Bulky Beanie

Have you started making holiday gifts yet?

I'm working on it.

Sort of.

Slowly.

But I think this new hat pattern is really going to speed things up for me.

I designed this hat as a pattern that can be knit in a day or two and then given away. It looks good on women and men and even older kids and the hat can be thrown in the washing machine so there's no chance of your lovely handmade item being ruined in the wash. It's definitely not revolutionary or anything but it's the kind of thing I like; simple and classic. Also, I was able to use yarn that was left over from knitting my Acorn Head which makes me feel like the yarn was free!

It's the kind of thing you could knit a pile of and then decide who to give each one to later. I like to do that. Do you do that?

I think you could wrap up a this hat with some homemade cookies, or a box of tea, or a book and it would make a very sweet gift. Can you tell I'm starting to get excited for the holidays?

Well, anyway, here's the pattern. I hope you like it.

Bulky Beanie

You Will Need:

- Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (The colors I used were Denim and Cilantro, less than half a ball per hat)

- Size 13 Circular Needles or DPNs

- 1 Stitch Marker

- 1 Tapestry Needle or Crochet Hook (to weave in ends)

Cast on 36 sts.

Place stitch marker and join to knit in the round.

Work K2, P1 rib for 6 rows (feel free to use a 1x1 or 2x2 rib if that's what you prefer, I just think the 2x1 rib looks nice and tidy).

*K6, M1* repeat to end of round (42 sts).

Knit stockinette until hat measures 6" from cast-on edge.

*K5, K2tog* repeat to end of round (36 sts).

Knit one round.

*K4, K2tog* repeat to end of round (30 sts).

Knit one round.

*K3, K2tog* repeat to end of round (24 sts).

Knit one round.

*K2, K2tog* repeat to end of round (18 sts).

Knit one round.

*K1, K2tog* repeat to end of round (12 sts).

*K2tog* repeat to end of round (6 sts).

Cut yarn, thread through remaining 6 stitches and pull to close up the hole. Weave in ends and you're ready to do some gift giving!

p.s. If you like the sample hats I knit, they are both for sale at Treehouse.

Acorn Head

Hi.

I have a new pattern to share with you.

It's easy to make and your friends and family will tell you how cute you are and ask you to please make one for them. Really! Wear this guy with a hat underneath and you can brave even the most windy winter day. I made this for a trip to Minnesota and wore it non-stop (I think I might have slept in it one time).

All you need to know for this pattern is knit, purl, knitting in the round (you could knit it flat too), and some seaming. Because this pattern is quite simple, I've written it as more of a knitting recipe that a standard pattern. Feel free to email me if it's confusing and I'll try to clarify.

Hooded Circle Scarf a.k.a. Acorn Head

You Will Need:

- 2 Balls of Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (I used the color Denim)

- Size 17 29-Inch Circular Needles

- Size 17 Straight Needles (Optional)

- 1 Stitch Marker (I just use some scrap yarn tied into a loop)

- 1 Tapestry Needle ( or a crochet hook will do just fine)

First start off making a basic Circle Scarf (you can see the Circle Scarf Tutorial I made here):

Loosely cast on 70 stitches with your circular needles (edit 10/21/10: some folks on Ravelry have been knitting Acorn Heads in which the scarf portion is a bit too short. If you're a tight knitter you may want to cast on an extra 10 stitches). Join to knit in the round and place marker (be careful not to twist your cast-on stitches).

Purl one round. Knit one round.

Continue in this fashion of alternating purl and knit rows until you have about 6 1/2 inches of knitting from the cast-on edge, ending with a purl row.

Loosely bind off 57 stitches. You will have 13 stitches left.

At this point you can switch to straight needles if you want.

Now you begin knitting this flap extending from your scarf that will form the hood.

You will be knitting flat so you will knit both sides (garter stitch). I like to slip the first stitch on the side opposite the join to create a neater edge on the outside of the hood.

Knit these 13 stitches in garter stitch until the flap measures about 19 inches long. Bind off all stitches and leave a long tail for sewing. Fold over the flap so that the freshly bound-off edge is against the bound-off edge on the opposite side of the join (right next to the base of the flap). See how that will form your hood?

Use the tail from your bind off to sew these two bind-off edges together and then continue sewing up the back seam of the hood (you want the seam for the back of the hood to line up with the join of the circle scarf). Weave in ends. You're done!

Notes: The circumference of the entire long circular part is about 4 feet. The hood is about 8.5 inches deep. Remember that this isn't science though, and you shouldn't worry yourself to much trying to be exact.

The first 2 photos show how the piece looks if it is double wrapped, the 4th photo is single wrapped. See that cute little point on the top of the hood? That's why it's called Acorn Head. Thank you to Maya for coming up with the name and modeling for me.

Knitting a Circle Scarf

Hey there!

So here it is; my first tutorial. Well, sort of a cross between a tutorial and a pattern... Anyway, I'll do my best here.
I'm going to show you how to knit a circle scarf that is really basic, knits up quickly, but also looks quite chic. I also think it's a great length to be worn long to look kind of fashion-y or double wrapped for warmth. And it only takes one skein of yarn so it makes a great, inexpensive gift! With so many neat things about this scarf, how could you resist making one?

Here's what you'll need:

-1 skein Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn ( I used the color Cilantro)

-Size 17 29-inch circular needles

-1 stitch marker (I just used a piece of yarn tied into a loop)

The first thing you do (as with most knitting patterns) is make a nice little slip knot.

Now you start casting on. Use a nice stretchy cast-on method. I like to use the knitting cast-on. I'll give you a description here but if you want to watch a video you can click here.

With your slip knot on the left hand needle, insert the tip of the right hand needle into the loop from the left to the right.

Hold both needles in you left hand so that you can use your right hand to wrap the yarn around the right needle from the back to the front.

Use the right hand needle to pull the yarn though.

Slip this new loop of yarn from the right needle to the left needle. Now you have two stitches cast on!

Keep going in this fashion until you have 70 stitches on the needle. Remember to cast on loosely, don't tug on the yarn.

Now switch the needles between your hands so that the needle with the working yarn is in your right hand. Place your stitch marker on the right needle.

Now it's time to get down to business! For the first row, purl all stitches. Then, when you get back around to the stitch marker, slip the marker from the left to the right needle and knit all stitches. Alternate between purl rows and knit rows until your piece measures about 6 1/2" from cast-on edge. Remove stitch marker and loosely bind off all stitches. Weave in edges and you're done!!!

I'll show you photos of my finished product tomorrow when the sun (hopefully) comes out.

Bye!

Want to see the finished product? Click here.

Want it with a hood? Click here.

Circled

Oh, circle scarves. They are all over the place right now.

Most experienced knitters can probably whip one of these up without any help. But I figure there are probably some beginner knitters out there who would like a little help... right? So I'm working on a tutorial right now to show you how to make a nice chunky circle scarf. It will be here for you on Monday so check back then!

P.S. The scarf is shown doubled in this photo. When it's just wrapped once it goes down to just around my belly button.