FREE Pattern Friday: Heart Hat & Scarf

The local Food Bank is taking donations for their Christmas Hampers.  A few of us are crochet & knitting hats and scarves to donate for this cause.  I found these really cute matching hat and scarf patterns that I thought would be awesome to add to a hamper.  Made the purple set so far, but will try to get a couple of other sets done in different colors yet, just have to decide on colors (look in my craft room and see what color I have!)

In the hat pattern the bottom row of single crochets is done in the same color as the hearts, but after the hat is done.  This works fine, easy to do.  In the scarf pattern, the instructions are the same.  You start with the white and add the accent color after.  Next time I will start with a row of single crochet in the accent color and then just switch to the white instead of doing it later.

My set:

You can find the patterns here:

Heart Hat

Heart Scarf

If you don't crochet and would like a set, I can custom crochet them for you in any size and color you would like :)

You can see more of my custom crochet items on my FACEBOOK page.

Wordless Wednesday

Oven Apple Pancake

We love this recipe. I make it when I have time - takes about 1 hour start to finish, but is well worth the time and effort.

Oven Apple Pancake

1/4 cup butter or hard margarine

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

ground cinnamon, light sprinkle

2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced in wedges

3 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup flour

Melt butter in 9 inch pie plate in 425F oven. Stir brown sugar into melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Overlap apples in single layer. Cook in oven for 10 minutes.

Beat eggs with spoon in bowl. Add milk, salt and flour. Stir to moisten. Don't try to smooth out small lumps. Pour over apples. Return to oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cut into wedges.

Have a Wonderful Day my Friends!

FREE Pattern Friday: Autumn Cowl

If you have looked at my other Friday posts you will know that I crochet quite a bit for Charity.  A friend has an aunt who volunteers at a shelter for abused women and I have decided to crochet scarves and possibly some hats for those women.  

Pinterest is one of my favorite sites to look for free patterns.  I could probably get quite a bit more crocheting done if I wasn't always looking for new patterns to try :)  But I just can't seem to help myself.... lol

Found this great pattern with a new stitch to learn and happened to have the same colors in stock as the pattern showed!  That never happens.

Here are photo's of the infinity scarf I did:

I really like this pattern and will do it again.  It's easy to follow, easy to do and looks very nice.  I used Vannah's Choice yarns, one of my favorites.  But you could use any worsted weight (4) yarn.

Here is the pattern for this scarf:  Autumn Cowl

If you don't crochet and would like a cowl, I can custom crochet it for you in color you would like :)

You can see more of my custom crochet items on my FACEBOOK page.

Have a Wonderful day!

Wordless Wednesday

Banana Chocolate Cake

When I have bananas that need a new life and all ready have Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins in the freezer, this is the next recipe I will look for.  It's a wonderful banana cake for the chocolate lover :)

BANANA CHOCOLATE CAKE

3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 cups mashed banana (3 med. bananas)

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup Sour milk (see Note)

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter with sugar and 1 egg together very well. Beat in second egg. Mix in banana and vanilla.

Mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in small bowl.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture in 3 parts alternately with sour milk in 2 parts, beginning and ending with flour. Spread in 2 greased round 8 or 9 inch layer pans. Bake in oven until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean, about 40 minutes. 

Note: to make sour milk, add milk to 1 tbsp. vinegar in measuring cup. Stir.

I made the cake in a 9 x 13 inch pan, but it is full to the top!

Have a Wonderful Day my Friends!

FREE Pattern Friday: Headband & Bow

Decided to set up a table at the local Christmas Craft Show in November.  Searched the internet for some cute headbands I could make that would use up some of my bits of yarn.  Really liked the idea of a headband with a bow, but just couldn't find one I really liked.  So.... I made up my own pattern :)

Measure the head you will be making if for.  If you are like me and making it for a craft show or charity, use the chart here - How to Properly Size Crochet Hats.

I did this one so it would fit a Toddler

Materials:
Worsted Weight (4) yarn.
5mm (H) hook & 4.5mm 
yarn needle for sewing in ends

Stitches Used:
slst - slip stitch
sc - single crochet
hdc - half double crochet

INSTRUCTIONS:

Headband:

With the 5mm hook: Chain 60 (or as many as you need to do the size you want)
Switch to the 4.5mm hook for rest of pattern

Row 1: sc in the 2nd chain from the hook and in each chain to the end.  Slst to join in the first sc of the row being careful not to twist the chain. You will sew the bottom together when you are finished the headband. (59 stitches)

Row 2: ch 1, hdc each stitch around. Slst to join in first hdc.

Row 3 - 7: repeat row 2

Row 8:  sc in each stitch. Slst to join in the first sc.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Bow:

With the 5mm hook Chain 41.
Switch to the 4.5mm hook for the rest of the bow.

Row 1 - sc in the 2nd chain from the hook and in each chain to the end.  Slst to join in the first sc of the row being careful not to twist the chain. You will sew the bottom together when you are finished the headband. (40 stitches)

Rows 2-7: ch 1, hdc each stitch around. Slst to join in first hdc.

Row 8: sc in each stitch. Slst to join in the first sc.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Place the Bow piece on top of the Band piece with the seams together.  

With the 4.5mm hook, chain 50.

Pinch the headband and bow pieces together and wrap with the chain "rope".  Tie in the back and tuck in the ends.

If you have any questions feel free to ask!  

Here are some other free headband patterns you may want to try:
Striped Pinched Crochet Headband Pattern

Crochet Bow Ear Warmer Headband

                               Have an Awesome Day my Friends!