No More Paper or Plastic in Colorado

 As of January 1, Colorado started charging for plastic bags at stores, including the grocery store.

I have a big bag of cotton yarn that I collected in anticipation of this. However, I really didn't like the feel of knitting with cotton, so the bag just sat in my craft room for the past several years (yes, years). So I finally decided to start using it up. I am on my third bag now. I seem to like the feel of it better now since there is a necessity. 

I am using a basic pattern. There are several free patterns on Ravelry for shopping bags, and they are very similar.

I cast on 24 stitches with size 9 circular needles and knit back and forth in stockinette (or garter stitch, your choice) until it is close to a square. Then I pick up stitches along the sides and bottom. I don't really count the stitches because exact numbers don't matter. 

I continue knitting in the round, increasing two stitches at each corner two or three times. Then just knit in stockinette for a couple of inches. 

I change to a larger needle, in my case size 11 and start the lace pattern:
Round 1: YO, k2tog for the entire round.
Round 2: Knit

I continue these 2 rounds for 12 to 14 inches. I then go back to stockinette for another couple of inches. 

Divide for handle. This is the first time (and only time) I actually count the stitches. I take the total stitches and subtract 24 stitches (handle is 12 stitches wide). I divide that total in half. 

Such as:

  136 total stitches
  - 24 
  112
/    2
   56

Next round: Knit 12 stitches. Bind off the next 56 stitches. Knit 12 and put those stitches on a holder and remove from needles. Bind off the next 56 stitches.

Change back to size 9 needles. Work in garter stitch back and forth (knit every row) until you have the length you want for the handle. Use a three-needle bind off with the stitches on the needle. Weave in the ends.

As you can see, it is pretty much "seat-of-your-pants" knitting. It's pretty forgiving and after you have made a few, the pattern is "in the bag!"

Colorado Hats in a family of sizes

 

I live in the beautiful state of Colorado. Our home is south of the Denver area in the foothills. So here is my Colorado hat in three sizes. One of my best friends recently became a grandma. Her son is a friend of my son's so I have known him for a long time. When I heard they were having a baby, I knitted a family of Colorado hats for them, as well as some Denver Bronco booties (to be featured in the future). I was hoping to get a picture of the entire family in the hats soon, and when I do, I will post it.

Meanwhile, I included a free pattern for the infant hat. Enjoy.

Colorado Ski Hat – infant size

Worsted weight yarn in blue, red, white and yellow.  None of the colors need a full skein

Size 5 (5.0 mm) needles

Size 6 (5.5 mm) needles

Tapestry needle

Gauge: 8 sts and 12 rows = 2” in Stockinette

 

With smaller needles, cast on 52.  Work ribbing as: K2. P2 for 2 inches.

 

Switch to large needles and knit 2 rows.

Row 1: Knit --. Work row 1 of the chart. Knit remainder of the row.

Row 2: Purl --. Work row 2 of the chart. Purl remainder of the row.

Continue working the chart with the solid color on each side, remembering to change to white at row 5 and back to blue at row 11. Knit with blue

Crown:

Row 1: SSK, knit 11, k2tog six times (78 stitches).

Row 2: Knit and all even-numbered rows.

Row 3: SSK, knit 9, k2tog six times (66 stitches).

Row 4: Knit and all even-numbered rows.

Row 5: SSK, knit 7, k2tog six times (54 stitches).

Row 7 SSK, knit 5, k2tog six times (42 stitches).

Row 9: SSK, knit 3, k2tog six times (30 stitches).

Row 11: SSK, knit 1, k2tog six times (18 stitches).

Row 13: k3tog six times (6 stitches).

Cut yarn. Thread yarn with tapestry needle and yarn through remaining stitches. 

Sew back seam, matching the color of yarn to the hat.  Weave in all ends.

 

R

R

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13

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12

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Y

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10

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9

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8

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7

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5

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To purchase adult size, go to this site: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/colorado-adult-hat