The clock is ticking!

I was asked to make a baby hat for a baby named Lucy. She's 10 weeks old, and the hat is going to see her into the spring. Since I know little Lucy is growing, growing, growing, I am anxious to get it to her proud grandmother, before it's too warm for her to need a hat.

I put a butterfly on this one, because Lucy's grandmother and I have a bit of a history. Her grandmother is Toni Ferrara, a Canadian children's author. She wrote a picture book called Butterflies and Birchbark a few years ago, and I had the honour of illustrating it. I thought a butterfly would suit little Lucy perfectly.

Many thanks to Toni for commissioning this little hat. The money will go to the Lyndhurst Feral Cat Project, so we thank her for supporting LFCP as well.

Sunshiny cats, amazing socks and more

Cassie's getting a late start. Note all her toys strewn around her. She stays up half the night carting them around....and wailing. Why does she wail? If anyone knows, please do share. She is a happy kitty. She has food and toys and lots of love. She is a mystery. A beautiful mystery.

And now for something amazing........

These are the green socks. Finished. That's really not the amazing part....contrary to what some might think. Look closely. They are mates. True (pretty near!) identical mates. Amazing! We started with one single ball of Lang Jawoll Magic Superwash. It weighed 98 grm (with the label) when we started. We knitted and weighed (obsessively) because we wanted to use as much of the yarn as possible (if you remember), making the sock legs as long as we could WITHOUT (and we can't stress this enough) having to rip the first sock back because we ran short on the second sock.

You all know how much we like math. No joke. We weighed and we calculated how much yarn we used as we went along. We have notes like: 84 gr. left, 5 inches from beginning. We thought we had it calculated pretty well and in the end...... Success! We had very little wool left.

However.....it is a complete and total, mind-boggling FLUKE! that these 2 socks are so similar..... especially when you consider how long the colour repeats are in this wool. We doubt we'll ever be able to repeat such a performance. We should just retire now. Several claims were made on these socks while they were in production but in the end, they're going to Mr. Coco and they fit him perfectly.

Here's a question for anyone who has knitted with this wool before. Somewhere during the knitting of the ribbing of the second sock we found a loosely tied knot....not a break, just a knot. Is this the manufacturer's indication of the true centre of the skein? It seems to be at the appropriate spot. That would be cool, if it was intentional.

Another one of those Razzle-Dazzle what is this? puzzles?????

No, this is our version of this from Stitch Nation Yarn.

Aren't they just the sweetest little hats you ever did see?

Unfortunately, we don't have access to a little baby right now and Cassie was sleeping and not inclined to model (but wouldn't that have been adorable?). We do know where to find a cute little baby though. Can't wait to see her in it.

Don't forget tomorrow's Part 4 of the Papa Bear Sampler Scarf Knit-along. There's still lots of time to catch up, if you've been thinking about joining in. We're planning to have a little gift for anyone who completes their scarf and sends us a picture. (Just in case you needed more incentive.)

And finally.....don't forget you have until Wednesday to go here and leave a comment to win a copy of Norman's Blankie.

Coco's Cap

Chart

6 stitch/8 rnd repeat

Knitted in the round.

Coco's Cap is designed to use up odds and ends of sock yarn to make caps for preemies and newborns. It came from a challenge from The Knitmore Girls to design caps for the Head to Toe Design Contest. It was a PRIZEWINNER!!

This plaid stitch pattern is a traditional double knitting pattern used for mittens here in Canada (mostly in the Maritimes) and in the northeastern United States. The double knitting makes for an extremely warm garment and I have used this pattern in socks as well. In Robin Hansen and Janetta Dexter’s excellent book “Flying Geese & Partridge Feet” this stitch pattern is called Chipman’s Block.

Designed for leftover sock yarn (fingering weight), my blue and grey preemie cap is made with 6 gr. of Trekking ProNatura (blue) and 4 gr. of Phildar Preface (grey). My pink and white newborn size cap is made of 9 gr. Fearless Fibers 100% Superwash Merino wool (pink) and 5 gr. Kroy sock yarn (white). The preemie hat is about 7 inches in circumference (unstretched) and the newborn size is about 10 inches in circumference (unstretched).

Chipman’s Block Stitch Pattern Written Out:

Rnd 1: * K1 MC, K1 CC * work from * to * all around.

Rnds 2 & 3: * K3 CC, K3 MC * work from * to * all around.

Rnd 4: * K1 MC, K1 CC * work from * to * all around.

Rnd 5: * K1 CC, K1 MC * work from * to * all around.

Rnds 6 & 7: * K3 MC, K3 CC * work from * to * all around.

Rnd 8: * KI CC, K1 MC * work from * to * all around.

MC = Main Colour

CC = Contrasting Colour

(Since this is worked in the round, all stitches are Knit.)

These 8 rnds represent one pattern repeat.

Preemie Size:

CO 62 sts on 3.5mm (US4) needles with main colour. Immediately change to 2.5mm (US1) double point needles and join in the round. Alternatively, you can cast on with a tubular K1 P1 CO and the 2.5mm needles. The goal is a nice, stretchy edge.

Work K1 P1 ribbing for 1 inch.

Knit one round increasing 4 sts. evenly around. Knit 2 more rounds on these 66 sts.

Introduce the contrasting colour by following the pattern chart. Work these 8 knitted rnds until the piece measures 3-1/2 to 4 inches from the CO edge ending after Rnd 2 or 6.

Reduce for top of cap: K the first of the 3 sts., then K2tog. (in whichever colour you would normally use for this 3 stitch group according to where you are in the pattern).

Next rnd: K2, P2 (alternating colours to fit the pattern)

Cut the yarn leaving a 12-inch tail and draw through all the sts. on the needles. Draw up tightly and secure. Darn in ends.

Newborn Size:

Cast on 90 sts. with the main colour yarn and 2.5mm (US1) needles using your preferred cast on and work 1 inch of K1 P1 ribbing. Work 2 more knit only rounds.

Introduce the contrasting colour by following the pattern chart. Work these 8 knitted rnds until the piece measures 4-1/2 to 5 inches from the CO edge ending after Rnd 2 or 6.

Start reducing for top of cap:

Start knitting with the colour that would follow according to where you are in the chart,

[(K1, K2 tog) twice, K3, K3, K3 (changing colours with each group of 3 as usual] 6 times

Next rnd: This will be a round of alternating colour single knit stitches. Start with the same colour as the existing stitches you’re about to knit into and then alternate with the opposite colour.

*K2 tog, K2 tog, K9 * Repeat from * to * 6 times.

Next rnd: Start with the opposite colour to the first stitch you’re about to knit and knit all around alternating colours.

Reduce for crown (using only MC from now on):

Rnd 1: Knit all around

Rnd 2: (K9, K2tog) 6 times

Rnd 3: Knit all around

Rnd 4: (K3, K2tog) 12 times

Rnd 5: Knit all around

Rnd 6: (K2, K2tog) 12 times

Rnd 7: Knit all around

Rnd 8: (K1, K2tog) 12 times

Rnd 9: (K2tog) 12 times

Cut the yarn leaving a 12 inch tail. With a darning needle thread this tail through all the sts and draw up tightly. Secure and darn in the ends.

Copyright 2010 Cheryl Coville. You are welcome to use this pattern for personal use.

Edited July 30, 2011 ... You can access a printable PDF of Coco's Cap by clicking HERE.