Hat-along -- 13 in '13!

[Alexus1325]

Of course, having several things on needles at once means I'm thinking about the next projects already

LOL! That's EXACTLY how I feel! Right now I have an unfinished pair of socks that are officially sleeping, and the bicolor hat is being swapped out with a shawl for me, and yesterday I started spinning cat hair into yarn, and coffee filter roses off and on the last few days...

And guess what? I'm already thinking about what to knit with the cat fur yarn, I plan on making a Gibbous-style top hat for a friend, I've been meaning to sew up a couple of floral knit cardigans, oh yes, and I just ordered 4 pounds of wool from Sheep Shed...

/facepalm

Since my last post, I've accomplished about 10 rows on the hat because knitting a shawl seems to be much more relaxing (but apparently not as relaxing as spinning???).

[yofi]

Wow, Alexus – spinning cat fur?  How difficult is that?  Do you have some special Angora-breed cat?  Because I certainly have a high-production candidate….


Welcome, mandyandbingley!  I figured hats are the easiest knit-along, since most knitters have several on the needles anyway.

This has been a crazy busy week, but last night I absolutely had to do laundry.  I love going to the laundromat, since I can actually knit in peace!  I've got about half of the Kiddie Cat hat done:


Hoping to get it finished this weekend, and on to the next!

[alwaysinmyroom]

I love that bicolor spiral hat!  I have already crocheted 5 hats for crochetalong, so I better slow down there...

I have frogged five projects using Noro silk garden (hate the stuff)...but the spiral scarf might be the winner!

Yofi--wow---I just learned cables so that hat looks very challenging!

I love the hat patterns everyone has so far...

I have knit a few hats already this year, but I won't count them as I am sure I will get at least 13 since I do donate a lot to our homeless shelter and to hatless people I see who are nuts to go through winter without something on their head!!!

1. Bicolor spiral using unloved Noro
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[yofi]

You can split the yarn-love between the two threads, always!

Someday I'm going to really sit down and play with cables; knit swatches with every possible combination of twists, and knit over, purl under, so I *really* understand how they work, and can create my own.  In the meantime, I just note patterns that have specific elements I really like.  The center panel of this is an example: the 4 "strands" are a rib, but you twist one of the stitches.  I love how it looks!

I guess I need to start my list, as well, don't I?

[Alexus1325]

Wow, Yofi! Fluffy kitty! Mirage is just a dark-dark-dark-smoky-gray cat with long fluffy fur. The hairs are between 1 and 3 inches, so there are some challenges, but overall, it's fun! AND SO OMG SOFT!!!!!! I almost don't want to spin the wool coming in the mail after this My boyfriend stroked my spindle and asked "So what are you making for me? Can you make me Mirage-socks?"

Yay, Always! So glad I inspired you! I've never used Noro, but it sure seems popular if Ravelry is any indication.

I have a few days off coming up, so I'll be able to finish my bicolour hat! After that, I think I'll make a simple toque for me using a lovely pink/orange/purple yarn from Judy's magic box of overstock and discontinued yarns.

Updated ma list.

[alwaysinmyroom]

I get overwhelmed by all of the available patterns "out there"...so I appreciate seeing patterns recommended or flagged by you guys!

I know the colors of Noro are wonderful but I truly hate the feel of the yarn...I have found a yarn I love more than Noro but since I already bought it, I am determined to not waste it...I prefer soft yarn with some spring,,,and mostly with a nice twist...but I love to experiment with all sorts...

[misskohaku]

I'm already in the crochetalong for hats, but I love knitting too!

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[yofi]

Alright -- finished my Kiddie Cat hat over the weekend; forgot the camera but I'll post it tomorrow.  It's already been claimed by the daughter of a friend of mine.

I'm starting a felted hat for a co-worker, using a pattern from Barbara Walker's Mosaic Knitting.  I'm still getting a feel for felting - I sure the pattern will turn out nicely at least!

I bought my sister Annie Modesitt's cool book History on Two Needles, where she takes inspiration from paintings, frescos, and other artifacts -- and produces some really great knits.  We were both really taken with this hat Admiral Anja's Hat, so we're both going to try it.  I don't think she'll have any problem with it, but I think it's at the upper limit of my skill level.  So it's probably going to drag on for quite some time!

It has also inspired me to seek out a better grade of yarn.  I get almost all of my yarn at JoAnn's, Michael's, or Hobby Lobby, and and I admit, I tend to go with acrylic-blend.  Partly out of cost, but partly out of how easy it is to care for.  I give away pretty much everything I knit, and I don't like giving people a "special needs" item.  In my experience, they don't use the hat/sweater/blanket as much, if they know they can't just toss it in the wash.

But this is a really nice hat, and deserves some really nice yarn. (And something between my usual grades of worsted weight and sock yarn.)  So I'm going to have to branch out, and I'm curious -- where do you get "special" yarn?  Do you have a LYS you like?  Do you order online?  do you shop just for particular projects, or do you buy the yarn first, then find the best use for it?

Late nights at work this week, but it's going to be a cold weekend -- perfect hat weather! 

[alwaysinmyroom]

Yofi--that is a very challenging pattern!  You might want to try a DK weight or sport weight...that is my favorite weight to use.

I purchase a lot of utilitarian yarns, mostly solids that will be made into clothing that might need to be washed, at www.knitpicks.com.  They have a lovely superwash merino that is great to work with at a reasonable price.  It also comes in different weights, including sock yarns and DK...if I am making anything really special or if I am sending yarn to a fellow yarnie in a swap, I do like to go to my local place, Yarn Love, Hummelstown, PA so that I can feel and see the yarn myself....the prices are expensive there, between $19 and $45 a skein but if it is for a challenging, once-in-a-lifetime knit, I will splurge!

I had a felting fail this weekend...a friend of mine sent me a small amount of handspun yarn tht she had dyed and spun...I knit it with some Pattons wool into a hat for felting...the Pattons felted, her yarn did not or it did very little (she probably prewashed the heck out of it!)...I ended up saving her yarn by drying it on a rack and rewinding it...but I had to cut away all my knitting with the Pattons wool to save it!  UGH!

[Alexus1325]

Woohoo! Got my Bicolour Spiral Hat done. Turned out awesome, IMO Boyfriend is less than thrilled, but it was the same story with his last hat. It'll grow on him.

Gonna whip up a Watchcap for myself next. I think I'm abandoning my shawl, as it's just not turning out how I'd envisioned, and I'm getting pretty sick of the repetition.