Sunday, January 23, 2011

Earflap Hat



Knitting Update:
I found this great earflap hat pattern online and then actually made the hat.  It was good.


I made the first one in leftover acrylic yarn I had lying around.  However, my mom saw the hat and liked it, so she footed the bill for some nice Peruvian sheep wool (pictured).  
It's true.  While I am modeling this hat for the picture, I do not actually get to wear it.  Oh well.  There's plenty of sheep wool left over so I might knit myself up a warm one.  


Or I could knit myself up a cold one.  I assume it would be some sort of beer cozy, which sounds about as unmannish as you possible can get.  Seriously.  You can suck the testosterone out of a Natty Light by putting a cozy on it.  Oh wait.  Natty Light is actually a testosterone drainer anyway.  You drink a Natty Light and all of a sudden your fist starts rhythmically pounding the air.  There's an inordinate amount of hair gel in your instantaneously highlighted hair and you are too "wasted, bro" to realize that you're a walking fire hazard.  Light up a cigarette and it's possible that you will start a domino effect in which every single male's hairstyle within a five block radius simultaneously catches on fire.  



Yes.  That is exactly what a Natty Light will do to you.  A beer cozy might have the same effect, but gradually over time. First it's beer cozies, then its coasters, and all of a sudden you're shaving your legs and wondering what fruit-smelling bath gel you should buy at the local Bath and BodyWorks.  And while you claim the leg shaving is for aerodynamic purposes, your buddies know the truth.  We always do.

When you start buying candles and picking out curtains (and more importantly, telling the difference between fabrics swatches), all hope is lost.  Your balls will have actually receded into your body to be reabsorbed for more important tasks.  

Earflap Hat details:
0.75 of a skein of Stitch Nation full o' Sheep 100% Peruvian wool - Little Lamb (color)
Vanna's Choice - Aqua (for hat trimming)

The hat pictured is for a size S, according to the pattern, which would explain how little yarn was used.  The neat thing about this pattern is that it is knitted on straight needles and then sewn together in the back.  It's like when you cut out a complicated pattern out of paper and then you put that there, fold this here, paste that there, and all of a sudden, it is a box.  I will admit I'm not a fan of knitting in the round because my stitches get twisted easily and my patience levels have never been particularly high when it came to arts and crafts.  

For those that don't know, knitting in the round is when you use circular knitting needles, cast on a number of stitches and then knit the first and the last stitch together so that it makes... BA-DUM.... a circle of stitches.    Knitting in the round requires you to not twist stitches, count stitches, have stitch markers (for stitch counting), and then switching to double pointed needles when you have too few stitches to use on circular needles.  How many times did I say stitches?  Anyway, it is a hassle, but you can make some nice things with it.  

Pattern details (here)


I tried making gauntlets, but to no avail.  I cannot find a pattern that suits my arms, so I think I'm going to make my own up and use some double pointed needles so that I can adjust the pattern as I go.  Might as well use up this nice wool on it while I have it.  I'm thinking about trying my hand at Amigurumi animals too, since I have seen some fantastic patterns for it.     

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Baby Blanket



Knitting update:

I just finished a baby blanket!
My knitting has gotten a little better and it's my own design.  It's mad simple, but I am going to assume that the baby will be drooling a lot on it.  You do not need anything really complicated to catch baby drool.

Unless I am mistaken.  I am not sure.  There may be an apocalyptic futuristic society where baby drool may be worth as much as sweet light crude oil today.  I very much doubt that it would be a Mad Max scenario which is actually rather reassuring.  I am still a little upset that Mel Gibson signed on for Mad Max: FURY ROAD.  IT IS A ROAD MADE OF PURE FURY AND POSSIBLY RAGE, BUT WE CANNOT SAY FOR SURE RIGHT NOW.  PLEASE STAY AT THIS LEVEL OF EXCITEMENT UNTIL 2012.
I can assure that I will not.  It's not worth getting excited over.

Blanket details:
1.5 balls of Bernat Baby Coordinates White
1.5 balls of Bernat Baby Coordinates Iced Mint

27 inches across
40 inches long

Meant to be a stroller blanket & also machine washable 

Cable Pattern:
12 stockingnette stitches for 7 rows
8th row: first 3 stitches on cable needle & slip to back, knit next 3 & knit 3 stitches off cable needle, slip next 3 stitches on cable needle & hold to front, knit next 3 stitches & 3 stitches off needle

Anyway, thinking about making some gauntlets to keep my arms warm during running.  Apparently I have abnormally small arms and wrists so all of the patterns I've tried are much too large.  Very bothersome.  

UPDATE: 
The baby was adorable, but I must admit I had no clue what to do with it.  It was wriggling a lot.  I wonder if there is such a thing as a baby tranquilizer.