Simple and Snug

It's simple and snug. The star of this hat is actually the yarn. It is purple or dark lavender, not sure what it is called, and slightly variegated in lighter and darker hues. It is a simple reverse rib with a twisted knit stitch on every sixth stitch. 

Another Alaska Hat

I love this pattern. This is the second one I have made and I will probably do more. I like the fiery orange and red in the background. I have more yarn in sunset yarns that I will have to try. Since some are pretty dark, I will use a light gray for the trees. 

I posted another hat using this pattern on February 22. The pattern is by Camille Descoteaux and it is worth paying for the pattern. It is also very fun to knit even if you are new to stranding. 

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/alaska-6

 

White and Striped

I made one of my Lorne hats in white. Not a good idea. I spent more time picking little black kitty hairs out of the hat than I did knitting it. It's a pretty hat though. 

I also made the other hat in a self-striping sock yarn because I have given up on knitting socks for awhile.

I will be packing up most of these hats and taking them to the Gathering Place. It is a day shelter for women and children. I just cleaned out my closet of my working clothes and will bring those as well.

I am truly addicted to this pattern. I have several WIPs (Works in Progress) with this pattern, including a pink one and a purple one. I need to move onto another pattern but I just can't help it.

Lavender Hat Just for Me!

This is is a sock yarn but I love the color and pattern so much, I have to put it on my head instead of my feet. I wanted it bigger so it doesn't crush my hair but still covers my ears. The pattern is a free pattern called the Lorne pattern. If you want the pattern, it is written out on the post for February 17, 2021. 

 

The Lorne Hat- Just Basic, Simple Knitting Free Pattern

 My mom and grandmother taught me to knit before I was even in kindergarten. Therefore, I have been knitting for over 60 years. I have made hundreds and hundreds of items, including hats, socks, gloves, mittens, sweaters, shawls, scarves, etc., etc. I have done just about every style of knitting including lace, broiche, cables, etc., etc. I have made very complicated patterns where I have to followed every line of a pattern. I have made lace where I memorized the pattern after a few repeats. 

But there are times I just want to knit. Mindless straight knitting. No counting, no following a pattern, not even looking at the knitting while I am doing it. I am in that frame of mind right now. I have made four of these so far using Lion Brand Amazing Lace or Loops and Threads Woolike. You can even use sock yarn as well. I knit the brim for 10 inches. Then I knit the cast on edge with the live stitches. I then continue knitting until I feel that it is long enough and decrease around for the crown. 

Ok, here is the entire pattern. It is very simple and basic. 

Using 16" circular needles, cast on between 144, 152, 160, 168 stitches, depending on how big you want it or the size of needles. Just be sure the number of stitches is indivisible by 8. I have used needles sizes from 1 (2.5mm) to 4 (3.5mm). Like I told you, it is pretty mindless. Work stockinette stitch (knit every row) for 10 inches. Fold the cast on edge up to the live stitches and knit together. If you want the seam to show, knit in the back of the cast on row, as in the orange and purple hat. Do a wrap and turn as follows: move yarn to between then needles, slip the next stitch. Turn your work, slip the stitch back onto the left needle. Move the yarn to the back and proceed to knit back the other way).

If you want a smooth look, as in the blue hat, knit the front of the cast on row. Continue working in stockinette stitch for another four inches.

Now it is time to decrease for the crown. Divide the number of stitches by 8. For instance, if you have 152, the number is 19. (Yeah, I know -- you didn't know there would be math involved). Knit another round, placing a marker every 19 stitches (or whatever you can up with). In the next row, you will begin the deceases between the markers as follows: 

Next row: SSK, knit to two stitches before the next marker, K2tog. 
Next row, knit around. 

Change to double pointed needles (DPN) when needed. Here is another shortcut: I have used DPNs a size up or down (even more), depending on what I have on hand at the time. 

Continue until you have 3 (or 2 depending on the number you started with). Cut yarn and thread a yarn needle. Run through the remaining stitches and pull together (I often do this a couple of times. Weave in the ends and start the next one.

I know. I have two more started in case I get tired of one of the colors. I am also eyeing that mint green over there too.

Babies Hats for Someone's Babies

I have been on a baby hat kick lately. No, there are no grandchildren in my immediate future; I just wanted to do a bunch of small projects that I can do quickly. I plan on giving them away to hospitals for their newborn and preemie baskets.

I use both worsted weight yarn and sock yarn. I just change the number of stitches and the size of the needles. I have also frogged a few that just weren't coming out right. One of my guidelines is using basic stockinette stitch when I have striped yarn and a single color if I want to do a more complicated pattern. Every now and then, I think that I can get away with both, and occasionally it works. However, not recently.

I also plan to post the patterns here over the next few days so check back if you want to make any of your own. So enjoy!

That's One Good Ombre!

This Ombre is orange and blue, and if you like
in Denver Bronco country, this is a plus.

 I love this pattern. Mainly because I can use my favorite yarn to make it. I am currently working on the third hat using the ombre motif. It is a simple stranding pattern and a good first project for learning how to work with two colors.

I use Loops and Threads Woolike which is an acrylic yarn available at Michaels. I usually go to my local yarn store for most of my yarn, but I have to admit this yarn really has a hold on me. You can check out my Ravelry page on this project at
https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/easy-ombre-slouch-hat

Mr. Neary's pattern is included as a link on my Ravelry page. I made a few changes but it is essentially the same as Paul Neary's pattern. Feel free to use any of these changes -- or not -- as you would like. 

This is actually closer to the true colors.

I cast on 120 stitches instead of 112 because I like a little bit bigger hat for my guys (big heads and all -- lots of brains).  The pattern is in multiple of 4, so sizing is easy. My hats are around 23 inches instead of 22".

I also do a different brim. The one I do makes a double thickness around the ears for extra warmth. I cast on my 120 stitches and work in stockinette (knit every row since you are knitting in the round) for 4½ inches (don't worry about the edges curling; you will deal with that when you sew the thicknesses together). Next row: Purl one row (fold line). Go back to working in stockinette for 2½ inches. Now return to the original pattern for the rest of the hat.  

I made Ken's hat in maroon and navy. I don't think
he has taken the hat off since. He actually sleeps in
a hat so this is perfect for him.

Ruthy Slouchy cloche

This classic slouchy style cloche uses linen stitch to create a dense, tight knit gives the hats extra warm using sock yarn. The size is medium although it is stretchy enough to fit any adult head size.  I used a size 5 on the pink and black hat, but when done to a size 4 for the gray and pink hat so it was a little more fitted.  The good thing is that the hat does not crush your hair as some hats do. 

Also, this hat looks much better on your head than the stand or laying down because it needs the shape of your head to bring out the shaping.

You can use any sock yarn or similar weight and variegated yarns are especially showy. Also, I am going to try to make this hat with leftovers of my sock yarn to create a technicolor hat as well. 

I cast on and use a smaller needle for the first couple of inches and then switch to a needle several sizes larger. You can also adjust the size by increasing or decreasing stitches; it just needs an odd number of stitches.

Short rows are used to put more fabric at the front of the hat to make a smoother slouch in the back. My only warning about this hat is that it is fairly slow-going due to the density of the stitches, but it really does make a comfortable, warm addition to your wardrobe.

 Size:                       Large (Medium) size. Hat has a lot of stretch so one size fits most

Yarn:                      Any kind of sock yarn

Needles:              Circular needle size 4 (3.5 mm) 16”

                            Circular needle size 9 (5.5 mm) 16”

                             DPN Size 9 (5.5 mm) set of 4

                             Yarn needle

                             Stitch markers

Gauge:                 8 stitches/inch in stockinette, size 4 needles (not critical)

With smaller circular needles, CO on 175 (161) stitches.  Join, place marker (pm), being careful not to twist the stitches.

Knit 2 rows. 

Start linen stitch:

Row 1: K1, with yarn in front (wyif) sl 1 st purlwise. Continue to last stitch. K1.

Row 2: With yarn in front sl 1 st purlwise, k1. Continue to last stitch. Wyif sl.

Continue Row 1 and 2 for 2½ inches.

Switch to size 9 needles and continue in linen stitch for one more inch, for about 4” from cast on.

Short rows:

Short Row 1: Work linen stitch for 40 stitches; place marker.  With yarn in front, slip next stitch onto right needle. Turn. With yarn in front, slip stitch onto right needle.  With yarn in back, slip stitch purlwise, p1; continue for 80 stitches (the beginning of round marker is at the 40 stitch point).

Short Row 2: With yarn in back, slip next stitch onto right needle. Turn. Place marker. With yarn in front, slip stitch onto right needle. Continue in linen stitch to five stitches before the second marker (i.e., not the beginning of round marker).

Short Row 3: With yarn in front, slip next stitch onto right needle. Turn. Place maker. With yarn in front, slip stitch onto right needle.  With yarn in back, slip stitch purlwise, p1; continue to second marker.

Continue with Short Row 2 and 3 until you have five markers on each side, ending with Short Row 2 (e.i., the right side facing you).

Next row: *Work linen stitch to next marker not the beginning of round marker. Remove the marker. Lift the bar under the next stitch and place it on the needle. K tog.*  Continue * to * until you have removed all the markers except for the beginning of round marker.

Continue until the entire hat measures 9” or desired length. Be sure to measure at the marker so you include the short row length as well.

Crown: (switch to DPNs when necessary)

Row 1:  *K2tog, p2tog, work in linen stitch for 18 (16) stitches.* Repeat around. (Don’t worry if the stitches don’t come out even at the end. The important thing is to maintain the linen stitch.)

Row 2 and all even numbered rows: Knit in linen stitch.

Row 3:  Work in linen stitch for 6 stitches. *P2tog, k2tog, work linen stitches for 16 (14).* Repeat around.

Continue in this pattern, reducing the number of knit stitches between the decreases by 2 until you have about 10 stitches left (exact number is not critical).  Cut yarn, leaving an 8” tail. Cut yarn, thread through the remaining stitches and secure tightly.  Weave in ends.

   

Team Spirit Hat

I am a huge football fan. To me, knitting and football are joined at the hip (or the needles).  I know exactly how and when it happened so bear with me.

My love of football actually started when I was in high school (no need to count the years -- it was a long, long time ago). When I was a freshman, our PE teacher ended up with a difficult pregnancy and ended up bed-ridden. Since this was a very small school, the only one to take the class over was the football coach. Since it was the middle of a South Dakota winter on the prairie, we couldn't go outside. The coach was obviously uncomfortable with a group of 14-year-old girls in the gym, so he moved us into a classroom. He went through the basics, rules, player positions, strategies, formations, and just about everything Football 101 for teenage girls. Some of my friends rolled their eyes and looked out the windows, but I was riveted. I loved the trickery of the offense and the mind-reading ability of the defense. It went from a sport of high school boys just beating each other up to a game of strategy as challenging as chess. Now I saw the appeal of football and I was hooked.

Football went from a game of entertainment to a passion when I went to college. I lived in an apartment building with three other women, and we had the only color TV in the building (remember, this was in the 1970's). Just down the hall from us was a couple of apartments of law students from Minnesota. The Vikings was a regional football team for not only Minnesota, but also the Dakotas. This was during the Fran Tarkenton era, so football was big. Every Sunday, these guys brought the food and the beer to our apartment so they could watch their beloved Vikings on our color TV (like four college women would deny these handsome law students their football obsession!). These guys loved to talk football and I gathered all kinds of information. Occasionally I would ask a "dumb" question (yes, I already knew the answer, but hey, these with handsome law students who loved to talk to pretty college girls), such as "Why would you ever decline a penalty?" That question was good for at least a quarter-long discussion.

After college, I moved to Colorado, just because I loved mountains and was tired of prairies. As it turned out, Denver is a big, big football town and the Broncos were on their way to their first Superbowl. As a young woman in my 20's, I discovered the culture of watching football in a bar full of people, cheering and drinking.

And in Colorado, there is nothing like a Bronco sunset!

Now you are probably wondering how this relates to knitting, and I am getting there.

I became a wife and a mother and as time went on, I desperately needed time of my own without ignoring my family. So my husband became a "football widower" and my kids became "football orphans." Leave Mom alone when she is watching football. You can talk to her, ask where things are, ask questions, but don't ask to leave her place in the front the TV while her beloved Broncos are on. It worked perfectly! Now the question is which is more important: Her knitting or her Bronco game. The answer is simple: Leave me alone, I am counting my stitches and counting the number of first downs.  

So now that you have plowed through my football history, it is time for my hat pattern. This is a orange and blue slouchy hat I made for my son's friend who is obviously a big Bronco fan. The big trick of this hat is that I use very small needles (size 1) for the ribbed band and needles several times larger for the body. So enjoy in the colors of your favorite team from Little League to the Pros.

 MATERIALS

1 skein MJYarns Simple Sock Fingering Weight in King’s Blue (Color A)

1 skein MJYarns Simple Sock Fingering Weight in Intrigue (orange) (Color B)

(75% Superwash Corriedale wool; 25% Nylon, 100g/380 yds)
Size US 1 (2.25 mm) Circular Needles
Size US 6 (4.0 mm) Circular Needles
Size US 6 (4.0 mm) Double Pointed Needles
Yarn needle

Stitch markers

Gauge: 22 stitches per 4 inches.

Size: Fits most adults. Hat has a lot of stretch so one size fits most

With color A and smaller circular needle, cast on 129 stitches.  Join, being careful not to twist the stitches.

Work a 2x1 rib (knit 2, purl 1) for one inch. 

Next round: Knit next row, increasing 6 stitches evenly across the round (136 stitches).

Body:

Switch to Color B and larger needle, and work in stockinette stitch for 6 rounds.

Switch to Color A and work stockinette for six rounds.

Continue in stockinette for a total of three sets of stripes (not counting ribbed band) or desired length.

Crown: (switch to DPNs when necessary)

Row 1:  In color B, *K2tog, K 17, SSK* eight times.

Row 2 and all even numbered rows: Knit.

Row 3:  *K2tog, K 15, SSK*. Repeat to end of round.

Continue in this pattern switching colors every six rounds, reducing the number of knit stitches between the decreases by 2 until 8 stitches remain.   Cut yarn, leaving an 8” tail. Cut yarn, thread through the remaining stitches and secure tightly.  Weave in ends.

Erin Honeycomb Hat

   

If you like playing with color combinations, you need to try this honeycomb pattern in a hat. Woolike yarn comes is several colors along with neutral colors such as gray, white and black. This uses two shades of gray to offset the pink and maroon. I want to try this in a purple and lavender, orange and brown, and shades of blue. I used four different colors for the honeycomb, but you can use only one up to several colors. It also uses a banded brim for extra warm, but if you prefer, you can use a rib of 1x1 or 2x2 as well. I would love to see your combinations.

MATERIALS
1 skein each Loops and Threads Woolike (85% Acrylic; 15% Nylon, 620m/678yds) in:

A – Demin blue

B – Light gray

C – Pale pink

D – Dark gray

E - Maroon

Size US 2.5 (3.0 mm) Circular Needles

Size US 2.5 (3.0 mm) Double Pointed Needles
Yarn needle

Stitch markers

Approximate 20” waste yarn

Gauge: 32 stitches in pattern to 4” (approximately one pattern per inch); 24 rows to 2"

Size: Fits most medium (22-23”) to large (23-25”) sized heads since pattern is very stretchy. To make a smaller size, reduce the number of cast on stitches by numbers divisible by 8.

Pattern Stitch:

Round 1: With A, knit.

Round 2: With A, purl.

Round 3-8: With B, slip 1, * k6, slip 2; repeat from * across to last st, slip 1.

Round 9: With A, knit.

Round 10: With A, purl.

Round 11-16: With C, K3, *slip 2, k6*, repeat from * across to last 3 sts, k3.

Round 17: With A, knit.

Round 18: With A, purl.

Round 19-24: With D, slip 1, * k6, slip 2; repeat from * across to last st, slip 1.

Repeat Rows 1-32 for Honeycomb Pattern.

Round 25: With A, knit.

Round 26: With A, purl.

Round 27-32: With E, K3, *slip 2, k6*, repeat from * across to last 3 sts, k3.

Round 9: With A, knit.

Round 10: With A, purl.

 

Hat Pattern:

Cast on 128 sts. Place marker and join.

Work in stockinette (knit every round) for 1½”.

Next round (fold line): K2tog, yo.

Next rnds: Knit in stockinette (knit every round) for 1½”.  

Increase round: K 8; m1*. Repeat to end of round (144 stitches)

Begin pattern: Work rounds 1 through 32 unless you reach the desired length. For this hat, the patterned part of the hat is 8 inches.

Crown:

Switch to double pointed needles when appropriate.

Round 1: P1, k1. Repeat these 2 stitches to end of round.

Round 2: K2tog to end of round.
Continue Round 2 until you have a few stitches left.

Break yarn. Thread yarn thread and draw through the remaining stitches.  Weave in ends.

Sewing up the brim. 

Using a needle and some waste yarn or thread, fold the brim on the fold line and baste the two sides of the brim together. Change the thread to Color A. Using a loose whip stitch, sew the cast on edge to the last row of the brim.

Weave in ends and enjoy!

Kelsey Lace and Spiral Hat

Kelsey Lace and Spiral Hat

I recently did a spiral hat (posted April 12, 2017) and enjoyed doing the stitch enough to make a second hat. However, to add a little interest, I did a small leaf lace pattern just above the brim. Now I am thinking I need to make an entire hat of the lace pattern now. It is beginning to look like I will have more hats than I have cold days, even in Colorado, to ever wear them. (Don’t worry; I will sell many of them at holiday craft fairs)

MATERIALS
1 skein each Loops and Threads Woolike in Gray (85% Acrylic; 15% Nylon, 620m/678yds))
Size US 2.5 (3.0 mm) Circular Needles

Size US 2.5 (3.0 mm) Double Pointed Needles
Yarn needle

Stitch markers

Gauge: 16 stitches in pattern to 2”

Size: Fits most medium (22-23”) to large (23-25”) sized heads since pattern is very stretchy. To make a smaller size, reduce the number of cast on stitches by numbers divisible by 2.

Pattern Stitch:

Round 1: P1, k1. Repeat these 2 stitches to end of round.

Round 2: Insert the tip of your right needle knitwise into the second stitch (which is a knitted stitch) on the left needle and pull up a loop. Do not remove from the left needle. Knit the 1^st stitch on the left needle. Put both stitches onto the right needle.  Continue to the marker which is the end of the round. Remove the marker, k1, place the marker. It is important that the first stitch of each round is a stitch that was purled

Lace Pattern Stitch:

Round 1: K2tog, YO, K1, YO, SSK, k1. Repeat to end of round.

Round 2 and all even numbered rounds: Knit.

Round 3: YO, K3, YO, S2KP2. Repeat to end of round.

Round 5: YO, SSK, K1, K2tog, YO, k1. Repeat to end of round.

Round 7: K1, YO, S2KP2, YO, k2. Repeat to end of round.

						8
		O	B	O		7
						6
	O	/		\	O	5
						4
B	O				O	3
						2
	\	O		O	/	1

	Knit
/	K2tog
\	SSK
O	Yarn over
B	S2KP2: Sl 2 sts as if to k2tog, k1, pass 2 sl sts over

Hat Pattern:

Cast on 136 sts. Place marker and join.

Work the two rows of the pattern stitch for 2 inches, ending with round 1.

Begin Lace pattern: Work the lace pattern 4 times, ending with round 8.

Return to the two rows of the pattern stitch until the hat measures 10 inches from the cast on edge, ending with round 2.

Crown:

Switch to double pointed needles when appropriate.

Round 1: P1, k1. Repeat these 2 stitches to end of round.

Round 2: K2tog to end of round.

Round 3: K all stitches.

Round 4: K2tog to end of round.

Round 5: Repeat Round 4 until you have about 10-15 stitches left. It doesn’t have to be exact.

Break yarn. Thread yarn thread and draw through the remaining stitches.  Weave in ends.