Chevron Chapeau

It's been ages (again) since I last posted anything here.  If you're here, thanks for being so awesome and checking in now and again. :)

I'll admit that I haven't knit much lately.  The mojo hasn't been there and if I picked up my needles more than twice in one week, that was a lot.  But it seems to be slowly coming back.

I sort of kick-started it last week when I had the pleasure of test-knitting a hat for a friend.  Suzanne (knittingknirvana) of the Knitting Knirvana Video Podcast just released a new hat pattern, Chevron Chapeau.  When she asked for volunteers, I jumped on the bandwagon.

I told Suzanne I'd be happy to knit any of the smaller sizes, knowing I'd be more likely to finish that size in a timely manner for her.  I was selected to knit the "child" size, and I was able to start and finish it in just a few days.

My intention was to knit a hat for Lovebug.   I hadn't knit her anything new in awhile and a child-size hat meant it was something she could grow in to.  My kids have sorta big heads. They don't look overly big, but both my kids are at the top of the growth charts, which translates into needing bigger clothes and accessories than you might originally believe.

Since it's spring and we should be having sunnier weather, I wanted Lovebug's hat to reflect that.  I normally go for darker, richer shades but this time I opted for white and yellow.  I used Cascade 220 Superwash in Winter White (33.5g) and Spud and Chloe Sweater in Pollen (23.5g).  In worsted weight, small hats knit up quick!   You can easily knit this pattern with only a small amount of yarn, no matter the size hat you're knitting up!

I really wanted to take photos outside of Lovebug playing in the yard or at the park or on a walk or something with her new hat, but the weather just isn't cooperating.  We've had dreary, rainy, cloudy days and while that's great for our state, it's not so great for getting that perfect shot outdoors!  So we made do in the entryway with the door open.

Lovebug's hat is big on her, but like I said, I figured it'd work because she has a big head.  I think she looks pretty darn cute, the pattern and the colors really suit springtime.

But I had to put the hat on Squishy and snap some photos so that you could see how nicely it fit a 4-yr-old's head. The hat is comfortably snug and easily covers his ears.

I really like the way the top of the hat comes together and is one of my favorite parts.  Squishy loved the hat so much he tried to tell me this was his hat.  I had to confiscate it from him after the photoshoot.  I promised to make him his own, after he picks out his colors.

Suzanne has designed a wonderfully versatile, fun and easy pattern that could easily become your next go-to pattern for hats.  Definitely check out the pattern page HERE.  And I apologize up front that this is so late in coming but if you buy one soon, you can even take advantage of a coupon code.  Normally the hat will sell for $4, but if you enter coupon code "thankyou" you'll get $1 off.  I think that's pretty great!  The coupon code is valid thru April 13, 2013.

A big thank you to Suzanne for letting me test her pattern and share with all of you!

FO Parade

Are you ready?  This is going to be a long one.  Mostly filled with pictures and little explanation.  Today is the day for the FO Parade!

I mentioned earlier this month that I just couldn't stand to think about blogging for each project I've completed since the last time I'd written.  I'd forever be behind.  Instead I'm just giving you the highlights - a picture or two, the pattern name, yarn and needle size.  I'll let you know where the knit now lives and perhaps a comment about the piece, but that's about it.  So don't fret about needing to read a lot.  And if you make it to the end, thanks!! :)

Dungeness Shawl by Samantha Kirby - Test Knit
US 4/3.5mm; Knit Picks Stroll Tonal, Pearlescent & Knit Picks Stroll Solids, Heathers and Twists, Merlot Heather

This is probably my most "neutral" shawl since it's brown and cream.  I adore this shawl! :) (There's also a matching hat if your'e interested.)  And if it's not obvious, it stayed with me!

Quaker Ridge Shawlette by Susan B. Anderson
US 7/4.5mm; Knit Picks Stroll Sport, hand-dyed by me in a teal gradient; complete with ruffle and red & gold beaded edge

This shawl is super warm in sport weight yarn.  I like wearing this shawl with a pin instead of just wrapped around like a scarf.  This also remained at my house.

Christmas Bell by Debbie McGrath
US 4/3.5mm; Lion Brand Vanna's Glamour, Ruby Red & Diamond

This was for the December Ornament Swap on the Itty Bitty Forums and went to live with Patty (pattytrish on Rav).  Super simple and extremely quick.

Stripey Stocking Cap by Susan B. Anderson
US 9/5.5mm; Cascade 220 Superwash, Shire & Christmas Red Heather

Knit for Janie's (Ratch on Rav) grandson as part of the Advent Swap on the Itty Bitty Forums.

Simple Wristlets by Haley Waxberg
US 11/8.0mm; YoSpun Handspun (thick & thin) that my sister gifted me for my birthday

This was a wristlet pattern that I modified into mittens.  The yarn at it's biggest is a bulky weight and I probably should have gone up a needle size as they are a little tight.  But they are extremely warm and I love intentional mismatching that happens. :) (And they're special since it's yarn from my sister.) They're mine.

Waiting for Winter Mittens by Susan B. Anderson - Test Knit
US 8/5.0mm; Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, Thistle; size medium

Test knit for Susan, these are my go-to mittens for the season.  Shelter is extremely light and floofy, but surprisingly warm.  I like to layer them over fingerless mitts for extra warmth. Mine as well (do you see a pattern here?)

Yarn Cloth by Theresa L. Jones
US 5/3.75mm; Knit Picks Dishie Solids, Clementine

Knit for Janie (Ratch) for the 2012 Advent Swap.

Barn Cat by Susan B. Anderson from Spud & Chloe at the Farm
US 3/3.25mm; Lion Brand Vanna's Glamour, Diamond, Platinum & Ruby Red

Knit for Janie (Ratch) for the 2012 Advent Swap.

Felted Wreath Ornament by Joan Ferguson
US 7/4.5mm; Cascade 220 Superwash

Knit for Janie (Ratch) for the 2012 Advent Swap.  The pattern says to felt the wreath after knitting is complete, but you can also leave it as is, which is what I decided to do since I only had superwash yarn on hand.  Extremely fast with cute results.  I don't mind that it's not felted.

Homewood by Thayer Preece
US 6/4.0mm; Knit Picks Stroll, Navy

I knit this for my friend Tonya who designed a logo for the Itty Bitty Rhinebeck meetup in New York this year (that's a whole story in itself!).  She's great and let's me knit her things for the work she does for me occasionally!  You can check out some of her work HERE.   And below are the logos she designed for some buttons and other things.

(By the way, if you haven't noticed, you'll see that I've used a lot of Knit Picks Stroll...it's a great yarn and I highly recommend it!)

Modern Rib Hat by Susan B. Anderson
US 7/4.5mm; Cascade 220 Superwash, Charcoal & Christmas Red Heather

A replacement hat for my brother.  He requested a new one when his original hat was lost.  I cannot turn down a custom request from him - it makes me really happy when my family truly appreciates and use my handknits.

Prickly by Melissa J. Goodale
US 2/2.75mm & US 2.5/3.0mm; Knit Picks Stroll - Handpainted, Punky & Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label Fingering Weight, Seabreeze

Knit for Janie (Ratch) for the 2012 Advent Swap.  Picture courtesy of Janie.

Lined Beanie by Heather Kinne
US 5/3.75mm; Knit Picks Comfy Worsted, Fedora & Pomegranite; Men's size

Another hat for my brother, this one as a Christmas present.  I'd already planned this hat when he asked for the other hat.  So he got 2 this year!  LOVE this pattern.

Clockwork by Stephen West
US 5/3.75mm; Knit Picks Gloss Fingering, Kenai & Valley Yarns Charlemont, Indian Turquoise

Knit for Tara (taralyn1104 on Rav) as a Christmas gift.  I didn't have enough of the Kenai to make it the main color so I reversed them.  Definitely a different outcome but I still like it.

If you're here, you've made it to the end....I told you it was a long one!!  I've got a list of WIPs that I'd like to share, but I'll save that for another day.  The list is somewhat extensive, but enjoyable nonetheless.  I've linked each FO to my project page, design and designer.  You can find more details on my project pages, or leave a comment about what you'd like to know more about and I'll be sure to get back to you.  If you leave your Rav name, I'd be happy to message you on Ravelry.

Click for Babies

This post is going to be short and sweet as I don't have a lot of time to write at the moment.  For any of you who watch Katie (jetgirl1313) from Knittin' On the Fly, you know that she collects hats for the charity, Click for Babies.  The idea is to knit purple hats and donate them so they can be distributed in hospitals for all the new babies that arrive.  The charity and hats are meant to bring awareness to The Period of Purple Crying.  Essentially this all relates to infant crying and the risks Shaken Baby Syndrome.   Babies born in the month of November each receive a purple hat.  Click for Babies is specific to certain states, but I know that when my daughter was born in November, in Iowa (even though we aren't a Click for Babies state), she received a purple crocheted hat, along with a bunch of information about the Period of Purple Crying.

So Katie hosted Click for Babies and received an amazing number of hats that she donated in Maine.  Last year I didn't get the chance to knit a hat, but this year, I did!

I used the Otis Baby Hat pattern, which has 3 cables evenly distributed around the hat, which come together at the top in a really neat way.  The hats had to be at least 50% purple, which wasn't a problem for me since I had a couple different options to choose from.  I'd won a giveaway awhile back and received some Universal Yarn Bella DK in a light lavender purple, so that's what I used.  The hat turned out very soft and sweet.

I booked it to the post office (I finished the hat just days before the deadline) and rushed it out to Maine, along with some sheepy stitch markers for the giveaway Katie was hosting in conjunction with the charity drive.

I'd really like to knit this hat again as the cables really add some visual interest.  I'm really impressed with the way the cables were brought together at the top without interrupting the pattern.  Very slick.

Okay - time to fly!  Lots to do today!!

Rhinbeck Cloth

I mentioned in the last post that I'd write more about my Rhinebeck trip another time.  Honestly, I don't know if I can really recap it all and do it justice.  There was a lot, and at the same time, not much at all.  It was a lot of sitting around, talking, enjoying the company of like-minded individuals.  We ate and knit and talked and ate and knit and talked some more.  Most everyone bought some yarn on Saturday. We swapped mittens on Friday evening.  I'm glad I had the opportunity to be a part of it all.

I also have to say how neat it was to be in the same place with so many knitters, knitting at the same time.  I've never been in the presence of that many knitters all at one time (or ever really).  And that was even more true on Saturday at the Sheep and Wool Festival.  I enjoyed it immensely.

Something that was part of our trip included a bag of goodies, which we referred to as our swag bags.  I'm not really going to go into all that unless someone asks about it.  There was a lot of really neat stuff and people were so generous with their time and talents.

Which brings me to the purpose of this post.  I had some ideas about what I wanted to include as my contribution to the swag bag.  One of the items I added was a dishcloth/washcloth pattern.

I designed and knit a washcloth specific to this event (the Itty Bitty meetup, not the Sheep & Wool Festival).   It reads "Itty Bitty Rhinebeck 2012" and has hearts and stars/snowflakes in the corners.

Originally I was going to knit a dishcloth for everyone, but after a little closer examination, I realized that if I had done that 1) I'd be broke because I'd be spending all my money on cotton yarn and 2) I'd be bald by the time I reached Rhinebeck from all the hair-pulling knitting dishcloth after dishcloth.

I make the pattern seem terrible, but what I really mean is that it's a little tedious to knit the same thing over and over and over again.  (A hearty applause to all of you that did that...you have more patience than I!)

So instead I made the pattern pretty and printed out a copy for everyone to enjoy.  The pattern is free on Raverly and knits up rather quickly.  Anyone with a Ravelry account has access to the pattern and can choose to knit the cloth, although I don't think it will hold much meaning for those who aren't part of our Itty Bitty group or who didn't attend the meetup.

I knit my sample in Knit Picks Dishie in the Begonia colorway.  I think I used about half the skein, but honestly I didn't weigh the cloth or the skein when I was finished.  (I should maybe go back and do that...)  It's a large cloth, easily the size of a commercial dishcloth.  It had to be in order to fit "Rhinebeck" all on one line.  If any of you are like my mom and I, this is the size of dishcloth you really like, not those other tiny ones (while the tiny ones are fun to knit and have neat designs, they just are so little!!).

I really think the wording came out nicely (I wasn't so sure about how well you'd be able to read it, sometimes paper to practice doesn't translate well...).  Dishcloths with designs can be so difficult to photograph and truly capture what the picture is.  I find the best way is to attack it from an angle, minus the flash.  Any shadowing I've gotten this way makes it easier to distinguish the pattern.  I also try to take pictures outside in indirect sunlight whenever possible.  :)

A Little Quiet

I can't believe it's been over a month since I last posted.  That seems to be a theme - when I finally think I'm catching up, something else catches me by surprise.

So for those of you who are kind enough to keep stopping by to see what is new, I appreciate it!  I would say I promise to be better, but I think we're past that point now, don't you?  I just promise to post as often as possible and I'll try to be better. :)

So what's next to share with you?  Since my last post, a lot has happened.  I've knit a bit, I've traveled a bit, and I've celebrated Lovebug's first birthday.  All these things keep me going, busy and happy.  Shall we get in to the knitting?

In October Mr. Man and I took a wonderful trip out to New York to meet and spend time with some of my friends from Ravelry.  With 21 knitters, 2 husbands and a daughter, we had a blast!  (More on that trip another time...)  Part of our meet-up included a Mitt Swap.  Everyone made a pair of gloves/mittens/mitts to swap.  We wrapped them up all pretty-like and placed them in a pile.  Then, using the same idea as a White Elephant Christmas, we each picked a pair of mitts.  Some people did some trading and re-picking, and in the end, I believe everyone was very happy with what they went home with.

Here are the mitts I completed.  I opted for fingerless mitts (big surprise, right?).  The pattern is October Leaves Fingerless Mitts by Abbie Tilden.

The really neat thing about this mitts isn't visible right away.  There's a simple cable that runs up each side of the mitt (which I did without a cable needle, love this method) and on the inside of the mitt, when it hits the thumb gusset, turns in to a very pretty lacey leaf pattern.  The cables and lace are simple but stunning.

If I remember correctly, I didn't make any modifications to the pattern because they were for the swap.  If I were to knit them again for myself, I'd add 2-3 stitches on the thumb as I have big thumbs and large palms.  When I knit mitts, I end up feeling as though the thumbs are always too tight and constrict my thumbs a bit too much.

I used Knit Picks Gloss Fingering in Kenai, which is the same yarn I used for the Be.Leaf shawl.  It's very soft and pleasant after blocking, although a bit splitty when knitting with it.

I really enjoyed these mitts and I'm glad that Denise loves them as much as I enjoyed knitting them!  Hopefully they'll keep her toasty warm! :)