Finallly my day on the tour

“Every success I have ever had or will have in the future comes not solely
from my own ambition and hard work, but also from those that have encouraged,
supported and challenged me. Success is never, ever a one person job.”
― T.S. Tate

Today is my day on the Crochetville  Tour Through Crochet County  to celebrate National Crochet Month. I have been impatiently waiting for my turn to shout out my love of  crochet. This month has been incredible with all the great blog posts by so many wonderful talented designers and crochet professionals. I feel very humble to be numbered among them. Thank you Crochetville for putting this together. I have enjoyed the tour and checking out everyone's posts. Hope you have been reading along all month like I have.

You will find a free pattern of mine at the end of this post. I do hope you enjoy it. It was hard deciding what pattern to share. Thought about a thread pattern, But I chose one that would appeal to the largest number of people. My doilies are my passion but I do realize not everyone wants to make a doily. So I decided this little headband would be fun to share. So you will find my Poppin Popcorn headband in it's entirety below.

If you are a crochet lover and you aren't a member yet you might want to join and support the CGOA. Crochet Guild Of America. The organization is proud to support and promote crochet everywhere. I have been a Professional member for years and it has been very supportive of me and my endeavers. The CGOA published my very first pattern the Autumn Splendor shawl in their CGOA Pattern line.

They made me feel like I could really become a designer. Which encouraged me to spread my wings and fly......

There is the Masters program that helps you refine and recognize your skills. The Mentor program if you want to pursue becoming a professional. My mentee Lori Carlson is sharing my day here so go visit her here . Education and promotion at the Knit and Crochet shows twice a year.

If you want to challenge yourself you can enter the CGOA Design contest they put on each year. I love the challenge myself and have won in the past.

Oh and the Knit and Crochet Shows are a great place to hook up with fellow crochet lovers. I have made many friends in the few that I have been able to attend so far. I will be at both this year and can hardly wait to see my friends and make new ones.

The tour has also promoted and supported the charity Project Night Night.  Be sure to check them out here and add your support through a crocheted item or a donation.

But before you pick up your hook grab your yarn and delve in to the Poppin Popcorn headband pattern I thought you might like to read about what crochet means to me and how I learned. It has been such a large part of my life for a long time.

When other kids were pouring over comic books I was drooling over the crochet books packed in a box in our attic. The beauty that was on those pages entranced me and teased me. A sirens call I had to answer. There were balls of thread and tiny little hooks to tempt me also in the same box. I did not know until years later they were my grandmothers books and hooks. Oh the beautiful doily patterns that whispered to me. Make me, make me..... The temptation was too great, I had to try it. Word of experience do not try and teach yourself how to crochet with a size 13 hook and size 50 thread. Not likely to happen. I did try and I was very frustrated. Being left handed didn't help either as all the pictures in the books were for a right handed crocheters. At eight years old it is a bit hard to translate that sort of thing by one's self. But I still drooled over the pictures of the wonderful things that hook could help me make if I just mastered the little bugger.

It was a year or so later that my aunt Haydee came to visit with her crochet bag in tote. My eyes got big and I siddled up to stand next to her in rapt attention. Not only was she making that hook do what she wanted. She was left handed just like me....... I think she realized I might like to learn to crochet when the drool landed in her lap. Well long story short.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Haydee!

The gift you gave me that day has lasted me a life time.  

Years ago I wrote a poem about crochet in my life. I am going share it with you today as it sums it up well I think.

*******************************************

I Found my Crochet Hook

When I was young and fresh,

I found my crochet hook.

When I needed some quiet and time to think,

I found my crochet hook.

When first married and had more time than money,

I found my crochet hook.

When the military sent us far from home, with no friends or family close by,

I found my crochet hook.

When the kids where arriving and needed some clothes,

I found my crochet hook.

When they wanted a toy or the doll to be dressed,

I found my crochet hook.

When the house needed decorated with just the right touch,

I found my crochet hook.

When I was tired and grumpy and needed to hide,

I found my crochet hook.

When proms came and we needed the shawl and a clutch,

I found my crochet hook.

When weddings came and it was time to dress up,

I found my crochet hook.

When the nest is empty and have hours to fill,

I found my crochet hook.

When a gift was needed and the budget wouldn't stretch,

I found my crochet hook.

When I couldn't sleep and the night seemed to press,

I found my crochet hook.

When the grandchildren appeared and need to be spoiled,

I found my crochet hook.

When I needed some quiet and time to think,

I found my crochet hook.

So as I go through life, in good times and bad,

 the one thing I have always been thankful for was,

I found my crochet hook.

Kathryn A White,

Again Thank You Aunt Haydee

Thanks to you I have mastered that little bugger.

 And now that I have bored you with the longest post I have ever written. Here is your reward for your perseverance and patience.

The Poppin Popcorn Headband

Poppin Popcorn Headband

Designed By  Kathryn A White

Skill Level   Moderate

Materials 

Yarn: Baby Soft

Hook:  F/3.75mm

Misc: Tapestry needle

Button 1 and 1/4 inch or 1 and 3/8 inch

Gauge: 8 and 1/2 rows = 3 inches

15 sts = 3 inches

Size: sm fits a head circumference of 22 inches.

Adding 1 inch per each size up.

Recommended that you want a snug fit.

Width is 3 and 3/4 inches.

Special Stitches

Popcorn Stitch  = do the required number of dc in one st/or sp, as indicated, remove hook from loop, insert hook into top of the first stitch in the group, catch the lp and pull through. To have the popcorn face the front of the work insert hook from front to back. To have the popcorn face the backside of the work insert the hook back to front. 

fpdc = front post double crochet: done in this manner. Make a dc with the thread caught up around the post of the st on the rnd/row before by reaching through from the front of the st on the rnd/row before instead of into the top of the stitch. Complete as a normal dc,

bpdc = back post double crochet: done in this manner. Make a dc with the thread caught up around the post of the st on the rnd/row before by reaching through from the back of the st on the rnd/row before instead of into the top of the stitch. Complete as a normal dc,

Poppin Popcorn Headband

Row 1: Ch 21, turn, dc in 4th ch from hook, dc in each ch st across. < Counting the 3 skipped chs at the beg of row as 1 dc, 19 dc >

Row 2: ch 2, turn, ( fpdc in next dc, bpdc in next dc, ) 8 times, fpdc in next dc, dc in next dc,

Row 3: ch 2, turn,  ( bpdc in next fpdc, fpdc in next bpdc, ) 8 times, bpdc in next fpdc, dc in 2nd ch of ch 2 at beg of previous row,

Row 4: ch 2, turn, ( fpdc in next bpdc, bpdc in next fpdc ) 8 times, fpdc in next bpdc, dc in 2nd ch of ch 2 at beg of  previous row,

Row 5: repeat row 3,

Row 6: ch 2, turn, fpdc in next bpdc, fpdc in next fpdc, dc in next bpdc, 4 dc in next fpdc, remove hook from loop, insert hook from the front top into of the first stitch in the group, [ popcorn stitch made ] catch the lp and pull through. dc in next bpdc, fpdc in next fpdc, fpdc in next bpdc, dc in next fpdc, popcorn st in next bpdc, dc in next fpdc, fpdc in next bpdc, fpdc in next fpdc, dc in next bpdc, popcorn st in next fpdc, dc in next bpdc, fpdc in next fpdc, fpdc, in next bpdc, dc in 2nd ch of ch 2 at beg of  previous row,  This is the right side of your headband.

Row 7: ch 2, turn, bpdc in next 2 fpdc, dc in next dc, popcorn st in next popcorn st, [ on wrong side rows insert your hook from the back to the front to catch up the lp  this will have all your popcorn stitches facing the same way ]( dc in next dc, bpdc in next 2 fpdc, dc in next dc, popcorn st in next popcorn st, dc in next dc, ) 2 times, bpdc in next 2 fpdc, dc in 2nd ch of ch 2 at beg of  previous row,

Row 8: ch 2, turn, fpdc in next 2 bpdc, dc in next dc, popcorn st in next popcorn st, [ on right side rows insert your hook from the front to the back to catch up the lp this will have all your popcorn stitches facing the same way ] ( dc in next dc, fpdc in next 2 bpdc, dc in next dc, popcorn st in next popcorn st, dc in next dc, ) 2 times, bpdc in next 2 fpdc, dc in 2nd ch of ch 2 at beg of  previous row,

Repeat row 7 and 8 until you have  19 ( 20)  { 21 }  inches total ending with row 8.

End Ribbing

Row 1: ch 2, turn, fpdc in next fpdc, bpdc in next fpdc, fpdc in next dc, bpdc around top of popcorn st, fpdc in next dc, bpdc in next fpdc, fpdc in next fpdc, bpdc in next dc, fpdc around top of popcorn st, bpdc in next dc, fpdc in next fpdc, bpdc in next fpdc, fpdc in next dc, bpdc around top of popcorn st, fpdc in next dc, bpdc in next fpdc, fpdc in next fpdc, dc in 2nd ch of ch 2 at beg of  previous row,

Row 2: ch 2, turn,  ( bpdc in next fpdc, fpdc in next bpdc, ) 8 times, bpdc in next fpdc, dc in 2nd ch of ch 2 at beg of previous row,

Row 3: ch 2, turn, ( fpdc in next bpdc, bpdc in next fpdc ) 8 times, fpdc in next bpdc, dc in 2nd ch of ch 2 at beg of  previous row,

Row 4-5: repeat row 2 and 3 sequentially End off leaving a 15 inch tail,

Assembly

Holding wrong sides together using the 15 inch tail sew the 2 ends together matching stitch to stitch.

Once ends are sewn together, then weave the needle and yarn through the stitches back across. Gently pull the yarn until the joining gathers up to the tightness you desire. Lock in with a couple tiny stitches at the end.  Sew button into center of gathered joining.   

Created and Designed By

Kathryn A White

May be duplicated for private use, But not for resale

March 5th 2013