Modifications: I changed the cuff to a smaller diameter for a better fit, and I also gave it a rib with a twined herringbone edge. They fit perfectly! Most mitten patterns are too large for me, and I have to alter them anyway. I will make these mittens again. It's a cool pattern, and it's lots of fun to knit. The Superwash Cascade is the perfect yarn, especially for me using a size 4 needle.
Modifications: I changed the number of stitches for the cast on, then knitted more repeats of the pattern.
This design gives me convulsions! Really, my eyes played tricks on me the whole time I knit this hat. I like a more slouchy beret, so I had to really block it severely to get it to shape nicely.
Last year at this time it was cold, so hats and mittens were in order for baseball game days. I'm not sure if I will get to wear these this year, but I'll be all set for next season.
Modifications: I did not get gauge with the Incense, so I made the size small. Let me tell you, it turned out small! However, severe blocking did the trick, and now I love it. I think I need one in every color.
Meeka was also enjoying the inauguration ceremonies yesterday. She sat on her pillow and watched TV for the longest time, until, that is, I decided to take her picture.
Here are some childrens' hats I made in November. I can't even remember what yarn I used. No pattern, just simple hats. The blue hat is Paton's Shetland Chunky Tweed.
Yarn: Lamb's Pride Worsted, turquoise, and Cascade 220, red
Needles: Size 6 US
Amount Used: Not a lot! Lots left over
I LOVE these mittens! They actually fit me well, and they were loads of fun to knit. I changed the cuff and also the thumb, making it shorter. Otherwise, I thought it was a well written, straightforward pattern.
I
used yarn from my stash. Next time, I won’t use Lamb's Pride - although I love
it, it’s just too fuzzy with the Cascade 220. Finally, a pair of
mittens, not felted, which actually FIT me. Almost all mitten patterns
are too large for me. If you have not done fair isle in the past, I
would suggest another pattern. This pattern has fair isle and mitten
shaping with the thumb gusset, so it might be too much for a beginner. However, the thumb
gusset and shaping are very slick with this pattern. Right and left
mittens have their own place in society, and show it with Matrix. Well
done pattern!
Pattern: Triple-Patterned Watch Cap by Charlene Schurch from Hats On!
Yarn: Peruvian Luxury Merino Superwash by Elann, 100% merino
Amount Used: 1 skein each of ivory and grey (~ 238 yards total)
Needles: KnitPicks Options size 6 47-inch
This hat is unblocked. We got dumped on with another snowstorm (ANOTHER snow day for the kids - yuck!), and my husband needed to wear it outside. No time to wait for it to dry after blocking, so he grabbed it, and out he went. He says the yarn is soft, and not at all scratchy to wear. The outside of the hat had snow on it, while his head remained dry, showing that the merino behaved like it should. My only observation is that it does get fuzzy while working with it, which is especially evident in the colorwork.
He told me that it is the only hat which ever fit him. Isn't that sweet? I had to make the size in extra large, so it is no wonder he has had a hard time finding hats to fit in the past. He is thrilled with it, and he never gets excited about apparel. It must be his Northern European heritage coming out.
I don't think I will block it. It was nicely wet when he came back inside, and I just kind of hand blocked it while it dried. I think I may do that each time it snows when he wears it.
There is a mistake in the pattern, or a mistake in the photograph in the book. It shows a reverse stockinette pattern at the edge, but the pattern indicates a twined herringbone edge, which I like quite well, but ripped out after the hat was done, as I used a size 7 needle, and didn't like the look of it being a larger gauge. Also, the picture in the book must be for the smallest size, as the body stitch pattern barely shows. I will make this hat again, probably with the very same yarn, and use the twined herringbone on the edge. Size 6 needles worked perfectly for me, but I could probably go down one needle size and be satisfied with the look.
Needles: KnitPicks Options sizes 6 (4mm) and 7 (4.5mm)
Modifications: I sort of followed the suggestions made by a fellow Raveler, SiobhanBorders, as I used a worsted yarn for a sock yarn pattern. I cast on 96 stitches, and increased per the pattern from there. However, the next time, I will cast on 72 stitches, and increase from that point. I have only one nice thing to say about this yarn, and that is it has wonderful color. Otherwise, it had 4 knots in one skein, and CAME APART 4-5 times while I was knitting with it, as it was poorly spun in certain spots. I also didn't like the little bits of white which showed here and there in the yarn. It reminds me of leaving a kleenex in the washing machine and dryer, and having white lint all over a sweater afterward. Looks kind of junky. Despite that, I am very pleased with the beret itself, and I will make another one, using Boku again. Why, after I just slammed this yarn? Well, it's cheaper than Noro, but the colors are just as nice. That's why. It would also be good for felting, but I can't see using this yarn in any piece of significant apparel.
I am in love with this yarn! It is softer than soft, but wears like iron. I think I had to rip back about 9 or 10 times, and it withstood all the abuse. It has a beautifully delicate halo to it, which is precisely the effect I wanted. I thought at first that I would use an angora blend, but this was even better. I had a hard time with this pattern at first, as I wasn't able to fully give it my utmost attention. The pattern itself is easy, but I wasn't careful in changing the stitch marker, as the beginning of the rounds changes periodically. Plus, I was with my son in the hospital, and I kept being interrupted on a frequent basis. Otherwise, this would have been a thoroughly enjoyable knit. I did not use the tubular cast on which the pattern called for, as I was in the hospital and didn't have any reference material. My usual long tail cast on worked out just fine. I will knit this hat again, and I am already planning on which yarn to use.
Pasha always has to sit on my projects! He had just gotten up from sitting on a pair of my mittens.
I love this hat! This yarn is handspun by an Ann Arbor native, Vince Luschas, who came into our knitting group one night, with a few bags full of yarn he had spun himself. He needed to unload it, and so he did. You should have seen everyone snap up his yarn! I always knew I wanted to make a hat from this yarn, and the Sunflower Tam was the ideal pattern for it.
Pattern: Sunflower Tam by Norah Gaughan from Knitting Nature
Yarn: Handspun green worsted 100% wool, by Vince Luschas from Ann Arbor, Michigan
Amount Used: 72 grams / 2-3/8 ounces / 113 yards
Needles: KnitPicks Options size 6
The yardage does not seem correct, but I calculated it based upon the given yardage on the label. I will most likely make this hat again. I think I made the brim longer, but I can't remember the exact modifications I made.
The second photo shows a good profile of the tam-->
Pattern: Tweed Beret by Kristen TenDyke, from Interweave Knits, Winter 2006
Yarn: Donegal Tweed by Tahki
Needles: Don't remember!
Amount Used: Less than 2 skeins
I'm afraid that I am not real happy with this beret. I could not get gauge according to the pattern, but the gauge I got for the yarn itself was spot on. I didn't like the way the ribbing came off of the edge onto the beret itself, splaying out. This was not an abberrancy; it was part of the pattern. The yarn is perfect for a beret, although it is scratchy. This project was dumped for a few months, and I just finished it.
I did change the pattern somewhat, but I cannot remember what I did. I think I lessened the look of the ribbing onto the hat. I have this urge to felt it just a little bit. I'll have to mull that over.
