Saturday, September 25, 2010

Mini Mochi Hat

Apparently this pattern is actually called the Mini Mochi Rainbow Rings Hat, and it is a free pattern which uses one ball of Mini Mochi. There was a sample in Fiber Nooks and Crannys, and it fit my large head perfectly, so the pattern author is correct and helpful in the pattern notes where she mentions that you may need to alter it a bit if your head is not large. I really loved knitting this, the changing colors, the very soft single ply yarn and the variety of stitch patterns combined to hold my interest the whole way through, and I may knit a few more before Christmas!
I don't know how this yarn holds up for socks, which it seems to be intended for, as it has 20% nylon in it, but it is perfect for a hat, and the ball band says it is washable. Anyone have experience with it?

Monday, September 20, 2010

The slouch hat

I found an awesome hat pattern and just couldn't seem to stop. Due to the backwards way blogger uploads photos, I am showing you first the second hat I knit. This is from some hand spun yarn of mine from a batt I bought from WearMoa's Fiber shop I am very pleased with the blend of colors and the lovely, soft texture of the resulting yarn.
The first hat I made from this pattern turned out so well that I had to make another, and I had just the right amount of this yarn, and it knit up to exactly the right gauge, so it was meant to be.
The pattern is called Slouch Hat, and I like the way it is exactly what is says it is, a slouchy hat. the decreases are more rapid than in a beret and this creates a gathered top rather than a flat one, and helps it be more evenly puffed around the head.
The Eco Duo yarn by Cascade is wonderful, it is one of the softest things I have ever felt, and believe me, I spend a lot of time feeling yarn! This brown one is made exactly to pattern, with a little i-cord on top, and a little band with two buttons on the side. I omitted these two details in my other two.
This third on is made with Lion Brand Amazing, a lovely looking yarn, but almost half acrylic, and I can tell while knitting with it. It is lovely to wear, and looks quite nice, but it has none of wool's elasticity.
I have a lot of pictures of this hat in an effort to accurately portray the color, but I am not sure I was successful in the end.
Alexa has recently started a love affair with hats, and she wanted to wear one on Saturday, though it was far too warm in the house to be wearing an alpaca hat, she wore it for over two hours before pulling it off.
She likes to be a part of any photo session, and I should definitely let her, she is far more photogenic than I am!