Berry Pretty Star Hat

I finished the hat using my over-dyed yarn.  This is the Norwegian Star Earflap Hat by Tiennie Knits. It is a really cute design. I like it, but not a lot; and that is not the fault of the design, I like the over-dyed yarn, but this was not the right project for it. The difference between the star and the background is not crisp enough.

I made some modifications to the pattern. I started with a 4 stitch i-cord and worked up into the ear flap same as the three previous Chullos (here, here and here). The pattern is bigger than I expected. I started out with a size 8 circular needle, ripped the hat back to the earflaps, restarted with a size 7 circular and ended up changing to a 6 right after doing the purl rows. I do however, like the length of the hat. It comes down the back of my neck better than the other Chullo. It is loose enough that it does not mat down my hair when wearing it for a long time. I also put a pom pom on the top of the hat. Even though I liked the way the decreases formed a star -- the hat called for a pom pom.

I think I may end up doing another one of these in a crisper color way. I suppose a self striping yarn with a long, slow color change for the star would work better if I did not want to use a solid. I just need to make sure that all the colors pop off the back ground.

Happy knitting!

What happens when dye meets wool?

Take one skein of 100% wool, add 4 packages of Kool-Aid, heat and water!

I decided to use up some left over Kool-Aid from my dyeing experiment of two weeks ago. I had two skeins of Paton's Classic Wool in a heathered light grey and decided that I would try to dye one of them with Kool-Aid in the microwave. I wish that I had taken pictures during my process, but alas, I wasn't thinking.

I made a hank of yarn out of one skein of yarn using my Niddy Noddy that I made and tied the skein using figure eight ties.

I took two envelopes of grape and two envelopes of fruit punch and mixed each color with about 3/4 cup of hot water. After soaking the yarn in warm water as per my usual method (described here), I laid it out in a glass baking dish poured the dye mix over the yarn and used the microwave to heat it.

It was kind of a wing and a prayer experiment. I can't remember how long I let the microwave run, but I let the yarn cool, rinsed and voilà! Color!

I am thinking about knitting a hat in color-work with both the dyed yarn and the original light grey yarn.

Happy Dyeing!!

Ta Da! Finished!

I am quite happy with the way this one turned out! Is there a couple of things that I might change if I did same pattern again? Yes. But this is definitely a sweater that I will wear on a regular basis, and not just when I am lounging around the house. I will be wearing this to the office tomorrow!

Summary:

Pattern is Textured-Stitch Sweater Vest by Carol Covington in the book Vogue Knitting: Very Easy Knits ©1999 Butterwick Pattern Company.

Yarn is Paton's Classic Wool in Dark Grey Heather and Plum Heather 100% wool.

Knitted using Addi Turbo 60" circulars in US7 and US5 and I used a loose long tail cast on.

I knitted both the front and the back simultaneously which helped in getting the stripes even and the reduction for the armholes at the same place. This did make things a little confusing at times after I had started the V-neck since I had three balls of yarn going at the same time.

Having never done a vest with 1 X 1 ribbing on the arm openings, I ended up knitting the first one, trying it on and realizing that I Put in too many stitches as the ribbing stood straight out from the body of the sweater. Oh well, practice makes perfect! I knitted the second set with half the number of stitches at the top and the bottom of the arm hole and I think it turned out well.

If I had the ability to change anything, it would be knitting the rib at the bottom a little tighter as I did the neckline and arm holes. But I am not unhappy enough to do it over.

Best think is, I love the way the main sweater color highlights my hair!

Happy Knitting!

Sweater Vest continued

Work has kept me incredibly busy over the last couple of weeks. So busy that I did not get too much knitting in. It took me nearly all month to get the two pieces for the sweater vest done, but I completed the knitting tonight and will now bury all the loose ends and block the sweater. My plan is to get it done by next week so that I can wear it the following week to work.

The texture pattern is really lovely and I am happy with the way that it turned out. I did have some trouble working out the way the neckline was done and I ended up using a graph to figure it out. Math is great!

Happy Knitting!

Sweater Vest

Well, I spent the last week working on a new project. Yes, I know I have not finished the mittens, but I have a good excuse. My friend was not able to try them on so that I can check for proper placement of the texting thumb opening. Or at least that is the story to which I am sticking!

But I love my new project. It is a V-necked sweater vest which I found in Vogue Knitting: Very Easy Knits a "best of" book put out by Butterick Patterns in 1999. My pattern, Textured Vest" is just as the book states -- very easy. The 4 row pattern is easy: Knit row, Purl row, K1 P1 row, Purl row. The texture that is created resembles a waffle.

The pattern shows it in a solid color, but I am mixing it up a little. The main color is a lovely charcoal grey heather the stripes in a dark plum heather. There will be 3 plum colored stripes 2 narrow stripes flanking a wider stripe starting below the arm holes and going above half way up the v-neck. I have chosen a beautiful Classic Wool by Patons a 100% hand wash wool. It knits beautifully. The twist is perfect and it has a nice elastic feel to it when stretched.