Flossie's Feathers - Crochet Cancer Challenge October 2021

 Flossie's Feathers - Free Crochet Pattern

Crochet Cancer Challenge 2021

October is cancer awareness month and this year I am so excited to be a part of the Crochet Cancer Challenge, hosted by Christine Naugle of Sweet Potato 3. Throughout the month of October there will be a daily featured hat design that will be available for free for a limited time. In order to participate, simply commit to making one hat from each pattern download and donate it to a local cancer center or individual who is undergoing treatment for cancer. 

If you have never taken part in this challenge before, you can learn more about it and how you can help to make a difference in the lives of those who are fighting cancer by clicking the image below. Please consider being a part of the challenge and pledge to make one of the many lovely hats being offered for this event. Through crochet we CAN make a difference, one hat at a time!

 

Flossie's Feathers  - For my dear mom, who passed in January 2021

Flossie's Feathers features the beautiful feather stitch. If you haven't tried this stitch yet, you are in for a treat. The feather stitch creates a thick, textured design that looks just beautiful in hats, scarves or cowls and is created in 4 easy movements, kind of like a conductor's baton; down, down, left, up. It's quite easy to master once you have tried it a few times and before you know it you will get into the rhythm of the stitch and move right along! I used this stitch in my Feather Stitch Beanie pattern (2020) as well as two cowl designs known as Feather Stitch Shorty and Cerulean Feathers which you may enjoy trying as well. 

I chose Lion Brand Mandala Ombre because of its very soft texture and the beautiful color options. Not only was turquoise my mom's favorite color, but the blend and variety of colors in this fiber truly remind me of the many shades of my mother's eyes.

Flossie's Feathers hat design can be worked up in a variety of ways. It is a top down hat design with a couple of options for creating the crown (basic beginner or advanced), brim (sc back loop edging or ribbed brim), and hat style (beanie, slouchy or beret). You can select which way to complete your hat based on your personal style preference and crochet comfort level. I will share a few photos showing some of the hat options provided in the pattern.

Here is my Beanie Version made with the basic crown option worked up in Lion Brand's Mandala Ombre in the "Felicity" colorway.  I made this one with a sc band. It has a secure fit, but not too tight. The photo to the right shows an image of the basic crown option.

The slouchy version of Flossie's Feathers which also appears on the front pattern page is simply an extended version of the beanie pattern, made with the addition of 8 (or more) rounds to create the slouch before beginning the band. It is completed with a pom-pom for a little added detail.

The beret style pictured below was worked using the advanced crown version, which is based on increased rounds of feather stitch from the crown center and downward. It also explains how to decrease once your desired crown diameter has been made. This can be a bit tricky if you are not familiar with the feather stitch or working decreased rounds. I added a little loop at the end and explain how to do so in the pattern. If this is a feature you know that you will want, I'm sure it would be easy to work the loop first, before starting the crown, so that it would not have to be attached later, but being a person who like options, I chose to add it after I had completed my beret. On the left side of the beret, I attached a coordinating button for decorative purposes, but it is not visible in the photo below.

So, if you're ready to get started, gather your materials together, click the download button below, and head on over to Ravelry to add the pattern to your library. Be sure to set up a project page so I can see your finished hats! Or, if you'd like to share in my Facebook group, you can request to join by following this link: Purdy Sweet Crochet

If you want a little help with the feather stitch increases, continue to read on for a few images that may help to clarify the the feather stitch increases for the advanced crown.

Materials:

Lion Brand Mandala Ombre Color: Mantra [551-202]

Tonal stripes of Sky Blue, Denim Blue, Deep Turquoise, Pale Turquoise

Hook Size 5.0 mm and 5.5 mm (or size recommended for your yarn selection)

Stitch Marker

Tapestry Needle

3/4" button for attaching pom or adding to hat band

Pom-pom

Working the Feather Stitch in Increasing

Rounds for your Crown

Round 1: Work 8 HDC in a magic circle, join with a slip st. (8)

Round 2: Ch 1, HDC in same st as join, CH 1. *[HDC next st, CH 1.] Repeat from *[  ] around to end. Join. (16)

Round 3: Ch 1, Working in the ch sp to the right of the join, Beg-FS, CH 1 to close. FS, CH 1 to close. HDC in the same space as last feather st (increase made), CH 1.  *[FS, CH 1, FS, CH 1, HDC (inc.), CH 1.] 3 times. Join. (24) = (8fs, 4hdc, 12 ch sp)

Note: When working the first feather stitch following a hdc/ch1 increase, work it in the SAME space as the hdc.

Round 4: Ch 1, Working in the ch sp to the right of the join, Beg-FS, CH 1 to close. FS, CH 1 to close. FS, CH1 to close. HDC in the same space as last feather st (increase made), CH 1.  *[(FS, CH 1) 3 xs, HDC (inc.), CH 1.] 3 times. Join. (32) = (12fs, 4hdc, 16 ch sp)

Round 5: Ch 1, Beg-FS, CH 1 to close. (FS, CH 1 to close) 3 xs, HDC in the same space as last feather st (increase made), CH 1.  *[(FS, CH 1) 4 xs, HDC (inc.), CH 1.] 3 times. Join. (40) = (16fs, 4hdc, 20ch sp)

Round 6: Ch 1, Beg-FS, CH 1 to close. (FS, CH 1 to close) 4 xs, HDC in the same space as last feather st (increase made), CH 1.  *[(FS, CH 1) 5 xs, HDC (inc.), CH 1.] 3 times. Join. (48) = (20fs, 4hdc, 24ch sp)

Round 7 Child/Youth: Ch 1, Ch 1, Beg-FS, CH 1 to close. (FS, CH 1 to close) 2 xs, HDC in the same space as last feather st (increase made), CH 1.  *[(FS, CH 1) 6 xs, HDC (inc.), CH 1.] 3 times, (FS, CH 1) 3 xs. Join. (56) = (24fs, 4hdc, 28ch sp)

Round 8 for Teen/Small Adult: Ch 1, Beg-FS, CH 1 to close. (FS, CH 1 to close) 6 xs, HDC in the same space as last feather st (increase made), CH 1.  *[(FS, CH 1) 7 xs, HDC (inc.), CH 1.] 3 times. Join. (64) = (28fs, 4hdc, 32ch sp)

Round 9 for Size Large Adult: Ch 1, Beg-FS, CH 1 to close. (FS, CH 1 to close) 7 xs, HDC in the same space as last feather st (increase made), CH 1.  *[(FS, CH 1) 8 xs, HDC (inc.), CH 1.] 3 times. Join. (72) = (32fs, 4hdc, 36ch sp)

BERET STYLE HAT SUGGESTIONS FOR SIZE ADULT SMALL                          (This style is achieved by working an over-sized flat crown and then working a short body followed by the brim.)

CROWN: For a Beret Style Hat, select your desired crown (beginner or advanced), begin with 8 hdc, and increase each round by 8 stitches until there are a total of (80) sts in the round.(40 FS, 40ch1)

Note: The crown should be made to a diameter of 7 - 8” depending on your preference before working the body. The diameter of the crown in the beret sample photo on page 3 above was 8" across and had a total of 80 sts in the final round of the crown.

FIRST DEC Round: *[Work 8 FS/CH1 sts, FS DEC] Repeat from *[   ] around to end. (72 = 36 FS, 36 Ch1)

Note: FS DEC = Work one feather stitch, but before completing the last step, insert hook into next ch1 space, yarn over and pull though all 8 loops on the hook (Dec made). 

SECOND DEC Round: *[Work 8 FS/CH1 sts, FS DEC] Repeat from *[   ] around to end. (64 = 32 FS, 32 Ch1)

BODY: Complete 2 rounds of FS/CH1 (64)

BAND: Complete 5 rounds sc blo, join. Fasten off, leaving a long tail to stitch your button onto the band

DECORATIVE LOOP: I worked a chain of 13, then slip st in 2nd chain from hook and each st to the end. I left a long enough tail at beginning and end to stitch this in place on the inside center of the crown. I pulled the center of the chain up through the center hole from my magic circle and then secured the two ends in place on the inside center top. This is completely optional.

Happy Crocheting, Everyone! Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions.