A gorgeous dress and some work in progress

About three weeks ago, there was an event called 'Stoffenspektakel' in Ghent. It's like a market with lots of stands that sell all kinds of fabrics. Since it's only an hour drive from our home and because I study in Ghent, my mom and I decided to go and have a look. And it was unlike anything I've ever seen! The fabrics are really cheap, my mom got some in a gorgeous nude pink colour for €2 per meter. I never thought that was possible!
Also, they had tricot with lovely colours and designs. We've been looking for that to make a summer dress, but it's so hard to find, especially when you're as picky as me. But I chose two different designs, one is light blue with small flowers and the other .. well you can see below, it's too hard to describe.
My mom sewed a dress for me, we got the pattern from the magazine Knipmode, and we found the pattern I have always dreamed of. And this is the result.

It fits perfectly!

I even got a matching top to wear underneath.

 

And I can show you some work in progress:

I was browsing on ravelry and I stumbled along this Cozy Pet Bed. Immediately, I knew I had to make this for my two cats! They both love to sleep on anything that's knitted or crochetted, and one of my cats always needs some thing to lean on. For example, he loves to sleep in cartboard shoe boxes, that way, he is supported from all sides.

The tube that goes around is filled up, for extra support ;)

Mine is made with two yarns held together,
one is purple, the other changes colour: black-grey-purple

And something else I have been working on is a scarf, called 'Clarity' by Kim Hargreaves.

The yarn is a bit shiny and it's golden beige.

Next weekend, 'Stoffenspektakel' comes to Leuven, and me and my mom are going to make it a mini citytrip. Saturday, we'll discover Leuven and sunday, we go buy some fabric! So next time I'll be able to show you all of the lovely fabrics we bought!
See ya!

Feather and fan hat crochet

Here I am again!

This time I crochetted something useful.  I don't like wearing rain jackets so when it's raining, I never have a hood to cover my head. And since I'm on my bike a lot, I can't use an umbrella. Only solution: a hat.

A few days ago, I started looking for a pattern I liked, found that quite hard (I'm soo picky) so I made one up. I made a really simple one, in half treble crochet, but it wasn't special enough so I wanted to add earflaps. So I did, but they didn't work out the way I wanted them to, I tried another way of adding the earflaps, but then the edging around was too tight, then I started over and then the edge was too loose and I got so sick and tired of that stupid had that I ripped it all out! Now there I was, with lots of yarn but still nothing to cover my head with. 

So, I went back on ravelry, looked through all the headwear I could find and I finally found something I really liked: The Hat-Tastic Fan Stitch.

But when I started, I soon realised it must have been a pattern for a baby hat, because I could already see it was way too small and way too short for me. So I added some changes to the pattern, below you can see my version of The Hat-Tastic Fan Stitch.

The yarn I used: Lana Grossa Bingo Mélange (100% Merino).

The hook I used: 5 mm

CROWN

Round 1: Start with a magic circle, make 12 trc, join with a slst in first st. (12)

If you don't know how to do a magic circle, just watch the youtube video. They explain it slowly and clearly and once you know this method, you'll never want anything else. You no longer have a hole where you start the hat, you can pull the it tight.

Round 2: Ch 2, 2 trc in same st, 2 trc in each trc. Join with a slst in first st. (24)

Round 3: Ch 2, trc in same st, * 2trc in next st, 1 trc in next st *, repeat from *, 2 trc in last st. Join with a slst in first st. (36)

Round 4: Ch 2, trc in first st, trc in next st, * 2trc in next st,  trc in next 2 st *, repeat from *, 2 trc in last st. Join with a slst in first st. (48)

Round 5: Ch 2, trc in first st, trc in next 2 st, *2trc in next st,  trc in next 3 st*, repeat from *, 2 trc in last st. Join with a slst in first st. (60)

At this moment my circle was about 39.5 cm (15.5 inches) in circumference, which is way too small. So I decided to make some more increases in the next round.

Round 6: Ch 1, *dc in next 9 st, 2 dc in next st*, repeat from *, join with a slst. (66)

FEATHER AND FAN PATTERN

Round 7: Ch 2, *trc in next 3 st, 3 trc in next st, skip 2 st*, repeat from *.  Join with a slst in first st.

Round 8: Ch 2 *skip 2 st, 3 trc in next st, trc in next 3 st*, repeat from *. Join with a slst in first st.

Round 9 – 16 : Repeat rounds 7 and 8.

At this point my hat was long enough, so I stopped ad 16 rows. If you want a longer hat, you just add some more rows of pattern.

EDGE

Round 17 – 18: Ch 1, dc in each st around. Join with a slst in first st.

Weave in the ends and you now have a gorgeous and elegant feather and fan hat!

Circumference: 51.5 cm / 20.3 inches. (It does stretch quite a bit, my head circumference is about 54 cm / 21.3 inches)

Length from top to bottom: 21 cm / 8.3 inches

(UK) Abbreviations:

trc = treble crochet

ch = chain

slst = slip stitch

dc = double crochet

It's just so my colour!

I finished the hat in one afternoon, it works up really fast and the feather and fan pattern is very easy.

Hope you like it!