You know you knit too much when...

He looked cold and tired, so I brought him inside.


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Four hours later....
*cue montage music*

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Don't judge me. I need help.

Abstract Camouflage Beanie

Abstract Camouflage Beanie Hat

Technique: Knitting

Level: Intermediate (decreases, ribbing)






The stitch pattern used is “Abstract Mosaic” found at http://www.knittingonthenet.com/stitches/mosaicabstract.htm.

This hat pattern is, to the best of my knowledge, my own design, and as such is free for personal use or charitable donations. Please do not sell this pattern.

Needles:
US 8 / 5.0 mm circs
US 10 / 6.0 mm circs & dpns
Yarn:
Bernat Camouflage Ombres
10483 Renegade
29481 Outback
Gauge:
4.5 st/in, 5 rows/in in pattern. Final dimensions: 7.75” x 19”

Notes:
Stitches used: knit (k), purl (p), knit 2 together (k2tog), slip purlwise (sl)
Used Renegade as color A, Outback as color B.
Pattern within double parenthesis ((!)) should be repeated until 2 st from end on each round.

Cast on 84 on smaller needles, with rib cable cast on (aka alternate cable cast on). Join being careful, etc.
Rib with k1, p1 for 1 inch with color A. Place stitch marker. (84 st total)
Switch to larger needles, also 16” circs.

Pattern:
Round 1(color A): k2 tog, ((k2, sl 3, k3)), rep, end with k2. (83 st total)
Round 2 and all even rows(continue with color from previous round): K all knit st, slip all sl st.
Round 3 (color B): k1, ((k1, sl 1, k5, sl)) rep, end with k2.
Round 5 (A): k1, ((sl 1, k3, sl 1, k3)) rep, end sl 1, k1.
Round 7 (B): k1, ((k3, sl 1, k1, sl 1, k2)) rep, end k2.
Round 9(A): k1, ((sl 1, k5, sl 2)) rep, end sl 1, k1.
Round 11(B): k1, ((k1, sl 1, k1, sl 1, k4)) rep, end k2.
Round 13(A): k1, ((k2, sl 1, k3, sl 1, k1)) rep, end k2.
Round 15(B):k1, ((k5, sl 1, k1, sl 1)) rep, end k2.

Repeat pattern 2x, then do one more round 1 and 2. (Or until piece measures approximately 5.5 inches.)

Decrease rounds are worked more or less in pattern with a k2tog after 8 stitches. Note that the following pattern is approximate. Some stitches listed as slipped must be knit, then the following knit stitch should be slipped, to keep slipped stitches from extending more than 2 rows.

R1: ((k5, sl1, k1, sl1, k2tog, place marker,)) rep to last 3, k2tog, sl1.
R2 and all even rounds: Work in pattern according to decrease: knit each knit and slip sl stitches. Transfer to dpns when appropriate.
R3: ((k1, sl, k3, sl1, k1, k2tog, place marker)) rep to last 2, k2tog.
R5: ((sl1, k1, sl1, k3, k2tog, place marker)) rep to last st. To get rid of remaining st, slip and k2tog with first st of next round:
R7: k2tog, sl1, k3, k2tog, place marker, ((k1, sl1, k3, k2tog, place marker)) rep to end.
R9: ((k3, sl1, k2tog, place marker)) rep to end.
R11: ((sl1, k1, sl1, k2tog, place marker)) rep to end.
R13: ((k1, sl1, k2tog, place marker)) rep to end.
R15: ((sl, k2tog, place marker)) rep to end.
R17: ((k2tog)) rep to end. Do not continue to round 18.
Break yarn, use tapestry needle to pull yarn through remaining 8 stitches. Secure.

I added a stylish oak leaf from Simple Crochet for Cherished Babies, attached by a safety pin because I know perfectly well the recipient won’t care for it- he wants to go hunting and it would catch on twigs and the like. Thing is, he said he wanted a “Mossy Oak” pattern hat… and I’m just not good enough to do that sort of thing! So an oak leaf is my way of teasing him about it.

Prtty, Pretty Princess

The story of this is, when my friend Amy had her second baby, I made a little cloak and cape for her then-18 month daughter, so she wouldn’t feel left out when everybody was buying things for the new baby. Apparently, Allex LOVES her cape and crown, but now, with a third baby on the way and a ripe old age of 3, the cape is WAY too small (8” long? Seriously?) So I asked what color she’d like her new cape in, and the answer was a resounding, “PINK!”

Funny thing. I always wondered why people crocheted and knitted perfectly lovely patterns in odd colors. A camo hat in pink? Thinks I… well, now I know why.

Ok, then, if the girl wants pink, the girl gets pink. The border “fur” was sort of challenging, until I remembered a long-forgotten stash of pink eyelash yarn that had come with a kid’s knitting machine I picked up at a sale at Michael’s yea these many moons ago. At the time, I thought to myself, “Hot pink eyelash yarn with silver sparkles? No way am I ever going to need that. When hell freezes over, maybe. And I’m not too sure about then, either.”

Lo and behold, my friends. Apparently the devil needs snowshoes. One hot-pink, sparkly fur border, coming up.

At a whopping 24” long, it should be big enough to last awhile, and the crown is darn-near adult sized, so I’m hoping that will take a bit to grow out of, too. I don’t think I could take much more pink crocheting, and I’m not sure her mother could, either. I admire the woman’s stoicism in the face of such an enemy.

Couple of notes on changes: Had to modify the sizes, which was a bit more challenging than most patterns since the designer didn’t see fit to include gauge or hook size for the original in the first place. Nice, huh? After several attempts, including one cape which fit me rather cunningly, I think I finally got it.

Also, I added some little shiny plastic sequins as jewels for the crown with a daub of pink fabric paint.

Keiyla's Basic Beanie

So I've been making hats for a while, and I've almost always used someone else's pattern. But there was always something not quite "right" with them. Oh, they're good patterns, but...

For example, Ellen's basic hat has two inches of 2x2 ribbing. Too much ribbing, I think, for it to lie flat, but if the ribbing is flipped up, the purls above and underneath like to come along for the ride and peep through.

If I rib the entire hat, not only does it take forever, but the decreases always look a little off, to me. Of course, if I don't rib at all, the brim curls.

My solution: Keiyla's Basic Beanie. An inch of ribbing, not intended to fold up. The ribbing is 1x1, so it's not as pronounced as the 2x2, and to a casual observer may not even look like ribbing.

I used Noro for this one. This is the first time I've used Noro, and I love the gradual color shifts, but was surprised and disappointed in the purple that popped up in this colorway- guys tend to get a little weirded out by purple and I dunno what the recipient is going to think.

Gauge: 4 st/in and 6.5 rows/in
US Size 8, 16" circs and size 8 dpns.

Stitches used: knit, purl, k2tog.

Final dimensions: 19" circumference x 8 .75"

Cast on 80 with rib cable cast on.

K1, p1 for one inch.

Knit around until beanie measures 6-7 inches from edge.

Place stitch marker.

Begin decrease rounds:

1. *knit 8, k2tog* repeat, around.

2. (and every even row) knit around.

3. *knit 7, k2tog* repeat around.

5. *knit 6, k2tog* repeat around.

7. *knit 5, k2tog* repeat around.

9. *knit 4, k2tog* repeat around.

11. *knit 3, k2tog* repeat around.

13. *knit 2, k2tog* repeat around.

15. *knit 1, k2tog* repeat around.

17. *k2tog* around.

Break yarn, thread end into tapestry needle, weave needle through remaining 8 stitches. Push needle through to underside of hat, weave through a few more times to secure and fasten off.