Autumnal Study {knitting}

This Autumn beanie hat was finished just in time for the wind and the rain, and the wind and rain to come. Actually this was the incentive to finish it so quickly. I waited outside the train station last Friday night and got so cold that I thought that was it, I needed the beanie hat ready right NOW!

An interesting pose

I have changed nothing in the pattern - even when I thought I would (at the end) I did not. The 'yarn' (two strands of lace yarn) is probably as close as it could be to the recommended sport yarn, and I had checked the gauge was OK. I wanted a slouchy hat that would not be too slouchy (like this cashmere beanie hat from COS).  

I love the texture of the hat, there is the brim in garter stitch which is actually beautiful, the cable work (at the front in my pictures, but should probably be on the side) and the overall pattern stitch. It looks difficult, to knit but honestly it is not that hard (was watching TV whilst knitting it). The only thing you have to remember is that two different charts are being worked at the same time (the cable and pattern stitch) - ok that might sound difficult but it is not. 

Pattern: Contemporary Beanie Hat by Veera Valimaki (there is a cowl pattern included as well) - available to purchase on Ravelry

Yarn: Variegated Merino Tweed Sock Yarn 100g from Whaferdale Woolworks) and 

Laceweight yarn in black from The Gossamer Web

Needle sizes: 3mm circular (brim) 3.5mm circular body of the hat

Size: fits my head

Had to crop the picture or you would have thought I wanted to show my cleavage

Difficulty: intermediate with not too many cups of tea and biscuits involved - to knit in front of the TV - just beware of the two charts (especially the cable one) 

Blocking: no blocking for this one, you finish, weave the ends, wear it

Result: Looks as if it had been bought and was expensive (thanks to the final decrease chart) - a construction to keep for other beanie projects (can be easily adapted)

The part when I nearly gave up. 

So decreasing to 27 stitches (the pattern says 26, but I think it is 27, because mathematically it would not make sense otherwise) was a bit of a chore on circular needles. I thought I would stop before the end, and then you see it, what Veera is trying to achieve and you carry on - because that makes the final beanie hat look so NOT handknitted. 

You could make it less slouchy (other Ravelers have done it). I may just do that for another one, but that was not the look I was going for this time. 

As this is my last day before maternity leave (I did mention that, didn't I?), I thought I would leave you with a picture that does not show at all how big I am right now - rubbish picture, but the only one I have so here we are.. 

So I shall enjoy my last day of work or not. You guys should get ready for the GIVEAWAY tomorrow by staying tune and following me so you don't miss out!

Alternative to Nesting {knitting}

A lot of work has been done for Baby MiH - not only decorating the room, but Mr MiH is also making his own contribution, as in building a shed - like from scratch. Now that something has actually emerged from the grounds (yesterday's big news) I will keep you posted on progress. Before you call social services however, this is not to be Baby MiH's room but our office/hobby/sleeping/chilling out space. 

Even though I enjoy all this nesting, I needed a project for me, and after hours of some Ravelry research I found the perfect knitting pattern: the Contemporary beanie hat by Veera Valimaki. I love Veera's designs, even though I have never actually knitted one. And this one seems gorgeous. 

Pattern chosen, next is the yarn. I am still on my stash busting drive (and this is why I just bought 3 new skeins of yarn).  The pattern calls for needles that are a bit small for my liking (3.0 mm and 3.5 mm) and some sport/5 ply yarn. Hmmm no sport yarn at mine... Small setback when you want to start a pattern then and there. What I seem to have loads of though is sock yarn - which is weird as I have never knitted any socks. Clearly I like the concept but not the implementation. 

I started with sock yarn only (bottom of the gauge). It looks good (purely because of the yarn though), but I found it quite thin and see-through, and thought it might not be ideal considering how the weather is turning to here (i.e. grey and cold). How to make a 5-ply, well I did have even thinner yarn, some laceweight yarn/2-ply in black (double stash busting, hooray). Finished the gauge - and it fitted with the recommended gauge (phew!) and looked nice - Result!

All I had to do was to knit 5 cm of garter stitch - which incidentally takes forever in 3.0 mm circular needles, but somehow looks much better than with bigger needles. 

Pattern: Contemporary Beanie Hat (there is a cowl pattern included as well)

Yarn: Variegated Merino Tweed Sock Yarn 100g from Whaferdale Woolworks) and 

Laceweight yarn in black from The Gossamer Web

Needle sizes: 3mm circular (brim) 3.5mm circular body of the hat

Size: hopefully fits my head.. (had a little try yesterday and it was fine)

Started the body of the beanie hat now, so I am going to juggle the pattern stitch (which I assumed to be the stitch used for the back of the hat on the picture) and cable work. So hopefully my frizzy (and surprisingly voluminous) hair (thank you pregnancy) will now get tamed under a beautiful hat. 

Linking to Tami's Amis on Wednesday.