Anthropologie Inspired Hat

I have seen a number of patterns inspired by a beautiful hat sold by Anthropologie (not available any more, if the link I followed was correct), but none of them quite matched up to the parts I really loved about this hat. Here is a picture of the original hat:

It has taken a while, but I have come up with a couple of versions of this hat, including the parts of the hat I love best.  I'm writing this in US terms as I know a friend who prefers US terms wants to use it.

I particularly liked the cluster stitch that I think is included on the original hat and wanted to include that.  I personally think that making a cluster stitch is easier than actually explaining how to make it, but I'm going to try!  

There are probably a couple of more tricky stitches involved in the creation of this hat, I'll try and describe them below.  I know there are probably better explanations out there, and I'd imagine video tutorials if you get stuck, or feel free to write a comment and I'll try and explain it better!

Cluster Stitch Explanation:

Start with Yarn Over hook (YO)

Hook into space/stitch (in this pattern it will always be into a space)

YO hook

Pull your yarn through 2 loops

Repeat the above two more times

Then yarn through the remaining loops

Hopefully that makes sense!  I checked one of my books and it says: "A cluster is made exactly like a decrease except that the stitches are all worked in a single stitch or space before being gathered together at the top."  That probably makes more sense, although I tend to fudge my decreasing if I can't be bothered to check the actual method each time!

Front Post Double (FPDC)

With this stitch the only real difference is that instead of working into a stitch or a space you work around the "post" created by the stitch from the previous row.  

Start with YO hook on one side of the stitch;

Put your hook through the hole from the back to the front of the work ;

Then on the other side of the stitch push your hook back the other way from the front of your work to the back;

YO hook;

Pull your yarn through the first 2 loops on the hook

Then pull your yarn through the last 2 loops on the hook.

This should create a ridge effect on the hat.  To create the ribbed look you also need a Back Post Double stitch.  Which is created in the same way as the Front Post Double Stitch, but you need to do insert your hook around the "post" of the stitch from the previous row in the opposite way.

Back Post Double 

Start with YO hook on one side of the stitch;

Put your hook through the hole from the front to the back of the work ;

Then on the other side of the stitch push your hook back the other way from the back of your work to the front;

YO hook;

Pull your yarn through the first 2 loops on the hook

Then pull your yarn through the last 2 loops on the hook.

Crab Stitch

You create this by working the wrong way - so instead of going from right to left along the crochet row you move towards the right.  It feels weird to begin with, but once you get the hang of it, it is fine.  I like the way it finishes off a crochet piece.

This time the ridge is on the inside of the hat.  Thinking about it, maybe I do these the wrong way round!  I guess it doesn't matter so long as you are happy that you have the ridge in the place you want it for finishing the hat off.  I tend to crochet so that the I'm looking at the inside of the hat.

Couple of other things to mention.  I used a 5mm hook and just some normal DK yarn.  At the beginning of each Cluster Stitch Round you should slip stitch into the space, chain 2 and start the cluster stitch sequence.

Hat Pattern

Magic Circle and chain 2

Round 1: 1 cluster stitch (CL ST) + 1 chain(CH) - repeat  x 6 slip stitch (Sl ST) to finish 

Round 2: *1 CL ST + 1CH, 1 CL ST + 1CH* into each space between the previous rounds clusters SL ST

Round 3: *1 CL ST + 1CH, 1 CL ST + 1CH into next space, 1 CL ST +1CH into next space* repeat all around and SL ST 

Round 4: *1 CL ST + 1CH, 1 CL ST + 1CH into next space, 1 CL ST +1CH into next 2 space* repeat all around and SL ST 

Round 5: *1 CL ST + 1CH, 1 CL ST + 1CH into next space, 1 CL ST +1CH into next 3 space* repeat all around and SL ST 

Round 6: *1 CL ST + 1CH, 1 CL ST + 1CH into next space, 1 CL ST +1CH into next 4 space* repeat all around and SL ST 

Round 7 - Round 12: *1 CL ST +1CH* in each  space and SL ST at end of round

Round 13: 1 Half Double Crochet (HDC) in each stitch all around, SL ST at end of round

Round 14 - Round 17: Chain 2 FPDC all around and SL ST at end of round

Round 18: *3 HDC in one stitch, SL ST in next 2 stitches* all around.  If not quite a repeat I squeezed in 1 extra by only SL ST in one before the last 3HDC.

Alternative Finish to the hat - the ribbed look, you complete the hat as above until Row 14

Round 14 - Round 17: Chain 2,  *FPDC in next stitch, BPDC in next stitch*  SL ST at end of round

Round 18: Crab stitch around and then SL ST to finish.

I used a couple of flower patterns for these the first one is one I've already described here.  The second one is a fab pattern from here.  I love it and I once spent a week just making them as I was having so much fun!

I hope you enjoy making this pattern, if it doesn't make sense please let me know, although I know I can create a hat using this pattern I'm hoping other people will be able to as well!

Brownies

Woo Hoo, I've made it to a year of blogging.  I told the Husband that I would get bored way before a year came round.  So my anniversary post is going to be a brownie recipe.

Mmmm, lovely brownies. I do love them, and this is an easy recipe to remember and to make.  I love that you can mix it all in one pan ready for baking. The less washing up the better in my books. Again I think I originally found this recipe on the Money Saving Expert forums, but I haven't written down where I found it, so honestly it could be from anywhere.  I have a big folder filled with scraps of paper/envelopes/important letters from the kids school with my scribbles on them.  Mainly I just write down the ingredients and hope that I remember the method when I next come to them...

Probably why my cooking can be hit or miss.  I don't even bother getting the folder out to make these brownies anymore, I have memorised the recipe and even when I forget things (like baking powder) they tend to turn out ok!

Chocolate Brownie Recipe:

100g Chocolate

70g Butter

170g sugar

2 eggs

tsp vanilla

70g flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

Melt the chocolate and the butter together in a pan.

Once melted add the sugar (pretend you can't see the amount of that going in).

Let it cool a little and add the vanilla and the eggs.  You just don't want the eggs to cook on the top of it, it only need a couple of mins.

Then add the flour and the baking powder (they rise better when it is included!)

You can then choose whether to put them in a small tin and have big chunky thick brownies or spread out more thinly in a larger tin.  I normally go with the larger tin because then you can get more brownies from your mix.

I bake them in an A4-is sized tin at 160 degrees for about 15-20 mins.  You have to wait for it to crack on top.  Too little time and you'll end up with a fudge-y mess. Too much time and you'll end up with something that is more biscuit like, which I find disappointing.  I like fudgier brownies.

I've played with these to add different flavours too.
Chocolate Orange - add some zest and some orange flavouring in place of the vanilla.  

Chocolate Chilli - I added some chilli puree in place of the vanilla, though I'm sure it would work with finely chopped chilli too (only a little)
Chocolate Marmite - I added a teaspoon of marmite to the mix.  Not my favourite, although I do love marmite, so personally wouldn't recommend.
Chocolate Almond - replace the vanilla extract with almond extract.  Yummy marzipan flavour, disliked by the Husband and my son - such a shame...

I think coffee would work really well with them as well - if anyone else in the family would eat them I would try adding 2 teaspoons of instant coffee with the melted mixture.  Mmm, mocha brownies.  Likewise I think mint brownies would work really well if you replaced the vanilla with peppermint essence.

Enjoy!