it's been a long, long time...

...so...where does one begin, after such an absence?

perhaps a free pattern is in order?

a pattern for a 3 x 2 ribbed beanie

in softy-soft fair-trade merino?

 

the yarn is maxima from Manos del Uruguay

the colorway is kermit

the hat is knit in the round, taking advantage of the short, even color changes that stack to create spiral stripes

of froggy colors...

the pattern is free...look for it this weekend, 

right here on this blog!

cotton with wool...

a new yarn has arrived at my favorite yarn store...

Geilsk

 bomuld (cotton) og (and) uld (wool)

had to give it a try...

though I am making a hat as a sample,

I do think a sweater is in order!

this yarn seems to be ideal 

for our coastal summers...

a lovely, light cotton fingering

tempered and warmed by the 

magic that is 

wool

the vest...

while I continue to work on several projects that were begun last year, I am itching to begin a vest that was promised to him...

it will be made in this scrummy nordique,

which was purchase on sale 

at my favorite yarn shop...

unfortunate that this yarn has been discontinued...is is lovely!

the vest will be a simple v-neck with slightly unconventional cables up the sides, and, in my usual fashion, I am swatching by making a hat...

what are YOU working?

the last one...

the last finished project of 2013...

...an emryk in milano hat

testing is completed

editing almost done

pattern should be ready soon...

wishing you a happy 2014

may it be filled with joy...

fifteen...

fifteen...

a hat for my youngest,

who turned fifteen this week

made in o-wool balance, 

it is completely reversible

totally cool

sidetracked...

so...

the wee hat that I made as a swatch for an 

up-coming project is so adorable 

(in my humble opinion)...

I just had to make another!   

it is now on the blocking board.

notes have been written, 
chart has been made...

I think we have a new hat pattern!

sometimes, getting sidetracked
is a good thing...

joan's star...

test-knit by joan...

cute, isn't it?

pattern is almost ready!!!

a star for baby...

the pattern is written, the test-knitters are "ready to role"...

a star for baby hat pattern

sunny yellow...

yellow has been on my mind...

bright, intense, vivid

yellow

jaune de chrome

giallo cromo

these clear, crisply-sunny days of late spring  somehow inspire a craving for this color...

fortunately, I found a wonderful yellow at the yarn shop...MillaMia's "daisy yellow" #142...

I cast on 84 stitches, and a few hours later...

a yellow hat

and soon a new pattern...stay tuned!

cables for beginners...

next week, I will be teaching a class on cables for beginning knitters at the 
Mendocino Yarn Shop...

it is, I believe, easier and more interesting to make something practical while learning a new technique, so I have written a little pattern for a cabled beanie that the students can make in the class while learning to twist those cables...

it has eight cables and a nicely shaped crown...

look for the pattern soon!

pluscious baby hat...

Elaine asked me to make a wee cap for her new grandson...

it needed to be machine washable

and able to withstand the dryer...

she chose this yarn:

"Pluscious" by Cascade Yarns

not my favorite kind of yarn, to say the least, but the resulting hat is adorable...

free pattern tomorrow!!!

something new...

the yarn...

berroco's quasar

the "swatch"...

a beanie

3 x 2 rib

75 stitches

#9US/5.5mm circulars

quite nice, this yarn!

another hat...

working on the pattern...

it should be ready for testing next week...

it is really a quick knit, and the large central cable lends itself to embellishment...perhaps a couple pewter buttons?

an odd ball...

what to do with this odd ball of wool?

make a hat, of course...

with 2 x 3 ribbing...

one big cable...

and a nicely rounded crown...

this beanie knits up quickly...

want to make one, too?

pattern coming soon!

more pixie love...

last week I posted a pattern for a pixie hat...

a few days later, Peggy Mowry (Peggity on Ravelry), 

made this for her wee granddaughter...

pretty darn cute, isn't it?

thanks for sharing, Peggy...and happy grand-baby!

pixie love...

it has been six months

since last I wrote on the pages of this blog...

wow

if you follow this blog's facebook page, you know that I have promised to post a new FREE pattern today...

and here it is...

pixie love...

Pixie hats are wonderful!...Their jaunty little pointed crowns are always adorable on babies and young children.  The beauty is that you can make a pixie hat in the same time it takes to make a rolled-brim beanie! The trick is to elongate the crown decreases. 

I offer this pattern for free, but I do hope that if you use it (and even if you don't), you will make a donation to save the children or any other hurricane sandy relief fund...thank you!

you will need:

• one skein of worsted wool
• a couple yards of the same yarn in contrast colors (optional)
• 1-16" circular in size US 6/4.0mm (or whatever size you need to obtain gauge)
• 1 set of double pointed needles in the same size
• tapestry needle

gauge is 5 stitches per inch

note:  you can make this hat at almost any gauge...just measure the head you want to fit, subtract an inch, then divide that number by your gauge-per-inch...

size is for an infant (baby), but this hat is very easy to size up (or down for preemie).

directions:

Cast 70 (77) stitches on to your circular needle (I use the long-tail method).  Join work (without twisting, of course) and knit, knit, knit for approximately 4 (5) inches. 

begin crown decreases:

Round 1:  Knit 8 (9), knit 2 together; repeat to end of round... 63 (70) stitches remain.

Rounds 2 & 3:  Knit.

Round 4:  Knit 7 (8), knit 2 together; repeat to end...56 (63) stitches remain.

Round 5 & 6:  Knit.

Round 7:  Knit 6 (7), knit 2 together;  repeat to end...49 (56) stitches remain.

--change to double-pointed needles--

Continue decreasing this way, seven stitches every third round, until 7 stitches remain on the needles.

Knit 2 together three times, knit 1...4 stitches remain.

Knit these 4 stitches in i-cord (stitch diva has a good tutorial here) for an inch-or-two.  With your tapestry needle, pull yarn through the 4 stitches and thread to the inside of the i-cord.  Leave cord as is, knot it, or add a "lazy knitter's tassel"(below).

lazy knitter's tassel:

Thread a darning needle with several strands of yarn, each about 12" long.  Pull through the end of the i-cord stem halfway, then knot.  Clip ends.  



et voilà !!!

as you see, there are endless possible variations to these simple hats...can't wait to see what YOU come up with!

this pattern has not been test-knit (except by me)...please let me know if you find any mistakes!  happy knitting!

one hundred cable babies...

the cable baby pattern...

originally published in september 2009...

in 221 queues, with 796 "likes" and 101 projects...

many lovely cable baby projects have been posted on ravelry over the last two years...

like this

by christine from skeinny dipping (do check out her gorgeous yarns!)

and this

by barbara from rochester, who blogs here

 there are ninety-eight more lovely projects...you can see them all here!!!

the 100th cable baby project was posted on ravelry 

just a few days ago...

to celebrate, I am offering

a new pattern...

the cable baby beret

which I will post tomorrow on this blog

y'all come back, now!

cleaning...

i found this hat, unfinished, live stitches dangling, as i was cleaning my woefully tangled stash yesterday...

of course, i am easily distracted...especially when it comes to tidying up...

so i pulled out a circular

picked up those stitches

and finished the hat, adding a floppy pom-pom to the top

it's cute...

i think this may be the next

free pattern

yes?

back to cleaning...

oh...by the way...

do come back tomorrow for something fun!

a hat...

merry and bright...

                                                                                    

the winsome miss a models the prototype of march's chocolate strawberry stripes pattern in these charming candid photos by joelle signorelli

don't you want to knit one, too?