Hi Knitters,I am sure you have already checked out the new fall Knitty. Be sure you do if you haven't yet. There is always something for everyone in this online magazine. This beautiful lace hat caught my eye right away. The pattern is entitled Foliage and it is designed by Emilee Mooney. Emilee provides a worsted weight version and a chunky weight version of the hat. The Leaf Lace pattern is from A Treasury of Knitting Patterns (a great investment!) by Barbara G. Walker adapted to work in the round.
The hat in the pattern is made out of Malabrigo which is a lovely, soft meriono wool. I made mine in the emerald blue colorway #137 and in the worsted weight. I just happened to have 2 skeins sitting around and this pattern was the perfect answer for one of them. Maybe a scarf will emerge from what's left. I sat down to start knitting yesterday and this morning I already have a shiny new hat.The pattern is clearly written with both charts and written lace patterns, so whichever you prefer it's there. I used size 7 dpns and sixteen inch circular needles and size 5 circulars for the ribbing.
You start at the crown to create this beautiful star-like top and head down with the dropping leaves to reach the ribbing. I added an extra 6 rounds of the leaf lace pattern because I think it was coming out a bit short for my liking. I don't enjoy a short hat that won't sit at your eyebrows and cover your ears. We need that extra coverage in this neck of the woods.
You start at the crown to create this beautiful star-like top and head down with the dropping leaves to reach the ribbing. I added an extra 6 rounds of the leaf lace pattern because I think it was coming out a bit short for my liking. I don't enjoy a short hat that won't sit at your eyebrows and cover your ears. We need that extra coverage in this neck of the woods.I also bound off using a size 7 dpn to knit onto. I wanted to ensure a comfortable bind off. Oh, and I decreased 4 stitches when I started the ribbing which wasn't in the pattern but it seemed like it could be a touch loose. I want a snug but comfortable fit.
It's a good hat! You should give it a try, it is quick, relatively simple and it uses a ton of techniques on a small-scale project. Those elements are always a perfect combination in a pattern.
best, susie
best, susie
p.s. Itty-Bitty Nursery snuck out a little early!
I love the bright blue for fall! I wouldn't have thought of it! I'm almost done with your Pumpkin hat, but I've turned it into an apple for Addison. So cute!! And I snuck into Barnes & Noble yesterday, hoping to see your newest book, but it wasn't in yet. I can't wait!!
ReplyDeleteHi Susan, love the hat, and the socks. I keep wanting to try socks again, but am loving all the hats right now in Itty Bitty!
ReplyDeleteI do have a question I hope you can help me with... I'm doing the snowman hat and just cast on for the nose. Is there an error in the amount of stitches I need? It says cast on 9 but the second row says slip 1, slip 1, k2 tog, knit7, k2tog - but isn't that 13 stitches?
I then thought you meant ssk, then knit 7 then k2tog, but even that is 11 stitches? I'm confused - can you HELP!
Hi Denise,
ReplyDeleteJust cast on 11 stitches to start with and you should be fine. Sorry about that. You wouldn't believe how hard everyone tries and little things still slip through.
I am glad you are having fun with the hats.
susan
YAY!! I'm so glad your new book is out! As soon as I read your post, I logged into Amazon. It said there were 3 books left in stock. Now there are 2.. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the hat - it is wonderful, I may need one - even though I couldn't grow my hair out:) And thank you so much for the book, I plan to sit down when I can relax and eat up every pretty page! Yay for early sneak outs too!!
ReplyDeleteGreat color! I am ordering the book tonight.
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting to see the book too!! I have not seen it in the stores yet! Love the hat!
ReplyDeleteLove the hat! And I love the pics I saw of the new book.
ReplyDeleteBTW- I see you're headed near my home town to Holland, MI. Let me know if you need info on where to eat or what to do. I wish I could fly home to see you there!
Hello Susan,
ReplyDeleteI am also having trouble with the nose on the snowman hat... and I was wondering if you could possibly take some time to clarify the directions? I tried to start with 11 stitches as you suggested to Denise, but even then, the instructions don't add up for the following even rows. And knitting all the odd rows added that additional garter stitch texture that totally changed the appearance of the nose.
So here's what I did... could you possibly could confirm this as correct or offer another suggestion? I started with nine stitches, I slipped the first two stitches onto the RIGHT needle, flipped the work, and PURLED the two stitches that are now on the LEFT needle together back onto the RIGHT needle. I now have eight stitches. I flipped the work again, knit 7 stitches, slipping the seventh stitch which is now on the RIGHT needle, back to the LEFT needle, and knit the last two stitches together. This leaves me with seven stitches. Then, instead of knitting the odd rows, I purled, which gave me the nice stockinette I thought I could make out on the picture. And I repeated the above slipping/knitting pattern on the next few even rows, and it all seems to work much better.
Does this seem more correct?
Hi Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteSure! The snowman nose in the book is actually done in garter stitch. I even pulled out my original sample from the book to be certain. I knitted every row. In the second and third printings of itty-bitty hats the numbers are corrected for the nose. If you start with 9 stitches and decrease 2 stitches every other row in garter stitch it will come out just fine. So you can ssk, knit to the last 2 stitches and k2tog on the decrease rows. Do this until you have 3 stitches left, pass the second and third stitches over the first and pull through. Sew up the seam and you are set!
Hope that helps.
susan
p.s. if your nose looks fine and you did it a different way, then that is great!