Gillian's Hat

Okay, it's finally done!  Some time ago, I got a custom order from one of my neighbours.  It took me way too long to get to it.  For those interested in my process in coming up with a custom design, this post is for you.

The goal: to make a hat with scarf flaps.  The hat had to have a custom fit, the scarf flaps had to have keyholes, and my neighbour had to be able to put it on herself by holding the scarf flaps and tossing it over her head.  It also had to fit over either a braid or ponytail.

Normally when I make a hat, I can just try it on my own head as I go along to make sure things are shaping up the way they should.  Since this was not an option for the hat I was making, I took a whole bunch of measurements.  I took far more than I probably needed, but better to have more information then not enough.



The notes written in a different direction are those I took when I first started working it up.

I also did a rough sketch of a variation of my basic hat with scarf flaps located over the ears.



I started experimenting with a mock up version using two strands of Bernat Satin on a 6.00 mm hook. 



I also did a couple more sketches of possible variations.  As I worked the mock up to the measurements I had, the design started looking a lot more like a tam than the sort of hats I usually do, so I figured that was something I could run with.

After I worked up the first mock up, I tried to test it myself by holding my elbows close to my sides and trying to toss it over my head.  The hat just flopped into itself and, no matter how I wiggled the scarf flaps, would not position properly on my head.  I took it to Gillian to test it out, in case it would work better for her, but it clearly was not going to work.  It was a total flop.  Literally.  Unfortunately, I neglected to take photos of this first mock up, but it wasn't too far from the diagrams I sketched out.

One thing became very clear when Gillian tried the hat on.  It wasn't a really hat we were after, but a hood.  Time to take a few new measurements and go back to the drawing board! 



I already had most of my measurements to work with, but the position of the scarf flaps in relation to the hood changed things a bit, including where to put the keyholes.

I did the mock up with a 6.00 mm hook and two strands of yarn again.  I needed to use a stitch that would make for a denser fabric that would hold itself up to a certain extent, yet still be flexible and comfortable to wear.  I decided to work in front and back post double crochet stitches.  In comparing the Bernat Satin to the Paton's Silk Bamboo the final hat would be made out of, I knew I would need to reduce the hook size, and perhaps work with 3 strands on the hook instead of 2.  Here is how the mock up turned out.



I had originally intended for this to be the outside of the hat, though I figured it would also be reversible.  When this side was out, however, I noticed it lay very flat, which I could see as being a potential problem when putting it on.  Flipped the other way, however....




... and the post stitches helped keep the hat slightly open.  I felt it looked attractive either way, so switching made little difference. 

At this point, I didn't even try to put in the keyholes.  I just wanted to make sure Gillian could put it on.  This time, it worked.  Through the size and measurements on the mock up were off, she was able to put it on. 



With my new measurements verified, I fleshed out my design sketch with more detail and got started on the final version in the Patons Silk Bamboo.  I knew I wanted to go down a hook size, but wasn't sure if I'd increase the number of strands on the hook, too.  I ended up sticking to two strands on a 5.50 mm hook.



I started off with a foundation chain slightly shorter than the length I needed, as an edging would be added later, then worked a few increase rows to get it to the measurement I needed.  After that, it was just basic front or back post double crochet stitches, starting and ending each row with a half double crochet stitch.

I worked the hood portion, then the scarf flaps (more details later), until I was almost ready to do the keyholes.  At that point, I wanted to double check my measurements and see how it would fit on Gillian.



Here's the side view.  The edge of the hood is rolling back on itself quite a bit, which gets fixed with the edging, and at this point, she could not put it on by herself. There just wasn't enough substance to the scarf flaps yet.  I double checked the length at the back to verify how wide the scarf portion would need to be in total, which also told me how many more rows I'd need to do before working the keyholes.



Here I've verified and marked where the keyholes were going to go.  The width of the scarf portion would also determine how large the keyhole openings would need to be.  I just had to make sure the centres of the keyholes were at my marks.

I was slightly concerned that it would not hold itself open properly when she tried to put it on.  The Silk Bamboo has a completely different drape then the Bernat Satin I used for the mock up.  I did expect that, but it was also turning out much heavier than I expected.  I was thinking that the hat would collapse under its own weight while being flung over and ending up bunched up behind her head instead.  I started to brainstorm some way to add something to the hat later on that would force the hat to stay open, while still being flexible enough to be comfortable, and to bend when the scarf was pulled tight.  I wouldn't know if that would be needed until it was done, though.

Time to finish the hat.




Here is the view from the inside, before the edging was done.  When the hood portion got to the size I wanted and I started on the scarf portion, I switched from working post double stitches to half double crochet stitches.  This made the scarf portion thinner and more flexible than the hood portion.

To work the scarf flaps, after finishing the last row of post stitches, I did a foundation chain of 50 stitches, then worked hdc into the foundation chain and around the bottom of the hood.  For the opposite flap, I worked 50 foundation half double stitches. 



Here is what it looked like on the outside, with that curling edge waiting to be finished.  The first and last stitch of each post row is a half double stitch instead of a post stitch to make working the edge easier.  I planned to work one edge stitch into the side of each hdc which, due to the height of the hdc stitches, I knew would cause it to cup slightly. I wanted it to be pulled in a bit to increase facial protection.



A view of the keyhole openings.  These were done by working foundation half double stitches.  As the scarf portion worked out to be a total of 8 rows of hdc stitches, plus the edging, I made the keyhole openings 10 stitches wide.

Time to work the edging.



Here's how the edged scarf portion fit through the keyhole.  Slightly snug, with no gaps.  For the edge, I worked single crochet around the edges of the scarf flaps, the base of the hood portion, and part of the hood opening.



The corners were turned with a [1sc, 1ch, 1sc].



To extend the top of the hood slightly, the front of the hood was edged with a few stitches of sc at the bottom, then a few hdc, then joined dc stitches across the top, then matching numbers of hdc and sc back to the scarf portion.

I tried to find a link to explain what a joined dc stitch would be, but can't find one, so I'll do my best to explain it here.  It starts with a dc worked as normal.

Yarn over hook (yoh)
insert hook into designated stitch (in this case, around the post of an hdc stitch in the hood)
yoh and draw loop through (3 loops on hook)
yoh and draw through 2 loops (2 loops on hook)
you and draw through 2 loops (1 loop on hook)

To work joined dc

insert hook under one strand of yarn in the post of first dc stitch worked
yoh and draw loop through (2 loops on hook)
insert hook into next designated stitch (around the post of next hdc stitch in the hood)
yoh and draw loop through (3 loops on hook)
yoh and draw through 2 loops (2 loops on hook)
yoh and draw through 2 loops (1 loop on hook)

This will leave a distinctive horizontal bar joining the two stitches.  To work the next joined dc, insert hook under this horizontal bar.
yoh and draw loop through (2 loops on hook)
insert hook into next designated stitch
yoh and draw loop through (3 loops on hook)
yoh and draw through 2 loops (2 loops on hook)
yoh and draw through 2 loops (1 loop on hook)

In essence, what is being worked here is a really, really short Tunisian simple stitch, if that helps make any more sense.

After finishing the hat, I tested it out again on myself.  Remember my concern about the hat not staying open while being tossed into position?  How I was concerned that, between the weight and the drape of the yarn, it would just collapse on itself?

The exact opposite is what happened!  When I tossed it up, the hood portion just opened right up and it landed perfectly in place!  I did it again, several times, just to make sure it wasn't a fluke, and it was perfect every time!

Time for Gillian to try it out!



Check it out!  It worked perfectly for her as well!  She had her hair in a ponytail that day, and it fit easily over it.  The denser post stitches help hold the shape while the softer hdc stitches in the scarf portion make for more flexibility at base of her head and neck.



She was also able to put the scarf end through the keyhole and pull it tight without any problems.  A keyhole in each flap makes it reversible for her, too.  The edging tucks in around her face for extra protection against the wind, just as I hoped it would.  I am so tickled with how well it worked out!  Her choice of yarn was perfect for this.  Though the Bernat Satin I used for the mock up would also have worked, it would not have worked as well as the Silk Bamboo did.

Most importantly, Gillian is happy with her new hat, too. :-D 

Red and black scoodie - part three

Part One
Part Two

Here is the pattern for the scoodie.  If anyone tries it out, please let me know if there were any errors I missed.
(note: I forgot to mention in part one that I ended up changing the hook size, too).



Yarn: Phentex or Bernat Chunky, one 400g ball in red or colour of choice
hook: 9.00mm

optional edging
Yarn: Red Heart Foxy, in black or contrasting colour of choice
hook: 3.50mm

Beginning panel
note: unless otherwise noted, the turning chain is NOT counted as a stitch, and is skipped after turning or starting a new round.

chain 8, plus 2 for turning (total 10 ch).  Turn

1)  Skip 2 ch; work 1 hdc into the back bar of remaining 8 ch.  Ch 1, turn
2)  Work 1 hdc into each stitch across, ch 1, turn
3)  2 hdc in first stitch, 6 hdc across, 2 hdc in last stitch.  Ch 1, turn
4)  10 hdc across, ch 1, turn
5)  2 hdc in first stitch, 8 hdc across, 2 hdc in last stitch, ch 1, turn
6) 12 hdc across, ch 1, turn
7) 2 hdc in first stitch, 10 hdc across, 2 hdc in last stitch, ch 1, turn
8-15) 14 hdc across, ch 1, turn.  For row 15, turn to side.

Side and back

1) Work hdc evenly around 3 sides, working 20 hdc on each side and 8 hdc at the back for a total of 48 hdc.  ch 1.  Turn
2-9) Work 48 hdc around.  Ch 1 and turn

Adding the scarf:

10) 48 hdc around.  Chain 101, turn
11) skip first chain stitch, 148 hdc across to opposite end of hood.  Work 100 foundation hdc for second half of the scarf.  Ch 1, turn.
12-14) 248 hdc to end, ch 1, turn

Row 15 becomes round 1.

round 1) 247 hdc across.  In last stitch work [1 hdc, 1 ch, 1 hdc] to turn corner
     work 5 hdc across edge, [1 hdc, 1 ch, 1 hdc] to turn corner
     work 97 hdc across
     In the scarf/hood corner, work 2 hdctog (half double crochet together) using last stitch of the scarf and 1st stitch on the side of the hood.
     Work 12 hdc along the side, 14 hdc across the top and 12 hdc along the other side
     Work 2 hdctog in last stitch of hood and first stitch of scarf
     97 hdc to end
     In last stitch, [1 hdc, 1 ch, ss (slip stitch) into first hdc]  Do not turn.
2) ch 1, hdc into same stitch as ss.  hdc to end.  [1 hdc, 1 ch, 1 hdc] in ch 1 space, 7 hdc across end, [1 hdc, 1 ch, 1 hdc] in ch 1 space, 97 hdc across to hood, 2 hdctog, 11 hdc up side, 2 hdctog, 11 hdc across top, 2 hdctog, 11 hdc down other side, 2 hdctog, 97 hdc to corner, [1 hdc, 1 ch, 1 hdc] in ch 1 sp, 7 hdc, [1 hdc, 1 ch, 1 hdc] in ch 1 sp, ss into first hdc.  Do not turn.
3) Ch 1, hdc into ss space, hdc to end, [1 hdc, 1 ch, 1 hdc] in ch 1 sp, hdc to next corner, [1 hdc, 1 ch, 1 hdc] in ch 1 sp, 98 hdc to hood, 2 hdctog, 11 hdc, 2 hdctog, 8 hdc, 2 hdctog, 11 hdc, 2 hdctog, hdc to end, [1 hdc, 1 ch, 1 hdc] in ch 1 sp, 8 hdc, [1 hdc, 1 ch, 1 hdc] in ch 1 sp, 1 hdc, ss to first hdc.  Finish off yarn.

Optional edging.

Join contrasting yarn.  Work 2 sc into each stitch, including ch spaces, around entire scoodie.  ss and finish off end.

Red and black scoodie - part two

Part One

After finishing up the scoodie with the red yarn, it seemed to be missing something.  Digging through my stash, I found some fuzzy novely yarn left over from the book cover I'd made before.  The black edging against the bright red gave it a nice, finished look.


In making the scoodie, this is how it was intended to be worn, with the beginning panel at the top.





This way, the scarf wraps around the face a lot better...





... leaving a smooth, seamless look on the back.

However, we found it worked quite well worn flipped around.






If there's no need to protect the face, the scarf hangs down nicer this way.






It's long enough to still protect the neck.





Of course, with the panel now at the back of the head, the seamless look is lost, if that's at all an issue.

All in all, I'm really happy with this version. 

Red and black scoodie - part one

After making my hooded scarf prototype a while back, I wanted to work the design again, this time using a different yarn and actually taking notes of the pattern.  I've got a few photos of the start of the process.  Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get photos of a number of steps.  I will, however, be able to put up the pattern itself later on, so those details won't be included here.

For this version, I chose to work with a bulky yarn, Phentex Chunky.  (I'm not bothering to link to them, since they don't seem to have much of a website.)  They're a Canadian company, and the yarn is similar to Bernat Chunky, which would probably be fine as a substitute (in fact, I think they're the same yarn - I've found the same free patterns on the labels of both brands).  I found the yarn at a Zellers, and worked with a 6.00mm hook. 

I ended up making a couple of false starts with this.  Like my prototype, I began with a top panel, but this time I wanted to have the back slightly narrower than the front, instead of just a rectangle.



Working into the back bars of the foundation chain, leaving the top loops to work into when the back and sides are done.  The first row of this panel is meant to rest at the top of the back of the head.







For my first attempt, I tried working increases into the middle of the panel, instead of the sides, until it reached the width I wanted.  At this point, I was still okay with how it was turning out, but not sure if I liked the centre increases.






Then I worked straight rows until it reached the length I wanted, which is roughly the distance from the top back of the head to the hairline.






Instead of turning at the end of the row, I just started working along the edge to start building up the side. 






After I worked around three sides, I realized I wasn't happy with this.  One of the reasons I went with a narrower back is to avoid the "points" that showed up at the corners. This yarn is a lot less flexible than the Homespun I used before, making the points at the corners a lot more pronounced, instead of less.

I ended up frogging the whole thing and starting over a few times.








For my next attempt, I did the increases and the start and finish of each row instead of the middle.  I also changed stitches from dc to hdc.

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get any photos of the next steps at all.  The details will have to wait until I get the pattern up.







Here is the essentially complete scoodie.  I did add to it, but that will be in part two.

In this photo, you can see the different sections fairly clearly.  There are no "points" at the back of the head (yay!).  I'm happy with how seamless the different areas mesh together.






Another change from the prototype is that I did NOT do any decreases at the back.  The scarf portion is long enough to wrap around the back and get tied in the front.

Tomorrow I'll have photos of the finished, embellished scoodie, and then I'll put up the pattern itself.

Hooded scarf - a prototype

While perusing patterns, visiting blogs, crafting sites, and so on, I have noticed an increased number of patterns for hooded scarves.  It seems a very practical garment.  The simplest method to make one is to make a long, wide scarf, then fold it in half and close up a seam on one side to create the hood.

Looking at the different types, an idea began to percolate in my brain.  After twisting and turning the various permutations around in my head, I decided to give it a go with yarn and hook.

First off, the structure.

I didn't want a hood that came to a point in the back.  I also wanted more depth to the hood, rather than just a folded in half scarf.  Because I like making things difficult, I guess. ;-) This got me thinking of different sewing patterns I've encountered over the years for hoods.  I decided that I would have a flat panel for the width of the head, then build up the sides and/or back.

Next, the construction.

I wanted to be able to work it all in one piece.  I didn't want to be stopping in one place, then restarting the yarn somewhere else.  Nor did I want to be sewing sections together.

I had some Lion Brand Homespun from a project that needed less than I expected, so even though I dislike working with the yarn, that's what I used for this prototype.  I love the colours, softness, weight and easy care of Homespun, but it's a PITA to work with.  Ah, well.

I didn't take photos of the piece as I worked it, simply because I had little idea of what I was doing.  I was just mucking about to see how it turned out.  This is the finished hood.




My poor daughter.  I made her face the sun so I could get this picture, and she was totally blinded!

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, though there are a number of things I will be changing for the next one I make.  I'll explain that as I go along.



First up, the top panel.






Using the Homespun and a 6.00mm hook, I started off making a rectangular panel 20 dc wide.  I worked the length so that it reached from the crown of my head to my hairline, which worked out to be about a dozen rows.  I was more interested in the dimensions than how many rows at this point.



Next, it was time to build up the sides and back.  Here's a back view.



To work the sides and back, I turned the top panel and started working dc along three sides, without adding extra stitches to the turns at the corners.  I built these up until, when worn, it reached about the base of the head.  This worked out to be another dozen or so rows.


Next up, it was time to add the scarf portion.  Here is a side view of the piece.



And so you can tell what is where...



To start on the scarf portion, I simply extended the last row of the hood by working a chain to the length I wanted.  Once I had a length that I could wrap about myself the way I'd want to while wearing it, I counted the number of stitches (+2 ch to turn), then worked dc back to and across the bottom of the hood.  When I reached the other end, I kept going by doing foundation dc to the same number of stitches as the other side (I believe I settled on 120 dc beyond the hood portion to get the length I wanted).  I worked rows of dc until the scarf portion was 4 rows wide, then started working around the entire edge of the piece. 

Without turning at the end of the row, I worked 3 dc into the corner (counting ch3 as my first dc) and started working dc stitches along the end, 3 dc to turn the corner, then kept on going.  This first round got worked into the remaining loops of the foundation dc and foundation ch stitches of the scarf portion.  It's a bit of a pain, but I figured it would look better than changing to work in between the dc stitches.  That would have been easier, but not the look I wanted.

First, a back view...



I wanted the scarf portion to be a bit more formed in the back, so that there wouldn't be any gaps in the back letting in drafts.  To do that, I decided to start reducing the number of stitches in the back as I worked the rounds.  I found the middle and put in a stitch marker.  In the first round, I worked the decreases (2 double crochet together or 2 dctog) with 3 regular dc stitches in between (the stitch marker being in the middle stitch).  In each consecutive round, I spaced the decreases farther apart; as I worked my way into the back section and reached the first decrease of the previous round, I'd start the decrease into the stitch just before the previous decrease, rather than into the top of it, then the start of the next decrease of that round was worked into the stitch just after the decrease of the previous round.


Here's the side view again.



In my first round, when I reached the turn where hood and scarf met, I worked 2 dctog, making sure one of them was right into the corner to prevent any gap.  In subsequent rounds, I worked 3 dctog in the same area.




I also worked decreases across the top of the hood, placing the first ones right where the top panel and side sections were joined, then working subsequent decreases closer together in the next rounds.  So as I worked up one side and reached the dc of the previous round, I worked the first half of the decrease into the top of the decrease of the previous round, then the second half into the next stitch at the top of the hood.  Then when I worked across the top and reached the next decrease, I would work the first half of the new decrease into the last stitch just before the previous decrease.  This way, in each round, the number of stitches in front of the top panel was reduced, not the stitches on either side.




In the very last round, I added a picot into the 3 dctog at the corners of the scarf portion.  Just because. 

Final verdict.

I find my basic premise is sound.  I like the flat top panel idea, but found that, instead of one large point in the hood, like in the scarf-folded-in-half type, I have two very slight points at either end of the starting chain.  I also think it's a bit too wide.  Next time, I'm going to start with a shorter foundation - perhaps half the width of what I have here - and work increases into the next few rows until it's the width I want.  I think I'd go about an inch or two narrower on the total width, too.  I think I'm good with the depth of the hood, so I'd probably work the top panel to the same length as I did here - long enough to reach from crown of the head to the hairline.

For the shaping at the back, I think I would actually start working decrease rows in the scarf portion, rather than in the finishing rounds.  I might even go so far as to start the decreases in the back of the hood portion.  I'll have to think about that.

I'm not entirely sure what I think about where I started the scarf portion.  On the one hand, I'm thinking of starting it higher up (by reducing the number of rows in the hood portion), which would make it go across face at a higher point.  On the other, I'm thinking of starting it lower down (by adding more length to the hood portion), so that it's not in the way of the face when not wrapped up.

I'm also debating whether or not I'd like the scarf portion wider or not.  With a core width of 4 rows, plus another 4 rows added by the finishing rounds, it's a decent width.  When wrapping it around the face and neck, though, it tends to be a bit gappy.  I think that has more to do with the fact that the scarf is attached to the hood, rather than the width. 

Hmm... I wonder if there's a way to make a keyhole, instead.  That would solve that problem.

Those are just a few of the ideas I'm bouncing around.

Other things I would change or keep:

I would stay with the same hook size and yarn weight.  I'm happy with that.  If I were to experiment with that, I'd probably go with a bigger hook and chunkier yarn, rather than the other way around.  I wouldn't want to stay with this particular yarn, though.  The Homespun splits and catches on the hook horribly, and I was forever having to undo and redo stitches because of it.  I'd definitely go with something that's got a better twist to it. 

Once I get the basic idea down to my satisfaction, I might play with textures and/or colours.  Perhaps adding a contrasting colour for the last round, for example, or adding textured stitches or cables to the hood and scarf potions.

Experimenting will be fun!