Spring Shadows Hat

Spring Shadows Hat

Well, what can I say about this hat? First and foremost, I guess, Malabrigo still makes a damn fine yarn. And with that out of the way, I should also mention that this hat has more openwork than it might initially appear - basically, all of the stuff between the braids is mesh. So it's a great change-of-seasons number, if I do say so myself.

Yarn: Malabrigo Mecha (100% Merino Superwash Wool ; 130 yards [120 meters]/100 grams); #875 Arapey - one skein

A braid, and some nice mesh.
In short, a lovely spring hat!

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 9, one 16" circular needle in size US 10.5, one set of double pointed needles (dpns), also in size US 10.5, and a cable needle (cn), or dpn for cabling

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 12 stitches = 4 inches on size 10.5 needles

So let's make a hat! First, then, using your size 9 needle, cast on 65 stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll knit some edging rows, as follows:

Edging Row: * (p1, k1) four times, p1, k2, p1, k1; rep from *

Knit this edging row until piece measures just over 1". Then we'll knit the following transition row:

Nom Nom Garter Hat

Nom Nom Garter Hat

You may be wondering why this thing is called the Nom Nom Garter Hat. The answer to that question is simple - it's because it will eat up your yarn scraps like "nom nom nom!" Before we get started, however, I should tell you a couple of things - first of all, you need roughly 50 yards each of your two main colors in order to get this hat going. Provided you have that, you can do your accent colors with quite small amounts of any worsted- or dk-weight yarns (or smaller, if you hold two strands together!). Also, I wrote my color combination out here so that you could make the hat with the exact same color scheme, if you wanted. Please, however, feel free to ignore my accent coloring (colors C - J), and do your own instead! If you choose to do this, however, you'll definitely want to pay attention to the length of the stockinette stripe on this hat - it is a better indication of the finished length than the garter stitch. To make the color pop, after all, you'll be blocking the snot out of this thing, and the garter will stretch a LOT.

Oh, and last but not least - I designed this hat back-and-forth, both for my peeps who avoid circular knitting, and because that's the only way to truly take advantage of the garter stitch. If you need help converting the pattern for circular knitting, just ask!

Sizes: Adult Small (Adult Large)

Yarn: Cascade Yarns 220 Superwash (100% Superwash Wool; 220 yards [200 meters]/100 grams); #1948 Mystic Purple - one skein (color A), #908 Magenta - one skein (color B) & various scrap yarns in worsted & dk weights (colors C - J) - roughly 50 yards total

This is how I kept my colors straight!
My children thought I was working on a cool
art project, at least.

Needles: straight needles in size US 7

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette, 16 stitches = 4 inches in garter

So let's get started! First, then, using your color A yarn, cast on 82 (90) stitches. Then we'll work the edging rows like so:

Row 1: using color A, p3, knit until you have 3 stitches left in row, p3

Row 2: using color C, knit

Bricklayer's Lace Baby Blanket

Bricklayer's Lace Baby Blanket

The story behind this project is simple: I've reached the age where my friends are starting to have babies, so I've started to knit baby blankets. Therefore, as soon as I knew a friend was pregnant, I began looking for the right fiber at my local yarn store. And I passed this one by for months and months before I finally saw it knit up, and loved the way the stitches looked like rain drops. So I brought it home and found this lovely stitch pattern, which shows off both the yarn and the pattern. And it's a quick knit, since it's chunky and all!

Yarn: James C. Brett Flutterby (100% Supersoft Polyester; 192 yards [175 meters]/100 grams); #B3 Blue - 3 skeins

The pattern. For all the bricklaying
babies out there.

Needles: 32" or longer circular needle in size US 10

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 11 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette

Okay dudes, are you ready to make a baby blanket? Then let's get started! First, cast on 96 stitches loosely. And then we'll knit the following set-up rows:

Set-up Row 1 (wrong side): knit

Set-up Row 2: knit

Set-up Row 3: knit

Set-up Row 4: knit