Everdeen Beanie

Moving right along in the book, I tackled the Everdeen Beanie by Tanis Gray.  I used a skein of Malabrigo Silky Merino in Lettuce.  I was kinda worried that one skein wouldn't be enough, but surprisingly I ended up with quite a bit leftover.

This hat begins with a cable cast on, a method that I was unfamiliar with.  The book has an easy to understand tutorial in the glossary, and it was the only resource I needed.  It took me about 8 stitches to really get the hang of it, but I had no problems after that..  Here's a link if you'd like to give it a try. 

The benefit was that I didn't have to guess how much tail I would need for a long-tail cast on.  As an added bonus, the finished edge has a nice neat look.

I can say with absolute certainty that I do not like knitting through the back loop as part of a main pattern.  Sure, here and there, no big deal.  I really had to pay attention to the pattern.  This was not an easily memorized pattern.  You can't watch the a new episode of Downton Abbey and knit this.  You should have back ground t.v. that you don't have to actively attend to, for me that would be Doctor Who episodes that I've seen many, many, many times.  

Finally, I picked up a rhythm of the pattern after about 20 rounds.  

I think the finished hat is gorgeous and worth the time and effort.  However, I most likely won't make another because of the silly knitting through the back loop.  Well, I would have to really, really like you to make you one.

The Lettuce color reminds me of Kermit the Frog (in a good way).  It isn't easy being green.

Two Fun Hats for Two Fun Girls

It's been a busy, busy week for the York girls.  Traveling to Nana's house, kickoff of running club, birthday party, and library fun have kept us moving.  You may think this cuts down on my knitting time, but not so!  I can easily knit while singing along at library story time.

Let's call this a double-feature to make up for my tardiness. (I try to post on Wednesdays, and it's already the Sunday after.)

Back in March, this pink yarn caught my eye while in Utah at Blazing Needles.  It screamed, "Bubble gum," to me.  I didn't know what would become of this hand-painted Rhichard Devrieze yarn, but I knew I had to make my daughter something with it.  As all good parents know, if you make something for one child, you must do the same for the other.  So I just had to pick out another skein.  All in the name of fairness. 

Once home, my kiddos chose differently than I mentally assigned them.  Oh well.  I want them to like it.  

Abby's hat made it to the top of my queue because she was sick.  Poor baby had a fever for three days.    That meant I stayed home from work to knit and watch My Little Ponies.  I used the simple free pattern Barley because I wanted to show off the colors of the hand-painted yarn.  The finished product reminded me of a bright handful of party confetti, thus my project name Confetti.

Gorgeous.

Soon I moved on to Audrey's hat.  I was itching to knit up a pattern out of my newly-acquired Weekend Hats, and I wanted something fun.  Audrey is just a ball of joyful energy.  I chose the Ripple Hat by Melissa Wehrle.  The pattern called for Rowan Kidsilk Aura, which is a worsted weight.  So I substituted my Rhichard Devrieze, knowing that the weight was similar, but mine wouldn't have the "fuzzy" finished effect.

This hat features these neat ripples created by picking up some of the rounds that you've already knitted.  I admit that I had to read the pattern several times before I truly understood.  Finally, the hat is topped off with an i-cord bow.  Learning to i-cord was a piece of cake, especially compared to figuring out the "ripples."  Don't get me wrong, this isn't a difficult pattern.  Some of the techniques were simply new to me, not complicated.  Due to the color and bumpy nature of the hat, I named it Bubble Gum.

The Hat I Fell in Love With

This is the hat that started the idea for this blog.  I fell in love with the pattern in Utah and had to purchase my very own copy of Weekend Hats.
On a recent trip to Kemah, TX, I visited Park Avenue Yarns.  The yarn shop carries a few brands of yarn that my nearest shop, WC Mercantile, does not.  The skein that caught my eye was a beautiful ruby red Suri Merino by Blue Sky Alpaca.  I knew this was it.  THIS has to become the Ruche Beret.
The Ruche Beret by Susan B. Anderson is a very simple pattern that is knit top-down in a stockinette stitch.  Then  you make these three awesome pleats.  Those were the booger.  The first one was tricky.  I felt like Edward Scissorhands with all the double pointed needles pointing in every direction.  All I can say is that I'm glad I only had to do three of them.  After that, it was easy-peasy ribbing.
Voila!

The finished hat has a soft silky haze to it and drapes nicely.  I would absolutely knit with this yarn again, and I'd also make the hat again (but for someone else).  I just don't think I could outdo this hat in this gorgeous color.

Now that I've shown you the hat, I have tell you more about Park Avenue Yarns.  I visited the store by myself.  I'm quite proud that I can navigate with my iPhone.  After I perused (and lovingly petted) their luxurious yarn selection, I settled down among some other knitters working on their projects.  After titillating conversations about David Tennant and a snooty owner of another yarn store (completely unrelated), I felt a kindred spirit among these ladies.  I do need to take a sentence or two to comment that knitters come in all ages.  It's not just your grandmother's hobby.
These lovely people encouraged me to come back during my week in Kemah to sit and knit some more.  Unfortunately, I was not able to do so, but I will make another trip with Park Avenue Yarns as my destination.

At the Discoteque

I had a skein of Madelinetosh Tosh Vintage in Spectrum that I had been saving for something spectacular.  I like to purchase yarn in person at a local yarn store rather than online because color ways can vary depending on the specific dye lot.  One skein can look dark and muddy compared to another that is bright and vibrant.  This particular skein was perfect.  Gorgeous.
After happily perusing my Weekend Hats book, I found a suitable pattern, Leaves Long Beanie by Melissa LaBarre.  The lace pattern was simple to follow and produced a nice leaf, although I don't really think it looks like a leaf.

It reminds me more of hanging disco balls.

 The finished hat has much more slouch that I originally expected.  Upon further inspection of the pattern photograph, the model has much more hair than me.  I suspect her hair fills out the hat.

I did block this hat so that the pattern would open up.  I don't block many hats because when you wear them, it tends to stretch the hat out and show the lace work.  After all, once you put in the hard work for a lace pattern, you want everyone to see it.

As for my project name "At the Discoteque," it comes from my time back-packing in Europe in 2001 (crazy college kid!)  My then boyfriend (now husband) and I would visit some of the dance clubs called discoteques.  Colorful party people dancing and having a good time are much like the rainbow of colors grooving to the same melody in this one project.  Besides, I still don't get leaves out of this pattern.