Gnome Bonnet

December 22, 2023 / reginaalexisweiss / 1 Comment

I’ve written many times over the years about my favorite winter hat design, the Gnome Toboggan, a pattern which is available for free here on my blog or as an ad-free, portable PDF download. I love this design so much that I even made a stitch-by-stitch video pattern for it! You see, just about every winter I end up making one of these quick, squishy babies to pop on while jogging or exploring… but this winter I had an idea for a variation. Making this simple textured winter hat into a fuzzy bonnet seemed like a great twist, and conveniently uses up small balls of spare faux fur yarn, something I have plenty of scraps of left over from making fuzzy ushankas, shawls, and swishy coats.

Luckily, creating this new variation turned out to be pretty simple! Here’s my quick tutorial for making your own Gnome Bonnet from the original Gnome Toboggan pattern 🙂

Materials:
For this project you’ll need everything in the original materials list in the pattern (1 skein Lion Brand Scarfie, 5.50 mm hook, scissors, tapestry needle) as well as < 10-15 yards of Lion Brand Go For Faux Thick & Quick and a 9.00 mm needle for that yarn. Faux Fur pompom is super cute, but not required!

Please check the original pattern for details on the yarn weight and yardage if needed, as well as for making your gauge 🙂

Finished Measurements (approximate):
Adult Large: 24″ brim, 11.5″ from tip to brim
Adult Small: 22″ brim, 11.5″ from tip to brim

Instructions:

Follow the original instructions for the Gnome Toboggan from Round 1 through Round 12 – you can work Rnd 2 or skip it for a more rounded top, as noted in pattern. For the Gnome Bonnets pictured, the green example skips Rnd 2 for a rounded top while the purple and pink examples have included Rnd 2 for a more pointed top.

After Rnd 12, you have the option to add one more round in which the stitch count increases. For an adult size bonnet I preferred to work the Round 13 increases to make the Large version of the hat, so that the sides of the finished hat would have plenty of room to hand down around the head for warmth. The green and purple versions of the bonnet pictured are made this way, while the pink version is made without the Rnd 13 increases – a size small in the original pattern.

Work rounds 14-16 as normal. Now that we have some length on the top of the hat, we are going to switch from working in joined rounds, to working in rows back and forth.

Rnd 17: Ch 2 (does not count as first stitch), turn. FPDC in the very first st. BPDC in the next st. (FPDC in the next st, BPDC in the next st) around until final stitch is worked. Do not join.

Pictured above: Chaining 2 to turn (1st image) then inserting hook through the very first stitch to make the first FPDC (2nd image)

Rnd 18: Ch 2, turn. FPDC in the very first st. BPDC in the next st. (FPDC in the next st, BPDC in the next st) across.

Pictured above: Working FPDC,BPDC repeats across (1st image), at the end insert the hook as for BPDC on the final stitch, with hook emerging behind the ch-2 turning chain (2nd image). Complete last BPDC (3rd image)

Rnds 19-23: Rpt Rnd 18.

You can add a few more extra rows here if you want to get more length – but there’s still the faux fur border which adds about 2″. Once you have the hat the length you like, cut the main yarn and tie off.

Border Row 1: With the 9.00 mm hook and the Go For Faux, join new yarn in the space after the first post stitch of the round below. Ch 2 – counts as beginning dc. (Skip 2 post dc, 1 dc in the next space between post stitches) repeat across.

Pictured above: Ch-2 to start (1st image), insert hook in the spaces BETWEEN stitches, skipping 2 post stitches every repeat (2nd & 3rd images)

If you want a stiffer brim and have enough extra faux fur yarn, I recommend making Border Row 2 – but it’s optional!

Border Row 2: Turn and slip stitch in each stitch, keeping tension even. Cut faux fur yarn and tie off.

Weave in all ends. If using a faux fur bobble, attach to the top of the hat in the first round (mine come with an elastic loop I use to tie on).

Finally I measure out 28-30 strands of the main yarn, about 32 inches in length. Separate into 2 bundles and double over each bundle.

Using the 9.00 mm hook, insert at the corner edge of the border rows from bottom to top. Hook the middle of the strand bundle through and pull so that the bundle has a loop coming out underneath the edge of the hat.

Tuck the loose strand end of the bundle through this loop and pull the bundle tight. Separate into 3 roughly equal sections of strands and braid. Repeat on the opposite side with 2nd bundle.

Once I braid my bundles, I use whichever strand at the end is longest to wrap around the braid-end and tie, tucking the strand back inside the bundle afterward. Voila! The CUTEST gnome bonnet you ever espied.

Leafy Tam Pattern PDF & Sale

August 26, 2022 / reginaalexisweiss / 1 Comment

It’s always really satisfying when a faithful old free pattern gets it’s own PDF version! The Leafy Tam hats have definitely been faithful for me, whether I need a cozy cap to keep my hair from freezing in wintertime or I just need to turn a skein of colorful soft yarn into something cute and easy with hook therapy.

This example Leafy Tam is made with Lion Brand Ferris Wheel for the main yarn

This design is ON SALE for just $5 along with ALL of my other hat patterns, exclusively in my Ko-Fi Shop. The sale price only lasts through the end of August though, so be sure to check it out before it’s gone!

This slouchy circular hat was originally published for free on my blog, featuring #4 weight yarn and a cute four-leaf circular motif in the center back of the design. That four-leaf motif can be a little daunting in written form though, so I created a video for that part too, which is linked in the PDF file. Read on for the full details of the crochet pattern!

When I was in school, tams were pretty much my best friend. Cute and practical in size and shape, these hats have enough space to put long hair up underneath to keep it warm and dry, and enough softness to sit in a casual slouch on top of loose locks. The Leafy Tam is a lightweight hat worked in #4 Worsted Weight yarn, using just a skein of main color and a small bit of contrast yarn for the fun, leafy accents!

The four-leaf motif in the center back of the hat brings a little interest, with a few more leaves accenting the brim. You could go crazy with the leaves if you wanted by following my leaf motif tutorials, both video and written, which are linked in the pattern file! Each step of the pattern has detailed written instructions as well as step by step photo tutorials for the trickier parts. I hope you find this little project as satisfying and useful as I did 🙂

Materials:

5.50 mm hook
Accent Color – 20 yds any #4 weight yarn
Main color – Red Heart Boutique Treasure in “Tapestry” (#4, 3.5 oz / 150 yds) (or any other #4 weight yarn, as I think Treasure has been discontinued)– 1 skein
Finished Measurement: ~ 23 inches around the brim, ~ 9 inches from brim to crown
Pattern written in US crochet terminology. Language is English.

I love the simple little details like the optional extra leaf accent and the post stitching that adds interest to the brim. Plus, the casually classic silhouette means it can go with just about anything!

Hope you enjoy this new little project – PDF sales are my primary source of income and your support means I get to keep doing what I do, so as always I thank you so much for making art with me! 🙂

-MF <3 <3

Filigree Lace Cap Update

April 1, 2022 / reginaalexisweiss / Leave a comment

Ah April! When the unpredictable (but sometimes actually nice) weather and the hope of longer, warmer days makes us all feel a little like fools, hopefully in a good way. For me, April usually marks the turning point of my business focus when I transition from winter projects to summer ones – and the first thing I needed this spring season was a stylish way to keep my hair out of my face without being too warm.

A mesh style hat is perfect for that, and I have a few designs already that are inspired by the “snood” style medieval fashion of keeping the hair gathered in intricate lace nets at the back of the head. The more casual of these two designs is the Mandala Tam, a free pattern you can find here. The fancier style is one of my older written crochet pattern PDFs, the Filigree Lace Cap, and that’s the one we’re updating today!

You can get the newly checked and updated PDF crochet pattern in my Etsy or Ravelry stores as usual, but I’m also offering this design on SALE for only $5 through my new Ko-Fi Shop for the entire month of April 🙂 Unlike Etsy, Ko-Fi doesn’t charge me a transaction fee, so I’m offering this discounted price to encourage people to check out the new shop front because I have fun plans for it in the future 🙂 Don’t worry though, all the same designs will remain available through Etsy and Ravelry too. Read on for more details about the pattern…

The Filigree Lace Cap is the only member of the “Lotus Mandala” family of designs that doesn’t bear the Lotus name in the title – but that’s whats at the center of this intricate-looking lace cap, glittering prettily in Vanna’s Choice Glamor, the yarn it was originally designed with. I’m pretty sure that yarn is not available anymore, but I happened to find two whole skeins of it in a de-stash of yarn that was gifted to me by a friend. I knew when I saw it I had to make another Filigree Cap with it. The yarn is #2 weight with a strand of glittery tinsel running through for just the right amount of sparkle in the finished yarn. Unfortunately you can’t see the sparkle too well because of how bright and sunny it was, but it’s there.

The great thing about updating this pattern PDF file was that since the central motif is the first 9 rounds of the Lotus Mandala, I was able to link the how-to videos for the Duster so that there are extra resources available for those who haven’t worked the other Lotus designs and need tutorial examples. The other great thing about this design is that if you HAVE worked the Lotus Mandala before, this hat is a cinch to make 😉

Filigree Lace Cap

An elegant, feminine cap perfect for gathering wayward locks away from one’s face in warm weather; or work it in fine wool to keep damp hair covered during freezing temperatures.

This pattern uses 1 skein of Lion Brand Vanna’s Glamour, a #2 weight acrylic yarn, to create a dainty floral-motif lace hat that can be worn as a renaissance-style snood (for covering hair) or as a perfect slouchy beanie for summer. This unique hat is versatile, useful, and so darn cute!

Hook Size: 3.25 mm
Yarn Weight: #2
Yardage: About 150 yds (less than 1 skein LB Vanna’s Glamour)
Pattern written in US terminology.
Language: ENGLISH

I have a lot of special things going on for this photoshoot so I want to cover that with some links! The vintage prairie dress I am wearing comes from the Etsy seller Sage Thyme Vintage – I have a growing collection of dresses from her shop and she’s an amazing seller with excellent customer service 🙂 The macrame moon earrings are from Etsy seller Adida Handmade (BEAUTIFUL quality jewelry) and the crescent moon pendant is from Cosmic Joke Jewelry on Etsy. My body artwork (tattoo and septum piercing) are done by the artists at Fox & Crow Evansville

The boots are vintage thrifted, still part of my photoshoots after a decade of service, bless them.

That’s about it for this little project! One funny thing I always face in my artwork is the fact that in order to prepare for the NEXT season coming, I’m usually battling the elements to get my photoshoots in. And by that I mean – wearing thick heavy coats and sweaters out to photograph them on 85 degree days (plus humidity), or as in the case of this Filigree Cap, wearing veil-thin cotton sleeveless dresses outside when it’s BELOW FREEZING 😀 Nothing’s sure in life but death, taxes, and trading in comfort for the pursuit of your passion 😉

-MF

P.S – If you look closely at my arms you can see the goosebumps from HOW COLD I AM

October Reflecting

October 22, 2021October 22, 2021 / reginaalexisweiss / 2 Comments

I’ve stayed pretty busy since the last big pattern release, so when 2/3rds of October sped by in a blink, I wasn’t surprised.

I’m so grateful for all the support my latest design the Yggdrasil Poncho received! I love creating and it’s just so fun to share my love of crochet with others who know that same joy.

Of course, I also am seeing lots of fun costume projects this time of year made from my free patterns like the Hedge Witch Hat, the Classic Witch Hat, and the Krampus Hat… Thank you all for tagging me 🙂

I also reminisce this time of year on some of my other favorites from my designs, like the versatile Pixie Pocket Belt tutorial (I’m working on one of these right now actually) and the one of a kind Costume Mega Tail tutorial.

Autumn is really an amazing time, so happy and sad all at once. I’ve been tending to the living spaces, cleaning and buckling down for winter. The weather has been quite fine so I took some hiking time in my favorite source of inspiration, nature!

I usually like slow-burn projects to come to the fore this time of year, like spinning (so cozy) and my long term knitting voyage…

Spinning some of the wool I dyed this past spring

My current collection of hexipuffs for Tiny Owl Knits’ amazing pattern, the Beekeeper’s Quilt

I just recently completed my 100th hexipuff for this project above: here’s Mister 100!

Yes, I’ve been happy and sad this season, as it is the time of year for remembrance of those we’ve lost. I lost friends this time two years ago, and this year have lost some older relatives, also. Time passes and we do the best we can to mark it as there is only so much to be had – and that’s why fiber arts directly represent love to me. We spend time spinning the threads or drawing the loops, precious time, dedicating it to another or perhaps just to ourselves. We leave our love in those fibers in the form of moments of thought, weaving a spell.

I hope this season has brought the best memories to you and of course lots and lots of hours of happy stitching <3

-MF

Wizard Hat Pattern

July 22, 2021August 22, 2022 / reginaalexisweiss / 2 Comments

You’d think that with two different magical pointy hat crochet patterns already written, I wouldn’t feel the urge to create another. At least, that’s what I thought when I added the Classic Witch Hat to my portfolio a year after I came out with the Hedge Witch Hat.

But of course, I was wrong – I saw a beautiful image of an even larger, taller pointed magical hat in irresistible autumn colors, made of solid wool and sporting pretty felted forest mushrooms, and I had the urge to create a hat with a similar silhouette on which to meld extravagant woodland features – and the Wizard Hat was conceived.

You can get the portable, ad-free PDF crochet pattern for the Wizard Hat in my Ravelry Store , Etsy Shop , or Ko-Fi Shop now! Click the links in the text to head there directly or keep reading for more info on this newest design 🙂

I knew I needed a tight stitch to keep the tall crown of this hat upright, as well as provide a smooth surface texture, so I went with the extremely neat and handy Waistcoat Stitch for this design (click the link for the free tutorial). Worked in bulky wool blend yarn and a relatively small hook, the Wizard Hat took shape in no time and I’m very happy to be releasing this pattern today! More details on this pattern – plus info on the special sale – can be found below.

Wizard Hat

Don’t be caught at the wizard’s duel without an impressive hat! This extra-tall wizard or witch hat is the perfect headwear for serious magicians, wandering wise men, or your friendly village potion-maker. A plainly stitched hat makes a warm and fantastical accessory but is also a great canvas for extras such as hat bands, patches, and other fiber art embellishments.

The tall crown of the Wizard Hat is achieved with bulky weight yarn worked in the beautifully smooth and firm Waistcoat Stitch, an easy-to-learn technique that tweaks the placement of simple single crochet stitches to form a tight and unique fabric with a surface texture that looks like knit stitches. A full tutorial for Waistcoat stitch is available in the resources for this pattern, which also includes step by step written instructions and detailed photos.

Materials

5.50 mm hook (or size needed to obtain gauge)
Lion Brand Lion’s Pride Woolspun (#5 Bulky weight, 3.5 oz / 100 g, 127 yds, 80% Acrylic 20% wool) – color shown is Clay – 3 skeins
Stitch Marker
Tapestry Needle
Scissors

Finished Measurements: 13” tall from tip to crown, 23″ crown circumference, 46” brim circumference, brim width 3-3.5”

Language: English. Written in US crochet terminology

I’m offering a special BOGO deal for this hat pattern for one week only to celebrate the debut – you can get this brand new exclusive PDF for FREE when you buy any other crochet pattern from my Ravelry pattern store! This deal is only available through Ravelry through 7-29-21 – and you must use the code “WIZZARD” to get the discount <3 If you miss this deal, be sure to check out my multi-pattern discount codes which are ALWAYS available and offer a substantial bulk-buying markdown!

Morale Fiber Pattern Store Discount Codes
Valid for both Etsy and Ravelry!
15% off of 2: MF15OFF
20% off of 3-4: MF20OFF
25% off of 5-6: MF25OFF
30% off of 7+: MF30OFF

These femme wizard photos also include a few other things made by me! The shawl is a version of my Cobweb Wrap crochet pattern, which I altered in length (following the mathematical formula for altering provided in the pattern instructions) and did in rows instead of rounds (don’t have notes for that part, sorry!)

I’m loving the patchwork dress I made from scrap quilting cotton and some vintage linens and laces gifted to me by a friend 🙂 I periodically do sewing projects and am getting marginally better at them, and sometimes even meld them with crochet – I hope to be doing more of that in the future.

I haven’t had time to add my desired crocheted mushroom and forest-y felted embellishments to this hat design yet, so in the meantime I adorned my official wizard garb with one of my ethereal handmade moth clips from The Forest Fae.

As always, thank you for visiting and checking out my newest offerings! If you’d like to see ALL the Morale Fiber content, check out my handy Linktree!

<3
MF

Oak Sprite Hat

February 10, 2021August 22, 2022 / reginaalexisweiss / 5 Comments

Acorns are easily one of the cutest things produced by trees. Their little round nutshells topped with a perfectly fitted cap, textured in minute detail, forcibly remind me of a wee head wearing a jaunty beret style hat – and I’m certainly not the first to try to recreate such a garment inspired by this adorable thing!

So when I set out to crochet an acorn-inspired hat, I wanted lots of texture and whimsy in the final design, something that would evoke the acorn while still capturing a spirit of otherness; something the little folk of the drawings of Cicely Mary Barker might want to adorn themselves with 🙂

Of course, I immediately set my mind on the crocodile stitch for this purpose. Though this stitch is an advanced one, I love it for the sense of magic it imparts to any crochet piece and that’s why I’ve created several patterns featuring this stitch already. The crocodile stitch is a special type of post stitching, so if you’ve never encountered post stitches, I’ve written a free Post Stitch tutorial right here on my blog! I do go over the crocodile stitch as well in this post 😉

So today I’m very excited to introduce the Oak Sprite Hat, an adult-sized acorn hat / beret design which features crocodile stitch worked in rounds from center to brim, edged with simple half double crochets and topped with the cutest little acorn cap stem. I also include a few notes on how to make this hat smaller for truly wee heads!

The pattern is available both for FREE as a video crochet tutorial series and as a paid PDF file in my Etsy Shop ,Ravelry Store, and Ko-Fi Shop! Keep scrolling for the free crochet tutorial and videos or support my art directly by buying the PDF at the links above!

I worked several of these hats to finalize the crochet pattern, and while in the process I debated about whether or not to make the crocodile stitches point downward, as the scales do on an actual acorn cap, but in the end I remembered that primary rule from taking art classes in college – suggest, rather than tell. The hat’s acorn-ness isn’t really compromised by this detail, and besides – I really just liked them better pointing upward. This way the green version reminded me of a thistle blossom, which I accented by adding a bright pink poofball!

For those wondering, I don’t currently have plans to do a version of this myself with the croc stitches pointing downward, although it can be done – if you’re interested in trying it, it would work from the brim toward the center, and use decreases rather than increases. I may be so bold as to suggest investing in my Sylphie Hat Pattern, which works the croc stitches in that direction, to get familiar with that method 🙂

Anywho, Here are all the details of the pattern you need to make this must-have woodland accessory, and below you’ll find the three-part video tutorial series for working the Oak Sprite Hat. If you like this video I do have more on my YouTube channel, check it out if you like and thanks for visiting – clicks, shares, tags, tip jar donations, and pattern purchases are my livelihood and I am eternally grateful for my kind and generous audience (YOU) that makes it all possible! <3 <3

Oak Sprite Hat

Materials

5.00 mm hook – or size needed to obtain gauge

#4 weight yarn – listed below are the specific yarns used to make each hat. Recommended yarn is Caron Simply Soft.
Scissors, tapestry needle

Thistle (green): LB Ferris Wheel (#4, 270 yd / 85 g, 100% Acrylic) – 1 Skein, Caron Simply Soft (#4) ~ 50 yards
Hedgehog (gray/brown): LB Amazing (discontinued) – 1 skein, LB Ferris Wheel ~ 100 yards
Acorn (brown): Caron Simply Soft Chocolate – 1 skein, I Love This Yarn – ~ 50 yds

Finished Measurements:
23″ circumference for brim
33″ circumference for widest part of crown
7-8″ tall from tip to brim (not including stem)

Notes:
Hat can be made a smaller overall size by skipping the final round of increases (Round 5) leaving the total number of croc stitches at 12. 12 croc stitches is ~16” circumference, or baby/child size. In this case you’ll want to work the brim at 48 stitches, without the decreases, unless decreases are necessary for the size being made.

Hat can also be made a bit shorter by skipping one or two of the final rounds of non-increasing. 5 rounds are written in the pattern but 4 or even 3 can be done instead. There is a note in the written pattern where this is optional! 😊

Stitches & Abbreviations

Chain (ch)
Double Crochet (dc)
Slip Stitch (sl st)
Half Double Crochet (hdc)
Half Double Crochet 2 Together (hdc2tog, a decrease)
Single Crochet (sc)
Magic Ring (MR): A method of starting a circle with a tight center by working the first round of stitches into a yarn loop, then pulling the yarn tail tight to adjust the loop.
Back Post Half Double (bphdc): Working the stitch into the post of the stitch below, inserting the hook from the back, around the post in the front, and re-emerging to catch the yarn in the back.

Special Stitches:
Picot: Picot is made by chaining 3 stitches, then slip stitching in the top of the last dc made to form a small loop. I use the two front loops of the last dc to work the slip stitch into. Picots are made in place of the normal ch-1 that occurs in the middle of a croc stitch scale to create the Picot Croc Stitch.

Picot Croc Stitch (PCS): A crocodile stitch with a picot in the middle in place of the normal ch-1.

Crocodile Stitch (croc stitch/st): This is a type of crochet stitch that creates a 3-D effect of a petal or scale. The croc stitch is a special style of post stitching.

It works by creating an underlying framework of alternating “single” (1) dc and “paired” (2) dc sets, separated by a ch-1.

Pictured above is the framework for a row of croc stitches. Once this row is created, the croc stitches are worked across the same row, overlapping.

Crocodile stitches are a type of post stitch, meaning that the hook is inserted around the main body of the stitch instead of the top two loops as normal. The stitch is then worked around the “post”, meaning that the space underneath the stitch is used and the body of the stitch holds the actual stitches. This is an advanced stitch and does take some getting used to as well as adjusting direction and hold of the fabric to achieve.

Croc stitches have 5 dc worked (from the top of the dc down to the bottom) into the post of the first dc of the paired set of dc, then a chain (or in this case picot) is made, before switching directions and working 5 more dc into the next dc of the paired set, working from the bottom of the stitch to the top. Each scale is secured by working a slip stitch into the next singly standing dc before moving on to the next scale.

Pictured above is the direction of post stitches worked to form the crocodile scale (for right-handers, this will be reversed for lefties)

Once a row/round of crocodile stitches is complete, the next row/round will build another framework for the next layer of croc stitches by working the alternating single (1) dc and paired (2) dc into the previous stitches:

Above picture illustrates how the framework for the next row of croc stitches is placed. Each paired dc is worked into the single dc which lies below, which is referred to as the space or stitch between scales. Each singly standing dc is worked into the middle space of the scale below, between the paired doubles underneath.

This pattern works Picot Croc Stitches (PCS) in the round, starting from the center of the hat. To achieve this, we will be working PCS increases, which means that the framework of the rounds will sometimes place 2 sets of paired dc in the same st between scales, each set separated by a ch-1 on either side and a singly standing dc in the middle. This sets us up to work 2 croc stitches in that space.

Pictured above is the croc stitch increase framework: (2 dc, ch 1, 1 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in the same st.

Oak Sprite Hat Video Tutorial Part 1

Video Tutorial Part 2

Video Tutorial Part 3

I hope you found this pattern to be helpful and interesting, and are inspired to create lots of clever pixie adornments for your friends and family! If you’ve caught the crocodile stitch bug like I have, here are some other patterns I offer that feature this stitch: