#crochetcheat - messy colorwork

When you're changing colors... a LOT... who else hates getting tangled up in your yarn? The only thing worse is weaving in ends (but we won't go there).

So let me show you what I do. It keeps those yarn strands completely untangled, and once you get the hang of it, it's faster than dropping your unused yarn after every color change. Winning.

I only do it this way when I'm changing colors literally every stitch - like certain rounds of my Disc or Old School Beanie. It gets a little trickier if you try to make it work with longer color sections. But give it a try to see if you can work it.

Break Free From Your Chains: New Tutorial Series!

It's been a long time coming, but my new tutorial series is finally here!

You may not know it, but I despise working into a foundation chain. I've been using the chainless foundation method for years now and it's about time I shared it with you. I've created a series of tutorials that will help you in several different foundation situations - to me that makes it sound like you're a crochet spy or something, cool.

These tutorials will be released over the next week on my Tips & Tricks page, so keep coming back to make sure you don't miss it!

Here's a look at the first one...

play hard ... play hooky

Outfitters Braided Headband Kit Giveaway

You know that feeling when you're done with a big project and all you can think about is climbing a mountain and shouting that not only did you finish, but you're pretty proud of the results? Is that just me? Well even though there are mountains all around me, I'm far too out of shape to summit one. So here's me shouting! In anticipation of the release of my new pattern on Monday, I put together a kit for one lucky winner including everything you'll need to make your Outfitters Braided Headband.
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Outfitters Braided Headband Kit:

1. A  printed copy of the Outfitters Braided Headband pattern, including over 100 tutorial photos.
2. 1 Skein of Hand-Dyed Yarn by Yarn Baby, LLC - superwash merino, worsted weight, 100 yards. Super soft and squishy!
3. 1 "Single" Yarn Pop Yarn Tote in Pink Interlock - Unique, Contemporary & Bold. Yarn Pop makes it easy to stay organized while crocheting on-the-go.
4. 2 ChiaoGoo Bamboo crochet hooks - size K/10.5 - 6.5mm & size L/11 - 8.0mm
5. 1 5' Measuring Tape
6. 1 Mini Digital Finger Ring Row Counter
7. Assorted Playin' Hooky Gear - 2 Stickers, 1 Pin, 1 Button
8. Set of 16 Clover Interlocking Stitch Markers 

Outfitters Headband
Design Details:

• Yes, it's crochet! It's tunisian.
• 3 ways to braid.
• 2 different closures.
• 3 sizes: Toddler, Kids, Adults
• It's reversible (whaaat?!)

The Fine Print:

• Use Rafflecopter to the right to enter!
• Open to all countries with no shipping costs.
• Must be 18 to enter.
• Winner will be contacted on Monday, 3/31/14.
• Winner has 24 hours to claim prize. If it's not claimed another winner will be chosen.

A HUGE thank you to Amanda Wilson Photography for knowing exactly how I wanted the pictures to look (even when I didn't know myself) and taking magazine-worthy shots!

play hard... play hooky

Busy Week

Lots going on this week, so I hope I can keep up!

I have been working with Kim, from Oikos Handmade, to co-release a pattern for the Graph Beanies you seen on my FB page lately! I'm so excited to be able to offer this to you!! Kim & I will both be offering the beanie in our shops along with "a la cart" graphs you can get separately. If you have any requests for graphs, let me know!

There could be a SECOND pattern release this week too! It's been a long time coming, but the "Turtle Beanie" (or whatever other name we decide on... go on and give me your suggestions!!) is in the works! I have a few things to finish, including an all new video tutorial to help with the tricky bits, but my goal is to git-er-done very soon!

I have also decided to make Playin' Hooky Sightings a monthly contest, with bigger, better prizes. So keep your eyes peeled and your pictures coming. Remember, the more spontaneous and epic your sighting is, the better your chances of winning!

If I see any Playin' Hooky Harlem Shake vids, that would have to be an instant winner!

And of course, who can forget that today is the day I'm ordering our hoodies & t-shirts! I'm so excited I could pee. But I won't, haha. I'll let you know as soon as I talk to the printer when we can expect them for delivery!!

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea...?

SpongeBob SquarePants!

I've never actually seen an episode of SpongeBob (I know, shocking since I have kids!). I don't have a vendetta against him or anything, it's just never happened. But I knew I'd be spending some time with everyone's favorite Porifera when a friend told me that her amazing daughter wants a SpongeBob birthday party. How could I refuse?

My friend gave me ideas of what she liked and what she wanted me to include. It was great that she knew what she wanted - made the design process a lot easier! She wanted some hint of his pants, but pink instead of brown! How cool & different, I love it! I did a little research, lots of thinking, and decided on a general idea of how I wanted the hat & face to look. Nothing left to do but get started!

I set out to make the hat first (duh, haha). I didn't use a pattern per se, but I've made enough hats in my day to work it up pretty quickly. When I got to his shirt (the white stripe) I used a super secret crochet trick of mine (wink, wink) to make the lines especially clean. That's a whole 'nother blog post, haha. Then on to the pink earflaps. Of course it wouldn't be complete without some super chunky braids!

Now, onto the face. If you're familiar with my usual work, you know that I'm not a big embroiderer nor seamstress. The less I have to do after I finish the body of a hat, the better! So I was a little nervous when it came to getting started. The individual pieces weren't difficult to crochet, but putting them together so that it actually looks like SpongeBob was a little tricky. I'm really happy with the eyes & nose, but I still don't love the little crook in his smile. Oh well! I'm my hardest critic, and it's pretty hard to get embroidery to look straight on crochet!

I can't wait to see my friend's daughter's reaction when she opens this on her birthday! I really hope she loves it!!

My daughter, Bryn, wanted to model, so of course my son, Declan, had to get in on the action!

(PS - No, I will never make another one, haha!)

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

Release the HOUNDS!

...Houndstooth that is. Please forgive my extreme cheesiness, haha. Today I am FINALLY releasing a new design. The Houndstooth Headband. I've been wanting to use the traditional Houndstooth pattern for a while and was finally able to do it now that I quit my day job!

Last Spring I started looking around for houndstooth patterns because I thought it'd be fun to make something for my mother-in-law. But, all I found were a LOT of knitting patterns, and some not-so-houndstoothy crochet patterns. So you know what that means. I made my own! Traditionally houndstooth uses black and white to show off the contrast of the pattern. But I think it'd be fun in most color combinations, as long as the 2 colors have contrast. I also wouldn't try it in a variegated yarn because it'd probably take away from the stitch pattern. But it's up to you to try different things!! Oh, and did I mention - IT'S REVERSIBLE!!

So here it is! I have a photographer on stand-by, but I want to send her all my new designs at once. So for now, we'll have to make do with my not-so-professional photography, haha. But my kids are still cute!

Get your own pattern:

Playin' Hooky Designs

Etsy

Ravelry

 It's reversible!

SNEAK PEEK:

Coming up next - the reversible Houndstooth Beanie!

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

All you need is friends

Only thanks to all my fabulous friends, online & off, I've made it through the last few weeks. Recently I've been working on a specific Canadian hat (I'll tell you why on another day...) and it has to be perfect. The hookers out there will tell you that color work looks cool in crochet, but is REALLY hard to get right when you make a letter or picture. I needed a Canadian maple leaf and was having a really hard time making the reference chart.  If you're not familiar with crochet, it takes a much smaller grid than knitting because the stitches are 'taller'. So all the charts out there are way too big to use for a crocheted hat. I had to make my own...

This is the best that I could come up with. I was never that happy with it. To me it looks like a space shuttle with lobster claws, but my online friends assured me that it did in fact look like a maple leaf. So I made the hat....

... and I hated how it turned out. Crochet stitches sit on a diagonal (see how the stem is slanted?) so the lobster space ship came out looking worse that I expected. But again, all my friends were very supportive, some liked it, others admitted it was slightly 'off'. One in particular, Ben Krudwig, let me in on his secret for crochet colorwork. I'll keep it secret since it's his technique, but let me tell you, it's BRILLIANT. I remade my grid and used it to redo the hat...

I'm still awed by how well his trick worked! The color lines up and now it's obviously a maple leaf. No guessing, no lobster jokes, just pure Canadian!

So I wanted to write this post to thank all the people who helped and supported me over the last few days. I really couldn't have done it without you, hookers & non-hookers alike!

HAPPY HOOKING!!

Finger Knitting

I discovered "Finger Knitting" over the Christmas holiday when I suddenly realized that I needed one more present for my sister-in-law. One of her presents was a shirt from a local ski shop. "Want to see me pole dance?" it asks under a picture of a girl shredding down a mountain, holding her ski poles. But we wanted something to go with it and decided on a scarf to match the shirt's background. I didn't have my needles or hooks with me but I remembered that a few girls from the 7th grade class that I student taught were into finger knitting. I watched a video on YouTube and knew that I could do it. I used double-stranded super bulky yarn (Lion Brand's HomeTown USA to be exact) and LOVED it! Oh, and I loved the yarn too. I HIGHLY recommend it!!!

I'm thinking about making some more to sell at my Esty Shop but I might have to hold off on it for a while. Hopefully, I can start on my wholesale order soon.