Hat Parade: Mistake Rib Baby Hat

The Mistake Rib Baby Hat is a freebie from Ravelry.  I found it while browsing for a pattern to use up this one lonely skein of discontinued Rowan RYC Cashcotton DK that I had bumming around the stash.

The color is #602, but that’s about all I can tell you.  I picked this skein up from the orphan bin a couple years ago because it was too pretty to leave behind.

The hat features a simple mistake rib brim that is a little more interesting than your traditional 1×1 or 2×2 ribbing, but doesn’t have quite as much give.  Then it flows into normal stockinette hat construction.

I chose to alter the hat slightly and gave it a traditional swirled decrease top as opposed to the ties that are on the original pattern.  I also made the smallest size in this hat and it was too small for Izy, so it’s somewhere around the newborn head range.

All project details and notes can be found here.

Read Full Post »

Hat Parade: Tipper

Tipper is a quick, easy knit with clever construction from another of my favorite designers, Woolly Wormhead.  Published in her book Bambeanies (available electronically or in print), this little cutie knits up flat and then is seamlessly grafted together.

I worked this one up in some Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran I’ve had in the stash forever. I’ve had it so long that I’ve long since lost the tag for it, so I can’t tell you what color it is.  I do know I purchased it before the Yarn Shoppe moved to its current location, so I’ve had it at least 4 years.

I love how the bias detail gives a simple stitch pattern such a dramatic look.  Plus,  it has little “ears”.  This one is definitely newborn size, as it was too small for my 5 month old nephew.

You can view all details and notes for this project here.

Read Full Post »

Hat Parade: Melody Hat

This hat is probably my favorite so far.  It knits up quickly, the colors are amazing, and it’s in one of my favorite yarns.

Knit very traditionally from the bottom up, the real beauty of the Melody hat is the color changes and the clever slip stitch pattern.  I bought the kit  (containing Hazel Knits Artisan Sock) from designer Melissa of Stick Chick Knits at Stitches West, but you could do it in any assortment of sock yarns.  If you buy the pattern separate from the kit, you also get Rhythm.

I knit this pattern without any modification.  It was another one nighter and I’m seriously considering knitting another one.  Project details can be found here.

Read Full Post »

Hat Parade: Baby Armando

Lest you think this blog has turned into all gardening, all the time… I have been doing some knitting!  Quite a lot of knitting, actually.  I’ve just been rather busy and haven’t had a chance to photograph it.  Since Baby will be in the NICU for the first week or two of his life, I’ve been churning out hats.  Rather than show them all in one post, I’ll be presenting them one at a time in a multi-post hat parade.

Shall we begin?

First up today is the Baby Armando.  Since Sam will only wear the Armando hat, I thought Baby should have something to match.  (The pattern available is only for a Baby Amanda, but I’ve included my modifications at the bottom of this post if you’d like an Armando instead of an Amanda.)

I used Malabrigo Rios in color #871 “Playa”.  It was a partial skein, leftover from a quick Amanda hat that was knit for a friend’s wife between Santa Clara and Petaluma.  I still have a little leftover, so it may get some matching booties.

Baby Armando Hat Mods:

• Work first 6 rounds as written for Armando Hat
• Work 9 1/2 repeats of Background Lace Pattern
• Finish top as written

You can view all of my project details here.

Read Full Post »

A New Hat

I splurged a bit and bought myself a beautiful new hat.  It is black wool from the Toucan Collection made in New York.

Purchased for an amazing price at Hatcetera in Ashland.  I bought it to wear with my purple peacoat and so I can have the sunroof open no matter where the sun is in the sky.  Classy, no?

Read Full Post »

Amanda & Ruffles

This is a tale of two projects.  Two skeins of Malabrigo in color 173 “Stonechat” and two patterns from independent designers combined to make one fabulous winter set.  It’s as if they were meant to be together.

The Amanda Hat & Just Enough Ruffles Scarf.  (Both Ravelry links, sorry.)

Just Enough Ruffles (my project details here) took approximately 1 1/3 skeins of Malabrigo.  It was a fun, easy knit.  The last few rows were 600 stitches and seemed really long, but there weren’t very many of them.  I seem to be a sucker for ruffles, even though they’re a pain to do.

This happens to be my third Amanda Hat (project details here, and the other two here and here).  I used the partial second skein leftover from the scarf and still had yarn at the end!  So, for a mere $22 I have a gorgeous winter set.

Currently, it’s on display at the shop until it’s cold enough to need it.  I’m extremely pleased with how these came out.  The Amanda Hat is my current favorite hat pattern.  Not to mention its manly companion, the Armando Hat (for which I have a request to make and had better get crackin’).

Read Full Post »

First FOs of 2009

It’s only the 7th and I have new FOs to share!  Ok, technically only one is actually finished.  The other two are drying and still require finishing bits (non-slip pads, magnetic closures, etc.).  But nonetheless, they’re nearly complete.

The Spiderman Slippers for Anthony.  They still need non-slip pads and a little bit of “web” needle felted onto the top.  But they are felted and drying.

Project details on Ravelry.

Yes, they are currently stuffed with sandwich baggies and fiberfill.  For items this small, I have found that is the easiest way to shape them while dryng.

Next up is a new felted lunch bag for me.  Sam and I are trying to be more conscious of money and health, both which are aided by taking lunches to work.  It is currently drying and will require a couple of magnet closures once it is done.  And perhaps a snappy button…

Project details on Ravelry. I used the Brown Bag pattern from Knitty.com, but obviously mine is not brown.

Last, but certainly not least is the Armando Hat, from Sleepy Eyes Knitting, for my hubby.  A friend at Knit Night didn’t like how the colorway worked up (it’s not actually pink, it’s light brown and the flash does bad things to it).  So, she gave it to me.  It’s Malabrigo, how could I say no?

Project details on Ravelry.  Sam is pretty thrilled with his hat and thinks that fingerless mitts would go nicely with it.  I have nearly an entire skein left, so that just might happen.  I’m thinking perhaps some variation on the stitch pattern used in the hat would be nice.  Thoughts?

Read Full Post »