Hats Off To You!

I seem to be on a hat making spree. Last week I finished the hat I was working on, but hadn't taken any pictures until a little while ago. The edge is suppose to ruffle, but mine didn't. Maybe it's something you have to do yourself though, like pinching the edges of pie crust to get that ruffled looking edge...

This is the Ruffle Hat from Bernat. I got the pattern from the yarn wrapper, but I think you can also get it for free online (like possibly Ravelry). You can see, on the left side, the seam that has to be sewn. I wasn't paying much attention when I took the pic I guess, otherwise I wouldn't have had the seam showing.

This cute litte hat is sized 6-12 months (I think), and is knit on two straight needles, and is easy. I think, however, that I prefer knitting hats on circulars. I used 4.0 mm bamboo needles, and the yarn is Bernat Baby Jaquards in the Berries and Cream colourway. There is way more yarn left over, and I've started another one of these hats as well. I might also make some little baby booties as well (maybe more than one pair) as I am sure there will still be lots of yarn left over after the second hat is finished.

I tried to resize the picture here after I posted it, but I think it turned out a little lop sided or something. Please excuse the awkwardness if it doesn't look "quite right."

I also make a little sock for my friend's baby to try on her yesterday. I finished the sock on Saturday so that when I saw her at church I could try it on to get an idea as for the right size. The smallest one I had (I have 2 pairs made previously that will go on the mitten tree at church for Christmas) was a little tight on her chubby ankle, the medium sized one fit ok with the exception that it was long in the foot. And, the third one was a little long in the foot and might have been a tad bit big around her foot. However, she's a baby and her feet will grow. I think I will keep them the length in the foot (toe area) that they are because she can use them several times over the winter. My friend wants them basically to keep her daughter's feet warm inside her snowsuit. She (the baby) can't walk yet, so that isn't a problem.

I've also started another hat. This one is adult sized and I don't have enough of it done yet to really take a pic. I'm using some yarn I had in my stash that I had made a scarf with a couple of winters ago. The pattern calls for 1 50g ball, so I should have enough; if I don't, I still have some left over that I didn't need for the scarf. Hopefully I'll get more done on the hat and can post a pic next time...even better, hopefully I'll be finished knitting it!

On the weekend, I ordered Get Ziggy from Anny Purls and I'd like to order Duck Soup as well, I think. Get Ziggy calls for aran weight yarn, but I can't seem to find yarn in that size. The nearest thing I can find for a description is that it is a yarn weight in Great Britain and it falls between worsted and a bulky weight.

Does anyone have any good ideas or suggestions on yarns I can use for this pattern? Duck Soup uses a chunky yarn, so that shouldn't be too difficult to find something for that - when I actually order the pattern. However, I'd like to make Get Ziggy for my best friend's sister who is having a baby in January.

Little Hats

I've been quite busy the last week and a half with school work. I had a ton of stuff to do - two unit plans, a quiz, two presentations, and two article critiques all due in the last week and a half. Oh, and I have an art response type of paper due on Thursday. I'll be so glad when this week is over. But then, I also have a presentation next week as well. Thankfully next week isn't too busy.

Along the way I finished the second tomato baby hat. Lest anyone think I'm taking credit for two hats and only making one, here's the proof (well, to the left):

Like I've been saying all along, this is a cute hat and fast and easy to make. I can see more being made in the future - just not sure when though. I've got some patterns (like I'm sure many knitters do) of other fruit hats that I'd like to make at some point as well.

I've begun another little hat. It's from the wrapper of some Bernat Jacquards baby yarn and I thought it was so cute. I haven't been able to work at it in the last several days and I want to be able to sit down and finish it. This one is done on two needles, and while I don't mind that (aside from having to seam it up after), I think I now prefer to knit the hats in the round. This little hat is knit from the top down, and will have a little frill around the edge. I can't wait to see it completed (hopefully sometime this weekend.

I know Bernat is acrylic (wow, I just heard millions of yarn snobs gasping - and yeah, I gasped too cause I've turned into one too).

In other news, have you heard that SP13 has started up? Deadline to sign up is October 31. I've signed up for this round. I haven't been able to take part in the last two since I was in Korea and have extremely limited access to the post office (never opened past 4:30 and that was the time I got out of work, and never opened on the weekend). Anyway, now that I'm back in Canada I wanted to be able to take part in it again. I was surprised at the $5 sign up fee, but that goes towards angel packages, so I don't have a problem with paying it. I'm so excited for SP13 and I can't wait to get my spoilee!

Well, I'd better head off and get ready for bed. I only got about three hours of sleep last night because I was up late working on the science unit plan that was due today. I ended up doing the unit plan and 6 lesson plans. I thought that was what we were supposed to do. Turns out we didn't have to actually do the lesson plans - just the unit plan that included the six lessons for the unit we chose (I chose grade 5 weather). All that work for nothing. Oh well, at least I have a 6 lesson unit plan prepared for when I start teaching...

Anyhow, I had a nearly two hour nap when I got home from school this afternoon, but I'm feeling tired again. I think I'll head off to bed and make up for lost sleep.

Happy knitting!

Little Hat

Last night I managed to complete a baby hat - in about four hours. I was looking for something simple to knit while watching some episodes of Stargate SG-1 (I have the box set). I've been feeling a little stressed for several days due to presentations and whatnot at school, so I wanted to take a little break and relax.

Isn't it cute? It's the Tomato Baby Beanie. I used some Knit Picks Merino Style yarn in Strawberry and asperagus that I had in my stash. I've still got someleft and will be making another one of these tonight (or at least starting it).
I start my teaching observation tomorrow. I'll be in a grade two class and I'm excited about going. I just have to basically observe, make some notes about it and write up a "report" about the different things I've observed, like classroom management, the methods used by the teacher, etc. I'll be there the whole day - well actually, I get to leave when the students do. If the teachers stay past that time (the kids get out about 1:50 I think), I'm not required to stay unless I want to in order to help the teacher if she needs it - like with marking anything, setting up for something the next day, etc. My observation will be 72 hours, and I only go on Fridays because I have classes the rest of the week.

Well, going to head off now and resume my search for some background on a Canadian painting. For my art class I have to do this and do some research on the artist as well and then write a paper about it (two to three pages). Our prof is looking for certain things, like influences, etc. and not triva like when the artist was born and died or stuff like that. I really don't know how I'm going to do this because what I've chosen (the prof said the artist I wanted to choose is great) doesn't give me much detail as to what was going on in the artist's life at the time or why he painted the subject the way he did...might end up having to change it. The paper is due next Thursday, but I've also got a group unit plan due on Wednesday, an individual unit plan due on Tuesday, a critique paper due on Tuesday...and I think, other than that and the art paper, that's it.

I tell you, I can't wait until this week is over. The stress with regard to school will decrease dramatically as I have the bulk of work done already. I chose to get a lot of it over with during the first part of the semester so I wouldn't have everything due all at once towards the end.

So, happy knitting to you all!

Latest FO

I finished my second 2 Weeknights With Warrick scarf by Karin Bole. I started this on October 3rd when I went with my mom to visit some relatives. The women were playing cards and the men were sitting around watching a little TV and talking. I decided to knit and chose something easy that wouldn't require too much concentration.

I used size 4.0mm bamboo needles and Patons SWS in the Natural Plum colourway. I liked working with this yarn and found it to knit up pretty darn good.

While I was working away on it, I got plenty of compliments on the pattern and the colour. The next day my mom said she thought that would look really nice with her new winter coat she had just bought the day before. Well, the coat is black so pretty much anything will go with it. I held what I had done to that point up to to the coat, and it looked really good. So, I told her that if she wanted it I would give it to her. Well, she decided that she would like to have it, so when I finished it up last night I showed her and gave it to her...though I had to borrow it today for a little photo shoot.

Yesterday after church, one of my friends asked me if I could knit up some socks for her baby girl. I think the baby is about six months, though I'm not totally sure because she was born while I was over in Korea. She said that last year her son's feet (he's around twoish) got cold in his snow suite and she doesn't want that to happen to her daughter. She also said her mother-in-law usually makes things like that for the kids, but apparently her MIL isn't too pleased with them currently...don't know why, and I don't really care because it's none of my business. Anyway I said I'd try to get some done for both kids. She's going to let me know what size shoe her son takes so I can make them to fit better than just guessing. I'll probably make toddler size for the baby...maybe ones a little smaller than that. Hopefully if I have the time, and before it snows and gets too cld, I can get a couple pairs done for her to try on the baby to see if they fit and if I'd need to adjust the size...same with her son.

So, I think on tap next is to work on the socks for my friend's kids. I have another friend who has hinted that she wants me to make her some socks as a gift for Christmas (there are three of us who usually exchange home made gifts at Christmas), but the only problem is that I have no idea what size to make. I do know she takes a bigger size shoe (maybe a 10), but her foot is also quite big all around. I would have to know her measurements, but if I get her to do that then she will know what her gift is. The other problem I have is that a couple years ago I knit her a really pretty bag (felted it too) which she raved about. She never once used it. Never. Ever. I don't want to make someone something if they aren't going to use it. It's a waste of my time. I guess I'll have to think about it a little more. I'd like for the socks to be a "surprise", even though she hinted at them. I can always fool her into thinking I'm not making them or I'm making her something else, just to throw her off track (she'd fall for it I think, lol) and then make them, but without knowing measurements, I wouldn't like to make them for a size 10 foot and end up having them not fit her around the gusset area. What to do, what to do...

Things are busy this week and next. I've got two presentations, an article critique, a couple of small quizzes, and a unit plan all due in the next two weeks. I'd better go work at the stuff due for the next couple of days so I'm not up til all hours trying to get things done.

Happy thanksgiving to all Canadians!

Another Hat

I really love the pattern for the Spring Cap, so I decided to use my last ball of Fiance yarn (used in the previous hat and scarf) and make another one - this time in the medium size.

Here you see Tinker Belle checking it out. Sorry for the poor colouring of the pic - it was taken inside on the table with the light on and the blinds open. Anyway, I can't stop praising this pattern! It's so easy and quick to make - I just LOVE it!

I also started another Two Weeknights With Warrick scarf this past Friday. I went with my mom to visit some relatives that evening (we went out for supper with them first), and while the men sat around and talked, the ladies played canasta. I decided to pring my knitting so I wanted something that wouldn't need my full attention. I don't have any pics of it at the moment, but it's looking nice. I'll hopefully have a picture for my next post.

This morning there was frost/ice on the windows of the car and I had to scrape it off - I guess it's time to drag out the winter accessories! I'll have to get cracking and get some mittens done up for the mitten tree. I was thinking of doing some fingerless gloves or something for driving on the cold mornings (until I need fuller mittens/gloves). I'll have to look through my stash and see what I have and find a nice pattern to do up.

Well, just a short post today. I should go and get some reading done for my class this afternoon. Happy knitting!

Another Completed Item!

I'm on a roll - sort of! I was able to finish the Spring Cap a little while ago. I didn't add a pompom or anything though, but you don't have to. I think it turned out pretty cute! I made the small size using size 4mm circulars, and then DPNs to finish it off. Well, I think they were 4mm...I couldn't find my thingy (don't you love the technical term?) to measure it with.

At any rate, this is going in the pile to donate and will go on the mitten tree at church for Christmas. I think it will fit a teenager possibly. I'd like to try this pattern with a worsted weight yarn (I don't think that's what this yarn is) or something a little bigger, to see how it turns out...

I highly recommend this pattern - it's so easy and quick to make.

In other news, the storm I mentioned in the previous post didn't hit us, thankfully. We had a little wind (nothing too strong in my area) and rain. I guess it was supposed to hit NB around two in the morning, but it ended up changing directions and hit NS.

I got back the 4 page assignment for my literacy class today. We had to write our literacy memoirs - experiences with reading, writing, speaking - and hand it in about three weeks ago. I was unsure if mine was done the way it should have been, even though I tried my best to follow the rubric he gave us. Well, I must have done it right, because I got 40/40 on it! He was checking everything from the way it flowed, to spelling and grammar, and if we used personal experiences as examples...a whole lot of things. So, I'm very satisfied with that mark!

Well, I'd better get going now. I have a class in about an hour and I need to eat lunch before I go. Happy knitting!