Winter's Coming - hold onto your hat!

I love getting creative with wool and hooks and needles, but there are just so many handmade blankets that you can have floating around the house. Too many, and you run the risk of looking like a desperate crochet lady who is at risk of being drowned under a pile of squishy, riotous coloured blankets.

The best solution for me was to get involved in a charity group a few years ago, called Hook, Yarn & Needles. This group of dedicated ladies works tirelessly to provide comfort and warmth to the less fortunate in the community. Recent recipients of blankets include a creche and an old age home. You can see more of what we do at the HYN Facebook page.

With the winter chill setting in, a request was received for beanies and jerseys for 62 children in a daycare centre, aged between 2 and 6, at the Orient Hills informal settlement.

I quickly whipped up these beanies this week, with matching jerseys coming up in the next few days. Forget about home cooked dinners, Mr K, I'm busy busy busy!

These were my first crocheted beanies. I've always knitted them in the past but really enjoyed how quickly these worked up. Extra bonus - when you're done, you're done - no sewing up required afterwards (except for a couple ends to work away)

I crochet quite tightly so used a 5.5mm hook and DK wool. These beanies will fit a toddler. 

Start by making a flat circle, working 12 double crochets (US) or treble crochets (UK) into either a chain or a magic circle. I then increased 12 stitches evenly over the next 5 rows. 

I always made beautiful bowl shapes until I worked out the magic formula:

Round 1: 

Increase into every stitch and join with a slip stitch (24 stitches total)

Round 2: 

Double crochet into the first stitch, increase on the next, continue till end of round and join with a slip stitch (36 stitches total) 

Round 3:

Double crochet into the first 2 stitches, increase on the next stitch, continue till end of round and join with a slip stitch (48 stitches total)

Round 4:

Double crochet into the first 3 stitches, increase on the next stitch, continue till end of round and join with a slip stitch (60 stitches total)

Round 5:

Double crochet into the first 4 stitches, increase on the next stitch, continue till end of round and join with a slip stitch (72 stitches total)

Five rounds brought me up to 13cm diameter and then I continued to work a double crochet into every stitch, for the next 10 rounds. The beanies I made were therefore 15 rounds high. These are easily adaptable for a smaller or larger hat, by adding or removing rounds before working straight.

Continuing to work into the 72 stitches turns the flat circle into a dome.

We have the beginnings of a beanie here, ten rounds in and five more to go. Simply make additional rows at this stage if you want a turn up. Edge in a row of single crochet if you wish.

Embellish as you wish. You could crochet a heart if you were feeling super motivated, but I had these cute buttons handy.

I got really creative with this girly hat and crocheted a flower, which was finished off with a yellow button. It was my first time making a flower and although I was happy with it, I think I'll do a few more for practise.

Of course, what would a beanie be without a pompom? It was great fun hauling out my trusty pompom maker which I've had for over 40 years! I couldn't even tell you how many pompoms this gadget has made over the years. Needless to say, it has been the birthday present I've used the most in the history of my life. 

My daughter has often remarked at how lucky the recipient of whatever I've made will be, and I've always stopped her and said that I feel like the lucky one, to be able to indulge in a hobby while helping someone else. 

Please remember:

Your tension and hook size will vary, which will affect the finished size of your beanie. 

I'd love to see pictures of your beanies!