"Slouch" Hat -- try and try again

Some how this post was never posted... blogger, why are you doing this???? This was from way back when.  I learned a lot from this project!

I was getting to the point to where I thought I was never going to get this hat right! First there was the simple problem that I was over thinking the pattern.  I was making it for my daughter so I thought I could just subtract a few cast on stitches from the adult pattern for the kid pattern since I couldn't find a kid pattern to my liking.  Then when I got halfway into it I realized it was A LOT smaller than I had planned.  I soon realized that I was using size 8 needles when the pattern called for size 10. Lesson #1 Always follow the needle size!!! or at least take notice of it before you get started!!  I had brief thoughts of just giving the hat to one of my younger second cousins but before I could complete the hat I ran out of yarn....

So then I decided to just start over, use the same size 8 needles, but follow the number of stitch numbers and such, figuring that smaller needles would make the pattern tighter and smaller... Tighter yes --- it didn't exactly turn out to be a slouch hat! ACK!!!!  But we added some pretty ribbon and I think it looks cute!

 

  

I got the pattern idea from here , but I made some changes to the pattern. 

So here is what I ended up really doing:

Yarn: Vanna's Choice Yarn- Rose Mist (Medium Weight)

Needles: size 8 US 16 in. circular, and set of size 8 US DPN

CO 68 sts using the circular needles

1. Work 2 X 2 rib for 2.5"
2. Knit all stitches while increasing by 12 stitches evenly (80 sts)
3. Knit all stitches while increasing by 8 stitches evenly (88 sts)
4. *K1, P1*
5. Purl all stitches
6. Repeat rows 4 and 5 until piece measures 5" from CO.

Decreasing Crown (switch to DPNs when necessary)

7. *P9, P2G* (80 sts)
8. *K1 P1*
9. *P6, P2G* (70sts)
10. *K1 P1*
11. *P5, P2G* (60 sts)

12. *K1 P1* (I switched the the Double Pointed Needles after the end of this row)

13. *P4, P2G* (50 sts)

14.  *K1 P1*

15. *P3, P2G* (40 sts)

16. *K1 P1*

17. *P2, P2G* (30 sts)
18.  *K1 P1*

19. *P1, P2G* (20 sts)

20. *K1 P1*

21. *P2G* (10 sts)
22. *P2G* (5 sts)
23. cut yarn, thread yarn through remaining stitches, pull tight and weave in remaining yarn.
Note: pattern within ** should be repeated

Sackboy for the Hubbie

My husband first gave me some strange looks when I told him I was going to start knitting.  Not unsupportive looks but more like "really, knitting..."

Well he found this pattern and asked if I could try to make it.  It comes from a game called Little Big Planet. Mine looks funny, but it works! It was hard and rewarding to get done.  I never realized how hard it would be to find a simple zipper and buttons for the eyes!

I've also added some step by step pictures of the hands as the pattern was not making sense to me and I thought if someone wanted to make their own a visual would help them along the way

This right after the "thumbs" are knitted on.  There is one on each side because you fold it over to join them together

Here you are adding the pinky finger --- you end up knitting towards the middle of the hand and then working on just the 3 stitches in the middle.  You tie them off and you end up with a finger in the middle of the work.

Again you end up with a similar experience with these other fingers where you work on just 3 stitches and then tie them off.  It makes a little Mohawk thing as you pull them together.  

 

 Then the next thing you know, you have a hand!!

Bunnie Nuggets!!!

My friend Sarah and I came across this design and I just had to make them!! They are quick and easy to make! My kids love playing with them already and my daughter has plans for me to make more!!!! Bunnies multiple quickly!

 

Kelso is on top and David is on bottom.  The kids picked the names for their bunnies.

 

 

Oh Baby!

My friend asked me to make her a pair of baby booties for her new little girl.  I was really nervous to take on this task, but found a pretty simple pattern for it.  Its a little too basic and they look a little boxy, but they were easy to make. I was able to make both of them in one evening.  The pattern called for pompom ties but I thought the ribbon was cuter. They also came out really big.  I guess they were serious about fitting all the way to 9 months!

A man walks down the street in that hat, people know he's not afraid of anything

I made my first Jayne Hat!!!!  If you have no idea what that is, then please go find a copy of Firefly, the short lived Joss Whedon TV series and watch the episode "The Message"...

I used this Site for my instructions for making the hat. They were pretty simple to follow.  I will say that she means to use the stocking stitch on the ear flaps and not to knit on every row -- I made that mistake from reading it the first time.