A New Focus; includes FREE Crochet Patterns!!!

It seems like I have been crocheting non stop for the last two years.... oh wait, I pretty much have been! Its hard to find time to make the things that I want to make, when I am so busy filling other crochet orders.
With that in mind, I've decided that I am no longer going to be selling orders on Etsy, I will be only selling patterns, as well as continuing to sell patterns on Ravelry. As a bonus, I have made several of my existing patterns on Ravelry FREE PATTERNS!! I'm hoping to get back to enjoying crocheting and going for more of a hobby than a business, because - let's face it, with all of the fees and taxes and supplies, you really don't walk away with much of a profit, and I simply don't have time to put anymore than what I already do.

  -- Do me a HUGE favor; please pin/share/like/tweet! Thank you!

The Cabled Headwrap 

 

 

The Super Bulky Pom Pom Beanie

 

The Aviator/Bomber Hat

 

The Snapdragon Garden Hat

 

The Oh Christmas Tree! Pixie Hat

 

 

 

The Knotted Puff Hat

 

 

So head on over to my Ravelry page and leave me some LOVE, if you want to add me as a friend my username is hootsandhowls

 

See you over there!! :)

 

Stay tuned for a post on 'Filet Crochet' - crocheting for the home!

 

beauty*style*fashion: Impromptu Makeover

beauty*style*fashion: Impromptu Makeover: So today I had the pleasure of playing in my makeup collection with my friend Diana.  Like myself, she over-plucked in the 90

beauty*style*fashion: beauty*style*fashion Resale Boutique

beauty*style*fashion: beauty*style*fashion Resale Boutique: www.ebay.com/usr/beauty*style*fashion



My sister in law has a new beauty/fashion blog. She has a long history in fashion retail and now does resale using an eBay store as her venue. Check out her store and give her some LOVE!!! Tell her Hoots and Howls sent you! 

Bump It Event

Planning, Expecting, and New Mothers: SAVE THE DATE for Bump Day! We're hosting our First Annual Bump Day- a FREE, fun, educational, and relaxing expo-style event.
Registration opens May 13th so stay tuned for the registration link on our website or facebook page! Ladies- share this event with your Planning, Expecting and New Mother girlfriends and enjoy an event with educational speakers, vendor booths, free mini photos (of your BUMP or your BABY) by Whitney Leigh Photography, pampering, and MORE!
Check out the event page below for details! 

 #mothers #pregnancy #westmichigan #hollandmi #freeminiphotos #expectantmothers #puremichigan

Spring Pattern Giveaway!

My Spring Pattern Giveaway has launched!

Enter to win, share share share for more opportunities to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Featured Product - Neopolitan Pixie Bonnet and Diaper Cover

Sweet little pixie bonnet set perfect for springtime family photos or newborn photo shoots. The pattern is not yet available for this - only in made to order sets.

Click the link below and check it out! - Katie


Neopolitan Pixie Bonnet and Diaper Cover Set 

Featured Pattern - The Elsie Bonnet

Check out today's featured pattern

The Elsie Bonnet


Click the link below to check it out! :) happy hooking!!!


The Elsie Bonnet

Featured Pattern - The Kodiak Parka

Todays Featured Pattern!

 

The Kodiak Parka - Click This Link!

 

 

 

Featured Pattern - The Elsie Bonnet!

 Today's featured pattern is The Elsie Bonnet

https://www.etsy.com/listing/178173425/pattern-the-elsie-bonnet-crochet-bonnet?ref=shop_home_active_8

Friday Pattern Sale

Bum Flap Pants Pattern is on SALE today only $1.50

Head over to my Etsy shop to purchase!

Click the link below

Bum Flap Pants Pattern on Etsy

Crochet 101 - The half double crochet

Hi everyone out there in crochet land! I hope that you are all having fun practicing you new single crochet skills! Today we're going to learn the half double crochet! This happens to be one of my favorite stitches, and one of the MOST versatile stitches (in my opinion). 

So pick up your hooks and lets get started!!!

To begin we will start with a foundation chain of 20. 

Now turn your hook and yarn over [image 1], insert your hook into the 3rd chain from your hook and harn over again [image 2], pull up a loop , yarn over again and pull though all three loops on your hook [image 3 and 4].

Here it is step by step

  

If you are wondering -- my crochet hook is a Clover Crochet Hook available at +Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores 

If you like this tutorial please come back for more! 

Follow my page on facebook. www.facebook.com/hootsandhowls

visit me on Ravelry and Etsy - Links at the top of this page! ^^^^

A Birthday Gift

In honor of my 27th birthday today I will be giving all of my new patterns between now and April to one lucky person!

In order to be eligible you must:

1. Share this blog post
2. Comment on the post with the link to #1
3. Tell me which of my current patterns is your favorite and what pattern you might like to see next!!

A little Ryan in the morning...yes please :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crochet 101 - The Single Crochet

I have heard a lot of people say "teach me how to crochet" or have seen on social media that people would like to learn to crochet, so I decided to start a "Learn to Crochet" series.

Slip Knot

You need to start with a slip knot



Once you have your yarn on hook, you'll need to start with a base chain. We will do a chain of 20 for this tutorial.

When you get the to the end
of your chain, you will turn your hook, and insert it into the second chain from hook, yarn over (YO), pull up a loop, yarn over(YO) again and pull it through the two loops on your hook. So that will look like this:

Repeat this across. And you will have 19 single crochet! Great start! There are a lot of things you can make with a simple single crochet. Here is a free and easy head band pattern that will work up quickly and will make great practice for your new crochet stitch!

Headband Pattern:

Round 1: chain approximately 80-100 (enough to fit around your head -- an 18" headband should fit most teens to adults); slip stitch to join, ch1
Round 2: single crochet in each chain around
(repeat until headband is desired width)
fasten off and weave in ends

Mom Tip #1 ...

I know this is supposed to be a crochet blog, but I'm the author, so I get to pick what I write about. I'm also a mom, so I'm always looking for ways to clean things. Such as...how to get marker out of my fabric sofa.

Now anyone who knows me, knows that I'm a little uptight (and I would say that's putting it mildly). Imagine this, we have been sick in my house for going on a month, stomach bugs, colds, strep throat....you get the idea. I'm also a full time NIGHT shift dispatcher, so to say that I am tired MOST of the time, is putting it mildly.

We (my husband and I) really don't care for markers in our house (that uptight thing again), however somehow my four year old found some, and in the middle of vacuuming my living room, laying next to the couch, I found a marker. Without a cap. It was purple! I may or may not have started to lose it for a second.

I tried Resolve Stain Remover, I tried Dawn... among a host of other cleaning products, nothing worked. After asking around I heard of using rubbing alcohol....really?? Well it worked! I just dabbed some on a rag, and then dabbed it on the sofa. The marker ink just dissolved!

  

So there you have it. Mom tip #1: Rubbing alcohol will take marker out of a fabric sofa. 

What are your mom tips?

Free Pattern - Crocheted Cabled Head Wrap (One Size Fits All)

This pattern will be available for free on my blog for a limited time only. You can find this pattern for sale after that in my Etsy Shop or my Ravelry Store.

This design is copyrighted and protected by Hoots and Howls. It is illegal to change any portion of this pattern and sell the written works as your own creation. Finished products maybe sold anywhere. Please give credit to the designer by adding the link www.etsy.com/shop/hootsandhowls

Ch 6
R1: hdc in 2nd ch from hook, ch1 turn (5 hdc)
R2: hdc in each st across, ch 1 turn (5 hdc) R3 – R12: Rep R2 (5 hdc)
R13: 2 hdc in 1st st, hdc in remaining st across, ch1 turn (6 hdc)
R14: 2 hdc in 1st st, hdc in next 4 st, 2 hdc in last st (8 hdc)
R15: 2 hdc in st st, hdc in remaining across, ch1 turn (9 hdc) R16 – R20: Rep R15 (R20 will have 12 hdc)
R21: dc in each st across, ch2 turn (12 dc) R22: fpdc in 1st st, bpdc in next 4 st, fpdc in next 2 st, bpdc in next 4 st, fpdc in last st, ch2 turn (12 dc)
R23: *bpdc in 1st st, skip two st, fpdc in next two, then fpdc in each of the two skiped st, bpdc; rep from * across (12 dc)
R24 – R35: Repeat rows 22 and 23 alternating until the cabled part of your piece measures 6"
R36: dc in each st across, ch1 turn (12 dc)
R37: dec hdc the first two st, hdc in remaining st across, ch1 turn (11 hdc)R38 – 43: Repeat R37 (R37 will have 5 hdc)
R39: hdc in each st across, ch1 turn (5 hdc) R40 – R50: Rep R39 (5hdc)
Fasten off, weave in ends
Attach your buttons to one of the ends.  

If you like this pattern please like my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/hootsandhowls

 

 

New Years Resolution

So one of my New Years resolutions is to focus on my blog more (the other is to drink more wine ;) ). I wanted to let you all know about a new listing available in my shop, and also about my amazing friend Dusty who is my new photographer out of Western Colorado.

This darling hat is my Super Bulky Pom Pom Hat (click link to see the listing). It makes a beautiful newborn photography prop, a darling baby shower gift for boy or girl, or just a nice winter hat. Its available in sizes Newborn on up to Adult.

Also if you get a change to head over and check out my buddy's Facebook page do that please.
Dusty Lynn Photos