Crochet and Educating My Children! Yes Please! Week 3

Here we are at week 3 of my education and crochet blog series.  At this point, this new life is starting to become more normal.  We are all use to not being able to leave the house and learning in new ways.  We zoom with classmates and send photos of school work. 

This week I will be featuring a slightly different pattern.  I will be sharing a pattern I created about a week into our new life at home.  I was looking for something to wear my children out but also something that can play with using their imagination.  That is how I came up with the idea to design a cape and mask.  What better way is there to tire children out other than giving them a cape to run around and play superhero.  This pattern is simple and works up quickly.  You can easily make it in a day or two.

I designed this cape and mask using any worsted weight yarn. It is a basic shape and can be modified if you are making it for an adult. Since it is becoming more difficult to order yarn online and stores are closed, I wanted to design something that can use any size 4 yarn in your stash.

Here is a cape and a mask to go with it.  Now go play superhero!

Size

Cape” 8” X 18”

Mask: 8” x 4”

Materials

         Worsted Weight Yarn

                  2 skeins (any color)

         Cape used around 360 yards and the mask barely made a dent in the yarn

         Size K hook (6.5 mm)

         2 Needles (one for weaving in ends and one for thread

         Scissors

         Thread (same color as elastic)

         ½” width Elastic

         ¾” Button

Gauge

         Cape: 16 dc X 8 rows = 4”

         Mask: 13 hdc X 12 rows

Abbreviations

         dc – double crochet

         hdc – half double crochet

         inc – increase

         dec – decrease

         St(s) – stitch(es)

         Ch – chain

Sl st – slip stitch

Notes

• I used just about the entire skein of yarn for the cape.  I used big twist which had 371 yards.  The mask didn’t even make a dent in my second skein.
• If you would like to make the cape longer, make more rows before working on the straps.
• If you would like to make the straps longer, add more rows of 20 sts before you decrease.
• Since elastic is hard to find at the moment, you can cut two pieces of yarn and tie them to the sides to tie the mask on. You could also try looping rubber bands on the side and placing them over your ears.

Let’s Get Started!   

Cape

     Ch 69

1. Dc in 4^th  ch from the hook, dc across (65 sts)

2-43. ch 3, dc across (65 sts)

If you would like to make this longer, keep adding rows of dc.

44. ch 3, dc in first 20 sts (20 sts)

45-55. ch 3, dc across (20sts)

(If you would like to make the flaps to attach the cape longer continue dc 20 sts across.  If you do this, make sure you make the same amount of rows of 20 sts on the other side.)

56. ch 3, dc dec over next two sts, dc across until 2 sts remain, dc dec over last 2 sts (18 sts)

57. ch 3, dc dec, dc across until 2 sts remain, dc dec (16 sts)

58. ch 3, dc dec, dc across until 2 sts remain, dc dec (14 sts)

59. ch 3, dc dec, dc across until 2 sts remain, dc dec (12 sts)

Fasten off and weave in end.

Second Flap

1. Sk 25 sts, ch 3 in 26^th sts from strip you just finished and dc in same st, dc across 19 sts to the end (20 sts)

2-12. ch 3, dc across (20 sts)

13. ch 3, dc dec, dc across until 2 sts remain, dc dec (18 sts)

14. ch 3, dc dec, dc across until 2 sts remain, dc dec (16 sts)

15. ch 3, dc dec, dc across until 2 sts remain, dc dec (14 sts)

16. ch 3, dc dec, dc across until 2 sts remain, dc dec (12 sts)

Fasten off and weave in end.

Sew the button to the middle of the 15^th row on one of the flaps.  Because we used dc to make this, there is no need to make a hole.  The button will fit just fine between your sts.

Mask

     Ch 25

1. Hdc in the 3^rd ch from the hook, hdc across (23 sts)
2. Ch 2, hdc inc, hdc in next 21 sts, hdc inc in last st (25 sts)
3. Ch 2, hdc inc, hdc in next 23 sts, hdc inc in last st (27 sts)
4. Ch 2, hdc across (27 sts)
5. Ch 2, hdc in next 6 sts (6 sts)
6. Ch 2, hdc dec, hdc in next 4 sts (5 sts)

Fasten off.

Middle section of mask

1. Sk 5 sts, sl st to 6^th sts, ch 2, hdc in sts you sl st into and next 4 sts (5 sts)
2. Ch 2, hdc dec, hdc in next st, hdc dec (3 sts)

Fasten off.

Other end of face mask and bottom half

1. Sk 5 sts, sl st to 6^th st, ch2, hdc in same st you sl st to, hdc in next 5 sts (6 sts)
2. Ch 2, hdc in 4 sts, hdc dec (5 sts)
3. Ch 2, hdc in first 4 sts, hdc inc, ch 5, hdc inc on first st of middle section, hdc in next st, hdc inc in last st, ch 5, hdc inc in first st of other side, hdc in next 4 sts (17 sts and 10 ch)
4. Ch 2, hdc dec, hdc in next 4 sts, hdc 5 sts in ch, hdc in next 5 sts, hdc 5 in chs, hdc in next 4 sts, hdc dec (25 sts)
5. Ch 2, hdc dec, hdc across hdc until 2 sts remain, hdc dec (23 sts)
6. Ch 2, hdc dec, hdc in next 3 sts, hdc dec (5 sts)
7. Ch 2, hdc dec, hdc in next st, hdc dec (3 sts)

Fasten off.

Other side of mask

1. Sk 9 sts, sl st on 10^th st, ch 2, hdc dec in same st you sl st in and the next st, hdc in next 3 sts, hdc dec (5 sts)
2. Ch 2, hdc dec, hdc in next st, hdc dec (3 sts)

Fasten off and weave in all ends.

Attaching Elastic

Fold one side of the elastic over ch 2 of row 5 and over lap it slightly.  Using a sewing needle and thread sew the folded over elastic together.

Before attaching the second side make sure the elastic is straight and not twisted and that you place it around the st in the same direction.  Fold the other side of the elastic over the last hdc of row 5 and sew together like the first side. 

When you are done, feel free to share your finished work on Instagram using #llamaunraveled. You are welcome to sell completed projects, but please link back to my site. Please do not copy my pattern, do not redistribute my pattern, do not claim it as your own, and do not publish it anywhere.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me.

llamaunraveled@gmail.com