A few posts back I had talked about this hat. After several restarts I am finally getting into the pattern. I really like how it looks and am hoping I am reading my gauge correctly, I really want this hat to fit. I am only on the second repeat of the pattern so it doesn't fit very far down. Keeping my fingers crossed and I will post pictures once it is completed.
I did change the needle sizes from 6 and 8 to 5 and 7 since I tend to knit loose. I am also using a yarn in cranberry from Berroco. Other than those changes I am following the pattern and love the look.
Friday, September 5, 2008
Monday, August 11, 2008
Baby Hat: Complete
Sorry for the lack of posts for awhile. I have been very busy with real life. :) I had family over for a week and it was great. Good to see everyone again. I also spent the weekend in Las Vegas on my anniversary with my husband. He had a work conference there but I was able to tag along. It was so much fun! Below are the latest knitting projects.
Cotton blanket I made for my niece Lydia. She's only one and I wanted to make something that was easier care than wool.
Baby hat in progress. My calculations from my previous post worked! Very proud of my mathematical skills, lol.
The completed item. I am very happy with how it turned out. My mom helped me figure out how to add the decal. I tried ironing it on but the glue wouldn't melt and I was too scared to heat up the iron more. It has been hand sewn onto the hat and I really like it.
Cotton blanket I made for my niece Lydia. She's only one and I wanted to make something that was easier care than wool. 
Baby hat in progress. My calculations from my previous post worked! Very proud of my mathematical skills, lol.
The completed item. I am very happy with how it turned out. My mom helped me figure out how to add the decal. I tried ironing it on but the glue wouldn't melt and I was too scared to heat up the iron more. It has been hand sewn onto the hat and I really like it.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Success
Well, so far so good. As you can see ( hard with black I know) in the below photo the dreaded ladder has disappeared.
Doing an actual swatch and using smaller needles and maybe even adding the extra dpn into the mix has really helped. I like the way the hat is turning out and the lack of ladders is great.
Initially adding another needle to the mix was awkward but as time went by it became easier. I found that the more rows you add the easier it is using dpn. The first row or so I always feel like I am going to stab myself with a needle pointing right at me. Now back to more knitting and hopefully this project will be completed before next week.
Doing an actual swatch and using smaller needles and maybe even adding the extra dpn into the mix has really helped. I like the way the hat is turning out and the lack of ladders is great.
Initially adding another needle to the mix was awkward but as time went by it became easier. I found that the more rows you add the easier it is using dpn. The first row or so I always feel like I am going to stab myself with a needle pointing right at me. Now back to more knitting and hopefully this project will be completed before next week.
Bags and New Stitches
So the bag that everyone is working on, well let's just say it is not working for me. :) Of course after consulting with Ana on the Purl Stitch, I realized that I was doing it completely wrong. :) I am happy that Ana is getting so good at knitting because now I can consult with her about things. You can also go to Knitting Help, they have some good videos on all this kind of stuff.
Because I started getting so frustrated with that bag, I started a new bag. It has cables in it. I did not want to use cable needles so I found some videos on You Tube explaining how to do that. On the next video I found, the begginning is just explaining the different kind of needles and what not, but once you get into a minute of the video it gives some clear illustration on how to knit without the cables. It was fairly easy. I am on row 8, but I have had to put it on the back burner for a few days since I am getting ready for VBS!
So the new bag I am working on is free pattern. With this pattern, I recommend using a lighter yarn. I am using black and having a hard time seeing. Maybe I just need to get my eyes checked. :) Once I finish a few more rows I will post some pictures of it. I have several more patterns that I want to try and I have lots of yarn to use up!
~Heidi~
Because I started getting so frustrated with that bag, I started a new bag. It has cables in it. I did not want to use cable needles so I found some videos on You Tube explaining how to do that. On the next video I found, the begginning is just explaining the different kind of needles and what not, but once you get into a minute of the video it gives some clear illustration on how to knit without the cables. It was fairly easy. I am on row 8, but I have had to put it on the back burner for a few days since I am getting ready for VBS!
So the new bag I am working on is free pattern. With this pattern, I recommend using a lighter yarn. I am using black and having a hard time seeing. Maybe I just need to get my eyes checked. :) Once I finish a few more rows I will post some pictures of it. I have several more patterns that I want to try and I have lots of yarn to use up!
~Heidi~
Monday, July 28, 2008
Fresh Start
Ok, I have been very frustrated with the way this baby hat is going. I am using a pattern from an easy baby knits book (I can't remember the source). The pattern calls for the use of size 7 needles, casting on 62 stitches (for ages 0-6m) and I should get 5 stitches to the inch. Do I bother knitting a gauge swatch? Of course not! This is a simple hat knit in the round who cares if the gauge is not perfect. Besides, I despise math why spend time giving myself a headache.
Well I have had an epiphany sitting here not working on the hat. What if my gauge is off. What if the needles are too big and one of the reasons the ladders are so huge is because the stitches themselves are too big and I am only making the matter worse. So what do I do? I knit a gauge swatch with a needle size 2 sizes smaller. I don't have the right gauge, I actually have 6 stitches to the inch, but I like the way the yarn looks on these smaller needles. Using the handy calculations numberless knitting books have given me regarding gauge and swatching I was able to deduced that I needed 12.8 inches diameter for this hat size. I rounded it up to 13 inches and multiplied it by the 6 stitches per inch (spi) and came up with needing to cast on 78 stitches.
I will now go forth and see if my calculations will work or if this hat will be a crazy size in either extreme.
Well I have had an epiphany sitting here not working on the hat. What if my gauge is off. What if the needles are too big and one of the reasons the ladders are so huge is because the stitches themselves are too big and I am only making the matter worse. So what do I do? I knit a gauge swatch with a needle size 2 sizes smaller. I don't have the right gauge, I actually have 6 stitches to the inch, but I like the way the yarn looks on these smaller needles. Using the handy calculations numberless knitting books have given me regarding gauge and swatching I was able to deduced that I needed 12.8 inches diameter for this hat size. I rounded it up to 13 inches and multiplied it by the 6 stitches per inch (spi) and came up with needing to cast on 78 stitches.
I will now go forth and see if my calculations will work or if this hat will be a crazy size in either extreme.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Baby Hat Cnt.
Well, so far the baby hat is not going well. I have recast and ripped it back several times. How many I am not sure it keeps getting bigger in my mind the more I think about it. I am doing the hat on dpn and am getting horrible ladders between the needles. I have read a bit on the internet trying to figure out how to prevent this. The main thing is tension and to hold your yarn tight on the first and second stitches of each needle. So far despite how tight I pull the yarn I am still getting big ladders, I sometimes wonder if I am knitting too tight with the rest of the stitches. I will have to do more research on the internet as I want to get this hat done this week. Any suggestions are welcome.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Baby Hat
Of course now I am finished one project I must quickly move onto the next one. This is the first row of a baby hat I am working on for some friends. Yes it is black but I will be adding something to the front of the hat to "liven" it up. The yarn I am using is from Unravel and by SWTC made from wool, silk and bamboo. It has a springy quality to it and is very soft. Great for little ones.The original pattern called for the use of size 7 16inch circular needles. I was finding it hard to stretch the amount of 64 stitches around that size, I am currently working in the gauge so perhaps the yarn is too thin and that was why. Any way, switching the yarn to the dpn has made the knitting much easier. I hope it turns out. :)
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