The weekend before camp

This is a weekend of packing, both cubs are off to camp, and so are packing. I'm baking - last year I completely missed the memo about bringing baked goods and when we went to wave good-bye I was amazed at the parcels of home made baked goods that were being handed over. This year there was a note from school requesting such things, I suspect there was a note last year but like many school notices it never made it out of the school bag and into parental sight.

 The other thing I have been working on is soap sweaters, as it makes traveling so much easier if the soap is encased in a neat wee knitted (or crocheted) bag. I would have been skeptical about soap sweaters if Kelly had not given me one a few years ago as a birthday present. Soap sweaters are not very exciting - so I'll spare you the details and go on to the hat.

The Hope-he-never-needs-this hat is done, and fits well. Being two layers of soft squishy 2x2 rib it is surprisingly thick, with a soft rolled edge. I like that there is an air gap at the top of the hat, air is insulation and that means it should be a warm hat. Plus it fits Bear and Elder cub - who have very different sized heads.

 The orange is bright, and I'm rather pleased with how the crown worked out, I divided the stitch count up into 6, and worked pairs of decreases so they symmetrically ate up the ribs. One of those things that is much easier to do than explain.

 The junction between the two colours is a very hard straight line, and I initially picked up on the needles that I used to knit the hat with.  After a few rows I realized that the pick up row needed more yarn so it could stretch easily - so I picked up on needles 2 mm larger

 I used a twisted German long tail cast on to start the hat, see link below - just one of many many available on YouTube. This cast on leaves a little line of what I describe as purl bumps one one side of the cast on. Each of the bumps is directly in line with a column of stitches above it.

These purls bumps were where I picked up and knit the stitches in the Orange yarn. I used a crochet hook to pull the yarn through. I was a little lazy and picked up several stitches onto the crochet hook before sliding them on to a needle a few sizes larger than the one used to knit. 

I made sure I picked up two stitches for each purl rib, and two stitches for each knit rib .. then I knit the inside hat a full inch shorter than the outside hat. I knit my outside hat 7.5 inches, and the inside hat 6.5 inches - and when turned through it is only just a little shorter. I guess the inside is narrower and shorter and the knit fabric adjusts. If you want a larger difference - you may want to make the difference between the inside and outside layers greater.

There probably will be a free pattern - some time soon, but for now if you are facing winter and want to know how I picked up the stitches - hope this fills in some gaps.

take care
na Stella

Hope he never needs this

I often write that I am easily distracted, and today is further proof - as if you needed any. No updates on any projects that have been blogged, instead there is a totally new project. Why? Because I can, because the cubs are off to camp, because I knit, and because some boys don't like anything fancy going on with their knitting - but us mothers know better and sneak little features that we like in anyway.

Crown decreases --- worked with the 2x2 rib pattern

So both cubs are off to camp, different camps, and its the middle of winter. Really, yes, both kids are heading off to camp away from home in the deepest darkest months of our local winter. Not only that but inland where there is snow, and mountains, and they are heading for the mountains. I'm not worried, after all I knit, and their school is fantastic, the teachers and parent helpers amazing. Both cubs will have fun, whilst Bear and I trudge off to work and earn our way. As part of the preparation for camp lists of camp requirements have been sent home. These list the usual things, PJ's, thermals, tooth brush, comb, sturdy footwear and rain wear. The list has some things that make my knitters heart sing, like two woollen sweaters, woollen socks, mittens/gloves and a warm hat. I can provide all of that, and I'm very happy to be asked to provide all of that.

Lining, in Road Cone orange, picked up and knit - the right side of the join

I was able to tick off most of the requirements, except for a hat for eldest cub. Eldest cub is a boy, one of those who hates things that make him look different so negotiations started on what sort of hat was needed, and even more what sort of hat would be worn. I swung the negotiations in my favor by suggesting the Dead Fish hat, or a Viking hat with horns or stumps. Elder cub was much more willing to amend  his basic requirements for a plain grey hat with no fold up once I showed him those options. He realised that I could knit something that made him the talk of the camp and he was willing to negotiate to avoid that.

So let me introduce the latest hat, provisionally named Hope you never need this. The hat is dark grey, Bears Bunker, one of my favorite Greys from Vintage Purls, and is lined with Road Cone, also Vintage Purls. Both are sock yarns so super soft merino with a touch of nylon. My idea as the 'Mother' knitting the hat was a dark grey conservative ribbed hat, that was reversible with a bright orange lining. Working on the principle that if you plan for the worst it won't generally happen, the hat is made for a 'lost in the bush' type emergency. My parental plan is in the event of an emergency - he takes of his dark grey hat, reverses it and becomes a beacon of Road Cone Orange that would be more easily spotted by searchers. My even more cunning plan is that now I  have planned and knitted the hat - he should never need to use it.

Hat lining - this time showing the wrong side of the join between the two yarns.

So far Hope you never need this is a very quick knit, on 2.75mm needles, in 2x2 rib. I managed to sneak 6 decrease points into my stitch count and keep them lined up with the rib pattern. I'm feeling a little pleased with that as I had a stitch count that didn't divide easily by six or seven - so had to problem solve at 9:30pm last night. There is always a feeling of accomplishment when that happens.

My other feeling of accomplishment is the pick up at the cast on edge. I could have worked a provisional cast on, but then the knit and purl ribs wouldn't line up. Picking up stitches from a provisional cast on and knitting in the other direction means the stitches sit half a stitch off. I used a twisted German long tail cast on and picked up the little purl bumps of the cast on edge - two for every knit rib, and two for every purl rib. And look - the second feeling of accomplishment! The ribs line up beautifully! Well excepting the hard line that looks a little like a seam where the two yarn colours change.

I know - that makes two 'I'm pleased with myself' features in this one post!  Which may be my mind playing tricks and distracting me from the huge pile of unfinished Wips in the basket beside my knit chair. Do you think there is an interest in the instructions for this hat? I had Bear make photos of the pick up along the cast on edge in preparation for a photo tutorial.

Take care - and feel free to start a new project, just blame me
na Stella