Socks!

My first ever pair of socks! I feel so accomplished!
I used a tutorial pattern from Ravelry, and it was easy to follow.
This sock was knit cuff-down, which seems to be the default. I want to try toe-up next though! It sounds appealing.

I used Moda Vera Noir, a self-striping yarn, for this pair of socks, and they came out nice and kind of steampunky.
The fit is interesting, definitely different from commercial socks!
I really love the heel, the way the heel flap cups the heel.
usually, commercial socks are a little large for me. While these socks are certainly not a perfect fit, they fit much better than other socks I've had.
The only disappointment is that the ribbing isn't pulling in at all. in fact, it's rather loose and floppy. The sock stays up, but I think I need more ribbing next time.

Overall, socks are totally something I'll be knitting again.

Baristafarian Hat

Sometimes, I get an idea in my head. Often, these don't work out.

This time, the idea was a hat of alternating knit and purl ridges, giving a three-dimensional, bee-hiveish effect.

I checked several patterns on Ravelry, but decided I'd just wing it.

Yeah, not so great actually.

You know that whole gauge thing?

Even when the hat came out ludicrously large, I thought it'd be fine. It was 'afarian, supposed to look that way. undaunted, I finished the hat. I even put it on.

It sank down over my ears, and no level of adjusting could fix it.

I strung some hat elastic through the brim, but the fact remained, the hat was too big.

All right then. Let's try that again.

I didn't bother with calculations, just ripped out and cast on a random, smaller number of stitches.

Better.

I tried on the brim, and it seemed to fit okay this time around.

The finished hat is... meh. It's a fine hat, but it lost a lot of the cute floppiness I had originally envisioned.

I put an applique on it, and the kitten totally makes the hat.

It's still cute in its own right.
It's just not the hat in my head.

First attempts at hat making

I love hats. Always have.

They're such quick, easy things to make a drab t-shirt and pants combo a little fashion-fun.

I like to think I have what in French is called a tête à chapeaux, or a head made for hats. I get this from my dad.

Yet somehow, it never occurred to me to make my own hats until I came back to knitting just recently.
What better project to start with than a hat?


Since I figured pattern reading may be beyond me, I just cast on a random number of stitches on a circular needle and went round and round and round until I had a tube that would fit over my head. Bound off the top straight and voila. instant hat.

Then, just for the lols, I added tow teeny pompoms to it.


I love this hat. It's cottony and squishy and just the right amount of splashtacular colour.

Yarn Blogging

The first rule is admitting you have a problem, right?
As if I needed another excuse to up my geek cred, now I'll attempt to blog about my adventures in yarn, and preparing for the inevitable zombie apocalypse. We'll see what comes of it, won't we?