Jaida's hat and a matching scarf

Birdie was invited to a birthday party this evening. When she came home a few days ago with the invitation I had in my hand a chevron blankie I had just started. Crocheting the chevron stitch is a newly acquired skill for me. I felt proud. I had thought that the stitch pattern would make a cute scarf, so I asked Bird if I could crochet a scarf for Jaida's birthday present.

I used yarn out of my stash and the Easy Ripple Afghan pattern because, of all of the chevron stitch patterns I saw, it had the easiest (for me, anyway) instructions for creating the chevron. I soon had a scarf that received rave reviews from 3 of my 4 girls (Tessa was neither here nor there on the issue).

Then I decided it needed a hat, so I went looking for a crochet hat pattern that was uncomplicated enough for my poor little brain to decipher. My quest was unsuccessful so I just made one up as I went along. Its popularity among my little crowd led me to sit down, write out how I made it, and promise to make more in the near future. I'll put the directions here too, in case anyone else is interested.

Jaida's Hat

fits girls from about 8 to 12 yrs old (for a larger size, CH 4 at the beginning and one DC in round 1)

Using a J hook and two different colored yarns (one variegated):
Start with color A (white, in this case)

CH 3, join, CH 2 (to form the loop)
1. DC 12 stitches around loop, CH 1, join, CH 2
2. DC next ST, 2 DC each remaining stitch, CH1, join, CH2
3. DC each ST around, CH 1, join, CH 2
4. repeat round 2
5 - 9. repeat round 3
10. change to color B (variegated), repeat round 3
11. change to color A, repeat round 3
12 - 14. color B, repeat round 3
15. color A, repeat round 3
16. color B, repeat round 3
17 - 18. color A, HDC around all ST, CH 1, join, CH 1

19. color A, HDC around all ST, join, tie off

weave in ends.

abbreviations: CH = chain; DC = double crochet; ST = stitch; HDC = half double crochet (not to be confused with a single crochet but that fact alone is enough to confuse me.)