Packer hat - FINISHED!

Project Name: Soldier, Brother, Packer Fan
Pattern Name: Ribbed Watchman's Hat by Channah Koppel (Free Pattern on Ravelry)
Yarn: 147 yards of Red Heart Team Spirit in the Green/Gold colorway
Needle: Size 7 16" circular and double point needles
Size: One Size (very stretchy!)
Love: ♥♥♥♥

You can find my Ravelry Project Notes HERE.

 

This was a great hat pattern to work on my last few weeks of class and during finals. I didn't think when I started it that I would finish in time to give it to my brother for Christmas - but I did! YAY!

I had a few mishaps while knitting this and finally taught myself the proper way to Tink. I had been doing it wrong for years and it caused my stitches to twist when I would do it - so generally I would just start over whenever I made a mistake. (No pressure, right?) 

In case anyone else has this problem, you can watch this video on uTube to learn how to knit and purl back to correct your mistakes. It saved this hat! I was almost 9 inches into the ribbing when I saw a flubbed up row where I messed up. I was able to back up and redo it and now you can't even tell I messed up!

I found this yarn pretty abrasive. When you are used to working with Brown Sheep and Malabrigo.... well it's a very different tactical experience! Still, my brother will probably love it. He is a HUGE packer fan! I am hoping to get a picture of him wearing it when I see him at Christmas. 

The pattern was great. I recommend it! It took under 150 yards of worsted weight yarn. Still not sure what I think of the decrease section. I prefer a spoked decrease aesthetically, but I think for a basic watch cap style cap this decrease is probably more appropriate.

I am thrilled with the hat and cannot wait to present it to my brother at Christmas!

IEEE 802.15.1 Bluetooth Cap

 

Project Name: IEEE 802.15.1 Bluetooth Cap

Pattern Name: Snow Day Cap (Free Pattern on LionBrand.com)
Yarn: Lion Brand Hometown USA. 44 yards of Main Color - MPLS Purple & 11 yards of Seattle Sea Mist for the Snowflakes
Needle: US 13
Size: Small Woman's or Large Childs
Love: ♥♥♥♥ Well written free pattern. Uses a minimum of yarn and the end result is quite nice!

You can find my Ravelry Project Notes HERE.

 

I really had to stretch this to fit on my mannequin head to take pictures - and you can tell the snowflakes are distorted when I place it on the head.  Laying flat you can see the snow flake pattern more clearly - and I have to think some young gal (Pre-tween I think) would rock this out wonderfully.

I knit this exactly as the pattern stated. I found the chart was too much for me when I was tired and didn't want to think too much - so I saved it for more alert and less distracted knitting times. I really like how it looks from the top. A pretty decrease sequence. 

A welcome addition to my Knit Hat Donation pile.

Fall Borealis Mittens

FINALLY these are done! I had a false start and had to rip them out completely, but now they are finished!

The Pattern: Woodhaven. This is a free pattern form Berroco yarns.
The Yarn: I used Berroco Borealis yarn. Even with my yarn eating modifications I used less than one skein. A very pretty yarn and fun to work with.
My Mods: I knit the cuffs 4.5 inches in length rather than 3 inches in length. I wanted a nice long cuff to fit under my jacket. Anyone who has had to remove snow from a car knows a long cuff is a good thing.

If I made these again I would add a few rows of knit stitch between the ribbing and the thumb. The directions call for only one row of knit before you start the thumb up and that ends up with the ribbing not stopping at your natural wrist - rather it is up on your hand. I would like more of a transition there.

I would also add a little more length to the thumb. The pattern does not have you pick up any stitches from the body of the mitten when you make the thumb - and this leaves a pretty nice size hole in the area I call the thumb crotch. (I put picture of the hole in the "thumb crotch" up on my Ravelry Project Page here if you want to take a look and see what I mean.) When I went to stitch the hole closed it really pulled a lot on the thumb and made it tighter. I think a row or two more added to the length would help this out.

Over all not a bad free project. I am thinking about making them again to use as a liner for some of my super bulky mittens that are a little over sized for me. It would be great for that I think. I am in love with this yarn - Hope it wears well!

It's Just a Triangle - Shawl

I haven't been sharing my WIPS very much lately. Many of the projects I have been starting are me trying to find something portable I can take to work and do on my lunch hour. This usually means in the morning when I am frantic and tired I am looking at my yarn and at Ravelry and trying to find something FAST FAST FAST. And a girl can only knit or crochet so many wash clothes before she burns out on them.

About a week ago that morning dance translated into me grabbing a ball of pink yarn, a size I(5.5) crochet hook, and watching quick videos on

A) How to start a crochet project with an Adjustable Ring

B)What does DC mean again? Double Crochet? What is that again?

And BOOM I started on "It's just a triangle - Shawl". (A free pattern on Ravelry - very easy and addictive!) After working with the bubble gum pink for a day or two I thought - Wow. This is REALLY pink. huh. I had a bunch of scrap black yarn in a similar weight so I thought I would alternate pink and black. I am now almost out of pink yarn and will soon be finishing this up. I spent some quality time outside yesterday talking to my hubby and working on this in between projects. I got my tomato cages up, cleaned and refilled my Hummingbird feeder and my Finch Feeder, little jobs like that.

The colors are very bold - but I am really enjoying them! Once the black gets boring and eternal I throw some pink in and POP it wakes me up.

This will be great for throwing on my shoulders when I watch TV or when I get up in the morning and have to run outside to see what the dog is barking at. It's all scrap acrylic - so I can just throw it in the washer and dryer when It gets dirty. Easy Peasy.

Hopefully I will have some shots of this all finished up soon!