Tuesday, October 27, 2009

October Projects, and Still Wandering...


These are the booties I knit to go along with the hat for Judy's baby. They're getting a dip in some Eucalan, then off in the mail this week. They may even beat the recipient's arrival! The colour's a little more vibrant than in this picture. This is gonna be one funky baby...

Some other things in the works:



Knitting excessively (is it ever really excessive?), plus baking too many brownies, is what I've been up to instead of homework. It's weird, but I just can't seem to get into it this year. All I want to do is play with fibre. Who knows, if I hadn't reacted so badly to the first teacher in MAAD I met, maybe I would have stayed and been a lot happier? I do love printmaking, and I find crit and curatorial fascinating, but textiles are what I care about the most. I dream about knitting. I read knitting books for fun, just to see how things are put together. I constantly try to figure out how to translate architectural elements into fabric. I'm trying to find a way to fit a loom into our apartment, and to learn to use said loom....

Everything I'm doing now, I can use for whatever I decide to do after school. That's not the problem so much. My problem is getting through what I'm doing now. I have such a hard time not wanting to get to the next thing, start the new thing. I had to stop myself from obsessing over grad schools already. If you don't know the system, most schools require you to be out of school and working for two years before they consider you for a MFA program. That means I'm three to four years away from even applying to anything.

I think I need to chill a bit. Yes?

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Bean-Baby Hat! (With Pattern)


I made this hat for my cousin's baby-to-be, affectionately referred to as the Bean. This is my first time writing up a pattern and it hasn't been test-knitted yet. If you find any errors or anything is unclear, feel free to contact me! I'd appreciate any feedback.

Materials:
1 ball Rowan RYC Cashsoft Baby DK
US#3, 3.25 mm set of DPNs (or size to get gauge)
Tapestry needle
Pompom maker (optional)

Gauge:
28sts and 36rows = 4"/10cm

Using long-tail method, cast on 88sts.
Place marker and join in the round.
Knit 10 rows k1 p1 rib.
Switch to pattern.
Row 1: k to end
Row 2: k to end
Row 3: * k3 p1 * to end
Row 4: k to end
Row 5: k to end
Row 6: * k1 p1 k2 * to end
Repeat rows 1-6, 4 times
Knit rows 1-3
Decrease row1: *p2tog, k3, p1, k2* to end
Dec row 2: k to end
Dec row 3: *k3, k2tog, k2* to end
Dec row 4: *k2, p1* to end
Dec row 5: *k4, k2tog* to end
Dec row 6: k to end
Dec row 7: *k3, k2tog* to end
Dec row 8: k to end
Dec row 9: *k2, k2tog* to end
Dec row 10: *k1, k2tog* to end
Dec row 11: *k2tog* to end
Dec row 12: *k2tog* to one stitch from end, k1
Break yarn and pull through remaining loops. I like to run it through twice for stability.

Pick up 3sts from the bottom edge of the hat.
Knit an i-cord for about 6.5" or desired length.
Break yarn and pull through stitches on needle.

Pick up 3sts from the opposite side of the hat.
Knit an i-cord for about 6.5" or desired length.
Break yarn and pull through stitches on needle.

Make a giant pompom and sew onto the top of the hat. Mine is made with the size large Clover pompom maker, which I love. But I make a lot of pompoms...

Weave in ends.