Mrs. Jekyll & Little Hyde Hat

Pattern:
Mrs. Jekyll & Little Hyde
Le Maison Rililie

Yarn:
Cascade 220 Fingering
Silver
In the Navy

I loved that this hat was reversible! It will be extra warm and I'll be able to where it when I'm feeling more girly or more tom-boyish!

The cast on took forever to figure out, and I have to say, it wasn't worth the work. The band is tighter than it would have been with my usual easy cast on. Oh well, it was good to learn a new cast on. The tighter band will just mean that it's a good hat for extra windy days and covering my ears. It'll probably end up being really helpful.

The striped side is a bit bigger, so it tends to poof out more and look a bit like a Rastafarian hat. It'll probably grow on me too. I'm a little underwhelmed at the moment, but I'll give it time before deciding it's not the best pattern I have done.

Celes Scarf

Pattern:
Celes
Jared Flood

Yarn:
Taiyo Sock
3

I will knit pretty much anything designed by Jared Flood. His work is always gorgeous and wearable. I bought this yarn for myself as a birthday present because I am quickly becoming a huge fan of it. I love the crazy color combinations and the combination of cotton, silk and wool is perfect for everyday scarves. I wanted to find a really big scarf or stole pattern that would have a really beautiful shape and minimal pattern details so that the colors of the yarn would be the focus, but not be super boring and just a plain striped scarf. I feel like this was the perfect pattern. This was also my first project with a knitted on edging, and his instructions were clear enough that I was able to be successful.

I really love the scarf, and I think I'm going to do Willoughby next, since it seems to be very similar.

REALLY needs to be blocked!

The colors are gorgeous

It's so long that it seems impossible to block...

Chicago Winter Snuggly

Patterns:

Boundless

Christa Giles

Deephaven

Bonnie Sennott

Yarn:

Ecological Wool

Natural Grey

I have been dreading the upcoming winter since the snow first started melting in the spring. I knew I wanted to make some sort of hooded scarf that could shield my neck and face from the wind more than a simple hat could. I bought the Boundless pattern last winter for Christmas programming at a living history museum, but I never ended up making it. When I was looking through hooded patterns this fall, I found it again and thought that it would be perfect for what I had in mind. I knit the hood and the first two sections of the cape thinking that it would be a good cowl sort of thing. I was most definitely wrong. The neck section was much bigger than I anticipated and it looked ridiculous.

I ripped out the cowl and started on another project. Wanting to go back to the hooded something since it had started getting colder, I started looking at cowl patterns. I found the Deephaven pattern, which I had seen before in May and really really liked. I decided to combine the Boundless hood and Deephaven cowl. I was skeptical through the entire process, however, I am totally in love with the finished product and to not leave my apartment without it. It's super warm and really fun to wear. It's so snuggly and cuddly that I wear it indoors all the time. It's crazy perfect, and I would definitely do something similar in the future.

Deephaven was perfect with the thicker yarn

The hood works really well with the cowl

Warrrrrrrrrrrmth

Brennan Cardigan

Pattern:
Brennan Cardi
Julia Trice

Yarn:
Mousse
Brown

As far as hours worked, this cardigan was a pretty quick knit. However, it was a pretty boring project, so it took me about three to four months. The finished product is wonderful because it has a really slim and flattering fit. I love wearing it, but I worry I won't be able to wear it a ton because the color is a little weird. It's like a cross between a tan and light brown. I would like to dye it a different color in the future. Maybe a dark purple?

All in all, I am very pleased with the finished sweater. In future, I think I'll look for something that's a bit more of a challenge. I'm thinking a hard core crusty fisherman's sweater is next.

Not bad! Good shaping.

Many different buttons!

Cthulhu

Pattern:
Cthulhu
Rural Rebellion

Yarn:
Cascade 220
Shire

My idiot brother found a picture of a amigurumi Cthulhu, so I found this super cute and simple pattern on Ravelry. I really like how it turned out, but the tentacles are a bit to big and long.

I hope Lovecraft would be proud.

Tentacle Madness!

I had a bit of a tighter budget, so in order to score some cheap polyfill, I bought two stuffed animals at the dollar store and cut them open. The polyfill was perfect, and I had way more than I needed, but there was something really morbid about cutting them open...

Oh sweet Neptune's beard.

Annis Shawl

Pattern:
Annis
Susanna IC

Yarn:
Taiyo Sock
25

I bought this yarn on impulse at my local yarn shop because I loved the colors. This was my first time working with Noro yarn, and I was really interested in seeing how it would work up. I can't say that I would rush back to buy it again because I can't imagine finding another project that I'd want to use it for. While I do like this project, and it has an ugly/pretty appeal, I can definitely think of other yarns I'd rather use.

The pattern itself was really simple, but starting with the outer edge and working in made it really tricky to cast on and do the first few rows of lace.

Altogether not my favorite project to make, but I think it'll be a really cozy and fun accessory to wear.

Nae Scarf

Pattern:
Nae
Anat Rodan

Yarn:
Ruca Multi
8-Discontinued

I bought this yarn in a clearance section at my LYS. I absolutely loved how it was so shiny and drapey. I knew it was going to make an amazing scarf. For some reason, I really felt that it needed to be a triangular scarf, and that it should be really plain so that the varigation and texture of the yarn could be showcased. I loved the pattern as soon as I saw it, but was a bit worried about the size and amount of yarn it needed. I ended up increasing to 80 stitches instead of 100, and I think the size is perfect for summer. I'm not exactly sure what it will match with, but I'll figure that out later! I am so happy with it, that I'll probably make some questionable matches. Oh well! Whateva whateva. It's so pretty, I don't even care! I would love to use the yarn again!

The Danish Forests Cowl

Pattern:
The Danish Forests
Marte Eldoy

Yarn:
Stretch Socks
Cherry Sours

This yarn was on clearance at Michaels, and I pass it up. I really loved the colors and thought it would be great for a spring project. I was really attracted to the pattern because it has such a subtle and pretty texture. It worked really well with the striping of the yarn and I love the project! The elastic in the yarn makes it silkier, which I wasn't expecting at all. Overall, I'd recommend both yarn and pattern!

Springtime in Philadelphia Hat

Pattern:

Springtime in Philadelphia

Kate Gagnon Osborn

Yarn:

Itata Solids

Medium Violet

This yarn has been one of the most difficult yarns to work with. It has a really unusual drape and texture. It is almost stiff and lineny so it doesn't take to cables or stockinette or really any stitch pattern. After frogging it many times, I finally tried it on this pattern, and it actually looked great! The pattern is great and it is a really good hat for spring since it's nice and loose. I love the result a lot. I definitely wouldn't recommend buying this yarn, which is okay since it's discontinued, but still. Crappy yarn. Beautiful color though.

Really distinct drape and texture

Tears of Bronze Hat

Pattern:

Tears of Bronze

Po Lena

Yarn:

Nature Wool (discontinued)

Celery

I have been looking at this pattern for a while. At first I didn't like it a lot, but it has really grown on me. Since I wanted to make a simple and clean spring hat, this seemed like the perfect pattern. While cleaning out my yarn bin, I found this really pretty and soft green wool so I decided to use it. I love the way it came out and I would definitely make another. I really wish the yarn wasn't discontinued because it's a great DK weight. It also has really pretty and subtle color variation.

Ptarmigan Cowl

Pattern:
Ptarmigan
Jared Flood

Yarn:
Lana D'Oro (discontinued)
Lavendar Water

I have wanted this pattern forever. It is just such a beautiful stitch. The way it flows reminds me a lot of tulips and other spring flowers. It was the perfect project to celebrate applying for big kid jobs and the coming spring. I absolutely loved every aspect of it and I will definitely be making it again. It came out to be a great size when I made it in worsted. I like my cowls bigger and snugglier, so the yarn was a really good fit. I'll probably make a summer version out of a bamboo blend.

Iona Hat

Pattern:
Iona
Martin Storey

Yarn:
Homespun Merino
Natural

I really like the rough aran look of this hat and I think it'll look really cool and different when it's knit in the homespun. The yarn isn't the most consistent or even yarn that I have ever made, but I did it on the 1850's wheel from work, so it's to be expected. The hat will be a nice reminder of the Landing and I suspect that this will be a hat that I always wear. I have been wanting a black hat for a while to match my coats and outfits, so I think I'll grab some black Rit dye from CVS and dye the hat black when I'm done. Since the pattern isn't a very prominent one, I think that it'll look good why it's dyed.

Autumn in Garrison Hat

Pattern:
Autumn in Garrison
Kate Gagnon Osborn

Yarn:
Vintage
Sour Cherry

I have been eyeing up this hat pattern for a while now, and I'm really glad I made it. I used the Vintage yarn again so that I could have a hat that would match the Shelter Infinity Scarf. I thought it would be much trickier to make the hat top down, but I'm really glad that is how the pattern is written. Since I wanted a slouchy hat that would cover my ears, I knit an extra repeat, and it's perfect. Binding off the brim of that hat seemed like it would make a really inelastic edge, but it actually makes the hat more wearable and fit more securely on my head. It will be really helpful on very windy days. I love this hat, and I'll probably make it again with another yarn because the patter is so subtle that I think it'll look really different with another yarn.

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It looks cuter when worn

Really pretty stitch pattern

Aidez Sweater

Pattern:
Aidez
Cirilia Rose

Yarn:
Vintage Chunky
Juniper

I made this sweater about two years ago, and it is probably my favorite sweater, store bought and handmade. It just has such a great shape and fits so well. It's incredibly comfortable and I just love wearing it. If I could find a good deal on bulky yarn, I'd definitely make another one and substitute out some of the cable patterns so that it wouldn't look exactly the same. The pattern is super well written and it's just wonderful all around. The yarn has also been wearing really well too.

True lattice

Habitat Hat

Pattern:
Habitat
Jared Flood

Yarn:
Cascade 220 Heathers
Irelande

Jared Flood is hands down, one of my favorite designers. Ysolda Teague is a close tie for favorite. If am flipping through patterns and see something that looks extra special and wonderful, it's probably designed by one of them. So when I first saw this hat, I knew I had to make it. I have made it twice at this point, and every time, while I'm knitting it, I think of what a pain it is and how I never want to make it again. However, the end result is just so gorgeous and well fitting that I can't help but go back to it. This is one of my favorite hats, and I have been wearing it a ton this winter because I finally figured out how to properly slouch a hat. It's a wonderful knit and looks great with the Cascade.

My lovely model Megan!

Gorgeous Cables