Free Pattern Friday! - Christmas Edition! - Jimmy Beans Wool Frosty Hat Pattern

12 days left 'til Christmas!!! 

 

Eeeeek!

 

So here's another quick Christmas gift pattern!

 

 

How cute is this Debbie Bliss Snowman set?!?!

 

2 balls of Debbie Bliss yarn, size 8 needles and 8 buttons!

 

This snowman alone would be a cute gift!

 

This Frosty Slouchy Hat pattern looks super simple and would work fast.

 

It's hard to think of wearing warm winter hats around here when it's supposed to be 79 degrees here in Southern California today!

 

But it is cute! 

How is the weather today where you are?

 

Happy Friday! 

Lang Yarns Mia Slouchy Hat

• Pattern: Atelier Yarns (San Anselmo, CA) Pattern # 217
• Yarn: Lang Yarns Mia Color # 816.0003 (80% Alpaca/20% Acrylic)
• Needles: 16" circular Size 4 and 16" circular Size 8 (due to MY crazy loose gauge)
• Mods: none

And this is done!

 

 

I busted this hat out about a day or two before we left for New York and literally finished it in an afternoon/evening!

I bought this yarn back in January (on one of our trips up north) at Atelier Yarns in San Anselmo, where El Hub has some family!

 

This yarn shop (and the whole town itself) is so cute!

If you are ever in the bay area, definitely go check both out!

:)

 

This pattern was free with purchase of yarn but I think you can tell how to make this quick and easy hat just by looking at the hat itself.

 

Cast on a certain amount of stitches, do a rib for a few rows (or a few inches) then

knit for a certain amount, do some decreases and THE END!

 

:)

This Lang Mia yarn is GORGEOUS but I'm wondering what's going on with it!

It's not on the Lang site anymore... and it's on sale at WEBS and Chelsea Yarn.

This yarn is wonderfully soft and slouchy... perfect for this pattern!

 



This hat came in so handy for the chilly windy days!

Look at that gorgeous Manhattan skyline in the background!

We were at the Williamsburg Flea in Brooklyn on this day and

it was a beautiful (but chilly!) day out!

 

We've been home from New York just about a month now and I miss it so much already!

 

:)



PurlBee Laura's Loop Heel Stitch Hat

Another hat done!

as modeled by El Hub...

 

This is another hat for my FIL for his birthday (along with the 70's ski hat)!

This pattern is also from PurlBee and it's the Laura's Loop Heel Stitch Hat.

This pattern is really easy and it really did work up fast!

I will say, though... 

Heel stitch for extended periods of time is hard on the hands!

I just found that with this pattern, my hands would get a bit stiff and tired.

And I'm a loose knitter!

Other than that, there's not much else to say on this one!

I used the Plymouth Encore Worsted Weight yarn (in # 1383 Bright Orange), 

which I've really come to like as a basic, good old yarn!

Ok... so speaking of being a loose knitter!

I'd originally made this hat (with the green Plymouth Encore) and the needle size the pattern calls for, which is size 8 circulars (16")...

and it came out HUGE!!!!!!

HUGE!

And it's all because I didn't make my gauge!!!

HUGE!

When I finally did make my gauge (after the frustration of completing a hat and seeing it be HUGE!), I realized that I needed to go DOWN three needle sizes!

So I ended up making the orange hat with size 5 circulars and it came out perfect!

So the moral of the story is... 

CHECK YOUR GAUGE!

(unless you want crazy huge 'tortilla holder' sized hats)

:)

PurlBee Whitney's 70's Ski Hat

Yay!  Another project done!

 

I know... I've been terrible about posting lately

(so much for my New Year's resolution of posting daily!)

I know my excuses are weak but...

we've been up north for two weeks (yes, I know... the laptop DOES work up north as well!)

and we've been sick!

Bah!

Anyway, this here hat is for my FIL (Father-in-Law) for his birthday!

(Ahem... which was a month ago).

:)

This is the PurlBee Whitney's 70's Ski Hat and it came out beautifully!

I'm really proud of this one!

I know that must sound silly but it really did come out quite nicely!



I used three skeins of the Cascade 220 in these dark charcoalie greys...

(I bought this yarn while up north and can't find the tags anywhere!)

and one skein of the Cascade 220 Fingering! (for the inside).

I love these gorgeous murky greys... They're so stormy...



This pattern calls for a Provisional Cast On and 

I used the "Open a.k.a. provisional cast on" tutorial from 

Techniques with Theresa from Knitty! 

There are plenty of tutorials on the old YouTube as well but I found this one to be super simple to follow!

AND!!!

I ended up buying this needle set

(yes!  I know!  More needles!  That's pretty much what El Hub said, too).

BUT!

These are the Dreamz Interchangeable Circular Needles with the 4" tips!

These tips are shorter than the other Dreams Interchangeable set,

which is helpful when working with the 16" cord!

If you hook the regular tips up to a 16" cord, and then try to join your knitting in the round, it won't work because the longer tips are too long and don't bend! Only the cord will bend!

So, this pattern calls for size 7 needles but,
my knitting is sooooooo LOOSE that I ended up going down to size 4!

(ie-I made this hat with size 4 circular needles)!

Yes... I am a loose knitter.

:) 



I bought these at Purlescence in Sunnyvale and this set was about 60.00ish bucks. 

Yes... I know that sounds like a lot.

But for 7 needles... I think it's ok.

:)

Speaking of Purlescence...

They were sooooooo helpful to me with regards to my gauge.

I'm not kidding when I tell you that I learned soooooooo much in just the 5 minutes I'd been there...

and I've been knitting since forever!

I'll be writing up another post about what I learned but basically, the biggest thing I learned is...

Check Your Gauge!!!!!!!!!!

Don't be lazy (like me...).  Just do it.

They have a funny saying there that goes something to the affect of...

You can make something for anyone... Or you can make something for someone...

ie- if you don't check your gauge, what you make may fit who knows who...

but if you do your gauge, it'll fit YOU! (or whoever you're making it for).

:)

See Exhibit A:

Free Pattern Friday! - Jacques Cousteau (Steve Zissou) Hat!

And this is done!

My FIL (Father-in-Law) is a scuba diver and he is going on a scuba trip at the end of the month (to somewhere fabulous that I can't remember now...)

:)

This pattern is the Team Zissou hat pattern from Knit Flix! (Ravelry ID: Knitflix)!

My FIL wanted it to be a bit more Jacques Cousteau-ish so I made it a bit shorter than what the Knit Flix pattern calls for!

Otherwise, a very easy fun hat to make!

For this hat, I used the Plymouth Encore Worsted in Orange # 1383.

Love this yarn!  It's just so easy to use.

This hat pattern calls for Kitchener Stitch for stitching the hat up and I used this video on YouTube from the Knit Witch.

This hat took me about a week to make.

Not 'cause it's hard but 'cause I was busy with other things...

Like Cosmos...



and pools...

:)

Team Zissou pattern by Knit Flix!

Free Pattern Friday! - Olympics Edition!!!

YAY USA!!!!

 

Have you been watching the Olympics?

As you know, we don't have TV, so I've been following online at the NBC site and at YouTube!

 

I've been following the Women's Gymastics and the US team is killing it!!!

 

They blow my mind with what they can do with their teeny tiny bodies.  And their strength!

 

So, in honor of them, and all the US Olympic athletes, here's this cute USA knit hat pattern from

Tracy Batchelder at Wool Windings!  (Ravelry ID - woolwinder).

Cute, huh?!

(THIS PATTERN IS FOR A PREEMIE 3-5 LBS)!!!

But I'm sure with some simple math, you could figure out how to make this for any size head!

 

 

 

Congrats Team USA!

What sport are you following during this two weeks?

 

:)

Itty-Bitty Hats by Susan B. Anderson - Bunny Hat!

And, this is done!

I wanted so badly to have this ready on time for our Peanut to wear on Easter Sunday!

The good news is that it was done and ready for Easter Sunday.

The bad news is that it was A Thousand degrees on Sunday! (which is actually good news!  It was a gorgeous Easter Sunday!)

Anyway... 

As with all of Susan B. Anderson's patterns, this one worked up quickly and easily!

If you know me at all... you know I've been following her blog for A LONG time!

I think I came across her blog when I stumbled onto the Spud & Chloe blog. 

For the longest time, these two blogs were the ones that I checked daily and followed religiously!

I was bummed when Susan announced she would not be curating the Spud & Chloe blog anymore and I do have to admit (I hate to say), but I feel like the Spud & Chloe blog just isn't the same and I'm not so inclined to check it as I used to be.  (But I still love it and I love the Spud & Chloe patterns & yarn...)

Anyway!

This hat really did work quickly and it is very easy.

A basic cast-on on circular needles and knitting all the way to the specific length.  

Then start the ears!

One of the many things I appreciate about Susan's patterns is that she is incredibly clear with her directions!

To be able to verbally convey what you are visually or mentally thinking is no easy task and she really does it well. 

I never question what she means or what I'm supposed to do. 

She even had very clear instructions on how to do a pom! 

My pom came out a bit wonky but I will work on that. 

I used the suggested RYC Cashsoft Baby DK in 800 Snowman (from my Jimmy Beans Wool purchase!) and this yarn really is lovely!

It's SUPER soft and cozy feeling on the hand.  It works really well.  It's not slippery or curly. 

It's really quality yarn and...

I am really impressed I was able to get this hat (plus 2 poms) out of one skein!

I was really getting nervous there towards the end that I wouldn't have enough and that I'd have to buy another skein (which would be a big bummer).

But it was perfect!

After all of that... I tried to get a picture of our Peanut in the hat and he flat-out refused!  

Everytime I put it on him, he'd yank it right off!

I am determined and I will get a pic of him in this hat that I slaved on for hours!

:)

And when I do, you'll be the first to see it.

:)

Pumpkin Hat

This pattern is from my LYS and it worked up so quickly!

It's a quick K1, P1 rib for a few inches and then knit for a few inches and then decrease!

El Hub and our little Punkin.  (Yes, we had a pumpkin about 10 months ago!)

Our pumpkin doesn't always feel like wearing a hat...

:)

I used this Plymouth Encore yarn and I really like it.

It's nicely priced at $5.50 a skein and works well.

You know I'm always a bit hesitant when it comes to yarn with Acrylic in it ('cause of past issues with cheap yarn and stretched out hats!) but this yarn holds tightly and I do like that it can wash easily too!

The stem is an i-cord and I had done i-cord before but am always up for reminders so I found this great video on i-cord and on binding it off!!!

Super helpful, no?

Here are some FREE pumpkin hat patterns from around the web:

Susan Esser Pumpkin Hat (Ravelry) 

Crazy Aunt Purl Reversable Knit Halloweenie Beanie

Pumpkin Hat (about.com)

Sonnentaler Baby Hat

Sarah Hood Pumpkin Hats (Ravelry)

Knitting my butt off... (still)

Have you ever said to yourself,

"Geez... If I only had more time, I'd finish more/all of my knitting projects..."

Well, let's see here.

Catch a terrible flu and get so sick you have to be home in bed for two weeks.  :-(

I am sick.  And while it's terrible and I have missed a TON of work,

I am soooo caught up on my knitting!

(Thank God my arms still work.)

Made one more My Kind of Cowl (for my MIL):

Made three Ed's Hats:

Finished more Dishtowels:

And started the Spud & Chloe Braided scarf...

Also finished my Christmas presents for the kids!

I made them their own Journals and Stationary!

Robots for Andrew...

Guitars and Retro for Trenton...

Beachy Surf for Miss Anna...

and Wine Tags for their mom!

I also finished the Marian cowl which I will post pics of, as soon as I get outta bed.

:-)