Recent crochet projects: Cat ear hat and baby blanket

It was one of those weeks when the roads were icy, work was draining, and I spent more time in a dentist's chair than I'd prefer. Thank goodness for crochet. I call my blog Thread by Thread Zen, and truly I do find the act of crocheting nothing short of meditative. There is something so innately calming in using hands, yarn, and a hook to make something beautiful, one stitch at a time.

A few posts ago, I mentioned my first attempt at a crocheted cat ear hat fell short of expectations (and short in height), but I learned from my errors and gave it another go.

(That handsome orange tabby behind me, by the way, is Dexter.)

This hat was based on The Hathaway pattern by SwellAmy. I very much enjoy her patterns, they are well written and Amy is happy to help and answer any questions along the way. 

My other recent project is my first ever attempt at a baby blanket. There are two new baby girls coming soon to my husband's side of the family and I'm hoping to welcome them both to the world with special handcrafted blankets. 

I still have many hours left of work to go on Blanket #1, but so far I am loving the way it is working up. I am using this gorgeous pattern from Modern Grace Design. It has been very easy to follow and since the body of the blanket is a repetitive pattern of stitches, this blanket is great to work on while doing other things, like catching up on your TV shows. 

On the subject of blankets, my next post will be a round up of my favorite free crochet blanket patterns. Thank you for visiting and come back to Thread by Thread Zen soon! Hugs and yarn.

Cheers,

- Katie Rose

If at first you don't succeed, crochet again.

Good morning, friends!

Have you ever finished a crochet project and thought "hmm, this is not quite what I was going for?" Such was the case with the cat ear hat I have been crocheting for the better part of a week.

I started with a skein of Lion Brand's Heartland yarn in Sequoia. I like this yarn because it is a soft acrylic, and the blend of warm brown tones reminded me of the colors of my tortie kitty, Luna.

I used a pattern called The Hathaway which I purchased from SwellAmy. The pattern was very well written with clear instructions, and Amy gives permission for finished items to be sold, which is awesome. Amy is also very available to answer questions and help out anyone that buys her patterns, she is truly talented and lovely.

Here's my finished hat:

It turned out very nice, except it is not "tall" enough, but I do not fault Amy's pattern for that at all. I can tell the yarn I used is thinner than what she uses in the pattern, so when I make my next hat I just need to add a few more rounds. And I will definitely be making more hats! 

When I first started crocheting, I was easily discouraged when a pattern did not turn out as I expected, but the truth is every time you take your hook to yarn you will be learning something, and you will learn more from your mistakes than your successes. So don't give up, and be patient and kind with yourself. Your finished project will be that much more special and amazing for the time and trials you went through to perfect it. 

Have a wonderful weekend! Come visit Thread by Thread Zen again soon- my next post will be a round up of some of my favorite free crochet coaster patterns. 

Cheers,

- Katie Rose