Christmas Box appeal hat and scarf set-free pattern

It's that time of year again: time to fill those shoe boxes with gifts for children not as fortunate as one's own!

Warm hats and scarves are needed as well as pencils,paper,soap,beads( for a girl), and other appropriate small toys.

I must admit I do buy the gloves/mittens to go with the above set from Thame market on a Tuesday!

The hat is finished with a simple motif flower from a Harmony stitch guide and a small pom pom, the scarf with 3 small - 35mm- pompoms at each end.

Made with a 6 mm crochet hook and part of a 200g ball of MARBLE CHUNKY by James Brett.

The hat used up 56 grammes and the scarf 80 g and they easily fit both a child's head and into a small child sized shoe box( from Clarks).

For once I have veered away from the usual pink for girls as my own 10 year old won't go near pink but has approved of this set.

PATTERN: HAT

Chain3 and close with a slip stitch., work 3 chain then 15 trebles into the circle.

Chain 4 and work 1 treble 1 chain into each treble : ending with 15 trebles and a chain3 masquerading as a treble with a chain space between each.

Chain 3 and work 1 treble into the top of each treble and 2 trebles into each chain space: ending as 48 trebles( include the 1st 3 chain as a treble).Close each row with a slipst into the 3rd chain.

Continue in trebles working one into each treble and starting each row with a chain3, close each row with a slipst as before.

After 9 rows working staright without increases: change to dc as follows:

chain 1 and dc in everystitch with a sl st into the chain, repeat for 5 more rows( 6 rows of dc in total)

chain 1 and work dc in the front loop only ( to create a foldline) all the way around, sl st in ch: 48sts.

work a further 6 rows in dc as beforefinishing with a crabstitch border if desired.

Make pom pom ( 35 mm)and flower and attach to turned back brim. Work in ends.

Fits adults as well as most children aged 5-10.

SCARF:

CHAIN 144 .

* (work 2 trebles tog in first 2 chains)- twice , then 3 trebles in the next 3 chains[one per stitch], then {work 2 trebles in one chain-} twice and work 3 trebles- one in each of the next 3 chains- repeat from * to end.

The (...) creates a dip and the {...} creates a point so the scarf ''ripples'' along in chevrons.

There are 12 chevrons along the length.

In following rows you always increase by working 2 trebles into a treble in the 2 trebles at the centre of a point and you decrease using a treble before the previous row decrease and the treble created by joining 2 trebles of the row below.

For better instructions- try the RIPPLES book by Jan Eaton- if my instructions are too weird?

Start row with chain 3 then work into stitches below in the same pattern as the first row above and following the contours of the chevrons.

6 rows complete the scarf- work in ends and make 6 pom poms and attach these to the scarf.

VOILA! A lovely present for the Christmas box! Can both be made in the one evening!

And would be welcomed even by our own - relatively spoilt- ''on-trend ''offspring!!!

FLared filatura mohair cardigan based on ''HARU''

This cardigan is based on the HARU pattern in Doris Chan's Everyday Crochet book for the yoke and top half and I have then improvised a bit by adding flares and a more lacy stitch below the bustline .

The sleeves also were adapted by pinching a pleat at the end of the yoke pattern to create a puffed sleeve and then adding a slimline straight sleeve in the same lacy stitch as the lower body-part.

It can be worn as a deep V babydoll or as a shallow V wrapped front top.

I used about 5- 6 skeins: it weighs just over 260 g and a 6mm hook throughout.

I made it in the second size from the book up to the bustline and then increased for the flared fronts and back.

The yarn is a very old one that I hope will be re- introduced as it's been much admired!

Filatura di Crosa Mohair Multi.