Posts Tagged ‘hat’
Feb 12
Sunshine and Valentines
What a stunningly beautiful February day. The sun is shining like crazy and there is snow piled high on tree branches and fence rails. The birds even look happy. They flit about with joy and a spring in their step.
Just 2 more days until Valentines day and the anticipated arrival of our newest little family member. We are just so excited.
I’ve spent the last few weeks on custom work for a few of my customers.
Becky was looking for a luxury baby gift with a difference. We decided on a hand spun Angora and silk handknit baby shrug and matching hat. I call it Whisper. I searched through some of my vintage pattern books and online at vintage knitting site. Inspired by some of the vintage looks and a piece that I did a few years ago I came up with Whisper. The yarn is an amazing mixture of Angora fiber and Silk. They are so different in texture and appearance but come together to make a truly one-of-a-kind yarn with the best of both worlds. The fabric is fluffy and soft with a gorgeous halo but also has the added strength and unmistakable shine of the silk, not to mention the crispy feel that crunches like footsteps on very cold snow. It is tied at the neckline with a delicate pure silk ribbon. The hat is loosely based on a beret style hat from an old SRK pattern that I have loved over the years. It is the sweetest little cardigan and hat set in Marble. I looked for the pattern for days and days and I just couldn’t find it anywhere. Finally a wonderful friend on Ravelry sent me a scanned copy of it and saved the day. I promise we didn’t infringe on any copyrights as I really do own this one, just can’t seem to remember where I put it. The lace edging and the rose are hand crocheted from some very fine 100% handspun silk.
I knit a pair of casual socks for Carolyn. They were to have a casual look and go with her jeans. I am thrilled to report that she was very happy with the resulting socks.
Richard wanted the Turn a Square hat by Jared Flood (one of my own personal favorite designers). This project was a treat to knit and I was finished the first one in just a few days so we decided to knit another one with the colours reversed and it turns out that 2 of these hats can be knit with 2 x 50 gram balls but don’t do any extra rows as I only had about 1 yard left over.
Jamie asked me to spin some camel and silk yarn for her to knit a jacket for her brand new grandson in size 2. Congratulations Jamie and family!
I finally finished the Nube Garter Stitch socks and the Alpacalicious slippers with the leather soles and they have already been gifted.
Love one another
Jan 23
A Second “SWatch Cap” Hat
I’m still working on the wool fleeces. I brought 4 of them in and only one was un-usable. It just has so much chaff embedded in the fleece that I find I don’t have the patience or desire to work with this one at all.
I’m trying to decide which of the other 3 fleeces I want to use to make the man’s sweater that I have in mind. I need gauge swatches for the measurements but I also need them to see how each of the yarns will perform for me. I know what I want in terms of softness, drape, body, colour and attitude. For my gauge swatch I decided to make a new hat rather than a little knitted square. Here is pattern.
Very easy, very quick (just a few hours to make), and very warm.
Order the handspun wool yarn from us here. “Design it yourself” custom handspun yarn. Or contact me with a specific request if you don’t see your yarn listed.
Lots more wool yarns coming soon. I am working on Rare Sheep Breeds and Breed Specific Wool Yarns now and hope to have them available to order soon (Feb – March 2013)
Swatch CapSize Adult Medium
Gauge 4.5 stitches per inch, 5.5 rows per inch
Needle Size and Description: 5mm needle 16 inch circular and a set of same in double points
Materials: about 100 yards of Worsted weight handspun wool (approx 3 ounces)
Finished Measurements: 20 inches around. 8 inches high
Brim:Cast on 80 sts. Place marker, join. (you know the routine, be carefull not to twist) Beginning with a purl row, work in garter stitch for 10 rows 5-6 ridges. Increase 8 stitches, evenly spaced, over last row. (88 sts.)
Body:Work in rounds with stocking stitch (knitting every row) until you have 6″ (or desired length)
Crown: (about 2 inches)Round 1: *Work 6, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [77 sts remain]
Round 2: Work even
Round 3: *Work 5, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [66 sts remain]
Round 4: Work even
Round 5: *Work 4, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [55 sts remain]
Round 6: Work even
Round 7: *Work 3, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [44 sts remain]
Round 8: *Work 2, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [33 sts remain]
Round 9: *Work 1, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [22 sts remain]
Round 10: *K2tog. Repeat from * around. [11 sts remain] Finishing:
Break yarn leaving a generous tail. Draw tail through remaining stitches on the needle. Pull gently to close hole. Weave in tails.
Don’t laugh, there were no other heads around and I wanted to show it to you on someone! More photos below :0
Unlike you, I am not very fond of knitting a gauge swatch so … after I spun up some of the fleece I got out yesterday … I decided that I would knit a hat to determine my gauge. I really, quite like it. Great fit and not likely to give me “flat head” and definitely very warm. The textured look from the slubs in the handspun give it a wonderful personality. The simple designs helps to showcase the “hand spun-ness” of the yarn.
Order the handspun wool yarn from us here. “Design it yourself” custom handspun yarn. Or contact me with a specific request if you don’t see your yarn listed.
Lots more wool yarns coming soon. I am working on Rare Sheep Breeds and Breed Specific Wool Yarns now and hope to have them available to order soon (Feb – March 2013)
Quicky Rolled Brim HatSize AdultMedium
Gauge 4.5 stitches per inch, 5.5 rows per inch
Needle Size and Description: 5mm needle 16 inch circular and a set of same in double points
Materials: about 125 yards of Worsted weight handspun wool (approx 3 ounces) Try the Handspun Eastport Alpaca. (More wool yarns coming soon)
Finished Measurements: 21 inches around. 9.5 inches high with brim rolled up. For a hat that fits (no slouch) make body 1″ shorter for total length of 8.5″
Brim:Cast on 94 sts. Place marker, join. (you know the routine, be carefull not to twist) knit around for 4-6 rows for the st st rolled brim. work 4 rows of K1, P1 ribbing for a better fit.
Body:Work in rounds with stocking stitch (knitting every row) until you have 7″ (or desired length) from the bottom with the brim rolled up just as you would be wearing it. **For a hat that fits, at the top, with no slouch at all just do 6 ” here.
Crown: (about 2.5 inches)On the next round (work 13 sts, k2tog) 2 times. Then (work 14 sts, k2tog) 4 times. [88 sts] Work one round even. Round 1: *Work 6, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [77 sts remain] Round 2: Work even Round 3: *Work 5, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [66 sts remain] Round 4: Work even Round 5: *Work 4, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [55 sts remain] Round 6: Work even Round 7: *Work 3, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [44 sts remain] Round 8: Work even Round 9: *Work 2, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [33 sts remain] Round 10: Work even Round 11: *Work 1, k2tog. Repeat from * around. [22 sts remain] Round 12: Work even Round 13: *K2tog. Repeat from * around. [11 sts remain] Finishing:
Break yarn leaving a generous tail. Draw tail through remaining stitches on the needle. Pull gently to close hole. Weave in tails.
Jan 19
Hello Kitty – Horray!
I don’t know about you but I am almost as opposed to finishing as I am in love with knitting. It took a lot of self-control but I managed to put a face on “Hello Kitty” today for my sweetheart Alice. This is her dream hat for this year and she really appreciates the stuff I make her. What an amazing girl she is.
I used Beadwhore Knitting’s pattern and it was very helpful. I just adjusted the stitches to my gauge and cast on. I used coins to help me visualize the best placement for the face and outline stitched around them to show me where to go with my stitches. It is *hard* to embroider on knitting! Let me tell you.
Just finished and wanted to show you another version of the watch cap pattern that I originally wrote about here (includes the free pattern).
This one is knit with Austerman “Peru” Alpaca yarn (now discontinued, I’m afraid). It’s a lovely soft “sport” weight Alpaca. This shows that although a fingering or sock yarn is recommended a sport weight yarn will work just as well. I used the same needle size (2.5 mm) and the same # of stitches. This one is for Aidan. Hope you like it kiddo? Earl (DH) is jealous. He thought it was for him so I’ll get to work on another one. Since I can’t make the same hat twice I’ll make his out of black (it must be black) sock yarn. I’ll keep you posted but I can’t start it until I finish
Alice’s “Hello Kitty” hat, pattern by Beadwhore Knitting, THANKS The 2nd of the 2 Cosy Cashmere Cowls (almost done) The orders for Handspun yarns –Buy ’em here – that are starting to come in as fast as I can fill them. A good thing for sure 🙂 hats for Atherton and Gilbert. I’ve decided to try out the Aviatrix by Justine Turner. The above mentioned not being UFO’s, of course, but works in progress!
My guys like a light weight but warm hat, one they can scrunch up and stick in their pocket but when they put it on it needs to keep them warm! The folded over “cuff” should not be too deep and when it’s folder over the hat sits just over the tip of the ears but when it’s pulled down against the cold it goes right over those ears completely. I might call a hat with this kind of fit a skull cap or beanie.
This little watch cap fits the bill perfectly. Having knit and ripped quite a few times before I got it right I can now present you with a pattern for a cap that’s super warm, “stuffs” nicely into your pocket and fits just right. I will make this pattern as a download, all pretty in a pdf with my lovely template and graphics soon but for now, so I don’t forget how I did it, I will write it out here. This one’s for Dan.
I used LUX by Buffalo Gold Premium Fibers (45% American Bison Down, 20% Cashmere, 20% Silk and 15% Tencel) and it was an excellent choice. I used it doubled to make it a fingering weight yarn but you can use any fingering weight as a single strand. A sock yarn would be perfect as long as you aren’t knitting for a sensitive bald head. The lux would be perfect for such a person as this 🙂 as would many of my exotic luxury fiber hand spun yarns in fingering weight. If ordering from the handspun please let me know you are making the “Perfect Reversible Watch Cap” so I can spin it just right for this project.
I`ve chosen a few of my favorite handspun yarns for this project and put them on sale for you. Jan 2012.
Size: Adult Small (Medium, Large) Finished Measurements: 15 inches around and 8.5 (9, 9.5) inches in length
Gauge: 7.5 sts and 10.5 rows = 1 inch in stocking stitch (11 sts and 10.5 rows = 1 inch in K1, P1 rib)
You will need:
approximately 200 – 250 yards of fingering weight yarn. If using the LUX, as I have done, you will need 2 of the 40 gram skeins of 330 yarns each. The finished hat in size small weighs about 45 grams so you cannot get one out of a single skein. a 2.5mm circular knitting needle and a set of 4 or 5 in size 2.5 mmInstructions: With single strand of fingering or double strand of lace yarn (Lux) and the circular needles cast on 156 stitches. Join in a circle and work around in K1, P1 rib until piece measures 6.5 (7, 7.5) inches.
Shape Crown: Row 1: Work 11, *Double Decrease (slip next 2 stitches together knitwise, knit the third stitch, pass the 2 slipped stitches over) Work 23. Repeat from * around ending with work 12. 12 stitches decreased over 6 miters. (144 sts) This makes the nice mitre that looks good on both sides.
Row 2 and all even rows: Work even knitting the knits and purling the purls. (trust me, even when you knit 3 in a row it will resolve itself after the next decrease row) Row 3: Work 10, *Double Decrease over next 3 sts, work 21. Repeat from * around ending with work 11. (132 sts) Row 5: Work 9, *Double Decrease over next 3 sts, work 19. Repeat from * around ending with work 10. (120 sts).
Continue in this manner, decreasing 12 stitches every other round until there are only 12 sts remaining. Break yarn and thread through the remaining sts. Pull tight, secure and weave in your ends.
Loving this wonderful top I just purchased on Etsy from threewatersfarm !
I had recently signed up for a class on Craftsy Spinning Dyed Fibers on how to spin these wonderful tops and so, of course, I had to buy some. I got these 2 amazing colourways and a bar of homemade goat milk soap.
I got on the iPad and watched the class and practiced. It was my first time to try Navajo plying and I can’t believe how easy it is after I’ve been avoiding it for all these years!
I only have 4 ounces of each colourway so I started with a pair of mitts. I found the pattern on Ravelry, Cruiser by Cailyn Meyer. When the mitts were finished I still had quite a bit left but not enough for a hat so I made this headband to match the mitts (just made up the pattern as I went).
This set is for Libby and I gave it to her today. I really think she likes it a lot.
Yesterday while watching football I knit this little earflap cap to match the Alpaca Pullover .
Ill be writting it up as a pattern soon. let me know if you want to try the untested version and Ill email it to you if you ask before the retail version is ready. Pattern for the Sweater is here
Fun and Fast to knit
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