How to Do a Slip Stitch

Traditionally this stitch is used for connecting rows or rounds, like on the first corner of a granny square or other types of squares. I have also used the slip stitch (abbreviated sl st) as a decorative stitch that went something like this:
Ch desired length +2
Rnd 1: Dc in 3rd ch from hook, dc across, turn
Rnd 2: Sl st across, ch 2, turn
Repeat rnd 1-2 until it reaches desired length

How to Do a Double Crochet

The double crochet uses a new method in crocheting that is yarning over before you insert your hook into the stitch, this may seem very odd if you've only been doing single crochets for a long time. Often times I use this stitch in making scarfs or in blankets such as this granny square afghan or this pumpkin colored blanket. This stitch is very useful and is abbreviated "dc" though in Europe it is abbreviated "tr" for treble crochet, but all my patterns are in US format.

How to Do a Single Crochet

The single crochet is the first stitch I ever learned, besides the chain stitch. It is used in many patterns e.g. my mouse finger puppet pattern has many single crochets which are abbreviated sc.

American Girl Doll Matching Hats

This is probably one of my favorite crochet projects yet. It fits the American Girl doll perfectly and turned out so cute. I made a matching kid sized one too. I designed it myself but unfortunately I didn't write down the pattern before I gave it away.

For the base of the hat I used Lion Brand Homespun yarn and then just worsted weight yarn for the flowers.

Mouse Finger Puppet

Colors: Pink and Blue

Hook size: I/9

Ch 10 join to 1^st ch w/ sl st

Rnd 1

Sc 10, don’t join to 1^st st

Rnd 2-6

Repeat rnd 1

Rnd 7a

(ch 1, sc1) 3 times, ch 6, sl st in 1^st ch of rnd 7a

Rnd 7b

You now have loop that will later be the nose, work around this loop. Sc 24, (sc the next 2 st tog, sc 1) 3 times, sc 18, (sc the next 2 st tog) 3 times, switch to pink, join to 1^st w/ st st, sk 1, dc 2 in next st, sk 1, sl st, tie off

Rnd 7c

Start in the 1^st st left of the nose (looking at the front) sc 8, sl st in the side of the nose, ch 1, turn

Rnd 8-10

Sc 8, sl st in the side of the nose, ch 1 tur

Rnd 11

Sc 8, sc over  the top of the nose, don’t join to the 1^st sc of this rnd

Rnd 12

Sc 12, don’t join to 1^st sc

Rnd 13-14

Repeat rnd 12

Rnd 15

(sc the next 2 st tog) 3 times,

Rnd 16

(sc the next 2 st tog) 3 times, sc the next 3 st tog, sk 1, sl st, tie off

Ear (make 2)

Start with pink,

Row 1

Leave 6in tail at the beg (for sewing)

Ch 3, turn, sk 1, dc 5 in next st, turn

Row 2

Switch to blue, ch 1, sc 2 in ea dc, sl st  in row 1, tie off,

Sew ears on

Add wiggly eyes (I didn't want to risk the glue on eyes coming off and I couldn't find sew-on ones small enough, so I took the glue-on ones and poke a pin through the back to turn them into sew-on ones.)

Weave in tails

It also make a cute "Breath Savers" cover :)

Basic Knitting Loom Hats

These are some of the first hats I ever made, at this point I was learning that I should use a double strand of worsted weight yarn. (On the black hat I did and on the purple hat I didn't)

 For the purple hat I used the green "Knifty Knitter" loom and used the yellow "Knifty Knitter" loom for the black hat.

Bright Hexagon Afghan

This is the first afghan I can call my own. :) It is very similar to a granny square. Of course it has six corners.

 

Hexagon

Ch 4, sl st in 1^st to form a ring,

Rnd 1

Ch 3 (this counts as a dc), [dc, ch 2, (dc 2, ch 2) 5 times, sl st in the top of the 1^st dc (or the 3^rd ch)] in ring

Rnd 2

Ch 3 (this counts as a dc), dc in the corner you just made, (ch1, [dc 2, ch 2, dc 2,] in next corner) 5 times, dc 2 in 1^st corner, ch 2, sl st in the top of the 1^st dc (or the 3^rd ch)

Rnd 3

Ch 3 (this counts as a dc), dc in the corner you just made, (ch 1, dc 2 in next hole, ch 1, [dc 2, ch 2, dc 2,] in next corner) 5 times, dc 2 in 1^st corner, ch 2, sl st in the top of the 1^st dc (or the 3^rd ch)

Rnd 4

Ch 3 (this counts as a dc), dc in the corner you just made, (ch 1, [dc 2, ch1,] in next 2 holes, [dc 2, ch 2, dc 2,] in next corner) 5 times, dc 2 in 1^st corner, ch 2, sl st in the top of the 1^st dc (or the 3^rd ch)

Tie off, weave ends in

Simply put

Ch 4, sl st in 1^st to form a ring,
[Ch 3 (this counts as a dc), dc, ch 2, (dc 2, ch 2) 5 times, sl st in the top of the 1^st dc (or the 3^rd ch)] in ring

*(Dc 2, ch 2, dc 2, ch1)in each corner, dc, ch1, in each hole, all the way around, for the beg corner start it by ch 3, dc 1, then once you’ve been around dc 2, ch 2, sl st, in the 3^rd ch from beg* do 3 rnd from *to* or repeat from *to* until it is the desired size

hint: you can get rid of the beg tail by crocheting over it in the first rnd