Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Honey Bear Knitted Hat

This is the time of year when I dig out my knitting (and then wonder where on earth I left off on many projects).  I have a few projects on the go but was able to finish off three different things recently because I chose small projects (hurrah for small projects and the quick sense of accomplishment they bring).  I needed some wrist warmers and had had some on the go since last Winter.  I finished off my pair and then made a gift pair as well.  I'm actually finding them very handy and might need to make myself a "working" pair so I don't  get my nice set all grubby.  They come very much in handy when whittling or doing archery and so I've managed to get them grubby already. 

I also am attempting to use up all some of my thrifted stash of yarn this year.  My mom had given me a small skein of hand dyed alpaca wool awhile ago and I couldn't think what to make with it.  The colours were pretty....mmm, interesting and I wasn't at all sure they would look nice knitted up.

Then, when looking through this book, I came across a pattern for a Honey Bear hat and decided I would make one.  I got a silk/wool blend in light blue and another in taupe out of my stash to mix with the hand-dyed one and they knit up together quite nicely. 


I tend to think of myself very much as a slap-dasher and a make-do sort of person.  When I was ready to make this I realized that I didn't have the right length circulars (or anything close to the right size) and I didn't have the right size double pointed.  I ended up using 3 smaller double pointed needles along with 2 (closer to) proper size double pointed because I wanted to start making it Right Then! (my  husband doesn't even shake his head at me anymore).   I did have to add a few extra rows here and there but it turned out just fine in the end. 


Now my head is nice and cozy as we head into colder temps here and I've used three skeins of wool from my stash...well, mostly used, there are small bits left over.  Hmmm, what to make with those little bits...

3 comments:

Katherine said...

So fun to make such pretty and practical knits, isn't it? Love the wrist warmers and your "using up the stash" hat. :o)

sheila said...

Nice! My mum bought me a hoodie with longer sleeves than usual, with a hole for the thumb to go through at the end. It looks weird but it sure keeps my hands warm.

I admire your knitting sense. I keep meaning to learn how to follow a pattern, but I never quite get around to it. But I got my garlic planted! (smooth segue, sheila)

Heather said...

Thanks Katherine, after seeing your wrist warmers for G last year I figured we could all use some. W got his yesterday and is still wearing them this morn last time I looked. ;-)

Shelia, are you a recipe follower either? Maybe we are just not pattern type of people?? ;-) Doesn't it feel good to actually have enough energy left at the end of garden season to get the garlic in? My mom just brought me about 10 lbs of gorgeous garlic from a grower she knows and it is divine. Huge bulbs of Kiev and Music. I immediately made JO's roasted veg recipe but this time I added squash slices, onion hunks and whole bulbs of garlic. It was soooo good. The garlic is like candy and the bulbs are about the size of a good sized walnut(in the shell still). Anyway, what I meant to say was that our usual supplier is not going to be selling garlic next year and I've nowhere to put garlic this year so...I guess I'll have to come to your place??? Did you plant lots? ;-)