Next Up: Scottish Habitat!

Moving right along in the series of unreported FO's from this summer, we have a burly wool hat! A wool hat you say? Rachel, what possessed you to knit a wool hat in the middle of summer? I'll give you a hint: It might have had something to do with this man...

Scottish Highlander. Mmmmm...

Okay, so, the man pictured above was the phenomenal highland tour guide from a 3-day bus excursion we took in northern Scotland. This guy is the quintecential Highland male, and he did everything possible to make sure we had a good time (this included being extra dreamy and awesome). Anyway, before the end of the trip, he comissioned a manly wool hat so he wouldn't have to steal mine before leaving. Fast forward seven days later? Meet Habitat:

Pattern: Habitat by Jared Flood
Needles: US #7 Addi Turbos
Yarn: New Lanark Donegal Aran - 100% [Scottish] Wool
Time to Knit: One glorious week
Recipient: Graeme the Highlander!
Level of Love: Cable swoonage took (and is still taking) place.
Modifications: zippo!

Here some shots of it finished on me. Not nearly as attractive as they would have been on him, but it's the best I could do.The great thing about the hat is that the more he wears it, the warmer it will become. I chose this design because the coarse fibers of the wool (when wet from the frequent rain) will felt themselves together making a denser material better at blocking out wind. Who doesn't like a hat that does that?
The intricate cables and star burst design near the crown were a bonus because (I can say from experience) the weekend bus ride was spent looking at nothing but the back of his head. I figured the future tour members might appreciate something interesting to look at (besides him, of course...oh, and maybe the breathtaking Scottish Highlands!).
Lastly, I'll leave you with this video of me [intentionally] sliding down a hill in the Isle of Skye. The filmwork is a tad shaky toward the end (motion-sickness prone be warned), but that's because the guy filming saved my DSLR from crashing to its almost certain doom. Eeegads.

Great memories in Scotland. Great memories. More knitting to come soon!

Straun: Too much rock for one state

Well hello! By now I'd imagine my absence for over month is [unfortunately] seen as nothing out of the ordinary. Though no excuse is a good excuse, I can say that I've been so wrapped up in the new semester and Project 365 that my poor blog has gone by the wayside.

On the positive side? It means I have quite a bit share! These next few posts might be slightly out of order as far as finishing dates go, but I promise they all happened within the last month. First up? Straun:

Pattern: Straun
Designer: Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Worsted - Blue graphite (.8 skeins)
Needles: US #5 Addi Turbos
Time to knit: 1/26 - 2/5
Made for: Darren aka Darius Twin
Level of love: total BAMFness

I had been itching to cast on for this hat for quite a while, but (as is often the case with knitting projects) just because I see something I love doesn't mean I'll then have a use for it upon its completion. Luckily, I was able to find an open and willing recipient who possessed the "cool factor" necessary to pull this hat off (unlike me pictured below...*ahem*).

Technique-wise, this project has added a few to the belt. First of all, the invisible loop cast on method. It was a tad on the tricky side initially, but lent itself well to the final product (plus the links in the pattern were very helpful). Because the hat was knit from the top down, it ended with the hemming of the brim portion. Mind you, that process involved grafting 105 live stitches up inside a hat that needed to be kept even vertically while also minding the hem length & brim tension. FUN!

All things considered, however, I really love how this hat turned out and am very (very) pleased with the final product. I'm not 100% certain, but from the looks of it, it would appear the recipient is too!

(Photos & artistry below are a product of Darren Pearson!)

Glad you like it Darren, you rock.

And what's to come? Looks to me like a hat, a pair of mittens, and *gasp* a lace shawl-- Hooooo boy!

A hat for Sam

Just a quick post to share a [very] quick project. I seem to be developing a trend...

Pattern: Well...it's more of a recipe, really
Gauge: 5.5 sts per 2"
Needles: US #10 Addi Turbos
Yarn: 2 half skeins of Cascade 220 Heathers held double
Made for: Sam
Time to knit: 2 discs of Arrested Development (Season 2)
Level of love: easy, peasy, & awesome

Hi, I'm Sam.

This hat was so fast and enjoyable it makes me smile. It was made to recreate a hat that he currently has in black & white and wears all the time. I took a gauge, some length measurements, did some swatching and went to town. I really am pleased with the finished product (and I'd like to think he is too)!

Hey look, a label!

Sigh. All in all, these little projects are basically all I have time for these days--I'm in the middle of taking a very condensed (and intensive) interim accounting course which leaves little to no brain power for knitting. I do have a several more challenging projects lined up for when I'm not spending every waking moment dealing with debits, credits and posting to T accounts. That day can't come soon enough...really.

Star Crossed

Hello again, I'll keep the rambling brief today! I'm busily finishing up a few pieces of holiday knitting, and I'll do my best to keep the site updated as I do so. (Often my flickr side panel is a project or two ahead of my posting...I'm trying to diminish the lag!). That said, here is a quick (we're talking 2 discs of Arrested Development quick) beret that has already been gifted and sent off to to it's happy recipient. Here are details!


Pattern: Star Crossed Slouchy Beret (rav link)
Designer: Natalie Larson
Made for: Jamie (pictured)
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted - Amber Gold (less than one skein)
Needles: US #10 & #$ Addi Turbos
Dates: 12/14-12/15 (blocking included)
Level of love: *swooooon*

If you haven't picked up on it by now, I'm a hat girl. To me, they include the majority of the rewards associated with hand knitting. They are the perfect length to avoid boredom, come in an endless sea of beautiful patterns, and the slouchy kind rarely smoosh curly hair. Yes; I certainly love my hats. The 2nd grader side of me chimes in "If you love them so much, maybe you should MARRY them!"

Well? Maybe I should.

I promise

I've been knitting. I promise...

...but guess what's exhausting? Life. More specifically, my senior year of college. Yikes. I've said it before, and I'll undoubtedly say it again: sometimes a short post is a happy post. With that, I give you my latest conquest:


Pattern: Bousta Beret by Gudrun Johnston
Needles: US #7 & US #3 Addi Turbos
Yarn: 1.3 skeins Rowan Kid Classic
Time to knit: an extended weekend home (ample knitting time)
Made for: someone special [who deserves a new hat]
Level of love: high--this hat is adorable.

Now, seeing as it's 3:30 in the am here, I'll leave it at that. I'll be shipping this beauty off [with love] by week's end (my hope is that the recipient loves it as much as I do!).

Yawn. Life makes me sleepy...

Short and Sweet

A short post is a happy post. I'm having a blast back at school, but this week has been absolutely crazy. To put it into perspective, I haven't knit since I moved back into my apartment--a week ago. That's just unacceptable in my opinion. Anyway, (to tide you over) here's a fun project I forgot to share with you:
Yes, it's another Jenny Cloche! As you might have picked up by now, I have no qualms knitting a great pattern more than once. In my defense, I did try the buckle option instead of the bow to keep things interesting. The verdict? I definitely choose the bow for me, but I think the buckle makes the hat a little more universal for gifting. This pattern is highly recommended by yours truly, so go make one! Tell your friends. eta: Observant readers have reminded me that the yarn used is Malabrigo Chunky in Velvet Grapes-- Deeeeeeeeelish.



p.s. A more substantial post will come once the cable folk hook up the internet at my apartment (apparently dealing with 8500 college kids in a 2 week span of time makes them a little busy. I say it's no excuse.)

A winter hat in July

It is no secret that I'm a big fan of Ysolda's work. One might even consider me a groupie. I think her patterns are ingenious and that her style is unique and always fresh. Like most, I have been eying up several of her new patterns and dreaming up when and how I'm going to make everything with only two hands. Fast forward to last weekend. While my fabulous roommate was overseas in Scotland this summer, she brought a little something back home with her. Realistically, I don't think it would have been possible for her to have picked a more perfect souvenir to gift--it's obvious she knows me far too well.

What did I receive you ask? I'll give you a few hints: It came complete with a booklet copy of the pattern, the yarn suggested (in my favorite color), and a nifty tote bag-- all purchased from K1 Yarns in Edinburgh...

Oh enough of this suspense! Meet my latest fling:Pattern: Rose Red
Designer: Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Orkney Angora St Magnus D.K. in Aqua
Needles: US #7 & US #3 Addi Turbos
Time to Knit: July 20-July 25th
Level of Love: wishing I could wear hats at work.I really love this hat--in fact, I'm going to go ahead and say with confidence that this is my favorite hat yet (And just for the record, that's quite a few hats!). This pattern has just enough variety to keep it interesting, but was simple enough to knit with a movie going in the background. The chart made it incredibly easy to follow, and it was fun watching the pattern grow as it got bigger.
As for modifications, I really only made two: I decided not to add the the i-cord section on the top center, and I went down to US 2's for a simple 2x2 rib for the brim. Again, I'm incredibly pleased with how this turned out.

In other news, apparently I'm not allergic to angora as I had previously thought! Though I was hesitant about it at first, this yarn was incredibly great choice for this pattern-- it really gave the hat a softer look, and I'm glad I no longer have to avoid the fiber like the plague.

So yes, It's official-- I mark this hat mission a success.

When Life Hands you Lace...

You hand it a mindless stockinette project. Though admittedly I'm still basking in the glorious afterglow of the Shetland Triangle, I needed a project to clear my head. You know, to wipe the slate clean and start it fresh with something else. More importantly, to start it fresh with something easy.

Enter the hat: A straight, 90 st stockinette beanie style man-hat with stripes just to keep it interesting. I'm not joking when I say that this hat is a project that you'll blink and miss--it's that good (and that fast!).This project satisfied my urge to knit something useful and mindless--a perfect combination in my opinion. As for the recipient, he's a great guy who just happened to be at the right place at the right time. Just as he was mentioning his need for a new hat, my fingers were itching to start one. A few episodes of Daria later, a new hat was born. In a nutshell, this project gave me the mindless break I needed...and it also gave me an excuse to use my personalized tags--yeah!

So in conclusion, I urge you to go out, cast on, and knit something obscenely simple--you'll probably be happy you did!

Instant Gratification

In reference to my last post, I will try to post more photos once I can have a proper photoshoot with my mom modeling her new shawl--we've both just been crazy busy lately. In the mean time, cast your eyes on a glorious piece of instant gratification knitting -boy did it feel good!Pattern: Jenny Cloche [rav]
Designer: Julia Madill
Yarn of Choice: 1.1 skeins Malabrigo Bulky in Bobby Blue
Needles: US 10 Addi Turbos
Time to knit: probably about 2 hours
Level of love: high

I seriously can't handle how in love with this hat I am. I was taken by the pattern since the day it was introduced, and boy- it pains me that I waited as long as I did to make it. And yes, the side bow really is that huge (Put it this way, it's sized a la Carrie Bradshaw). Cool thing is, it can be removed easily and worn with decorative pins or a knitted buckle-like option that Julia included in the pattern. This hat will be a staple among staples for holiday knitting in the upcoming years--bravo Julia!

Oh, and...

Puppy in T minus 13 hours (!)

Girlyness!

I have been one busy lady! I have two FOs to show off today (one won't be quite as exciting since you've already seen most of it), but regardless, I'm still excited. What took me so long you ask? Getting to the store to buy that darn ribbon! I finally mozied on over to pick it up at 1 am Wednesday morning after I finished my late shift at work. By 2 am I had ribbon in hand and was ready to finish these little items off! Brace yourself, here is the first:Um....I can't even handle it. Can you handle it? I can't handle it. Let's consult the "girlyness" meter for a moment shall we?:

• There is pink
• there is lace
• there is ribbon
• there is a bow
• and you can't see it in that picture, but there's also a pearl.

This Girlyness reading tops the charts at: OBSCENELY GIRLY! This top has it all and is enough to make any tomboy cringe.

The pattern itself is from the book "Special Knits" by Debbie Bliss. Overall, I'd say this little top was way more tedious than it needed to be, but mostly due to user error [knitting in the wee hours...] rather than pattern default. I will say though, thank goodness for Ravelry! There is no picture in the book of that cute little keyhole button closure in the back, and trying to make sense out of that part of the pattern without seeing it first would have been madness. Ultimately though, this top makes me complete and I can't wait to send it off to Leah. Here is a montage of more awesomely girly photos!

(My photoshop refused to make that bigger, but all of those photos are uploaded onto Flickr here!)
As if the top weren't girly enough, The already adorable hat has gotten a cuteness makeover. What is showing up on the girlyness meter this time?

• there's a ruffle
• there are stripes
• there are pastels
• there are eyelets
• and, to top it all off, there is coordinating ribbon!

This Girlyness reading comes in at a close second of DISTURBINGLY GIRLY! Question: What more could a baby girl ask for? Fact: not much. Girlyness abounds in this apartment and after a trip through the wash, these little items will be wrapped in tissue paper and sent off to Virginia to their new home! I love happy endings...

**Oh! I apparently got a little bit of a shock out of some when I mentioned that I was colorblind in my last post. To shed a little more light [har har], I am red/green deficient. That basically means that I can still see colors, just different versions than the ones you see (try wrapping your mind around that!). There is a small spectrum of colors in the olive greenish brownish yellowish area that I could not distinguish for the life of me--they fall into an aptly named "grey area" for me. Essentially, what it comes down to, is that I wear a lot of neutrals (greys, blacks, whites, & browns) and then add a punch of color to spice them up. This way I don't have to worry about my colors clashing horribly or making myself a public spectacle. I often will ask for color help from nearby shoppers or sales clerks if I have questions about colors, but ultimately it ends up being an adventure rather than a hindrance--but yes, it does sometimes make knitting a little interesting! **

Blackout

Everyone knows what a blackout is, yes? Some people have medically related blackouts, some have anger blackouts, and then there's me: I have knitting blackouts. What do I mean by this? I mean I sat down to talk with a [close] friend last night and about three hours later I had 3/4 of a children's hat completed.

I don't [consciously] remember choosing to make this hat, finding the yarn, downloading the pattern, checking gauge (okay, realistically I know I didn't check gauge on this one), or any of the other preparation type activities that go into starting a new project. I'm starting to think that this might be the cause of my accumulated WIP collection though....sigh. I give you: Thorpe
Mr. pumpkin is hiding underneath this time...maybe he's camera shy tonight, who knows. Anyway, this hat was made for my fantastic manager's [sited here] daughter, Allie. She will be turning 2 in April, and cozy hats are never too plentiful this time of year in Wisconsin! Here are the stats:

Pattern: Thorpe
Designer: Kirsten Kapur
Needles: US 10 Addi turbo circulars
Yarn: Plymouth yarn Indiecita Baby Alpaca Grande
Start date: sometime (?) early a.m. 2/18 End Date: Afternoon 2/18

So exactly what happened during those hours between midnight and 3am, nobody will ever know. What is known is that a cute and simple toddler hat was born in the process. Modifications? Well, my gauge was obviously smaller so that's how I go the hat to be kiddy sized. Since the pattern size was making the hat longer and I didn't know Allie's actual head size, I opted to leave off the earflap part, despite how cute it would have been. Also, I used magic loop from the top down which was challenging at first, but better than futzing with DPNs in my opinion (also I didn't have any, and in my "haze" I decided I didn't care). The alpaca knit up so smooth and dense, and the double thickness of the colors will really help keep Allie warm!

Also, here is a shot of my pet chicklet helping me show off the other label Lindsey graciously gifted. This one is a little more feminine than the one I sewed into Koolhas, and I love them both equally.

And yes. I know that's not a real chicken, but I don't have cute cats to drape my knitting over...wind up toys will have to do.

Awwww....

I have been busily working on finishing up some baby items for my friend Leah, who (as evidence by the photo below) is one of the cutest pregnant ladies ever. Leah would be classified under the "one of my favorite people of all time" category. I met her in high school and she, being several years older, acted sort of as my adopted big sister during those years. She married a wonderful man (also pictured below) my sophomore year of hs and now is expecting a little baby girl within the next few weeks.

Can you even handle how cute she is? I can't. Speaking of cute...

Enter the most adorable baby hat ever. (I should make it known ahead of time that ruffles excite me almost as much as poms do)

This hat, graciously modeled by Mr. Pumpkin, makes me so unbelievably happy. My mom had made one [Ravelry] several years back and I um..."borrowed" the pattern from her so I could make one while I was at school.

Why the holes in it you ask? Well, in a few days this hat is going to get even cuter (as if that's even possible) than it already is. Yes, ribbons get tied through those little holes and are looped around the whole hat. The original pattern called for twice as many ribbons as will be on mine since I think there is a very fine line between "adorable ribbons" and "nauseating ribbons". I'm opting for adorable. More photos and pattern info coming once it's actually finished, I just couldn't resist showing it early. Oh, and I almost forgot....

One of the coolest features of the Artist's Koolhas hat was that it was the first time I'd been able to use my new labels (!) given to me by the artist's sister--we'll call her "Lindsey". This was such a thoughtful gift from her and I absolutely love them! Thank you so much Lindsey!

For the Artist

Oh who are we kidding, I can't keep anything from you guys! No more secrets! I cheated on my promise and there's no getting around it--100% guilty as charged. Heck, I was even apprehended by one of the local police officers who, after reading of my promise, caught me knitting this forbidden item on one of my shifts! That's when you know you've crossed the line. I know I said I wouldn't slip, but that being the case, at least my fall from grace was not done in vain...

My outcome was a surprise Valentine's Day gift for my [patient] boyfriend, whom from this point on I'll refer to as "The Artist" (per our mutual decision). I noticed immediately that one of the things that was really popular throughout blogging communities was the creation of "aliases" for family and friends whose identities were too sacred (or too something) to be made public. Most of you know by now that my name is Rachel, but the bf was intrigued by the idea of picking a codename for himself (what guy wouldn't be...?)

"The Artist" is just about as suitable a name as could be chosen--Art is as much his passion as knitting is for me, if not more so. Right now he's a TA for the ceramics department at our university and, [unfortunately] he had to work tonight. At least I was able to get some fun aerial shots of him in his "element" while he was there! He is by far one of the most talented artists I know and I am constantly amazed by the FO's (potters have them too!) that are coming out of his studio. (More photos can be seen here!)

I spliced in some silly pictures too. The one of me being anxious to share this hat with you on Tuesday, and of course the middle shot of my beloved summer splurge paired with the Artist's work shoes. What can I say, we both love patterns on our feet! Oh for heaven's sake, enough about shoes--bring on the knitting! Here are the stats:

Pattern: Koolhas
Source: Interweave Knits, Holiday 2007
Designer: Jared Flood
Needles: US size 2 & size 7 Addi Turbos
Yarn: Berella Muskoka --100% Superwash Merino
Start Date: 2/10 End Date: 2:12

I loved making this! Something snuggly (err...manly) to keep the Artist's head warm was WAY overdue, and this pattern was the perfect remedy. This hat went very quickly and was so fun to knit! It's a very easy pattern to memorize, and without a cable needle, all of those little twists were fun rather than tedious. I highly recommend this pattern.

That's all for now, perhaps now I will get back on track now that I got that hiccup out of my system. Or maybe knitters just weren't meant to have these sorts of boundaries...?

I promise it's not cheating...

Okay. So I know Foliage wasn't exactly on my list of things to finish. Okay fine, it wasn't on there at all. But here's the thing: rather than jumping right into my second Bird-in-hand mitten, I opted to work on something a little lighter, a little more slouchy. *Enter Le Slouch*. Le slouch and I had been having this sort of love/hate relationship all along. Meaning I loved the way it was looking in my hands but absolutely hating the way it looked on my head. For whatever reason, it just wasn't a good fit. So I put the beret on "time out" (which is quite typical for my knits when they get into trouble) until I was in a better state to deal with it.
























That state never came, and I knew I had to take account of my situation. On the one hand, I have 200 yards of gorgeous Malabrigo worsted, and on the other hand, I have a hat I'll never wear. *Enter Foliage*. This hat pattern was well written, cute, fast, easy, and everything else a good hat should be. I barely even remember making it next to casting on last night and finishing early this afternoon. Here are some stats:

Pattern: Foliage from Knitty Fall 2007
Yarn: 1 skein Malabrigo Worsted - Polar Morn
Needles: I decided to do it all on magic loop size 7's for body and 2's for brim
Cast on: 2/1 Cast off: 2/2

So there you have it . One project done, 6 more to go!

Here I am!

Hellloooo!
Apologies for my absence, I don't really have many excused besides finals & holiday knitting deadlines. Okay, I guess those are pretty good excuses...

I have some fun little new things knit up that I will share with you!

First of all, I have been a little ridiculous when it comes to this "Mercy" pattern. I have made 4 for various people this year and will probably continue to make more as I acquire the yarn.


Also, I made a Christmas knit for one of my favorite people of all time. The striped cable hat was chosen (yarn, colors, pattern, pom) by Nick for Nick. This is a very nick hat. He goes to Madison and will fit in quite well now--GO BADGERS!!


More FO's and information to come very soon--just thought you might want something to hold you over in the mean time!

Oh, I almost forgot.... Merry Christmas! (and happy New Year!)

C is for Cookie, That's Good Enough for Me!

I haven't had much time to knit, but here's what I've got to show for myself:














That is the start of my Slouchy Cabled Beret . I found this pattern by mindlessly browsing Ravelry (seeming to happen more often lately than normal) and decided to use it as relaxation knitting working up to finals week. The yarn is Malabrigo worsted in Polar Morn. so far I'm very pleased with the way it's coming out, it's unbelievably soft! The photo doesn't do the colors justice, it's really a more purply grey than it looks. Actually, I'm making this hat to go with this new addition to my wardrobe.

Much love for this coat. It should be arriving tomorrow via DHL and I'm definitely looking forward to it. It is, admittedly, retail therapy to cope with the loss of the puppy I've had since I was 9. She was too cute for words, and she will be missed and never replaced.


I love my Mabel. How can you say no to that face?













Lastly, earlier tonight (to prevent me from having a homework meltdown), my fantastic roommate Jamie decided we should make holiday sugar cookies! They were a success, and the definitely took my mind off of schoolwork for an hour. Mission Accomplished. Here are some photos of what we created.

Some of my personal favorites include the field of grazing sheep, the angel fish, the menorah, the hat, mittens, ball of yarn, and of course, the sad looking dreidel that really meant well.
What a fun night!

Go away Insomnia....

In a perfect world, I would actually be cuddled up next to my Rowan wool dreaming of spectacular knit items to come...

In REALITY, I'm taking pictures of myself wanting to dream of knitting, but instead staying awake for reasons unbeknownst to me. Sigh. It is the plight of a college student, yes?


Oh, and for the curious: the hat is one of my wardrobe staples. It's a modified newsboy hat with a chevron stitch pattern that I found in the book Knitted Stitches. Rowan big wool is one of my favorites. And yes, I've been known to fall asleep with my hats still on. Usually I take enough care to remove my earrings first though...

Gretel geht zum Heidel Haus! OR Gretel goes to the Heidel House!

I just finished Gretel! This might come as a surprise since I didn't even mention I was making Gretel. Here she is...SURPRISE!

This project (nicknamed the Heidel Hat) was found on Ysolda's page and I quickly became intrigued and excited to learn how to make this beret-like item. A hat with very German roots despite its French tendencies.

Pattern: Gretel
Designer: Ysolda Teague
Yarn of Choice: Becca's Woolen Works - 100% Merino wool. Beautiful Handspun wool made by a coworker, and gifted by a very good friend. 1 hank = aprox. 200 yards.
Needles: 4's for the ribbing and then size 7's for the rest.
Cast on: 11/15
Cast off: 11/22

I did try the tubular cast on, but it was a little bit too small. Sigh. I ended up knitting the ribbed portion on size 4 needles and it fit well when I tried it on. Also, cabling without a cable needle = fantastic. I'm very excited to know how to do that now!

If I were to make this pattern again (which I plan on!), I would probably not use handspun wool. The yarn was fantastic and very nice to work with, but I think the variations in the fiber look a little funny for cabling. Also, I think I might try it again in the slouchy size--who knows!