Knitting – Page 53 – New England's Narrow Road

Frogging the Moose Hat

Frogging is a knitting term meaning “ripping out”. I have tried to knit this Moose hat twice with different colors of yarn (link to pattern below).

First I knit a yellow beginning row then brown for the brim. I tore that out. The pattern sample hat is white with two contrast colors, but I didn’t want a white hat. I was also trying to use up stash yarn.

I thought this would be a quickly done FO using up DS sharing HOTN within a day or two. Instead I had a TOAD! (Don’t understand Knitcabulary? Read this fun post at Knitfarious.)

This time I used Yarn Cafe Creations merino wool (blue, “The Ring”) with brown Spincycle for the moose motif. For the third color I used an off-white light fingering wool and combined it with mohair (think snow).

Moose Hat knitting — Purl ridge added for texture

I’ve learned how to carry floats with the left and right hand yarns while knitting projects like this. I’m no expert, and this was good practice. No knitting is a complete waste!

Trial and Error and My Mistakes

I did a little purl ridge to give some texture with the white (not a great idea!) and I began the moose design first instead of the trees. Many Ravelry comments from previous knitters mentioned that they should have done the moose first and that the hat gets too long with all the motif sections.

Because I wanted the moose, but no white, I envisioned the moose walking in snow with snowflakes falling above. The pattern actually has a row of trees, then moose, and more trees at the top. Each section is divided by two rows of a third contrast color. If the hat is knit according to the pattern, it will be quite tall.

Moose hat beginning knitting hat — Adding some mohair in the white rows

I Love to Knit Hats… But

The trouble with knitting hats is that you can’t actually try them on until they are nearly finished. The moose stranded knitting area seemed tight, which I guess usually happens with colorwork. From the brim to the main hat area the needle size goes up by 2, and I used a size larger than that because I know I am a tight knitter.

Moose hat pattern — Nearly done with the moose motif

Yesterday I got past the moose rows and wanted to do snowflakes instead of trees along the top. The off-white with mohair blended in with the blue variegated yarn and could barely be seen.

Now the hat was tall enough that finally I could try it on …. and I hated it! It was loose at the brim (I made the brim half the recommended length) and tight around the moose motif section. This is not the type of yarn I want for a hat either! (Note to self: don’t use sock / fingering yarn for a winter hat – unless it’s a man’s cap.)

I’ve decided to frog it. The pattern is not something I will try again, but I have the moose motif to save for another time – maybe a scarf / cowl / or mittens.

Link to the Moose Hat Pattern

Most of the problems I had with this hat were brought on myself and I don’t blame the designer. If you want to buy this pattern, or read comments from other knitters, find it at Ravelry: Beware of the Moose.

Beware of the moose hat pattern knitting project

I prefer my winter hats to be chunky, or at least knit in worsted weight, like my Quarry Hat, Simple Rasta Hat, or Star-topped Hat.

My next stranded knitting project will be a pair of mittens when I join the Woolly Thistle KAL.

Starting on My Make Nine Challenge

The Make Nine Challenge is something I saw on Instagram and found more about on this article at Home Row Fiber. Choose nine things to accomplish in the year 2020 that have to do with crafting. Mine will all have to do with knitting, but some people sew or crochet so mixing it up is fine. In fact it is very informal and a way for people to become more focused on their crafts.

I like the idea, because I love to write things down. Making lists is how I accomplish my tasks day to day. Being able to check something off makes me feel good too.

Make Nine challenge with my partial list of knitting goals for 2020 — Quick sketch of my Make 9 projects / lessons to complete in 2020

What’s On My Make Nine List?

The image above is a quick list of some things I want to get done in the near future. You’ll notice I have 2 grids empty, but I bet I will be filling them soon. In fact knitting for the kitchen just came to mind as I added that Key West Karribean Kotten yarn photo (top blue and orange yarn).

First, I have three projects to finish, and I already finished one – the Namu Cowl. It’s checked off… whoohooo! Still to go is the Moon Sisters shawl and the Oxbow Cardigan. I’m not planning to finish them before I begin something else, but I am hoping I will be able to STICK TO THE GRID and not go nuts beginning other random projects.

There is a pair of mittens – Milet pattern (Ravelry)- I want to knit very badly. (Yes, I live in Florida and I knit mittens.) I just bought Rauma Finull wool from the Woolly Thistle to make them, but don’t have the pattern yet.

The Le Pouf cardi caught my eye recently and it’s such a cute little sweater. It’s a free pattern and it’s knit with sock yarn – so not too hot, which is perfect for where I live. I do wear sweaters a few times a year.

My best friend’s son and wife are having a baby – her first grandchild! – and I want to knit a hat with a fun colorwork pattern for the baby. Doing more colorwork is also a general goal.

I also want to knit a pair of socks that I like and can actually wear. I’ve been watching toe-up / magic loop videos on YouTube that are inspiring. I hate DPN’s so I want to get the hang of magic loop. ‘Keep learning’ is what I tell myself every day!

The soft look of mohair combined with fingering yarn appeals to me so I want one project to be made that way. Tin Can Knits has a pretty lacy pullover called “Love Note” which I may attempt to knit for my daughter.

As new patterns from my favorite designers come out, I may change my mind about what to make, but overall these are the projects.

What Are Your Crafting Plans for 2020?

I’m lucky that I am older and my four kids are all grown. I also work from home, and that gives me more time to knit.

One of the biggest reasons I continue to expand my knitting knowledge is to keep my brain moving. I enjoy trying patterns that challenge me to figure things out. Learning about different yarns and what projects they work best for is interesting. As in gardening, you can’t just stick a plant in the ground, in knitting you can’t just grab any old yarn and expect it to work for any pattern. There is more to choosing yarn than by color.

I would love to know what you are planning to knit and which yarn you prefer. Please leave a comment… and fill in your Make Nine grid!

Do the Ravelry Challenge

If you are on Ravelry, go to your projects page and see the “challenge” sign on the far right side. Here you can list the number of projects you hope to complete for the upcoming year. Last year (2019) I hoped to do 5 and ended up with 14 finished projects! I totally underestimated myself! Ravelry keeps track and will give you a rundown at the end of the year (if you load your projects to their site.)

Photo grid of my finished knitting projects in 2019 — Ten of the 14 projects I finished knitting in 2019

Left to right top row then bottom, here are the pattern names with blog posts and links to each.

Scrappy Bias Shawl – free pattern!
Bays Edge Shawl – using Miss Babs yarn
Umpqua Pullover – my first pullover / sweater
Let’s Stripe hat – I must learn to avoid holes at stripes!
Quince Wrap – Emma’s Yarn, lovely aqua colors
Polliwog Popover – Meh…
Woolfolk Cowl (my design) – practice colorwork
Dewdrops Shawl – A beginner might like this one
Greek Key Mittens – my take on World’s Simplest Mittens
Fine Sand Sweater – made with Miss Babs “Tarte” – love it!

For 2020 I chose 20 as my number of items to finish. I think I will do it, because some items will be small and quick, and I’ve already finished one – 19 to go.

I really hope to use up some of my yarn and keep myself from buying more (I ~~love~~ hate yarn sales!) Maybe I need to include stash yarn ideas in my grids too.

Knitting My Star-topped Hat

I’ve been trying to knit a simple hat for my son, but both times I began recent hats I ran out of yarn for the cast-on! I’m doing the German Twisted cast-on (I have linked to the YouTube video below) and it tends to use more yarn than I measure out for the Long tail cast-on. I keep misjudging amounts… Grrr…! So the hats have ended up being knit for me because my son has a big head!

Star on top hat — Mad Tosh “Vintage” and Anzula “For Better or Worsted”

How to Knit This Hat

I made this up myself and here is how I did it.

Cast on 102 stitches (this will make a loose hat) using the German Twisted cast on – SEE VIDEO BELOW, or a stretchy cast on. I used a size 10, 16-inch circular needle (and DPN’s) and ended up with a circumference of about 18.5 inches unstretched. My head measures around 22.5 inches, and it fits me well, but it is not tight at all. (It also fits my son fine… oh well, but he doesn’t like the colors.)

Knit one, purl one ribbing … for as long as you want. I made mine extra long because I was originally going to complete the hat in that stitch. I switched to knitting only (stockinette) for a couple rows and then began the “star” colorwork. I had to learn how to carry the yarn and create long floats for this. View my favorite YouTube video for this here.

102 stitches divides into 6 sections with 17 stitches in each. At the beginning of the round I knit 16 in gray (Mad Tosh Vintage in Antique Moonstone, I think), 1 in brown – around to BOR. On the next row I knit to one before the brown and added brown on each side – knit 15 gray, knit 3 brown.

I continued on this way until the whole top was brown (Anzula “rootbeer” yarn in “For Better or Worsted” – knitting a FREE cowl with this here). Then I began my decreases.

Decreases for top: Row 1: K4, k2tog, PM (place marker) around. Row 2 & even rows: knit around. Row 3 and odd rows: Knit to 2 stitches before marker and K2tog, around. Do this until only a few stitches remain and gather them up with the end of the yarn on a needle, and pull. Weave in ends, remembering that the brim will flip up!

Star on top hat knit in worsted yarn — Drying on a cantaloupe

Andrea Mowry and The German Twisted Cast-on

I watched many videos trying to understand the German Twisted cast-on, (which is also called the Old Norwegian Cast-on). The one I have linked to below is by far the best. She goes slow, but not too slow. It is very easy to understand, and use, once you practice.

By the way, Andrea Mowry is an awesome, and successful, knitwear designer. The link goes to Ravelry where her patterns are for sale. Or check out her website at Drea Renee Knits. I have not knit any of her patterns, only because I’m not yet sure I have the skills needed for most of them. Her Throwback cardigan is one of my favorites, but my next pattern may be the comfy looking Oxbow Cardigan.

Somewhat Related: Taking a Walk in Florida’s Winter

The photo below has nothing to do with this post, but I took it around the time I was knitting the hat and it is mixed in with the knitting photos on my phone. I thought I would share what I saw on a recent walk around my Florida neighborhood in the evening.

Getting exercise is necessary, and I tend to feel unwell when I just sit around and knit, or work online. It’s easy to become preoccupied with knitting, but I do get outdoors this time of year to stretch my muscles. It is a wonderful treat after suffering through the long HOT Florida summer.

Our climate in Florida is nearly opposite to the north, in my mind, because summer keeps me indoors. Except that the summers are worse because you truly cannot do anything much outside. At least in the northern winters there are good days. This is not true of Florida summers. It NEVER cools off.

Evening walk in Florida neighborhood — Taking a walk

December is one of the best months, weather-wise, in Florida. Nights are cool (40’s to 60’s), and days are warm (60’s and 70’s). There are few storms, no hurricanes, and very little rain. Evenings are especially nice and if you have a view of the west, the sunsets are gorgeous. I am not looking directly toward the West in my photo. The bright sunset colors are off to my right – through the trees – but that color spreads across the sky because it’s so flat here.

Anyway, this was a quick glimpse into a Florida winter evening. Happy knitting!

Knitting the Namu Cowl in Anzula Rootbeer

A review of knitting the Namu Cowl with some easy cables in pretty “Root Beer” yarn color way by Annual.

The NAMU cable cowl is such a lovely pattern, and yes folks, it’s FREE! The directions are well-written, and there is also a chart. Designer Knitboop has graciously given the knitting world this interesting project, which can be knit up quite quickly.

Get the NAMU pattern at Ravelry

Knitting the Namu cowl — “Namu” cowl in Anzula yarn

Tips For Knitting NAMU

Namu is Korean for “tree” and Knitboop goes on to include more info and even a poem on the last page of the download.

The short version of the cowl is small and will fit snuggly around the neck, but it can be knit longer with the correct pattern repeats. I chose to use my new skeins of Anzula For Better or Worsted yarn in “Rootbeer” (Find Anzula yarn at Jimmy Beans or Webs). Choose a soft yarn for this type of garment which will be close to the skin.

The pattern is easy to follow, but a beginner may find it difficult. You must cable and know how to do Yarn Overs with knits and purls.

After knitting the ribbing I noticed some pooling of color, which is difficult to see in my photo below, so I began alternating skeins for the cables. I may use one skein for the next repeat of the pattern just to see how it looks.

I snapped this photo below once I finished the first cable repeat of 23 rows. I will do these rows once more to finish the cowl, so I’m halfway there!

Knitting the Namu hat — The “Namu” cowl pattern.

I wanted to mention the pooling of color, which you can see once again as I dropped one ball of yarn to finish off the top portion of the cowl. There was some striping there as compared to the center cable portion of the cowl.

Now about the bind off. It calls for a stretchy bind off which makes sense because it will be pulled over your head. I began with Jeny’s stretchy bind off and it was looking too floppy. So I did regular bind off stitches between Jeny’s. Jeny’s is basically done by adding a yarn-over making 2 stitches to bind off. I used it on the Polliwog Popover for the first time. It still ended up being too wide but wearing that top bind off at the bottom of the cowl – around the neck / shoulder area works well.

I’m actually wearing the cowl upside down, but it really doesn’t matter with this pattern.

Anzula and Other Soft Cowl Yarn Ideas

I used Anzula, but there are other soft yarns to consider when cowl knitting. Here are a few I have used or have researched for softness. Some can be machine washed, but why would you? Cowls are small, and can easily be hand-washed and dried flat.

For such a pretty cable pattern, use a slightly variegated yarn, solid color or ombre color yarn. Too many color variations would take away from the cabling. Also a lighter color will help show off the pattern.

Yardage needed is 220 yards in Worsted Weight yarn. You will need more if you make the longer version.

Madeline Tosh “Vintage” – this link goes to Wool and Company, who ships for free (US only) and will wind skeins at no charge!
Malabrigo Yarn (Rios, or any worsted weight)
Shibui Drift I haven’t used this yarn, but comments at Ravelry say it is super soft (has some cashmere), but tends to pill.
Mrs. Crosby Steamer Trunk -lots of colors to choose from, but you’ll need 2 skeins.

Cowl ribbing in Anzula worsted yarn — Beginning the Namu cowl pattern

The Anzula is so soft and I love this golden-bronze color. I fell in love with Anzula yarn when I knit the Quince Wrap and used gray Anzula (fingering weight) for the edges. I bought it on a whim when the Four Purls yarn truck came to town. Anzula offers a wide array of yarn types.