Sweet Nothings Crochet: LA CÁSCARA BEANIE

LA CÁSCARA BEANIE

I have been given a small bag of yarn and requested to make beanies & / or scarves for the homeless. I'm hoping that there's going to b e more yarn - which also means there will be more patterns discovered and written.

Thanks for joining me. Come along, let’s create something beautiful with this lovely lightly chunky yarn

Cáscara means Shells in Spanish.. you do see the shells, don't you?

In case you have just joined me, know that you can access all of my earlier creations by checking under ‘categories’ on the right hand side of this blog under “Labels”. Then, for your convenience, follow me here or on Facebook, You Tube, Pinterest, Twitter or Instagram.

Check out all my social media handles at the bottom of this blog

Oh, and may I add that the fastest way to find any of my blogs is via Pinterest.

All my blogs can be printed. Find the printer friendly (green) link on the right side of this blog. You can also hit Control P (or Command P for Mac) on your keyboard, and the blog will go directly to the connected printer.

Remember that you only print if absolutely essential. Save paper – Save Our Earth.

Do remember to add my blog URL when you make and show off your creation.

Just copy the link on the search bar above - that's the blog URL.

To purchase this or similar yarn online, click the highlighted links below to buy your yarns online via Amazon. While you will still pay the same, I may get paid by Amazon as well.

This is a free blog - so do pay it forward for me. Cheers.

Materials used : Today I’ve used ~ 50 gms of Basics 8-ply wool with a 4 mm crochet hook ; embroidery needle ; fabric glue to seal ends ; crochet stitch markers

For Indians : The yarn I’ve used is similar in thickness to our Vardhaman acrylic yarn or Laura knitting cotton .

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 Oswal 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 Lily Sugar n' Cream cotton yarn, Caron Simply Soft , Bernat Softee chunky.

but I think you could also use 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

You may just have to tweak the gauge a bit.

Difficulty level : Easy to Intermediate.

If you are working the optional finish, there are calculations and that makes this intermediate - else this is an easy pattern

Stitches used :

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

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

Crab Stitch or Reverse Single Crochet stitch : https://youtu.be/cG3crwyHPnk

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

Abbreviations used :

sc : single crochet hdc : Half Double crochet

ch : chain ch-sp : chain space

sp : space rep : Repeat

hk : hook lp (s) : loop(s)

yo : yarn over sl-st : slip stitch

Instructions using U.S terminology

Please note that I start all my rounds with a ch 1 turning chain for ease.

Please check the top of this blog for video tutorials of all the stitches used in today’s pattern.

Please note that I take a lot of trouble to give loads of tips through my pattern sheet, so please read through the full sheet before you pick up your hook n yarn.

I've worked a pattern very similar to this as a dress.

For a dress though, one needs it to fan out, so one keeps increasing the number. of stitches. I've used the same idea, of shells intertwined with a post stitch - but without increasing stitches. Let's see how we do this.

Oh my baby dress is at

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2017/06/chandus-shelled-baby-dress-1.html

and https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2017/06/chandus-shelled-baby-dress-2.html

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

Magic circle : https://youtu.be/ISC39yOqWro

Double Crochet : dc : yo, insert hk into st ; yo (3 lps on hk);

[yo, draw through 2 lps] twice. One dc made.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/xdnjB27zpYo

Chainless start for Double Crochet : I dislike the ch-2 / ch – 3 start, and this is what I do to start my row of dc.

Check out the video at https://youtu.be/wskv3iTjRx0

Round 1 : Start with a magic circle and work 12 dc in it ;

join to the 1st st with a sl-st (12 dc)

Round 2 : Increase round

2 dc in the 1st dc

and in each dc all around.

Join with a sl-st to the1st st. (24 dc)

Round 3 : Increase round

2 dc in the 1st dc, dc in the next dc ;

(2 dc in the the next dc ; dc in the next dc) ;

rep (to) all around.

Join with a sl-st to. the1st st (36 dc & about 4" diameter)

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

Round 4 :

dc in the 1st dc ;

*sk next dc (2 dc ; ch 2, 2 dc in the next dc) ;

sk next dc, dc in the next dc* ;

rep *to* all around.

sk next dc & join with a sl-st to the1st st (12 shells)

Let's check circumference now

To check, you are either going to wear the beanie, or check with the head size chart given at the top of this blog, or the calculation method below.

Remember that yarn stretches - so if it's a bit snug, it's good

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.

With this pattern, the shells will open it out a little more.. so keep that in mind and if you have about 6.25 - 6.5", you should manage a 22" head measure.

That said, a lot also depends on the stretch of yarn, as well as the tightness with which you work .. so there may be a bit of ripping out to get it just right

A quick small tweak to increase your diameter size by just. a bit is to add a ch st to the shell - so work (2 dc ; ch 2, 2 dc) and you'll get just a little more.

OK.. from now on, we will work a few post stitches - and that will totally change and define this pattern..

Front Post Double Crochet : fpdc : Post stitches are stitches worked around the post of a stitch of the row below.

How to work the fpdc : yo, hk into sp between posts of st from row below – going from back of stitch, around st and into the front of the st ; yo, pull yarn through the sps (3 lps on hk), (yo & pull through 2 lps) twice. One fpdc complete

View the video at https://youtu.be/9tL5XiqKi14

As we start with a fpdc, I'd suggest you work a ch st first, and then work the fpdc around the 1st dc.

Round 5 :

fpdc around the 1st dc ;

*(2 dc ; ch 1, 2 dc in the next ch-2 sp) ;

fpdc around the next dc* ;

rep *to* all around.

join with a sl-st to the1st st (12 shells)

Rounds 6 - 15 :

Rep Round 5

Or till you are nearly at the length you need for your beanie. Check the head measure chart at the top of this blog.

In our last round, let's work a ch -3 picot in the ch-sp.

Here's a quick refreshed for how to work a picot. In case the video does not come on, please go to https://youtu.be/8s3zVaBcn4s

Last Round :

fpdc around the 1st dc ;

*(2 dc ; ch 1+ picot + ch 1, 2 dc in the next ch-2 sp) ;

fpdc around the next dc* ;

rep *to* all around.

join with a sl-st to the1st st (12 shells with picots)

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Block as per yarn requirement, if needed.

Enjoyed this ?? I sure did.. Come back right here for more freebie patterns

Remember to share this blog post when you share your photos with me on Facebook. I’d love to feature your photos on my FB page. Cheers.

If you're visiting me here for the first time, and have liked the experience, do add me to your mailing list (for your convenience) , and all my future free patterns will come straight to your mail box.

I’d appreciate if you could credit my blog (and link the original pattern link) when you make your own creation. Thanks.

Check out my awesome pins on Pinterest at https://in.pinterest.com/shyamanivas/

OR just my free patterns at https://in.pinterest.com/shyamanivas/free-patterns-made-by-me/

Join me on YouTube at http://youtube.com/shyamanivas

And on my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Sweet-Nothings-Crochet/ for more patterns.

Do follow me on Twitter https://twitter.com/ShyamaNivas

Do follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sweetnothingscrochet/

Find me on Ravelry at ravelry.com/projects/shyamanivas/

Have a great day and see you soon.

Here are some of my other creations.

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/coffee-bean-beanie.html

https://shyamanivas.blogspot.com/2021/06/vikarna-beanie.html