Friday I decided to knit a hat. I had some thin grey wool that was sort of varigated that I had used to make a poncho for Natalie last year, and it was conveniently wound into 2 balls so I could double strand it. I used a
k3p2 rib and whipped the hat up pretty quickly. I added a few rows of some leftover Lamb’s Pride Worsted in lilac.
If I could do it over I would have added the lilac rows further down, but oh well. I think I did a little too much shaping on the top as it’s a little pointed, but at least the hat is long enough. The last few hats I’ve knitted have been too short for my ginormous head.
And then I added a gigantic pompom. Pompoms are like a hat panacea…they just make any hat good. I was clever and broke out a circle cutter to make my templates, now I just have to remember not to through them out. I want to try making some hats that incorporate some of the bits of homespun I have that aren’t long enough to make anything out of.
So yes I have decided to throw my knitting needles into the arena for the 2006 Knitting Olympics. (On a side note I wonder how long it will be before the IOC starts sending out cease and desist letters for the use of the term “olympics”). Anyway, I’ve decided on making Knitty’s Tempting II. I was telling my sister Vanessa about KO’06 and she said I was crazy, therefore I’ve decided to make it as a birthday gift for her. That and she’s smaller than I am so I have less to knit!
I was planning on using GGH Bali instead of Rowan Calmer since it’s quite a bit cheaper, but I didn’t realize that the Yarnware store is closed today. So instead I went to my LYS and spent $48! on 4 balls of Calmer. Yikes! Well we’ve got a blizzard on the way and I wanted to have my yarn in hand for when I get snowed in. And also I can feel good for supporting a local small business. I just wish I had thought of this last weekend when they had a 20% off Superbowl Sale.
So I got most of my Christmas stuff done. And thankfully the rest I don’t need to finish until next weekend.
So first up is a skein of hand painted yarn for my sister. It’s Lamb’s Pride worsted that I painted using Washfast dye in Magenta and Black. I am so unscientific when I dye..I pretty much eyeball everything but I love the way this came out. I used the leftover dye to paint some roving as well. Now I need to find time to spin that up!
Next up is a Panta for my other sister. The pattern is on craftster.org somewhere. I used Lamb’s Pride worsted and size 8 needles. I also only did 5 repeats.
Last up is a scarf I made for my Grandma in Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk – Orange. I used 3 skeins. I forget what the stitch is called.
166I started working on the cable rib hat last night and I finished it tonight. I’m proud because I decided to use this project to learn how to do the continental style of knitting and actually use cables for something. On the recommendation of my knitting friend Heidi, I used 2 strands of KP’s Merino Style in Rhubarb and 10.5 needles. Then I added a big pompom and it is now wrapped as a gift for Natalie’s birthday. I used this pattern. Now if I was to make another, and I probably will, I would have the hat be 6-6.5″ before I started my decreases. I have a big head and while it fits it definitely could be a little longer to cover my ears.
I finished off the first sleeve today! woo hoo! I was a little concerned about the shaping because I had decided not to do the second increase, but then I did a little 4 stitch increase about 2/3rds up the arm.
I cast on and did a few rows for the other sleeve. It’s a big pain to that sort of stuff when I’m on the train. Hopefully I can get it mostly done by next week. I will probably work on the cowl part at home because that’s going to be too big to take on the Path.
In other news, I think I figured out what I want to make for Alexis. There is this cute ribbed collar in the first issue of K1. But it calls for LB Kool Wool. I’d rather using something softer. I looked through Knit Picks and either Panache or Decadence will work. Panache is very nice blend of cashmere, silk, merino and alpaca but will cost twice what the 100% alpalca, Decadence, will.
I have started making Knitty Cleaves as a gift for someone. But as others have done, I’m modifiying the pattern to make the sleeves less huge. I’m doing it in Lamb’s Pride Bulky. I can’t remember what the actual color name is but it’s a deep turquoise.
I picked up some cheapy yarn at AC Moore’s yarn party. I also got a Lion brand pompom maker set. Yes I know how to make them from scratch, but this was like $2 and then I won’t have to make one everytime.
So then I made a striped hat with a pom-pom that my mom thinks is too small. Then I came home and made a pom-pom for my kitten. I hung it in a doorway and she’s having great fun batting it around.
I was trying to make a waffle stitch beanie using alternating dc and fpdc but it’s huge pain in the ass to try to do it when you are doing the increases at the top. So I did that using straight dc and then started using the waffle stitch on the non increasing rows. Well..after a few rows I realized it is still a bit of a pain to do and that you couldn’t really see the waffle very well with this yarn. However on the other side the rib was looking really nice. At that point I was bored of the rib/waffle and switched back to regular dc for awhile and then ran out of yarn. I’m using the leftover grey Caron Simply Soft from the Orange/Grey fade beanie. Which was wound into 3 balls. So when I picked up the next ball I decided the ribs would look cute with some beads between them but I didn’t have enough to go in each space. So anyway..I think it came out pretty cute and I’m going to try the waffle again with a bit bigger yarn and hook.
I took some light blue patons merino wool and tried graduated band dyeing it purple. That didn’t go so well. But now I am making mittens using the Winter Frost Mittens pattern in Yarns to Dye For. One mitten is done, one to go.
I got started working on Blackberry this weekend. I completed the back section and then hung up my needles to do some cleaning. I think I’m going to skip the bobbles on the sleeves and just do the cables. I’m just not a bobble type of girl.