The Sign of the Beast

I'm the devil!Behold, the Beast from Hell!
I haven’t given you a knitting update in ages, have I? Yes, that’s me in a custom knit devil-horned hat. The pattern’s from Debbie Stoller’s book Stitch ‘N’ Bitch and I whipped it up in about six hours. (Pattern note for those playing at home: I used two balls of Heirloom 12-ply on 6mm needles.) I discovered some black wool in my stash so I might try the kitty-cat hat next. Now I just have to wait for it to get cold enough to wear!

Catching up on other projects… I also made a jumper/sweater for my iPod! My old case was getting grubby and I rarely use the belt clip anyway. There’s a pattern in Stitch ‘N’ Bitch but it requires sewing, so I just made up my own. (I started by knitting a flat rectangle about the size of the bottom of the iPod, and then picked up around the edges and knit in the round to the top. Then I cast off the front and continued knitting flat to make the flap. I even put a yarn-over in the right spot to leave a hole for the headphone jack!) I haven’t sewn any velcro on it yet, which is why I have to hold the flap closed here. Also note: I finally got my iPod in-ear headphones! As Ron suggested, they are a bit tinny. I only really notice it on the badly-ripped songs though. I’ve fiddled with the equalizer settings to boost the bass and that helps. But I’m back in the Cult of the White Wires!

Another recent finished object is the red scarf I’m sporting below. The wool is some handspun and hand-dyed stuff I bought at Camp Creative in January. The thickness varies from thread-thin to finger-thick. I just cast on eight stitches on my 10mm needles and knit til I ran out of wool. It went about six feet. I’m loving it. Oh, and my sister tells me that “skinny scarves are in” in the US, so unbeknownst to me I’m already in style for the winter!

Oh, and there’s a work in progress in that last picture too: my muscles. I’m on Week 3 of my weight training regimen and I’m feeling pretty darn buff!

iPod Jumper     Muscle Me with Scarf

Gryffindor Stocking Cap

Gryffindor Stocking CapGryffindor Stocking Cap
Here’s my latest knitting project, a stocking cap that I whipped up earlier this week. As you can see, I’m still trying to use up leftover bits of Harry Potter scarf yarn. The pattern is pretty easy to follow and it’s a good one to get familiar with using double-pointed needles (for knitting in the round). The only part I had trouble with was the tassel. Mine is all kinds of wonky. But the rest is cute, huh?

Purdue Hat

Me in the Purdue Hat Side view of Purdue hat

Feedback needed.
My brother is a sophomore in college and I asked him recently what he’d like me to knit him. He said a hat would be nice, and that “the more unique the better”. This is what I came up with. (Don’t worry; he never reads the site so it won’t ruin the surprise.) I based it on this pattern for an “ear flap hat”. Instead of using the provided zig-zag design, though, I decided to try my hand at doing some fair isle knitting. So I laid out a design using the name of his university in their school colors. It came out pretty well! Slightly wonky shaped, but I figure some blocking this weekend (i.e. me wearing it around the house a lot) will square it up. Now I’m wondering… Should I put a pompom on top? He said “unique.” Would any of you guys actually wear a hat with a pompom on it? Is this whole discussion moot because it’s so dorky he’d never wear it regardless? Please advise. (I’ve set up a poll to register your thoughts on the issue.)

Funky Hat

Funky Hat: Last week I figured it was time to try something new with the knitting, so I settled on this funky (yet easy) hat. It’s easy because you don’t do any increasing or decreasing; you just basically knit a tube with a circular needle and then close off the top (like a square). Then that bit kinda flops over. It’s also got twisted rib brim and little braids that hang off the back corners. (I’m going to put beads on mine as soon as I can get to the bead shop this weekend.) Since I’ve still got tons of Gryffindor yarn left over (hint hint – anybody want a scarf?), I decided to do it in Gryffindor stripes. Pretty cute, huh? The only flaw was that I grossly overestimated the diameter of my own head, so it’s not a very snug fit. But at least I know now, right?

Funky hat       Funky hat side view

And before you say anything, Sis, yes, I know I need to pluck my eyebrows. I’ve just been too busy with the craftiness. 🙂