Sweet Nothings Crochet: SANTA CAT HAT

SANTA CAT HAT

I have made a large selection of preemie caps some months back.. and just yesterday I shared the kitty cat coat I’d made – and this is the matching Santa kitty cat hat.. so ho ho ho.. meow!

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Materials used : Today I’ve used about 40 gms of our lovely Indian Oswal Cashmilon acrylic yarn with a 3 mm crochet hook ; a little embroidery thread ; embroidery needle ; sewing needle ; fabric glue to seal ends ; crochet stitch markers ; beads n more

For Indians : You could use Anchor , Red rose , 4-ply knitting cotton , or unbranded knitting cotton or White Rose or bamboo knitting cotton , Milk cotton ; Silk yarns as well as Vardhaman acrylic yarns ; Baby soft acrylic yarn , Ganga Spectrum as well

General yarn info : The yarn used today is not specific to this pattern.

You can use any yarn with a suitable hook to make this project to any size.

International yarns : Among the international yarns I have used in this thickness, I’d suggest Aunt Lydia Cotton 10, Aunt Lydia Bamboo-Viscose 10, DMC Petra, Sullivans knitting cotton (Australia), Milford Soft, Hilaza Rustica Eclat , Alize cotton yarn and Alize bamboo yarn , Lily Sugar n' Cream cotton yarn, Caron Simply Soft , Bernat Softee chunky.

Stitches used :

Starting slip knot : https://youtu.be/lJcqsVcs8cw

Starting slip knot 1 or the Sloppy Slip knot : https://youtu.be/YfC7KmGpifs

What is a slip stitch : https://youtu.be/weB3QNbA8Iw

What is a chain stitch ? https://youtu.be/pXx5ukBjKkY

Single Crochet : Sc : https://youtu.be/ghACqBpA-3k

yo, insert hk into st ; yo (2 lps on hk); yo, draw through both lps. One sc made.

First stitch for Single Crochet : https://youtu.be/6pVYRfsf4_M

This is how I like to start my row of sc.

Half Double Crochet : Hdc : https://youtu.be/sDiELJdB2Dg

yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk) ;

yo, draw through all 3 lps. One hdc made.

Chainless start for Half Double Crochet : https://youtu.be/lWXpl1KdbZ8

I dislike the ch-2 start, and this is what I do to start my row of hdc.

Front post single crochet : fpsc : https://youtu.be/OQa8YLpkdXs

Post stitches are stitches worked around the post of a stitch on the row below.

Back post single crochet : bpsc : https://youtu.be/L1K_MMLl-D4

Post stitches are stitches worked around the post of a stitch of the row below.

Here is a sizing chart for general head sizing :

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/470063279839058772/ OR

https://in.pinterest.com/pin/470063279837764548/

Whipstitch to join : https://youtu.be/wZ-9LNzftMA

Invisible join : https://youtu.be/a6XZQ6VzJFM

Single crochet to join : https://youtu.be/6FXoW_47_dI

Instructions using U.S terminology

detail of SANTA cat hat - a free crochet pattern from Sweet Nothings Crochet

and for a quick look at the full set, I'm gonna show off a bit ')

Full set of SANTA cat hat & santa cat body jacket - a free crochet pattern from Sweet Nothings Crochet

For this Santa cat hat, I have been inspired by this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJ0BA3PlbSM

Today I've used some of our local Indian Oswal Cashmilon 4-ply yarn with a 3.5 mm crochet hook. This yarn is not specific for this pattern.

You may decide to end with a crab stitch.

Instead of moving ‘clockwise’ as we regularly work, you move anti-clockwise or counter clockwise, and you’ll achieve a slightly ‘bumpy’ single crochet, which is your reverse sc.

How to do the crab stitch or reverse single crochet : https://youtu.be/cG3crwyHPnk

Valuable calculations :

1. Hat circumference = measure around the head just above ears and subtract one inch for a nicely fitted finished hat.

2. Crown width = (this is a flat circular top of the hat) you need to divide hat circumference by 3.14 (pi).

3. Hat height = Head circumference / 10 x 4.

So you need to measure circumference of the head (round head measurement) and keep checking the outer circumference of your work.

There is another trick for measuring circumference (without running your measure tape all around the edge of your circle as you are working).

This works for a cap that you are working top down, from the crown of the head.

It works by dividing your round head measure by pi (3.14).

So say your head measurement is 22, divide 22 by 3.14 = 7.

Remember when calculating diameter, you must account for the stretch of your yarn too.

So once the ‘flat portion’ for the crown (or the first few rounds while you are still increasing) of your cap is 7” diameter, you can stop increases and start increasing just the length (without increasing stitches for the round)

Right then, back to the pattern sheet.

Hope you had a fun creative day today. Do join me again tomorrow for another fun crochet session. Byeee!

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Monday 28 January 2019

SANTA CAT HAT