OMG! Heart

This hat is light, easy to wear, and great for Spring! I made this hat for myself! I first made the Mens Version (for a man) of this pattern and liked the style but didn’t like the fit the first time around. So this time, I adjusted the pattern accordingly. It’s an easy knitting hat, great for a commute project on the train or on the plane, and great for practicing Circular Knitting, using Circular Needles, and even switching up your knitting styles. Try Continental instead of English. Or vice versa!

More pics coming soon! Photo Booth pic for now ==>

Materials:
1 Ball Knit Picks Stroll Multi in Vintage Multi, Fingering Weight, 75% Superwash Merino, 25% Nylon, 231 yards, $5.99
Stitch Markers, Darning Needle

Needles:
US 3 [3.25mm] in 16″ Circular Knitting Needles
US 5 [3.75mm] in 16″ Circular Knitting Needles
US 5 [3.75mm] Double Pointed Knitting Needles, Set of 4

Measurements:
10.25 inches (W) x 13 inches (H)
Circumference: 20.5 inches

Gauge:
26 sts and 34 rows = 4″ with larger needles in stocking st

Skill Level: Easy Intermediate

Pattern:
Free from Patons – Patons Kroy Socks Basic Beanie. The pattern below is a modified version of the Women’s Size Hat in the Slouchy Fit. I took out a few stitches and rows from the original pattern. [pdf]

Brim:
Begin with smaller circular needle. Cast on 120 sts.
Place stitch marker. Join for working in round.
[K2, P2] every round until brim measures about 4″ tall.
Total: 34 rows, 4 inches.

Body:
Change to larger circular needle.
Knit (K) every round until Body measures about 7″ tall.
Total: 45 rows, 6 inches.

Finish:
Round 1: *K2tog. K26. ssk. Rep from * around. 112 sts.
2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th Rounds: Knit.
Round 3: *K2tog. K24. ssk. Rep from * around. 104 sts.
Round 5: *K2tog. K22. ssk. Rep from * around. 96 sts.
Round 7: *K2tog. K20. ssk. Rep from * around. 88 sts.
Round 9: *K2tog. K18. ssk. Rep from * around. 80 sts.

Begin decrease in every round:
Round 11: *K2tog. K16. ssk. Rep from * around. 72 sts.
Round 12: *K2tog. K14. ssk. Rep from * around. 64 sts.
Round 13: *K2tog. K12. ssk. Rep from * around. 56 sts.
Round 14: *K2tog. K10. ssk. Rep from * around. 48 sts.
Round 15: *K2tog. K8. ssk. Rep from * around. 40 sts.
Round 16: *K2tog. K6. ssk. Rep from * around. 32 sts.
Round 17: *K2tog. K4. ssk. Rep from * around. 24 sts.
Round 18: *K2tog. K2. ssk. Rep from * around. 16 sts.
Total: 18 rows, 3 inches.

Break yarn. Thread through remaining stitches. Draw up tightly and fasten securely. Weave in ends.

Notes:
This is a one skein hat! So 1 ball of Knit Picks Stroll was enough for the entire hat. With enough left over for a tiny pom-pom if desired! The yarn is also very lightweight making it perfect for spring or as a year round accessory.

For this Women’s Hat I should have kept the brim to 27 rows or 3.5 inches. But I wasn’t paying attention and flew right passed it. If I did, I would have had even more yarn left over.

I ended up not loving my choice of colorways this time. Perhaps something more feminine and monochromatic rather than contrasty. The color scheme in this one makes it way too sporty and not versatile enough.

See my Men’s Slouchy Hat Pattern for more detailed notes on Sizing, Needles, and Yarn.

Sizing and Gauge:
Width: 10.25 inches
Height: 13 inches
Brim Circumference: About 20.5 inches

PERFECT FIT!!! Exactly the right fit and drape. I originally made this hat in the Men’s Size first but found that the pattern yielded a hat that was way too loose (for a man). Plus, as the day wore on the hat got looser and looser.

So this time around when I knitted the Women’s Size, I took a few stitches off the Women’s Size Pattern as well and modified the pattern respectively and it was a perfect fit. I test wore this hat all day today and it’s still wearing great! In total it is about 1-2 inches in both width and height smaller than the Men’s Slouchy Hat I made.

This hat size and pattern is also suitable for Mens! It might be a better fit than the Men’s Size Hat for Men even!

Version 1: Regular Fit Hat ~ Version 2: Slouchy Fit Hat

Here are just a few of the wonderful textile artisans featured on Boticca! From Knit Necklaces to Felted Handbags to Shibori Textiles to Macrame Jewelry. Yes, exquisite macrame jewelry no less. All handmade!

Boticca is a high-end marketplace for handmades. Like an Etsy but with a sophisticated eye for fashion and design. The carefully curated Boticca artists and designers can join the marketplace through an application process or by invitation only. Headquartered in London and officially launched in October 2010, its founders were inspired by the souks of Marrakech and decided to bring their interpretation of the bazaars of Morocco to the web.

(more…)

Finger Pin Cushion from The Old Country Store

Look what I found when I went to visit Lancaster, PA earlier this year! Well actually I didn’t find it. I totally missed it. My BF found it and got it for me as a surprise :) :) :) Score! AWESOME FINGER PIN CUSHION!

It’s a tiny little pin cushion that fits on your finger! Traditional ones are much larger and strap onto your wrist. They’re much handier for the serious home sewer since they can hold a lot of pins at once. But this one is great for small projects and such. Plus it’s really cute!

It was freezing cold but we managed to browse around Kitchen Kettle Village in Intercourse, PA and we also stumbled across this whole cache of Quilting and Yarn Stores right nearby! Jackpot! That’s where I found places like The Old Country Store and Bitty Kinna’s. And the Lancaster Yarn Shop where I first saw the Knitter’s Pride Interchangeable Needle Set in person! They remind me most of the Knit Picks Interchangeable Sets.

I bought my first Quilt Block Kit and am planning to make my first quilt block shortly! I found it at a quilting wonderland of quilt stuff and fabrics at The Old Country Store. I cracked it open and, although I’m excited to start, it was a little confusing already! The fabrics I got did not match the pattern, so it wasn’t easy to figure out which pieces were meant to be cut into what squares. I’ll have to tackle that soon though.

I ate Chipped Beef and Shoofly Pie for the first time. I. LOVED. CHIPPED BEEF! Ha. Which was basically some type of sliced corned beef or pastrami-type deli meat smothered in this white flour/milk/butter gravy. I ate it for breakfast! But didn’t care for the Shoofly Pie much which was basically sugar or corn syrup baked into a pie crust. We also ate Whoopie Pies! YES! We went to the Canning Kitchen in KKV and sampled a huge variety of pickled vegetables, pickles, jams, and spreads. Everything was weirdly sweet IMHO. But in general the food was great (albeit gut busting and not the most diet conscious). Great for every once in awhile or a little splurge.

We stayed at Eden Resort Best Western. The service was so warm and friendly, they made our stay very nice. The room rates were great and came with an awesome breakfast buffet each day! It was seriously the best meal I had all day while visiting. The bathroom was spotless and had these cool dual shower heads one with a rain shower head from the top and some water jets from the sides. The entire hotel was well kept and clean. They also had wonderful amenities like indoor and outdoor pools and whirlpools and sauna. The indoor one was really nice, it was crowded with kids (and not the cleanest) but decorated really nice. Great for families with kids and nearby attractions like Dutch Wonderland.

We saw lots of horse drawn buggies clopping around, weirdly old fashioned yet with modern materials. It smelled like horse poop everywhere, even at the hotel! There were even metal posts found along the streets for buggies to tie up their horses. It was affordable, we went in the off season, took the Amtrak (although a car is really needed) and trudged around in the snow. But we had a lovely little “country” getaway from NYC that turned out to be a great knitting and sewing trip too! (more…)

Holy Handmades, Batman! I saw this on Boing Boing and had to repost! Check out the above by sculpture artist, Mark Newport, based in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. He creates 100% hand-knit superhero costumes! These masterpieces use mostly acrylic yarn, buttons, and hand knitting!

Batman, Iron Man, Spiderman and the Rawhide Kid.

These characters are childhood memories of the ultimate man – the Dad every boy wants, the man every boy wants to grow up to be. My hand knit acrylic re-creations of these heroes’ costumes combine their heroic, protective, ultra masculine, yet vulnerable personas with the protective gestures of my mother – hand knit acrylic sweaters meant to keep me safe from New England winters. The costumes are life-size, my size, wearable objects that hang limply on hangers challenging the standard muscular form of the hero and offering the space for someone to imagine themselves wearing the costume, becoming the hero. They become the uniforms I can wear to protect my family from the threats (bullies, murderers, terrorists, pedophiles, and fanatical messianic characters) we are told surround us. –Mark Newport

Via http://boingboing.net/2012/03/08/hand-knit-superhero-costumes-g.html
Via http://www.marknewportartist.com/work/costumes/