The Mission Part II

I finished. Well, I finished Saturday around 4 pm, so it's been a while. I'm just lazy and dealing with midterms and the like. But I had a nice long Roommate From Hell-free weekend, so I got a lot of knitting done. Five pm on Saturday found me at the FedEx in town, where I shipped the FIVE hats I made. They should be arriving sometime tomorrow.

So, when I posted The Mission (Part I), I was in such a rush to get started that I failed to mention details. The hats are for one of my aunts who lives up north. Many years ago, she had breast cancer (twice) and survived. I was pretty young at the time, so all I remember is going up for the summer and seeing her with no hair. Recently (as in, like, two days before The Mission Part I), doctors found a small tumor near/on/in her brain. This was really really scary at first (let's just say there was some hysterics on my part. This isn't something I ever wanted to hear, much less on the phone with my mother while I'm on my way to my art history class). About four years ago, I had a brain cancer scare (if that makes sense), and though it wasn't, it was still beyond terrifying for me and those around me. So I can't even imagine.

But she's going to be fine. Thank god. She lost her hair on Friday, so I wanted to make sure the hats got out to her as soon as possible. So, the final product:

Grey: The Lydia Hat

Pink: Large Horseshoe Cable Hat

Light blue: Karma Hat

Medium blue: Braided Cable Hat

Green: Horseshoe Cable Hat

Lydia hat and scarf

I made these for my RA, Lydia. She kills all the bugs for us (we can handle the thousands of ladybugs, but it's the stinkbugs and wasps and cockroaches none of us care to handle). And she's helped us (by "us," I mean my two suite-mates and I) with dealing with my roommate, whom I not-so-affectionately call the Roommate From Hell.

I gave Lydia the scarf today, but I ended up sending the hat with the other Mission hats. (Sorry, Lydia). I'll probably end up making her another one. Seeing as we're expecting snow tomorrow and probably for the rest of forever, she can definitely use it. I guess that's what you get for going to school in the mountains. It's pretty, but it snows like no where else in the south.

Anyways. Both were knit on 10s with Vanna's Choice Silver Grey. (Honestly, this is such a good gift-giving yarn. Grey matches with just about everything.)

The hat:

(Notice the change in hair color? Yeah, no one else has either).

CO 80

K1 P1 across for 6 rows

*P1, K2, P1, K6 across

K1, P2, K2, P6 across

P1, K2, P1, K6 across

K1, P2, K2, P6 across

P1, K2, P1, K6 across

K1, P2, K2, P6 across

P1, K2, P1, C3F across*

Repeat between ** three times, for a total of four cable crosses.

K1, P2, K2, P6 across

P1, K2, P1, K2tog, K2, K2tog across

K1, P2, K1, P4 across

P1, K2tog, P1, K2tog, K2tog across

K1, P1, K1, P2 across

P1, K1, P1, K2tog across

K1, P1, K1, P1 across

K2tog, K2tog across

P across

K2tog across

P2tog across

Cut long tail, pull through remaining stitches, sew up the back.

The scarf:

Okay, preface: I wanted a cabled scarf (I've been obsessing about cables a bit lately, it seems), but I didn't want garter stitch edges, blocking something this large isn't really an option in a room the size of a postage stamp, and I wanted the cabling to be the main thing. So I made this.

CO 22

[*K2, P1, K2, P1, K10, P1, K2, P1, K2

P2, K1, P2, K1, P10, K1, P2, K1, P1*

Repeat between ** for ten rows

K2, P1, K2, P1, C5f, P1, K1, P1, K2

P2, K1, P2, K1, P10, K1, P2, K1, P1]

Repeat between [] once, for a total of two cable crossings

Okay, now, do the same thing again, but where it says "Repeat between ** for ten rows" do it for TWENTY. And the repeat everything above until the scarf is as long as you want it. (I ended with the ten-row cable part, just to make it all nice and even). Cast off, add fringe (if you want). The end.

Large horseshoe cable hat

I like how this turned out, but I don't LOVE it. I think the yarn I used wasn't right for the pattern, but, then again, I couldn't find a good pattern in the first place, hence my making one. Ravelry failed me in finding a large horseshoe cable hat that had more than two or three cable panel things.

This is on 10s (duh. It seems I can't use anything else right now, but I half-blame this on the need to finish these quickly). Vanna's Choice Baby Cheery Cherry (which is really bright. But cute).

CO 76

K2p2 for 5 rows

P across

K across, inc by 3

K1, P12 across

P1, K12 across

K1, P12 across

P1, C3B, C3F across

K1, P12 across

P1, K12 across

K1, P12 across

P1, K12 across

K1, P12 across

P1, C3B, C3F across

K1, P12 across

P1, K12 across

K1, P12 across

P1, K12 across

K1, P12 across

P1, C3B, C3F across

K1, P12 across

P1, K12 across

K1, P12 across

P1, K12 across

K1, P12 across

P1, C3B, C3F across

K1, P12 across

P1, K12 across

K1, P12 across

P1, K12 across

K1, P12 across

P1, C3B, C3F across

K1, P12 across

P1, K2tog, K8, K2tog

K1, P10 across

P1, K2tog, K6, K2tog

K1, P8 across

P1, K2tog, K4, K2tog

K1, P6 across

P1, K2tog, K2, K2tog

K1, P4 across

P1, K2tog K2tog across

K1, P2tog across

K2tog across

Cut long tail, pull through remaining stitches, and use tail to sew up the back.

Horseshoe cable hat

This hat turned out a little big (I think it was because of the yarn). But I put a smaller version in italics. This was knit, as per usual, on straight 10s. I used Vanna's Choice Baby green something.

CO 80 [Or cast on 72 if you want it smaller]

K2P2 across for 6 rows
P1 K8 across, make 10 (for 90) [If you did the smaller CO, only increase by 9]

K1 P8 across

P1 K8 across

K1 P8 across

P1 K8 across

K1 P8 across

P1, C2B, K2, K cable stitches, K2F, K2, K cable stitches across

K1 P8 across

P1 K8 across

K1 P8 across

P1 K8 across

K1 P8 across

P1, C2B, K2, K cable stitches, K2F, K2, K cable stitches across

K1 P8 across

P1 K8 across

K1 P8 across

P1 K8 across

K1 P8 across

P1, C2B, K2, K cable stitches, K2F, K2, K cable stitches across

K1 P8 across

P1 K8 across

K1 P8 across

P1 K8 across

K1 P8 across

P1, C2B, K2, K cable stitches, K2F, K2, K cable stitches across

K1, P8 across

P1, K2tog K2tog K2tog K2tog across

K1, P4 across

P1, K1, K2tog, K1 across

K1, P3 across

P1, K2tog, K1 across

K1, P2 across

P1, K2tog

K1, P1 across

K2tog across

P2tog across

Cut long tail, pull through remaining stitches, sew up the back.

Braided cable hat

(I think we can all agree that I need new needles, especially when they have turned from gold to silver, and they're turning my fingers colors. Not good. But they were my first needles. I don't know if I can give them up.)

I really like how this hat turned out. It's on the Loops and Threads Threadless Cadet Blue. Straight 10s, as per usual.

CO 80

K2P2 across for 6 rows

K across, make 10 throughout (I made mine at the ends, as in K1 M1 for 10)

Stockinette for five rows

K4, C3 front, K3, K3 from cable across

Stockinette for five rows

C3 back, K3, k 3 cable stitches, k 4 across

Stockinette for five rows

K4, C3 front, K3, K3 from cable across

Stockinette for five rows

C3 back, K3, k 3 cable stitches, k 4 across

Stockinette for five rows

K2tog, K2tog, C3 front, K3, K3 from cable across

Purl across

K2tog, K8 across

Purl across

K2tog, K7 across

Purl across

K2tog, K6 across

Purl across

K2tog, K5 across

Purl across

K2tog, K4 across

P3, P2tog

K2tog, K2

P1, P2tog

K2tog

Cut a long tail and pull through the remaining stitches. Use tail to sew up the side.

Karma Hat

I LOVE this hat. A lot. I love cables, and stockinette, and having entire purl/knit rows. No counting. To top it off, this hat took me only a few hours. Maybe five? I'm not sure. I should start keeping track of these things.

(Yeah, I need new needles.)

First, let me tell you about this yarn, the Threads and Loops Threadless. I knit my Hermione hat with the burgundy of it, and LOVED it. A lot. So before I came back to school, I bought two blues. Cadet Blue, and what I knit this hat on, True Blue. I was looking online to see other colors, and I found out it's the Michael's store brand. And I was pleasantly surprised. It's pretty soft for acrylic, and knits really well, without a lot of stray strings and whatnot that the Vanna's Choice sometimes has. The only downside is that the ends fray a bit more than most when leaving them loose (like fringe and such).

I promise that Michael's didn't pay me to give them their own little commercial. Though I wouldn't mind.

So, anyways. The actual pattern is knit on 8s, and I'm lazy and wanted to knit it on 10s. So straight 10s, with Loops and Threads Threadless True Blue.

CO 78

Knit 6 rounds of K2P2 ribbing

Knit a row, increasing by one on each end

Purl a row

Knit a row

**C2F, K2, Knit C, K4 across

Purl a row

Knit a row

Purl a row

K4, C2B, K2, Knit C across

Purl a row

Knit a row

Purl a row**

Repeat between ** three more times, or until desired length.

K4, C2B, K2, Knit C across

(I had some trouble with the following, but I think I just miscounted my decreases. Sorry.)

Purl a row

SSK, K6 across

P across

C1B, K2, Knit C, K4 across
P across

K5, K2tog across

P around

K3, C2F, K1, Knit C across
Purl across

K1, K2tog, K3 across

Purl across
C1B, K1, Knit C, K3 across

P across

K2, SSK K1 across
P across
K2tog, K2 around
P across
K 1, C1F, K1, Knit C across
P across
K1, K2tog

P across
K2tog

Cut long tail, pull through remaining stitches, sew up the back.

Slouchy red hat

Things we ARE NOT going to talk about:

1. How I ruined two (and a half?) hats.
2. How I'm beyond exhausted for no apparent reason.
3. How my favorite pair of knitting needles are so worn out that the... color? is so worn out that the silverness underneath shows through and thus turns the tips of my fingers silvery after lots of knitting.

Things we ARE going to talk about.

1. I finished a hat. And not just a hat, an ADORABLE one. (We're not going to talk about how I messed up some of the cabling in the back. It's in the back.) I might even make a matching scarf.
2. It's a long weekend. Which means another day of sleeping in. Thank you, MLK.
3. I have good leftovers for dinner.

So, here's the hat.

Here's the girl who made the pattern. I've got to say, the hat (and she) are adorable, like I said earlier. But this girl must have a tiny head, because I added TWO extra cable panels. TWO. So, 26 or so stitches. I did use size 10s instead of 11s, but I've done this before, compensating for it, and it's never been that much. It's really easy to make, as it's in stockinette mostly, so you don't have to worry about counting knit stitches and purl stitches in your head. And it didn't take that long to make, either.

So, here we go. Realize that this hat will be big. It is slouchy, after all. If you want it slouchier, block it. I've never blocked before, and the hat I made was already pretty big. All I did was put it over a big plate. Seriously.

Knit with Burgundy Threadless, size 10 straight needles.

CO 66 stitches (to make smaller or larger, subtract or add 11 stitches from casting on)

K1 P1 around for 5 rows across

Knit last two stitches of ribbing together

K3, C4 front, K4, knit 4 cable stitches, repeat across

Stockinette two rows across

K1, make 1, knit 2, make 1, knit 8 across (for 78 stitches)

Stockinette three rows across

C4 back, K4, k 4 cable stitches, k 5 across

Stockinette five rows across

K5, C4 front, K4, K4 from cable across

Stockinette five rows across

C4 back, K4, C4 back, K4, k 4 cable stitches, k 5 across

Stockinette five rows across

*K5, C4 front, K4, K4 from cable across

Stockinette five rows across

C4 back, K4, C4 back, K4, k 4 cable stitches, k 5 across

Stockinette five rows across*

(If you want the hat shorter, DO NOT do the part between the **. If you want it longer, DO the part between the **. Each part between the ** is about three inches).

K2tog, K1, K2tog, C4 front, K4, K4 from cable across

Purl across

K9, K2tog across

Purl across

K8, K2tog across

Purl across

K7, k2tog

P2tog, P6

K5, k2tog

P2tog, P4

K3, K2tog

P2tog, P2

K1, K2tog

P2tog

K2tog

Cut a long tail and pull through the remaining stitches. Use tail to sew up the side.

Made while

Watching: Miss Congeniality for the millionth time, episodes 1-4 of Firefly (also for the millionth time)

Playing: Bejeweled Blitz

Also, I recently made this hat. With earflaps! Go me.

Hermione hat

I really love this hat. I'm one of those people who sees movies/shows/whatnot and thinks whether or not they're handmakeable. This, thanks to JL Yarnworks, is. And I LOVE it.

A lot. Obviously. I made one for my friend Megan for Christmas, and I'm now making myself one sort of similar. Same general pattern. Ish.

Here's the pattern, but it's knitted in the round. And because I don't knit in the round, here it is on straight 5s, knit with Threadless Burgundy.

CO 110

K1P1 ribbing for 12 rows

*K6 P5 across

P6 K5 across*

Repeat between ** twice more

{K6, P1, YO, P2tog, P2 around
P6, K5 around
K6, P2, YO, P2tog, P1 around
P6, K5 around
K6, P3, YO, P2tog around
P6, K5 around
Slip 3 stitches onto cable needle and hold in front of work, K3, knit stitches on cable needle, P5] around

*K6 P5 across

P6 K5 across*

Repeat between ** twice more}

Repeat from {} three times

P6 K5 around

K6, P2tog, P3 around

P6, K2tog, K2 around

K6, P2tog, P1 around

P6, K2tog around

K5, K2tog around

P4, P2tog around

K3, K2tog around

P2, P2tog around

K1, K2tog around

P2tog around

Cut tail, pull tail through remaining five stitches. Sew the back up with tail.

NOTE: this pattern makes a long hat. So either decrease by one cable (only repeat between {} twice), rib for 6-8 rows instead of 12, or just leave it as it is.

Striped nightcap

So my sister's super picky. (I am too, I guess.) I made her a hat, which I still need to give to her. She wanted a really long hat, and I wanted to make her something she could wear with a lot of her clothes.

I got the pattern from here, but I knit really tightly and it just didn't turn out right. It was cute, but on size 7 needles knit exactly as the pattern she gives is, it was just way too small.

Knit on size 10 needles, Vanna's Choice Sapphire (107) and Silver Grey [?] (149). I used another blue (which I can't remember the name of or find) for one of the stripes, but honestly, any colors can be used. About half a skein of each was used.

Hat:

CO 75 in MC

K5P5 around for 24 rows in MC

In CC, knit 5 rows stockinette (K row, P row, etc.)

Still in CC *(on K side row), s1, ssk1, k until last three, k2tog, s1

P around*

Repeat between ** fifteen more times for a total of 20 rows

In MC, repeat between ** for 18 rows

In CC, repeat between ** for 14 rows

In MC, repeat between ** for 12 rows

In CC, repeat between ** for 10 rows

In MC, repeat between ** for 3 rows, or until there are ~5 stitches left.

Cut 2+ foot tail, bind off. Use long tail to stitch edges together.

Mirrored cable hat and scarf

So for Hanukkah, I made pretty much everyone I know a hat or scarf or both. For my mom, I made her a nice scarf/hat duo, except I only finished the hat today. Seems as if big heads run in our family, so of course the one I made her from a pattern I had edited didn't work. Below is the second hat I made (which thankfully turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself).

Hat and scarf both knit in Lion's Brand Vanna's Choice Dusty Blue (108). Total, it was probably two skeins. Both knit on size 10 needles.

Hat:

(This is for big heads, so maybe decrease CO by 8 [average] to 16 [a bit smaller] for heads that aren't as giant as mine and my mother's. Also, it's a bit long, so if you want it shorter, decrease by one cable.)

CO 88 stitches

K2 P2 around for 10 rows for ribbing

*P2 K6 around

K2 P6 around*

Repeat between ** twice more for a total of 6 rows

P2 C6F P2 C6B around

K2 P6 around

*P2 K6 around

K2 P6 around*

Repeat between ** twice more for a total of 8 rows

[P2 C6F P2 C6B around

K2 P6 around

*P2 K6 around

K2 P6 around*

Repeat between ** twice more for a total of 8 rows]

Repeat between brackets three more times for a total of five cables

P2 K6

K2tog P6 around

P1 K2tog K2 K2tog around

K1 P2tog P2tog around

K2tog around

P2tog around (this should leave you with 7[?] stitches)

Cut a 1ft long tail and pull through remaining stitches. Sew edges together with long tail (I use a crochet hook for this). Tie off, cut remaining.

Scarf:

I stole this pattern. It was super easy to knit. I did it on the size 10 needles, not 7, and my Vanna's Choice yarn.

(Also, all the pictures above are of the exact same scarf and hat. The top picture is closest to the actual color.)