Football Hat

With season tickets for this year on the way, I decided I needed a hat to keep me and my ears warm during the games at Ohio Stadium. Here is my Football Hat. The hat is knit from the top down.

Materials

Worsted weight yarn in scarlet, grey, and black

Size 7 dpns and 16 inch circulars

Pattern

1. When directed to increase, knit in the front and back of the indicated stitch. Start with the double pointed needles and, if desired, switch to the circulars when possible
2. In grey, cast on 4, spread to the 4 double pointed needles
3. Increase in every stitch around (8 total on needles)
4. Increase in every stitch around (16 total on needles)
5. (Increase, knit 1), repeat around
6. (Increase, knit 2), repeat around
7. (Increase, knit 3), repeat around
8. (Increase, knit 4), repeat around
9. (Increase, knit 5), repeat around
10. Knit around
11. (Increase, knit 6), repeat around
12. Knit around
13. (Increase, knit 7), repeat around
14. Knit around
15. (Increase, knit 8), repeat around
16. Knit around
17. (Increase, knit 9), repeat around
18. Knit around
19. (Increase, knit 10), repeat around (24 stitches on each needle, for a total of 96 stitches)
20. Begin pattern section, working in stockinette stitch. Repeat this pattern 4 times around the circumference of the hat.
21. After pattern, work in plain stockinette stitch for two more rows
22. Work in k3, p3 ribbing until hat reaches desired length (to try on, just slip the stitches onto some scrap yarn and try on.
23. Bind off loosely

Pattern & images © 2008 by Melisa Darnieder. Personal use ONLY. Commercial use, including selling items made from this pattern, is prohibited. All rights reserved.

De-Stash Status

Beginning July 29, 2008, I will attempt to reduce the size of my stash by keeping track of how much I have on hand. I can add to it, as long as I am honest and keep track of my additions. The goal is to have fewer yards at the end of this year than I have right now. Here's the tally:

July 29, 2008: 31,433.5 yards
August 2, 2008: 31,488.5 yards
August 3, 2008: 48,646.4 yards
August 15, 2008: 51,182.4 yards
August 15, 2008: 51,338.4 yards
August 18, 2008: 51,110.9 yards
August 20, 2008: 50,231.9 yards

On August 20th, I recorded ALL of my stash, and on the 21st, I gave away over 9,000 yards. So, my starting point for the year is now my August 21 stash. I will try to end the year with less than 41,145.9 yards of yarn in my stash!

August 21, 2008: 41,145.9 yards
August 23, 2008: 45,420.9 yards
August 25, 2008: 45,743.4 yards
August 27, 2008: 45,962.4 yards
September 2, 2008: 45,632.4 yards
September 3, 2008: 45,973.6 yards
September 7, 2008: 45,700.5 yards
September 8, 2008: 46,900.5 yards

Butterfly Baby Hat

A simple baby hat using a band of butterfly stitches as an accent. The pattern is written for three different sizes, newborn, 3 - 9 months, and 9 – 18 months.

Materials
DK weight yarn
Size 5 needles (the smallest hat will fit on sixteen inch circulars)

Gauge
22 stitches per 4 inches

Sizes
Small, newborn
Medium, 3 - 9 months
Large, 9 - 18 months

Pattern
Cast on 72 (80, 88) stitches and join in the round
Work in plain stockinette stitch for 6 rows

Purl next round

Continue in plain stockinette stitch for 2 (2.5, 3) inches
Begin first butterfly pattern

1. (move yarn to the front, slip 5 stitches purlwise, move yarn to the back, k3), repeat around
2. knit around
3. repeat round 1
4. repeat round 2
5. repeat round 1
6. repeat round 2
7. (k2, slip needle behind the 3 strands from bottom to top, knit into the next stitch, slip the three strands over top of the needle, k5), repeat around

Begin second butterfly pattern round

1. k 4, this is the now the location of the beginning of the round
2. Repeat rows 1 through 7 of the first butterfly pattern

Continue working in plain stockinette until the hat measures 5 (5.25, 5.5) inches

Decrease Rounds:
Size Large Only:

• (k2tog, k9) around
• knit

Size Medium and Large:

• (k2tog, k8) around
• knit

All sizes:

• (k2tog, k7) around
• knit
• (k2tog, k6) around
• knit
• (k2tog, k5) around
• (k2tog, k4) around
• (k2tog, k3) around
• (k2tog, k2) around
• (k2tog, k1) around
• k2tog around, break yarn and draw yarn through all 8 stitches. Pull tight and weave in.

Pattern & images © 2008 by Melisa Darnieder. Personal use ONLY. Commercial use, including selling items made from this pattern, is prohibited. All rights reserved.

Baby Hats

So, I ended up not really liking my wrapped stitch swatch, so not baby hat trio. But, I will be working up the pattern for my Butterfly Baby Hat, which I think turned out really cute. I just need to get the directions right for all three sizes.

Baby Hat Trio

In wading through my knitting stitch dictionary, I have an idea for a cute set of baby hats. It's simple, but three different hats, all using an interesting/unusual but simple stitch to get a very cute effect. I have the idea for two of them, and just need to put together a third to round out the group. Things always seem better in threes.

The firts is a pink baby girl hat, using the butterfly stitch. The second is a little blue hat using a wrapped stitch that I found, it ends up having a polka dot kind of effect. The third is a mystery. I will definitely post the patterns once I have them completed.

Market Tote Test

I tested my Market Tote today at the Clintonville Farmer's Market and it was a smash success! I loved how it stretched in all the right places, and I got so many compliments on it. I took some pictures and sent them off to be printed for my submission. Must be mailed out next week to get there in time!

Bass Pro Shops

So, I have made my first ever purchase from Bass Pro Shop, my father's favorite store. At the suggestion of someone on ravelry, I checked out this. It seems like the perfect solution to my circular knitting needles problem, and hopefully won't fall apart quickly like some other solutions I've tried. I'm so excited to have it arrive!