The pattern for this hat was easy; modifying it to get the perfect fit took effort. I saw this pattern in the fall Knitty but it didn’t register until I saw Cirilia’s version and I was blown away by the hotness. In the first trial I knit it flat on size 11s because 11 straights were the only needles I had above an 8. It was a massive disaster. I finally caved and bought some size 10 circulars but they were 29” in circumference, so I cut them and taped them together and knit the whole thing very cautiously while watching The Birdcage and a-movie-which-shall-go-unnamed with my friend Mitali. As per the advice on Ravelry, I knit the crown for the “not-chunky” version and did only 1.5 pattern repeats, though I wonder if I could have gotten away with only one. I decreased every other stitch and then knit six rounds of twisted rib LIKE CIRILIA DID on size 7s. And I’ll be honest. I thought this hat came out horribly and I was so disappointed until I straightened my hair (I have very curly, voluminous, and silly looking hair). It/I look a lot better now.
The yarn I used came from a massive sampler donation from Cirilia (I officially have a ‘stash’ now!), it’s this gorgeous chunky olive tweedy stuff, I’m not sure who the manufacturer is but it is absolutely perfect for this hat. Cirilia Cirilia Cirilia!

Forgive the moroseness of these pictures - I realize it could be construed as adolescent pretentiousness but IT’S WINTER =(

Popping Into Frame

My hat without me.

The best(?) part about this hat is that if I slouch it forward it becomes a newsboy hat!

Also I have a crush on Peter Jacobson, who plays Dr. Taub on House. I think he’s just so fine. Date me Peter Jacobson!

Hello I feel fine thank you. I am presenting toe-up Jaywalkers, which were fun to knit. I bought one 400-yd skein of yarn which I approximately wound in half and then used one of the balances in my chemistry laboratory to get it exactly 50/50. CHEMISTRY IS COOL.

I have narrow feet so I made the overall sock narrower and wasn’t so aggressive with the heel flap. I threw in some calf increases toward the end and used up all the yarn. They’re tall. They are very cute even though the yarn is a little bit itchy for my sensitive shins and ankles. I knit these socks mainly during P-Chem lab lecture and History of Performance Art. These are my first toe up socks and my second Jaywalkers, but these are also my first toe-up Jaywalkers and my first Jaywalkers that I didn’t totally screw up.

I haven’t given up on the Swell hat. My itsy-bitsy roommate looked cute in it so I added 12 more rows of stockinette before the decreases so that it would fit her a little better. After that modification it fits even me now, even though it’s a little tight where the stranding is, meaning my floats are too tight. Also, I still look stupid in it. I’m going to knit another one of these hats with modifications for a friend for the holidays.

Check me out! Since I last posted the screen snapped off my laptop and the very next day I got a brand new Macbook Pro (savings are nice!). So now I’ve got one of them cameras on my display so I can take photos of my face!!

In my sculpture class a boy had one of them hats with earflaps and tassles and I put it on my head and told him I could make one. He didn’t care but so I set forth to make Swell from Knitty. Never did I think I would ever make a hat with earflaps and tassles. I guess I forgot that I have a lot of hair because I made the small size and that was a big ole mistake. The thing fits more like a yarmulke than a hat. Right now I am wetblocking it over my head and I smell like a damp sheep-alpaca blend. I’m certain that snipping the floats will loosen the thing up a bit but since I don’t wear hats with earflaps and tassles I’m probably going to give this thing to someone with a small head who would. I’m probably going to also add one of those pom poms but not a pom pom attached directly to the hat, but attached to a tail which is attached to the hat.

This is not the first time I have knit something kind of useless. Honestly, I only like ribbed hats. I keep starting them and quitting because they’re so damn boring but I really need one for the winter. Secretly, I was very much hoping that it would reveal itself that I look totally cute in earflap-and-tassle-hats but alas. Before too long I’m about to finish my second of my pair of toe up Jaywalkers and may I say that they are gorgeous.

My roommate in the Swell hat after I added some length. Bless her heart.