What better way to show your holiday cheer than to wear a Christmas tree hat? My version is a cone hat made mostly in hdc, topped with a happy Twinkle Star on top and decorated with a few sparkly “garlands.” The ribbed band of the hat is made by alternating front post double crochet stitches (fpdc) and back post double crochet stitches (bpdc). Because of the stitches used and the hook size used, the hat will pretty much stay in shape on your head, unlike most cone hats or stocking hats. For the garlands, I used two kinds of yarn: one is a worsted gold yarn, and the other is a fingering weight yarn–size 8 thread wound with metallic thread. Feel free to decorate your own Christmas tree hat as you wish, after all that’s what Christmas trees are all about: unique decorations!

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This star appliqué sure puts the wink in Twinkle! 😉 She just loves giving everyone cheer. Sure to put an instant smile to anyone who sees this on a bag, shirt, or jeans. You can also put a string to the top and hang it as an ornament. Or sew it to the back of a pin and you get an instant funky brooch! Skill Level: Finished Size: 3.5″ (8.89cm) tall x 3.5″ (8.89cm) wide Materials: Medium Weight Yarn- Scraps of yellow and black Crochet Hook US F (3.75 mm) Yarn Needle

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Yarn weight is an important factor in choosing the right yarn for crochet projects. But have you noticed that the yarns in the same weight category can have varied thicknesses? Some would deviate from the standard weight categories and describe their yarn as ‘light worsted’ or a ‘heavy dk-weight.’ So they started adding gauge information to the descriptions of weight categories, but people still encountered problems. After all, one person’s gauge is never exact; some work tightly and others loosely. And what about the unlabeled yarns we find at markets and sales? How do we know for sure what yarn weight they are?
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I found an interesting post by Rachel here on Crochet Spot: “Do All Crocheters Have Cats?” More interesting are the comments; it turns out that a vast majority of crocheters really do have cats!

Here’s a little something for our wonderful feline companions. Admittedly, Rachel’s version is still the best cat toy to make. But this computer mouse is a close second-placer!

I found out that dogs like them, too! Well, at least my Daschund, TJ, does. Maybe add a jingly bell to the strap, to catch your pet’s attention better. Or put some catnip in while stuffing the toy, to put your cat on a pleasure trip!

Skill Level:

Finished Size: 3” (7.62 cm) wide x 4.5” (11.43 cm) long at widest point, and excluding strap and handle.
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The puff stitch is related to the popcorn stitch and the bobble stitch. They all provide interesting texture, but the puff stitch’s advantage is that it pops out on both sides of the work, meaning the back of the work looks pretty much like the front.

The puff stitch is very similar to the bobble. But instead of half-finished double crochet stitches, the puff stitch is made with half-finished half double crochet stitches. The more half-finished half double crochet stitches made before closing the stitch, the puffier it looks. The photo on the right clearly shows the difference. The puff stitches in the bottom row are made with 3 half-finished half double crochet stitches; the middle row with 4 half-finished half double crochet stitches; and the top most with 5 half-finished half double crochet stitches.

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Tote this little bag along on a quick errand, or a date! Using sparkly yarn makes this great for formal events, too. Small yet sturdy, it can accommodate your essentials: wallet, cellphone and keys. I named the bag “Kiss Me” because the handle looks like shapely lips, adding visual interest and lending a natural grip for your hands.

It’s easy and quick to make, too. The whole bag is crocheted in one go; no sewing required unless you want to line it. The rectangular base is made first, back and forth in rows. The rest of the bag is then made in rounds.

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Here is another way to add texture, dimension, and visual interest to your crochet projects! The bobble is similar to its cousins the popcorn stitch and the puff stitch. They may all look alike, but they are made differently.

There are also different kinds of bobbles–it all depends on how many half-finished stitches are made before closing the bobble. Shown on the right are three rows of bobbles, with rows of double crochet stitches in between. The bottom-most bobble row is made up of 3 half-finished double crochet stitches; the second bobble row is made up of 4 half-finished double crochet stitches; and the topmost bobble row is made up of 5 half-finished double crochet stitches. This tutorial shows how to make all these variations, step by step.

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Hello everyone! I am so happy to be here as part of the Crochet Spot team. Readers have been very warm and friendly!

A little something about me: During the day, I write for websites. During my free time, I crochet and dabble in other crafty things. Writing for Crochet Spot is the perfect combination of the things I was born to do!

I love working with thread and worsted acrylic yarn (mostly because they’re the most widely available yarn options here in the Philippines). I like sharing my ideas and patterns with people. For me, the biggest compliment as a crocheter is when I encourage people to pick up their hooks! So far I’m winning over people in my workplace. When I crochet in public, some people get interested too (but I think most are a little scared of the girl with the pointy hook furiously working at a project, haha).

Find more of my free patterns and crochet-y thoughts at my personal blog, The Artful Hooker. I’m addicted to Ravelry, too (so many oohable stuff and awesome people!). My username is clairethere; please add me up if you like. If you want to talk to me about anything, just leave a comment on my posts and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. 🙂

Add a handcrafted touch to your holiday decorations this Christmas. Or, spread the joy and make some (or a lot) for your friends! It works up quickly, so you can fill your tree with a rainbow of festive star-centered flowers. Skill Level: Finished size: 2.2” (5.59 cm) wide x 2.7” (6.86 cm) tall, not including strap

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Aside from being eye-catching, the popcorn stitch lends interesting texture to crochet work. This works great for cleaning items like washcloths or dishcloths. It also adds bulk—perfect for cold weather outerwear like hats.

Popcorn Stitch Swatch

This stitch can be made to pop out either in the front or the back of the work. This step-by-step tutorial shows you how to do both. It also shows how to create the popcorn stitch for both right-handed and left-handed crocheters. Mousing over the images shows the photos for the left-handed tutorial.

The popcorn stitch is made by working a number of stitches into a single space or stitch (this particular tutorial uses 5 double crochet stitches). The hook is then pulled out of the working loop and inserted into the top of the first stitch in the set of stitches. If the hook is inserted from the front to the back of the work, the stitch will pop out in the right side (front) of the work. If inserted from back to front, the stitch will pop out in the wrong side (back) of the work. The working loop is picked up from there, and is pulled through and out of the first stitch. A single chain closes the popcorn stitch.
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