Craft Tutorial: Non-slip Hair Clip

I've been making crochet and felt flowers and bows for my girls' hair for a long time, and pretty early on I realized that most handmade bows are too heavy for the alligator clips, especially with a layer of felt in between the "jaws."  I figured out this way to make the clips stay in their hair better from looking at my non-slip headbands for running.  There's a line of clear plastic on the inside that grips my hair.  That was easy enough to do!

I put the flowers for all my crochet hats on alligator clips so that they can be used as hair bows after the baby grows out of the hat.  Using this non-slip hair clip method ensures that the clip won't slip off the hat or out of the kid's (or mom's!) hair.

Free Pattern: Vertical Stripes Beanie - Newborn

Premie size here.
3 month size here.
6 month size here.

This hat is a worsted-weight copy of this hat.  I think it turned out really sweet.  It would be a great boy hat, too, especially with a little brim.

Free Pattern: Tiny Basket

This little basket is about 3" in diameter on the inside, perfect for tiny things like buttons or change.  I made it as a laundry basket for my makeup remover pads.  It's just a little bigger than they are, so they stack up in there just right.  And unlike the lingerie bag I was using, it stands up and looks cute on my counter.

Filled with a week's worth of makeup remover pads, this would be a perfect stocking-stuffer for a teenager or an adult!

Blog Update

In an effort to make the blog easier to browse, I've added page breaks to the pattern posts.  Instead of seeing the whole pattern on the front blog page, you'll just click in to the post to see the pattern.

To get the whole pattern, you can click on the "see pattern" link at the bottom of each post or the title of the post.  (see image below)

All the patterns are still there, and all the patterns are still free!

I did this so that when browsing the blog, you won't have to scroll past all the technical details of the pattern to get to the next post.

This won't affect direct links at all, just the experience on the main blog page.  Links directly to the post will still show the whole pattern on the same page.

I'm hoping that this will make the labels on the right side of the blog easier to use to find patterns you want.

Thanks for being flexible!

Alli

Free Pattern: Princess Tiara - Toddler/Youth

This year, for #1's fourth birthday, I wanted to make a more delicate crown with some sparkly pink yarn I knew she would love.  This one in sport yarn is super cute, but my yarn is worsted weight.  So I came up with this.  She was such an adorable birthday princess.  :)

Giveaway!

*This giveaway is closed*

This week I published my 100th free pattern!  In celebration, I'm going to do a giveaway!  I will choose two winners and send them three baby hats (one girl, one boy, one neutral).  Here are the hats to choose from:

1 2

34

56

The pink hat actually has a white flower, and the brown hat actually has a green edge instead of a green detail row.

To enter, please comment on this post with your email address (and just for fun, which of my patterns, if any, you've tried.  But you can enter even if you're not a crocheter!)

For an extra entry, share the contest on facebook and comment again that you did.

The contest will end at noon Sunday November 4, and after I generate the winning random numbers, I will email the winners.

Thanks for visiting and using my patterns!  I love hearing that you're making amazing things.

Congratulations to the winners!  Thanks, everybody, for entering!

Free Pattern: Tulip Stitch Hat - Newborn

Isn't this hat lovely?  This hat has such a sweet, girly texture.  I learned this stitch from The Crochet Stitch Bible. (It's called the Paris stitch in the book.)  Gorgeous bow by Bella Designs