Let’s Recap
So back on November 6 we got our first snow and I went a bit batty, as is proper and appropriate for the first snow. Then it got oddly warm. Freakishly warm. Downright balmy. Just look at the background in the pictures between then and now and note the bright green grass and total lack of snow. Thankfully, that seems to have been remedied. It's been snowing on and off for the last three days, and it shows no sign of stopping. Alas the snow does complicate getting pictures a bit. The railing of my back porch is rather covered [...]
Tiny Reminder
Just a tiny reminder that the 50% off coupon expires this Sunday. To use it, put 3 or more patterns in your cart (here or on Ravelry, it's all the same cart), click 'use a coupon code,' put in the code 'Math4Knitters,' click 'apply,' watch as your bill is cut by half, then checkout as usual.
Unreasonably Helpful
I went ahead and added the elastic, and it made a huge difference. I used Dritz Thin Beading Cord Elastic which I found at my local Joann store for all of $1.59. I ran four strands of it through the knit stitches on the inside of the hat's ribbing at the brim, one each at the first, third, fifth, and seventh round of stitches. It took all of five minutes and it has totally improved the hat beyond all reason. It is now just the right kind of snug...not tight enough to leave marks on my forehead, but not loose [...]
Because You Can’t Knit All the Time
Have you looked around lately (those of you in the northern hemisphere at least)? See those leaves all over your yard? Or at least all over my yard in the recent pictures? Have you noticed the chill in the air? Or failing that, the barrage of Christmas decorations in the stores? All that bodes very well. Not because it's almost time for the annual frenzy of gluttony and capitalism with which we mark the end of the year. I'm kind of a grinch. I don't really do any of the winter holidays at all. Nope. It bodes well because it's [...]
Much Better
So it turns out the secret to pouf success (or at least to less obvious pouf failure) is rather extreme blocking. I first blocked the hat on a plate. This led to the aforementioned jellyfish incident. The crease or line made by the edge of the plate was too close to the top of the hat, which made the band at the brim far too thick. It was not flattering. I think the theory was sound, and it might have worked with a larger plate, but I didn't have one handy. The second attempt involved a giant mixing bowl, much [...]
Let’s Try That Again
Over the last few days I made what I hoped would be a poufy hat. Before doing this I analyzed patterns for several other poufy hats to determine the general methods for creating pouf and to get a sense of acceptable pouf proportions. Following these guidelines, I knit the hat. Somewhere along the way something went horribly horribly awry. Either I was wrong about the potential for me to look reasonably non-dorky in poufy hats, or I totally forgot how to make shapes from knitted fabric, or (and I'm hoping it's this last one) blocking poufy hats is a bit [...]
Trifurcate
The pattern for Trifurcate hat and mitts is ready to go. You've been watching this set for a while now. You know that it was my first hat (though not my last) and that it was made for a friend who's having a rough couple of months. Now it feels a bit shady to profit from my friend's misfortune, so at the end of the year, any profits from this pattern are going to her favorite charity, Providence House. If your Thanksgiving weekend features a bit of down time, you can whip these up in no time. If, by some [...]
Polling the Collective
Apparently the action shot didn't quite cut it and folks want to see the top of The Boy's hat too. I'm happy to oblige. One hat, all tidy and finished! I think the next hat will be for me (having gotten some of my mistakes out of the way on my early victims friends and family). I think it's time to explore the realms of the slightly poufy hat. I've decided the watch cap style doesn't suit my face and the poufy hat has the potential to look reasonably non-dorky on me. Now this is actually where you guys come [...]
Please Don’t Make Me Regret This
You know how when you hear your own voice on a phone message or something you never think it sounds like you? Yeah. I just got a rather dramatic example of this. I did an interview with the lovely Lara of Math4Knitters, and it's just come out. Lara sounds poised and professional. I sound like a hyperactive chipmunk. A hyperactive chipmunk with an unusual fondness for yarn, but still some sort of small mammal on helium. If you'd like to witness in my shame, head over to Math4Knitters and have a listen (I sound a bit out of breath because [...]
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