Trip Report: Mint Chip Hat

While procrastinating about working on my knitted socks (I decided 5 inches of ankle ribbing is enough, and am working on the heel now!) I decided to start working on another hat. I didn’t really know what kind of hat I wanted to make, so I just looked around for a simple pattern I could play with and try out my new yarns.

The Pattern: 

For the basic shape of the hat I followed the Anarchy Irony Hat by Tera Avila, which I found in Stitch 'N Bitch Crochet: The Happy Hooker. I omitted the anarchy symbol, and added the stripes and a pom-pom. The pattern is really basic and simple, and ultimately I probably didn't need to use it at all. The top for this hat is crocheted open, and then sewed closed afterwards; I think I would have preferred just crocheting it in the round the whole way. 

The Yarn: 

For this I used Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes Superwash in Fjord Heather and Bittersweet Heather. The colours are amazing, especially the fjord, and I am thrilled that it is a superwash. It is however a touch scratchier than I was hoping, so hopefully it doesn't make my head itchy after wearing it a while. I did find it very easy and pleasant to work with though.

The Experience:

I enjoyed making the hat, and it took me no time at all to complete. This was the first time I make a pom-pom and I am totally in love with this one. It is hard to keep from squeezing it!

The Product:

I LOVE this hat. This is something I am definitely going to keep for myself, and I expect to get a lot of wear out of it this coming winter. It is already 0 degrees Celsius here this morning!

Trip Report: Cupcake Hat

I finally got a usable picture of my cupcake hat taken, so at long last, I present to you, the Cupcake Hat Trip Report

 The Pattern: Chocolate Cupcake Hat with Blue Frosting from Twinkie Chan's Crochet Goodies for Fashion Foodies: 20 Yummy Treats to Wear 
 This pattern was a lot of fun and very easy to read. Very beginner friendly.

The Yarn: I used Phentex Merit Solid in Burgundy and Pale Plum, and some random red yarn for the cherry. The yarn was very cheap (Dollarama!) and I got what I paid for. It was very squeaky to work with, and looks cheap, ultimately. However, I just wanted to mess around with a fun pattern, and it did the trick. In the future though, I would only use this yarn for amigurumi bits.

The Experience: I really liked doing all the ribbing, which while still very simple, added variety to the project. It did however involve a lot of attaching things together, which I hate. I prefer to do work in the round and avoid piecing things together when I can. That may not have been possible with the ribbing and the swirling on the cupcake top, but if I were to do this pattern again, I would at least attempt to do the “cake” portion in the round. I think I was done all the crocheting for this hat in like a day, but it took me weeks to get around to doing all the finishing, which really wasn’t all that excessive but like I said, I hate this part. Initially I was waiting to go get some little pom poms to make the sprinkles, but then remembered I had beads and used those instead.

The Product: Meh. It is a fun looking hat, but it isn’t something I would wear. 1. Because the pattern in general isn’t my style 2. Because I chose really cheap materials, and 3. I could have measured it better, but I was fed up and just wanted it over, given that I had no plans to wear it anyway. 

So basically, what I am saying is that if I don't like the product, it is my own fault and not the pattern's. I do think that if I used nicer wool it could be a super adorable gift for someone who is a touch more whimsical than I. Definitely something I would recommend to someone starting out with crochet who is bored of scarves and other standard beginner projects.

Knit Picks Delivery + Cupcake Continues

I am now on day 3 of my cupcake hat, and am almost done. Both the frosting section and the cake portion are complete, I just need to crochet the cherry, get some mini pom poms for the sprinkles (or felt maybe?) and then assemble it all. This was (and still is) a really fun project. It is almost entirely done in BLO, which creates a really nice ribbed effect.

Of course,  there is nothing to slow my progress like the arrival of new yarn! I had all my projects decided when I bought the yarn, but since then I have become a little overwhelmed I think.

The new yarn:

This is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Superwash in Noble Heather. It is a really beautiful green that I had originally planned to use for a shawl, but I have decided instead to make this cowl. As fun as it would be to try out a cool shell stitch on a shawl, I would really prefer to make something I can wear for now.

Up next is more Wool of the Andes, this time in Bittersweet Heather and Fjord Heather, respectively. Both of these colours are beautiful, but the fjord in particular makes me melt. I want to use these colours for hats, though which pattern I will use is as of yet undecided.

Finally, we have Knit Picks Stroll Tweed in Indigo Heather, and Stroll Fingering in Constellation. These are reserved for socks. I am DYING to try socks, but while I crochet in the round all the time, knitting in the round is still mysterious to me. I would also really like to try circular needles, but all I have are a pair of US 6 4mm ones, so I can either use those or wait to go buy a different pair. Anyway, if you have a beginner sock pattern that would be suitable, please don't be shy! I would love to hear it.

All around, a good day in crafting! :)