double dutch, an easy double-stranded free hat pattern

  

The more hats I knit for charity, the more I knew I needed a fast, go-to hat pattern that could use leftover bits of worsted weight yarn I had on hand. Worsted weight hats are great, but sometimes you just want to churn out a large number of hats in a short amount of time--and that's when bulky yarn is awesome. But what to do if you don't have bulky weight yarn? Double-stranding to the rescue! Double stranding is just holding two yarns as you knit. It is a fantastic technique for creating heavier gauges and for busting through stash at a faster rate.  

 

Double Dutch hat

Needles: size 10 / 6 mm (I use circular needles with 40" cable and magic loop, but choose whatever circular needle method you prefer)

Yarn: 100 grams of worsted weight yarn, split into two colors 
 (the large size used 41 gram of each color)

Size: Small (finished size, 16.5 " circumference, fits up to a size 19" head)
Large (finished size, 18" circumference, fits up to a size 23" head)

Gauge: 4 stitches per inch in stockinette

(Any modifications for size large in parentheses throughout)

CO 56 (64) 
Begin ribbed brim: K1, P1 around. Continue ribbing until reaches 1.5 inches.

Next round: Knit.  Continue in stockinette until hat measures 4.5 (6) inches from cast on edge.

Begin crown decreases. (size small skips to Round 3)
Round 1: * K6, K2tog; Repeat from * to end. 56 stitches
Round 2: Knit
Round 3: *K5, K2tog; repeat from * to end. 48 stitches
Round 4: Knit
Round 5: *K4, K2tog; repeat from * to end. 40 stitches
Round 6: Knit
Round 7: *K3, K2tog; repeat from * to end. 32 stitches
Round 8: Knit
Round 9: *K2, K2tog; repeat from * to end. 24 stitches
Round 10: *K1, K2tog; repeat from * to end. 16 stitches
Round 11: *K2tog; repeat from * to end. 8 stitches
Round 12: *K2tog; repeat from * to end. 4 stitches

Break yarn and seam through final four stitches, pulling tight to close top of hat. Seam in ends.

little dancer legwarmers

 

The leg warmers are done, and just in time for cold weather! I forgot how relaxing knitting a tube is, ha! These are Knit One, Crochet Too "Crock 'o Dye" sock yarn, knit up on size two needles. I cast on 46 stitches,  knit one inch of K1P1 ribbing, then knit an additional 3 inches or so before increasing for the calf. I had two increase rows, knitting in the front and back at the four "corners" of my tube to increase four stitches each time (ending with 54 total stitches). Then ended with 1.5 inches of K1P1 ribbing. Easy peasy!

whipping up more one hour super bulky child's hats

I've been having fun stashbusting and whipping out more azalea hats (free child's hat pattern!) for the orphanage in Kenya ... remember that I promised to report back on whether or not you could yield two hats from one skein of Lion Brand Hometown USA? The answer is: nope. It takes about 2/3 a skein for one hat ... so you can yield three hats from two skeins, to be precise. I've also been experimenting with the finishing on this last set. I wanted to try a pom pom for this more "boy" color (Little Rock Granite) and below is the effect when you cast off instead of making the i-cord top.

 

 

One more to go! Then I will have officially depleted the Lion Brand Hometown USA left in my stash ...

 

 

super bulky child hat knitting pattern (free!)

 

My knitting guild just started a new charity project, knitting hats for children living in an orphanage in a mountainous region of Kenya. I wanted a pattern that was super fast, super cute, and would work perfectly with the four skeins of Lion Brand Hometown USA yarn I had sitting in my stash. But everything I found on Ravelry was designed for adult-sized heads ... and all the patterns in my library were designed for DK or worsted weight yarn. So out of necessity I drafted up my own simple kid's hat pattern for super-bulky yarn. Given the coincidence that I knit this as our azaleas are starting to bloom using the "Phoenix Azalea" colorway, I'm calling this the "azalea hat."

Pattern name: Azalea Hat (Ravelry pattern page)

Finished dimensions:

16" circumference (unstretched)

Modeled on daughter's 18" head above.

Materials:

One skein Lion Brand Hometown USA (81 yards per skein; shown in "Phoenix Azalea")

Size 13 16" circular needle

Size 13 double-point needles

Stitch marker for marking the beginning of your round

Gauge: 2 stitches per inch

Instructions:

Cast on 36 stitches, join to knit in the round (placing marker to indicated beginning of round).

Row 1: K2, P2 until end

Continue in K2, P2 ribbing until knitting measures 2 inches.

Begin stockinette section.

Knit until hat measures 6 inches (including 2 inches of ribbing).

Begin decreases: *K5, K2tog* repeat until end of row, end with K1 (31 stitches remaining)

Next row: Switch to DPNs. *K4, K2tog* repeat until end of row, end with K1 (26 stitches remaining)

Next row: *K3, K2tog* repeat until end of row, end with K1 (21 stitches remaining)

Next row: *K2, K2tog* repeat until end of row, end with K1 (16 stitches remaining)

Next row: *K1, K2tog* repeat until end of row, end with K1 (11 stitches remaining)

Next row: *K2tog* repeat until end of row, end with k1 (6 stitches remaining)

Next row: *K2tog, K1* repeat until end of row (4 stitches remaining)

Begin i-cord to finish top of hat.

Place all four stitches on a single dpn, so that the yarn is attached to the stitch on last stitch on the far left. Knit 1 row. Begin next row as if to make i-cord, but bind off as you knit each stitch. 

Weave in ends and enjoy!

Alternate ending: if you don't like making i-cord, draw your yarn through the last four stitches to close top of hat. Top with a pom-pom or leave as is, whichever you prefer!

 

This picture doesn't quite show it, but I love how the decreases make a nice swirl at the top of the hat. I'm pretty sure you might be able to eeek out two hats from one skein ... I have cast on for another hat to test this theory and will report back!

 

so-simple wash cloth recipe

I always like to have one super, super easy project going for the times when I want to knit, but am too tired to knit anything that requires any form of brain power. Lately? I've been churning out these wash cloths like crazy. They knit up so fast it's the closest I can come to instant gratification knitting!

I cannot claim this as an original design--it is one of those so easy, so frequently shared patterns that it would be almost impossible to trace its true origin (I think it's frequently referred to as "Grandma's Favorite Washcloth"). It was passed on to me from one of my knitting guild friends, Jane. It's the perfect project for the beginning knitter: the materials are cheap, it requires little counting, and you never purl. And it's the perfect brainless project for the advanced knitter who wants a fun project that doesn't require thinking!

Cast on 3 stitches.
Knit 2 rows.
K2, yarnover (yo), knit across.
Repeat until you have reached the desired width of your wash cloth.
Now begin decreasing:
K1, K2tog, yo, K2tog, knit across
Repeat until 6 stitches remain.
K2tog, K2tog, K2tog.
Bind off.

leap of faith

I've been working on another Tapered Tote behind the scenes here over the past few weeks. This time I used Knit Picks Wool of the Andes yarn for the first time (colorway: Fairy Tale, a really pretty trendy purple). The verdict? Excellent felting yarn! It felt up much more quickly than Cascade 220, which means you should pay closer attention to your project while it's in the machine (but also means you waste less water and electricity repeatedly running your machine!). I'll definitely be using Wool of the Andes again!

Felting was one of the things that really got me into knitting, so it will always hold a fond place in my heart. No matter how many times I successfully felt a project though, I always have a moment of doubt--a moment of, "will this really work out?" Felting is always a leap of faith for me. Take the above picture, for example. This is my "before felting." What do you have before felting? A massive, misshapen, floppy bag. Frankly, a god awful, ugly bag! No matter how many times I do this, I always have a fleeting moment of fear when I see how unattractive the project is before felting.

(this project used four skeins of Wool of the Andes: here's what was left of the fourth skein when I was finished)

But somehow, like magic, it all turns out. I think that's what I love best about felting, the feeling of magic around it. That, and how felting makes all your mistakes and imperfections disappear. (for that reason alone, I will always argue that felting is a great "beginning knitter" project: no one will see your uneven tension or dropped stitches!). Here's what my project looked like after one full "whites" cycle in the washer (no other clothes/towels, in a high efficiency, no agitator machine). The bag on the left is a finished Tapered Tote made with Cascade 220 yarn. As you can see, it was almost there, but not quite complete yet. The proportions were still off after only one wash cycle.

But all it took was a "quick cycle" (approx. 30 minutes) to get it finished! Here you can see the bags now are almost identical in size.

It will never cease to amaze me that the difference of 30 minutes in a hot wash cycle will take a bag from fugly to adorable!

The Tapered Tote Pattern

I'm proud to announce the release of my first felted bag pattern, the Tapered Tote!

The Tapered Tote is constructed seamlessly, leaving you with no pesky finishing to do at the end of your project! The straps are knit one at a time and then grafted together at the top using a three-needle bind off. Full instructions are provided for felting the bag in your washing machine. This pattern is an excellent beginner’s felting project. Felting is a fun and easy technique that you’ll find quickly becomes addictive!

Yarn: Cascade 220, two skeins (note: you will only use 2/3rds of your second skein)
Needles: Size 10.5 32-inch circulars, one set of 10.5 dpn

Techniques utilized: knit, purl, pick up stitches, decrease, three-needle bind off.

Yarn Recommendations:

• Most animal-based fibers will felt. Wool is the most commonly used fiber for felting, but alpaca, angora, and mohair will felt as well. You can weave in decorative yarns (fun fur, etc.) in your projects, as long as you hold them double with an animal-based fiber that will felt.



• Cautionary note: AVOID SUPERWASH YARNS (these have been treated so they won’t felt when washed!)



• Fiber mixtures (i.e. part wool, part acrylic) have mixed results—if you aren’t sure if it will felt, knit a swatch and test it first!



• Any time you mix different types of feltable yarn, knitting a test swatch is a good idea, since different yarns felt at different rates. You’ll have the most success if you combine yarns that felt at the same rate.



• ANOTHER CAUTIONARY NOTE: White and off-white colors are notoriously difficult to felt with. The bleaching process to achieve a white color strips the scales on the wool that cause the felting process to occur. Do test swatches for any white colored felting project!

the Tapered Tote, $1.99

fabulous feza scarf formula: free knitting pattern!

Oooo. Pretty colors. Yup, that's what suckered me into buying the Feza "Polo" yarn. That and it is sooooo soft. Double threat. If you're like me, and can't resist this yarn in your local yarn shop, here's a quick and easy pattern that puts it to good use. And best of all, you only need two skeins! ***This is a pattern for a length-wise garter stitch scarf, which I make no claims of being the originator of this idea. But if you're in love with this yarn like I was, I thought other people might find this pattern useful.

Fabulous Feza Scarf Formula

Yarn: 2 skeins of Feza Polo (yarn content: 55% acrylic, 30% mohair, 15% polyamid)
Needles: Size 11

CO 183 stitches
Cut your yarn, leaving a 5 inch or so tail at the end of your cast-on. Re-attach your yarn to your work by tying it to your last stitch (again, leaving a 5 inch tail) and then knit across the stitches for your first row. Repeat this procedure at the beginning and end of each row to create your "tassle."

Continue to knit garter stitch for a total of 28 rows.

Cast off on your 29th row (you should have 14 garter stitch ridges on each side).

Weave in ends, and secure your tassles. You'll notice that the tassles are naturally paired. To secure your tassles, tie each pair in a double knot. If you end up with an uneven number of tassles, tie three together by holding two in one hand. Trim tassles as desired. Wear your fuzzy, soft warm scarf with pride!

My finished scarves were approximately five inches in width. You can easily get a width of six inches if you use a full two skeins. I failed to measure their length before gifting them all, but it was generous enough to wear double-wrapped with plenty of scarf leftover to artfully wrap.

NOTE: I know it would be easier to create the tassles by continuously knitting and then attaching the tassles at the end of the project, but this yarn has gradual color changes, and I wanted the tassles to match these shifts in color. Feel free to create your tassles in whatever manner you prefer (or have none if that suits you best!).

I found that with this formula, each color change happened every three rows or so in this yarn.