Finished Project: Stranding

 

Stranding

Pattern: Java Cloche (My Ravelry Project Page)

Size made: One size fits all

Craft: Knit

Materials

Needle used: US 4 circular, US 3 dpns

Yarn used: Naturallycaron.com

Color: White: Naturally 0007; Blue: Ocean Spray 0005; Yellow: Soft Sunshine 0003; Green: Green Sheen 0004

Use yarn again? Yep

Project Details and Feedback

Duration of Project: October10th to October 15th, 2010

Modifications: I followed the pattern completely the first time.  I was very happy with the hat part but the ribbed hem just didn't cut it for me.  The ribbing poofed out and it wasn't fitted so I tried to at a single crochet border.  That modification kept the hat on the head more snuggly but the ribbing was still poofing. So, I wasn't happy with it still.  So I took the hem out and tried to change the ribbing to 3x3 and decreased a bit.  This ended up being so tight that it couldn't even get on my head when I finished it. (I think I decreased too enthusiastically!)  However I was trying to stop the ribbing from poofing and it was stilll poofing.  

So I said...enough ribbing!  I looked at patterns on Ravelry and found numerous hats with garter stitch border.  So I tried that and ended up adding about 2 or 3 more rows of than pattern called for to make up for the stretchiness lost in from the ribbing. (I also did not do the increases, I just kept it at the number for the body of the hat.)  

The garter stitch was such a success! I really, REALLY  love how it turned out and I think it is even better than the ribbing looked.  Much cleaner and sleeker looking. It also fits wonderfully: snug but not tight.  This is a Christmas gift to my future sister-in-law and I think she'll really be happy with the final results! Horray!

 (P.S. To change the hem I picked up the stitches above the hem -in the body- and then knit the opposite way to make the new hem[s]. That is why I added no increases -which are decreases in the hem part of the pattern. If you do try it with the ribbing I would just CO the amount of stitches in the body and ignore the decreases.)

Make this pattern again? If I make this again I will make it with the garter stitch border.  I really like how beautiful the color-work is and how simple it is. I also think it is very feminine without being icky girly.  I hope to make one for myself one day.  Oh, this was also a satisfyingly fast knit and interestingly most of the way through.

 What I learned in this pattern: Stranded color work.

....hmmm.... looks like I might block it to see if the stitches will smooth out a bit.

Love, 

LeeAnn

Finished Project: Braids

 

Braids

Pattern: xenocryst hat from Knitscene, Fall 2010 (My Ravelry Project Page)

Size made: One size fits all

Craft: Knit

Materials

Needle used: US 4 circular, US 7dpns

Yarn used: Loops & Threads Impeccable Solids

Color: Green

Bought at: Michaels in Arizona

Use yarn again? Yep. This yarn goes so far! There is a ridiculously huge amount of yarn in one very inexpensive skein.  Yes, it's acrylic, but we can't always get Cascade 220 yarn all the time. =[

Project Details and Feedback

Duration of Project: October 15th to October 16th, 2010

Modifications: None...well...except that for some reason unknown I did not change the needles on my circular needles after my last project...even though I checked! >_< So I ended up using a US 4 instead of the called for US 6. Now the crazy thing is that it fits perfectly fine. Odd...haha.

Make this pattern again? Yes definitely!  This hat is just simply gorgeous and OH MAN, it is sooo fast! I finished this in less than 24 hours (and not even continuous knitting)! Crazy! It is a pretty warm hat so someone living in the desert of Arizona would be severely limited as to when they can wear it.

Another thing, I love this magazine. I'm so happy with it and can't wait to do another project.  The instructions for this patter were very well written and a lot of information was given in the pattern about the cast-on (Estonia Double Stranded Cast-On: which I'm pretty fond of now).

This is a Christmas gift so I also made some matching toasts with the leftover yarn and am going to make a coffee mug cozy too.  All of this will be out of the one skein of yarn. It just goes on and on!  Anyway, since I have already blogged about toasts I'm just going to link you to the review of it.  I still really love the pattern and I chose the toast over toasty pattern because she is a mother of a little crazy boy so I figured it would be valuable time lost on her part with trying to get her thumb in the thumb hole! lol! Here are some more pictures:

(look at that cool cast on edge!)

Love, 

LeeAnn