it was inevitable. i love knitting hats. this has somehow become the year of hats. i certainly didn’t intend for it to happen that way. but last year, i knit more cowls than anything else, and this year, i knit more hats!
horafrost (€3.90) a fantastically simple but not boring hat. great for the guy who wants ‘a plain black hat’, but stepped up just a notch!
dreiecke ($4.95USD) i obviously like the dreiecke, i made one myself! but it isn’t as stunning as this one! the yarn really elevates this project, and while i like mine, i feel like it’s a bit on the feminine side. and svipser’s really illustrates the masculine friendly aspects of this pattern.
upper east side ($4.00USD) this hat is fantastic. i just love this inky yarn and the unusual scalloped patterning. as grumpy as hearing ‘just make me a black hat’ can make me, there is definitely something to be said for it’s near universal quality, as this one beautifully exemplifies.
scrollwork ($6.50) is a nice variant from the expected cabled hat.
garfunkel hat (free). a hat round up could never be complete in my eyes until it featured colorwork. this is a nice basic overall pattern, with room for more intricacy if you want it (check out this excellent three colored version).
need more options? go check out last years hat round up! or the year before’s round up!
if you want more cabled options, check out hipster sister (free), or knotted pine ($2.00USD) for a paneled, asymetrical hat. i can’t deny that brooklyntweed totally has my number when it comes to cabled hats, so you should probably peak at bough and bray (both $6.50USD).
need more colorwork options? i’ve been sighing over fethaland ($5.00USD) lately, and muckle toque is practically perfect in every way as well. or if you want something a little more of the season, go for the bemidji ($5.00USD) and knit yourself some reindeer! i’m sorely tempted to!
want some more feminine options? the morning glory tam ($3.90) is very pretty. if you want bang for your buck, go buy two glasses on pink zin ($6.50USD) and get two patterns in one fell swoop, one cabled, one slightly lacy. or instead of two separate hats, you could go for a two in one deal with mrs jekyll & little hyde (€4.20), striped on one side, lacy on the other.
what are your last minute go to patterns for hats? did you try any new patterns this year as gifts and love them? do tell!
jones new york blouse – j. crew belt – anthropologie skirt – topshop green tights – thrifted boots
christmas season is in full swing over here! as usual, i am deeply enamored with our christmas tree! for the first time, we managed to get a tree that is small enough for our short ceilinged apartment. usually our tree will be bursting out of the corner it is allocated to. this time, it fits! there’s even room for some presents!
we watched our usual movies while putting the tree together, but we also listened this swedish christmas music. anna has posted it multiple times before, but this is the first year i’ve bothered to download it or listen to it, and i was totally charmed and won over almost immediately.
i made my first cookie press cookies! spritz! the recipe called for a LOT of flour, and they were very difficult to press. after the first three dozen, my forearms couldn’t handle it anymore and i had to bring in jake’s fresh strength to use up the rest of the dough. sheesh! i might try a recipe with less flour next time in the hopes that it’s friendlier to my forearms. they were delicious, though! i find my sweet tooth is the hardest to resist first thing in the morning. a few cookies are so good with the first cup of coffee.
what are your favorite things about the season? any new discoveries sweetening your life?
lifeline mittens by belletrism
lifeline pattern ($4.00USD) another fabulous example of how the knit doesn’t need to be intricate to have wow factor. handspun or special yarn really elevate a knit, or a gift! i can’t tell you how frequently i stop back to stare at this picture. so beautiful! i think i’ll tear out my handspun cowl that i was never really sold on and use that yarn for a pair of these mittens…
hellskitsch‘s chocolate bark mittens
from the splitbark pattern ($6.00USD). i love the unexpected juxtaposition of the garter stitch with the offset honeycomb cabling, all amplified by this perfect yarn choice. neutral and unexpected!
cozy mittens pattern free from marthastewart.com
these quick and rustic mittens are a free pattern from marthastewart.com. i’d be willing to bet you could crank out a pair of these in one evening. set the tree to twinkle, pop in ‘it’s a wonderful life’, and i bet you could have a pair of mittens to show for it!
timothy hay & fluffy bunnies by urbanizer (blog post)
early grey mitts ($2.00USD) are sweet and simple. little mitts to warm your hands and give a chance to use up partial skeins and play with colors! i have a pair of these (made by the self same urbanizer!), and these get loads and loads of wear! last year, when it was bitterly cold, i found out the ease with which they slip under other mittens/gloves, and how much that extra layer of insulation helps!
thoroughbred mitts designed and knitted by aliciaplum
thoroughbred mitt pattern ($4.00USD) a lovely parallelogram textured mitt pattern. a totally neutral knit, i can’t imagine anyone they wouldn’t work for!
need more ideas? check out last years quick knits: mitts & mittens, or the year before!
if you wanted some cabled mitts, i’ve been loving the vancouver fog mitts forever (free!), and still intend to make them. if you want a little more of a challenge, there’s the cam cable mitts ($6.50USD), with an unusual cable, and patterning on the front and back. other textured mitts include raw honey ($4.00USD). if you’re jonesing for a bit of bobble in your life (but not too much!), there’s the emerald mitts. the most unusual techniques i’ve seen are on these cool zimtstern mitts (free!), which are started at the thumb, and use surface crochet to give the effect of radiating stars. if you’re looking for something a little more feminine, there’s the lovely katinka mitts ($6.00USD), or astri mi astri.
i’m a little later getting this party started than i would have liked, but let’s see just how much of this party we can fit in before christmas!!! (for you chanukah celebrators, i apologize, the deck was stacked against me this year.) hopefully you will see something to inspire and delight!
$6.00USD. the cowl shown above is a modified version of the original mojave pattern, so make sure you take a peek at the original. but lane’s is a great shorter (therefore faster!) substitute. this is a good project to use up skeins leftover from projects that didn’t take as much yarn as you originally anticipated. i love love love the muted palette shown, and i have a hard time picturing it in anything other than muted dusty tones, or warm jewel tones.
neil by dandiliongrl
$4.00USD for the neil pattern. this is probably going to be the fastest pattern of the bunch, clocking in at a low 240 yards. break out the chunky yarn and the bigger needles, and buckle in for an easy ride to a handmade holiday present! did i take that too far? i like the diamond pattern, and this looks both quick and fun to knit!
free! shandon pattern, featuring a fun chevron stitch. textural, gender neutral, what more can you ask for? this could also be easily modified by knitting it flat instead of in the round, if that’s a thing you’re interested in! the chevron ribbing is great for showing off a more complex yarn. it obviously works well with a gorgeous semi-solid, but i think a multicolored yarn would really shine in this pattern, too!
$5.00USD for the mesa view pattern. a nice textural cowl, with a scarf option and the bonus of buttons! the buttons are great, because depending on your choice, you can really change the aesthetic of this cowl. the boldly teal yarn with cherry red buttons shown is very quirky and contemporary! but in wispy cream yarn with crystal buttons? quite feminine! imagine it knit up in a muted dark green with some natural wood buttons. sounds pretty masculine friendly to me!
€4.50 ($6.35USD) for the gentille pattern, which is part of the feathery delights, all of which i find quite lovely. even this cowl, which features lace, could work for a guy. when scrunched layered around the neck, the lace in this pattern reads more as a textural elements than a lacy element. lately, that’s been something i’ve really been drawn to. i can picture it in a dark dark grey, almost black, so that it really amps up the element of shadow and texture.
not enough cowl inspiration for you? visit my first cowl round-up! or my second cowl round-up! i still like every single one of those patterns!
colorwork cowls seem to be my favorite. more that i’m currently in love with: the flambeau cowl ($4.00USD), has a short and a long version. the pine bough cowl is maybe a little intense to take on as a christmas gift right now, but it’s free and so so gorgeous. i also love triangle loop (free).
stripes can be super addictive and make knitting easy! tilted shadows cowl (free! and i especially love this one) is fun. or if you’re feeling the striped cowl, there’s also the… striped cowl (free!), and ships & seaside ($5.50USD, and so so so addictive, y’all).
if you need something quick, this lovely lace ptarmigan cowl is less than 200 yards ($6.00USD). if you’re feeling lacey & ambitious, solaria ($6.00CAD) and rivendell smoke ring ($6.00USD) are both beautiful. if you’re feeling another option for a textured cowl, cocoon me cowl ($6.00USD) or avery ($5.00USD).
i feel like i overused the word textural in this post. and exclamation points. but that’s besides the point! which of the above is your favorite? have you found any new patterns that look perfect for some quick gift knitting? or any tried & true cowl patterns that you always turn to in a pinch? share in the comments!
i’ve been quite quite busy, hence the dearth of content around here. but here’s a little of what’s been happening around here:
seaming up my aidez cardigan. it’s all done, photoshoot and everything, so expect an FO post quite soon!
quite possibly the cutest graffiti i’ve ever seen!
the first snow! it has been quite cold for november. it’s snowed multiple times already!
saddle shoe love!
emi is has been in town from england for a quick visit, so we’ve been trying to fit as much family time and celebration (two birthdays, a bit of thanksgiving and christmas) in a very short span of time. (i have video of them performing this song… so i may share that soon)
i’ve been working on a pair of antler mittens! i think they are turning out quite nice. the yarn is lettlopi, an icelandic spun wool, so it’s a bit rough on the hands. i think i might line them in flannel.
gram gave me some beautiful roses. i didn’t manage to get any pictures of them at their peak, but i think they are still quite beautiful.
christmas-y times are practically upon us! usually i subscribe to the ‘no christmas until after thanksgiving’ rule, but hey, when your sister in law is in town, sometimes rules must be bent!
… when the world falls in love! every song you hear seems to say…
this picture is from last year. we absolutely don’t have a tree up yet. that would be silly.
welp. halloween is over. in america, holiday season has already begun! i was out shopping with a friend today, and target has full holiday collections out, their seasonal section is already dedicated to holiday decor! which means! it’s time to start my annual quick(ish) knitted gifts round up! (previous installations include: slippers, toys year one, mitts/mittens, cowls, hats year one, last minute knits. shawls, mitts, toys year two, cowls, hats year two)
so i’m here to ask you if there’s anything else you want to see? historically speaking, slippers, last minute knits, toys, and cowls have been the most popular, but all of them have been among my most popular posts of all time.
i pretty much copied my potential list from last years poll, because it mostly still applies:
– hats (there will always be hats in these round ups. because they are my very favorite!)
– slippers
– mitts/mittens
– toys (i think these are pretty classic)
– cowls OR scarves
– accessories (knit jewelry, or small knits that don’t really fit into another category)
– last minute knits (for that special someone you straight up forgot. or could never find the right gift for)
– baby/kid knits
– shawls (probably only low yardage ones or larger gauged ones)
someone last year asked for headbands instead of hats, but i would probably toss a small selection of those into the hats post, or into the last minute knits or accessories (so many options!).
let me know if you feel strongly about anything in particular! i’ll do my best! also, if there are any projects or patterns you’d like to nominate to see on one of my round-ups, feel free to holler at me about them!
life has been busy. it always seems to be that way, i wonder when it’s going to stop being surprising to me! but i finally got to have a saturday with no obligations, and it was wonderful! i made chili, and we bought and decorated our christmas tree!
do any of you have pickles on your trees? i thought it was a fairly traditional thing, but i was teasing a friend about her lack of pickle ornament, and she had no idea what i was talking about.
we just picked up the big ben ornament! in bath, actually. ^_^
i’ve been plugging away on various projects. i bound off on the london fog cowl about a week ago, and sewed in the ends and blocked it. it’s still drying. FO shoot soon!
these are some mitts i’ve been working on. they are fun to knit, and i’m knitting two at once to not get caught by second-sock-syndrome. that having been said, i need to finish them before i’m allowed to cast on for *anything* else. which is making them a small specific variety of torture, as i’ve been feeling particularly inspired while searching for quick knits projects. on the other hand, it’s probably stopping me from casting on for a dozen new projects at once.
jake’s work holiday party was last week, and i used that as an excuse to try something i’ve wanted to for a while:
sally hensen salon effects, in glitz blitz! so sparkly! so gold! so festive! these are supposed to be super durable, but i am really rough on my nails. i have no doubt that someone who actually tried to maintain a manicure would get longer out of these. i got about five days. which for me is a minor miracle.
i’m also trying to make christmas cookies for the first time this year. it usually falls into the ‘well intentioned but always fails’ category for me, along with thank you notes and taking daily vitamins… so far so good! now i just need to not eat all of them myself!
homemade oreos shown above (there’s even a gluten-free version), and gluten-free peanut butter cookies below (on a frankenstein napkin left over from halloween).
these didn’t exactly rock my world. they are tasty enough, but they crumble to pieces as soon as you touch them… they seemed a little better after cooling, but i broke loads trying to transfer them to the cooling rack. i am still temtped by the nutella version and the chocolate chip & walnut version, though, so the i might give them another shot yet.
in case this post is feeling a little photo light to you, here’s a gratuitous kitty pic:
love her little white chin. how are you guys? anybody in the thick of hanukkah/chanukah? anybody else doing christmas prep/celebrating? or are you just counting down the days until the daylight stays around a little longer? i know i’ll be celebrating that!
[ashleybah‘s lovely cowl. around 350 yards of color A, and 90 for the color B, both dk weight yarn.]
lovely cowl (free!)
got a partial skein of some yarn that was too expensive to just get rid of? use it for color B in this cowl. this is my *favorite* kind of cowl to knit. knitting circularly, with a tiny bit of colorwork (this would be a good first project to give colorwork a try!) makes this zoom along! the provisional cast-on and kitchenered end make this project a little more tangy, but are easily subbed out for easier options, if you aren’t feeling up for it.
[knittingdropout‘s everett cowl. uses 400 yards of worsted weight.]
everett cowl ($5.00USD)
this pattern is lovely AND reversible! i always love melissa’s updated classic style. i like the longer version, but if you’re feeling pressed for time, there’s no reason you couldn’t cast on half the stitches and make a smaller cowl, like:
[carinaspencer‘s dovetail cowl. 200 yards worsted weight for the smaller version (shown). most longer versions seems to run just a little over 300 yards.]
dovetail cowl ($5.00USD)
i’ve had a major crush on this pattern since i first saw it (though i haven’t managed to cast on for it yet…). this cowl is a more gender neutral option, with it’s emphasis more on texture.
[ifandany‘s gap-tastic. i used 216 yards of bulky weight yarn.]
gap-tastic cowl (free!)
nothing like this good ole basic pattern! maybe you have some bulky stashed? maybe you have two skeins of the same yarn, different colorways? i really like the way it looks in two colors.
[veera‘s smooth edge. 360 yards of worsted weight yarn.]
smooth edge (€2.90)
another awesomely textured option!
need more suggestions? check last years quick knits cowl post! i also love triangle loop (free), tilted shadows cowl (free! and i especially love this one), or if you’re feeling the striped cowl, there’s also the… striped cowl (free!), and ships & seaside ($5.50USD, and so so so addictive, y’all). if you’re feeling another option for a textured cowl, cocoon me cowl ($6.00USD) or avery ($5.00USD). if you’re feeling lacey & ambitious, solaria ($6.00CAD) and rivendell smoke ring ($6.00USD) are both beautiful.
there’s an absolute deluge of fabulous cowl patterns out there. what’s your favorite?
time for week three of quick knits! TOYS! i still haven’t knit any toys, because i’m a little scared that once i start, our home will just become a mountain of knitted toys. but i like looking at them, and collecting them in my favorites, and waiting for a really good reason/opportunity to make one. now, the actual knitting of these should be fairly quick, but because you might need to gather supplies (multiple colors of yarn, stuffing, little toy eyes, etc), and if finishing makes you stall like it does with me, i thought i’d give you a little extra time.
[saraek‘s rabbit #2. this pattern seems to need maybe 150 yards of the main color, and around 50 yards of the secondary color.]
vintage rabbit pattern (free)
this sweet rabbit is from a vintage pattern. if you’re feeling the vintage-y woodland feel of this one, check out saraek‘s project page, as she has several other projects that might inspire you, like this cute goose, or little sheep, just to name two!
there are so many options to pair with a rabbit: the velveteen rabbit, miraculous journey of edward tulane, watership down, or anything by beatrix potter
[acornbud‘s totoro. maybe around a 100 yards of each color?]
totoro (free!)
who doesn’t love totoro? maybe those who haven’t seen the movie… in which case, you simply must gift them the movie and a totoro of their own! a note: this pattern is not technically for a toy, so if you want to turn him into a toy, you’ll want to knit or crochet a circle bottom for this project.
pairings: okay, this one has slightly less flexibility, and is pretty much limited to the film my neighbor totoro. but that’s okay, because it’s a fabulous film!
[unraveling‘s big snowy owl. around 160 yards of super-bulky yarn for the base, and no more than 20 yards of any of the other three colors]
big snowy owl (free!)
how cute is this owl? perfect for a hipster friend who needs something to cuddle while watching tv. as an idea, don’t buy ultra bulky yarn for the three other colors, but instead go rummaging through your tidbits and partial skeins until you find a color combo you like. if the other yarns aren’t ultra-bulky, double or triple them up until they are! good way to scrap bust!
pairings: well, harry potter, right? i mean, obvo. a bonus would be if you made a smaller version of this (maybe out of aran-weight yarn instead), and found a birdcage to prop it in. someone’s own personal hedwig!
[dendacien‘s twilight. somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 yards for the base. less than 20 yards for any of the other colors.]
spark’s pony pattern ($5.00USD)
were you a fan of my little pony’s? wanna make your own? here’s your shot! honestly, i would be most likely to make a little white unicorn with some gold hooves and a horn, and then…
pair it with: the last unicorn!
my dear–a deer trophy (free!)
my heart leapt a little when i first saw this. got anyone on your list who moved house recently, or is redecorating?
i’m honestly not sure what to pair this with, but i loved it too much not to share!
need more inspiration? check out last years post on quick knit toys. i like this monkey jacobus pattern ($5.50USD), and these are kind of a pair: tuppy von monster and stubenmonster ($4.50USD and $7.99USD respectively), i love them both!
what about you guys? do you have any go-to toy patterns? share in the comments!
whoo! welcome to the first in a series of quick knits in preparation for the holidays! over the next several weeks, i’ll give you guys a small selection of easily accessible knits that (in my opinion) would make good gifts, and should knit up fairly quickly!
first up: shawls!
shawls are nice dramatic layering pieces, good for looking chic whilst bundled up in your winter coat, or good at home on chilly evenings, or as mini lap blankets. but this isn’t the spot for multiple lace patterns on cobweb yarn, we need shawls that knit up a little faster, so:
[textured suri by wovenhand, a little over 600 yards of blue sky alpacas suri merino on US size 9 (5.5mm) needles]
textured shawl recipe (free ravelry download, y’all! holla!)
while 600+ yards is a little hefty for a quick knit, i have heard from multiple sources that this shawl knits up quickly and is pretty addictive. if you are feeling flush with cash (a la tom haverford and jean-ralphio), go for this yarn. it is every knitter’s dream. ALSO: it doesn’t have to be this big! the original is actually just 330 yards. so. easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy!
[hey, good eyes, this is totally my knit. lavendulus marina by ifandany, clocking in at about 410 yards on US size 6 (4mm) needles.]
schieffelin point shawl (free ravelry download, what-what?!)
this shawl isn’t too much of a time investment. with a garter based body, this starts out as a great TV knit. then the lace border is knit on perpendicularly, which adds a little bit of excitement, and you really don’t need to worry about binding off too tightly.
[annis by anneleterme. approx 240 yards on US size 6 (4mm) needles]
annis (free pattern from knitty!)
shawlettes are great bang for your buck. they use less yarn, and can be styled like a scarf, which some recipients might find more accessible. i also think this would look great in a heavier weight yarn. or, if you’re feeling adventurous, use the crescent shaped stockinette base, and add a different edging, like perhaps this one with the echo flower edging.
[sometime before midnight by juneberrystar. two skeins of malabrigo, or 420 yards, on Us size 11 (8mm) needles.]
sweet november shawl (free free free)
this is one of jill’s most worn knits, and i really love how dramatic it is, with the bulk and the fringe. the yardage above includes the fringe. i’ve been meaning to make one for a couple of years now. open & airy, all-over lace on large needles means this will knit up fairly quickly. just be sure to give it a really stretchy bind-off!
bonus round: these are only a few ideas among the dozens and dozens of patterns available to you! the ishbel shawl is incredibly popular, and it is addictive and intuitive (though not free). the echo flower shawl in it’s original form is a little intense for a last minute knit, but i think this worsted weight version is an absolute knock-out, and it makes me want to cast on this very moment. the citron (free, and makes for fairly mindless knitting), gingko shoulderette (free, and i love kessanlin’s version), holden shawlette (free, lovely, xanniex made a beautiful, sunny version) are all fabulous options!
what about you guys? do you have any quick shawl patterns up your sleeve? share in the comments for anyone seeking inspiration!
ifandany 