A Hat for a Hipster

 

 

 Before you all collapse on the floor laughing, I am not  the hipster in question!! It is sure hard to get good help as the saying goes.





I knit this hat Dustland for our son who lives in Eastern Canada. It has been very very cold there. He is a hipster. I really enjoyed this pattern, it was designed by Stephen West, a most interesting and innovative knitter. There is a really textural component, with all the patterns using simple knit and purl combinations. I thought of knitted ganseys when I knit this.

 

 

 

 



It was lots of fun to knit. I knit it with Tosh DK in Graphite. The hat is a size large which is a little big for me but will fit my son just fine (I hope!)

 

 

I have also been knitting a few more of the Amaryllis hats, why I ask myself? It is is such a nice pattern and I love playing with different colour combos.

In the first Amaryllis hat picture I used Rowan Haze doubled for the pink flower. It is such a pretty fuschia colour and has a nice soft halo  (fuzzy factor). Enough about knitting!

 Our weather has been unseasonable mild, its either a very early spring or a false spring. We all rejoice with sunshine and warm weather but it really does concern me. We don't want the growing season to start too early and then get nailed by a devastating deep chill.

Crocuses are up and so is my rhubarb. Archie is exhausted from a vigorous game of ball!

I hope everyone enjoyed Valentines this past weekend. As so many of my bloggers have expressed more eloquently than I could ever do, Valentines is about sharing love and fun with friends and family. I decided to haul out some vintage china and make some treats for my knitting buddies. It was great fun!!

Sometimes you just have to ramp up the fun-o-meter!!

Have a great week!

Keep Smiling!!!

Chris

Bray, my daughter's sweater

 

 

Knitting for other people can sometimes be a challenge, a huge challenge. Especially if it is a rather particular daughter! I am known as the eternal optimist in my family. When my daughter actually requested I knit her a sweater and after I picked myself up off the floor, the process began .After looking through lots of knitting patterns, she found Bray, a Brooklyn Tweed pattern. Jared Flood has an incredible and extensive collection of very trendy, hip yet classic knitwear. Love love love his patterns! Back in early November she zeroed in on three, thinking I could "knock them off" before Christmas . I told her she was too funny. I did finish Bray on New Years Day.

 

 

 

 

 

The good news it fits perfectly, secondly she loves it, thirdly it fits perfectly and she loves it. Hallelujah!!

Now down to the knitty gritty! I knit it using Debbie Bliss Luxury Aran Tweed in Forest green. Its the same yarn I used to knit Skiff, my husband's hat. This is a soft woolen spun yarn. Usually knitting a cabled sweater with a worsted weight yarn will yield a heavier sweater. With this yarn the sweater is very lightweight and it can be worn inside. It is super warm without being bulky. I did modify the pattern a bit. In the original pattern the panels between the cables are an open lacy design. Since we live in Canada and it is winter I decided to replace those panels with  reverse stockinette. I really liked knitting this pattern. It is designed with saddle shoulders which fit so nicely! I would definitely  knit it again. Her next project idea is lovely but quite a complex knit, I am sufficiently vague on that score. Hey did I mention it fits and she likes it! I have being knitting more hats but I am having ISSUES with all my communication equipment grrrrrrr!

Next on the queue, Stonecutter. Such a no brainer, bah!

I am about ready to drop kick this laptop off the deck ,so I'd better quit while I am ahead!!

Keep warm and keep well and keep smiling friends!

Chris