Cabled Stocking Cap

I don't know if it's just that I live with boyfriend or what, but he has gotten more completed knitting projects out of me than anyone else before ever. And he has three in the works yet! One, of course, is the grey belt, one hasn't been revealed yet because I'm having struggles with it and may give up on it yet, and one is this cabled stocking cap.

It's another thing for boyfriend's larp. His unit is called the Navy, so I've been making him naval things. The other week just before Halloween I sewed him up a pretty nice blue vest with gold buttons, a watch chain, shoulder epaulets, the whole deal. And now he wants a hat. Think of the hat Mr. Smee wears in the animated Peter Pan. he's got it in his mind that his whole unit is going to wear these uniforms, and I'm going to make him. Which mean he gets the sample pieces.

The biggest problem with him wanting a cabled hat is that I'm not very good at cables. A few years ago I tried to make myself a cabled scarf, and I ended up ripping it apart over and over again because the cables always had big weird holes in the middle and looked just terrible. And I know, I know, practice makes perfect, but i have avoided them like the plague ever since. And now they're what he requested specifically. Not with the correct words, mind you, but they are what he requested. But I went on to Ravelry and looked around with him until we found a cabled hat pattern that he likes.

So I haven't started the cables yet. I finished the brim, a one by one rib which was none to fun, but actually kind of better than the two by two ribs I've been working for the millions of mittens I'm making and have made. And there are a couple of real-ish reasons why I haven't started the hate body yet: 1) the pattern is only written out with a chart, and I've never worked off of a chart before. I mean, I know how, I just haven't. 2) My printer's out of ink, so I have to go to the print lab on campus (I live in a college town) to print out the chart because I don't really want to copy it down by hand the way I have been doing with patterns lately and I don't really just want to sit in front of the computer and knit it. 3) I have to make some alterations to the pattern because the pattern is for a normal sized hat and not a stocking hat, and I'm not totally sure how it's going to work out. 4) I'm still totally freaked out by cables. And I didn't pay close enough attention to the pattern already because I thought the whole brim was just one by one rib, but no. Some of the cables were supposed to start in it. Oh well. He's just going to have to live without that.

I will say those bamboo circular needles I got a few weeks ago are certainly getting some mileage pretty quickly. This is the third hat I've started on them. I (really really) need to get some US 9 double pointed needles so I can stop doing the magic loop on these needles that really aren't long enough for it, but that is not a financial priority right now. And who knows. Maybe today I'll be brave enough to start the cables.

Happy knitting!

Another Finished Packer's Hat

After I finished knitting the other Packers hat and cut all of the yarn to make the braids and edging (which I have yet to deal with) I still had a ton of the Team Spirit yarn left over. I wasn't sure what to do with it because I don't even like the Packers (I like the Lions) so I didn't want to buy more and knit more Packers things, but there wasn't enough for a scarf left, I was not going to make another pair of mittens, and I didn't really want to make a headband. That pretty much just left making another hat.

Well, I sat down a few days ago and cast on the hat that I decided would go to boyfriend's dad who also likes the Packers and started on it. I wanted to get through the first green band because I was doing a rib stitch for that to keep in more secure. (The pattern I improvised was to cast on 90 sts on those US 9 circular needles and rib until the first progression of green finished. Then I knitted for five inches which worked out to be just over five stripes. Then it was round 1- K8, k2tog, round 2 and all even rounds- k even, round 3- k7, k2tog, etc. Eventaully I switched to the magic loop again, which sucked less this time on the 16 inch needles, until the last round where you k2tog all the way around and then thread the tail through the remaining sts, weave in the ends and done.)

I was just sitting on the couch knitting and watching tv and all of a sudden I was at the decreasing rounds. Once I get to the decreases, I don't like to stop lest I get confused and muss it up, so I just finished it. Because I now have these circular needles, I didn't have to seam up the back at all, so all that was left was o weave in the ends, and I'd produced a hat in an afternoon. I made this 10 sts bigger than my gut told me to because boyfriend assured me that his dad has a big melon head and would need the space. (Melon head is my family's word for many of the guys because they all have huge bald heads like melons) I'm pleased with this hat, and I hope boyfriend's parents like the things I'm making for them!

Happy knitting!

Green Bay Packers Hat

I've been trying to start knitting Christmas presents for everyone, and I do have something for most everyone. There are a few people left I'm still worrying about, but it just occurred to me the other day that I ought to get my sister's boyfriend something. She always wants to get my boyfriend presents, so I figured it was only fair.

Last week I was at Joann's looking for circular needles to knit hats for boyfriend and his friends for Dag anyway, and so I popped over to the Red Heart Team Spirit self-striping yarn. Then I realized that I don't know what teams he likes, so I texted my sister and asked her. I was a little appalled to learn that he likes the Packers and the Cubs, but I grabbed some green and yellow yarn and some Clover Takumi US 9 16 in. circular needles and was on my way. I was a little annoyed with Joann's when I got to the knitting needles section and found they only had two brands of knitting needles and a rather poor selection within those. I wanted some metal needles because that's what I'm used to and they're cheaper than bamboo. Unfortunately, they only had 29 in. and up lengths in the metal needles. I wanted (I was guessing) a 16 in. needle because I wanted to be able to knit hats on it without any fuss. I found what I was looking for in the bamboo  needles, and they were on sale, so I guess it was okay.

Next was for me to ask my sister if her boyfriend would wear a hat or if I would have to make him something else. She reported that he would, but he wanted it to be a sports team hat (check) with a pom pom on it (doable).

Yesterday I actually sat down and started his hat. At first I wasn't sure what kind of hat I wanted to make, and then I really looked at the hat pattern on the yarn, and decided that was the way to go. The pattern said to cast on 90 stitches on US 7 needles, and since I had US 9, I decided to cut it down to 80 stitches. I did check my gauge, but for whatever reason, each test swatch I did came out claiming I had the same gauge as the US 7 needles. I mean, I knit pretty tight, but not that tight. So 80 it was. However, I misread the directions some a little. It said to start the hat on straight needles-no big, I would just start on my new circular needles-and then purl one wrong sided row before switching to double pointed needles. This instruction for whatever reason didn't make sense to me at the time, and I got it into my head that what that meant was for the first row to be purled so the hat wouldn't roll because of the stockinette stitch. I later realized how incorrect I had been, but by then it was too far to go back, and it doesn't seem to make that much of a difference.

Yesterday afternoon I sat and knitted the first 5 inches of the hat, and then did the first couple decreasing rounds. While I was knitting those first couple rounds, I realized that I wasn't going to be able to finish the hat the way it was, but I don't have double pointed needles large enough to swap out, so I thought I'd learn the magic loop. I knew it was meant to be done on much (much much) longer needles than 16 in., but it was kind of late, and I couldn't think how I could get it onto my longer circular needles. So I pushed right on through and finished the hat using the magic loop on 16 in. needles. It was a pain, and then next time I make a hat on these needles, I am going to do something else, but I managed it, and the hat looks pretty good if i do say so myself.

Last night I also knitted the ear flaps onto the hat. I wasn't sure how it was going to work out, but I was really glad I used the thumb cast-on (the first thing she shows in the video-I know she says there are problems with it, but it's the way my grandma taught me to cast-on, and I really like it for hats and things that need a lot of stretch) because those stitches were so easy to see and pick up. They were so easy, and they looks so cute.

So after that, I was finished with the hat for the night.

Not because I actually hat finished it, but because I didn't feel like making the pom pom, and I don't have a big enough crochet needle to do the edging the pattern calls for. I've never done edging on a hat before, so I was on the fence about doing it at all, but I'm hoping it will make the hat stop rolling, so I'm going to set this hat aside until I can pick up the right size crochet needle. Okay, I might make the pom pom, and I did cut the lengths of yarn to make the braids which I can't attach until the edging it done.

Happy knitting!

Boyfriend's Birthday Present

This hat was really great to make. Once I got started, I was finished in a day. I was working on relatively large needles (at least compared to those ridiculous US 3's I'm using on that belt) and a few afternoons ago I said to myself, "Okay, I'll finish the green band today," so I did. Then I thought, "Well, I might as well attach the white as long as I'm here," so I knitted the first row of white, and then the next couple so I could weave in the end and then get past that a little. Then I thought, "Well, I'm only going to have 20 rows in the white, I can finished that up." Once I reached the end of the white I had the same thought about starting the orange, and then I realized, "I'm going to start decreasing after only a few rows of orange anyway, and once I start decreasing, it will go much faster anyway, and once I start decreasing I can't stop because I'll lose count, so I might as well just finish it up." Then I thought I might as well just stitch up the back of the hat, since I already had it out. Then I figured I might as well look up how to make the poof ball I knew I wanted on the hat. Then I figured I might as well make the pompom, and once it was made it didn't make sense not to just attach it. . . . And that's the story of how I made this hat in practically one sitting.

I didn't use a pattern for this, but rather decided first that I was just going to use garter stitch since that's what the scarf is, and then that I would make the green band half again as wide as any other color so that it could roll up because I love the folded up brims; I feel like they just keep ears that much warmer. It is, again, 80 stitches wide, and the green is 32 rows. I measured that 20 rows was about 2 1/2 inches, and I know from previous hats that I want the hat to be about 6 or 7 inches total, not counting the brim, so I figured 3 sections of 20 rows would do it (the extra 12 rows in the green make the brim). That just left the orange and decreasing. Now I'll admit to being only okay at math on a good day and downright lousy at it on a bad day, so that definitely had an effect on the orange. I wanted it to be 20 rows, and I was going to decrease first with 10 stitches (knit two together and then knit 8 normally), knit a row normally, then 9 (knit two together and then knit 7 normally), knit a row normally, then 8 and so forth down to when I was just knitting two together for every stitch. In my head this made 20 rows because I had also knitted two rows before I started decreasing. Anyone who'd good at math must see my problem. Yes, I started with 10 stitches, but they came out as 9, and I didn't end knitting a row of single stitches, so I actually ended up with 18 rows for the orange. If I could do it again, I would do 30 or 28 for the green, 20 for the white, but I would knit 4 rows or even 6 before I started decreasing in the orange, partly because it's the top of the hat and so is less visible on top of the head, but also because the pompom covers up a good portion of the orange.

I watched a million videos on YouTube before I felt comfortable making a pompom, but once I felt comfortable, I was sure it wouldn't be a problem. That was not so. I wish now that I'd taken a picture of the pompom when I first cut it off the cardboard and tied it. It looked ridiculous. The top, bottom, and center were the length I wanted them, but both sides poofed out to make the thing twice as wide as it was tall. After some trimming I finally decided that this was as good as it was going to get and attached it to boyfriend's hat. I don't think it looks too bad. I believe the problem was I used too much yearn or had too small of circles for the amount of yarn I wanted to use. I am glad I went with the tri-colored poof rather than just orange as I had originally planned.

Finally, as the title will tell you, this is boyfriend's birthday present, and today is his birthday. He already knows it's coming because I'm terrible at surprises, and I knitted a good portion of it while he was around, but that doesn't matter. It turned out, and I know he likes it.

Happy birthday, boyfriend!

Irish Flag hat

Last year, I meant to knit boyfriend an Irish flag hat to match his Irish flag scarf, but I didn't even finish the scarf in time, so there was no way that hat was going to happen.

Just to be clear, these Irish flag things may seem kind of silly, and they kind of are, but many of you must be thinking that there's no way he's going to run around looking like he's wrapped in a flag, and I'm fooling myself thinking he will. Well, he's got a good bit of Irish heritage including the red hair, and he loves all things Irish. You should see our living room: there's an Irish flag, and Irish flag with an "Irish Drinking Team" crest, and Irish Brigade flag, and two flag that have something to do with the four ancient kings of Ireland. Irish music plays more days than it doesn't. The candles in the room are all green, white, and orange, although that is more my doing. You know, to keep with the theme. So he does wear the scarf and I'm confident he will wear the hat, too.

I did start an Irish flag hat sometime last year, and got about eight rows in, but then one night we had guests over, and my knitting bag was upended. A friend ended up tangled up in this particular project, and I was afraid he was going to strangle himself (it was a pretty rowdy night) if I didn't do something, so I had no choice but to cut my knitting off of him. It just broke my heart to do, but it turned out to be for the best because I'm terrible about checking the gauge of my work, so when I checked the isolated piece I had, it turned out to be too big.

In the end, I'm now using US 8 (5mm) needles, the same needles as I used on boyfriend's scarf. Rather than the original 90 stitches across, I'm working with 80 stitches. I've barely got the piece cast on, so there aren't any pictures yet, but it's going to be a plain old garter stitch. The video I've linked for the cast on is the simple cast on. It's the one I typically use for hats and other things I want to have a more elastic end. It's also the cast on method my grandmother taught me when I was a little kid because it's easier than other cast on methods.

Happy knitting!

Previously Finished Projects 1: Mom's Hat

There are a few projects I finished last year before I started this blog that I just never got around to writing about. I figure after Christmas when the pressure is off as far as finishing gifts on a deadline is a good time to do it.

I knitted my mom this hat that will go with the scarf I'm making her now. The brim of the hat is a beaded rib stitch. It occurs to me as I write this that this hat is not the box stitch that I seem to have thought it was when I started the scarf. So I guess they won't match that well after all, but they're the same yarn which is close enough, I guess.

I can't remember any details like what size needles I used or how many stitches it is. I can guess that it's between US 7 and US 10, and between 80 and 90 stitches, but that's as close as I can get.

So concludes "Previously Finished Projects 1," stay tuned for further installments.

Happy knitting!

Finished Step-Dad's Hat

I finally finished this hat. Once I got to decreasing, it was pretty quick work. Knitting two together on those tiny needles was a pain though. Not so much actually doing it, but trying to purl the stitch that was from those two knitted together. It was ridiculously tight and irritating. But I finally finished it.

This is what it looks like with the headband turned down. Kind of silly, but just for some reference. You can kind of see the change from where it goes from all knit stitch to stockinette stitch. Not super well, I guess because the yarn is so dark, but I promise it does.

Then, of course, there's the hat the way it's meant to be with the headband turned up.

I think it looks good. I am glad I used the smaller needles now that I'm finished, but for the hours and hours I spent working on it, I wasn't that glad. I wish the light were better or the yarn weren't so dark or both so you could see this hat better, but this is the best I can get. Maybe this Christmas I can get everyone to model their gifts.

Step-Dad's Hat

Once again, I sort of let this go for a, well, a year. But it's come a long way. Pretty close to done, in fact. Just about another inch before I start decreasing, and once I start decreasing it'll be done in no time. I'm really regretting the US 7 needles because they're so small, and it's taking so long. I spent the better part of an afternoon on this hat a week or two ago which would usually mean I had finished it. Nope. I made some progress, sure, but not nearly as much as I usually do. Now I know to calm down and stop trying to start all my projects at once because some of them end up on little needles that take forever.

This is how far this hat has come since last year.

The coloring's pretty bad because it's already dark out so I can't get any good light. I guess this is more just to show how far I've come since last year when I only had the headband done. I'm hoping to get to decreasing today, though. We'll see.

Navy Hat

Oops. Forgot to post yesterday. I was just so busy sitting.

Anyway, this is the start of the hat I promised Jeff for this past Christmas . . . and started two days ago. He'll live. It's nothing fancy. US 7 (4.5m) needles. 110 stitches. (I have trouble with gauge. Anyone who wants to explain it to me, feel free.) The headband it just 18 rows of knit stitch. I'm just starting the 10 or so rows of stockinette stitch with the wrong side out (so it'll be the right side showing if the headband rolls up too far) and then five or so inches of stockinette stitch before I start decreasing at the top. No big deal.

This past winter, I got back into knitting in a big way. I started knitting obsessively to stop from going crazy during the last couple weeks of the semester. However, I overcommitted myself a little bit. With most everyone else, I at least got him/ her his/her hat/headband. My grandma got lucky and got both her hat and scarf. My dad got a little less lucky, but still received his has hat before I went back to school. Jeffy was not so lucky. As I mentioned, I'm just starting his hat and forget about a scarf. But it's happening. And the sooner I get this done, the sooner I can start of my dog's puppy sweater because it's going to use this same yarn.