Braided Cable Hat
oooo pretty soft alpaca yarn
Rochelle asked if I could make a hat for her aunt who's fighting cancer. I was more than happy to oblige. After she taught her Friday morning yoga class, we met up and walked over to The Needleworks Barn. We found some GREAT baby alpaca yarn that will be really soft on the skin. I'm happy with the pattern. I just worry I made it a bit too big. But -- I can always make another one.
- the materials:
- one ball Plymouth Yarn's Baby Alpaca Brush Yarn, color 100
- two size 8 circular needles
- cable needle
- stitch marker
- the abbreviations:
- cn: cable needle
- Cr3L: sl 2 sts onto cn and hold to front, p1 from left needle, k2 from cn
- Cr3R: sl 1 st onto cn and hold to back, k2 from left needle, p1 from cn
- C4B: sl 2 sts onto cn and hold to back, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn
- C4F: sl 2 sts onto cn and hold to front, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn
- the pattern: (see cable chart below)
I searched the web for a cool cable pattern, and found these arm warmers and really liked the braided cable pattern on them. So -- I used that pattern to make the hat. I'm happy with how it came out.- cast on 78 stitches
- round 1: place marker begin knitting in the round, (careful to not twist) *k2, p2, k4, p5, repeat from *.
- round 2 and 3: repeat round 1
- round 4: (Begin cable pattern) *Cr3L, Cr3R, 3r3L, p4, repeat from *
- round 5: *p1, k4, p2, k2, p4, repeat from *
- round 6: *p1, C4B, p2, k2, p4, repeat from *
- round 7: repeat round 5
- round 8: *Cr3R, Cr3L, Cr3R, p4, repeat from *
- round 9: repeat round 1
- round 10: *k2, p2, C4F, p25, repeat from *
- round 11: repeat round 1
- repeat cable pattern 2 1/2 more times or until piece measures about 5 inches
- begin decreasing hat to a point. You want to go from 78 stitches down to about 10 stitches over the next 12 rows or so. I really don't have an exact pattern for how I did the decrease -- I just k2tog of p2tog at the same part of the repeated pattern. I tried to maintain the braided cable while I did this. Your other option is to straighten out the braids into a ribbed pattern (like the first 3 rows), and decrease evenly across the ribbed stitches.
- once you decrease down to about 10 stitches, break the yarn leaving a long tail. Thread yarn through remaining stitches and and secure yarn. Weave in ends.
Berry Harvest Embroidered Blanket
by the talented Patricia
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For the first time on my little site, I get to show off some needle-craft that I didn't make. Patricia made me the most gorgeous embroidered wool blanket. I don't think the pictures do it justice, its really spectacular. She's very talented, I'm so excited that I get to show off her work in my house. The basket is my favorite part of the blanket. I didn't realize how three-dimensional the blanket was when I first saw the pictures of the blanket. I'd like to ask her how she did it, but, I think I'll just let it be a mystery. The full kit to make the blanket is available here as well as the Inspirations Magazine where the blanket was featured. Of course.... this being the fancy kind of three-dimensional, beaded and beautiful blanket that it is, this is the look-and-admire kind of blanket and not the wrap-up-and-snuggle kind of blanket. So, today I'll go out and buy a snazzy way to hang it on the wall so I can show it off... maybe a neat towel rack? We shall see. |
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