Easy Knit Hat with pompom

Easy and quick...knit a bunch for the holidays!



Easy knit hat with Pompom:

Size: One size fits' adult approx 19"/20"

Materials:

Cocoon by Rowan

Bulky / 12 ply
1 skein = 126.0 yards (115.2 m)
Color: 809 Crag

US 8 (5.0), 16" circular needles
US 9 (5.5), 16" circular needles
US 9 (5.5), 16" dpn, one set
Stitch markers
Sewing needle
Pompom maker

Pattern:
Using US 8, 16" circular needles cast on 72 stitches.

Join to work in the round
Knit 3, Purl 1 for 5 rows
Change to US #9, 16" Circular needles
Knit in stockinette st. until 5" from rib.

Decrease: PM every 9 stitches.
K2tog before marker, K1*
*Repeat 4 times
K2tog before marker until 7 stitches remaining
Break yarn. Pull yarn to the the inside and weave in tail.

Using large pom pom maker make pom pom and sew to the top.

V-Day whatever...

I really dislike Valentine's Day...is it wrong to tell my 8 year old daughter to have low expectations on Valentine's day? I see her blissfully watching all her favorite tv shows with love story fantasies coming out the eyeballs..It's another holiday that the media throws in your face and is impossible to live up to. Either, you're single (which I am pretty much most of the time) or your'e in a dysfunctional relationship. Disappointing either way. I just gave her a warning about it, tried not to sound too jaded and cynical. Hard.

However, I did tell her, it's really special to spend time with your kids and to show them, your friends and family how much you care. So...we've been making lots of cards. Of course, she made this amazing card with rainbows and glitter and lots of detail - for her dad. And for mom, a plain red card with a little Mexican worry doll tucked inside. Guess I should just keep my cynicism to myself.

Some stuff I've been making

Stuffed siamese kitty, Christmas gift for my daughter...

Cowl to keep me warm!

Halloween scarf for Megan...

Escape from the snow

We leave for Punta Cana in 4 days. Can't wait to get away from this cold snowy winter. I haven't blogged in awhile, but decided to get back to it to share all the stuff I've been working on, which has been a lot. I've been really busy knitting and mainly on Ravelry.com, but am feeling the urge to get back to sewing. It started with a trip to Purl Soho, dangerous place for me. I went there for Cascade 220 - in shades of green - for this afghan I am knitting. It's a pattern that my Grandmother used to make and it is her legacy. Everyone in my family has at least one. I felt the need to carry on the tradition - and keep her alive in my memory. It took some research to figure out the pattern, but it is pretty simple, 5 panels, alternating two colors. I've decided to do 5 different shades of green. Of course, while at Purl, I was drawn into the fabric section and decided I had to make a sundress for my daughter for our trip. I still don't have a pattern, I haven't been able to find a good simple sundress. Clean lines, very simple - in a tween size. But, I have spent hours trolling the sewing blogs and completely inspired.

Orange Dress

This is so gratifying, I finally finished the dress for S. and she LOVED it! Here she is doing a twirl...finished the top for Kate and now I'm trying to get to J.'s shirt. I've been out of commission because of a shoulder injury which has been really annoying, although I think I am starting to heal. Weather is amazing in Brooklyn, 75 and sunny today, finally. I worked on my terrace today and did a little city gardening, everything is budding and flowering. It feels optimistic.

Unfinished Projects

I'm officially obsessed with fabric, I've discovered a whole world of beautiful fabrics and project after project I want to make. I went to Purlsoho finally and spent hours, bought tons of fabric, including my first Liberty of London - although it is so beautiful I am afraid I will ruin it. Also bought Weekend Sewing by Heather Ross and made the Smocked Sundress and am working on Kai's Shirt for my friends twins. I plan on making the Summer Blouse with one of the Liberty fabrics. I still have to finish off Kate's shirt, but it came out pretty nicely, and the skirt that never ends. I really don't like the pattern, it's too much, so I am having difficulty finishing it. And, just because I need another distraction, I've discovered embroidery and have been working on a couple of things with my daughter. It's fun to work on something together, she loves it. We also planted flower seeds in peat pots and made papier maché diorama eggs over the weekend. I have to work on finishing projects, before I go on to the next...Oh yeah, and I stitched up a pair of jeans of Barbie's boyfriend Blaine.

The skirt that wouldn't end...

Still making this skirt, it's the skirt that never ends.  And, I am not sure I even like it.  I even ran out of thread and had to run to Brooklyn General to stock up.  I took my neighbor Kate who is 9, and I let her pick out some fabric for a blouse.  She is so excited.  I'm going to teach her how to sew.  It's very sweet.  Anyway, worked all day, gathering, sewing, patching.  Should be finished tomorrow...