How to Attach a Pom Pom to a Beanie

It’s a sad day when you crochet a pom pom beanie and the pom pom falls off!

That’s why I created this video. I’ll show you my method to tie your pom pom on really well so that it stays where you put it. 

Even when the hat goes through the washer (not the dryer! lay it flat to dry).

Even when your kid whips it off her head and throws it on the floor.

This is the best way to keep that pom pom secure to the hat and give it a shot at living a long and prosperous life.

Grab the pattern for the Pondera Beanie that’s featured in this video!

Men's Pondera Beanie Crochet Pattern

$5.00

I've been crocheting men's beanies since 2002, and I started to get tired of making the same basic hat over and over. So, I decided it was time to take it up a notch with the Pondera Beanie!

This pattern is not difficult but it’s slightly more challenging than some of my designs. At the top of the hat, you'll use seed stitch which is alternating single crochets and double crochets. This is really fun but I always need to turn off the TV so I can concentrate on counting my stitches at the top of the hat. You'll see what I mean.

Then, on the brim of the hat (navy blue in the photos above), you'll get to practice front post double crochet and back post double crochet to make a really cool ridged look.

And then, you'll top it all off with an adorable pom pom! One of my friends told me that men don't like beanies with pom poms, but I disagree! I watch football every Sunday and I always see those big tough football players wearing pom pom beanies on the sidelines during the games. I say, if it's good enough for an NFL football player, then it's good enough for any guy!

If you’ve mastered the basic beanie and you’re ready to learn or master the variations of double crochet, then you’re going to have a fun time!

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Here's what people are saying about Crochet with Delight's beanie crochet patterns...

"Love it!!!! Easy pattern, adjustable, and quick. The hobby store had the yarn I needed." - Etsy user nekochibichan1

"Splendid pattern. The hats are a huge hit here in northwestern North Dakota!" - Amy B.

"This was so fun to crochet! I'm already receiving requests for more!" - Teisha E.

"Great pattern with very good instructions and even extra help if you need it." - Michelle M.

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How to Crochet Seed Stitch in the Round

I recently had a major surgery with a 6 week recovery. While I was lazing about and letting my body heal, I started browsing Pinterest for some new crochet inspiration.

And I discovered seed stitch! It was a great moment because I felt inspired and motivated for the first time since my surgery. Unfortunately, I was staying with my parents for help while I recovered. And I cursed to realize that I hadn’t brought the right crochet hook with me to try out seed stitch right away.

So, I had to wait until I got back to my own house to try it. And it was worth the wait!

I really love how seed stitch takes two basic crochet stitches (double crochet and single crochet) and combines them in a way that looks totally different than plain double or single crochet.

I’m actually making two video tutorials on seed stitch. One on seed stitch in rows and one on seed stitch in the round. 

I definitely find seed stitch in the round to be slightly more challenging. I always have to turn off my TV or audiobook so that I can concentrate and count my stitches!

And I don’t know about you, but I enjoy a new crochet challenge every once in awhile.

So, if you’re in the mood to try something fun and new, then watch the video tutorial below and give it a shot!

Crochet skills you need for seed stitch in the round

Magic Circle
Single Crochet
Increase
Double Crochet

I’m so obsessed with seed stitch that I’m dreaming up all kinds of designs with it! I’ll be releasing at least two new beanie crochet patterns using seed stitch in the round. 

If you’d like to be notified when the new patterns launch, then sign up below and join my email list!

How to Double Crochet | Crochet for Beginners

I have a small confession to make. I actually don’t have any designs that use plain double crochet. You’ll see why in this video. 

However, I still wanted to create this tutorial for a couple of reasons.

First, double crochet is one of the most basic and quintessential stitches and all crocheters should have it in their repertoire.

And second, once you know how to double crochet, then you can learn the more fun and interesting cousins — front post double crochet, back post double crochet, half double crochet, seed stitch, basket weave stitch, and the list goes on!

But before you can dive into all that funness, you’ve got to know a basic double crochet.

For absolute beginners

You’ll want to make sure that you have these two skills down before you watch this video and learn double crochet. 

Slip Knot

Chain

In this video, I’m going to show you how to make a little practice swatch and nail your double crochet so that you can move on to bigger, better and more fun stitches!

How to Start a Messy Bun Beanie

Friends have been sending me pictures of messy bun beanies for a couple of years and saying, “You should make this!”

But I have resisted. Because I’ve had a short pixie cut for years.

2018 is different. This year, my hair is actually grown past my shoulders. And now I can totally see the appeal of a messy bun beanie!

So, I decided to finally follow my friends’ advice and design a messy bun beanie pattern!

Here’s me sporting my new design. Since my hair is still a teensy bit short for an actual messy bun, I like to wear mine with a half-up pony tail.

I recently moved to a tiny town in Montana and there is a VERY limited yarn selection available. Luckily, I found this really pretty Lionbrand yarn that I really like. It’s called Hometown USA and it’s super bulky weight. So, I decided to use this yarn for the messy bun beanie and I’m loving it!

I experimented with a couple different ways to start the beanie and I discovered that Foundation Single Crochet (fsc) is the best way because it makes the top of the hat stretchy and it’s easier to pull your hair through.

If you’re not familiar with fsc, you can watch the tutorial below to see how I do it to start my Messy Bun Beanie.

So, this tutorial should give you an idea of how to get started with a messy bun beanie.

In the full One Hour Messy Bun Beanie Crochet Pattern, I included sizing for women and also girls. Here’s a pic of my friend and her daughter sporting twin messy bun beanies.

As you can see, we tested them in the snow and found that they are super cozy and warm!

Download your One Hour Messy Bun Beanie Crochet Pattern here

How to Make and Measure a Crochet Gauge Swatch

One of my most popular crochet patterns is the One Hour Beanie. The most common problem that I’ve heard from people who use the pattern is that their hat turns out too small. And the main reason why this happens is that they crochet tighter than I do. So, even though they counted correctly and followed the instructions, the end product is too small.

The solution to this is to use a bigger hook than the one that I list in the pattern. Then, your stitches will be bigger, even though you may crochet more tightly.

Or, an even better solution is to make a gauge swatch BEFORE you even start working on a new pattern!

Then you’ll know if you can use the hook size that I recommend based on what I do, or if you need to use a bigger or smaller hook to achieve the correct sized stitch.

Watch the video below to learn all about stitch size, hooks, yarn and gauge so that your next project will turn out the perfect size!

How to crochet around the edges of a rectangle

Sometimes when I'm working with a project that's square or rectangular, I like to crochet around the edges to give it a cleaner, smoother look.

You could use this for a scarf, wash cloth, pot holder, pillow...whatever your happy hooker mind can dream up!

Skills to know before you try this video:

Slip knot

Chain

Single crochet

Crochet in rows

Pattern to practice this skill

Easy Spring Scarf - coming soon!

How to crochet a chain (ch)

Most crochet projects start out with at least 2 chains.

Inside the patterns, you'll see this abbreviated as "ch"

Watch this video to learn how to crochet a chain and get your crochet party started!

Crochet skills to know before you start

How to tie a slip knot

Tutorials for the next steps 

Single crochet (sc)

Crochet in rows

Patterns to practice your skills

Easy spring scarf - coming soon!

How to tie a slip knot

Tying a slip knot was the very first skill I learned when I started crocheting! You don't need this knot if you're making a beanie, but you will use it for almost every other crochet project!

After you've mastered the slip knot, try crocheting a chain.

How to roll an EPIC double-strand yarn ball

My scrap yarn stash looks like this...

But I like to be able to bring my crochet projects with me wherever I go. So, before I start a double-strand scrap yarn project like a beanie or a pillow, I roll up an awesome scrap yarn ball!

Watch the video below for tips on how to roll your own center-pull scrap yarn ball that's portable, easy to use, and creates an awesome, colorful scrap yarn project!

Links mentioned in the video:

Tutorials
How to tie a magic knot 

Scrap Yarn Beanie

Patterns
Scrap yarn beanie crochet pattern  
Scrap yarn pillow crochet pattern - coming soon!

How to tie a magic knot

When you run out of yarn and need to tie on a new skein, or you're making a scrap yarn project and changing colors, the magic knot is the best knot to use!

Here's why you should try the magic knot instead of a regular square knot...

1. The Magic Knot is sturdy. I have used hundreds of these and I have never had one come undone. Unlike a square knot which can be hit and miss.

2. You can trim off the ends and avoid the tedious task of weaving them into the wrong side of your work later. This knot is so strong that you can cut those ends off super close and you don't have to worry about it unraveling.

3. This knot is small and you can easily hide it inside of the stitches so that it doesn't make a funny bump in your work. It's totally invisible after you crochet it into your piece!

4. The magic knot is quick and easy to do. Once you get the hang of it.

Here's a video to show you exactly how to tie a magic knot.

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The hat I'm crocheting in the video is a Pussy Hat that I made for the 2017 Women's March!

Here's what it looks like when it's done. I love it so much. Even though the march is over, I still wear mine all the time!

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The magic knot is also super useful when you're doing a lot of color changes and making a scrap yarn beanie! You'll save tons of time weaving in ends if you use the magic knot as you go.

How to crochet FLO (front loop only)

Learn how to crochet FLO (front loop only) to create a different look for your projects! I use the FLO in single crochets to make a ridged brim for my fold-up beanies.

I used this technique to make the cute little fold-up brim from my Pussy Hat! I'm going to wear this beanie for the Women's March in Denver on January 21. If you'd like to get a little political and support women's rights, consider joining a march in your local area. And crochet a Pussy Hat, of course!

You can grab the Pussy Hat pattern here

Ok, so on to the video. Here's the FLO tutorial.

Use the FLO to create your very own Pussy Hat!

And, other patterns using this technique will be coming soon!

How to make cool color combinations in a scrap yarn beanie

You're finished crocheting your latest beanie. You're so happy! You can't wait to wear it or give it away.

Then, you look down and realize that you didn't use up all of your yarn. And there's not enough left over to make a whole new beanie. You have scrap yarn! 

What should you do with it?

Throw it away? No. I don't know any crafters who are cool with wasting supplies.

Store it with the rest of your yarn stash? Yeah, you might find a project to use it up in the future, but in the mean time it's going to sit and take up lots of space on your shelves.

How about making a scrap yarn beanie?!? Ding ding ding!!

Crocheting a beanie with your yarn scraps is an awesome stash buster! Imagine how you can use up all those little scraps of yarn that would have otherwise gone to waste. And you can free up space on your shelves for...more yarn, of course.

Plus, multi-colored scarp yarn beanies like these are truly unique! You'd barely be able to replicate one if you tried. 

Here are some tips on how to combine the colors of your scrap yarn pieces to make a fun, cool, boho style beanie.

Want the pattern for this beanie? Grab it here.

I'd love to see some pictures of your scrap yarn beanie. Join the Denver Whimsy Crochet Facebook group and post your pics!

Want a little closer look at some of my beanies? Here ya go!

Want to try crocheting one of these Scarp Yarn Beanies yourself? Get your patterns here...

Worsted weight yarn pattern

Worsted-Bulky weight yarn pattern