3 Crochet Hat Patterns Designs by me, Jo

In today’s post I’d like to share some of my Handmade Crocheted Creations and 3 Crochet Hat Pattern Designs by me, Jo.  I have been testing patterns for other Crocheters these last couple of weeks. I wanted to see how other Crochet designers created their patterns. I learned a lot crocheting for them and really enjoyed my time creating their Crocheted Creations.

I have 3 Crocheted Hat Patterns in my Etsy Shop and here on my website. The first one is called Mint Julep Hat Pattern. In this hat pattern I used the crochet technique of going behind the chain stitch or bump as you Single or Double Crochet. In this technique you get a unique raised stitch that really stands out. You can view this stitch across the rim and the crown of the Mint Julep Messy Bun Hat below.

3 Crochet Hat Pattern Designs by me, Jo
Jo’s Mint Julep Hat
3 Crochet Hat Pattern Designs by me, Jo
Mint Julep Hat

I also added the technique of going behind the bump in the stitch across the crown and rim of my Purple Waves Hat Pattern. I really like this technique because of the texture it adds to the hat. You can really see the ‘waves’ across the whole hat and especially the rim. I also went in the back loops of the stitches made, adding more texture to the ‘waves.’ Check it out below.

3 Crochet Hat Pattern Designs by me, Jo
Jo’s Purple Waves Hat
3 Crochet Hat Pattern Designs by me, Jo
Purple Waves Hat

The last pattern, is called the Spiral Messy Bun Hat Pattern here. The Spiral Stitch I used is where you keep crocheting around, not worrying about slip stitching in the first stitch of the round. You can see this technique in the pictures below.

3 Crochet Hat Pattern Designs by me, Jo
Jo’s Spiral Hat
3 Crochet Hat Pattern Designs by me, Jo
Spiral Hat

Please check out 1 or more of the 3 Crochet Hat Patterns Designs by me, Jo. I would LOVE to see your version of my Handmade Crocheted Creations!  As a Scoliosis Survivor or Chronic Pain Sufferer, these patterns would be something you could do and feel a GREAT sense of accomplishment because the patterns are so fast and easy to make.  Please add a picture of your Handmade Crocheted Creations or a comment below! You can also add a comment or picture at my Facebook Page Jo’s Crafty Hook. I would LOVE to hear from you!

Also be sure to sign up for my blog posts, so you can receive them right in you inbox! Thank you for stopping by and I look forward to seeing what YOUR Crafty Hook has created!


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As an Red Heart Associate I do receive a small fee for any purchases you make by clicking on the Red Heart Banner above.  The small fee allows me to purchase more yarn from places like Amazon and Red Heart so I can create more Handmade Crocheted Creations!

As an Amazon Associate I do receive a small fee for any purchases you make from the link Saving your Pictures below. If you are like me and you take a lot of pictures of your creations, you need something that has a HUGE storage space. I need something to save all my Handmade Crocheted Creations like the computers at the link below.

Saving your Pictures

As a Sally Beauty Associate I do receive a small fee for any purchases you make from the the link. I need to look my best when uploading my pics, so I shop at Sally’s so I look GREAT!

B1G1 50% Hair Care Liters & B1G1 50% Ion Color Brilliance. Valid 8/1-8/31.

Keeping Track of your Crocheted Pics

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In today’s post I wanted to make you aware of another GREAT deal from Amazon Prime!  When you crochet do you take pics and share your images?  Is your storage space bursting with all of your wonderful crocheted creations?  Keeping track of your crocheted pics would be so EASY on a tablet from Amazon Prime!  Click on the image below and see the GREAT deal Amazon Prime is offering on a Fire HD 10!  If this isn’t what you want to store your pics on, well that’s ok.  Amazon Prime has SO many more Tablets to choose from!  Click on the image of the tablet below to take advantage of all of the great deals Amazon Prime has going on right now!  They have Tablets and SO much more!

Think of all the pictures you have taken of your Handmade Crocheted Creations.  I know I am.  I have SO many images stored on my Tablet that I have used up all of my storage space.  I am taking advantage of Amazon Prime’s sale on Tablets so I can take more pics of my Handmade Crocheted Creations!  Some of my most recent Handmade Crocheted Creations are below.

Taking advantage of the discounts using Amazon Prime doesn’t have to wait until July 16th and July 17th.  If you sign up for Amazon Prime’s membership you can start saving today!  I know I am taking advantage of their membership buying things I need to make more items for my Etsy Shop which you can check out here!  Some deals I already took advantage of are below.

Keeping track of your crocheted pics would be SO much easier on one of the many Tablets Amazon Prime already has on sale!  If you haven’t signed up for Amazon Prime than do so today by clicking on their image below!  You will get great deals on other things as well like Music, Movies, Books, 2 day shipping and of course Yarn!

If you haven’t already, please sign up for my posts!  I will be sharing more about the deals from Amazon Prime and also some of my most recent Handmade Crocheted Creations!  Sign up below!

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If you would like to share some of the GREAT deals you got on Amazon Prime, please feel free to share in the comments section below!  I also would love comments or feedback on any of my Handmade Crocheted Creations, so please feel free to leave those below as well!  Thank you for stopping by and be sure to sign up for my posts to see what my Crafty Hook has created next!

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As a Red Heart Associate I do earn a percentage from qualifying purchases to keep my site going and to be able to do what I love best….Crochet.”


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Shopping for Crochet Supplies Using Amazon Prime

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In today’s post I want to tell you if you go shopping for crochet supplies using Amazon Prime you will find some great deals!   On July 16th and 17th Amazon Prime is having their 2018 Prime Day!  Signing up for Amazon Prime Day will lead to some awesome savings! Not only will you save on your crochet supplies, but they offer other huge discounts!  Below is what Amazon Prime offers you when you sign up!

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start a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime to experience the benefits that millions of members enjoy. After your free trial, Prime is just $12.99/month. Cancel anytime.

Fast, FREE shipping on over 100 million eligible items

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You can sign up for Amazon Prime and take advantage of the saving on the supplies you would normally buy to create your crocheted creations.  I myself have taken advantage of the deals you get from Amazon Prime. Below are some of the items I have purchased using Amazon Prime.

I used the crochet yarn purchased from Amazon Prime to make items like the ones below.  I made the Crocheted Beach Cover Up using Red Heart’s “Its a Wrap” yarn and Red Heart’s “Love” yarn for the Crocheted Headband.

 

Amazon Prime has a Prime Day guide that will tell you what you need to do to take advantage of their deals.  It also show you that by signing up you can  save all year long on the items you would normally purchase and on  your crochet supplies.  If you would like to take advantage of Amazon’s Prime Day 2018 deals, click on the banner below.

 

Crocheting is something I do every day.  I can’t remember a time when I didn’t crochet something every day.  I love to be able to find  yarn, crochet hooks, and other items at a great cost!  Amazon Prime is the perfect way for me to be able save on my crochet supplies so I can  continue making my Handmade Crocheted Creations!

Be sure to sign up for my posts because there will be deals all week long leading up to Amazon Prime Day 2018!  Also be sure to leave me a comment or picture below of what you purchased using Amazon Prime!

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Summer Tops

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Wow! Yes, WOW! I am totally blown away by the reactions I received from 6 of my Crocheted Summer Tops that I made in the month of June.  In this post I want to share my excitement with you and the 6 tops that I made and their patterns. All of the tops I have made are from FREE Crochet Patterns I have found on Pinterest and I have permission to share them with you!

Over the weekend I posted 6 of my Crocheted Summer Tops in 2 of my Facebook Crochet Community groups. I never expected the responses that I received! Friday I posted the 6 tops in 1 of my Facebook Crochet Community groups and within 24 hours I received over 700 positive reactions! WOW right?! So what did I do, I posted the same 6 tops on Saturday in another one of my Facebook Crochet Community groups, who wouldn’t right? Within 8 hours I received over 500 likes, loves and over 100 comments! I was SO blown away!

I am still blown away!   The reason I am blown away is that I have been working SO hard to promote my Facebook Page Jo’s Crafty Hook and of course my website joscraftyhook.com and I haven’t had very much traffic. My business page posts on Facebook have only been reaching an average of 5 people and my website has only had 366 hits.  Posting those 6 tops into 2 groups has lead to over 2500 likes, loves and over 300 positive comments. All of this was within 48 hours! Not only was I getting positive reactions but I was getting request after request for the patterns! I have had over 200 requests for the patterns for these tops! Unfortunately the patterns are not my own! Ugh right?!!  But I am not upset in the least, my crochet work is still getting seen and spread all over Facebook!

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Here are the 6 Crochet Summer Tops that caused me to receive so much feedback. These are the 6 crochet summer tops that I made in June and their corresponding patterns.

#1 or A. Granny Squared Crochet Top by One Dog Woof

Jo’s Version

#2 or B. Light-n-Lively by Lions Brand.

Jo’s Version

#3 or C. Granny Square Wardrobe Malfunctions by Handmade Mother

Jo’s Version

#4 or D. Sea Breeze Cover Up by Katerina Crochet

Jo’s Version

#5 or E. Easy Granny Square Tank Top by All Crochet Channel

Jo’s Version

#6 or F. Crisis Cross Tank Top by Rhelena

Jo’s Version

After you have reviewed your favorite top, please be sure to leave a comment here and with the original designer.  They deserve the credit for creating these great patterns and sharing them with us.

Be sure to stop back by and see what my Crafty Hook has created next, it has a lot more to share with you!  Also be sure to sign up for my Newsletter and to receive my next post right in your inbox!

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Scoliosis and Crochet

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Some of you who have visited my website might be asking “What does Scoliosis and Crochet have to do with each other?”  “Why are you selling Handmade Crocheted Creations and writing about Scoliosis?”  Well if you are asking these questions or ones similar this is why, I am a 45 year old woman, married with 2 adult children, I have been Crocheting for over 25 years, and I have Scoliosis.

If you have read my previous posts, then you know my life with this disease, yes Scoliosis is a disease, has not been a pleasant one.  I have undergone 5 surgeries on my back and I suffer from chronic pain.  I just seen a Spine Specialist who says I have Severe Scoliosis and I need to see another specialist who deals in such deformities.  I can’t say I’m surprised by his diagnoses.  I was 13 years old when they found my Scoliosis.  I know I have a deformity because it causes me grief daily and I have to look for ways to distract myself from the chronic pain.  That’s where Crochet comes in.

Crocheting for me is my life line.  It has been something I have enjoyed doing for over 20 years.  I was taught by my Gran and my Mom when my kids were in school and I needed something to do to fill the time.  Crocheting did not start out as my lifeline, it was just something I enjoyed doing while I had free time.  In 2000 I went through a really rough time.  I had my second back surgery and I was struggling every day with pain.  I felt like I was fighting for my life.  I had 2 young children to take care of, I had a husband that needed me, I had other family that I used to see once a week, and I had a job in the church.  I desperately wanted to get back to all of them.

During the last months of 2000 I was bedridden.  I couldn’t walk let alone move without serious pain in my back and shotting down my legs.  I didn’t know it at the time, but the surgery and the instruments installed during the surgery were causing damage to my spine and nerves.  So I had to find something to do to get my mind off of all of these issues!  This is where Crocheting started to become my lifeline.  It was where I learned to endure my struggles; where I learned to cope with the pain; where I learned that I could survive the challenges I was facing in my life.

Now, 18 years after that horrible surgery and the consequences of it I have turned what I love to do into a business.  The business is a way for me to use my suffering.  I have found a way to turn it into an opportunity, to share all of the lovely things I have made into something that could benefit me.  I did this by opening an online shop at Etsy called Jo’s Crafty Hook.  Over the last 3 years I have Crocheted enough items to stock the shelves of my shop.  I have turned pain into pleasure for others.  My customers get the finished product of my coping with my disease, something beautiful or beneficial.

I have used my lifeline many times over the years.  I underwent 3 more surgeries and thousands of procedures on my back.  I am still battling my disease today.  I am facing the possibility of not being able to walk; of having to undergo yet another surgery; of not being able to interact with my kids and husband.

But I use my lifeline everyday. I carve out time to crochet every day.  I have learned that I can be productive, that I can make others happy, that I can share my experiences by letting others know there is a way to survive Scoliosis.  I want others to know there are ways for them to endure and cope no matter what struggles they face.

So I hope I have answered your question on what Crocheting and Scoliosis have to do with each other.  Crocheting not only helps you make beautiful creations, but it helps you overcome and cope with the struggles you face every day no matter what they are.  Crocheting for me is not only something I enjoy doing but it is a way for me to use my struggles to make others happy when they purchase my products.

Feel free to check out some of the Handmade Crocheted Creations I have made and listed at my Etsy Shop by clicking on the page from my website.  You can also check out my shop here.  You can also find out more about Scoliosis and my survival with it by clicking on the Scoliosis Awareness Page at the top of my website.  As I tell my customers “be sure to pop back every once in a while to see what my Crafty Hook has created next!”

I would love to hear from you.  If you have a story or want to share information about Scoliosis I welcome your feedback!  Just fill out the form below and I will get right back to you!

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Signs and Symptoms of Scoliosis

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Signs and symptoms of Scoliosis may include:

  • Uneven shoulders
  • One shoulder blade that appears more prominent than the other
  • Uneven waist
  • One hip higher than the other

If a scoliosis curve gets worse, the spine will also rotate or twist, in addition to curving side to side. This causes the ribs on one side of the body to stick out farther than on the other side.

Causes

Doctors don’t know what causes the most common type of scoliosis — although it appears to involve hereditary factors, because the disorder tends to run in families. Less common types of scoliosis may be caused by:

  • Neuromuscular conditions, such as cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy
  • Birth defects affecting the development of the bones of the spine
  • Injuries to or infections of the spine

Risk factors for developing the most common type of scoliosis include:

  • Age. Signs and symptoms typically begin during the growth spurt that occurs just prior to puberty.
  • Sex. Although both boys and girls develop mild scoliosis at about the same rate, girls have a much higher risk of the curve worsening and requiring treatment.
  • Family history. Scoliosis can run in families, but most children with scoliosis don’t have a family history of the disease.

Complications

While most people with scoliosis have a mild form of the disorder, scoliosis may sometimes cause complications, including:

  • Lung and heart damage. In severe scoliosis, the rib cage may press against the lungs and heart, making it more difficult to breathe and harder for the heart to pump.
  • Back problems. Adults who had scoliosis as children are more likely to have chronic back pain than are people in the general population.
  • Appearance. As scoliosis worsens, it can cause more noticeable changes — including unlevel shoulders, prominent ribs, uneven hips, and a shift of the waist and trunk to the side. Individuals with scoliosis often become self-conscious about their appearance
  • Mayo Clinic

 

The reason I am telling you my story is that not everyone hears about Scoliosis.  If they do it is because their children had to have a screening or someone you know has Scoliosis.  I am just one person who has suffered through some horrible things because of this disease.  Yes it IS a disease, it changes a person’s outlook on life and they undergo some major trials as they become a “Scoliosis Survivor.”  Every day for me with Scoliosis is a challenge.  Not everyone has gone through the things I have and not everyone diagnosed with Scoliosis will.  I am just 1 out of the 7 million people affected with the disease.

I am a Scoliosis Survivor because even though I am in Chronic Pain I still get up every day and endure!  I endure Chronic Pain every day. I endure my body’s ever changing shape. I endure walking slowly or not at all.  I endure my clothes not fitting right. I endure living every day of my life with not knowing what my tomorrow may be like.  “Will I fall again? Will I be able to make it to the bathroom without pain? Will I be able to crochet anything today? Will I be able to feed myself today?”  These are just some of the questions that constantly go through my mind while I survive Scoliosis.

If you are a Scoliosis Survivor, I would LOVE to hear your story, so please feel free to share it with me by filling out the Comments section below.  If you don’t want your story shared on my post, you can email it to me and I will be happy to read your journey with Scoliosis.  You can email me at jo@joscraftyhook.com.  I look forward to hearing from you!

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