Crocheted Beanie with Flowers

I have always loved to crochet.  I remember when my mom taught me how to do it when I was a little girl.  I will share, the first time I accurately completed my first double crochet, I was watching a New Kids on the Block concert on our big box television.  Yes, I am willingly dating myself. :)

Although I have always loved crocheting, the extent of my projects consisted of blankets and very weird looking "booties".  I didn't think it was necessary to use a pattern.   To be honest, it wasn't that I didn't think I needed a pattern, in so much as it was confusing for me to read!  Anyone else feel like this? Walking through the yarn isle, you see pretty colors and think, I can do that....then you pick up a book and see terms like sl st...dc...ch(s)...and you think--"I will just stick to blankets." :) 

I finally told myself that I was going to learn a little more.  Let me tell you people, I have a long way to go but Google and YouTube are our friends.  It is so nice.  When you have a question, they are so handy.  There are so many tutorials that give you step by step instructions.  

So let's stop telling ourselves we can't do something.  If we want to learn--learn! :)

BASIC BEANIE WITH DOUBLE CROCHETED SHELL BORDER with optional FLOWERS

As I mentioned above, to help learn how to accomplish those "terms", I used THIS SITE.  You can click on the term in question, and it leads you to step by step instructions--with pictures!!  How easy! :)

Make a slip knot. If you do not know how to do that, click HERE.

Ch 4, join with a sl st in beg ch to form a ring.

R1: ch 1, work 6 sc in a ring, join with sl st in beg ch.

R2: ch 1, 2 sc in each sc, join with sl st in beg ch, 12 sc.

R3: ch 1, *sc in next sc, 2 sc; rep from * around, join with sl st in beg ch, 18 sc.

R4: ch 1, *sc in each of the next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * around, join with a sl st in beg ch, 24 sc.

R5: ch 1, *sc in each of next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * around, join with a sl st in beg ch, 30 sc.

R6: ch 1, *sc in each of next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * around, join with a sl st in beg ch, 36 sc.

R7: ch 1, *sc in each of next 5 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * around, join with a sl st in beg ch, 42 sc.

R8: ch 1, *sc in each of next 6 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from *around, join with a sl st in beg ch, 48 sc.

R9: ch 1, *sc in each of next 7 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from *around, join with a sl st in beg ch, 

54 sc.

R10: ch 1, *sc in each of next 8 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from *around, join with a sl st in beg ch, 60 sc. (NOTE: Measure the head this is designed for.  If you have a larger head, continue with the pattern 

R 11: ch 1, *sc in next 9 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * around, join with a sl st in beg ch, 66 sc.

R12: ch 1, *sc in next 10 sc, 2 sc in next sc; rep from * around, join with a sl st in beg ch, 72 sc. ETC....

I stopped this pattern after row 10.

R11:  Double crochet in each sc around, sl st in beg ch.

R12:  Dc in each sc around, sl st in beg ch.

R13: Dc in each sc around, sl st in beg ch.

R14: Dc in each sc around, sl st in beg ch.

R15: Dc in each sc around, sl st in beg ch.

R16: Dc in each sc around, sl st in beg ch.

R17: Dc in each sc around, sl st in beg ch.

Next, I did a Half Double Crochet Shell to make the bottom look pretty.  To do that...

sl st in first st.  (Skip the next st, work 5 hdc in the next st, skip next st, sl st in the next st.) Repeat sequence in parentheses until you've reached the end.  You'll end this row with a sl st.  Fasten off. Weave in ends. 

I used about. com for these instructions.  If you would like their instructions for a half double crochet, click HERE.

IF you would like to add flowers, you can.  I used 2 YouTube tutorials.  The larger, more complicated looking one is HERE.

I also made a smaller flower that I attached to the larger flower.  If you would like that tutorial, I used THIS LINK.

Below, I added a picture of the 2 flowers attached together.  Attaching the flowers, I didn't use a tutorial. I just winged it.  Back to my 'not using a pattern' habit. :)  After attaching the flowers together, I decided where I wanted it placed on my hat and, once again, winging it, I attached it. :)