FOs: Getting Ready for Fall

Hat: Live Dangerously, Don’t Swatch Hat by Susan Lawrence. Made with just over just more than 1 skein of Knitpicks Swish Superwash (100% superwash merino wool, color: Merlot Heather) on #7 bamboo DPNs and 16″ circular needle.
Started: September 16, 2007
Completed: September 21, 2007

First, the bad news: This hat doesn’t fit me. It’s waaaaay to big. You might think it’s because of the whole “no swatch” issue, but that’s not it at all. It’s knit from the top down, so the top of the hat really acts as its own swatch – after a few rounds, you calculate your gauge from what you’ve already knit, and then proceed to increase until you’ve reached the correct circumphrence, then knit straight down. Easy! Except, I didn’t follow the designers simple instruction to allow for negative ease. That means this hat fits exactly perfectly around my noggin, with no stretch at all to keep it in place. Bummer.

The good news: This yarn is fabulous. It comes in itty-bitty 50g balls, so you’d need a lot to make a sweater, but it’s super-soft and comes in many colors. Plus? Machine washable and dryable. Bingo!

Mitts: Fetching by Cheryl Niamath from Knitty.com. Two balls Rowan RYC Cashsoft Aran (57% extra fine merino wool, 33% microfiber & 10% cashmere) in Aubergine on size #6 bamboo DPNs.
Left Mitt: Knit August 14-15, 2007.
Right Mitt: Knit September 28-29, 2007.

Modifications: Knit an extra repeat at the top of each mitt to cover more palm. Omitted picot bind-off, as it was too loose. In fact, could have bound off the right one a little more tightly.

Now I understand why these are so popular – a super quick knit, with enough interest to keep them appealing. These look much cuter on than just laying on the dining room table, but I haven’t had a decent manicure in a long time, so I figured I’d spare you a shot of my fingernails.

I almost said “I’ll definitely make more of these” but let’s face it – I live in Chicago. My fingers need to be covered in the winter. But for crisp fall days, these will be perfect.

Filed in: Knitted History