Friday, September 23, 2011

Hats off to watch caps

Sorry for the absence.  My SO and I took a week's vacation (more about that later), and I brought home some New England cooties that have laid me low this past week.  I have been knitting, but between the cold symptoms and the OTC meds, my brain has not been very functional.

My son told me he "can't find" (is that a euphemism for "lost"?) the hat I knit him.  So I decided to knit up a couple of watch caps; he can have his pick.  These are both quick and easy.


Pattern:  Watch Cap by Judith Durant
Yarn:  Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted in colorway 194 (gray)
Needles:  US7
Modifications:  none

One size fits all

All 1x1 ribbing all the way, and very stretchy.  In fact, both these hats are very stretchy.  And they are long enough to cover the ears.


Pattern:  Classic WWII Watch Cap by Helen Waittes
Yarn:  Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted in colorway 999 (maroon)
Needles:  US7
Modifications:  None

Large size

This one starts out with a 2x2 ribbing, then switches to 2x6.  I did not do anything fancy but you can substitute a 6-stitch cable or other stitch pattern for the top part.

Like I said, quick and easy.  Also, each takes less than a 100g skein of yarn.  Good for brainless knitting.  Like when one has a cold and can't stitch two thoughts together.

Friday, September 09, 2011

K1, P1, ouch, ouch, ouch

After all that seed stitch, I decided give my hands and wrists a break and knit a quick hat.  But while seed stitch and 1x1 ribbing may look different, to one's hands, they are the same.

Almost finished watch cap

So then I decided to work on something in stockinette and started this A-line cardigan.  But the stockinette started to curl (and I threatened to start crying because I have been here before).  After a test swatch, I decided to replace the stockinette with ringwood stitch.

Curl up like a snake or lay flat - choice is obvious

Which is two-thirds stockinette and one-third K1 P1.  Maybe I'll make the sleeves stockinette?

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Now for the hard part

The knitting is done.  Now it is time for not only the seaming (I think I can handle two side seams) but the HEMMING.

From the back
If I were to knit this over again, I would use a picot cast on instead of something that requires HEMMING.

Friday, September 02, 2011

Over halfway there

The pinafore for Baby N is over half completed.  Last weekend I draped the front half over her, to see what it looked like:

I'm so sleepy!
I'm suffering from startitis, but so far, have managed to fight off the virus.  Must. Finish. The. Pinafore. First.  Babies grow, you know.