I Totally Could've Knitted (T)Hat!

I have a bad habit of staring at people's hats while waiting for trains and such. When standing idly among crowds I find my brain going to sleep mode, automatically calculating stitches on anyone's head wear who happen to stand close to me. "6st cable twist to the left, purl 4, 2st twist to the right.. guessing 5mm needle, nice yarn..". I thought I was getting pretty good at guessing at least which hats were hand made. Normally you can tell from the yarn used. ("Oh, there goes another Novita Crystal!")

Last week I saw one of our HR girls at the station. She was wearing a really interesting beanie with thick cables and little bobbles and since I know roughly who she is, ventured to ask permission to take a closer look (which I don't do to complete strangers at stations, though many a time have been tempted). I complimented her hat while examining it quickly and asked if it was hand made. She let out a little incredulous laugh and refused. Oh yee of little faith! Think not cute beanies can not be hand made!
 
From that day on I saw the same beanie everywhere. At the Pasila station. On the A-train. On the Z-train. It was as if cosmic forces were egging me on, saying "come on, have another look, you TOTALLY could've knitted that". So I did.


Hat Number 1 (white)

The first version I did was made out of some anonymous scrap yarn. I begun by casting on 70st on size 4mm double pointed needles and switchin to 5mm 40cm circular needle after few rows of rib. There's 5 pattern repeats and I repeated the rows on the chart 1,5 times (37 rows of pattern) and started decreasing.

Decrease rows:
1st row: Slip the first stitch of each decrease rows (will be used as the last stitch of the row).
*SKP1, P2, SKP1, K2, K2TOG, P2, K2TOG* Repeat *-* 5 times. (Use the first st of the row as the last to be knitted together with previous stitch.)
2nd row: *Sl 1 st to cn and hold in back, K1; K1 from cn, P2, K4, P2*. Repeat *-* 5 times.
3rd row: *SKP1, P1, SKP1, K2TOG, P1, K2TOG*
4th row:  *Sl 1 st to cn and hold in back, K1; K1 from cn, P1, K2, P1*
5th row:  *SKP1,  K2TOG, K2TOG*
6th row: *Slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over the knit 2 together* Cut the yarn and run the end through the remaining stitches. Block if necessary.

As I wasn't happy with hat number one, I had another go and made hat number two, which is a lot more like the original source of inspiration.

Click to enlarge

Hat number 2 (fuchsia)

Yarn: Novita Tempo (100g = 115m, 65% wool, 35% acrylic)

roughly 1 skein

Cast on 72 st on size 5mm dpns. Knit rib 1x1 for 6 rows. Switch to size 6mm circular needle and add 48 stitches evenly around the 7th row  =120st. Begin working according to the chart. The chart is divided to two parts, the first 4 st repeat a 4 row honey combe pattern and the remaining 16 include the big cable and bobbles. Together these 2 patterns form the 20 st pattern that is repeated 6 times around. Begin decreases after knitting 34 rows of pattern (making sure to finish with row 2 on the honey combe).

Decrease rows:
1st row: Slip the first stitch of each decrease rows (will be used as the last stitch of the row).
*K2, SKP, P3, SKP, K4, K2TOG, P3, K2TOG* Repeat *-* 6 times.
2nd row:*K2, SKP, P 2, SKP, K2, K2TOG, P2, K2TOG.*
3rd row: *K2, SKP, P1, SKP, K2TOG, P1, K2TOG*
4th row: *K2, SKP, K2TOG, K2TOG*
5th row: *K2, Slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over the knit 2 together*,
6th row; *K2* for the remaining stitches, cut yarn, run the end through the remaining stitches and darn in the end.

Click to enlarge

Fleur de lis beanie

Sunny, glorious day outside! Life would feel so magnificent right now if it wasn't for this darn cold! Christ on a bike, I'm sick and tired of bein sick and tired all the time. 

Well, at least I have time to post up the instructions for the Fleur de lis beanie I finished few weeks back. It's a bit on the small side (57cm around), so I'm not overly happy about it, but maybe I'll find a head to match it. On how to create charts out of pictures, see tutorial.

Yarn: Novita 7 veljestä  (150 g = 300 m, 75% wool / 25% polyamide)

Gauge: 18 st = 10cm

Needle: 4mm (+smaller needles for rib)

Skeins: <1 for base colour and <1 for contrast colour


Instructions:
Knitted in the round, bottom-up. 
Cast on 104 st. Knit rib (knit 2, purl 2) for 8 rows on circular needle with contrast colour on smaller needle. Change to 4mm circular needle and begin stockinette with base colour. Add 1st on the first row. Knit 2 rows and begin patterning according to chart repeating the patternig 5 times. After the chart knit 9 more rows stockinett. 

Decrease rows (use double pointed needles):
1st decrease row: K 1, SKP (=slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over) , K 16, K2TOG (= knit 2 together). Repeat 4 more times =95st.
2nd d. row: K 95st.
3rd d. row: K1, SKP, K 13, K2TOG. Repeat 4 more times = 85st.
4th d. row: K 85st.
5th d. row:  K1, SKP, K 11, K2TOG. Repeat 4 more times =75st.
Continue the decreases in this manner decreasing 10st on every row.
When you have 25st left: K1, SK2P (=Slip 1, knit 2 together, pass slip stitch over the knit 2 together), K1. Repeat 4 more times = 15st.
K1, K2TOG, K1. Repeat 4 times. =10st.
Cut the yarn and run the thread tail through remaining 10 stitches twice; pull firmly and darn in the end.

Add a tassel if it tickles your fancy.

Cabled beanie with bow

Here's a little something I finished on Thursday. Found the gorgeous pink yarn from Pyöröpuikko in Lappeenranta last weekend. It was love at first sight let me tell you. This yarn was just screaming my name, asking to be knit into a beanie, begging for a chance to become something to warm my brain with. 

The pattern once again, is unbelievably easy. Due to the "sudden death" kind of decrease the gauge or number of stitches isn't of that much significance. If you wish to achieve similar results as I did, you can always follow the instruction word to word. 

Instructions:

Yarn: Gjestal Tinde (100g = 180m, 50% wool, 50% tencell)

Gauge: 20 st = 10cm

Skeins: 1

Needle: 4mm

Cast on 128st on a circular needle. K2 P2 for 6 rows. Knit the cabled detail at the front of the beanie as per chart and knit stockinette with the remaining stitches. Knit in this manner for about 20 cm repeating the 8 rows of the chart for the cable detail and begin then the decrease rows.

Click to enlarge

Sudden Death decrease:  

1st row: *K1 ; SKP*. 2nd row: stockinette. 3rd row: *K1 ; SKP*. 4th row: stockinette. 5th row: *SK2P*. Cut the yarn and run the thread tail through remaining 18 stitches twice; pull firmly and darn in the end. All the stitches were decreased within 5 rows, hence the name "sudden death".

 
The bow: 

Cast on 5st. Knit stockinette for 28cm. Cast off and darn in the ends. Cast on 5 again and knit 4cm. Sow the shorter piece as a little loop and run the longer piece through the loop creating a bow. Sow the pieces together tight and attach to the beanie. 

One step closer to being called a Cat Lady..

Yes, it's now official. I've gone bonkers. The proof: check out the hat I made last night. First of all, I spent the entire saturday evening home alone knitting this thing. And second, I find it the cutest, most adorable hat ever. I think it's the best thing since sliced bread. I must be off my rocker. What ever happened to my dignity and sophisticated style? Bah, humbug! I will from now on embrace my newly found love for all things OTT such as wooly hats decorated with massive pink roses.. Gosh. What's next? A reindeer jumper for christmas? Hmm... now there's an idea.


Instructions:

Yarn: Novita Katri (100g = 160m, 100% acrylic)

Gauge: 14 st = 10cm

Skeins: 1 for the hat, left over yarn for the roses

Needle: 6mm

Hook: 5mm

Cap:

Cast on 88 (makes a fairly loose cap) on double pointed needles or circular needle. EDIT: After few wears the cap became very loose indeed, so I'd suggest starting with 80 st instead of 88.

K2P2 for about 5 rows. Then knit stockinette.

After you've knitted about 30 rows stockinette devide the stitches in 4 parts placing a marker at the end of each quarter. K2TOG at each marker on all the following rows. After you've done this 4 times and you are left with 72 stitches, add additional markers half way between the excisting markers. On the rest of the rows you will then be decreasing the stitches at every marker, alltogether 8st/row. Knit until you are left with 8stitches, cut yarn, leaving a 15cm tail. Draw tail through the last stitches, draw tightly closed, and fasten on inside of cap. Weave in ends.

Big rose: (Novita pattern translated by yours truely):

Make a loop of yarn around your index finger. Crochet the first round on the loop. 1st rnd:  *2 ch, 2 tr, 2 ch,1 dc*, repeat *-* 4 times.The 1st round now has 5 petals. 2nd rnd: *2 ch, 1 dc in the middle of the petal on the back side, 2 tr between*, repeat *-* 4 times. 3rd rnd: crochet into every chain at the back 1 dc, 2 tr, 1 d tr, 2 tr ja 1 dc. 4th rnd: crochet *3 ch, 1 dc in the middle of the petal on the back side*, repeat *-* 4 times. 5th rnd: crochet into every chain at the back 1 dc, 2 tr, 2 d tr, 2 tr ja 1 dc. Cut yarn. Tighten the loop around the first round and fasten on inside. 

 
Small rose: 

Exactly as the big rose, just leave out 4th and 5th round. 

Petals: 

Bigger petals

Cast on 10. Crochet a dc on the 1st ch. 2 h tr, 6 tr, 1 h tr on the last ch. Do not turn the leaf around but continue to work on the other side of the chains: 1h tr, 6 tr, 2 h tr, 1ch. Cut yarn.

Smaller petals 

Cast on 7. Crochet a dc on the 1st ch. 2 h tr, 3 tr, 1 h tr on the last ch. Do not turn the leaf around but continue to work on the other side of the chains: 1h tr, 3 tr, 2 h tr, 1ch. Cut yarn.

Sow on the roses and the petals and voilà! Your slightly gaga flower hat is done!

Lacy scarf & cap

I'm starting to repeat myself but I'm Totally in love with this yarn!
So soft, so lovely..

Here's another set I made few weeks back..

As inspired by lacy scarf by Novita

Yarn: Novita Katri (100g = 160m, 100% acrylic)

Gauge: 14 st = 10cm

Skeins: 0,8 for the hat and roughly 1,2 for the scarf

Needle: 5mm

I used 29 stiches for the scarf and 112 for a loose fitted hat and just repeated the extremely simple pattern. 

Begin the cap with 3 rows of *K1, P1* and decrease when you feel like it ;)

 I decreased the stitches simply by not doing all the YOs on the pattern as I got to the desired height. I only did 4 YOs out of 6 on the first row, then 2 out of 6 on the pattern, etc.. easy-peasy!


I must say, if I had to do this hat again, I'd probably start of with maybe 90 stitches for the K1P1 and add the rest on the last layer, the hat is rather loose.. But it's not too loose so I wont re-do it.

Scarf= 18 x 175cm

Leafy scarf & cap

Totally in love with this Novita Katri yarn at the moment, it's 100% acrylic and oh so very soft!

Yarn: Novita Katri (100g = 160m, 100% acrylic)

Gauge: 14 st = 10cm

Skeins: 0,8 for the hat and roughly 2,2 for the scarf

Needle: 5mm

Scarf: Cast on 32. Work according to the pattern below repeating rows 1-16. When you have reached the desired lenght for your scarf cast off. 

Cap: Cast on 90. Devide on 4 double pointed needles or circular needles. Knit 1 purl 1 for the first 3-5 rows. Begin the pattern repeating the 10 stitches on the chart. After you've knitted the 16 layers on the pattern once begin the decrease as per Pic 2. With the remaining 18 stitches knit 2 together until you are left with 9. Cut yarn, leaving a 15cm tail. Draw tail through the last stitches, draw tightly closed, and fasten on inside of cap. Weave in ends.

"Tunturineule" scarf & cap

I've been trying to figure out, what on earth is Tunturineule in English, I've found very helpful Finnish-English knitting translations from http://www.katajala.net/marjut/neuleet/sanasto.shtml and other sites and found them very helpful in getting started. But this "tunturineule" remains a mystery, if anyone knows what it is in English, tell me!! EDIT: An anonymous reader suggested moss knit rib. Care to comment?

But here's the instructions for this chunky set anyhow:

Yarn: Novita Katri (100g = 160m, 100% acrylic)

Gauge: 14 st = 10cm

Skeins: 0,8 for the hat and roughly 2,2 for the scarf

Needle: 5mm

Scarf: Cast on 35. Knit according to the pattern below until you've reached the desired length. Cast off.

EDIT 11.1.2011:

To clarify the chart: there is 4 stitches on the rib that are repeated plus when knitting the scarf you'll need 1 extra stitch for right edge and 2st for left edge. When knitting the cap leave out the stitches outside the red lines here.

Cap: Cast on 94. Devide on 4 double pointed needle, 23 each. Begin decrease after 13cm. Decrease by 4 on every second row at the end of each needle. When you've reached top of the hat, about 18cm, *knit 2 together* until you have 8 stiches remaining. Cut yarn, leaving a 15cm tail. Draw tail through the last stitches, draw tightly closed, and fasten on inside of cap. Weave in ends.