Boot Cuff Pattern

I've heard rumors of this thing called "fall" that should be showing up sometime in the near future. I hope it comes soon! Overall the summer has been mild and rainy, but it feels like all the heat and humidity has been crammed into this past week. Despite the sunshine and 90 degree temps, I'm ready for boots! And that means it's also time for boot cuffs! Bear with me, since this is the first pattern I've actually designed and then attempted to write it down in such as way that others can understand it. I tried to take pictures at each step, but I make no promises of the quality. 

One quick request: By all means use this to make boot cuffs for yourself or to give as gifts (Christmas will be here sooner than I realize!), but please don't sell these! If you want the boot cuffs but don't want to do the work, you can buy them from me (https://www.etsy.com/listing/121830541/crocheted-boot-cuffs) 

Feel free to comment with questions and/or comments and/or pictures of your boot cuffs!

Materials: Worsted Weight Yarn, Size J hook

Stitches: sc, slip stitch, hdc, dc, fpdc, bpdc

(Don't worry, they're not as complicated as the abbreviations look!)

On the left: Cuff with scalloped edge. On the right: Cuff with Ripple/bumpy edge

 Chain 13

Starting in the second chain from the hook, single crochet (sc) across. 12 stitches total.

When you reach the end of the row, chain 1, turn. Repeat for +/- 38 rows.

(I use 38 rows for a "generic" size boot cuff, but you can make them smaller or larger as needed.)

When you're done, it looks like a short scarf.

When you're cuff is long enough (it will fit around your leg without needing to stretch too much or being too loose), chain one. Without finishing off, slip stitch row 1 to row 38 across.

It should look like this when you get across.

Chain 1, sc across the top edge in the end stitches of each row.

When you have made your way around (+/- 38 stitches) (I never count), join to the chain 1 you began the edging with.

I use one of two edgings for my boot cuffs. I'll show you both, starting with the scalloped edge.

Chain 3, skip one sc, slip stitch to next sc. Repeat around. If you end up with an extra space, you can either make an extra chain 3 loop OR make one chain 4 and skip two stitches. It won't make a huge difference.

Chain 1. Sc, hdc, dc, hdc, sc in each chain 3 loop around (5 stitches in each loop).

When you reach the end, slip stitch to chain 1. Fasten off, weave in ends, turn the boot cuff right side out (so the seam is hidden). Tada! 

Why yes, that is the 2nd season of Big Bang in the background. 

Version 2: Ripple edge (Bubble edge? Poofy edge? Traditional Sock edge? I really need to work on naming things better!)

This is what the cuff should look like after you finish the sc along the top edge. 

Note: I'll be honest, I can't ever remember which is fpdc and which is bpdc, but alternate in each sc along the top edge. Basically, you are adding a dc around the body of the sc, either in front of the stitch or behind. I tried to get good photos, but I'm not sure how successful I was.

Chain 2. Fpdc, bpdc around. Join to chain 2.

You should have a good bumpy pattern going. When you reach the end of the row, chain 2.

Fpdc in fpdc, bpdc in bpdc around. Join to chain 2. Fasten off, weave in ends, turn right side out.

This is after the first row of fpdc/bpdc. You can see the "bumps" forming. This is what you want.

I'll post the pattern sans photos later. Hopefully this is easy to follow, but please let me know if you have any questions.

Stay Crafty!

CR

PSA

Just so you all know, pizza crust made with gluten free flour will not act the same way. My plan for stromboli rolls quickly became stromboli casserole. Tasty, but not the original plan. Oh, gluten. There are days I miss your elasticity.

Stay Crafty!

CR

Saturday Night

After spending all day at the market, we're all vegging out in front to the TV. (Disclaimer: This pic is actually from a few days ago. But Sheldon does like to watch with me.)

Stay Crafty!

CR

The 10th Commandment

When I was little, I remember being worried that I would break that 10 commandment accidently. I figured, at the age of four, that most of the other commandments sounded pretty simple. Well, maybe not the "Honor your father and your mother," but the rest weren't too hard. I wasn't planning on killing anyone, and I knew I wouldn't have to worry about "Adultery" until, well, I was an adult. (No one had explained what it meant, so I figured it had something to do with being a grown up and since I was a kid...) But coveting, that's a different story.

I remember having a conversation with my mother about what the word meant, and from then on I was terrified to say I wanted anything, in case I sinned. It didn't take me too much longer to further examine this commandment, and after another chat with my mom, I learned the difference between wanting to have something and thinking you would just die without it and only thinking of that thing. While I'm not sure exactly how old I was when all of this took place, I couldn't have been much older than four, since we were still in the apartment in Maryland. 

At any rate, all this is just a preface to today's post: The Top 5 Yarns I Wish I Had

I'm not coveting. I'm not even obsessing. I'm just wishing I had an excuse to purchase and use them.

(Since I don't own these yarns, I'm not sure what all of their official names are. I'll do what I can.)

1. Yarn Bee: Chinchilla
(Have I mentioned that this may very well be my favorite brand?)

My biggest issue with this is what it would be used for besides a scarf. Way too much material needed to make a sweater, far to chunky to make socks or even slippers. A hat would come out looking awkward. But someday I will find the right pattern. Someday.


2. I Love This Wool!:Naturals (In striped)

Only one shot of this kind. I love love love the tight color variation. I just tend to avoid using yarns like this because it always looks better as a skein. And it's wool. The fact that it made my top five to try says a lot about my strong attraction to the color and pattern. It's not a member of my stash because, aside from the fact I haven't found a use for it, it's wool. Maybe I'll take a chance on it.


3. Red Heart Boutique: Chic

It's long and fluffy and has cotton ball like things attached. Useful, no. Bizarre, yes. Once again, what do you use it for? A scarf pattern is included, but is that its only purpose? Surely not. (Notice the clearance tags and be proud of the fact I didn't actually buy any.)


4. Red Heart Boutique: Rigoletto

It kind of looks like a partially made sweater already. And you could just pull it out of the skein, wrap it around your neck, and be good to go. But much like the chinchilla yarn, I really want to try making something different out of it. Hmm....


5. Red Heart Boutique: Ribbons

Ruffle scarves are pretty. Ruffle scarves easy to make. But with so many varieties of ribbon yarn available these days, it would be nice to find another use for ribbon yarn. It's so pretty, but I just can't bring myself to jump on the ruffle scarf wagon. (I say that...and yet I have made a few out of tulle ribbon. So maybe I'm just a hypocrite.) And this one sparkles.

So now everyone knows what to get me for Christmas...but by then I'm sure to have moved on other yarns.

Stay crafty!

CR

Top Five Yarns

So I got to thinking last night about yarn (no surprise) and about how there are some materials that are just a pleasure to work with. This was furthered today when I made a trip to Hobby Lobby to pick up a few necessities. I always get distracted in yarn aisles, especially at Hobby Lobby. Probably because they sell several of my favorite yarns.While there are some mainstays I go back to over and over again, when I get the chance to pick anything to work with, there are a few specific yarns that come to mind.


1. Yarn Bee: Soft Illusion

 

This stuff is amazing. Like working with a cloud. Perfect for blankets and scarfs and anything else you can snuggle with. But be careful: The "fluff" that makes it so fantastic can get tangles up with itself, so you want to limit the tearing out and starting again as much as possible (although, isn't that always true?) All the yarns are variegated, so make sure you're using it for something that can be stripy!

2. Yarn Bee: Enchantress

 

I'm a sucker for all things sparkly. And this has sequins in it. Brilliant! (Groan...that was unintentional, I promise.) Beware: the sequins can grab on to yarn around them, and it does make the yarn itself difficult to use in delicate projects. I like it best for purses and hair bows.

3. Red Heart: Oatmeal (?) I can't find the actual name for this, but the Vanna's choice version it called Oatmeal. This kind is less expensive and the yarn itself has about the same feel.

 

At my house, this is called boot cuff color. Lots and lots of boot cuffs. Easy to care for, cheap to buy, and not really any hassle to use. And the color is a great neutral.

4. I Love This Yarn!: Metallic

 

It sparkles. (Like I said, I'm a sucker for the sparkle.) And it comes in a bajillion colors (Well, more like a dozen, but that's still a lot). My only complaint it that I couldn't find it in brown. Brown Metallic may be out there somewhere, but I have yet to spot it. Great yarn, great price, and easy to use.

5. Premier Yarns: City Life

 

One of the saddest things about the ruffle scarf craze is that more craft stores have replaced their lattice yarn with ruffle yarn. But I did run across these lovelies while visiting my folks. They shine, they are a bit stretchy, and the are extremely workable. My only regret is that I only bought these three.

Stay tuned: Coming up tomorrow the 5 yarns I'm dying to try

Stay crafty!

CR

" I have a problem with finishing things. I love to start a new project, a new hobby, a new blog, whatever it is, and then I get tired of it and walk off."

And then 2.5 years later, I rediscover the forgotten item while cleaning out the closet, or emptying the box, or going through my computer files. And all of a sudden I'm infatuated again. 

To be honest, I'd like to blame the extended silence of my blog on my crocheting. See that pair of slippers that I made so many many many months ago turned out to be a very special pair of slippers. They were wonderful and purple and looked like hippos and I love them dearly. More than being a fantastic pair of footwear, they were the beginning of a business, and after two years of sales, they are still my top seller. 

They have cute little tails and everything! 

But enough about my favorite slippers. Like any UFO (UnFinished Object), eventually the time comes to return to the mangled piece of work, assess the damage, dust off the cat hair (that's a new addition to my work these days), and try again. And maybe this time the stitches will come together the right way, the gauge will be spot on, and the yarn won't snag. Or maybe it will. I've come to learn that working through the issues and sometimes even incorporating them into the project makes the end result even more satisfying. 

But what do I know; I still have an unfinished sewing project in the back of my closet and have no intention of befriending it anytime soon.