A quickie

Crafting has become more difficult for me, for the past few years.  Most of my time in the summer is spent working outdoors.  That does mean less time for crafting, but it also means my hands become too rough to handle things like many types of yarn while trying to crochet.

The other issue is that we have rescued too many yard cats. I no longer have access to my craft table, and most of my supplies have had to be stored up I bins to protect them from inquisitive and destructive beasts!

Today, however, I did a very quick project.  My daughter bought me some blanket yarn.  That, and a 7mm hook, resulted in this.

A very quick, very warm, hat.

The body is done in rounds of double crochet until the ear flaps were made.  Those were done in rows over 3/4 of the hat, skipping the section that would go over the forehead.

I changed stitch lengths to create ear flaps, doing sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc over 1/4 of the hat on opposite sides, until the rows reached the bottom of my ears when i tried it on.  When it's windy and cold, I get severe ear aches.  If need be, I can fold the flaps for extra thickness.

The ear flaps rows in the back quarter of the hat are done with single crochet only, so it is shorter and won't get pushed up when I move my head.

The hat was finished with two rounds of single crochet.

That's it.

Taking out the times I was interrupted, it took maybe an hour to make.

Also, blanket yarn dies not get caught on the rough skin and callouses on my hands. 

I'm quite happy with it.