- Sydney

Gift Bag Stockings

Hi Everyone! The holidays are RIGHT around the corner, and I don’t know about you but this holiday season has really snuck up on me. So now it’s time to start thinking about gifts! Given the current situation that many of us are dealing with concerning inflation, I wanted to try to think of an idea for gifts that wouldn’t break the bank, especially having so many people to get gifts for. I came up with the pattern for crocheted stockings, because what’s more fun than pulling all the goodies out of your stocking on Christmas morning? After I made these for my friends, I bought some small favors to fill them with and they were a hit! If you want to be more financially conscious, you could also fill them with different things like bags of homemade cookies or fudge. Either way, your recipients will be thrilled to not only have a miniature stocking to open, but to be able to keep that stocking as a decoration year after year! So let’s get down to it, here is my pattern for Gift Bag Stockings.

Materials:

Size H Crochet Hook

2 Skeins Lion Brand Wool-Ease (or any 2 skeins of your choice, as long as it has a weight of 4)

Round Marker

Abbreviations:

Sc: Single crochet

St: Stitch

Sk: Skip a stitch

Sc2tog: Single crochet 2 together

Dc2tog: Double crochet 2 together

Sl st: Slip stitch

Pattern:

*Note: When changing colors, try to make sure all the changes align in the back of the sock.

This pattern begins at the toe so start with whichever color you want the bottom of your stocking to be. Create a magic circle, sc 8 inside the circle. Use your round marker to mark the beginning of the round here.

Round 1: 2 sc in each st around (16 stitches total)

Round 2: Sc, 2 sc in same st. Repeat around to marker. (24)

Round 3: Sc in next 2 sts, 2 sc in same st. (32)

Rounds 4-11: Sc around, making sure to mark your round each time. (32)

Rounds 12-18: Switch to your second color (in this case, white). Sc around. (32)

Rounds 19-21: Switch back to red yarn, sc around. (32)

Round 22: Sc in next 24 sts. Ch 15, sk next 15 sc, sc into 16th st. Sc to end of round. (37)

Rounds 23-24: Sc around. (37)

Round 25: Switch back to white yarn. Sc 11, sc2tog, sc 5, sc2tog, sc 8, 2 sc in same st, sc to end of round.

Round 26: Sc, 2 sc in next st. Sc around.

Rounds 27-31: Sc around.

Rounds 32-39: Change color to red, sc around.

Rounds 40-47: Change color to white, sc around.

Cuff: Change color back to red, sc around one row. *Ch 3, dc2tog in next sc. Ch 1, sk next sc* Repeat from * around for 1 row. At end of round, join to top of ch 3 with a sl st. Don’t cut off yarn, move straight into loop.

Loop: Ch 16, sc in 2nd ch from hook and continue down rest of chain. Attach to cuff with a sl st, cut and tie off.

Heel: Turn stocking inside out. With color of choice, sc in corner opening of heel area. (see picture)

Row 1: Sc across to opposite corner. (17)

Row 2: Turn, sk 1 st, sc across, sk 2nd to last st, sc in last st. (15)

Rows 3-8: Repeat row 2. (5) Cut and tie off.

Repeat rows 1-8 on opposite side of heel opening. Sew both flaps together and turn sock right side out.

Your gift bag stocking is now complete! Feel free to mix and match your colors and have fun with it! I hope you enjoyed this pattern!

- Sydney

Super Easy Ear Savers

By Black Cat Crochet

Hi Everyone!

It’s been quite a while since my last post. I hope you are all healthy and well, especially during these scary and VERY confusing times. All of this COVID-19 news has been making me wonder what I can do to help those on the frontlines. I keep hearing horror stories about healthcare workers who are now forced to wear facemasks for hours on end, and I can’t even begin to imagine the pain that this causes. I’ve seen a few similar patterns from some other people, so I thought I would write out my own pattern so that I, and all of you, would be able to help! My hope is that this pattern will help to make at least one person’s shift easier, and if you can crochet and have a few spare buttons I encourage you try out this pattern, or another one, and donate what you can! There is always something that we can do to make life better for someone else, and I truly believe that if we have the means to help, we absolutely should. This is just one small way we can give back. 🙂

That being said, I do hope you like the pattern! It’s a bit simple in looks but it gets the job done. It can also be easily modified by adding or subtracting chain stitches in the beginning of the pattern. Enjoy!

Supplies and Materials:

Caron One Pound – Azure (any yarn or color will do!)

Size N Crochet Hook

Two medium/large buttons

Yarn or sewing needle to sew the buttons on

Pattern:

Pattern is worked in the round.

Chain 10.

Round 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook. Continue to sc across (9).

Round 2: (Do not turn around, work in the round instead). Work 2 sc in the last stitch from round 1 (3 stitches total in last stitch).

Round 2 cont’d: Sc in each ch across. This will result in single crochets on both sides of the chain. (See below)

Connect to end sc with a sl st, cut and tie off. Weave in remaining ends.

Sew on your buttons and you’re good to go! To make it a bit easier, I found that using buttons with an attached hole make it quicker to just tie the buttons onto the band, rather than actually sewing them.

If you do tie this to the band, make sure to double knot!

Your finished product should look something like this!

*As always, I encourage you to use this pattern for yourself or as gifts as much as you please! I do ask that you do not sell the pattern, and if you sell the product please note credit of the pattern to Black Cat Crochet! Thanks! :)*

- Sydney

Peppermint Headband

Hi guys! I know it’s a little bit early, with Thanksgiving being right around the corner, but I just couldn’t wait! I found the perfect sparkly holiday yarn and I couldn’t resist trying out a new peppermint-y pattern. The result was this Peppermint Headband! This is definitely a make-in-a-day pattern, and would be the perfect ear warmer for a holiday race, taking a stroll down the street, going out with friends, holiday parties, you name it. So let’s get to the good stuff!

For this pattern I used Caron Simply Soft Party yarn in Red Sparkle and Snow Sparkle. I absolutely love this yarn! It’s just as soft as the normal Simply Soft line, but it has tinsel running throughout so you get that extra “sparkle” effect.

Materials:

J Hook

1 skein Caron Simply Soft Party in Red Sparkle (Color A)

1 skein Caron Simply Soft Party in Snow Sparkle (Color B)

Needle for sewing in ends

Body (Stripes):

With color A (Red Sparkle, or whatever color you’ve chosen), ch 10. Turn.

Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook. Sc to end of row. (9)

Rows 2-3: Ch 1, turn. Sc across. (9)

*Switch to color B*

Rows 4-7: Ch 1, turn. Sc across. (9)

After row 4
After row 8

Repeat Rows 4-7, alternating colors after every four rows. This headband has a total of 18 stripes, but you can make as many stripes as necessary to fit your head.

After last row, connect the ends and sew together. Weave in loose ends.

Border:

With color B (Snow Sparkle), attach to either side of the headband with a sc.

Row 1: Sc around headband to end. Sl st in beginning sc.

Row 2: Sc around, sl st in beginning sc to connect.

Cut and tie off. Repeat border on other side of headband.

Weave in any loose ends and that’s it! Enjoy your new headband!

*I encourage you to use this pattern for yourself or as gifts as much as you please! I do ask that you do not sell the pattern, and if you sell the product please note credit of the pattern to Black Cat Crochet! Thanks! :)*

- Sydney

Crochet Pumpkin Coasters

By Black Cat Crochet

Happy Fall, y’all! Autumn is my favorite season for so many reasons! The beautiful colors of the changing leaves, the crisp air, and of course, pumpkins! I don’t know about you but I love any opportunity to add more pumpkins to my fall decor, and it seems that whenever I need a coaster I don’t have one. The more the merrier! So this is my take on pumpkin coasters, I hope you enjoy the pattern!

I used Caron Simply Soft in Ombre Gold for the body of the pumpkin. The nice thing about this yarn is that the ombre colors make each pumpkin unique and distinguished from one another. For the stem and the leaf I used some leftover Red Heart Super Saver yarn in a dark green and brown. Normally I would try to use the same brand of yarn for a project to keep tensions the same, but in this case the stem and the leaf are so small that scrap yarn will do. This is a fun pattern to get creative with, so feel free to change out the colors or the yarn to really make these coasters your own!

If you’d like to buy the ad-free version of this pattern, follow this link to my Etsy page! https://www.etsy.com/listing/736741600/crochet-pumpkin-coasters?ref=shop_home_active_1

Body of the pumpkin is worked in the round. This pattern yields one coaster.

Materials:

Caron Simply Soft – Ombre Gold (Body of Pumpkin)

Red Heart Medium Thyme (Leaf) and Cafe Latte (Stem)

Crochet Hook Size G (4.25mm)

Round Marker

Body:

Form a magic circle.

Round 1: 6 sc in magic circle. Mark the end of each round.

Round 2: 2 sc in each st around. (12)

Round 3: *Sc, 2 sc in next st* Repeat around. (18)

Round 4: *Sc in next 2 st, 2 sc in next st* Repeat around. (24)

Round 5: *Sc in next 3 st, 2 sc in next st* Repeat around. (30)

Round 6: *Sc in next 4 st, 2 sc in next st* Repeat around. (36)

Round 7: *Sc in next 5 st, 2 sc in next st* Repeat around. (42)

Round 8: *Sc in next 6 st, 2 sc in next st* Repeat around to reach 48 sts. Sl st in next sc. (49) Cut and tie off, leaving a long enough tail to weave in the end (I personally like about 6 or 7 inches).

End of body

Stem:

With Red Heart Dark Brown (or whichever color you’ve chosen for your stem), make a slip knot on your hook and sc into any st on the outside body of your pumpkin. I prefer to make the stem on the flatter part of the body, rather than the corners, however it can still work if you’d like to place the stem on a corner.

Row 1: Sc into the next 5 sc. (6) Ch 1 and turn.

Row 2: Sc across. (6) Ch 1 and turn.

Row 3: Sk first sc, sc across. (5) Ch 1 and turn.

Row 4: Sk first sc, sc across. (4) Cut and tie off, weaving in loose ends.

End of Stem

Leaf:

With Red Heart Medium Thyme (or whichever color you’ve chosen).

Row 1: Chain 6, turn.

Row 2: Sc in second ch from hook. Hdc in next ch, dc in next 2 ch, 3 dc in last ch. Work around to the other side of the chain for next row.

Row 3: Working on opposite side, dc in next 2 ch, hdc in next ch, sc in next ch. Sl st in next ch, sl st in beginning sc to connect. Cut and tie off, weaving in ends.

Shows the first two double crochets of Row 3

Sew the bottom of the leaf to the pumpkin, where the stem and the body meet.

Next Step: Enjoy your new coasters!

*I encourage you to make these coasters for yourself or as gifts as much as you please! I do ask that you do not sell the pattern, and if you sell the coasters please note credit of the pattern to Black Cat Crochet! Thanks! :)*