Happy Halloween Weekend!

Dream In Color Smooshy and Malabrigo Yarn Sock

Wishing you all a Happy Halloween weekend! 

This is always marks the time of year when I take stock of all of the Holiday gift projects I have left to knit (usually too many) and all of the odds and ends from the year, so I can wrap up the year and start fresh for the new year...let the craziness begin! :-)

Just A Pile O' Swatches...

OK folks, I've been flying under the radar for the past two weeks because I've been a swatch making maniac for a special project I'm working on..it's top secret but I'll tell you soon!

Here's my swatch pile, I thought it looked all pretty and haphazard:

Have a lovely knit-filled weekend all!

Free Knitting Pattern...Baby Bear Hat for Preemie, Newborn, and Baby!

Make a trip to your yarn stash for the perfect bear colored yarn and knit your little bear a cozy and super fast hat. Tuck the hat in with a new baby gift or make for your favorite charity. Instructions included for both preemie and newborn sizes.

Click here for larger sizes: Toddler/Child, Teen/Adult Woman, Adult Man

Materials:

• 1 Skein Lion Brand Nature's Choice Organic Cotton (or your favorite worsted weight yarn) 
• US10.5 Straight needles (for knitting flat)
• US 10.5 Circular needles and set of 4 US 10.5 DPNs (for knitting in the round) 
• Tapestry Needle 

Sizing:

• Preemie
• Newborn/Baby

Gauge:

• 14 Stitches and 19 Rows = 4 Inches 

Abbreviations:

• CO: Cast on 
• BO: Bind off 
• K2tog: Knit two stitches together 
• St st: Stockinette stitch 
• WS: Wrong side 

Instructions for Hat (knitted flat):

CO 40 sts for preemie or 48 sts for newborn/baby, leaving a long tail for seaming up later.
Work in st st until hat measures 6” (both sizes) from CO edge, ending on a WS row.

Decrease (both preemie and newborn/baby):

Row 1: K2, K2tog across row
Row 2: Purl
Row 3: K1, K2tog across row
Row 4: Purl
Row 5: K2tog across row

Using tapestry needle, break yarn leaving a long tail. Thread through remaining stitches and pull tightly. Seam up the back of hat and weave in ends.

Instructions for Hat (knitted in the round):

CO 40 sts for preemie or 48 sts for newborn/baby, join in the round, being careful not to twist, PM
Work in st st (knit all rounds) until hat measures 6” (both sizes) from CO edge.

Decrease (both preemie and newborn/baby):

Row 1: K2, K2tog around
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: K1, K2tog around
Row 4: Knit
Row 5: K2tog around
Using tapestry needle, break yarn leaving a long tail. Thread through remaining stitches and pull tightly.

Instructions for Ears (make two):

Note: Ears are worked in garter stitch to make them nice and sturdy.

CO 6 sts (be sure to leave a long tail for attaching the ears later)
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Knit
Row 3: Knit
Row 4: K2tog, knit 2 sts, k2tog (4 sts)
BO

Finishing:

Seam hat and stitch both ears to top of hat with tapestry needle and matching yarn. Weave in any ends.

© Jennifer Dickerson 2013

Please note: Patterns are for personal and charity use only. In addition, if you enjoy the pattern, please link to it, but do not copy the pattern to your own website or blog (including other languages). Thank you!

Happy Fall Everyone!

Oh, fall is here!  Just finished crocheting a few leaves to make into a garland...the pattern is by the lovely Linda Permann. 

In fact the leaf pattern contains: chain, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, and treble crochet, and a picot stitch to make all of the little points.  Quite the assortment!

Autumn Leaves Ravelry Pattern Link

Here's what I did with them all...went into my yarn stash and gathered up the most fall leaf-esque colors, strung them on some hemp twine and hung them up!  (I made some in orange too, but the shade wasn't quite right with the other colors, so I gave them away to family to spruce up their fall coats.

Happy fall and happy cool weather stitching!