Wittle Wednesdays: Ollie's Hat

 

When you have a baby, the hospital gives you a rather terrible newborn hat that's all stretch and no structure. It falls off baby's head after about 30 seconds, and you spend most of your hospital stay putting it back on. 

Why don't they just keep things warm enough that baby doesn't need a hat? I don't know. One of the great mysteries of life, I guess. 

Knowing we would be given another of these useless hats, before Ollie was born, I set out to knit him an alternative hat. I wanted something newborn-sized (about a 14" head circumference), done in fingering weight, simple and quick, but not plain stockinette.  I searched and searched Ravelry and came up short.

So of course I wound up just putting something together myself.

This little hat knits up so quickly, even in fingering weight, and the chevron pattern is easy to memorize, as are the crown decreases. It's a great way to use up leftover sock yarn, works well with variegated, self-striping or solid color yarn, and best of all, in Ollie's honor, this is a freebie. Check out the pattern below.

 

And if you have some extra time (who doesn't?!?), consider knitting up a couple for your local NICU (using a soft, non-allergenic yarn). They play host to so many tiny babies and exhausted moms and dads who will certainly appreciate your generosity. Ollie's NICU stay was relatively short, but I'll always be thankful for the support and encouragement we received while he was there.

 

OLLIE'S HAT

Size: newborn; approx. 14" head circumference
Gauge: 7.5st/in in st st
Needles: US size 3 DPNs, or long circular for magic loop
Yarn: Approx. 50yds fingering weight

Abbreviations:
kfb: knit into the front and back of the same stitch
s2kp: slip 2 sts as if to knit; k1, then pass both slipped sts over and off the needle

CO 104 sts; place marker and join to work in the round.

Rnd 1: (k2, p2) to end.

Work Rnd 1 5 times total, or until brim is approx. 1/2".

Next rnd: Knit, increasing 1 st. 105 sts.

Chevron pattern:

Rnd 1: *Kfb, k5, s2kp, k5, kfb; rep from * to end.
Rnd 2: Knit.

Rep rnds 1 and 2 until hat is approximately 3".

Crown decreases:

Rnd 1: *K6, s2kp, k6; rep from * to end.
Rnd 2: Knit.
Rnd 3: *K5, s2kp, k5; rep from * to end.
Rnd 4: Knit.
Rnd 5: *K4, s2kp, k4; rep from * to end.
Rnd 6: Knit.
Rnd 7: *K3, s2kp, k3; rep from * to end.
Rnd 8: Knit.
Rnd 9: *K2, s2kp, k2; rep from * to end.
Rnd 10: Knit.
Rnd 11: *K1, s2kp, k1; rep from * to end.
Rnd 12: S2kp around. 7 sts rem.

Cut yarn, pass through remaining stitches, pull tight to close and fasten off. Weave in ends. Put on squirmy new baby.

Nevado: Pattern Giveaway!

 How typical of me, to debut a new pattern and then just disappear. Let me tell you, trying to organize Christmas activities and festivities with a 10 month old isn't the carefree, easygoing time TV might lead you to believe. Although this particular event went fairly well:

 I mean, he's not screaming bloody murder or anything, which is always possible with little ones.

I've also been feeling a bit under the weather, leaving me with just enough energy to sit on the couch and watch Christmas specials at the end of the day, and not much else. I've barely done any knitting, though I am bravely pushing forward with and documenting my sweater surgery.

But, I digress. As you know, Nevado is on sale through Christmas Day for just $2.49 with the code "MERRYXMAS." With only a week to go until Christmas, you can still get this speedy hat finished, so if you're still looking for gifts, it's a good bet. Pick it up in my Ravelry shop!

In addition, I'll be giving away 3 copies of the pattern to 3 lucky blog readers. We all know this is a busy time of year, so this contest will stay open all the way until December 31. Just leave a comment on this post, and you'll be entered to win. Winners announced early in the new year. Hopefully.

In the meantime, we'll be here, waiting for the big man:

Pattern Debut: Nevado

We finally got some decent snow yesterday, so it seemed like the perfect time to photograph and finalize my latest design: Nevado.

Nevado, which means "snow-covered" or "snow-capped," is available in 3 sizes, for everyone on your gift list, and knits up quickly in worsted weight--and if you've mastered cabling without a cable needle (which I highly recommend), it knits up even faster. Crown decreases are done in pattern, for a fun detail at the top.

It combines waffle stitch and a wavy 3 stitch cable for a stretchy hat perfect for boys and girls, men and women, and babies of all shapes and sizes.

My sample is knit in Wandering Wool Heights Worsted, in Cinderella, which is delightfully squishy. And you only need 1 skein, which is always a plus.

 Even though JJ doesn't look particularly thrilled about wearing his hat, I'm sure his head is warm, and that's what counts.

To celebrate its debut, Nevado will be half price--just $2.49--through Christmas Day, December 25. Pick it up in my Ravelry shop and use the code MERRYXMAS to snag it at the reduced price.

And stay tuned for a pattern giveaway!

Details 

 

Sizes: Baby (Child, Adult); finished circumference approximately 16 (18, 20)” / 40 (46, 50) cm. 

Gauge: 20 sts and 32 rows = 4” / 10 cm, in pattern, lightly stretched.

Yarn: 1 skein Wandering Wool Heights Worsted (100% superwash merino wool; 218 yds/100g) in Cinderella; or 100 (150, 200) yards / 90 (140, 180) m worsted weight wool or wool blend yarn. 

Needles: 1 US 7 / 4.5mm 16” / 40cm circular needle and/or set of DPNs, or size needed to obtain gauge.

Hat WIPing and Single Parenting

Hat buddies!

This week . . . wow. It has been a killer. CP left for the Dominican Republic at 5am Saturday and he's still not home. I love my son, but we've been together round the clock for days and it's starting to wear on me.

Especially because his sleep is alllllllllllllllll over the place. I never know what to expect, other than a battle because naps and bedtime are apparently out of style.

I understand this is normal at this age--they just have so much going on, their little brains have trouble shutting down. He's crawling, climbing the stairs, pulling up to a stand, babbling. He's constantly on the go. I put him in his crib with droopy eyes, yawning, and instantly he's trying to crawl. The result is a struggle to fall asleep--and stay asleep. Which is a real joy when there's no one around to tag in for a round.

And some people do this all the time. I can't wrap my head around it. Hats off to you, single parents!

In the midst of this non-sleeping extravaganza, I've cobbled together a quick knit hat pattern that I'm hoping to release early next month for last minute holiday knitting. I'm knitting up a sample in Wandering Wool Heights Worsted and it's soooooooo squishy and soft, I love working with it.

And I'm looking for test knitters, so if you're interested, stop by the Ravelry group and check it out.

Bound Off: Oak Trail Hat

Things I can't be bothered to remember when shooting FO photos: lipstick and not having wet hair.

Oh well.

When I got my ebook copy of Botanical Knits, I wanted to cast on pretty much everything immediately, and this hat in particular caught my eye. You can see it's not your typical beanie or beret, and I wanted to see how it was constructed.

Similar to my Hugs and Smooches hat, this one starts with a long strip knit lengthwise, and then stitches are picked up for the hat body. The way Alana constructs the rounded edge and cable is pretty ingenious, and fun to knit.

Pattern: Oak Trail, by Alana Dakos, from Botanical Knits
Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Mo, a single ply, 70/30 wool/mohair blend; approx 150 yds
Needles: Size 7
Mods: zip
Raveled

I knit this with some leftover Madelinetosh from a sweater project that is currently in limbo--slightly too small, could possibly be salvaged with blocking, needs buttons.Tosh Mo is supposedly a DK weight, but I found it much closer to worsted. While I'm not usually a mohair fan, I love the soft halo it gives this hat, and this silvery green color is amazing.

The hat itself fits perfectly, and, if I do say so myself, is quite flattering. It will be in heavy rotation this fall and winter, I'm sure.

Pattern Debut: Hugs and Smooches

I can't tell you guys how excited CP was to model this hat outside in the June heat yesterday.

Ah, to be the husband of a crazy knitter.

But model he did, so I could get my latest pattern out to you guys.

Introducing Hugs and Smooches, the full version of the Smooches newborn hat I released earlier this year.

The full version includes 5 sizes: newborn, toddler, child, women's and men's.

The child sizes are knit in sport weight yarn, and the adult sizes in worsted.

A unisex design, this hat knits up quickly, and is a great project for learning or practicing cabling without a cable needle. The cable stitch pattern is easy to memorize, making it a great portable project too.

Cast on now and be ready when cooler weather arrives, or start a bunch for holiday gifts!

Details:

Sizes: newborn (toddler, child, women’s, men’s); head circumference approximately 14” (16”, 18”, 20”, 22”) / 35.5 (40.5, 45.5, 51, 56) cm.

Gauge: 28 sts over 4”/10 cm in stockinette stitch in sport weight yarn; 20 sts over 4”/10 cm in stockinette stitch in worsted weight yarn.

Supplies:

Yarn: 1 skein Madelinetosh Tosh Sport, or approximately 75 (100, 125) yds / 70 (90, 115) m sport weight yarn for newborn (toddler, child) hat; 1 skein Knit Picks Swish Tonal, or 150 (200) yds / 140 (180) m worsted weight yarn for women’s (men’s) hat.

Needles: set of US4/3.5mm DPNs for newborn (toddler, child) hat; US8/5mm 16”/40cm circular needle and set of DPNs for women’s (men’s) hat; or size needed to obtain gauge.

Stitch markers

Stitch holder or scrap yarn

Yarn needle

Cable needle


Now available for download in my Ravelry store for just $4.99.

Pattern Debut: Smooches hat

I had a choice this week between blogging and getting a pattern ready to publish--I could only scrape together enough time for one or the other--so I hope you don't mind that I kept my ramblings to myself for a few days and got this pattern together instead.

This is the coming home hat I knit for JJ, now available as a FREE download right here.

It requires about 75-80 yards of sport weight yarn, and US sz 4 DPNs.

The "hugs and kisses" XO cabled brim is knit flat lengthwise. Then the ends are grafted together, and stitches picked up along the top edge for the body of the hat, which is knit in the round. 

Though the yarn is a lighter weight, newborns are so small, this still knits up quickly, and would make a lovely gift. I used Madelinetosh Tosh Sport in Tart for JJ's hat, and think the very subtle tonal quality gives it a nice touch.

You can also find the Smooches hat on Ravelry here.

Adorable baby not included.

Bound Off: Heartbreaker Hat

Again, I have knit something in red yarn, and again, I can't manage to photograph it well.

Red, you are my enemy!

It was hardly my fault, though, as obviously the Peruanito needs a hat to match his Valentine's Day/Coming Home sweater. I had plenty of Tosh Sport leftover from his Little Oak cardigan, but after a thorough Ravelry search, could find no newborn-sized hats I liked.

I blame the pregnancy hormones.

Empty handed, I decided to just make one up.

This is a pretty accurate representation of the color! Don't mind the shadows.

The lovely thing about newborn-sized hats is that they are very, very tiny, and even winging it, this took just a couple of days to come together.

The brim features a seed stitch border and  XOXO cables, perfect for Valentine's Day. 

The rest of the hat is a simple plain stockinette, with easy crown shaping.

And still more yarn remains, so I've started a pair of matching Moc-A-Soc booties for the Peruanito as well. I knit a pair of these waaaaaaay back in 2010, and still can't get over how adorable they are. I finished the bootie portion of the 1st one yesterday, so now I need to pick out some scrap fingering weight for the cuff.

Baby is due in 2 weeks!

Bound off: Rustling Leaves Beret

It's October!!

My favorite month is finally here.

There's nothing not to like about October.

First, there's my birthday. I'm getting a little old to be celebrating, perhaps, but while I'm not a fan of ageing, I do like attention, special meals and presents.

We also celebrate our first anniversary later this month--CP may back our car into stationary objects occasionally, but he's otherwise fairly awesome, and we've had an amazing first year together.

In less than 3 weeks I'll be at the New York Sheep and Wool Festival, aka Rhinebeck. I'm taking a spinning class with Abby Franquemont, and then I'll be shopping shopping shopping.

(Hope to see you there!)

And then, Halloween! Candy! It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! Pumpkin carving! Ghost tours! Trick-or-Treaters!

Possibly The Nightmare Before Christmas--I can never figure out when the appropriate time to watch that is.

(I would also note that this time next year, it will be totally appropriate for me to watch Boo to You Too, Winnie the Pooh!)

Also, it's now acceptable to eat pumpkin EVERYTHING! Muffins, cookies, whoopie pies, scones, soup, lattes, ale.
(Well, maybe just half an ale for me.)
CP even found pumpkin pie Pop-Tarts!

(If there are pumpkin pie Toaster Strudel, someone please tell me!)

And of course, the weather is turning cool and crisp. You can start pulling out your wool socks and cowls and jaunty berets.

Like this one:

Pattern: Rustling Leaves Beret, by Alana Dakos, in Coastal Knits
Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino light, left over from mom's Featherweight Cardigan
Needles: size 2 and 3 16" circular
Mods: no icord bloopy thing on top
Ravelry link

I think this is a great fall hat pattern. You can easily complete it with leftover sock yarn, and it knits up quickly--this took just about 4 days.

This isn't a hat to keep you warm in a blizzard, but makes a sweet little fall accessory.

Of course, you need to own a copy of Coastal Knits to get this pattern, but in my opinion, it's well worth the $22, with 2 patterns I've knit already, and at least 3 more I plan to knit.

This particular pattern has both written and charted instructions, so even the anti-chart among us can have a beautiful hat in no time.

Alana included her signature icord  . . . bloopy thing . . . at the top of the hat, and I implemented one of my signature moves by leaving it out.

Block it over a small dinner plate and voila!

And, perhaps most, most importantly . . .

THE ORIOLES ARE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS!

It's true.

For the first time in FIFTEEN YEARS, the Baltimore Orioles will be appearing in the postseason. They clinched a playoff berth yesterday, though with 3 games left in the season, it's not clear at this point whether they'll be a Wild Card team or, hope against hope, if they'll win the division.

Best. October. Ever.

So, in honor of my favorite month and my favorite team, sometime over the next few days I'll be releasing a special coupon code for my pattern store. But, you'll need to follow me on Twitter or Facebook to get it!

So, Tweeps--eww, I really just can't stand that. Ugh.

Let's try again. So, Twitter users, you can follow me here, and Facebook fans, you can "like" MediaPeruana designs over here. Or both.

Keep an eye out!