Monday, January 23, 2012
New Jacket? New Hat!
So if I didn't have enough HATS I just went and made another. With all the skiing I've been doing I decided to spoil myself and buy something from one of my favorite companies... Patagonia. So I've been eyeing up their Nano-Puff jackets. I found one on sale at Backcountry.com! While my usual color is green I went for turquoise, cause I plan to use my bright orange Patagonia torrentshell jacket as the shell, I think the colors will go together. Anyway, I found a yarn that had the exact color of my jacket in it. It was a little too bright and rainbow-y so I tried to mute it a bit and I came up with a pretty kick-bum hat. So here it is! If I get feed back that people want a pattern for it, (let me know if you do!) I will write one up for you guys. Happy trails all!
The Jacket^^^^^^^^^^^^
The Epic Hat!
Monday, January 16, 2012
Ski on friends...and Knit on while you're at it!
So today finally marks the end of my winter break. So it'll be back to the old grindstone tomorrow. My holidays stats go something like this:
Miles Traveled: 1856 mi
States Visited: 3 (Wisconsin, Illinois, & Michigan)
Things knitted/crocheted: HATS: 16 crocheted, 4 knitted. Mittens knitted: 3 pairs. Cowls knitted: 2. Blankets finished: 1. (Thats just the finished stuff I have a million projects I'm working on).
Days spent skiing: 3 days
Homework/Thesis work done? --Nope nothing there friends.
To sum it up, I've had a pretty awesome break. I somehow managed to get Boyfriend addicted to skiing too so now we're skiing every weekend until the snow melts, which suits me just fine.
But will all this free time I developed a new hat! I love hats. Anyway this one was developed because I got this great green yarn for Christmas that matches my ski jacket. While I always wear my helmet when I ski (safety first!) I rock some serious helmet hair. I have always loved the look and fluffy feel of the garter stitch but I detest flat knitting, so after messing around some I figured out that it could achieve the garter stitch in the round. (If this is old new to some of you then I want to know why you haven't shared this secret sooner!?) So now I have a great garter stitch hat that I'm pretty sure I've been wearing non-stop for the last 2 weeks. I'll share it with you too because its too awesome to keep to myself.
Miles Traveled: 1856 mi
States Visited: 3 (Wisconsin, Illinois, & Michigan)
Things knitted/crocheted: HATS: 16 crocheted, 4 knitted. Mittens knitted: 3 pairs. Cowls knitted: 2. Blankets finished: 1. (Thats just the finished stuff I have a million projects I'm working on).
Days spent skiing: 3 days
Homework/Thesis work done? --Nope nothing there friends.
To sum it up, I've had a pretty awesome break. I somehow managed to get Boyfriend addicted to skiing too so now we're skiing every weekend until the snow melts, which suits me just fine.
But will all this free time I developed a new hat! I love hats. Anyway this one was developed because I got this great green yarn for Christmas that matches my ski jacket. While I always wear my helmet when I ski (safety first!) I rock some serious helmet hair. I have always loved the look and fluffy feel of the garter stitch but I detest flat knitting, so after messing around some I figured out that it could achieve the garter stitch in the round. (If this is old new to some of you then I want to know why you haven't shared this secret sooner!?) So now I have a great garter stitch hat that I'm pretty sure I've been wearing non-stop for the last 2 weeks. I'll share it with you too because its too awesome to keep to myself.
The Go-To Ski Hat
By Cait Randerson
Materails:
{Yarn}
~100g of worsted weight yarn
(I used a ball of Debbie Stoller’s Bamboo Ewe)
{Needles}
5 mm (US 8) 16” circular needles
5 mm (US 8) DPNs
{Notions}
Tapestry Needle
1 Stitch Marker
Size:
One size fits most- It’s a pretty stretchy hat
Abbreviations:
k- knit
p-purl
k2tog- knit two together
p2tog- purl two together
Getting Started!
Using the US 8, 16” circular needles, CO 80 stitches. Place marker and join round, being careful not to twist!
Round 1- Purl all stitches
Round 2- Knit all stitches
Repeat rounds 1&2 until you have created a tube about 5.5” long ending on a purl round. Note: If you want a slouchier hat just keep on knitting, making sure to end on a purl round.
Decreasing: (Switch to DPN’s when necessary)
Round 1: * k 9, k2tog * repeat from * to * around.
Round 2: purl
Round 3: * k 8, k2tog * repeat from * to * around.
Round 4: purl
Round 5: * k 7, k2tog * repeat from * to * around.
Round 6: purl
Round 7: * k 6, k2tog * repeat from * to * around.
Round 8: purl
Round 9: * k 5, k2tog * repeat from * to * around.
Round 10: purl
Round 11: * k 4, k2tog * repeat from * to * around.
Round 12: * p 3, p2tog * repeat from * to * around.
Round 13: * k 2, k2tog * repeat from * to * around.
Round 14: * p 1, p2tog * repeat from * to * around.
Round 15: * k2tog * repeat from * to * around.
Cut tail about 8” long, thread through remaining loops, and pull tight! Weave in all ends and cover your helmet hair!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Finals Make Life Hard... So You Get A Free Pattern!
So trying to undertake something as monumental as a 30 day challenge should have been fairly simple. I should have been able to do it, if it had been any month besides November. As much as I love internet activities, I am a graduate student first. So the last few weeks has been Thanksgiving, plus wrapping up the semester. When you say finals in grad school for a geology program this does not translate to: exams. No, they mean something far, far, worse... research papers and powerpoint presentations abound... and for giggles, why not throw in a test or 3? So it is because of these things dear readers that I haven't been posting regularly. I hope this will change this month because as of tomorrow I am done! DONE! ---Until January... but let's be real, unless your thesis is finished, you are never done with anything in grad school.
But it is also December! That means Christmas and presents! But what to do if you have 19 cousins... and 15 of them are girls? Handmade gifts all the way! On Black Friday my mom and I were in a local boutique in Shawano, Wi and I saw these cute hats... well they would have been cute if they had been made with nicer yarn and didn't have a dumb looking flower on it (Nothing against crochet flowers on hats, I love them, just not ugly ones.... and these were ugly). But after playing around with some left over sparkle yarn I had I ended up coming with a pretty cute hat, that I am currently making in bulk. So here's the pattern!
Crochet: Simple Granny Square Hat
Materials:
Worsted Weight Yarn (I used "I Love This Yarn Sparkle" from Hobby Lobby)
5.5 mm (I) Hook
Yarn Needle
Scissors
Note: I've been getting about 3 hats per skein (251 yards)
Hint: You're going to start off making a normal granny square.
Round 1: In a magic loop, ch3 into loop (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc, ch3; 3 dc, ch 3 (3x). Pull your loop tight forming a circle of 4 dc clusters with the ch3 as the corners. Slst around the first "post", then the next dc post, then the next dc post, until you're in the ch3 space.
Round 2: Ch3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc, ch1, in the corner space, 3 dc, ch3, 3 dc, ch1 (3x) over the other 3 corners. Slst into the next space like you did in round one.
Round 3: Ch3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc, ch3, 3 dc, ch 1 in the corner space. 3 dc, ch1, in the spaces between the corners all the way around, 3dc, ch3, 3 dc, ch 1, in the other 3 corners. (You should see a square growing out from the center.)
Round 4: Repeat what you did in round 3, with a 3 dc, ch3, 3 dc, ch1, in the corners, and a 3 dc, ch1, on the sides. (This is as far as I go for my hats, if you have a larger head do one more row before you begin to do the sides.)
Rounds 5-14: Ch3 (counts as 1dc) 2dc, ch1 in the first space, 3 dc, ch1 in every ch1 or ch3 space around the hat. Sl into the next ch1 sp, ch 3 counts as 1 dc and begin your next round. This will create the body of a hat and usually after the 7th round it starts to look like a hat.
Finishing: After round 14 I slst around the first "post" of the first ch3 cut the yarn with about a 6 in tail, tie a sort of slip knot and weave in ends. I do the same with the tail on the inside of the hat. You can add flowers or holly or what have you on the hat if you want.... the ones for my cousins I'm not attaching anything to, but the one for me I put a holly cluster on.
There you have it... easy hat. They take me about an hour to make. I think they're pretty cute. If you do try it let me know how it goes! Good luck readers!
But it is also December! That means Christmas and presents! But what to do if you have 19 cousins... and 15 of them are girls? Handmade gifts all the way! On Black Friday my mom and I were in a local boutique in Shawano, Wi and I saw these cute hats... well they would have been cute if they had been made with nicer yarn and didn't have a dumb looking flower on it (Nothing against crochet flowers on hats, I love them, just not ugly ones.... and these were ugly). But after playing around with some left over sparkle yarn I had I ended up coming with a pretty cute hat, that I am currently making in bulk. So here's the pattern!
Crochet: Simple Granny Square Hat
Materials:
Worsted Weight Yarn (I used "I Love This Yarn Sparkle" from Hobby Lobby)
5.5 mm (I) Hook
Yarn Needle
Scissors
Note: I've been getting about 3 hats per skein (251 yards)
Hint: You're going to start off making a normal granny square.
Round 1: In a magic loop, ch3 into loop (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc, ch3; 3 dc, ch 3 (3x). Pull your loop tight forming a circle of 4 dc clusters with the ch3 as the corners. Slst around the first "post", then the next dc post, then the next dc post, until you're in the ch3 space.
Round 2: Ch3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc, ch 3, 3 dc, ch1, in the corner space, 3 dc, ch3, 3 dc, ch1 (3x) over the other 3 corners. Slst into the next space like you did in round one.
Round 3: Ch3 (counts as 1 dc), 2 dc, ch3, 3 dc, ch 1 in the corner space. 3 dc, ch1, in the spaces between the corners all the way around, 3dc, ch3, 3 dc, ch 1, in the other 3 corners. (You should see a square growing out from the center.)
Round 4: Repeat what you did in round 3, with a 3 dc, ch3, 3 dc, ch1, in the corners, and a 3 dc, ch1, on the sides. (This is as far as I go for my hats, if you have a larger head do one more row before you begin to do the sides.)
Rounds 5-14: Ch3 (counts as 1dc) 2dc, ch1 in the first space, 3 dc, ch1 in every ch1 or ch3 space around the hat. Sl into the next ch1 sp, ch 3 counts as 1 dc and begin your next round. This will create the body of a hat and usually after the 7th round it starts to look like a hat.
Finishing: After round 14 I slst around the first "post" of the first ch3 cut the yarn with about a 6 in tail, tie a sort of slip knot and weave in ends. I do the same with the tail on the inside of the hat. You can add flowers or holly or what have you on the hat if you want.... the ones for my cousins I'm not attaching anything to, but the one for me I put a holly cluster on.
There you have it... easy hat. They take me about an hour to make. I think they're pretty cute. If you do try it let me know how it goes! Good luck readers!
Monday, November 21, 2011
Day 21: Something I Could Never Tire Of
Yarn!!!! Knitting and Crocheting never get old! Oh... and kitty... I guess I could never tire of her too! Good thing they go so well together!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Instant Gratification: Crochet
I love instant gratification crochet/knit projects. Little things that you finish in maybe a half hour or so that you can instantly use/wear. Tonight I bring you my latest creations.
I just received my copy of Lace Love and I've want to make everything in it! But I had limited time and some of the pieces in there are a little on the larger size.. I'm also currently working on Anya but I really just wanted a quick little something. So I made the Cordi pattern. Its intended to be a pin, but I don't wear pins. So I thought it would look cute in my hair. I enjoyed making the first one so much I decided to make a second one, only with a pineapple stitch instead that I cannibalized off of Lisa's Fall Lace Garland pattern. I love love love every pattern that woman puts out.
Day 20: A Childhood Anecdote
Once upon a time, back before emails... my parents always sent out a Christmas card. My brother and I would DREAD Christmas card picture day. Mom would dress us up and then try and place us in the perfect position on the fireplace. My parents would struggle with us till they got that perfect picture... this would usually take hours and this was before digital cameras... so they would take a whole roll (sometimes two) of film just so they could get the perfect picture. As we got older, Ed and I tried to come up with a way to make this less painful. So we asked our parents if we could take the Christmas Card picture by ourselves one year (I had just turned 16). The end result was this:
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