Alpaca Beanie
Pattern: HJS Studio Beanie No. 212
Yarn: Alpaca Warehouse Superfine Alpaca Yarn 1 50g skein in olive melange, held 2 strands
Needles: #4 Boye aluminum circulars, #3 Boye aluminum circulars and #3 aluminum dpns
Notes: The pattern calls for #4 needles, which I started with. Then when DH tried it on, he said it seemed too loose, so I switched to #3's. This proved to be fatal, as the hat was then too tight for a brim, so I went with a beanie style instead.
I also changed the ribbing to be all 2x2 ribbing, and at the top where the pattern decreases, I changed the decrease portions to be k1, slip 1, k1, psso, p1 at the beginning of the needle, and then at the end: p1, k2tog, k. This kept a kind of ribbing along the decreases.
The beanie was still too small for DH, so I think this is a present for the nephew.
Alpaca Beanie with Brim
Pattern: HJS Studio Beanie No. 212
Yarn: Alpaca Warehouse Superfine Alpaca Yarn 2 50g skeins in olive melange, held 2 strands
Needles: #4 Boye aluminum circulars, #3 Boye aluminum circulars and #3 aluminum dpns
Notes: The first beanie was too small, so this time I used the same yarn, double-stranded, and the #4 circulars and dpns. I also followed the pattern, since DH was disappointed that his last beanie was not vintage. :-)
Success! The hat fits nicely and DH loves it! I highly recommend this pattern, it is simple and quick and fun to have. Isn't he cute in it?
Shedir
Uh oh, it seems someone has a gauge problem.
But wait! It's nothing a little spin in the washer and dryer can't fix! Hooray! And now we know it's machine washable too!
Pattern: Shedir from Knitty.com
Yarn: Frog Tree Pima Silk, 85% pima cotton, 15% silk in plum, 2 50g skeins
Needles: #4 Boye aluminum circulars, #4 aluminum dpns
Notes: Ayyy! Hubris hit me hard. I swapped the Frog Tree yarn for the Rowan Calmer, which is specified in the pattern. The gauge was almost the same, and I did not swatch. Well, the hat was a little big, much less for a hairless head. Into the washer and dryer!
This pattern was really very fun to knit. The cabling can be a little fussy but I loved watching the twists take shape, and it was constantly interesting. And as entranced as I was with the cables, the snowflake top is the best!
The first picture is the best representation of the color of this yarn, the other pics were taken at night because I was too impatient for daylight. The fabric was just heavenly to touch, I am hoping that the cotton/silk blend will be a little warmer than the Calmer's cotton acrylic.
Yay Pima Silk!
