Recently in Arts & Crafts/Knitting Category

I spent approximately 6-8 hours on a knitting project that turned out to be a complete bust.  My boyfriend kindly and gently reminded me that I am still a beginner and learning and that it wasn't a complete waste because I learned from it.  I am better now than I was before I started the project.  This is the result of my attempt:

Here is what I learned during the process of making this failure of a ladybug (yes, that's what it was supposed to be) hat:

1. When you come up with a pattern, don't do it on a square grid.  Knitting isn't square.  Each stitch is taller than it is wide, so your design will be skewed.  Also, there are free programs that will help you with creating the appropriate size grid and even converting images to patterns.
2. I like the little border I did (knit a row, purl a row).
3. I first tried to do the entire hat in that pattern, but the logo looked horrible.  A logo just won't work with the alternating raised purl stitches.
4. The knit a row - purl a row pattern has a much different gauge than knitting every row.  The hat was way bigger than expected.
5. Even though I tried to leave the string in the back really loose when carrying the black and red yarn, it came out terrible.  It was still all tight, and all the extra yarn made it kinda puffy.  Trying to do a logo like that is a bad idea (or maybe I just haven't learned to do it properly yet).

I made this hat over the last few days for a 1 1/2 year old daughter of a friend of mine.  I kind of made up the pattern as I went and wrote it down to share (and possibly repeat myself).  Let me know if you end up trying it!

I taught myself how to knit at the beginning of this year and I was very excited to start knitting again this fall. I meant to start back in early September but just got around to it last week. I have no idea who this is scarf is for, but I saw this pattern in a magazine at the end of last winter and knew this would be the next project. Hopefully it will turn out well and be a nice Christmas gift for someone. It's proven much more difficult that I anticipated. I think I ended up starting over 2 or 3 times after knitting the first 12 rows or so because I kept messing up.   

Are you a knitter? Are you knitting gifts for anyone this Christmas?

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Related Posts:

I Learned How to Knit!

Knitting Project: Scarf # 2

Knitting Hats

What I really wanted to make when I first decided I wanted to learn how to knit, was a hat.  But, being the semi-intelligent girl that I am, I knew it would not be smart to try and knit a hat as my first project.  So I started with scarves.  I knit two of those, decided I had the basic stitches down, and graduated to hats.  It was intimidating, but I jumped in anyway.  Since then I've knit 4 hats.  Each hat only took a few days to do, and were really fun to make.  

First I wanted to knit a hat to match the green scarf I made.  I was going to start with the simplest of hats, the roll-brim, but decided I wanted to do an inch or two of ribbed border instead.  The size wasn't quite right, but it was wearable.  Not terrible for my first attempt. 

The second hat I knit was a roll-brim.  It was in the same green color, with the same yarn.  I didn't get any pictures of it though.  I actually made it for a friend.  More accurately, it was for my friend's 1 year old.  I just wanted to knit something quick to get a gauge on the sizing before knitting the "real" hat.  It was definitely a little too big, but hopefully she'll be able to wear it early this coming fall/winter. 

So then I knit the "real" hat.  My friend and I were looking at various patterns, trying to decide on one, and she settled on an adorable strawberry hat.  It seemed easy enough for me to attempt so that's what we went with.  And, oh my gosh, I think it came out pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself.  I was pretty proud.  My friend sent me photos of her daughter in the hat and it was absolutely precious.  A huge sense of accomplishment right there.  I could hardly believe that I actually crafted that myself with my own two hands.  I have a much more analytical and mathematical mind than a creative one, so these things shock me sometimes.

Then I decided to try another one for myself.  All ribbing, and alternating between two colors.  Not nearly as cute as the strawberry one, but I didn't think it was as appropriate for me to be going around in a hat that looks like a strawberry, my being 31 years old and all.

I learned a whole lot in making these 4 hats: 

• how to knit in the round using circular needles
• what "join in the round" means
• how to decrease (knit two together, k2tog)
• how to switch between different colors
• what stockinette stitching is (knit one row, purl one row, repeat alternating rows)
• what fair isle knitting is (switching between two colors in one row)
• that knitting a hat is much less intimidating than you'd think
• I love knitting with bamboo needles

I had so much fun knitting my first scarf I decided to knit a second.  I wanted to continue to learn and to try a lighter weight yarn.  It's still a very simple pattern that's very easy for even the very beginner knitter.  Overall it was a nice little project/learning experience and I am happy with the result.

Needles: Size US 8 aluminum

Yarn:

• 1 skein - 256 yards
• Worsted Weight - Medium (4)
• Red Heart Soft Yarn in the color "Dark Leaf"

Pattern:

cast on a number of stitches that is a multiple of 6

all odd rows: *k3 p3; repeat from * 

all even rows: *k1 p1; repeat from *

(k=knit; p=purl)

Dates: Started 2/10; Completed 2/21

Things I learned:

• How to knit a purl stitch
• How to switch between knit and purl stitches within one row
• How to undo a stitch (knit and purl)
• It was more fun knitting with the really bulky yarn in the first project

Next up: a matching hat!