What to knit Wednesday: Essential Winter Accessories

I'm keeping rugged up to keep out the winter chill.

When I look at the forecast for next week and seeing a series of 13 degree Celsius days for Melbourne my mind is instantly starting to work out how I am going to wool up to stay warm. My key woollen accessories are cowls, mitts, beanies and shawls and this year I am desperately wanting some handknit socks to keep my tootsies warm. My top 5 today are patterns that I have in my wardrobe or I want to add in the near future.

Image source: Purl Soho

1. Big Herringbone Cowl by Purl Soho.

For me a cowl is essential and this cowl has been on my wishlist for ages. I can see that it is designed by Purl Soho with the New York winters in mind because it is a grand long loop that can be wrapped multiple times around the neck. There is no way that the chill can get through this cowl. I also love the classic style of the herringbone stitch.

As a free pattern on their blog it is easily adapted for different yarn weights and yardages. I will probably not make it as big as the designed size but one large enough to wrap around my neck twice would be a perfect cosy accessory for me.

Can never have too many of these angora/lambswool gloves.

2. Fingerless gloves by Penelope Durston.

Not exactly a handknit but these gloves are the bomb. Penelope Durston is a Melbourne maker and designer who hand dyes these beautiful angora and lambswool blend gloves herself and sells them in her Fitzroy shop, Cottage Industry. I came across these gloves many years ago, probably after reading a Frankie Magazine and I instantly loved the vibrant colours and the delicious softness. 

I must confess that I own too many pairs of these and at least one of each of the lengths (hand, wrist and elbow length). Sadly I have lost a couple of pairs over time and I can't stop myself from buying replacements. They range from $45-$60 and are so worth it.

I love the cable panel on this hat.

3. Rosebud Hat by Jared Flood.

I wrote about this hat recently in a finished object post. It turned out much bigger than the designed sized because I did not follow gauge, but it is so cosy. The Road to China Worsted yarn from The Fiber Company is so soft and undoubtedly the cashmere, camel, alpaca and silk blend is the reason behind this. On those bitingly cold mornings this has been my go to hat this winter.

4. Pure by cabinfour.

When I purchased 300g of Ton of Wool Cormo I decided to turned this beautiful wool into this shawl. Pure is a subtly textured triangular shawl that will look perfect with the undyed cream cormo wool. The shawl is designed to represent it's name; pure, clean, unmixed and plain. The aran weight cormo is super squishy and is so cosy to touch. I just know it will turn into a wonderfully warm shawl.

5. Elementary Watson Socks by Sherry Menton.

I chose these socks because I am a fan of the BBC 'Sherlock' series. The cable pattern was inspired by the cabled jumper that Martin Freeman's Doctor Watson character wore in the first season. The nerdy part of me will take pleasure in making and wearing these cute socks and I'll also appreciate being able to keep my cold feet warm too.

Stay warm this winter if you're in the southern hemisphere like I am. 

What to make Wednesday: Softies

Basil the Brontosaurus was the first softie I ever made.

I have a little niece who is about to turn 2 and I love making her things as much as I love making things for my own kids. However, she lives in Texas and it's summer over there so I won't be making any worsted weight sweaters for her, ever because even the winter doesn't get cold enough for those kind of garments.

I know that she is really keen on soft toys so I thought this year I would send her a softie for her birthday. A few weeks ago I have a look around Ravelry for some softie patterns and here are a few of my favourites.

1. Totoro designed by Mimouna Anderson.

I know that since my little niece has a part Japanese heritage, Totoro will be a hit. For those who don't know, Totoro is an iconic character from Studio Ghibli's animated film, 'My Neighbour Totoro'. The first time I saw this film I was just a little girl and I was watching a Cantonese dub of it so I didn't understand much but this character stuck in my memory. It was not until my teen years that I discovered the original Japanese film and worked out that the character that I was fixated with was Totoro.

This little softie pattern is offered for free on the designer's blog but it is in Norwegian. However, a kind Ravelry user has translated the pattern and if you send her a pm via Ravelry she will email you a copy of the pattern. Another great thing about this pattern is that it uses very little amounts of yarn so I have already stash dived and found some remnants that could be enough to knit it up.

I can foresee myself knitting up a little family of Totoros for my kids too especially since Miss L has a bit of a Totoro theme in her bedroom already.

2. Basil the Boogie-Woogie Brontosaurus designed by Rebecca Danger.

I made this super cute little dinosaur for a friend's baby last year and it was the first softie I ever made. The process was made super easy by the designer Rebecca Danger's extremely clear pattern instructions and the series of tutorials on her blog.

Basil can be made with any weight yarn and as for needle size, Rebecca recommends just going two sizes down from the needle size that is recommended on the yarn label. The reason for going down needle sizes is so that a very tight weave fabric w ill be made when you knit and that will prevent any bits of stuffing poking through.

3. Melvin the Musical Monster designed by Rebecca Danger.

Actually, I find all of Rebecca Danger's softie patterns very appealing and I would make any of them. Her series of knitted monsters are just so cute and this one particularly appeals because it share a name with my BIL.

Rebecca keeps the shaping simple so that there aren't many extremely fiddly bits with decreasing and increasing for necks and heads and other bits like that. She essentially designs the main body as a large ball with either a striping design or colour block patches for the belly making it a very easy knit that looks very huggable.

The one difficulty with this pattern is that it is featured in a print book and not available for purchase as a digital download through Ravelry or Rebecca's Etsy store. It's not a terrible difficulty since there are a number of adorable patterns to choose from that are similarly shaped.

Image source: © Lebenslustiger

4. Square bunny knit pattern 2 by Annette of Lebenslustiger.com.

This is one of the simplest softies I have seen. It is essentially a small garter stitch square sewn in a particular manner to create bunny ears and a body. There a few of these bunny patterns around but I like this little one because there is a very good tutorial on the blog where it is posted.

It's not really a significant enough project to make for a birthday present but I think it would be a perfect little beginner project to make with the kids when they are learning to knit. Once they have mastered garter stitch making this little bunny will be a quick project to whip up and the young crafter will be able to enjoy their handiwork fairly quickly.

Can't wait to turn this gorgeous pattern into a doll for my niece.

5. MAE doll designed by Jhoanna Aranez.

After looking at all these knitted softie patterns I had every intention of making the Totoro for my niece but I'm a bit swamped with WIPs at the moment; through no fault by my own because I keep starting new things. So, I decided to order this MAE doll kit from Jhoanna's Etsy store because I remember my friend making one recently and recommending Jhoanna's dolls.

A MAE doll is a 'make and embellish' kit where the doll pattern has been printed on a piece of cotton poplin fabric and all I need to do is cut it out, sew it together and stuff it. Then I can make my own little embellishments to personalise the doll.

I think Jhoanna's doll designs are so cute. They have a very retro mod style to them and I think the doll can be enjoyed by girls across a broad age range. They aren't babyish in design nor are they all sexualised like many of the commercial doll ranges that are available these days. And, what I love most is that it's still handmade with love.

I'm going to make up this little doll in the next day or two and then I'm thinking of making a little matchbox suitcase for her because she is going on a journey all the way to Texas. I'll post my finished handiwork when I'm done.

Off to get making now.

What to knit Wednesday: Help me decide.

I'm going to try to stash bust the left overs of this Debbie Bliss Cashmerino for this project.

Today I am literally asking 'What to knit?' as I need help deciding what I should knit for M. At the end of the month we are celebrating our 8 year wedding anniversary and I want to make him something.

I did a bit of stash diving and found about 140 metres of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in Charcoal which I could turn into a hat. I've done some Ravelry trawling and I have two patterns in mind. 

Image source: Brooklyn Tweed/ Jared Flood

1. Crag by Jared Flood.

This lovely hat was part of the latest BT Men Volume 2 release and I was immediately drawn to it. I am wanting to do some more cable knitting and the all over cable pattern on this hat looks striking yet easy enough to memorise and repeat all through the hat. I also like the name Crag because it connects to our love of rock climbing.

I would absolutely love to try making this in the Brooklyn Tweed Shelter yarn that is suggested but to my knowledge this yarn is not available through any Australian stockist yet. As much as I love trying new yarns I still prefer to buy from Aussie stockists and support their venture.

I think the Cashmerino Aran would be ok with this pattern. I will have to swatch it properly and make sure I get gauge before I go ahead with the project.

Image source: Woolibear/ Jesska Hoff

2. Bartek by Jesska Hoff.

The second pattern I think could go well with the yarn is this Bartek hat. I like the main large cable twist surrounded by a set of smaller cable bands. I also like how it has a bit of a slouch to the hat and if I do make this it will be different to the hats M already has.

The suggested yarn is an Aran weight so I think substituting with the Cashmerino will be ideal. However, the designer, Jesska has noted in the pattern that she is a tight knitter so I will need to carefully gauge swatch this to double check which needles I will need to use to match gauge with her.

Take a look at both patterns and help me decide which one I should attempt. Or I'm welcome to other suggestions. If you've made a fabulous hat for the man in your life that was a winner share your project.

What to knit Wednesday: Mother's Day gifts

On my Mother's Day wishlist are some Elske socks. The beautiful card in the background is designed by my friend Irene at Missy Minzy and is available for purchase on her Etsy store.

It's Mother's Day on Sunday in Australia and for this week's 'What to knit Wednesday' I thought I could list some hand knit gift ideas. These are items that I would like to receive or I would likely make for my own mother. As my little ones' fine motor skills are not quite developed enough to handle yarn and needles yet I will just have to hope that future Mother's Days will be filled with these gifts.

1. South Marysborough Slippers by Sam Lamb.

When looking for something to quickly knit up for my mum I found this little pattern through Ravelry. Sam has posted the pattern on her blog for free and she has linked to it from the Ravelry pattern page. There are dozens of slipper patterns on Ravelry but I chose this one because Sam used one skein of Quince & Co.'s Owl to make her sample and I just happen to have one skein of Quince & Co.'s Owl Tweet that I would like to stash bust.

The pattern is fairly easy, so far the only thing I have found fiddly was the picking up of stitches after the heel turn. From what I can see, once you're past that bit it's smooth sailing. I hope to have them done by Sunday but if not, my mum actually has her birthday next Tuesday so I allow myself a couple of days extra knitting time.

2. Elske by Merrian Holland.

From the Spring 2015 issue of Pom Pom Quarterly, I would love to receive these adorable socks one day. They would mean so much to me if there were lovingly knitted by one of my dear children. As you can see, I like to dream big. I'm not even at the skill level to knit these gorgeous socks yet and I yet I'm hoping that one day my offspring will be making these for me.

 3. A set of hand knit dishcloths.

This is probably a much more achievable project for little ones. There are many patterns out there specifically for dishcloths/ washcloths, a quick Ravelry search turns up thousands of them. I'm not fussy and would be quite pleased if my darlings worked together and made a couple of knitted squares of any stitch to give to me.

4. Pirra Necklace by Ambah.

I remember once having a conversation with another mum who believed that Mother's Day gifts should always be a jewellery gift. For the fibre loving mother jewellery is still possible. This simple necklace by Ambah is modern and stylish. It's the kind of design that I see a lot of at emerging designers and makers markets these days. The bonus is instead of cold hard metal against the skin, it'll be soft luscious yarn. I don't mind precious gems and metals but I think my yarn obsession leads me to choose soft squishy yarn over metal.

5. Wooden acorn stitch marker case and markers from Amirisu.

This is not a knitting pattern but a knitting notion; just in case my kids don't end up picking up the needles and loving knitting like I do. Mums deserve a bit of spoiling and this cute little wooden acorn stitch marker case fits the bill in my humble opinion. It is the sort of cute thing that I'd love to have but the practical part of me stops myself from buying because I have perfectly fine stitch markers already. Available from Amirisu's etsy store it's a nice gift that will cost under $30 AUD including postage.

I hope all you mummy knitters out there have a wonderful Mother's Day filled with love and cuddles. What is your perfect Mother's Day gift knitting related or otherwise?

'What to knit Wednesday': patterns I'm stalking

Clockwise from top L: Lemon, Fairchild, Rosebud, Cirrus, Baya, SofTrope Sock in Weld

If you're a Ravelry user you'll know what I mean when I say, 'I'm pattern stalking.' Basically pattern stalking is when a pattern catches my eye and I queue it and want to knit it desperately. I think about it a lot and I start investigating yarn options and I look up other people's projects to see what they have done. There are so many great patterns that are available on the Ravelry database, so you can imagine that I pattern stalk a lot.

Here are some of my current pattern crushes.

1. Baya by Mindy Wilkes.

This shawl was featured on the cover of the summer 2014 issue of Pom Pom Magazine. I saw it and couldn't stop thinking about it, so buying that issue of Pom Pom was inevitable. 

The pattern is a crescent shaped shawl that has a beautiful lace edge that sit against a simple garter stitch body. The two sections can be knit in tonal colours or colours in contrast. The pattern designer used two yarns from Canadian hand dyer, Sweet Georgia Yarns. I have had a look at their colour palette and it is seriously sweet looking yarn. So, in truth I not only have a crush on the Baya pattern I also have a crush on the Sweet Georgia line of yarns. However, in my efforts to stash less I will have to be content with a substitute yarn and I think I'll use the SofTrope sock in weld colourway for it.

2. Fairchild  by Bristol Ivy.

Here's another Pom Pom pattern and it was on the cover of the Winter 2014 issue. I am a fan of Bristol Ivy's patterns and this sweater is no exception. It has an interesting design where deep pleats are knit in the front to create a sort of pocket for cold hands. I don't usually attempt sweaters for myself but I am drawn to this because I think it will be a great challenge for me to learn some new techniques.

There is no way I am going to source the suggested yarn without spending way beyond my budget. The Uncommon Thread range is a luscious hand dyed range that is based in the UK. The Posh DK is a 70% Superwash BFL, 20% silk and 10% cashmere; a very luxe yarn that I would one day like to try knitting with. Instead I'm going to try knitting the Fairchild with Shilasdair's Luxury DK in thistle bloom. The Shilasdair is still a really really nice yarn because it's a naturally dyed wool, angora, camel and cashmere fibre and it's stocked at Sunspun.

3. Cirrus by Nancy O'Connell.

I am always drawn to big drapey garments and often think that I need a poncho. The Cirrus pattern is kind of in between a sweater and a poncho. It is a drapey, sleeved garment that looks super comfy and sophisticated. I can see myself wearing this a lot and I would also very much like to try knitting with the Shibui yarns that it is designed for.

4. Lemon by Helga Isager.

I want to knit more garments that I can wear in the Spring/ Summer seasons so that I can keep wearing hand knits all year round. I like this Lemon pattern because it is a simple styled tee that I can see myself throwing on during those warmer months. 

5. Rosebud by Jared Flood.

I have wanted to knit this slouchy cabled hat for around a year now and I have now decided that I'll give it a go with some super soft The Fibre Company, Road to China Worsted. I wanted to make this hat for myself with something that is super luxe and I think this alpaca, silk, camel, cashmere blend is just gorgeous. I want to knit more cable and I think this hat will be a good project to get started with since it only has one main cable panel set in garter stitch.

As you can see, all the patterns that I am stalking is for myself. I dream of doing more selfish me knitting but realistically I am not under any time pressure with these projects. I will take my time and leisurely enjoy the knitting so that there will be no risk that the joy for the craft will be lost.

What are you pattern stalking at the moment?

What to knit Wednesday: Quick gift knits

The Sabi Hat that I knit with Sublime Yarns Baby Cashmerino Silk DK

Hooray, we're over the illness hump and I'm bringing 'What to knit Wednesday' back. I've just finished knitting a present for my SIL so I thought I might take a moment to look at some quick knits that are great little gifts.

1. Mitini Mitts by Colleen Powley.

This pair of dainty mitts is what I just finished for my SIL. I love how the simple cables across the back of the mitt creates texture and a subtle elegance. I received this pattern as a freebie when I purchased a ball of Blue Sky Alpacas Royal Petites, which is a super soft 100% alpaca yarn. One ball of the Petites is meant to be enough for both mitts but my gauge must be off because I was yards off. After knitting the right mitt I found it to be too big for my hands and I knew that it would be even bigger for my SIL's hands. It was also clear that I wasn't going get both mitts out of the 1 ball so I knew I needed some MODS. I CO 50sts (6 less than the pattern's instructions) and to ensure I had enough yarn to BO I made the thumb shorter. Full details of my MODS can be read on my Ravelry project page.

My SIL's birthday is next week so I hope she'll like these little mitts through the winter.

2. Chibi Maruko by Mari Chiba.

I knit this cowl a few months ago as a birthday and farewell present for a friend who was moving back to NZ. I thought a cowl would be a nice way for her to stay cosy during those Kiwi winters and she would be able to remember us whenever she wears it.

The cowl is a lovely textured stitch that is easy to remember and since it's not a fitted garment it is easily adapted for desired size. I chose to knit it with some Quince & Co. Owl Tweet in Boysenberry and I think the texture suited the darker coloured yarn well. The yarn itself is an alpaca/ wool blend with some nubby bits to give it a slight tweed feel. 

3. Honey Cowl by Antonia Shankland.

This pattern is a free Madelinetosh download and it is so easy. It uses a slipped stitch to create a honeycomb pattern that is really easy to memorise. It can pretty much be knit with any weight yarn even though the suggested weight is DK/ 8ply. The pattern gives suggestions for a long and short cowl and these instructions can be used as a guide for modifying the pattern. I knit it with 2 skeins of Madelinetosh Pashmina Worsted for a long cowl.

4. Sabi Hat by Olga Buraya-Kefelian.

Hats are another one of those small projects that are quick to knit up for gifting. I made this last year for a church friend and it took me just a few days. It's a stylish hat that uses directional ribs to create a zig zag pattern. The ribs also makes it quite a stretchy hat and can fit lots of head sizes and shapes.

5. Windschief by Stephen West.

Here's one for the boys. I made this as one of my Christmas gifts last year and it was such a quick knit with the worsted-aran weight/ 10ply yarn. The design is not overly fussy which appeals to the guys and the rib panel gives it a bit of stretchiness to fit a variety of head shapes and sizes.

Not that it's necessary to point out the obvious but small projects are best for knitting up last minute gifts. I have a preference for cowls, hats and mitts but small softies, socks and small household items like mug cozies are also great gifts that can be knit up quickly.

Also, patterns that have easily memorised instructions are ideal. Once you memorise the necessary steps of the pattern you can sped through the rows or rounds without constantly needing to look up the pattern. Another perk of memorising the pattern is that you can knit on the move without needing to fiddle with checking patterns on paper or on tablets and phones. When knitting to a deadline you can maximise your knitting time by having your projects at hand for any spare moments of knitting. I can usually knock out a row or two while I'm supervising bath time or during a car ride to the grandparents.

Leave a comment and share your quick gift knits.

What to knit Wednesday: girl sweaters

It may have been forecast for 28 degrees Celsius today but it was still cool enough for a cardigan in the morning.

As we approach the cooler months of the year in Australia I want to talk girl sweaters in this week's post for 'What to knit Wednesday'. It is with a slight feeling of guilt that I realise I have knitted more for my daughter than for my son but it is because I have knitted more for her that I can compose a list of 5 patterns of girl sweaters (pullovers and cardigans).

1. Livie designed by Carrie Bostick Hoge.

I wrote about this gorgeous cardigan in a 'Finished object file' post a couple of weeks ago and you can read about it there. I love this pattern and I will probably knit it again when Miss L grows out of her current one.

Keeping cosy at the park in Camilla Babe

2. Camilla Babe designed by Carrie Bostick Hoge.

As you can guess I am a bit in love with Carrie's designs which is totally understandable once you have a look at her patterns from her blog. I knit the Camilla Babe as Miss L's winter pullover last year and I made it a generous fit so I am certain to get another year's wear out of it. Knit with a simple fan pattern set within garter stitch this pullover is the perfect balance of an everyday sweater with a little bit of fancy for a special outfit too.

Carrie designed this pullover to be knit seamlessly from the bottom up and it was easily adapted to make the size larger. I added 3 extra sets of the fan pattern before dividing the piece for the armholes to give the jumper a longer body and I knit longer sleeves that I rolled up a little last year. Take a look at my Ravelry project notes for more detailed MODs.

It was such a lovely cosy jumper for Miss L last year and I am glad that we get to keep wearing it this year too.

3. Knitted poncho with hood by DROPS design.

Technically not a sweater, but when Miss L went through a stage where she hated putting her arm through sleeves, I decided that a poncho would be the solution. I first came across this pattern when I was searching on Etsy for a handmade poncho and I noticed that a few different sellers were making this poncho. Then I had a light bulb moment, "Maybe I can find this pattern and make it myself." and I hit the jackpot. Not only did I find this pattern it was also available as a free download.

As far as designs go it couldn't get easier or quicker than this pattern

This pattern is incredibly easy and a very quick knit. Using super bulky yarn and 8mm needles it only took me a week and a half to finish it. Again, I am getting heaps of wear out of it because it easily drapes over the shoulders and has just gotten shorter and shorter as Miss L has grown. Initially I thought some arm slots would be good on the poncho because the length equaled Miss L's entire body, but now that it is short enough to just sit over the elbows it does perfectly well without arm slots.

Miss L's Everyday top was worn nearly everyday of her first winter

4. Everday top by Anna and Heidi Pickles.

This pullover is exactly what it's name suggests; an every day top. The Pickles girls designed this with simplicity and warmth in mind, much like most of their designs. By choosing some luscious high quality yarn to knit it with, it becomes that special hand knit item that is a joy to wear every day.

Knit seamlessly in the round from the top down the pattern is offered in size 6-12 months for free from the Pickles blog or you can buy the pattern and have all the sizes from 6 month to 8 years. The purchased pattern also has instructions to make a long sleeved boy version of the every day top which I haven't had a go at yet but since the sizes are all the way up to 8 years I can still make it for Sir S next year.

5. Wee Melia designed by Ysolda Teague.

This is one of my queued projects and I've even purchase the yarn for it. I love it because every little girl needs a little red hooded outfit. This beautiful jacket has a lovely honeycomb border to give it that special look and the simple single button clasp makes it a easy to put on garment just like the Livie cardigan.

Image source: Ysolda Teague

I have set aside some beautiful Cephalopod Traveller DK yarn in Gallifrey colour way; this yarn is a discontinued range because Cephalopod was an indie dyer who stopped dying due to health reasons. I'm glad I snapped up this yarn and I will enjoy knitting with it for this pattern.

Gallifrey is the perfect colour way for a Doctor Who fan.

Share your favourite girl sweaters. What have you knit and loved?

What to knit Wednesday: Baby Hats

Another Crooked Little Baby Hat

Today's 'What to knit Wednesday' post is about baby hats. In my friendship circle there have been a LOT of babies in the past 4 years and during the past year I have endeavoured to give handmade items to these babies rather than buying stuff. Small items being the quickest projects, I have spent my time busily knitting bonnets and hats for these little humans and here is my list of 5 patterns that are my go to head warmers.

1. The Crooked Little Baby Bonnet designed by Melissa LaBarre.

I have blogged about this pattern before and it is my go to item for little girls. I won't harp on about it again but do read the post on what I love about this pattern here.

A newborn size Aviatrix

2. Aviatrix designed by Justine Turner.

This is my go to bonnet for little boys. Justine offers this pattern on Ravelry for free and she has designed it for multiple sizes and multiple yarn weights. Knit flat but using short rows to shape the crown of the hat, this pattern is enjoyable for it's clever design as well as it's cute aviator style. Though I generally do love this pattern, I do modify it by knitting a pair of i-cord straps rather than following the designed chin strap.

Recently I have knit a big child size aviatrix for my boy as a 5th birthday present. He is a bit dragon mad so I knit some spikes to sew onto the hat. The stocking stitch sections lend itself perfectly to having spikes sewn on and instantly it becomes a dragon hat. It is worth mentioning that I found the pattern for the spikes from 'The Ninja Herself' blog.

Baby Bear Hat knit with Malabrigo Worsted

3. Baby Bear Hat designed by Jennifer Dickerson.

For those Winter born bubs I like to gift them this little Baby Bear Hat to make them look even cuter than their natural babyness. Jennifer generously offer this pattern for free on her blog, Fiber Flux and has multiple sizes available. Nobody can resist a baby in a bear hat.

This Garter Ear Flap Hat is just too cute with it's little tassel on top.

4. Garter Ear Flap Hat by Purl Soho.

I recently knit this for a friend's little girl to wear this coming winter. Garter stitch is so commonly used for baby items because it is a classic look but it will also be a cosier garment because of the denser fabric that the stitch creates. 

This Purl Soho pattern is also free on their Purl Bee blog and it too comes in multiple sizes. The hat is knit in the round and short rows are used to create the ear flaps; no seaming is required at all. The addition of the little tassel on top is just a sweet little touch that makes this pattern all the more appealing.

Image source: Pickles blog

5. Cool Kid Hooded Hat from the Pickles blog.

Yet another free pattern, the smallest size that this comes in is 6-12 months, so not exactly newborn gifting but it is such a cute knit that I felt it worth mentioning in this post. Knit with DK/ 8ply weight yarn held double it is a super warm hat that is designed to not be easily pulled off. When the fit is right the hood will wrap snuggly around the child's face and the extra section that comes down the neck to cover the shoulders will challenge the most Houdini like child. The Pickles blog is written by Norwegian designers Anna and Heidi Pickles and you can probably guess why they have designed such a cosy baby knit - if it's not obvious, think about how low the temperatures will get during a Norwegian Winter.

The classic garter stitch paired with contrasting stripes and hood edge is a winning combination in my humble opinion. The one I knit for Miss L in 1-2 year old size was still a bit big last year and looked more like a mini poncho but it was such an easy thing to throw on her when we headed out the door during those cold months.

So here we are 5 super cute bonnets or hats to keep tiny heads warm. Please share your favourite baby hat patterns. Or tell me what features do you look for in hats for kids? Ear flaps? Chin ties or straps? Pom poms on top?

It is worth mentioning, that since multiple sizes are offered for these patterns (other than The Crooked Little Baby Bonnet and the Cool Kid Hooded Hat is only up to size 6) you can knit a family set of these hats if it so takes your fancy. I'd love to see a family of Garter Ear Flap hats one day so get knitting friends.

-- On a side note: The Purl Bee blog and the Pickles blog are both worth a look at if you are looking for some well designed patterns. Both blogs offer a number of their designs for free; the Pickles girls will generally offer one size for free and have purchase details for other sizes. Patterns are of varying skill levels but all are very well explained and often provide links to tutorials for their more complicated steps. Patterns are of all categories from garments for babies to homewares. Check them out if you haven't already come across them.

What to knit Wednesday: Shawls

The 'Mara' shawl is a great staple wardrobe item

It's time for another 'What to knit Wednesday' post and today I thought I would talk shawls because I was recently asked by a church friend to knit a shawl for her - a commissioned project. To be honest I have only ever completed 2 shawls and I currently have one in the works but here are some patterns that I love.

1. You can't go past the classic style of the Mara shawl. This is a free Madelinetosh pattern that is designed for DK weight yarn but gauge is not as important with shawls so you can easily adapt it for another yarn weight without needing to swatch.

I knit it with the suggested yarn and followed the guide, buying 3 skeins of Madelinetosh Tosh DK. I must have misread my measurements because I ran out of yarn to bind off and had to patch it with some scrap yarn of a similar colour but the same weight.

Regardless, I love this shawl and I love this yarn. It's simple garter stitch pattern makes it a perfect everyday item and a staple of my wardrobe.

I knit this Hyla Brook for my mum last Christmas

2. The second shawl that I knit was for my mum last Christmas. I knit her a 'Hyla Brook' designed by Paula Emons-Fuessle using some Quince & Co. Tern. However, I was short of 2 skeins so the shawl turned out more like a shawlette. I love this pattern because even though it is a fingering weight knit it worked up pretty quickly with an easily memorised pattern. Another great thing about this pattern is that Paula has also created a checklist to help keep track of row counts and the percentage completed. So, because I didn't have a full 2 skeins I could use the checklist to track how far from the end I was and judge whether I needed to cast off early since I was running out of yarn.

3. On my needles right now is a 'The Age of Brass and Steam' shawl by Orange Flower Yarn. I'm pairing this with 1 skein of Australian independent dyer, Augustbird's gradient 8ply. This is my third attempt to use this yarn because it is not easy to find a pattern that will showcase a gradient yarn best. I'm hoping that this shawl will be a good pattern because according to Ravelry it only needs up to 240 yards/ 219 metres of DK weight yarn. 1 skein of the Augustbird 8ply has 258 yards/ 236 metres so theoretically when I knit up this shawl I will be able to go through each of the gradient colour transitions.

Augustbird White Gum Wool 8ply in 'Allegro' colourway and the pattern for the 'Bella' shawl in the background

4. I initially hoped to use the gradient yarn to knit a 'Bella' shawl. I even got so far as casting on and knitting the first 20 rows or so before I realised that this pattern was not knitting this shawl top down but actually starting at the bottom left hand corner and knitting across. I decided to frog it because I didn't want my gradient going diagonally up from the left hand corner. What I needed was a top down pattern for a triangle shawl if I wanted to maximise the visual effect of the gradient.

However, all is not wasted with this pattern. When I gave my friend some shawl patterns to choose from she has chosen this 'Bella' pattern. So, I'm quite excited that I will still be able to knit this and learn some new techniques while I'm being commissioned to make it.

5. My fifth shawl pattern is Alicia Plummer's 'Campside' pattern. She designed this as a free pattern for Pompom magazine's blog last year and it is a generous sized triangle shawl that incorporates 3 different lace eyelet designs. I wanted to knit this with the gradient yarn but it needs a whopping 780 yards/ 713 metres of DK weight yarn and that meant I would need 3 skeins of the Augustbird gradient. I wanted the gradient to transition once through each colour so that meant that I would have to keep alternating the three skeins every couple of rows and I in the end I was turned off by how cumbersome that was going to be.

Some 'Bubbles Darling'

For now I have queued this project and I think I might knit it up with the 2 skeins of 'Bubbles Darling' Red Riding Hood Yarns that I picked up at the Nunnaba birthday sale.

As you can see I've got some shawl knitting ahead of me. You may think when am I going to wear all these shawls but I'm starting to see a correlation between being a yarn addict and a shawl addict - it's a bit of a reoccurring trend in many of the other crafty/ knitterly bloggers that I follow.

What are your favourite shawl patterns?

I also have 2 skeins of the Augustbird gradient left after I knit the 'Brass and Steam' shawl, so, please share your pattern suggestions for gradients too.