Knit Some Sweet Hats

 Warm weather knitting can be a challenge to say the least!  Blankets...too heavy on the lap.  Bulky yarns...sticks to my fingers.   Shawls...lightweight, but still heating up my legs!  Give up on yarny projects till the fall....NEVER!  These sweet hats are perfect!  Newborn to adult sizes are just the thing to put down and pick up again.

Oh, and the choice of topper makes it fun!  Simple, rolled brim with a fantastic bobble on top are super easy.  The hat pattern is from knitting goddess Susan B. Anderson's Itty Bitty Hats.  That rosy topper on the first hat is why I purchased her book so many years ago.  A multi colored pom pom is so fun and a simple, one color pom is classic.  The Marley topper can easily be for a boy or girl.

Feathers are cute too!  You can purchase a feather clip, ready made, from most hobby craft stores and are very affordable at $3.00.  You can also make your own with a hair clip and some snipped feathers from a purchased boa, like the last hat shows.

Mix up the colors or...

go with classic white!

If toppers are not your thing, keep it simple.  All of these were made with yarn from my Technicolor series blanket patterns so they match perfectly, if you have any of those patterns.

Here's Susan's book that you can find in most books stores or on line.  

The reason I bought the book....a little black hat with roses on top!  Who could resist?

Her patterns are very easy to follow and I am never disappointed with the results.  

A solid hat with a Rainbow Marley topper makes me giggle!  Super easy!

Thanks for stopping by,

Sheila

Click here for my Technicolor Blanket  patterns in Etsy store

Click here for my Craftsy store

Click here for my Ravelry store

Find Susan B. Anderson on Ravelry here

Best,

Sheila

Yarn tip:

When I purchase yarn on line, I usually have a project in mind.  When the package arrives, I have forgotten what I wanted to knit or crochet with it!  To keep that from happening, I jot down the project and yarn type on a post it note and keep it by "my chair".  When the yarn arrives, I stick it to the package so I won't forget!

Knitting a Technicolor Checks Blanket

Hello my lovely followers!  I have completed my Knitting In Technicolor series with the final blanket and I've added a hat!  I have so enjoyed designing these bright and colorful blankets.  After the huge success of the Crochet in Technicolor series, and many emails, I've designed three blanket knitting patterns and a coordinating hat to the line.

Knitting Checks in Technicolor is a super easy, 6 row repeat, pattern.  I've added fringe to two sides (directions are included in the pattern), but you can add any border you like.  If you crochet, a simple single crochet edge would be lovely.  Or a shell stitch!  Seventeen skeins or worsted weight (4) yarn will knit up all three blankets and a matching hat.  

This hat is perfect for the beginner just starting out with circular needles.  No double point needles needed as there are no decreases!  A couple tassels instead of a bow for the boys would be cute, to match the fringe of the blanket!

Bright, cheerful and so much fun to knit with all these colors!  I get so many compliments at baby showers when I gift something from my Technicolor series.  It really makes me feel so warm inside.  

Would it be too much if I did a pastel series?  I think I will.  How cute would that be for spring time?  Maybe something in all blue pastels for boys and pink for girls!  A gender neutral blanket in shades of creams, soft greys and turquoise!  My mind is churning right now!  I'll have to jot that down and get to a yarn shop!

I've put together a bundle pattern set of all three blankets and the hat.  You can knit all of these with the 17 skeins of yarn and still have some left over!  The patterns, sold separately, are $5.00 each.  The bundle is $15.00.  That saves you $5.00!  Each pattern is very easy and perfect for the beginner who is ready to move on from scarves!  The bundle is only available in my Etsy shop.  

I know when you hear "seventeen skeins" you think about the cost, however, four blankets and a hat comes out to less than $18.00 a project.

I also have one hat kit available in my Etsy shop for $12.00.

Everything you need to complete your own knitted Technicolor Hat! 

You get:
*Enough acrylic yarn to complete the newborn or 0-6 months size hat
*One printed pattern 
*One red bow
*One project card
*One stitch marker

Well, there you have it!  If you would like to purchase any of my patterns in the Technicolor series, knitting or crochet, you can find them:

In my Etsy shop

My Ravelry shop

My Craftsy shop

or click on any of my shops at the top of this post!

Have a great week,

Sheila

Yarn tip:

Knitted Arm Warmers Kit

Spring kit

It's the end of spring in the USA and we are heading into summer, my favorite time of year!  Yay!  Vegetables from the garden await, the smell of fresh cut grass in the air and wooly knitting and crochet.  I know, not too much fun in the heat of summer, but this is the time of year I get my knitting and crochet kits together.

Fall kit

The first of which is knitted arm warmers.  After all, my friends on the other side of the world are heading into their winter!  

You can knit them in the round or on straight needles.  Instructions are given for both.  No thumb holes!  

I've put three kits together....Spring (the top photo), Fall (above photo) and

Winter kit  

Whether you are petite, like my daughter, or "fluffy" like me, they will fit!  You can make them shorter and get two pair or knit them longer for one pair. 

You get everything you need to complete your own arm warmers:

*Two skeins of machine wash yarn

*One printed pattern

*A coupon for your next order

*A surprise gift

Find the kits in my etsy shop

I've also got some new fabrics in my etsy shop  

below are just two

and 

a Cath Kidston Inspired Blanket Kit there too

Thank you for all your kind words of sympathy and encouragement last week.  It was very much appreciated!

Have a great week!

Sheila

Yarn tip:

Here's a tip from Knit Daily on weaving in your ends!

Off The Hook...Summer Shawl

I'm a bit tardy in my posting.  Things come up in ones life that cannot be helped.  Sometimes they are happy things and sometimes they are truly heartbreaking.  Hooking up a comforting shawl is very good medicine for many and I am no different.  We lost a boy in our neighborhood to a fatal car accident.  He was speeding, lost control and crashed into a tree, then a pole.  He was alone and no other cars were involved.   

I live in one of those rare neighborhoods that can change ones life.  Over 25 children live in just a one block area of our house.  I'm hooking away as I recall......they go to school together, have Easter egg hunts, July 4th parades and picnic, Halloween trick or treating.  We all belong to the same neighborhood swimming pool.  They have gone to elementary, middle and high schools together.  They go to homecomings and proms together.  The hug each other as they go off to college and regroup when they return.  When each child turned 16, I told them....."put our phone number in your cel phone.  If you get into trouble, drink too much, need a ride late at night or whatever, call us.  We won't tattle.  You won't be in trouble".  When one is gone, it's devastating.  I wish David had called.

I also just turned 55 (hooking faster now).  I can hardly believe it.  Saying it sounds so old to me.  I can choose to love it or choose to hate it.  I choose to love it!  I have been through much in my 55 years.  I have had many a malady growing up.  I was a widow before I was 30 (that's another blog post) had three miscarriages before I was 40.  I'm overweight, I have bowel issues, and fibromyalgia can reek havoc!  

But I'm here, in all my glory!  I have a wonderful husband of 22 years and we have a lovely 21 year old daughter that has been a joy.  I have two brothers and two great sisters in law that take good care of them.  My parents are still living and I see them every week.  I have traveled my whole life all over this continent and across the pond and continue to do so.  I tell people that I'm 61......and they always say....."damn you look good"!  I'm keeping my weight on as it pushes out my wrinkles and keeps a chicken neck from forming!

I can't wait to finish my summer shawl.  It has been very soothing, much like the summer beach colors that run throughout.  Life is a rocket.  Get busy livin' or get busy dyin'!

The Summer Shawl yarn was brought to you by Mary Maxim Seasons in Summer.  I'm using a size G/4.0mm hook.

The pattern is Augusta Shawl by Andrea Mules.  You can find her FREE pattern here! 

Best,

Sheila

Yarn tip:

Leave your scissors at home when traveling by plane.  Take your dental floss container to cut your yarn!

Knitting Waves in Technicolor

 For those of you who are following my Technicolor series, here is the second of four Knitting In Technicolor patterns.  Seventeen colors in machine wash worsted weight yarn.

A four row repeat (only one purl row....yay!) makes it an easy project.  You can get up to 4 blankets out of these seventeen skeins.  Circular needles are used to handle the weight of the blanket, but you will be knitting back and forth as you would on straight needles.

If you have my Technicolor Crocheted Blanket patterns, this is a knitted version of the Technicolor Crocheted Waves Blanket.  I have had so much fun translating one to the other.  

I love the colorful waves in this knitted version.  It would be just as beautiful in more muted tones or different shades of the same color.

I am working on a knitted "granny" pattern and should have it ready in the next couple weeks.

Click here for the Knitting in Technicolor patterns in my Etsy shop

Click here for the Knitting in Technicolor patterns in my Craftsy shop

Click here for the Knitting in Technicolor patterns in my Ravelry shop

you can also find all four of the 

Technicolor Crocheted Blankets patterns in my Etsy shop

Technicolor Crocheted Blankets patterns in my Craftsy shop

Technicolor Crocheted Blankets patterns in my Ravelry shop

Have a great week,

Sheila

Yarn tip:

When casting on a large number of stitches, place a stitch marker after every 20 to make your counting easier.  Remove them when you knit your first row.

Knitting in Technicolor Pattern is Ready

 Gorgeous in technicolor! First in a series of 4 patterns.

You can easily get up to 4 blankets out of all this yarn. Now THAT'S good use of your money and all this yardage. Inspired by my Technicolor Crocheted Chevron Blanket, here is the first in a series of four knitting patterns.

A two row repeat makes it an easy project. Seventeen colors of worsted weight yarn produces a gorgeous blanket anyone would love. Feel free to use any color combination you like. Make it larger or smaller to fit your needs.
A matching hat in the same color order would be cute! So would a pair of matching booties!

If you are a new knitter and ready to move on from scarves, this pattern is for you! I am always available to help with any questions as you go along.

All the information you need is listed in the pattern. Yarn colors and brand are given to make it just as shown in the photos!

It measures:  36” W x 64” L (92cm x 163cm)

Click here to find the pattern on Etsy

Click here to find the pattern on Ravelry

Click here to find the pattern on Craftsy

Pattern #2 in the works.....Knitting in Technicolor Waves!

Best,

Sheila

Yarn tip:

To keep track of what row I am on, I make a "chicken scratch" after every  row on a piece of paper.  A chicken scratch looks like this after I have knitted four rows:

IIII

A Trip to Our Nations Capital and Shopping!

My husband and I were on a recent trip to Washington, DC, 

Rehoboth, Delaware, 

Alexandria, Virginia and 

National Harbor, Maryland.

We visited family, attended a wedding, and walked!  Why is it when you go on holiday, there is SO much walking?  Of course, when there is much walking, there is much shopping!

Just LOOK at all this gorgeous, porcelain dish ware from Pip Studio!  Very Cath Kidston and Greengate looking, but available in the USA!  Awesome sauce!  I bought the two fruit bowls in the top photo.  Now, I don't know what I will do with them, but does that really matter?  It would be a perfect yarn bowl!  Oh how I wanted to buy more from this lovely shop in Alexandria, Virginia.  

Decorium, "suppliers of whimsy and inspiration", was the most beautiful shop and the first one we walked in to when we got to King street.  Jeff Albert, the owner was there to greet us with a smile and he was very tolerant of my aggressively friendly nature.  All of the staff were so very kind and helpful.  I mention this as I have been to many a city where this was not the case. 

Beautiful shades of robins egg blue, the prettiest pinks and warm reds.  Those jugs......I must have picked them up a dozen times!  Pip also has this line in khaki, which is equally gorgeous.

What table wouldn't be stunning with any of these plates, bowls, tea cups, teapots and pitchers?  The photo is a bit deceiving.  These bowls and plates are very large indeed.  It was terribly difficult to resist, but one has only so much room in a suitcase and the airlines only allow two carry on bags, one being a ladies purse.  That's ok, I'll be back and will plan accordingly!

Pip Home, "happy products for happy people"!

I picked up two kitschy tea towels in a Rehoboth Beach, Delaware shop.  I love these by Catstudio .  You might recognize the design.  They are the folks who make those gorgeous, embroidered pillows.  They also make drinking glasses, of which I have several, aprons, beach towels, mugs and plates.  Just tons of fun stuff!   Great memento of our trip.  I purchased the Delaware towel as well.

I found these cute journal books which I use to jot down knitting and crochet patterns, renderings, ideas and doodles.  Isn't that Fifty Shades (illustration by Sooshichacha) book darling?  Peter Pauper Press puts out the best books!  The one on the right is Gustav Klimt's Tree of Life frieze (c. 1909).  If you pop over to their site, they are part of their small format journals.  We usually buy some kind of historical book as well, to remind us of where we have been.  In the last photo, you'll see one for Washington, DC.

I also like to pick up Christmas ornaments on my travels.  Our tree is full of them!  Everywhere from the US and Europe.  I put the year on them to remind us of our trips.  I don't have a photo, but I also like to buy charms for my charm bracelet and I found only one shop that carries them.  The White House gift shop had several and I purchased a tiny White House....of course!  My bracelet is getting nice and full too.  I go to the Iowa State Fair every year with one of my besties and they have two new ones every year.  If you are familiar with state fairs, think.....butter cow, corn dog, cherry pie, corn stalk.....!

The trip was super!  White House tour of the east wing, Lincoln and Washington Monuments.  WWII, Korean and Vietnam Memorials.  The Hope Diamond, Cherry Blossoms, food trucks, art museums, row houses, brownstones, family, new friends, beaches, a wedding, shopping and no plane delays!  Whoo hoo!

There you have it!  It's Saturday and Easter is tomorrow.  To my Greek Orthodox followers.......Christos Anesti (Christ is Risen)!

Happy Easter!

Sheila

On My Needles...Knitting in Technicolor

After the blog post and huge success of my four Technicolor Blankets to Crochet patterns (thank you so much, by the way), I had a fair amount of requests for the same look but blankets you could knit.  Who am I to deny a knitter?  So, I am translating them into knitting patterns.  This is the first in a series of four.  I had some comments from hookers that they could not find one or two of the colors from the crochet patterns, so for the knitting patterns I have substituted those hard to find colors for similar ones that are more readily available.  I should have this first of four patterns ready next week.

Thank you also for the HUGE response and lovely comments to my blog post... Cath Kidston Inspired Blanket!  I'd love to see photos of yours, so be sure to send me a snap shot!

You can find all my pattern shop links at the top of my blog or follow the links below!

Click here to find Technicolor Blanket pattern and Cath Kidston Inspired Blanket pattern on Etsy

Click here to find Technicolor Blanket patternand Cath Kidston Inspired Blanket pattern on Craftsy

Click here to find Technicolor Blanket and Cath Kidston Inspired Blanket pattern on Ravelry

Best,

Sheila

Yarn Tip:

Does a pattern call for worsted weight yarn and you only have sport weight in your stash?  Hold your sport yarn double throughout to get a worsted weight gauge of 5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch on US size 7 needles.