Blue Beanie

I just finished this blue skullcap beanie with some yarn left over from my Christmas knitting.

Blue Beanie

I made this one for my stepfather. It's totally improvised but I think it turned out ok.

Mom's Hat

I finished my mother's hat. I think she'll like it.

Starting Hat For Mom

The white beanie I made was basically a stitch practice piece for a hat I plan to make my mother for Christmas. I've now cast on what will be a full sized hat using the same stitch patterns.

Pattern For My Beanie

As requested this is the pattern for the white beanie I made.

Worsted weight yarn of your choice. US size 8 16" circs or DPNs.

Cast on 88 stitches and join.

Round 1. P round.

Round 2. K round.

Rounds 3 & 4. Repeat 1 & 2.

Round 5. *K1, YO, SSK* repeat around,

Repeat rounds 1-5 until length is approx 3 inches (or desired length). End with Round 2.


For top of hat. When decreases too small for circ switch to DPNs, Magic Loop, or two circs as preferred.

1. *SSK. K9* repeat around.
2. *SSK, K8* repeat around
3. *SSK, K7* repeat around

Repeat decreases, 8 decreases per round( SSK, K6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1) until you have 8 stitches remaining. Cut 12" tail and thread through remaining 8 stitches, thread tail to inside of hat and pull to close stitches tight. Weave tail.

White Beanie

This past week I wanted to try out the new 16" needles to make a hat and also decided to try something new, using a combination of increases and decreases to create a pattern of holes. I think it worked out quite well.

I also decided to try a new technique for doing the decreases. Instead of using Magic Loop I employed two circulars and it worked out very well. I think that's going to be my method of choice for small diameter circular knitting from now on. I guess I'll be ordering duplicate Options points and extra cables.

New Needles

Today the mailman brought me the two new 16" circs I ordered from Knit Picks. A size 10 and a size 8. I ordered them for doing hats.

While they seem really small to me, I'm looking forward to using them for a proper sized hat.

I love getting new toys. :D

Sabrina's Scarf Coming Along

It's coming along. Yesterday I emailed her a pic to make sure she would like the color before I get too far along with it. She seems to like it so I'm continuing along with it.

I like the Bernat yarn and the grey/white colorway looks pretty good.

Starting Sabrina's Scarf

Today I picked up a couple of skeins of Bernat Softee Chunky in the Grey Ragg colorway. I think it will make a nice Palindrome scarf for my friend Sabrina. I'll be casting it on and starting it as soon as I finish typing this.

Home Again

After over six weeks on the road I finally made it home again yesterday. It feels good to be home again.

As I have yet to go buy groceries (going today) I just ordered a pizza for dinner last night. When the delivery driver arrived he handed me one of those rubber thingies you use to open tight jar lids. It has the Papa Johns logo on it and they had written a few specials on the reverse side.

That was quite cool. I use one of those things to grip my Options needles when tightening the cable and mine was starting to wear out and come apart. I had planned on buying a new one while shopping today. The Papa Johns one went straight into my knitting bag. :D

I'll be doing my shopping a little later today and then spend the rest of my home time just relaxing and working on my knitting. I have the black Palindrome scarf to work on and plan to start another scarf for a friend in Virginia who asked me to make one for her.

Hopefully I can make enough progress on hers to have it ready before Christmas, but am not holding my breath on that. I've already let her know that it may not be ready by then.

Friend Going To Peru

This morning I received an email from a friend who lives on the Pacific coast. He said the he and his wife were going to Peru for the Christmas holiday. That sounds like a lot of fun.

I emailed him back and told him that if he were to run across some alpaca wool yarn for a good price I would be very happy to buy it from him when they return. I think it would be cool to get some alpaca straight from Peru.

I hope he does bring some back with him. He isn't a knitter but I trust that his wife will be able to select something decent.