Operation Warm Heads

[AdaBusyBee]

Charcreates, I have a huge stash of yarn - it was cumulated over the years, and while working, there was no time to take care of it. Now as retiree, I spend molre time to crochet and use leftovers to crochet hats and scarf for cancer patients in the hospital where we have our doctors taking care of our health problems. I'm going to find a kindergarden and try to crochet hats for children - I like this idea! Hugs! Ada.

[WabashWoman]

The hats idea is wonderful. I currently crochet scarves for the homeless and the needy. They have been donated to homeless shelters, etc. Any colour, any wool, anything goes. This has been ongoing since October and I am still at it. I do occasionally have to buy some extra yarn but I work with a lot of donated yarn and have made multi-coloured scarves of just about any colour you can imagine. It can be our way of giving back. There are so many in need out there and every little bit helps.

[CHARCREATES]

I have goose bumps just thinking about al the wonderful yarn people out there with huge hearts. Thank yo Ada. Thank you Wabash woman. Thanks to all with busy fingers and generous spirits!

Char

[mom fo foster dogs]

What a way to start my day, seeing all those smiling faces!!! Y0ou have a big heart

[DonnaPBradshaw]

How about the K class in your town? Or the one in your school district? I'm thinking about doing my own town next. Since there are only 7,000 people who live in Palmyra, NJ, there can't be all that many in kindergarten. The ones I made went with my friend who does her reading classes in the town next to ours.

Hats don't take all that long to make, you can use up some of that left over yarn and they give you a chance to try out new stitches. I didn't even follow a pattern. Once I made the crown with the appropriate number of increases I then played with decorative stitches. Sometimes I put a fold up brim or a flared brim on the hats, sometimes I did a backward single crochet with no brim on the bottom. There were a few newsboy's caps with peaks on the front. And there's always enough yarn to make a flower for the girl's hats. If there was enough yarn I did aviator style hats with ear flaps and that fold up thingy in the front with 2 buttons. I have tons of buttons. All in all, I had lots of fun with them.

What a great idea! I love this and what a great thing for you to do! Can you share your pattern for the crown?

[CHARCREATES]

What a great idea! I love this and what a great thing for you to do! Can you share your pattern for the crown?

Sure Donna. I use 2 strands of yarn together with either an I, J or K hook depending on the thickness of the 2 strands together. Do not turn during the entire hat.
Make a loop a little larger than usual, ch 1.
Row 1: 6sc into loop, join with sl st into 1st sc, ch 1 (6sc)
Row 2: 2sc into same st as joining, 2 sc in each sc around, join with sl st into 1st sc, ch 1 (12sc)
Row 3: 1sc into same st as joining, 2sc in next st. *1sc in next st, 2sc in next st* around to end, join as before. Ch 1 (18sc)
Row 4: 1sc into same st as joining, 1sc in next st, 2sc in next st. *1sc in next 2 sts, 2sc in next st* around to end, join as before. Ch 1 (24sc)
Row 5: 1sc into same st as joining, 1 sc in next 2 sts, 2sc in next st. *1sc in next 3 sts, 2sc in next st* around to end, join as before. Ch 1 (30sc)

When I use a K hook, I increase in the next row 2 times. That would be every 15th stitch. Then join as before, ch1. You could also switch to dc during this row but end row 5 with 3 chains.

If I am using a J hook, I increase in the next row 2 or 3 times. That would be every 15th or 10th stitch.

If I am using an I hook, I increase 3 or 4 times.

My increases in the 6th row depend on how tight or loose I am crocheting at the time. It may also depend on the number of repeats in a decorative stitch pattern I might use. After about the 7th or 8th row I start trying it on. Sometimes I have to frog back and increase or decrease during that 6th row but, hey, it's just a hat and there aren't all that many stitches to rip out and do over.

For boys' hats I don't do many decorative stitches so the 6th row to the end I do all dc. If I'm putting a roll up brim on the bottom I will turn the hat and do a row of sc in the back loop of the last row, increasing evenly about 5 or 6 stitches. Then I do either 2 more rows of dc or 1 row of dc and 1 row of sc.

Sometimes I put ear flaps on the hats, sometimes I'll do a aviator style with that fold up thingy on the front which I sew in place with yarn, sometimes I'll do a modified picot on the edge of a beanie style. Flowers are fun to put on girls hats if you have enough leftover yarn.

Once you get into this, Donna, you'll find yourself doing all kinds of fun things with these hats. The most fun is seeing all those smiles on the kids' faces when they get their new hats!!!

Please let me know how you're doing with your new hat project and if you need any help, I'm here!

Char

[CHARCREATES]

What a way to start my day, seeing all those smiling faces!!! Y0ou have a big heart

Thanks! I don't know how big my heart is but I sure know how big my yarn stash is! Whenever I finish a project I use up my leftover yarn by making hats. Then I toss them into a bin and wait for the next school year and the cold weather. It doesn't take all that long to make a hat. And whatever are we saving all those little balls of leftover yarn for?

Char

[twinkles12]

i also donate hats scarves and legwarmers for the needy and homeless also donate capes and lapghans to nursing homes--i plan on making some toys but havent got to it yet

[Kikiti]

They looked so cute. That was a wonderful thing you did for them. I know when you give to kids they sure can pull at your heart strings and makes everything right with the world alright.

[CHARCREATES]

Thanks Kikiti. Making the hats was fun and hearing about the reactions from the kids was even more fun. I've already started on next year's hats and have a little over 60 done. Since the "Operation" has expanded I have about 100 more to go. No problem! I've got 9 months.

Char