Call it a bolero, call it a cropped cardi. Whatever you call it, your autumn could use some spice, no?

• Bernat Satin (166 yds/152 meters/3.5 oz), 4 (4, 5, 5, 6) balls in Bordeaux
• 6.5mm (US K) hook
• Yarn needle

X-Small (Small, Medium, Large, X-Large)

Women's Size: 0/2 (4/6, 8/10, 12/14, 16/18)

5 rows of 2 shell repeats = 5" (12.7cm)

Special Stitch:

Shell = work [2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc] in same space/st.

After being introduced to amigurumi by this fabulous ‘zine, I went out and bought Japanese pattern books and played with making them. I then was asked to teach an Amigurumi class at my LYS’s annual Knit & Crochet retreat. I created this pattern for my class and it was so much fun to make and teach.

• Yarn requirements & hook size are dependent on the weight of the yarn you choose to use. You want your stitches to be as tight as possible so stuffing does not leak out. You may need to use a hook size smaller than what is recommended on the yarn label.
• Yarn needle
• Poly-fil or other stuffing
• Cat eyes (Optional. If you can’t find these at your local independent craft store you can buy them on eBay for very cheap.)
• Stitch marker

Depends on yarn weight.

Gauge is unimportant in this pattern. Be sure to make your stitches tight. Use a smaller hook than recommended, if necessary.

Body

Make adjustable ring

Round 1: Work 7 sc into ring, tighten ring by pulling on end of yarn. (7 sts)

With a chill in the air, all of my Northern friends begin pulling wool from their stash and get to work on their dreamy projects. They are about to start the season of yarn - in fact 3 glorious seasons of yarn. Their projects are designed to make you feel warm and cozy on those chilly, breezy days. No yarn is too heavy or too warm for my Northern Friends.

Here in the South, it’s still 85 degrees. It’s hot. Real hot. Damn hot. The thought of wool would make your skin itch, crawl, and walk away if it could. The air conditioning is on full-blast and the ice is still melting in the lemonade. Fall is just another extension of summer here. Cotton is a Southerner’s best friend when you insist on using hooks in this heat.

And yet here is a simple pattern we can both agree on. Different fibers for our different locations keep us hooking along together, unified in crochet. A felted wool scarf to keep out those blustery fall breezes in the North and a cool cotton scarf to help us pretend that it really is Fall in the South.

North:

• Patons Classic Merino Wool (100% wool; 223 yards / 204 meters per 100 grams / 3.5 oz.), Old Gold (#204), Paprika (#238), Burgundy (#208), Leaf Green (#240), 1 skein of each
• K hook / 6.5 mm
• Yarn needle
• Zippered pillowcase or a regular pillowcase and strong rubber band
• 1/2 cup baking sod
• Dish soap, just a squirt
• Old jeans and/or tennis shoes
• A top-loading clothes washer
• Four old towels

South:

• Lily Sugar ‘n Cream (100% cotton; 120 yards / 110 meters per 70.9 grams/2.5 oz.), Ecru (#4), Warm Brown (#1130), Hot Green (#1712), Rose Pink (#46), 1 ball of each
• H hook / 5.0 mm
• Yarn needle

North: 90”/228 cm before felting; 78”/198 cm after felting. Your scarf may be a little longer or shorter, depending on your washer and the duration of felting time.

South: 81”/206 cm

North: each motif = 4"/10cm in diameter

South: each motif = 3.25"/8.25cm in diameter 

Motifs are worked in the round. Do not turn rows.

I've been fond of ear-flap hats ever since I first saw one in an Alice Starmore knitting book. Although I've never gotten around to knitting one, I've crocheted loads. The hat band, which can be crocheted on its own if you're just after an ear-warmer/headband, is done in front-post double crochet to create a ribbed faux-fair isle-style. If you're like me and you have loads of partial skeins lying around, this is a great way to use them up.

• MC: 2 skeins Inca Cloud Artesano Alpaca (100% Alpaca, 131 yds/120m per 50g skein): color #002 (brown) or approximately 260 yards/240m of any DK weight alpaca.  
• CC1 and CC2: 1/2 skein each of Inca Cloud Artesano Alpaca (100% Alpaca, 131 yds/120m per 50g skein): color #402 (olive green) and color #71 (burnt orange) or approximately 131 yards/120m of any DK weight alpaca or scrap yarn.  
• US F /5 (3.75 mm) hook
• Stitch marker (I find a dangle earring works well in lieu of a proper stitch marker)
• Yarn needle

Wee Noggin - 17.5" (45 cm) circumference, 6.75" (17 cm) brim-to-top
Normal Noggin - 22" (56 cm) circumference, 8" (20 cm) brim-to-top
Big Noggin - 26.5" (67 cm) circumference, 9.25" (23 cm) brim-to-top

The pattern is written for Wee Noggin with changes for Normal Noggin and Big Noggin in parentheses.

Earflaps - 2.4" wide x 3.5" long (6 cm x 9 cm)
Pigtails - 8" (20 cm) long

19 sts x 24 rounds of sc = 4" (10 cm)

Brim

With MC, ch 80 [100, 120], sl st in first ch to form ring.  

Round 1.  Ch 2 (counts as first dc), dc in each st around, sl st in 2nd ch of ch-2 to close ring. - 80 (100, 120) dc total

Round 2.  Ch 1 (counts as first sc), *fpdc around next dc of previous row, sc in next st*, rep from * to * around, ending fpdc around last dc of previous row, sl st in first ch to close ring.  

Round 3. With CC1, ch 1 (counts as first sc), *fpdc around post of next fpdc, sc in next st,*  rep from * to * around, ending fpdc around post of next fpdc,  sl st in first ch to close ring.

Round 4.  Repeat Round 3 in MC.  

Round 5.  Repeat Round 3 in CC2.  

Round 6.  Repeat Round 3 in CC1.  

Round 7.  Repeat Round 3 in CC2.  

Round 8.  Repeat Round 3 in MC.  

Round 9.  Repeat Round 3 in CC1.  

Rounds 10-11.  Repeat Round 3 in MC.  

Fasten off.

Top O' the Hat

All sizes

With MC, ch 3, sl st in first ch to form ring.  

Round 1:  Ch 1, work 10 sc into ring.  (10 sts)

Ignoring ch-1, begin crocheting in a spiral. To help keep track of rounds, place a stitch marker in the first stitch of the round to mark the beginning of the round. Move the marker up as your work progresses.

Round 2:  Work 2 sc in each st around.  (20 sts)

Rounds 3-4:  Sc in each st around.  

Round 5:  Work 2 sc in each st around.  (40 sts)

Rounds 6-10:  Sc in each st around.  

Round 11:  Work 2 sc in each st around.  (80 sts)

Wee Noggin Only  

Rounds 12-27*:  Sc in each st around.  

Sl st in next st.  Fasten off.

Normal Noggin Only

Rounds 12-18:  Sc in each st around.  

Round 19:  *Work 2 sc in next st, sc in each of the next 3 sts,* rep from * to * around.  (100 sts)

Rounds 20-35*:  Sc in each st around.  

Sl st in next st.  Fasten off.

Big Noggin Only

Rounds 12-18:  Sc in each st around.  

Round 19:  *Work 2 sc in next st, sc in next st,* rep from * to * around.  (120 sts)

Rounds 20-43*:  Sc in each st around.  

Sl st in next st.  Fasten off.

* By all means feel free to adjust the number of rows to your preference if you want a taller or shorter hat!  

Earflaps

With CC1, ch 10.  Fasten off.  

Row 1:  Join CC2 in the blo, ch 1, sc in blo of each of first 9 ch, work 3 sc in last ch, sc in unworked loop of each ch along other side of ch to end.  Fasten off.  (21 sts)

Row 2:  Join MC in the blo, ch 1, sc-blo in each of the first 9 sts, work 2 sc-blo in each of the next 3 sts, sc-blo in each st to end.  Fasten off.  (24 sts)

Row 3:  Join CC1 in the blo, ch 1, sc-blo in each of the first 10 sts, work 2 sc-blo in each of the next 3 sts, sc-blo in each st to end.  Fasten off.  (27 sts)

Row 4:  Join MC in the blo, ch 1, sc-blo in each of the first 12 sts, work 2 sc-blo in each of the next 3 sts, sc-blo in each st to end, turn.  (30 sts)

Row 5:  Ch 1, sc-flo in each of first 11 sts, work 2 sc-flo in each of the next 2 sts, sc-flo in each of the next 4 sts, work 2 sc-flo in each of the next 2 sts, sc-flo in each st to end, turn.  (34 sts)

Row 6: Ch 1, sc-flo in each of the first 11 sts, work 2 sc-flo in each of the next 2 sts, sc-flo in each of next 8 sts, work 2 sc-flo in each of next 2 sts, sc-flo in each st to end.  Fasten off.  (38 sts)

Finishing

With MC, sew or sl st (I prefer the look of sl st done along the outside, or right side for this bit) the top o' the hat to the hat band.  Sew or sl st (I prefer the look of the sl st done along the inside, or wrong side, for this bit) the earflaps to the bottom of the hat band.  Fasten off. Weave in all ends.  

Pigtails (make two)

Cut (12) 24-inch strands of MC, CC1, and CC2.  With your finger or a large crochet hook, wiggle a hole/gap in the stitches between Rows 5 and 6 of the bottom of the earflap.  Stuff the strands through the gap and tie in a knot.  Braid the strands and tie at the bottom.