One-Day Contest at San Diego County Fair

I mentioned I was entering a couple of items in the San Diego County Fair this year. Additional features of the Fair will be a speed contest - well, not just speed - you have to follow a pattern and the winner will be determined by the most correct number of rows. Also a "wearable recycled art" contest. I'm going to try to enter both events, both are one-day events, which includes entry to the Fair on the day of the contest.

Should be fun.

County Fair Entries

I've decided to enter a couple of crochet items in the San Diego County Fair.

I've chosen the 9-pointed popcorn round ripple and the burgundy cable hat. There are a couple of one-day competitions as well, one is for recycled wearable art and a crochet contest following a pattern.

Wish me luck!

Hard Crochet - Stetson-style Hat finished

I recently purchased the book "Hard Crochet" by Mark Dittrick. The book was published in 1978, and documents a crochet technique using extremely tight tension and a small hook to create a very firm fabric. One of the projects in Mr. Dittrick's book is a Stetson-Styled hat. You can see the results here on my granddaughter. I'm keeping this hat for myself.

New Hat by request

I received a custom request for a hat for a friend of a potential customer based on another hat I had made, but in a different color (black) and "flatter on top". Never one to back away from a challenge, I spent several days getting it to look the way the potential buyer described it. Well, after finishing the hat and sending pictures to the potential customer, she notified me her friend had already found a hat. Too bad for me. Oh well, this cloud has a silver lining because I like the new hat so much, I'm attempting to duplicate it and will eventually create a pattern for this one.

Pattern Finished - Adult Cable Motif Beanie with Brim

Well, I finally finished my hat pattern. It's available on Etsy or Lulu. Lulu is pretty cool, because you can download the pattern directly from that site. With Etsy, I am notified by email that someone has purchased something, then I have to send it myself. I've sold several patterns, and am encouraged to produce more. The only problem is that I enjoy making the hats more than making the pattern. Oh, well. Whatever works.

Anyway, I'm now working on another hat pattern. When I finish all the Christmas gifts I've started, I'll concentrate on that one.

'Til next time.

First Hat Sold

I sold my first hat this week, so I decided to list some more on my Etsy Store. The original hat.

I've had some nice comments about my hats and requests for patterns. All I've got to say is I prefer to do the hats than write down how I do them, so progress is slower than I'd like on the hats.

9-pointed Popcorn Round Ripple Afghan Pattern

I've been active on Crochetville for a few months now, joined a few CALs (Crochetalongs to the uninitiated). One of the CALs was for making Round Ripples, which are easier than they look. Anyway, after making a few RRs, I wanted something different, so I designed my own version. It was received very well by the members of Crochetville and it was requested I write down how I did it. The result is my very first attempt at selling at crochet pattern.

You can see the the afghan (and buy the pattern) at my Etsy Store. The pattern is the only thing there as I write this, but if it goes well, I intend to add more items for sale soon.