st, dc in next st, puff st in next st) around, ending with puff st in last st, remember to keep every other stitch a puff stitch. Join in top of beg ch 3.  (46 sts - 23 puffs and 23 dc)

ROW 10: ch 3, puff st in next st, (dc in next st, puff st in next st) around. Join in top of beg ch 3. (46 sts - 23 puffs and 23 dc)

ROW 11: ch 3, puff st in same st as join, (dc and puff st in next st) around. Join in top of beg ch 3. (92 sts - 46 puffs and 46 dc)

ROW 12: ch 3, puff st in next st, (dc in next st, puff st in next st) 4 times, *dc and puff st in next st, (dc in next st, puff st in next st )5 times, * repeat from * around, ending with dc and puff st in next st, (dc in next st, puff st in next st) 2 times. Join in top of beg ch 3. (100 sts - 50 puffs and 50 dc) Fasten off and weave in ends.

I made this Ear Cozy and fuzzy scarf as a retirement gift for my friend and coworker, Eva. She's retiring at the end of this month after threatening to do so for many years.

The Ear Cozy is made with Lion Brand Jiffy, Quick & Easy Mohair Look Yarn (what a mouthfull), trimmed in 1 strand each of Lion Brand Fun Fur in Lava (a black and white verigated) and White. The fuzzy scarf is made holding 3 strands of the fun fur together and single crocheting over 5 stitches until it's as long as I wanted.

I'm looking forward to attending her party and seeing my friends again.

On my outing to A. C. Moore the other day, I stopped by Walmart and purchased 3 large plastic bins so I could sort my yarn and get it organized and out of the bags and out of my way. BIG JOKE! I filled those bins, added them to my other 4 full bins, and I still have enough yarn to fill 3 or 4 or more. I have one tall kitchen garbage bag filled with 8 oz skeins of white, nothing but white. I have another bag filled with the Christmas yarn, red, green, and white, with the silver or gold thread running through it, and I have 1 large bin and 1 huge laundry basket filled with nothing but blue. I still have an assortment of other yarns just laying around on my "craft table", you know the one I was going to clean off a couple months ago. It never happened. It grew taller. I'm trying to dig my way out...I promise you, I'm crocheting as fast as I can.

It must be evil, because when I walk thru the doors, my eyes instantly glaze over, my feet rush me straight to the yarn, my arms start reaching, and my hands start grabbing. I must be under some evil influence, don't you think? Why else would I act like that. I do not have YAS. I don't!

My husband is so going to kill me. I spent $84.00, and I wanted to spend more. No, wait...I'm not married. Oh, what a relief. Never mind then, it doesn't matter if I spent like a maniac. There's no one to stop me.

My site, along with another, has been chosen by Sutty Girl as her choice for "Site of the Week". Thank you Sutty, I am honored to be chosen by you.

I stopped worrying about trying to come up with patterns and went back to working on chemo caps and what do you suppose happened. I finished 9 hats and created 3 new patterns. I've only posted 2 so far but I'll get the other one posted soon.  All in all, not bad for 3 days work.

J Hook
Red Heart Super Saver Fleck, Aran Fleck
Hat size Adult medium/large
relaxed measurements 21½"; stretched measurements 24"

gauge: 3 rows=2"; 6 sts=2"

ROW 3: Ch 3, dc in same st as join, 1 dc in next st, (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next st) around. Join in top of beg ch. (36 sts)

ROW 4: Ch 3, dc in same st as join, 1 dc in next 2 sts, (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next 2 sts) around. Join in top of beg ch 3. (48 sts)

ROW 5: Ch 3, dc in same st as join, 1 dc in next 3 sts, (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next 3 sts) around. Join in top of beg ch 3. (60 sts)

ROW 6: Ch 3, dc next st and in each st around. Join in top of ch 3. (60 sts)

ROW 7: Ch 3, cluster in next st, (dc in next st, cluster in next st) around. Join in top of beg ch 3.
(30 clusters and 30 dc's)

Note: cluster st=*yo, insert hook in st, yo, pull up a loop, yo, draw thru 2 loops on hook* repeat from * 3 times more, yo, draw thru 5 loops on hook. (cluster made)

ROW 8: Ch 1, sc in same st as join, sc in next st and in each st around. Join in first sc. (60 sts)

ROW 9: Repeat row 7. (30 clusters and 30 dc's)

ROW 10: Repeat Row 8. (60 sts)

ROW 11: Repeat row 7. (30 clusters and 30 dc's)

ROW 12: Repeat row 8. (60 sts)

ROW 13: Ch 1, sc in same st as join, 1 sc in next 9 sts, dec over next 2 sts (1 sc in next 10 sts, dec over next 2 sts) around, join in first sc. (55 sts)

Note: dec over next 2 sts = insert hook in next st, pull up a loop, insert hook in next st, pull up a loop, yo and pull thru 3 loops on hook.

ROW 14: Ch 1, sc in same st as join, 1 sc in next st and in each st around. (55 sts)

ROW 15: Repeat row 14. (55 sts)

ROW 16: Ch 1, sc in same st as join, sk next st, 4 sc in next st, sk next st, (sc in next st, sk next st, 4 sc in next st, sk next st) around. Join in first sc. (70 sts) Fasten off and weave in ends. 

This is a small beret like hat that works up quickly and will make a very nice chemo cap. It's hard to see in the picture, but it has 2 rows of the berry stitch, which gives the hat a little more interest around the face.

VERY BERRY

copyright  © 08/16/04 Dot Matthews

Hat size Adult Medium/large
Hat measures 21" relaxed; 24" stretched

K hook; Caron Simply Soft, or any WW yarn
Gauge 3 rows = 2"; 6 dc's = 2"

Note 1: Beginning ch 3 counts as first stitch
Note 2: Join rows, but do not turn.
Note 3: Numbers in ( ) at end of rows depict number of stitches for that row.

Special Stitches:
Berry Stitch - Insert hook in stitch, pull up a loop, (yo, draw through 1 loop on hook) 3 times, yo, draw through last 2 loops on hook to complete the stitch.

decrease (dec) - pull up a loop in next st, pull up a loop in next st, yo and draw through all 3 loops on hook.

ROW 1: Ch 4, 11 dc in 1st st. (12 sts)

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

ROW 3: Ch 3, dc in same st as join, 1 dc in next st, (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next st) around. Join in top of beg chain 3. (36 sts)

ROW 4: Ch 3, dc in same st as join, 1 dc in next 2 sts, (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next 2 sts) around.  Join in top of beg chain 3. (48 sts)

ROW 5: Ch 3, dc in same st as join, 1 dc in next 3 sts, (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next 3 sts) around. Join in top of beg chain 3. (60 sts)

ROW 6: Ch 3, 1 dc in next st and in each st around. Join in top of beg ch 3. (60 sts)

ROW 7: Repeat row 6.

ROW 8: Repeat row 6.

NOTE: A  Berry Stitch is made similar to a single crochet but when you have 2 loops on hook, instead of yarn over and draw through both loops on hook to complete the single crochet, do 3 chains, then yo and draw through both loops on hook.

ROW 9 (Berry Stitch Row): Ch 1, Berry Stitch in same stitch as join and in each stitch around. Join in first berry stitch. (see special stitch instructions at beginning of pattern). (60 berry stitches)

ROW 10: Repeat row 9. (60 berry stitches)

ROW 11: Ch 1, sc in same st as join, sc in next st and in ea st around. Join in first sc. (60 sts)

NOTE: Hat size can be adjusted at this point. For a larger size, repeat row 11 instead of doing row 12, then go on to row 13.

ROW 12: Ch 1, sc in same st as join, sc in next 2 sts, (dec over next 2 sts, sc in next 3 sts) around. Join in first sc. (48 sts)

ROW 13: Ch 1, sc in same st as join, sc in next st and in ea st around. Join in first sc. (48 sts)

ROW 14: Ch 1, sc in same st as join, sc in next st and in ea st around. Join in first sc. (48 sts)

ROW 15: Ch 1, sl in same st as join, ch 1, (sl st in next st, ch 1) around, join in first st. Fasten off and weave in ends.

copyright © 08/12/04 Dot Matthews

Materials
J hook
4 oz Red Heart Hokey Pokey, Robins Egg

With J hook, gauge= 3 rows = 2" and 7 sts = 2"
J hook makes a 22" hat
G hook makes a 18" hat
H hook makes a 20" hat

Note 1: beginning ch 3 counts as first stitch
Note 2: numbers in ( ) at end of rows state number of stitches for that row
Note 3: rows are joined, but not turned at the end

ROW 1: Ch 4, 11 dc in 1st ch, join in 3rd ch of beginning ch. (12 sts)

ROW 2: Ch 3, (2 dc in next st) around, end with 1 dc in the join of previous row. [that's the stitch right next to the beginning ch] join to top of beginning ch (24 sts)

ROW 3: Ch 3, 2 dc in next st, (1 dc in next st, 2 dc's in next st) around. Join in top of beginning ch (36 sts)

ROW 4: Ch 3, (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next 2 sts) around, to last 2 sts, end with 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next st. Join in top of beginning ch. (48 sts)

ROW 5: Ch 3, (2 dc in next st, 1 dc in next 3 dc) around to last 3 sts. End with 2 dc in next st, 1 dc in last 2 sts. Join in top of beginning ch. (60 sts)

ROW 6: Ch 3, (1 dc in next st) around. Join in top of beginning ch. (60 sts)

ROW 7: Repeat row 6. (60 sts)

ROW 8: Ch 3, 4 dc in same st as join, sk 2 sts, sc in next st, sk 2 sts, (5 dc in next st, sk 2 sts, sc in next st, sk 2 sts) around. Join in top of beginning ch 3. (50 dc's and 10 sc's)

ROW 9: Sl st in next 2 sts, ch 1, sc in same st, sk 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, sk 2 sts, (sc in next st, sk 2 sts, 5 dc in next st, sk 2 st) around. Join in 1st sc. (50 dc's and 10 sc's)

ROW 10: Repeat row 8.

ROW 11: Repeat row 9. Fasten off and weave in ends.

NOTE: For longer hat, continue repeating row 8 and row 9 until hat fits the way you want it to.

CURLS FOR SARAH'S SHELLS

1. Leaving a long tail, Ch 30, 2 dc in 4th ch from hook, 3 dc in next st to within 3 sts of end of chain, sl st in next st.

2. ch 25, 2 dc in 4th ch from hook, 3 dc in next st to end of chain, sl st in next st.

3. ch 25, 2 dc in 4th ch from hook, 3 dc in next st to end of chain, sl st in last st, then sl st in first dc of first curl. Leaving a long tail, fasten off. Do not weave in ends.

4. Tie the 2 tails together, and pull both tails through the center top of hat to the inside. Separate the tails and weave one tail under one or 2 stitches and weave the other tail under one or 2 stitches directly across from it.

5. Tie the tails into a bow if you wish to have the curls removeable or tie the tails in a knot if you want them to be permanent. Weave in ends if the curls will be a permanent part of the hat.

Just in case you were worried about me, I wanted to tell you that I no longer have a constipated brain. I've found a great place to buy yarn (AC Moore) and I've managed to finish 2 hats and even created a new pattern. It's not much but it's a start.

I'm just about ready to send off 4 designs to Lark Books. I'm really looking forward to seeing how that pans out. Wouldn't it be fun if they actually did choose to publish them?

Oh, and one more thing. I just got back from the heart specialist and he is very happy to tell me not to come back. I'm OK. He actually is surprised. Lungers, (as he called me) usually have very bad heart problems due to the heart having to work so hard to pump blood to the lungs. But I'm not showing any signs of heart disease. Makes me a very happy hooker!