Harry Potter Sorting Hat Crochet

"Where shall I put you? Now that's interesting.  You've a ready mind.  There's talent.  Oh my goodness, yes, wit and learning.  Hmm, not a bad mind either.  It's all here in your head.  Better be Ravenclaw!"-- The Sorting Hat.

The Sorting Hat on Pottermore was correct all these years.  I do belong in Ravenclaw House.  And I've definitely proved it. As an autodidact (self-taught) crocheter, I crafted my own Sorting Hat without following any pre-existing patterns. 

None of the pre-existing patterns or tutorials on the Internet, YouTube, or Pinterest had the features that I wanted:

• Closer resemblance to the hat in the movies.
• Facial features that are NOT sewn-on afterwards, but are instead “built-in” as part of the crocheting.
• Wrinkles that can straighten out & fold back in the same place. 
• A mouth that opens & closes like a puppet’s mouth. 
• A brim that holds its shape WITHOUT millinery wire or starch, because the hat is supposed to be flexible enough to fold up, land in a crumple on the floor, and hide the Sword of Gryffindor (just like in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets).
• Uses worsted weight yarn, NOT bulky yarn.

After lots of research (which would rival Hermione's time in the library), lots and lots of trial-and error (I’ve gone thru 9-10 versions and frogged back each version until I finally achieved the final product), and almost 1.5 months (I have a Muggle crochet hook, not a magical one that crochets by itself), I finally finished.  I still want to make the two lappets than hang down from the back of the hat (they aren't plain brown, they have a golden paisley pattern on them), and there are a few tweaks that I’d make if I ever decide to re-make this hat.  But I'm still proud of what I've created nonetheless.

I present to you, the Sorting Hat!

Scrump Amigurumi: FREE Crochet Pattern

Since my Stitch doll turned out a success, I decided that I wanted a Scrump doll to go along with Stitch. 

“This is Scrump. I made her. But her head is too big.”—Lilo Pelekai

Being ambitious, I wanted to see if I could experiment and create my own crochet pattern. I watched Amiguruku’s YouTube video on how to make your own crochet pattern, so I gave it a try.  It took a LOT of trial and error, but I finally completed Scrump.

After completing Scrump, I realized that I probably should’ve (1) made the head a little wider, (2) made the belly a little bigger, and (3) placed a red band around her neck. So I’ve incorporated those adjustments to the pattern below.

SCRUMP AMIGURUMI CROCHET PATTERN

MATERIALS:

1. 4-ply Mint yarn (main color)
2. 4-ply Pink yarn (bow and mouth stitches)
3. 4-ply Red yarn (neck)
4. 4-ply Yellow yarn (hair and sewing button)
5. 4-ply Black yarn (mouth and sewing button)
6. 4-ply Light blue yarn (sewing button)
7. 1 medium black button (right eye)
8. 1 large blue button (left eye)
9. 1 small blue button (navel)
10. Size G crochet hook
11. Yarn needle
12. Polyester fiberfill

GLOSSARY:

ch - chain stitch

st - stitch

sl st - slip stitch

sc - single crochet

inc (increase) - 2 sc into the same 1 stitch

dec (decrease) - sc2tog using the invisible decrease

FLO - crochet into the front loops only of each stitch

TECHNIQUES:

Magic ring - I recommend watching this YouTube tutorial.

Changing yarn colors - I recommend watching this YouTube tutorial.

Note:

Numbers in () indicate number of stitches at the end of that round or row.

Pattern for all parts (except the hair and bow main piece) are worked in unjoined spirals.

Use a stitch marker to keep track of rounds. At the end of each round, move marker to loop on your hook.

PATTERN: 

ARMS (make 2): Mint yarn.

1. Magic Ring, SC 8 into the ring (8).
2. Inc in each stitch around (16).
3. SC in each st around (16).
4. SC in each st around (16).
5. *(SC in next 2 st,  dec in next 1 stitch), repeat from * around (12).
6. SC in each st around (12).
7. SC in each st around (12).
8. *(SC in next 1 st, dec in next 1 st), repeat from * around (8).
9. SC in each st around (8). 
10. SC in each st around (8).  Stuff arm. 
11. Ch 1, Close both ends with SC thru all 4 loops in next 4 st (4)

Fasten off.

LEFT LEG: Mint yarn

1. Magic Ring, SC 6 into the ring  (6).
2. Inc in each st around (12).
3. *(SC 1 st, inc 1), repeat from * around (18).
4. SC in each st around (18).
5. SC in each st around (18).
6. SC in each st around (18).
7. *(SC 1 st, dec 1), repeat from * around (12).
8. SC in each st around (12).
9. SC in each st around (12). 
10. *(SC 1 st, dec 1), repeat from * around (8). 
11. SC in each st around (8).  Stuff leg.

Fasten off.

RIGHT LEG: Mint yarn

1. Magic Ring, SC 6 (6).
2. Inc in each st around (12).
3. *(SC 1 st, inc 1), repeat from * around (18).
4. SC in each st around (18).
5. SC in each st around (18).
6. SC in each st around (18).
7. *(SC 1 st, dec 1), repeat from * around (12).
8. SC in each st around (12).
9. SC in each st around (12). 
10. *(SC 1 st, dec 1), repeat from * around (8). 
11. SC in each st around (8).  

Stuff leg. Do not cut tail. Continue to Body Row 1

BODY AND HEAD: Mint & red yarn

1. (Resuming from RIGHT LEG) Chain 1, sl st 4 to close the RIGHT LEG (thru front 3 loops only), chain 6, sl st 4 to close the LEFT LEG (thru front 3 loops only), sl st 4 along back of LEFT LEG, SC 6 along the chain, sl st 4 along reverse side of RIGHT LEG (28).
2. *(SC 13, inc 1), repeat from * around (30). Weave tail of LEFT LEG into the inside of the body while crocheting.
3. SC in each st around (30).
4. SC in each st around (30).
5. SC in each st around (30).
6. SC in each st around (30).
7. SC in each st around (30).
8. SC in each at around (30).
9. SC in each at around (30).
10. *(SC 4, dec 1), repeat from * around (25)
11. SC in each st around (25).
12. *(SC 3, dec 1), repeat from * around (20).
13. SC in each st around (20). Stuff body.
14. *(SC 3, dec 1), repeat from * around  (16).
15. SC in each st around (16).
16. *(SC 2, Sc2tog 1, repeat (12).
17. Join arm to body by SC in the next 4 stitches, SC in next 2 stitches of body, join 2nd arm to body by SC in the next 4 stitches, SC in next 2 stitch of body (12).
18. Switch to red yarn. SC in each st around (12). Weave tails of ARMS into the inside of the body while crocheting.
19. *(SC 1, dec 1), repeat from * around  (8). Stuff body.
20. Switch to mint yarn. *(SC 1, inc 1), repeat from * around (12).
21. *(SC 1, inc 1), repeat from * around (18).
22. *(SC 2, inc 1), repeat from * around (24).
23. *(SC 3, inc 1), repeat from * around (30).
24. *(SC 4, inc 1), repeat from * around (36).
25. *(SC 5, inc 1), repeat from * around (42).
26. *(SC 6, inc 1), repeat from * around (48).
27. *(SC 7, inc), repeat from * around (54).
28. SC in each st around (54).
29. SC in each st around (54).
30. SC in each st around (54).
31. SC in each st around (54).
32. SC in each st around (54).
33. *(SC 7, dec 1), repeat from * around (48).
34. SC in each st around (48).
35. SC in each st around (48).
36. SC in each st around (48).
37. *(SC 6, dec 1), repeat from * around (42).
38. *(SC 5, dec 1), repeat from * around (36).
39. *(SC 4, dec 1), repeat from * around (30). Stuff head.
40. *(SC 3, dec 1), repeat from * around (24).
41. *(SC 2, dec 1), repeat from * around (18).
42. *(SC 1, dec 1), repeat from * around (12). Stuff head.
43. Dec in each st around (6).

Fasten off, weave in ends.

BOW (main piece): Pink yarn

1. Ch 31.
2. Turn, SC in 2nd st away from hook, SC to end of chain (30).
3. Turn, Ch 1, SC in each st till end of row (30).
4. Turn, Ch 1, SC in each st till end of row (30).
5. Turn, Ch 1, SC in each st till end of row (30).
6. Turn, Ch 1, SC in each st till end of row (30).
7. Turn, Ch 1, SC in each st till end of row (30).
8. Turn, Ch 1, SC in each st till end of row (30).
9. Turn, Ch 1, SC in each st till end of row (30).
10. Turn, Ch 1, SC in each st till end of row (30).
11. Turn, Ch 1, SC in each st till end of row (30).
12. sl st short ends of the rectangle together to make a tube.

Fasten off, weave in ends.

BOW (cinch piece): Pink yarn

1. Ch 12, sl st into 1st st of chain to make a round (12).
2. SC in each st around (12).
3. SC in each st around (12).
4. SC in each st around (12).
5. SC in each st around (12).

Fasten off, leave long tail for sewing.

HAIR: Yellow yarn

1. Ch 6 (6).
2. Turn, SC 5 starting in 2nd st from hook (5).
3. Turn, Ch 8 (8)
4. Turn, SC 7 starting in 2nd st from hook (7).
5. Turn, Ch 10 (10).
6. Turn, SC 9 starting in 2nd st from hook (9)
7. Turn, Ch 6 (6).
8. Turn, SC 5 starting in 2nd st from hook (5).
9. Turn, Ch 8 (8)
10. Turn, SC 7 starting in 2nd st from hook (7).

Fasten off, leaving a long tail for sewing.

ASSEMBLY

1. Roll the base of the HAIR strands together into a spiral bundle. Sew the HAIR bundle to the center top of the BOW CINCH PIECE (opposite the CINCH PIECE’s tail).
2. Pull the BOW CINCH PIECE over the BOW MAIN PIECE until the CINCH PIECE is centered.
3. Sew the completed bow to the center top of the head using the CINCH PIECE’s tail.
4. Using black yarn, embroider the black part of mouth using a backstitch.
5. Using pink yarn, embroider 13-14 straight stitches across the mouth.
6. Using black yarn, sew on small blue button for the navel. If the yarn needle cannot fit thru the button holes, use a looped piece of thread to “thread” the yarn into the hole.
7. Using yellow yarn, sew on medium black button for right eye.
8. Using light blue yarn, sew on large blue button for left eye.

DIY shoelace bracelet tutorial

As a runner, sometimes I have a hard time retiring my old running shoes. That's because they're full of memories: my first half marathon, my first full marathon, my PR, traveling to the Nike Women's Half Marathon to get a Tiffany necklace, etc.

So what is a runner to do if they want to clean out their closet but keep the shoe memories? Keep the shoelaces & upcycle them into a bracelet!  It's even more fun if you are using a colored pair of shoelaces.

STEP 1:  Start with a CLEAN pair of shoelaces. Self explanatory. If you skip this step...yuck!

STEP 2:  Make a slip knot.  Make sure to leave a tail about 4 inches long.

STEP 3:  Pass a loop thru the slip knot.

STEP 4:  Pass a loop thru each successive loop to create a chain. (HINT:  You're finger crocheting.) Continue until there's only 4 inches left.  To end the chain, pass the aglet of the shoelace thru the final loop and tug until it's tight.

STEP 5:  Push the tails in opposite directions thru a bead.  I used a Pandora-style bead that I found at Michael's [UPDATE: I used a bead with an unthreaded 5 mm diameter hole from the brand Cousin Trinkettes.  Here's a link to the exact bead that I used].  If you have a lot of shoelaces of the same color, you could pick a different bead or shoelace charm to signify each pair of shoes/acomplishments/events/etc. Knot the ends of the tails to prevent the tails from slipping out.  Then wear your new bracelet & enjoy those memories!