Instant Gratification

Hats are such a great way to be creative. They can be as simple or intricate as desired. One color or many. Knitted, crocheted, felted, or... whatever!

The Hats! Hats! Hats! group in Ravelry is sponsoring a monthly Hat-along. Choices each time include one knitted and one crocheted free pattern that everyone in the group can work on together. It's great to see all the different interpretations of the same design.

September's choices are Flowers on a Grave and Beacon Street Cloche. Both are felted and result in a similar structure.

My Flowers on a Grave is knit with Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride on size 10US needles. Although the pattern called for two skeins, I had more than 29 yards left of the first. The pattern is well-written and easy to follow. And as always, this yarn felts up beautifully. The original design is decorated with knit flowers. I will probably make some in different colors. Or...how about a great brooch?

The Beacon Street Cloche is crocheted using Patons Classic Wool with a size H hook. This pattern is also well-written. While I am a big fan of this yarn, I was not prepared for how fast it felted. I was able to stretch it back out a bit while it was still wet. However, if I make another, I'll watch it more closely.

Overall, both of these cloches are classic, great quick-to make designs that any knitter or crocheter should add to their wardrobe. This Hat-along runs the whole month of September. Please join us!!

Hats in All Sizes

It's been Hat-Making time around here. Following is just a sample.
More to come!!

Very Small
(set for a baby shower gift)
Hat Pattern: here
Socks Pattern: my own
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease in Delft

Medium
(for an 8-year-old friend)
Hat Pattern: here
Yarn: Mostly Lion Brand Wool-Ease

Extra Large
(for Zak)
Hat Pattern: my own
Yarn: my recycled wool in charcoal with a touch of burgundy

Folk Mitts and Hot Chocolate

I haven't done any colorwork for a while. Playing with bits of my hand-dyed recycled sweater yarns, I came up with these bright and cheerful "Folk Mitts." They are happily keeping my hands warm while I knit up the rest of my Christmas gifts. Check back...I'll post the pattern later.

And here's one more gift ready. It's a simple beanie for Zak. He likes things plain...no designs, no bright colors. So to make him a hat that he will actually wear, I had to reel myself in. But I don't like to get bored, either. To satisfy both of us, I whipped him up a "Hot Chocolate" beanie with my hand-dyed recycled sweater wool in dark brown and black. The color changes are very subtle and not even noticeable unless you're up close and personal!

Busy Relaxing

That's what I did this weekend. I had a very relaxing time, but also got a lot accomplished. In addition to the necessary chores of housework, laundry, shopping, etc., I had plenty of time to create. I love it when things work out that way.

Summer Berry Hat - Lion Cotton


It's a Hot Summer Bag - Paton's Merino
(pre-felting, embellishing)
All except Black are hand-dyed with Kool-Aid
(Lemonade, Orange, Cherry)


Lion Wool (Winter White) hand-dyed with Wilton Teal


Donegal Irish Wool (recycled) hand-dyed with Wilton Violet

Ta-Daaaa!!

A few more to rip apart...

Today was the "orange tag sale" at my nearby thrift store. I picked up three more lovelies to rip apart for yarn.

The top sweater is an American Eagle Outfitters wool with an occasional stripe of a metallic green. Since it looks and feels new, I'm guessing it was a Christmas gift that didn't go over very well. Their loss is my gain...it will make great hats and/or bags.

The middle layer is a yummy angora/wool blend. I'm thinking baby hats or ...?

The dark sweater on the bottom is a cotton Talbot's turtleneck. It is also near-new. It's bound for glory as "vegan" hats for sale at Tina's gallery.

I also started ripping on a sweater I thrifted some time ago. I was not able to get a decent shot of it because Ashes insisted on "helping." She was not about to be moved out of the one sunny spot in the house. As soon as I picked her up and placed the sweater on the floor to photograph, she was right back over there! I called, I coaxed, I hissed, I cajoled, and as you can see... she ignored! So this is the best shot of a Gap wool tweed I could get. Thanks, Ashes. At least you're comfortable!

Score!

Lookie what I found today for half-price at Goodwill!

The top layer is 2-1/2 yards of cotton fabric in green and oatmeal. I have been looking for the right green to use as a lining for another recycled sweater bag I'm working on. Perfect! Plus there is plenty for another project.

Second is an Old Navy Collection mohair blend sweater in a natural white. I am imagining it is destined to greatness as a scarf/shawl in its next life.

And last in this stack is a wool Gap sweater in a pale green. It's very nice as is, but I decided it will be happier in another form...maybe hats? An added bonus is the cute little button on its back.

I also snapped up a bag with four balls of unlabeled yarn in a natural oatmeal color. I'm never sure about these sealed bags, but since it was only $1.99, I decided it was worth the risk. At home it passed the burn test for wool and weighed out at over 16 ounces! Lots of options for this one. Yipppeee! I love good thrifting days!

For Codi

Codi is a substitue teacher I have had the joy of working with on several occasions. She has only been in our area for less than a year, but it feels like she has been a part of the "family" for a long time.

Friday afternoon, she announced she is moving to another state at the end of the month. I knew I wanted to make something for her as a "we'll miss you" gift. I would be seeing her Monday, but after that it's really "iffy." She may or may not be working at our school again before she leaves.

So I needed a quick gift idea. I could make a hat before Monday, but which one?

Codi's favorite colors are brown and pink. I had some Chestnut Brown Paton's Merino in my stash, but NO PINK!!! I did have some Winter White. Kool-Aid?? Did I have some Pink Lemonade??! No! Drat! Keep digging through the cupboards...aha!! Wilton Icing Color in Aster Mauve. That should do it!

Now, remembering my most recent issues with Wilton and getting the acidity right, I was a little worried, but time was ticking. So I took the advice of Meilynne and added my vinegar to the dye bath a little at a time until the dye was absorbed. It worked!! I got this wonderful mauve pink color that was a beautiful contrast to the brown.

So while the pink yarn was drying, I started the hat. By Saturday morning, I had (dry) pink yarn and half of a brown rolled brim hat. The lace panel is a stitch I borrowed from the Esther sock pattern by Stephanie van der Linden. I blocked the hat and sewed the buttons onto the centers of the flowers on Sunday evening. Whew!! Just in time!

Today, I gave the hat to Codi in front of the kids. I think she was touched and the kids gave her lots of love, too. We all wish her the best!

Green Hat Number Three

Yarn: Green "Canadian Wool" from a trip to B.C. circa 1965 from my mother's stash (no labels) -- This is the same yarn (same skein, even) as Green Hat Number Two. It looks a lot more blue in the daylight and more green indoors.)
Pattern: original design (crochet hat with embroidery and buttons)

Green Hat Number Two

Yarn: Green "Canadian Wool" from a trip to B.C. circa 1965 from my mother's stash (no labels)
Pattern: Le' Slouch by Wendy Bernard at Knit and Tonic.

Notes: I chose the Stockinette Stitch rather than the Moss/Seed Stitch variation. I love this pattern and will use it again. In fact, I am already planning another one...perhaps with some embroidery?

Green Hat Number One

A very quick post with a shot of my first FO for the Green Hat Along. This was made up from the recycled wool handyed with Wilton Moss Green and my own design.

Fruit Basket Hat

Taa-Dah!!! Here's what my Fruit Basket Yarn became...

I modified for my adult head the Children's Cotton Hat in Last-Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.

I'm pleased with the way the colors in the yarn worked out. I had originally thought about making a hat for my great-niece, but...the wool was a little scratchier than I wanted for her. It is, however, just right for me! So in celebration of the last day of the Kool-Aid Dye Along, I made myself a hat!!

Grape Hat

I am the Queen of UFO's. And if not THE Queen, I am definitely a full-fledged member of the sisterhood! One of my New Year's Resolutions is to work on that habit, and maybe even give up my throne.

My single skein of Paton's Merino that I dyed with grape Kool-Aid has been sitting here staring at me for the past couple of weeks. I dyed it as part of the Get-Stitchy Kool-Aid Dye Along. It was a great experiment, and needed to become more than just a pretty purple ball of yarn.

I finally got my hands on a copy of Fiber Trends' Felted Hat pattern. This was it. The pattern was extremely easy to follow. It's knit with a double strand on size 11 needles, so worked up very quickly. Having heard horror stories about light-colored wool yarn not felting, I was a little concerned about this skein. Remember, it did not start out purple.

I didn't need to worry after all. With just one and a half cycles through the washer, the hat was just the right size. I used an upside-down gallon jar to block it. Now, I am pondering embellishments...

...to be continued.

hats, hats, hats, hats

I was commissioned me to make hats for a friend's four wonderful grandchildren.

Each one is an original design. Here they are....

Here's a shot of two beauties in hats!