Tag: child

Knitting

Tiger Hat Free!

Iris Rose

Okay, again, I am back at the crafting stuff. DH had a big set back but is on the mend now thank goodness.

Winter is coming and most kids need a new hat this time of the year. I love to knit for the grands and they are at an age still where they will wear a fun hat without worrying about the cool factor.

I published a pattern for a Tiger Hat that has been featured in a pattern round up for little’s hats and has had lots of downloads and positive comments.

This Tiger Hat is easy to knit and fun to wear. I have used the basic pattern and changed it to a cat, dog, teddy, etc. by simply modifying the ears and colour of yarn. Have fun with it! Here is direct link to the Ravelry download (free) for the pattern.

More next week on getting ready for the Big Freeze here in the Great White North. Ah, Bob and Doug, remember them?

Size: The hat in second size measures 43cm or 17” upstretched and 50cm or 20” stretched to fit. It will fit age 2 to 6 depending on the child’s head size.

Materials: I used pipsqueak like and eyelash yarn held together. You will need 70m or 78 yds of main colour (MC), 20m or 23 yds of contrast yarn (CC) for stripes and 10m or 12 yds of contrast yarn (CB) for muzzle and inner ears. You will also need about 4m or 5 yds of scraps of sport weight to make the nose and eyes. Small amount of stuffing for muzzle.
Tools: 6mm or US 10 (40cm or 16”) circular needle or DPNs and 3.5mm or US 4 needles for nose and eyes, a marker, a tapestry needle. You will need a second circular (magic loop) or DPNs for decreasing the crown of the hat.

Gauge: 13 stitches x 23 rows = 10cm or 4” in stocking stitch.

Abbreviations: k = knit k2tog = knit two stitches together

p = purl           kfb = knit into the front and back of the same stitch

Hat:
With MC, cast on 54 (60, 66, 72) stitches and join for knitting in the round placing a marker at the join to mark your row end.
Rnds 1 to 10: Work 10 rounds of 1×1 rib in main colour.
Rnds 11 and 12: Change to CC and knit rounds.
Rnds 13 to 15: Change to MC and knit these rounds.
Repeat Rnds 11 to 15 three more times for a total of twenty rounds in stripe pattern.
Rnds 31 and 32: Change to CC and work these rounds in stocking stitch.
Rnds 33 and 34: Change to MC and work these rounds in stocking stitch.
Rnd 35: Continue in MC and begin decreasing. (k 7 (8, 9, 10) k2tog) 6 times.
Rnd 36: Change to CC and knit 1 round.
Rnd 37: Continue in CC and continue decreasing. (k 6 (7, 8, 9) k2tog) 6 times.
Rnd 38: Change to MC and knit 1 round.
Rnd 39: Continue in MC and continue decreasing. (k 5 (6, 7, 8) k2tog) 6 times.
Rnd 40: Continue in MC and knit 1 round.
Rnd 41: Change to CC and continue decreasing. (k 4 (5, 6, 7) k2tog) 6 times.
Rnd 42: Continue in CC and knit 1 round.
Rnd 43: Change in MC and continue decreasing. (k 3 (4, 5, 6) k2tog) 6 times.
Rnd 44: Continue in MC and knit 1 round.
Rnd 45: Continue in MC and continue decreasing. (k 2 (3, 4, 5) k2tog) 6 times.
Rnd 46: Change to CC (for smallest size do not change colour) and knit 1 round.
Rnd 47: Continue in CC for larger sizes and MC for the smallest size and continue decreasing. (k 1 (2, 3, 4) k2tog) 6 times. This will be the last round for the smallest size. Cut a 20cm or 8” end and take off all stitches with a tapestry needle. Gather up tight and, slipping the needle to the inside, fasten off.
Continue decreasing in the stripe pattern for the next sizes, keep to MC for last rows so that the crown is in MC and stop after k1, k2tog round when there are 12 stitches left on the needles. Take the stitches off as described for the smallest size.
You are now ready for the face pieces.

Muzzle: Using contrast yarn CB and leaving a long tail, cast on 5 stitches.
Row 1: purl.
Row 2: kfb, k 3, kfb = 7 st.
Row 3: purl.
Row 4: kfb, k 5, kfb = 9 st.
Start with a purl row and work 15 rows of stocking stitch.
Row 20: k2tog, k 5, k2tog = 7 st.
Row 21: purl.
Row 22: k2tog, k 3, k2tog = 5 st.
Row 23: purl.
Cut a long tail and take off stitches with a tapestry needle. Gather up and secure but leave the end for sewing the muzzle to the hat.

Ears: Make 2, using MC and leaving a long tail, cast on 8 stitches.
Row 1: purl
Row 2: k 1, (kfb x 6) k 1 = 14 st.
Start with a purl row and stocking stitch 7 rows.
Row 10: Change to CC and knit.
Change to CB and starting with a purl row, work 5 rows of stocking stitch.
Row 16: k1, (k2tog x 6), k 1 = 8 st.
Cast off leaving a long tail for sewing on the ear.

Nose: Leaving a long tail for sewing and using beige or pink sport weight yarn and 3.5mm US 4 needles, cast on 11 stitches.
Start with a knit row and work 4 rows of stocking stitch.
Row 5: k2tog, k 7, k2tog = 9 st.
Row 6: purl.
Row 7: k2tog, k 5, k2tog = 7 st.
Row 8: purl.
Row 9: k2tog, k 3, k2tog = 5 st.
Row 10: purl.
Row 11: k2tog, k 1, k2tog = 3 st.
Cut a long tail (you will use this to make the separate cheeks) and take off the remaining 3 stitches with a tapestry needle.

Eyes: Make 2, using black or your chosen eye colour sport weight yarn and 3.5mm or US 4 needles, cast on 5 stitches,
Row 1: purl
Row 2: kfb, k 3, kfb = 7st.
Row 3: purl.
Row 4: kfb, k 5, kfb = 9 st.
Row 5: purl
Row 6: k2tog, k 5, k2tog = 7st.
Row 7: purl.
Row 8: k2tog, k 3, k2tog = 5 st.
Cast off leaving a long tail for sewing.

Thank you for reading and I wish you a lovely week.  Be kind and remember that we all see through different eyes and interpret through different experiences.

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

Wrong Dye Lot Disaster

Iris Rose

You would think that I should know better by now.

I made this wrap/poncho with the same yarn that I am currently working with and did not pay attention to the dye lots. It looks okay, I can’t see any difference I thought. Well, I ended up tearing out a whole skein of yarn and reknitting as the difference was very obvious.  The line in the photo is crease from folding not a different colour as it looks.  What’s up with my photos today?

Did I learn my lesson from that disaster? Nope, I used a different colour of the same yarn, merrily wound it into cakes so that I could avoid knots and flaws and threw away the bands without checking the dye lots. You guessed it, I ended up with this. It was way easier to see in real life; the photo doesn’t show the difference as clearly.

I, fortunately, had another skein that matched the one I started with so I am saved except for the ripping back, arg.

I did finish a round baby shawl on my machine. I crocheted the edging to stop the outside edge from rolling. It turned out quite pretty, I think. It was fairly easy to work but needed constant attention.

One success and one failure, not bad for a week’s work.
Have a lovely week and I should get back to you on Thursday. I am trying to get back on track!

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

Pattern Buying

Iris Rose

What it is about patterns that turn us into collectors? Is it the beautiful photos of lovely yarn made into something that best shows off the reason why we couldn’t resist buying the yarn to begin with? Is it maybe that we just like to consider the possibilities of new projects or do we like to connect with other crafters by participating in their work?

I look at patterns almost daily and use them as a source to know what finished projects are trending in order to keep my own work relevant. A number of years ago I would download and print whatever caught my fancy until I had an enormous pile of patterns that I knew I would never make. Talk about a tree waster! I have wised up a little since and just download those that I know I will make and have the stash to use for the item. I still have a big digital library but am gradually going through and ruthlessly deleting.

Having said all that, I still lust after the new and beautiful and do treat myself to the maybe someday stuff once in a while.

One of my favourite places to find patterns is garnstudio.com. This is the Drops website and, although the patterns are translated from another language, there is a large selection of patterns for all types of knitting and crocheting. My only caution is that you read through the pattern completely and make sure that you understand it all before you start. This will save you some heartache later, experience talking here.

There is, of course, Ravelry too, a great place to buy and store all the lovelies. When I need some inspiration, browsing here almost always gets me started. Most of what I buy are toy patterns with the occasional, I can’t live without, shawl thrown in.

Have fun looking for that special, I have to make it, pattern and I hope that you have or can find the perfect yarn to go with it.
See you next week and I wish you a fun week filled with pleasant company.

Knitting

Reversible Baby Jacket

Iris Rose

I apologize for my lack of action lately. Life, you know? Anyway, I am back at the crafting game and have a couple of things to show you today.

I have finished my black sweater but haven’t taken a photo as black is terrible to take pictures of. You will just have to trust me that it fits, looks good and I am very happy with it. If I have an opportunity to have DH take a photo of me wearing outdoors, I will post it. Not this weekend however as it is supposed to rain and maybe snow. Yes, snow, got to love the Canadian prairies.

I did make a reversible baby jacket, knit sideways, though and am really pleased with the results. The buttons on both sides took a little thought but I am altogether satisfied with the finished jacket. It is knit with fine four ply and finished with crocheted edging to join it.

I seem to use the same crocheted edging on almost all of my kid’s wear. I think that it looks nice and leaves no bumps or holes to catch on. It is easy to do, here’s how. You need to work in multiples of six. Work an edge in single crochet with that multiple of six, ie: six, twelve, eighteen, etc. single crochet stitches. Turn at the end and double crochet into the third single from your hook. Chain one and double crochet four more times into the same single to make a shell or fan shape. Skip two single crochets and single into the next. That is all there is to it. Easy and very pretty too.

I have much more going on in the craft section of my life this week including dying yarn. Results for you next time. Have a happy week filled with crafty goodness.

Yarn, Knitting and Crochet

Twister

Iris Rose

Do you ever buy yarn just because it is too pretty to resist? What a silly question! Of course you do, at least I hope that I am not alone in this habit. I can’t be because a lot of you write and post pictures of your large and lovely stashes.

Anyway, I bought four cakes of Hobbii Twister a while ago simply because I thought that they were beautiful. I had no other reason than that, honestly. I used most of one cake crocheting a girl’s poncho worked corner to corner style.

The yarn is really lovely. It has a nice hand, is easy to work with, and the colours are so pretty. The only knock against it is that it is not a true gradient which is what I thought I was buying. The poncho showed definite stripes although that doesn’t look too bad now that it is finished.

I was saving this colour for me thinking that a gradient sweater would be just about perfect made with it. When the striping showed in the teal, I put this lovely blend of greys and peaches away in disappointment as it just did not fit what I had in mind.

I decided to give it another chance. I am not a small person and crosswise stripes do nothing to improve my figure. That being the case, I thought to work a cuff to cuff style so that the stripes will run vertically. I played around with my swatch (yes, I do swatch to make sure that all of the work put into making a sweater results in one that fits!) and decided that the two cakes I have will be enough for a pretty cardigan.

This is what I have made so far. I determined that I needed to work the front and back separately in order to balance the stripes and also so that I could increase on the outside arm seam without it being too obvious.

I hoped to have this finished by now but, you know, life.

Have a super week and I will try to finish to show you next week. Kindness to you.