Tag Archives: Hats

Weekly Challenge: Ornate …

Posted on November 7, 2015 by | Comments Off on Weekly Challenge: Ornate …

I think this beautiful headpiece is subtly ornate…

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https://dailypost.wordpress.com/photo-challenges/ornate/


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Movie Star Retro Chic …

Posted on February 22, 2015 by | Comments Off on Movie Star Retro Chic …

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Girl In A Brimmed Hat …

Posted on October 19, 2014 by | Comments Off on Girl In A Brimmed Hat …

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black and white version

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- by Joan -


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The winter that wasn’t

Posted on March 24, 2012 by | Comments Off on The winter that wasn’t

It's been difficult to remind myself over these last few days that it's really only March!  Sometimes we'll get one randomly warm day in the very early spring, but a week of 80-degree temperatures?  Unheard of!  I wore sleeveless dresses to work these last two days....something I usually only do during July and August.  Crazy.

We didn't have much of a winter, truly.  I mean, yes, there was the giant storm at the end of October, but that was pretty much it.  We only had one real snowfall to speak of, in mid-January -- the day my grandmother came home from the hospital for the last time.  The good thing was that since we were all gathered for that, our nephew Thomas was here -- which meant that he got to introduce Ian to playing in the snow.  Who better to do it?

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Ian LOVED the snow.  He seems to enjoy the cold -- even last winter when we went to Vermont when he was about nine months old, we noticed that he was all smiles whenever we went outside into the frigid temperatures.  Jim is beside himself with anticipation for next winter (or maybe the winter after that, if I get my way) -- he's been looking forward to teaching Ian to ski since, well, since before I even was pregnant with him.  :-)  I, however, am less thrilled about the prospect.  I'm no fun.

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Sadly, this was pretty much it for snow play this year.  We had a couple of other light dustings which he got to toddle around in, but there wasn't really another snowfall that lent itself to playing.

While we didn't get much snow, it was just chilly enough for a nice warm hat -- and luckily, Ian loved the one I knit for him.

Hat

Pattern: Child's Hat with Pompom, from 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders
Yarn: Malabrigo Seleccion Privada 
Needles: US7, I think? I didn't write it down!
Time: December 26, 2011 - January 5, 2012
Ravelry project page

Hat

(These pictures were taken outside in early January.  You can see how not-wintry it was!  Note that Ian's only wearing a fleece, not even a real winter coat.)

This was a quick knit, obviously, being a tiny little hat.  It only took me so long because I ripped it out and restarted it at least three or four times -- it took quite a while to find a combination of size, fabric, and pooling that I found satisfactory.  I'd like the pooling, but the hat would be way too big.  I'd like the size, but the pooling was funny.  Different needle size led to a good size, but the fabric was way too stiff....you get the idea.  I finally found a combination I was happy with, though.  I neglected to mark down which needle size finally worked, but I wound up casting on 84 stitches and working the pattern in multiples of 6 stitches instead of 8.  And, obviously, I left off the pompom.  Other than that, though, I followed the pattern.  Ian LOVED this hat, insisted on wearing it everywhere, and I think it will still fit him next year, too.  Hopefully he'll still like it!

I didn't really set out to knit my one-year-old a hat out of a $25 skein of Malabrigo (I'm generally all about the easy-care yarn for kid knits), but when I saw these colors I just couldn't resist.  What a perfect, bright, happy colorway for a little kid....and, of course, it's super-soft for his noggin.

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I had woolly things I kind of wanted to get to this winter, but now it's time to think ahead to spring and summer knits.  Of course, I'm certain we'll get one more snowstorm before we're truly 100% into spring.  Maybe over Easter -- it would be an appropriate counterpoint to the Halloween storm!

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All twisted up

Posted on February 16, 2012 by | Comments Off on All twisted up

Towards the end of last year, I was kind of on a cable kick with my knitting.  Of course most of my "knitting" time is actually spend browsing Ravelry and perusing knitting magazines rather than, you know, actually KNITTING, but still, I found myself drawn to cables.  I have visions of knitting myself some kind of lovely cabled sweater or vest or something, but for now, I'm taking the edge off with little accessories.  

First up, a hat.  An impossible-to-photograph hat -- what IS it about purple?

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Pattern: Bramble Beret, from the book Vintage Modern Knits
Yarn: Valley Yarns Northampton, less than one skein 
Needles: US5/3.75mm and US7/4.5mm
Time: September 2011 (about two weeks, start to finish)
Ravelry project page

When I got this book for the library, as soon as I saw this hat I knew I'd have to make it.  I decided to make it in time to enter it in the Harwinton Fair -- and it won a blue ribbon in the hat category!  Even as I was knitting it I was thinking that it would be a perfect gift for my sister Katie.  I mentally earmarked it as a Christmas gift for her, which is why I didn't blog about it sooner.  (I did give it to her, and she proudly wears her Award-Winning Hat now :-) )

This wasn't a particularly difficult knit for me -- but it was very fiddly.  I prefer to knit things like hats on double-pointed needles rather than circular needles, which always makes for some "octopus wrestling" moments once you work cable needles into the mix as well.  The reason the pattern took so long for me to knit was because it has about eight million bobbles.  I love the texture of the finished product, but oy, I never wanted to see another bobble ever again.  The pattern is charted, and I found it to be very well-written and easy to follow.  

I loved the yarn -- Valley Yarns Northampton.  I actually got this particular skein for free, as a giveaway at the Storey booth at Book Expo America last year!  It reminds me a lot of Cascade 220 -- a 100% wool yarn that I am told felts beautifully (though I've not felted with Northampton myself), but is still nice and soft and perfect for next-to-skin wear.  I have already used Northampton again (see below!) and will do so in the future, too.  It's a great basic yarn and comes in a lot of colors.

This particular color, of course, was nearly impossible for me to photograph.  Neither of these pictures is quite right -- it's a deep, dark eggplant purple.  So not only was it hard to get the color right in pictures, the project was so dark it was hard to capture the pattern too! 

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I had so much fun cabling with Northampton, I did it a second time!

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Pattern: Twisty Sister Cabled Handwarmers (free pattern available here)
Yarn: Valley Yarns Northampton, less than one skein 
Needles: US6/4.0mm
Time: November 25 - December 1, 2011
Ravelry project page

These were SUCH a fun knit -- I LOVED them and want to make another pair, if not more than one!  They're a small project so they go quickly.  The cable is intuitive and fun to knit, and looks a lot more complicated than it actually is so you get a lot of bang for your buck.  The pattern is free, but is exceedingly well-written -- personally, I think the designer should have charged for it!  It was better than any number of patterns that I HAVE paid for.  

I used Northampton again for these (another freebie ball from Book Expo -- this one picked up by my coworker).  It's a great yarn for cabling -- it makes the cables nice and plump -- and the finished product was so nice and soft and warm.  I gave these to my sister-in-law Kate for Christmas, but it was hard to give them up!

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I see more cables in my future...I'm just not sure what, exactly, they'll be a part of!

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She knits!

Posted on January 13, 2012 by | Comments Off on She knits!

I really did fall off the knitting, or at least the knitblogging, wagon there for a while.  It's no secret that I don't knit as much as I used to, but also, towards the end of the year I started work on a big project -- a sock yarn blanket -- which pretty much took up all of my knitting time.  And then came Christmas gifts, which I couldn't blog about.  And then there's the whole issue of me being lazy about photographing projects (and then getting the pictures from my camera....and then uploading them to flickr....and now my flickr pro account is expired), so, well, not much knitblogging.

But anyway, Christmas is (mostly) over, so I can unveil some of the projects I did.

First, there was a hat I knitted for my brother-in-law, but I forgot to take a picture, and my sister-in-law hasn't sent me one yet, so I'll just tell you that I did it, but you don't get to see it.  ;-)

Then, from the "projects that are lovely but really not all that photogenic" files, a cowl for my mother-in-law.

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Pattern: One-row eyelet cowl
Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Baby Alpaca Grande Tweed, one skein
Needles: US11/8.0mm
Time: December 2-3, 2011
Ravelry project page

This was a super-quick project -- as the pattern name suggests, it's just one row, repeated over and over, till you run out of yarn.  The finished product is really lovely -- it's nice and drapey (especially after blocking, which really opened up the eyelets) and oh so soft and warm without being heavy.  I love alpaca for this kind of project.

And for my sister-in-law, who is a huge Doctor Who fan...

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Pattern: The Oncoming Storm
Yarn: Frog Tree Alpaca Sportweight, one skein gray, maybe 1/3 skein dark charcoal gray
Needles: US6/4.0mm
Time: December 4-20, 2011
Ravelry project page

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If you're a Doctor Who fan too, you'll recognize these as being Dalek-inspired.  I loved that they are clearly Daleks if you are familiar with Daleks -- but if you're not, they're just a neat pattern.  Just the right degree of geeky for me.  These were a fun knit...colorwork (which I haven't done in forever), bobbles...just interesting enough.  I didn't do the bobbles exactly as written; instead I used bobble instructions I've used previously, because the ones in the pattern didn't "bobble" enough for my liking, especially with this yarn (which is rather flat and didn't have good stitch definition for things like bobbles).  I didn't really like the way the thumbhole was written in the pattern, either...it seemed WAY too big for a thumb.  I think the point was to make the thumb stick out straight to more closely resemble a Dalek, but I think I'd modify it somehow if I were to make these again, to make them fit the hand more nicely.  But all in all, these were a big success -- they're nice and soft (it's been a very alpaca Christmas!) and as you can see from the picture, Katie loved them.  :-)

And next, at long last, a hat for Jim (being modeled by Ian).  I love my husband dearly, but he doesn't wear many knits, and so I never knit anything for him! 

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Pattern: Hurricane Hat
Yarn: my handspun
Needles: US7/4.5mm
Time: December 4-21, 2011
Ravelry project page

And here's a picture of the actual recipient.  Such a versatile hat, it fits both man and child!

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I knitted this from yarn I spun (and blogged, very briefly, here) a couple of years ago.  It's Falkland wool, from fiber dyed by Freckle Face Fibers.  This yarn wanted to be a hat from the very moment I took it off the niddy-noddy, and its time had finally come.  It had a bit of a bumpy, rustic, thick-and-thin quality to it, so I knew I needed a simple pattern, and the Hurricane Hat, with its spiral of purl stitches on a stockinette background, was just the ticket.  I'm intrigued that it knitted up in stripes (seen best in the picture that Ian is modeling in), since I spun the yarn, as I recall, totally randomly!  Jim wanted a basic hat in a natural fiber that he could wear while skiing, and since he always runs warm, I didn't want to make it too heavy.  This fits the bill nicely, I think, and even matches his navy-and-grey ski jacket pretty well!  This was another quick knit, but it took as long as it did because I was knitting it in secret on my lunch breaks at work, just a couple of rows per day for the better part of a month.  :-)

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Reflecting on 2011 and Counting Down to 2012

Posted on December 26, 2011 by | Comments Off on Reflecting on 2011 and Counting Down to 2012
Knitting Madness
I never really cared for this time of year.  In spite of the family gatherings and all the parties, I always felt so small and alone.  What I didn't realize was that I was spending the time reflecting in my own space, rather than reaching out and making others happy.  
Baby Buddy came out of hiding and went
right back to the tree on Christmas Eve!

And now, I can't believe Christmas is over!  I've been running around, knitting like crazy, baking, Christmas shopping, and taking care of a sick cat.  With all of the incredibly bad things that have happened this year, I had so much to be thankful for once I sat down and thought about it.  When you look at all of it, I still have my wonderful family and many opportunities ahead of me.  I even got my own Christmas miracle when I found out that we did not have to put Baby Buddy to sleep!  They did not find cancer but we will have to have more tests run to see if his growth is affecting anything.  He even started to act like his old self again and came to sleep next to me on Christmas morning (something he has not done in a few months because he didn't have the energy to get upstairs).

In between the regular Christmas-time running around, I managed to make a few gifts for the people in my family who have been admiring some of the things I've made so far this year.  There was:
     
    My two sisters-in-law were really excited about their hats:
    Slouchy Beanie in Peacock Colors (left) and
    Simply Elegant Beanie (right)
    
  • A pair of socks for my aunt in Arizona
  • A pair of socks for my grandmother
  • A hat for two of my sisters-in-law
  • A pair of slippers with suede soles for another grandmother (husband's side)
  • A custom-made sweater vest as my first Etsy sale
  • Finishing the hats that my brother-in-law ordered
*sigh*  My husband and I also decorated the house and built Peanut's larger gifts.  We also took turns baking: I made sugar cookies and oatmeal cookes (with dark chocolate and toffee chips) and hubby made three different kinds of cheese cake (peppermint, eggnog and apple).  When it finally came down to it, we spent Christmas Eve at my father-in-law's house, Christmas morning at our house opening gifts, and Christmas evening watching football at The Royal Victorian Manor, my parents' Bed and Breakfast. 


Peanut models in front of the Christmas tree.

So much love, so many smiling faces.  Now I remember why I do what I do.  I love helping people and making them happy.  If I can do something well enough to brighten another person's day, I know I have a purpose and something to look forward to.  Working in health care did give me that opportunity, I mean, I managed a clinic for people who would have no other access to health care if it wasn't for our little clinic.  And speaking Spanish allowed me to be a representative for women's health education to a rural Hispanic community, giving those women a chance to learn more about important women's health issues.

With Peanut around, I want to spend every minute with him, watching him grow and learn.  He's helped me to realize that there are many things that I love to do, but if I must help my family succeed.  Why not do that while doing something you love?  And this is why I knit.  I love the arts, I love my family, and I love making people happy by making something that keeps them warm or warms their heart.

I am looking forward to see what 2012 will bring for my own personal growth and the growth of Cherished Moments.  I'll be:
  • Frantically working on my business plan
  • Designing knit clothes for babies and children that have a timeless style
  • Writing patterns
and enjoying every little part of the process.  I promise, you won't be disappointed!
Christmas at the Royal Victorian Manor.

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A Yarn Addict with Designer’s Block

Posted on November 17, 2011 by | Comments Off on A Yarn Addict with Designer’s Block
Don't forget to "officially" follow our blog!  We'd love your feedback!

Design
I realized that out of all the bins upon bins (upon bins) of yarn that I have, there are not many balls of yarn that are "girly" colors.  So, yes, I went out and bought way too much double knit yarn in pinks and purples all with dreams of frilly or lace cardigans in mind.  Of course, when I got home, I immediately got designer's block!  I sat in my room for 6 hours wondering what I could do with all this yarn and not one project came to mind. 

Cabled Sweater Vest - Newborn
I spoke with one knitter at the Knitting Knook regarding this issue, mainly that of finding books on designing for babies.  Yea, you can look up measurements for babies, but without a baby girl in your house to try things on, you're kinda out of luck.  And I wondered, what is actually out there for little girls and how can I make something a little different.  My mind kept wandering back to sweater vests, especially since I just finished one for my Etsy shop.

Why are girls so much more complicated?  When it comes down to it, they really aren't.  My problem is I want to do seamless sweaters and dresses, but I don't have anyone to measure to make the proper sized yoke.  I know what measurements to take, but I'm lost on where to start or even estimate the average size of a baby in sizes like newborn or 6-12 months.  I've really only been a "yarn addict" for less than a year.  I see it as learning the ropes of a new job, training myself as I go along.  One day, I'll look back at my naive stage and laugh about how I was stressing over simple things.

Reluctantly modeling a hat for Etsy.
I hate having my picture taken,
but, the fam seems to like the picture.
Of all things though, my extended family has liked the few hats I've made.  I'm even making some for them for Christmas.  My brother-in-law also requested that I make handmade hats that he could give away with his band's name on them.  Ten hats in all and he'd pay!  Even though I avoid fair isle at all costs, I agreed.  I designed a knit chart for the band name, "Suboscillator" in block letters and actually did a good job on the fair isle part.  It wasn't tight or anything...but the prototype was a little too big.  Tonight I'm re-working the hat design, mainly just using smaller needles and a different rib pattern on the brim (which bro liked better anyway).  The stressful part is that I have to finish it by tomorrow evening so the hat can be delivered to another band member to show off at a concert (I'm taking "working" a break right now).  Wish me luck.

Coming Soon
It's going to be 2012 soon...gotta start thinking spring.  In the meantime, some yarn dyeing?  Stay tuned.

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A Yarn Addict with Designer’s Block

Posted on November 17, 2011 by | Comments Off on A Yarn Addict with Designer’s Block
Don't forget to "officially" follow our blog!  We'd love your feedback!

Design
I realized that out of all the bins upon bins (upon bins) of yarn that I have, there are not many balls of yarn that are "girly" colors.  So, yes, I went out and bought way too much double knit yarn in pinks and purples all with dreams of frilly or lace cardigans in mind.  Of course, when I got home, I immediately got designer's block!  I sat in my room for 6 hours wondering what I could do with all this yarn and not one project came to mind. 

Cabled Sweater Vest - Newborn
I spoke with one knitter at the Knitting Knook regarding this issue, mainly that of finding books on designing for babies.  Yea, you can look up measurements for babies, but without a baby girl in your house to try things on, you're kinda out of luck.  And I wondered, what is actually out there for little girls and how can I make something a little different.  My mind kept wandering back to sweater vests, especially since I just finished one for my Etsy shop.

Why are girls so much more complicated?  When it comes down to it, they really aren't.  My problem is I want to do seamless sweaters and dresses, but I don't have anyone to measure to make the proper sized yoke.  I know what measurements to take, but I'm lost on where to start or even estimate the average size of a baby in sizes like newborn or 6-12 months.  I've really only been a "yarn addict" for less than a year.  I see it as learning the ropes of a new job, training myself as I go along.  One day, I'll look back at my naive stage and laugh about how I was stressing over simple things.

Reluctantly modeling a hat for Etsy.
I hate having my picture taken,
but, the fam seems to like the picture.
Of all things though, my extended family has liked the few hats I've made.  I'm even making some for them for Christmas.  My brother-in-law also requested that I make handmade hats that he could give away with his band's name on them.  Ten hats in all and he'd pay!  Even though I avoid fair isle at all costs, I agreed.  I designed a knit chart for the band name, "Suboscillator" in block letters and actually did a good job on the fair isle part.  It wasn't tight or anything...but the prototype was a little too big.  Tonight I'm re-working the hat design, mainly just using smaller needles and a different rib pattern on the brim (which bro liked better anyway).  The stressful part is that I have to finish it by tomorrow evening so the hat can be delivered to another band member to show off at a concert (I'm taking "working" a break right now).  Wish me luck.

Coming Soon
It's going to be 2012 soon...gotta start thinking spring.  In the meantime, some yarn dyeing?  Stay tuned.

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A Yarn Addict with Designer’s Block

Posted on November 17, 2011 by | Comments Off on A Yarn Addict with Designer’s Block
Don't forget to "officially" follow our blog!  We'd love your feedback!

Design
I realized that out of all the bins upon bins (upon bins) of yarn that I have, there are not many balls of yarn that are "girly" colors.  So, yes, I went out and bought way too much double knit yarn in pinks and purples all with dreams of frilly or lace cardigans in mind.  Of course, when I got home, I immediately got designer's block!  I sat in my room for 6 hours wondering what I could do with all this yarn and not one project came to mind. 

Cabled Sweater Vest - Newborn
I spoke with one knitter at the Knitting Knook regarding this issue, mainly that of finding books on designing for babies.  Yea, you can look up measurements for babies, but without a baby girl in your house to try things on, you're kinda out of luck.  And I wondered, what is actually out there for little girls and how can I make something a little different.  My mind kept wandering back to sweater vests, especially since I just finished one for my Etsy shop.

Why are girls so much more complicated?  When it comes down to it, they really aren't.  My problem is I want to do seamless sweaters and dresses, but I don't have anyone to measure to make the proper sized yoke.  I know what measurements to take, but I'm lost on where to start or even estimate the average size of a baby in sizes like newborn or 6-12 months.  I've really only been a "yarn addict" for less than a year.  I see it as learning the ropes of a new job, training myself as I go along.  One day, I'll look back at my naive stage and laugh about how I was stressing over simple things.

Reluctantly modeling a hat for Etsy.
I hate having my picture taken,
but, the fam seems to like the picture.
Of all things though, my extended family has liked the few hats I've made.  I'm even making some for them for Christmas.  My brother-in-law also requested that I make handmade hats that he could give away with his band's name on them.  Ten hats in all and he'd pay!  Even though I avoid fair isle at all costs, I agreed.  I designed a knit chart for the band name, "Suboscillator" in block letters and actually did a good job on the fair isle part.  It wasn't tight or anything...but the prototype was a little too big.  Tonight I'm re-working the hat design, mainly just using smaller needles and a different rib pattern on the brim (which bro liked better anyway).  The stressful part is that I have to finish it by tomorrow evening so the hat can be delivered to another band member to show off at a concert (I'm taking "working" a break right now).  Wish me luck.

Coming Soon
It's going to be 2012 soon...gotta start thinking spring.  In the meantime, some yarn dyeing?  Stay tuned.

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