Category: Hats

And finally…The Third Hat: Beret in Bee StitchAnd finally…The Third Hat: Beret in Bee Stitch

As you know from my previous post, I have been side-tracked with switching to a new computer and then finding that my blog had been hacked.  Well, I think I have recovered from the hack and I have all of my pictures and files transferred to my new computer — so, now to catch up and post about the third hat I started in January and finished in February.

My third hat is a beret knit in Bee Stitch.

Beret in Bee Stitch

This hat was also inspired by the thread about Hermione Granger’s hat in the Deathly Hallows, Part I, in the Harry Potter Lover’s group on Ravelry.  Again, I think the beret is fairly close to the original hat.

Bee Stitch Beret 4Details:  Hat was knit with Stitch Nation Full O’ Sheep (100% Peruvian Wool), using US Size 7 (4.5 mm) needles.  This yarn is very soft, aran weight, though I did find it a bit splinty.  The color is Passionfruit.  Stitch Nation is manufactured by Red Heart (Coats & Clark). 

When increasing for the beret, I basically doubled the number of stitches and it created a very slouchy beret, so if you’d like it a less slouchy, I’d only increase by 50%. I converted the Bee Stitch so I could knit it in the round and I wrote up the pattern to share with others, so here’s the link: Bee Stitch Beret.

To see my notes on Ravelry, use this link.

Slouchy Hat in Trinity StitchSlouchy Hat in Trinity Stitch

As promised in my last post, my Trinity Stitch Slouchy Hat was knitted in January. This is a semi-slouchy hat knitted in the trinity stitch. The inspiration for this hat came from a thread in the Harry Potter Lovers group on Ravelry. The thread was about the knit hat that Hermione Granger wears in the Deathly Hollows, Part I movie. Here’s a picture from the movie:
Hermione's Hat

There was a great deal of discussion about what stitch was used for the hat, but most of the comments were in favor of either the daisy (star) stitch or the trinity (bramble) stitch. So, I decided to give the trinity stitch a try — and here is the end result:
Slouchy Hat in Trinity Stitch

Pretty close, I think.

I knit the hat using Paton’s Classic Wool yarn on size US 8 (4.5 mm) needles. Colorway is “Bright Red”. I also wrote the pattern for this hat as I knitted it up, so that I could share it with others. Here’s a link if you’d like to download it: Trinity Stitch Slouchy Hat.

I had to convert the Trinity Stitch Pattern so that it could be used in the round. Directions for the trinity stitch knit in the round are included in the pattern. If you download this pattern and enjoy knitting your own hat, please leave me a comment. 🙂

To see my notes on Ravelry — use this link.

Next post — Beret in Bee Stitch.

January and HatsJanuary and Hats

January in Nebraska is usually cold, snowy and gray. This year was no exception. We have had several 5 inch snowfalls, sometimes with freezing drizzle accompanying, temperatures well below freezing and our usual gusty winds — which makes for wind chills in the sub-zero category. So, it seemed like a good time to knit up some nice warm hats. I have knit two and am about half-way done with a third. February is continuing with the snow and cold temperatures — so I will have no trouble finishing this third hat.

First up is the “Three Color Hat ala EZ”:
Three Color Hat ala EZ

This hat was knit using Patons Classic Wool yarn, which is a worsted weight yarn. This yarn is nice and soft and knits up well. The main color is Plum Heather (Colorway 77307). Color 2 was Aran (Colorway 00202) and Color 3 was Jade Heather (Colorway 77208). I used size US 6 and US 8 circular needles and my gauge was 5 spi using the larger needles.
Front view of Three Color Hat ala EZ

I knit this hat according to the instructions given in Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Workshop. Her instructions are for a yarn with a gauge of 4 spi, so I adjusted the number of stitches from 72 to 90 to start. The first color pattern is one suggested in the book, the second is one I made up as I went. I knit the hat to a length of 6 inches before I started decreasing. It is probably too long, but I’m happy with the end result: A one of a kind, warm wool hat that fits nicely over my ears and keeps me warm!

Next Post: Trinity Stitch Slouchy Hat.

Reference: Elizabeth Zimmermann’s Knitting Workshop

A Color Slip Stitch Pattern: Waffle CheckA Color Slip Stitch Pattern: Waffle Check

The cardigan for my GS was done using three-colors in a very easy slip stitch pattern, which I discovered is the “Waffle Check” pattern in Barbara G. Walker”s A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. It’s the Waffle Check Variation, which only has 4 rows. It creates a lovely nubby color pattern and is based on garter stitch – so it does not curl on the edges.

Waffle Check Slip Stitch Pattern

The pattern is done over an odd number of stitches – it is a 2 stitch, plus 1 pattern. Instructions are for knitting flat. This is the basic 4 row pattern:

With color A—
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: Knit

With color B –
Row 3: K1, *sl 1 wyib, K1; rep from * .
Row 4: K1, * sl 1 wyif, K1; rep from *

To make the three-color pattern used in my GS’s cardigan – you alternate knitting rows 3 & 4 in two different colors. And the color changes could go on to many different colors if you wished – a good way to use up some leftover yarn, perhaps?

Now, I am currently working on knitting a hat to go with GS’s sweater using the Waffle Check pattern and the same colors. Because I am knitting this in the round, instead of flat, I have modified the above pattern as follows:

With color A—
Row 1: Knit.
Row 2: Purl

With color B –
Row 3: *K1, sl 1 wyib; rep from * .
Row 4: *P1, sl1 wyif; rep from *.

And because I don’t want two knit stitches together at the join, this is done over an even number of stitches. I’ll post the end result when I’m finished.