Pippa's Hat, Take 2

Ah, the confusing world of the interwebs. I thought I had put the Pippa's Hat pattern up as a free download, but instead I have linked everyone to a subscriber only service. Sorry!! Here is the pattern. Free and easy!

Pippa's Hat

Yarn:

Chesapeake, Verde Collection by Classic Elite Yarns (50% Organic Cotton/ 50% Merino Wool); 50 grams/ 103 yds per skein. You can knit at least 3 hats with a skein of each.

#1: 5957 (True Blue), #2: 5981 (Tendril Green), #3: 5985 (Mandarin Orange), #4: 5904 (Scuba Blue), #5: 5925 (Tokyo Rose)

Needles: US 7s, 16” circular; US 7s dpn. Use needle size that gives you proper gauge.

Gauge: 24 stitches per 4 inches in stockinette stitch.

Size: 6-12 months

Notions: Stitch marker, darning needle.

Notes: s2togk1PSSO: Slip two stitches knitwise, knit the next stitch, pass the two slipped stitches over this knitted stitch.

When knitting colorwork, if you must carry a strand of yarn behind your work for more than 5 stitches, please secure your floats. This will be necessary when knitting the crown.

If you would like to try this in a larger size, simply add another pattern repeat!

Pattern:

Cable CO 80 stitches in color #1. Place stitch marker and join for working in the round being careful not to twist your stitches.

Work in 2x2 rib for one inch.

*k2 in color #2, k2 in color #3; repeat from * until end of round.

Repeat for 5 rounds total.

Knit 1 round in color #4.

Purl 3 rounds in color #4.

*k4 in color #1, k4 in color #5; repeat from * until the end of the round.

Repeat last round.

*k4 in color #5, k4 in color #1; repeat from * until the end of the round.

Repeat last round.

*k4 in color #1, k4 in color #5; repeat from * until the end of the round.

Repeat last round.

Knit 1 round in color #2.

Purl 3 rounds in color #2.

*k2 in color #3, k2 in color #4; repeat from * until the end of the round.

k1 in color #4; *k2 in color #3, k2 in color #4; repeat from * until the last stitch of the round; k1 in color #4.

*k2 in color #4, k2 in color #3; repeat from * until the end of the round.

k1 in color #3; *k2 in color #4, k2 in color #3; repeat from * until the last stitch of the round; k1 in color #3.

*k2 in color #3, k2 in color #4; repeat from * until the end of the round.

Knit 1 round in color #5.

Purl 3 rounds in color #5.

Knit 1 round in color #2.

Crown Decrease:

*k1 in color #3, k2 in color #2, k2 in #3, k2 in #2, k1 in #3, k2 in #2, k2 in #3, k2 in #2, k1 in #3, k1 in #2. Repeat from * until the end of round.

*k2 in #2, k2 in #3, k2 in #2, k3 in #3, k2 in #2, k2 in #3, k3 in #2. Repeat from * until the end of round.

*k1 in #2, k2 in #3, k2 in #2, k1 in #3, using color #3: s2togk1PSSO (see note), k1 in #3, k2 in #2, k2 in #3, k2 in #2. Repeat from * until the end of round.

*k2 in #3, k2 in #2, k5 in #3, k2 in #2, k1 in #3, k1 in #2. Repeat from * until the end of round.

*k1 in #3, k2 in #2, k2 in #3, s2togk1PSSO in #3, k2 in #3, k2 in #2, k1 in #3, k1 in #2. Repeat from * until the end of round.

*k1 in #3, k1 in #2, k7 in #3, k1 in #2, k1 in #3, k1 in #2. Repeat from * until the end of round.

*k1 in #2, k3 in #3, s2togk1PSSO in #3, k3 in #3, k2 in #2. Repeat from * until the end of round.

*k9 in #3, k1 in #2. Repeat from * until the end of round.

*k3 in #3, s2togk1PSSO in #3, k3 in #3, k1 in #2. Repeat from * until the end of round.

*K7 in #3, k1 in #2. You will no long need color #2. Repeat from * until the end of round.

Continue only in color #3: *k2, s2togk1PSSO, k3. Repeat from * until the end of round.

*k1, s2togk1PSSO, k2. Repeat from * until the end of round.

*s2togk1PSSO, k1. Repeat from * until the end of round.

Finishing

ssk all around. 5 stitches remain.

Slide the remaining stitches onto one dpn and make an i-cord for desired length.

Weave in the outrageous number of ends!

Pippa's Hat

I knitted this little hat for a dear baby, Pippa, on her first birthday. It took about a day and was a joy to knit. At the time, we were dealing with gray, snowy weather and the color palate lifted my spirits. Here's a link to the pattern: Pippa's Hat. Please let me know if I need to make any corrections.

Enjoy!

How To Use Up Yarn

Let me walk you through how to use up partial skeins of yarn.


First, the yarn - Blue Sky Organic Dyed Cotton.  Beautiful.  Springy.  You adore it and must do something with it.  There must be about half a skein left, enough for a little kimono for a dear little 2 month old.

Next, the pattern.  Fuss about which kimono pattern to use.  Decide a sweater would be better.  In fact, a sweater that she can wear in August when she's in Vermont.  Yes, perfect - a 3-6 month size of that very cute Debbie Bliss Garter Stitch Jacket.  How adorable!!  Simple, fast, and classic in an EZ-looking kind of way.  Cast on and start knitting immediately, late at night, while completely engrossed in the final episode of John Adams.  Give absolutely no thought during any of these deliberations to yardage requirements.

The next day, notice how very large the sweater is looking all of a sudden.  The pattern calls for a 22" chest circumference for the 3-6 month size.  Crazy!  Spend most of your available knitting time comparing patterns and 3-6 month old babies.  Decide to just go with it.  She'll wear it when it fits.  Once again, and this is very important, give absolutely no thought to yardage requirements.

Run out of yarn.  Buy another skein.  Grumble about how this was to just work up the partial skein.  Wonder what happened.  

Knit until just one side of the front is left.  Run out of yarn again.  Buy yet another skein.  Grumble.  Wonder.

Finish the sweater and see that you have the exact same amount of yarn leftover.  If not more.  Deep sigh.  Find beautiful, sweet buttons and forget all about feeling grumbly.

Hmm.  Now what can I do to work up that skein ...

FTW!

After my last post of a steaming pile of failed knitting projects, it was time for a little self-reflection. I had never had so many repeated failures and frustrations, and so few satisfactory finished objects. Knitting less meant knitting worse. It meant finishing nothing. And for a product knitter like me, knitting and producing nothing was worse than not knitting at all.

It was time for a new paradigm of knitting for me. Knitting less isn't just forgoing a morning knitting session to hit the gym for me. I've had to release some of the mental energy that I was giving to knitting to give it to other areas of my life. I just don't think about it as much, and my failed projects were indications of lack of thought. I don't have the time or the inclination to think through design challenges. I don't have the energy to frog and re-knit the same project until I get it right again and again. I need the simple, the rewarding. Not instant gratification, necessarily, but the old, reliable standards of knitting.

Thus, I turned to EZ, the quintessential source of all that is classic, reliable, pleasureable knitting. Two of my dearest cousins are both expecting their first babies, and since both have wonderfully unique aesthetics, I was able to perfectly match those classic EZ baby sweaters for each of them.

First up was for Ellie's baby. She's expecting her first girl any minute now. Ellie has a very feminine but quirky, vintage-y, arty personal style, so the February Baby Sweater was the perfect choice.

A two skeins (and a little bit of the third) of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in a yummy, grape-y purple, some beautiful silver rose buttons, and a little label embroidered with the initial E, which she, her soon-to-be-born daughter, and I all share. It's yummily soft and absolutely feminine without being overly twee. Classic.


Teri's baby is due in about a month. She and her husband have chosen not to find out the gender of their precious firstborn. In these cases, I usually knit something in a deep red color, since I think all babies look beautiful in red, and am not a fan of the insipid yellow, light green, and white sweaters these "surprise" babies get. However, Teri has a good chance of having a red-haired baby, since her husband and many of his family are vibrant redheads. Thus, their baby is receiving a Baby Surprise Jacket in an amazing green from Dream in Color (Happy Forest). This was my first time using this yarn, and it will not be my last. It was wonderful to work with, and the colors are vibrant and bright.
Teri and I happen to share the same last initial, so this sweater gets a "K." I am sort of obsessed by these cute little tags, so I'll take any excuse to sew and photograph them. I know nothing about embroidery, but these look better than I would ever expect.

You can check the details on my Ravelry page if you want to know more. But in the meantime, expect to see more old reliables, the trieds-and-trues from me in this space for the next little while. I'll be spreading my wings in other spaces in my life right now.

Welcome Lyra!

After almost a month without internet or email, I'm back. Our computer, pushed to the edges of it's capacity, gave us the big blue screen and was resistant to our meager efforts to repair it. Enter Jorge, the talented and clever, and husband to Kindnessgirl. As Jorge awaited the arrival of child number four and began a new demanding job, he parked our computer on their dining room table and worked to get us up and running in his "spare time." Isn't that just incredible?

Now our computer is not just running again but better, faster, stronger. And most importantly, baby Lyra has now joined us.

Here is the sweater for Lyra ...


Pattern: Busy Lizzy by Louisa Harding from Tadpoles and Tiddlers (Rowan)
Yarn: Louet Gems, Fine/Sport Weight, Goldilocks and leftovers from a BSJ
Needles: US 2s and 3s


I modified a number of things on this sweater, I'm not even sure I remember all the changes I made. I knit the body together, dividing for the sleeves, and then grafted at the shoulders to avoid any bulk from seaming. This made the colorwork easier and more continuous without any nasty seams to break it up.


I knit the sleeves in the round on dpns then seamed them into the round openings. I am moving away from seaming whenever I can (I'm with Anne Marie -- avoid seams whenever possible). I found the stitch count for the sleeves to be way off and increased to only 57 sts instead of 67. Also, I am in love with the smocking stitch. It has stretch and texture and is just a joy to knit.

This yellow is the truest to actual color.

And the button. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know where it's from via The Yarn Lounge. I love that it matches the flowers (I didn't pick the button until after I had knit the sweater!).


Louet Gems may just become my go-to-yarn for baby things. It's a bit splitty, but finishes so smoothly, shows colorwork and texture well, comes in great colors (this yellow, Goldilocks, is fabulous), and is machine washable and dryable.

So welcome Lyra! We're all so glad you've joined us on this big blue ball we call home!

Blog Blahs.

Life has seriously licked our collective asses here at XRK, making it difficult for either of us to blog with any regularity. Ann is experiencing computer issues, and I have been experiencing life issues that are keeping me busy. I have been knitting, though, and I have several FOs to share. I am hoping to get those out of the way over the next few posts, and hopefully, those posts will be a bit more frequent.

The blog is experiencing some growing pains, frankly. Mo gave some serious consideration to dropping out completely, but now is thinking of coming back. Ann and I continue to be busy with the kids, even though they are all in school again. With flickr accounts and Ravelry, I'm feeling less like blogging about my knitting, as it feels redundant and time consuming. I think many knit bloggers have been experiencing similar malaise about their blogs, and that's just where the XRK knitters seem to be at this point. There may be some changes: we've considered a platform move. I've considered writing more about life when knitting just isn't doing it for me. For now, dear readers, all of you that remain, we ask that you stick with us through this period, and when we have something to report, we'll let you know.

In the meantime, here's a long-finished, FO, about which I have little to say. Now, if you happen to be expecting a baby and happen to be married to my brother-in-law and live in San Diego and want to be surprised about your baby gift, read no further. Everyone else, carry on:


Rav details here.

It's a February Baby Sweater, knit in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock. I knit it with fingering weight because I wanted it to roughly fit a newborn. My new niece will be born in November, and for the first few months of her life, it will be chilly in her hometown of San Diego. The gauge was not all that off, as I used US4 needles, but it should not overwhelm her little newborn body. I had to add the booties and the hat because they are so stinkin' cute, and I had the yarn.

I have two more sweaters to share, plus a cowl and hopefully a finished pair of socks to share in the near future. If I ever get around to blogging again.

August Rain and a February Sweater

Alternate Title: Look Ma! No Seams!

We're finally getting some much needed rain. Not a lot. But a calm, steady sprinkle. The air is cool, the windows are open, and the kids are at art camp for the morning. Ah. I'm happy with the quiet, the garden is happy with the rain. Now, on to the baby sweater ...


Pattern: February Sweater by Elizabeth Zimmerman (Knitter's Almanac)
Yarn: Socks That Rock, medium weight superwash merino, Jade (the color is closer to the above photo)
Needles: US 3s


I began this project during the Olympic swimming week. I finished in about 5 days and discovered that although I had altered the numbers due to gauge and cast on more than it called for, I had failed to alter the numbers for where to place the sleeves. This was a big mistake (damn that Michael Phelps). I never noticed until I had cast off (damn him and his intoxicating racing).

I rushed to TYL to see Brilliant Melanie, could anything be done to save it? I already knew the answer, and she could see that I just couldn't stand tearing it out. She sent me next door with the kids as she ripped and rewound for me. Aren't knitting friends the best?

I reknit it in EZ's numbers since my gauge really wasn't off that much and now, she is a thing of beauty.

Modifications: I am so over seams. I know that I'll have to deal with them again, but anytime that I can avoid them, I will. Even though this sweater doesn't have many seams, I knit the sleeves in the round to avoid sewing them up. No seams, none, nada, zippo, zilch.


Also, I slipped the first stitch of each row to create a nicer edging. I toyed with the idea of crocheting a little picot edge, but decided that the plain edging was simple and beautiful. The exquisite buttons are, my favorites, from Danforth Pewter via TYL.

The next few projects will also be baby things, since my friends and family evidently just can't keep their pants on. Will you people please stop procreating and let me knit myself a sweater?

Better-Than-Booties Baby Socks

The rain for the past two days has forced me out of the garden and back inside the house to find piles of unwashed laundry, no groceries in the fridge, and emails left unread. I'm almost caught up, but I have a number of FOs to post. Let's start with the absolute cutest baby present I've knit in a while. This will be the first of many knitted objects for this little child. Her family has been though more than their share of grief and her arrival brings great joy into our little part of the world.

This picture best captures the actual color.

Pattern: Better-Than-Booties Braided Cable Baby Socks by Ann Budd in Interweave Knits, Summer 2005
Yarn: Spirit Trail Fiberworks 100% superwash Merino
Needles: US 0s
Notes: See the color? I'm finally knitting something appropriate for Project Spectrum!

I'm not crazy about a short row heel. In fact, I strongly dislike them. I had to do two per sock -- the toe is a short row heel. I could live without that, however it was a good lesson for me. (Ugh.) After the short row toe, you do a zig zag bind-off instead of grafting. I don't think I achieved the look of the zig and the zag, but it's nice. Don't try this on any socks that you would wear in shoes since it would probably be uncomfortable.


I can't wait to knit up a BSJ for her for the Fall!

Four Skeins of Malabrigo

Remember last fall when I ducked out of the Second Wave Clapotis KAL? Well, I ended up with four yummy skeins of Malbrigo Stone Crop in the stash. One became a Coronet. One a Koolhaas. One skein was sent to China in a care package for my good friend who is working in Beijing trying to get ready for the Olympics.*

That leaves one skein left. No problem. Baby hats! With my last cozy skein in the stash, two boyish hats were a breeze.



Pattern: Earflap Hat from Knitting for Baby by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas
Yarn: Malabrigo Stone Blue
Needles: US 7s
Notes: Easy, fast and just the best hat. I made the larger size so he can wear it (I hope) for a number of years.

I love this book. If you are a beginning knitter, the directions are precise and sufficient. If you are an expert, you'll love how beautifully simple the designs are -- not too fussy but easy to embellish if you wish.



Pattern: improvised
Yarn: Malabrigo Stone Blue
Needles: US7s
Notes: This hat is for a new cousin in Minnesota. It's a simple 2x2 rib that decreased by letting the ribs collapse into each other to become 1x1 at the top. It won't fit him for long, but that's fine. I have a sweater planned for the fall ...


I've always had a problem with pompoms, but I followed the excellent directions in Knitting For Baby and did a fine job on this one!

*An interesting side note: The Chinese government has censored XRK. My friend cannot read our blog. Huh? I couldn't recall any of us saying anything particularly revolutionary or anti-communist. But since we've been censored anyway, please take a moment to read this. Then, if you are so moved, click here and take action.

There. Now we can be censored!

A Quick Surprise

At the end of the summer I got a surprise email forwarded to me from N's school -- a friend that I had met backpacking in Spain was trying to track me down and had found my name on the RWS website. We reconnected and it has been such a wonderful time getting to know her again and learning about her family and life.

And last week her family grew a bit ... one more life has joined it. So I will send off a little surprise in the mail tomorrow ...

Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket by EZ (The Opinionated Knitter)
Needles: US 6s
Yarn: Louet Gems Fine/Sport Weight in Grape and Willow
Notes: I have been blessed with some mighty fine knitting projects lately and this was no exception. What an incredible pattern (my first BSJ) and what fabulous yarn (my first time with Louet Gems as well). I did not modify the pattern at all -- just wanted to knit it as it was written originally and see what happened. I am extremely happy with the results but wish my increases were a bit neater looking.

I changed colors randomly and love how the funky seaming turned out.

This yarn is just wonderful and I am going to use the remaining yarn for something for my girls (I used just about 1/2 skein of each color).

These excellent buttons are from The Yarn Lounge here in Richmond.

When I bought this yarn I had no idea it was from South Africa. Tomorrow I will be sending the BSJ to Cape Town where it will meet it's new little owner ...

Surprises all around!

Trying To Keep Afloat

There is just so much to do lately. Blogging and, quite sadly, Ravelry have not been even close to the top of my "To Do" list. But I have been knitting! Here is a WIP, FO update ...

Two FOs:

Pattern: Trellis, 6 month size
Yarn: Cotton Fleece by Brown Sheep, Wisteria; about 1.5 skeins
Needles: US6s
Notes: I liked this pattern, but wish that I had taken the time to search other knitter's mods before picking it up. I was feeling rushed and just dove in. If I had it to knit again, I would use Brooklyn Tweed's mods which I read about on Ravelry, he's knitting it as a seamless raglan (much easier) and adding seed stitch panels to the sides under the arms (the cabled twist right at the seam is not great). I would also have knit the sleeves in the round, I didn't like how they seamed up at all. I did slip the first stitch so that the button band and the buttonhole band have a nicer edge.

I was able to remember how to seed stitch graft while babysitting without my reference book. I'm so proud!

This sat waiting for small pewter buttons that I had ordered until I just couldn't take it any longer, the recipient was growing! I bought these instead and am very pleased even though they are a bit rounder than I had wanted.

Pinks and purples in the fall garden.

Pattern: Pea Pod Hat by Kate Gilbert

Really crappy picture. The color is truly the same as the Trellis ...

Yarn: Cotton Fleece, Wisteria
Needles: US5s
Mods: None. Knit up in a night. I found out last Thursday that N's teacher was going to visit her brother who is deploying to Iraq. They were also christening his baby last weekend, so I wanted to send her off with a baby hat. These pictures stink, it was really much cuter! I would love to knit the whole set at some point.

Angel Lace Shawl - WIP
Ah. Another Evelyn Clark shawl. Heaven. I've been affectionately calling this the Angel of Darkness since I am knitting with Jo Sharp Alpaca Silk Georgette in Charcoal (and I am watching Buffy Season One on DVD). This yarn, oh this yarn. This is a yarn I could knit forever. For absolutely ever. It is soft. It is the perfect weight. It is silky but not slippery. It smells good. I am happy whenever I pick this project up. I am just about done with my 13 pattern repeats but I am going to do more. It's just wonderful!

But there is a time constraint, this shawl will be donated to Art Karma, an art auction to benefit Art 180. A very worthwhile cause. My buddy Jess (you have got to check out her incredible bags now! Wouldn't they make awesome knitting bags?) asked me to donate something and as I was feeling the shawl love after Leaf Lace, I said sure. No regrets. This shawl has been a joy to knit. I hope to block it in about a week. Stay tuned for pictures!

Prayer Quilt Project - WIP
Unfortunately, we have a very sick parent at our school. A single mother of a 1st grader, she is gracefully and bravely battling very insipid cancer. The RWS community has pulled together and in the past 2 weeks knit a bajillion 6" x 6" garter stitch squares in O-Wool Classic. It was a 7th Grade homework assignment, isn't that incredible? The RWS handworkers will be coming over Saturday night to stitch it together and then we may have the 1st graders fingerknit the fringe next week.

I will share more with you next week. I feel powerless to protect this incredible woman and her son from this cancer, but I can help create a symbol of our love, compassion, and prayers.

FO Updates and a Clapotis Confession

Now that the BackBou has returned from his trip to Chicago (he loved the conference on Credit Bureau reporting -- he's sweet, but such a geek!), I have a more time to manage to blog. Thank you everyone for your incredible comments on the lace scarf!

Here are some of my recently finished objects ...

Pattern: Elisa's Nest Tote
Yarn: #6 AllHemp 6 DK Weight
Needles: US 9s and US 3s

Modifications: I used Liz's suggested mods listed here. I know I'm not the world's fastest knitter, or even in the top 50% percentile of fast knitters, but this did not take me the "few hours" to knit that the pattern describes. I finished this up during the last of the pool days before the start of school. It is N's bag at school for extra clothes, painting clothes, etc.

Pattern: Saartje's Booties (the pattern is a pdf on the sidebar here)
Yarn: Cashsoft DK in unknown pink and purple colors
Needles: I think US6s, it's hard to remember
Modifications: None. These were super fast and my girls picked out the buttons at The Yarn Lounge, aren't they great? They were for one the many new babies on our block.

I am currently working on Trellis in Lamb's Pride Cotton Fleece for another of the new babies on the block. Baby knitting is just so much fun!!

And now for the Clapotis Confession ...
After seeing Liz's incredible Clapotis, I was determined to make one of my own. So I signed up for the Second Wave Clapotis KAL (which began on the 23rd) and started my search for yarn. Well, I had a cost constraint (all the gift knitting is maxing out the budget) and didn't want to spend over $40 bucks on yarn. I found this gorgeous Malabrigo and thought it would work (and it was just a bit over $40 ...).

Well, I swatched and thought that I could pull it off. I was warned, but believed that it could somehow work. Then as I was knitting, it became clear that I had been delusional about using this yarn for a Clapotis. The drape was just not good. It's just not the right yarn.

But I loved the yarn. It's colors, it's softness. I loved the yarn more than the pattern. And so ...

I dumped the Clapotis. I'm keeping the yarn. I can't give it up. The yarn is going to become a number of hats, beginning with this Coronet, for Christmas presents.

My only regret is not being part of this wonderful and fun KAL -- Bridget, thank you for hosting and sorry for my lack of committment! As for the Clapotis, I know it will always be there for me when I am ready to pick up the pattern again ...

BackBou Exposed and some FOs

So the BackBou was outed this week as the obsessed baker that he is. Those of us in blogland (and those of us who happen to live with him) have known about his alternative lifestyle for a while now, but let me tell you, it's generating some interest in his attorney world of work. Read the Home Style article here. The print edition has some great pictures of the kids helping to make the pizzas.

In addition to working on the lace scarf and some socks (I'm unfortunately not the uber-sock knitter that Tiennie is!), I was able to finish these hats (for my neighbor's new twins) over my vacation.


Pattern: Cabled Greenspun Beanie from Nature Babies by Tara Jon Manning.
Yarn: Rowan Cashsoft DK in Mirage and Sweet (I think, I'm not sure about the names of the colors)
Needles: US 6s

Notes: I really liked Nature Babies. I checked it out from the library and really enjoyed looking through it. I think I'm going to try to make the soft play bloxes to sell at a RWS festival. Or maybe the stitched moon and star toys. Or maybe the flannel star babies. Or maybe some elfin bonnets. Or ...

Imagine

Imagine knitting your first EZ pattern ever, a Baby Surprise Jacket. While there is a recipient baby in mind, you mostly knit this pattern for the hell of it, just to figure out the origami of the pattern.


Now imagine making this infinitely fascinating, incredibly clever little garment with leftover yarn from the stash. Imagine knitting it in three days. You are both resourceful and productive!


Now imagine being inspired by the infinite possibilities of such a little jacket, and having knit a prototype, you understand how it works. You know where to add striping and contrasting edging details and you now look at your sock yarn stash in a whole new light. You modify the pattern to suit your needs and your tastes. You write a fascinatingly informative blog post about it, too.


Now imagine having a baby on the way to picture wearing your clever, colorful Baby Surprise Jackets.

No! Not me! You've just imagined that you are Mrs. Frick. Now go read her post, admire her BSJs, and be excited for her bit of baby news.