Yay! Finally finished, here`s our new Free pattern for the Maximum Beret! It is made in reverse stocking stitch (purled) to make the most of the stunning variegated yarn, Manos del Uruguay Maxima, and create texture in the easiest way possible. 1 skein makes a fast, easy, sensational looking hat! You can download the pattern through our website, knitomatic.com.
I'm supposed to be working on the last sample for the Seedy Slouch Beret, but I'm taking a detour through the Manos Maxima. This colourway (M9097) is so stunning I had to make a sample with it, just to show off. I don't know how the shaping is going to work out. I started out using my Basic Button Beret pattern, but the colour started to pool after the second set of increases, so I skipped them and just worked straight for 10cm after the first increase. My only concern is that it may not be long/tall enough. I'm also working it in reverse stocking stitch (purl) because the yarn is so stunning on the wrong side and it gives the hat a bit of easy texture.
Another hat design that's bogged down due to technical difficulties, theSea Creature Beret, size Small. I'm just going to work up a size Medium and then I'll publish the pattern (freebie). :-)
This is a good picture, but the focus is very soft. By the way, my head is a Small and the hat is a Medium.
This is a better picture of the hat, but not a good picture (no chin).
This is the hat flat. I enhanced the picture a bit so you can see the cables - they are not actually that distinct to the human eye - at least in this yarn.
This was a very satisfying finished object - I'm very happy. It is theStar Crossed Beret (free pattern on Ravelry) made with 1 skein of Cascade Eco Duo. First things first - the yarn is like knitting with BABIES! You know how cute & soft & squishy & cuddly babies are? Well that's what this yarn feels like. and wearing it feels like cuddling with a baby.
Next, the pattern is pretty simple. I went down a needle size (5mm & 7mm) because the yarn they used has more loft to it. One part of the pattern instruction was vague, and I interpreted as follows:
I've been working with the Araucania Coliumo, making up little hat patterns. Unfortunately the yarn GROWS after blocking, so the design process has been a bit slow and the pattern has been revised several times. Because of the growth. I'm also being cautious and working up each size before publishing - just one more in a size Large and I'll post it.
Finished object alert! Liane just finished whipping up this cool cabled beret, the Gnarled Cable Beret(free pattern on Ravelry.com). We managed to eke it out with just one skein on Dream in Color Groovy (colour is visual purple). The cables are really cool, I love wonky looking things. :-) I think it would also look good in the Cascade 128, Malabrigo or Merino Chunky. Maybe even Cascade Eco Heathers, but I can't be sure about that one. Anyway, nice cabled beret that looks a bit different. :-)
Onwards and upwards! Next on my needles is a Hat in the Berroco Blackstone Tweed. The tweed seems to be very stretchy, so I'm using a pattern that was designed with it - The Sarah Beret above. I like the leafiness without any lacy overkill.
So far, so good, although I have modified the pattern to make it smaller - I only cast on 80 sts. Better safe than sorry. I spent the whole weekend fighting with the yarn and don't have it in me to make another gargantuan hat. By the way, if you want to make something fitted using negative ease, this yarn is great! I also started making my M1 increases without twisting, but I'm regretting that decision and will rip back to the band when I am done typing. Instead I'll change the M1 in the chart to a M1R & M1L.
Check out our Beret made with Berroco Blackstone Tweed Chunky! It's great - it was fast, easy, and soft. I love soft tweeds, because traditionally they are very itchy textiles. Must get back to work! :-)
OK, I knit this Beret in Malabrigo Aquarella up and finished it before I got a chance to tell you about it. It is an Urchin by Ysolda. I was a little confused when I first started but once I got the hang of it it was really easy. One caveat, you will REALLY want to have a set of locking or split ring stitch markers at hand to keep track or your short rows. Every time i did a Wrap & Turn (w&t) I stuck a marker in the wrapped stitch. Listen to me now, believe me later. I'm not sure I love the Aquarella for this hat, it may be a bit thick. I should have made a size Small, I did a Medium and it's a bit big - although, if you have a big noggin it is probably just right. One thing I notice now, looking at the pattern pictures on Ravelry, I don't seem to have the ridges that bisect the sections. I must have read something wrong, but it's easy enough to adjust next time (if there is one).
This is my Parisian Beanie Beret (raspberry beret) from Stitch Diva Designs - almost finished except for another round or two of decreases and some ends woven in. I was working on it while in line at the flu clinic on Monday (don't go to the one at Yonge & Eglinton, what a mess). I made some good progress on it, almost finished except I RAN OUT OF YARN! I finished it yesterday, it is drying right now. It looks really big! I think it may have been a mistake to knit it in a superwash yarn. After you wash a superwash it can often loosen up a bit, and I think that because this hat is knit on 6mm needles that a yarn that has a more consistent body would be a good idea. Maybe a Malabrigo Worsted or Lamb's Pride Bulky. Otherwise, i think it would be a good idea to change the needle size and use 5.5mm or maybe even 5mm. But I'll get back to you with the final pics and how I feel about it.
Hey, by the way, I taught myself how to knit with gloves on! The trick is to wear those thin, lycra stretchy one size mini-gloves. The ones at H&M are pretty good.
steve bought his wife a scarf from me last october. it was one of the lang tosca ones from the distributor. A week later steve's wife came in and bought the same scarf for herself. Steve came back, beside himself, with the original scarf. He thought he'd nailed x-mas. I told him no problem, i'll make a hat to match. i waited. i procrastinated and i practiced. he popped by yesterday afternoon and said "where's the hat? we're leaving tomorrow night." tomorrow night?! what's up with that? x-mas ain't till saturday! i ribbed and i ripped and knitted and ribbed. and it was done by the time i left work (at midnight). now i've just got to finish steve's hat. Big BeretHaley WaxbergModel: Deborah Archer, professional Farrah Fawcett impersonator & local inhabitant at Knit-O-Matic.Size S (M, L)/ 20" (21", 22") Materials- 2 balls Lang Tosca in the same colour (i used colour 62) 50g/92m - 6mm/16" circular needles- 7mm/16" circular needles- 7mm DPN- 6mm crochet hook- scrap yarn in complimentary colours (noro kureyon here)- darning needle- stitch markerNote- hat is knit with 2 strands of yarn held together. - the coloured effect is created by taking the yarn from different parts of the colourway.AbbreviationsK knitL LeftM1 make one stitch (lifted, twisted increase: lift yarn between the 2 sts with R needle, place it onto L needle, twist it again with R needle, knit into it)P purlR Rightrep repeatrnd roundsts stitchesst st stocking stitch (in the round this is just knitting)DirectionsA. (working with 2 strands of yarn at the same time from different part of the colourway) with 6mm neddles cast on 52 (56, 60) sts and join, do not twist sts. place marker. work in K2 P2 rib for 6 roundsB. *k3, m1; rep from * to end or rnd. work 8 rnds in st st.C. *k6, m1; rep from * to end of rnd. work 8 rnds in st st.D. *k5, k2tog; rep from * to end of rnd. work 4 rnds in st st.E. *k9, k3tog; rep from * to end of rnd. work 4 rnds in st st.F. *k7, k3tog; rep from * to end of rnd. work 4 rnds in st st.G. *k5, k3tog; rep from * to end of rnd. work 3 rnds in st st.H. *k3, k3tog; rep from * to end of rnd. work 2 rnds in st st.I. *k1, k3tog; rep from * to end of rnd. Break off yarn and thread through remaining stitches. Finishing- weave in loose ends. Crochet CirclesAbbreviationsch chaindc double crochet sl st slip stitch st stitch tr treble crochet Directions - Large CircleA. ch 4, sl st to 1st st in chain (makes a loop), ch3 B. *tr into central loop; rep from * until you move all the way around the loop and make a circle. C. sl st to top of ch3, fasten off D. Weave in ends. Directions - Small CircleA. ch 4, sl st to 1st st in chain (makes a loop), ch2 B. *dc into central loop; rep from * until you move all the way around the loop and make a circle. C. sl st to top of ch2, fasten off D. Weave in ends.
