Shelby Hat

Pattern:

Shelby

Katy H. Carroll

Yarn:

I really love this hat. It's so warm and soft, it's definitely one of my go tos. I'd love to work with the yarn again, the camel is just so amazing. I really liked the unique cable patterns in this hat, but I didn't like the way the four repeats came together at the crown, so I modified it for five repeats. It gives the hat a really nice slouch, and looks better to my eye. I love it a ton, and I'll definitely be using the yarn again.

Caramel Brûlée Hat

Pattern:

Caramel Brûlée 

Alicia Plummer

Yarn:

Malabrigo Rastita

Sabiduria

madelinetosh dk

Cloud Dweller

This hat is for one of my coworkers. I have loved this pattern forever, but when I went to make it the first time, I didn't like how the cables were right next to each other. They all blended together and there wasn't much texture. To address this, I added one purl stitch in between them, and I love how it turned out!

This yarn is an absolutely gorgeous color. I love how it feels and I think it's super lovely. However, it definitely didn't knit up like a dk. It felt way more like a fingering or a sport. I would definitely use it again, but only on something calling for sport.

I made it again for me!!!! With my DC madelinetosh, this batch of cloud dweller came out to have a lot more lavender and pale blue than the others. I think it's absolutely stunning, and I'd like to two it this hat at a looser gauge so that its cozier. I already wear it a ton, but I suspect it could be even better. 

Volga Cowl

Pattern:

Volga

Yarn:

Mrs Crosby Satchel

Spotted Cotinga

I found this pattern to suit the last of my birthday yarn. I can't get over how beautiful and bright the color is. It's also crazy soft! I'd work with this again in a heartbeat! When looking for a pattern, I wanted a really big drapey cowl with a bit of texture and an unusual shape. 

The construction of it was so interesting and unusual that it kept me intrigued the whole time I was knitting it! Love love love.

Threshold Sweater

Pattern:

Threshold

Melanie Berg

Yarn:

Huasco

Deephaven Cowl

Pattern:

deephaven
Bonnie Sennot

Yarn:
Luxurious Aran Tweed
368

Super dense

Love this pattern

Song of the Sea Cowl

Pattern:

Song of the Sea

Yarn:

Araucania Cana Ruca

I have loved this pattern forever. I have been waiting for the perfect yarn to make it with, and when I saw the gorgeous yellows and blues in the ruca, I knew they'd pair well. I love wearing this as much as all of my other projects with the fiber. It's just so silky and soft. It feels amazing against the skin. The pattern is just the right size for a casual cowl, and I'd love to make it again with an ombré yarn.

So soft

Love the waves

Sea Turtle Yarn

Yarn:
Wool
DK/Worsted
~90 yards (so far)

Source:
HoneyGold Farms

The colors of this are so gorgeous and look so beautiful with three plys. It really helps to even out the dramatic color changes. I'm really looking forward to knitting with it. Unfortunately, there is only enough yarn to make half of a slouch hat. I am hoping to order another 4 oz of the wool so that I can make enough for a hat.

Bought it at the State Fair!!!

LOVE LOVE LOVE

Excited to see it knit up

Baby Schwag's Sweater

Pattern:

Abernathy Sweater
Terri Krause

Yarn:
Plymouth DK Superwash
Peapod

This sweater is so adorable and perfectly unisex. It was a really relaxing knit and I would definitely make it again. It's so hard to find a good sweater that has a neckline that won't strangle the baby. I definitely need more practice making the cowl neck collar, mine looks a little goofy, but it's totally fine. The yarn, once again, was fabulous to work with. It's so soft and squishy, with great stitch definition. Overall, super pleased with my first baby sweater!

Rustling Leaves Slouch

Pattern:
Rustling Leaves Beret
Alana Dakos

Yarn:
Vice Sinful Singles
Smudged Turk

I have wanted to make this pattern since it was first published. I love everything about it and I think it has the most beautiful use of a leaf texture in any pattern. The finished project did not disappoint. I will absolutely be making this again. I also really loved how this yarn was able to work up like  madelinetosh light and have color shifts just as luxurious. I am really excited to work up the rest of the skein into some matching fingerless mitts.

Such a gorgeous shape

LOVE the leaves

Lots of Cabled Teddy Hats!

Pattern:
Cabled Teddy Hat
Marinda Lariz

Yarn:
Plymouth DK Superwash
1113 Brown

Berroco Comfort DK
2760 Beet Root (I think...)

Woolike
Mauve

tosh dk
Candlewick

This pattern is just so perfect for babies, it's definitely my go-to pattern for little ones. It's so easy to knit up, but it looks so cute and special. So perfect.

Making it out of the Woolike was a bit of a nightmare though, it was really taxing for my hands to work with such tiny yarn on such a small project. However, it looks very cute and works well for the preemie baby.

Love the superwash dk

A little long

Gopher colors!

Helpful

Love in a Mist Shawl

Pattern:
Love in a Mist
Boo Knits

Yarn:
Ella Rae Lace Merino
130 Multy

I loved this pattern as soon as I saw it. It looked like such an elegant and simple pattern. It seemed like the best way to show off the beautiful color shifts in the Lace Merino. However, I am not super thrilled with the finished product. The shape is a little odd and off. It's not a smooth crescent, but weirdly buckles at the top. However, the yarn is still beautiful, and I love the slight sparkle of the beads. I can still wear it, it's just not what I had hoped for.

Before and after blocking!

My Stress Snowdrop Shawl

Pattern:
Perce-Neige (Snowdrop)
Hiroko Payne/The Hare and the Crow

Yarn:
Anzula Wash My Lace
Persimmon

I love pretty much every lace project that Hiroko Payne designs. They are so incredibly unique and intricate. They don't look like anything else I have seen, and they always are a super fun challenge. I feel like I learn new techniques every time I do them. I picked this pattern because it looked like a magnificent challenge and I knew I was going to be super stressed applying for a job back home in Minnesota. I was right... This pattern was the perfect remedy, and it was perfect for working on, setting down for a bit, and picking right back up. There were a few places I would get stuck, but I was able to power through.

The yarn was a gift from my amazing and wonderful friend Barb. When I first received it, I knew that it was destined for a really special project, and I had a devil of a time finding something worthy. As soon as I saw this though, I knew it was perfect. The shawl is so gorgeous, I don't care if I ever wear it, I'm super proud that I finished it within three months of starting. I can't wait to block it!

Elise's Cognac Hat

Pattern:

Cognac

Thea Colman

Yarn:

madelinetosh tosh dk

Celadon

This was a case of me buying the yarn first. I had started to make a Pressed Leaves hat for myself, but tore it out because my dear friend, Elise was complaining that I had made something for "Everyone" and not her. So, I frogged that and bought this pattern. The interesting cables intrigued me because I love a seed stitch. I also liked that it would be a unique hat. It reminded me a lot of Elise. I am pleased enough with the finished project, but I don't know I'd buy another Thea Colman pattern. The cables are cool, but the hat shape itself wasn't the best. It's a little weirdly long without being properly slouchy. I feel like I could have come up with a better shape without spending the money. Oh well, the hat is cute and I like the cable.

The color is prettier in person

Really cool cables

Chicago Skyline Hat

Pattern:

Chicago Skyline

Me

Yarn:

Dragonfly Fibers Traveler

Riptide

I knew I wanted to make a hat that was inspired by Chicago when I decided to move back home to Minneapolis. Originally, I was going to make a hat that was inspired by the Lake Michigan coastline, but it was too subtle and not terribly interesting. Then, I decided to chart out the Chicago skyline. Usually, something like this is done with colorwork, but I wanted something that played with texture. I made the buildings in reverse stockinette, and added some interesting v's up in the sky of stockinette. 

The yarn that I picked out is probably the most gorgeous skein of yarn I have ever encountered. I want to buy more and more of it and make a sweater. I may eventually make the investment, we'll see, it wouldn't be super cheap... But, totes worth it. I absolutely love the colors of the hat, and I love to wear it around.

I love the finished hat. The only trouble is that I am the only one who knows that it's supposed to be the skyline. I need to embroider with white floss the outline of the buildings, and then it will be done. I'm really excited to see the finished product.

Caryn's Bux Hat

Pattern:

BUX

The Restless Knitter

Yarn:

Traveller

Winterfell

For Caryn's birthday, I wanted to make her a hat. She first picked out the pretty dark blue yarn, and then we spent time looking at hundreds of hat patterns. She wanted something simple, but very slouchy to accommodate her giant head. This pattern was perfect, and I really like how the lace turned out. It shows off the subtle variations of the yarn really well, and the hat is super soft.

I would definitely make the pattern again. I think I might make it for myself with some pretty pink Ella Rae Lace Merino Worsted.

Nice lace

Different brim

Rachael's Birthday Hat

Pattern:
Beeswax Hat
Amy van de Laar

Yarn:
tosh dk
Candlewick

I have been interested in this pattern for a while. I really like things that have an ultra realistic texture or aspect to them, so this hat, with it's cleverly created honeycomb pattern, really caught my eye. I love how it creates the look of depth, without appearing to be too literal. When I decided to make Rachael a hat for her birthday, I knew this had to be the pattern.

I went into my favorite yarn shop looking for a pretty yarn. This one really jumped out at my, and my roommate thought it was perfect too. I was between this and a lighter, sunnier yellow, but the owner of the shop liked this one more, and I think the darker tones will look really lovely with Rachael's dark brown hair. I'm so excited to give it to her! The yarn obviously, is perfect. Tosh yarn is always the best and shows the pattern beautifully.

I made some minor mods to the brim of the hat. It's supposed to have a ribbing that leads into the comb, but I thought it looked dumb on everyone's heads, so I made it slouchy. I took out about ten stitches from the brim and added them as soon as I finished the ribbing. It has a nice shape, and I think it will be much more wearable.

Better shape

Love the honeycomb

Valentine's Day Hat 2015

Pattern:
Valentine's Day Hat 2015
Myself

Yarn:
Araucania Huasco
116 Lavender

For Valentine's Day this year, I wanted to use the same cable pattern that I used last year, the pretty heart, but I wanted to add something more intricate to complement the fingering weight yarn. I also wanted to have a slouchy hat that would work well for the balmy spring weather. The end result is one of my very favorite hats. The subtle stitch texture is really interesting and matches the color shifts well. I also really like the floral quality to the leaf cable. The yarn is also amazing. It is so soft and comfortable, and it holds its shape well. I love everything about the hat, especially since it was a good project for me to work on while I went through a rough Valentine's Day.

Took a while to get the right slouch shape

Really pretty quilted texture

Love the cable patterns

My Own Sweet William Hat

Pattern:
Sweet William
Alicia Plummer

Yarn:
Kollage Fantastic
Porcelain

I made my own Sweet William! I love this hat so much. My only complaint is that it's a little too snug. It's not very slouchy. If I make it again, I'll definitely keep it in mind. However, this will be great for keeping my head warm while temperatures are so low since it'll stay close to my head.

The yarn is incredible. It has amazing stitch definition and feels so luxuriously dense. I would most definitely make another hat out of this. Especially something with cables. The color is also very lovely. It'll match my other scarves and coats well. It'll be a nice hat for the winter!

Love the hat!

My Noro Thinking of Waves Scarf

Pattern:

Thinking of Waves

yellowcosmo

Yarn:

Taiyo Sock
3

So after looking at my Celes scarf for a year, and having only worn it once, right after I finished it, I decided to frog the scarf. I never really wore it because it wasn't a comfortable size or shape. I may make it again in future with a softer yarn that will drape better. In the meantime, I really liked the colors in the 3 and I really wanted to try using it again. Man, am I glad I did.

I have really wanted to make another Thinking of Waves, because I wear my Madelinetosh version all the time. I just love how the short rows flow and how it bunches around my neck and shoulders like a warm hug. It's probably my favorite shaped scarf of all of them.

The Noro seemed like an interesting experiment in how fiber content and dyes will affect the finished product. This scarf is much larger and a little more structured. The color shifts look really interesting in this and I predict I will wear this ALL the time. So much so, that I had to go out and buy more Noro to try it again with another project! I feel like Noro will either look amazing or hideous, it's just a matter of finding the right project. We'll see what I do with the new batch. For now, another really good scarf that I'm really happy with.

The funny thing about this yarn is that I bought it last year, before I stopped buying black, but by now, pretty much every color in this is a color I wear now. The bright greeny teal is the color of my lighter coat, and the bright purple is the color of my purse!

Really interesting color shifting

Love love love the colors in this