Gotta Protect The Wrist

Turns out knitting all day for three days is a little hard on your RSI. And I know better. So here I am knitting slowly, using my brace, stretching and icing my sore spots.

My back up project to finished out my conference was a new hat I am calling my Rusty Merino hat. It’s a new to me dyer that I picked up at SSK this summer, Another Crafty Girl. It’s a Merino Worsted in the “Pas Old Tool Chest”. I am going with my tried and true worsted hat on US 8s and just vanilla stockinette all the way through. My wrist was not feeling any ribbing at this point.

Happy Knitting (and resting)!!

Fluffy Decreases

Turns out that a full day of sitting in a cold ballroom is just the right motivation to get my Great Sweater Hat all the way to the decreases! And impress a few muggles along the way.

My extroverted introvert is now safely tucked into bed and I have the needles in for the decreases. I also have my complimentary glass of wine from the happy hour and I’m flat out exhausted. We have a half day tomorrow and I should be able to finish this one. Don’t worry, I’ll tuck a backup project in my bag for when I finish.

Happy Knitting!!

Bonus Mom Night

I am gearing up to run a conference this week and I checked into my hotel a night early to get settled. And I took all the hats that I cast on with me in a big ole bag. For the first day, I focused on the vanilla fuzzy hat that I am calling The Great Sweater Hat.

The sport yarn is Leading Men Fiber Arts callback base in the Great Sweater Debate color and I’m holding it with Stranded Dyeworks Mohair Silk in the Patisserie. I cruised through the brim and got it folded/attached. And now it’s stockinette cruising until I reach the decreases.

I am really loving this hotel/convention as I have a sitting area separate from the bed/sleeping area. This is the same place I stayed for Knitting In the Heartland 2024 and its amazing! I am excited to see what else I can crank out when I’m not bouncing between mom-life and work life.

Happy Knitting!!

Hat Cast-On-Itis

I stayed up late last night and did a crazy cast on party. I got not one but three new hats on my empty needles!

The top hat is some Unicornia Republica Rambouillet Worsted that will turn out to be a basic beanie. I did learn from my LSP Redo Hat that I need US 10 needles and a smaller stitch count. So I am working with 72 stitches and calling this my Bonnie May hat as that is the colorway name of this yarn.

The bottom left is another mohair hat. I grabbed some Stranded Dyeworks Mohair Silk in Pattiserie and Leading Men Fiber Arts Callback in The Great Sweater Debate. I am working them held double but instead of a textured hat I think this one will be stockinette through out.

And lastly is my basic worsted weight beanie. This skeins is a new to me dyer Another Crafty Girl Merino Worsted in Pa’s Old Tool Chest. Its my go to recipe of 88 sts on US 8 needles. I am naming this hat the Rusty Merino Hat

Now the only question is….which one will win my attention? Happy Knitting!!

Finished: Film Noir Hat

The Film Noir hat is complete and looking MIGHTY fine if I do say so myself!

Pattern: Bluestem Beanie by Rebekah Lill (Rav link)

Needles: US 7s and 8s

Yarn: Potions Yarns Dryad DK in Film Noir and Stranded Dyeworks Mohair Silk in Gloom

Mods: added one (maybe two) extra body texture repeats

I really love how much yarn this pattern uses up. It’s just satisfying to rack up that yardage and draw down the stash. For this version I used 361 yards of yarn across both types of yarn. Also, the fuzziness of the mohair is a nice change of pace to soft merino hats.

I think this hat will go to my friend Sylvia who likes black and regularly walks her dog. She has a lot of hair so I am hoping its a fit. If it doesn’t…she can pick from the full hat bin!

I have really been clearing the needles lately and I need to get more WIPs cast on so I have projects to grab and go! Stay tuned….

Finished: Chiefs Hat #5

Chiefs Hat #5 is done and dusted. As I suspected in my gut this hat leans more Ravenclaw that Chiefs Kingdom. And is a lovely hat nonetheless.

Pattern: My own 88 sts beanie “recipe” with turned stockinette brim

Needles: US 8s

Yarn: Malabrigo Rios in Pearl Ten, Sunset and Sealing Wax

I paid attention to my gauge a little more carefully and that resulted in tighter gauge and more yarn used. Across all three colors I used 199 yards of yarn and just about 99 grams. The dark grey only appears in the lining and the pop at the brim.

I don’t love weaving in the ends but I like the variety it adds to the hat stock I have been building. I have decided I like the woven ends instead of the Russian join so you don’t see that teeny portion that is a little thicker. Or at least that is what I tell myself when I have 12 ends to weave in at the end.

Happy Knitting!!

Noir Brim

My Film Noir Hat is swimming along nicely. I am safely into the main body pattern repeats.

I can now confirm that the stockinette is softer than my previous 100% wool version of this. The mohair still has a tooth to it but the cashmere blend smooths that out. I am not sure I can tell any difference when it gets to the patterned section. I think the texture negates any softness you gain with the fiber content.

Happy Knitting!!

Finished: Chiefs Hat #4

The sun came out long enough for me to get some finished shots of my Chiefs Hat #4!

Pattern: My own beanie “recipe” with 88 sts and a turned stockinette brim

Needles: US 8s

Yarn: Malabrigo Rios in the colors Pearl Ten and Sealing Wax

My gauge must have been a little looser on this one as I did not use as much yarn as I normally do for this beanie recipe. I landed at 186 yards or 88 grams. I think the combo of colors still gives Chiefs vibes AND the decal looks perfect on the brim. I just need some thread and a needle to tack this down.

Now I just need to keep cooking on Hat #5 that I started yesterday. These project really help my score in the DCS 2024 Pigskin Party KAL! Happy Knitting!!

Cast On: Chiefs Hat #5

This weekend is all about the cast-on-itis and I used football game watching to start another hat brim. I managed to get the full brim knit over two games and get everything turned/connected.

I picked up a skein of Malabrigo Rios at the Studio in the colorway Sunset. I thought this gold/orange color would make a great compliment to my Chiefs Hat #4 colors. I have that one finished and will show you tomorrow all the glamour shots. I started with the Pearl Ten grey for the lining and then moved into the Sunset. I am just now adding the red/Sealing Wax color.

I am not sure how Chiefs-y this will turn out but I am too far to turn back. This will end up a functional hat no matter the colors. OH and I did make the brim wide enough to be able to have a decal added.

Happy Knitting!!

After Dark Cast On

I have been petting these skeins of 100% cashmere since I purchased them at The Studio. I am dying to see what this feels like knit up.

I am going back to my beanie “recipe” but adjusted for my gauge at this weight of yarn. I am using US 5 needles and casting on more stitches. I did unwisely choose to cast this on…at night….in my bed….when tired. I counted more than three times to get my stitch county and ensure this was not twisted. My eyes are not what they used to be!

But I am cooking with gas now and I need to get some more fabric made so I can really feel the hand of this fabric! Happy Knitting!!