My Masterpiece... The Babyhawk Hat!

I looooove this. I want to make it in every color combination possible.  Is it ok for baby girls to wear mohawk hats?  Because I soooooo want to make them in girly colors, too, but I know how sensitive parents can be about making sure their baby has proper conventional gender identifiers... or something like that. 

Anyway, onto the pics!





This is made with the same yarn as the last post--Sugar 'n Cream's Mod Green and Mod Ombre.  I made up the design myself using the idea of a knitted heart pattern I had attempted a few days earlier.  Each strand of the 'hawk is tied individually and sewn on in rows of three, because I don't usually trust yarn to stay put if I don't tie it securely.  So I abandoned the idea of  the classic fringe-making trick. 

I think the pattern could use a tiny bit of perfecting... I mean, I basically made it all up as I went along, anyway, and I don't particularly like how I can see the bind off edge.   I also wasted quite a bit of yarn on the mohawk--it started life about an inch longer, which looked a little unruly, although it was easier to tie up.  This length is pretty perfect, though--it stands up on its own and is still very moveable and shape-able!

Bamboo Ombre Stripes

Well if that name doesn't sound like a spam post... Anyway!




I made this with Sugar' n Cream's yarns in Mod Ombre and Mod Green.  I tried out stripes with this, but you can't really tell due to the size and the different colors in the second yarn. I also tried out a different stitch; this is the bamboo stitch, I believe.  It's nice, but a little hole-y  when it stretches. Maybe if I used something different than my size 8 round needles....nah!

I'm sorry my photos  aren't the greatest, but it's all up to what comes out from my Blackberry, since my digital camera conveniently decided to bite the dust at the same time I wanted to start this project. :(

Jack in the Box

Ok, so I think THIS was technically my second piece.  The bottom band was made by knitting two, purling two, and repeating... and it kind of looks floppy in this picture.  Oh well!



I really like this yarn--I stop to look at it so much when using it that my knitting goes slower. :(  It's Bernat's Baby Stretch in "Jack in the Box".  And the piece was knitted in the round with the same size 8 needles I never put down. 

The top of the hat was made using a generic pom pom method, but because of the yarn (which I made sure to stretch out while winding), it came out like the softest, floppiest koosh ball ever.  I love it!  It also looks about as big as the hat itself, but the hat is very stretchy. 

A Venture in Textures

This may have actually been my third hat... Well, I'm pretty sure it WAS my third hat, but I made these first few all around the same time, anyway.



I just started to really figure out stitches--for some reason, on my first piece, it didn't really dawn on me that, "WOAH, I can knit to the FRONT or the BACK, and get different looks by doing so?"

So with this one I wanted to play around with the textures of stockinette front-to-back, and the way alternating makes pieces puff out. Oh, and the vertical stripped band versus the horizontal striped body of the hat.

It's so simple, but I really, really love it. Though it KIND OF looks like a ribbed condom or something when it puffs out.  Just sayin'. I think it kind of adds to the charm, though.

Knitted in-the-round with Sugar 'n Cream cotton yarn in Cream, I think.  And size 8 needles.  You'll soon see how insanely in love with these needles I am.

Second Post! My First Venture into Knitting...

Whew; still not sure I like the layout, but I figured why not get started with the hats--I want to send these babies off!

So this one is my first knitted creation ever.  It's made in two pieces and sewn together, with size 8 needles and an acrylic yarn--I believe it's Lion's Babysoft in "Twinkle".



I'm sure you've probably noticed.... yes, the stitching is sideways!  I was just starting out, and didn't know whether it would be wide enough or not, so my obvious solution was to turn it sideways instead.  Not very typical, but I like the look nonetheless.

The top part is all purled, and it's just a basic rectangle that is gathered up top.   The bottom is a cabled strip that was technically my second piece of knitting ever.  Yes, my second piece of knitting and I decide on a cable.  I don't think I did too bad, all things considered, right?  I could have used a little more care stitching it together, I think, as the shape leaves a bit to be desired.  But I keep telling myself, "it's very stretchy, so it will stretch into shape when it wants!"

First post!

Hey there!

Welcome to the start of my blog.  I'm brand new to knitting, and I plan on using this page to catalog my journey and attempts at different crafty knits.  I'm not new to crafts by any means--I love sewing, jewelrymaking, and even a bit of painting and repurposing--but knitting was the one thing that always daunted me. Then I figured, "why am I ruining my hands all the time with sharp needles and bits of metal?  Why don't I try knitting?" 

When I found out my local hospital took donations of hand-knitted baby hats, I figured it would be the perfect way to get into the craft.  And it is! The hats are so small,  they're the perfect way to try out new stitches, color combinations and patterns. Plus, I won't be piling up useless crafty creations around my home, and I'll be helping out others, too. :)

Since I will be giving nearly all my creations away, I think a blog will be the perfect place to collect memories of them all together, as well as tracking my progress.

In the next few days, I'll probably be tweaking the layout quite a bit.  And my first batch of hats are just drying out from their baby-shampoo wash, so I plan on getting pictures of them soon, too!