Baby Pixie Hat

Do any of you watch glee?  Not too long ago, Quinn wore a pixie hat that went viral.  I saw this cute hat here, and I thought it would make a great baby hat and gift.  Knitted hats for baby are one of my favorite gifts because they are soft, comfy, cute, and quick.  I made this one to donate to Warm Hearts Warm Babies, so it is fit for a premie, but the pattern should fit most newborn heads.

Supplies

• One skein Baby's First Lion Brand yarn (you can make several hats out of one skein).  This is a bulky weight yarn, which knits up more quickly than a sport or worsted weight.
• 12 inch size 6 circular needle (this is my favorite needle for knitting baby hats).
• Size 6 double-pointed needles
• Stitch marker
• Tapestry/yarn needle
• Button or other embellishment
• Scissors

To work the rib in this pattern, knit into the back of one stitch, then purl one stitch, repeat.  Remember to move your working yarn to the back when knitting, and the front when purling.

To work the decrease, you will knit two together by knitting in the back of both stitches.

Directions (after step 3, every time the pattern instructs you to knit, knit into the back of the stitch)

1. With circular needles, cast on 76 stitches.
2. Knit rows 1-6 (do not join).  This will create a garter stitch and the base of the hat.
3. Row 7: k2, bind off first stitch, k1, bind off second stitch, k1, bind off third stitch, k1, bind off fourth stitch, k1, bind off fifth stitch, k1, bind off sixth stitch, work rib pattern to end of row. (70 stitches left on needle)
4. Row 8: place stitch marker and join both sides to create a loop so you are knitting in a circle.  You will have the six-stitch flap hanging down.  Begin with the knit stitch and work in rib around.
5. Continue working in rib stitch until your hat measures about 5 inches tall.
6. Begin decrease rows:
1. Decrease row 1: k2tog, work rib for 12 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (65 stitches)
2. Decrease row 2: k1, work rib for 12 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (65 stitches)
3. Decrease row 3: k2tog, begin with a purl stitch to work rib for 11 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (60 stitches)
4. Decrease row 4: k1, begin with a purl stitch to work rib for 11 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (60 stitches)
5. Decrease row 5: k2tog, work rib for 10 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (55 stitches)
6. Decrease row 6: k2tog, begin with a purl stitch to work rib for 9 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (50 stitches)
7. Decrease row 7: k2tog, work rib for 8 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (45 stitches)
8. Decrease row 8: k2tog, begin with a purl stitch to work rib for 7 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (40 stitches)
9. Decrease row 9: k2tog, work rib for 6 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (35 stitches)
10. Decrease row 10: k2tog, begin with a purl stitch to work rib for 5 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (30 stitches)
11. Decrease row 11: k2tog, work rib for 4 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (25 stitches)
12. Decrease row 12: k2tog, begin with a purl stitch to work rib for 3 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (20 stitches)
13. Decrease row 13: k2tog, work rib for 2 stitches, repeat to the end of the row. (15 stitches)
14. Decrease row 14: k2tog, p1, repeat to the end of the row. (10 stitches)
15. Decrease row 15: k2tog, repeat to the end of the row. (5 stitches)
7. Last 2 rows: k5. (5 stitches)
8. Cut yarn ends, and pull tail through stitches.  Weave tail into top of hat.
9. Weave in the tail at the base of the hat, and stitch flap to base.
10. Add embellisment over flap.

If you don't already know how to knit, I have knitting tutorials with pictures and video:

• Knitting 101: Lesson One {The Slipknot}
• Knitting 101: Lesson Two {Casting On}
• Knitting 101: Lesson Three {The Knit Stitch}
• Knitting 101: Lesson Four {The Purl Stitch}
• Knitting 101: Lesson Five {Casting/Binding Off}
• Knitting 101: Lesson Six {Patterns}
• Knitting 201: {Circular Needles}
• Knitting 201: {Double-Pointed Needles}

Knitted Berry Hats

This is an easy pattern to knit for a premature baby, or a full-term baby.  I use bulky weight yarn for the full-term baby hats, and sport weight yarn for the premature baby hats.  You could also increase or decrease the number of stitches in multiples of six.

Supplies

• One skein green yarn
• One skein berry color yarn
• Scissors
• Yarn needle
• Row marker
• Size 6, 12" circular knitting needle
• Size 6 double pointed needles

Hat Pattern:

1. Cast on 54 stitches.
2. Add row marker, and knit in the round until your project measures 6 inches tall.
3. Decrease (change to double-pointed knitting needles when you feel the need to switch)

1. Knit 7, knit two together, repeat all the way around (48 stitches remain)
2. Knit 6, knit two together, repeat all the way around (42 stitches remain)
3. Knit 5, knit two together, repeat all the way around (36 stitches remain)
4. Knit 4, knit two together, repeat all the way around (30 stitches remain)
5. Knit 3, knit two together, repeat all the way around (24 stitches remain)
6. Knit 2, knit two together, repeat all the way around (18 stitches remain)
7. Knit 1, knit two together, repeat all the way around ( 12 stitches remain)
8. Knit two together, repeat all the way around, (6 stitches remain)

4. Snip the thread several inches long, then pull through all six stitches.

At this point, you could simply weave in the ends and finish the hat, or add a poof ball.  If you want to make a berry hat, continue with the greenery pattern below.  I found this star pattern here, and thought I could adjust it to fit my needs.  Her original pattern was a bit small, so I added an extra row.  I also added a braid in a loop at the middle for the stem.

Before you are completely confused, here is what I mean when I write (rsd):

And what I mean when I write (wsd):

Berry Greenery

1. Cast on 65 stitches.
2. Row 1:  knit 5, *rsd, knit 10, repeat from * 4 times, rsd, knit 5 (55 stitches remain)
3. Row 2:  purl 4, *wsd, purl 8, repeat from * 4 times, wsd, purl 4 (45 stitches remain)
4. Row 3:  knit 3, *rsd, knit 6, repeat from * 4 times, rsd, knit 3 (35 stitches remain)
5. Row 4:  purl 2, *wsd, purl 4, repeat from * 4 times, wsd, purl 2 (25 stitches remain)
6. Row 5:  knit 1, *rsd, knit 2, repeat from * 4 times, rsd, knit 1 (15 stitches remain)
7. Row 6:  wsd, repeat across entire row (5 stitches remain)
8. Sew the one side shut, and add a braid for a stem.

When you are finished, use the ends to attach the greenery to the hat.

Knitting 201 {Double-Pointed Needles}

Why would you want to use double-pointed needles?

The only time I use double-pointed needles is when I am decreasing a hat and the project no longer fits well on circular needles--although, you can use them in place of circular needles for most projects. 

The first time I used them, I just bought them because the pattern I was using instructed me to switch from the circular needles to double-pointed needles.  I have to admit, when I first tried to use them, I had no idea what I was doing.  I tried to knit several stitches, then pass each one over to the next needle one at a time.  I kept moving the needles around and around, but it took me forever!  It was definitely one of my most ditsy crafting moments ever.  To save you from similar humiliation, here are some simple steps to using double-pointed needles.

Basically, what you are doing, is knitting one double-pointed needle into the project, and knitting another needle out.  When switching from circular to double-pointed needles, you begin by taking a double-pointed needle in your right hand (as in my previous knitting posts, I assume you are right-handed and knit like I do).  You knit stitches onto the double-pointed needle.  I usually split my project into thirds or fourths to determine the number of stitches that should occupy each needle. 

When the allotted number of stitches occupy the needle, let go of the needle in your right hand and pick up a new double-pointed needle in that hand.  Use the same process for the rest of your double-pointed needles.

I will be linking this up to these link parties.

Knitting 201 {Circular Needles}

Yes--that's right.  You are correct.  The "201" in the title means that we are stepping into the next arena of knitting.  If you missed the previous tutorials, click here to start at the beginning. 

Today, we are going to talk about knitting with circular needles.  Circular knitting needles come in various sizes as far as the diameter (width) of the needle, as well as the length of the needles.  My favorite brand of circular needles is addi TURBO.  I love how smoothly the yarn transfers from needle to needle, and the connecting wire bends more easily with the project.

There are two ways to knit with circular needles.  Either way you want to use them, you will cast on the stitches as you would a straight needle.

The first way you can use circular needles is just like knitting with straight needles, but they are connected at the back.  When using circular needles in place of straight needles, you cast on your stitches, then knit into the last stitch of the last row.  If you are right-handed (and knit like me) then your project will be on the left needle, and you will then grab the other needle in your right hand.  You continue to trade the two tips of the needles between each hand.  People often use circular needles to knit blankets because the circular needles can fit so many stitches.

The other way you can use circular needles is to make a tube with your knitting (like a hat), also called knit in the round.  To do this, you will cast on your stitches; you will need enough stitches to reach both tips with your stitches.  The final stitch will actually be on the needle in your right hand (again assuming you are right-handed and knit like me).  You will knit into the first stitch that you cast on.  You will continue to knit until your project has reached its required length. 

Make sure you do not twist your stitches before you connect when knitting in the round, or your project will not create a tube.

If you are going to knit in the round, you should place a marker on the needles after you cast on your stitches, but before you begin knitting into the first row.  You can use a piece of yarn in a different color, or you can buy markers from the store.  When you are knitting in the round, you will pass the marker from needle to needle each time you reach the marker.

I will be linking this to these link parties.

Knitting 101: Lesson Six {Patterns}

I totally let the day get away from me.  Hopefully you have been knitting your fingers right off!  Now that you are ready to go pro, you should know what each stitch can do for you.

The Garter Stitch/Pattern

This look is created by purling back and forth, or knitting back and forth.  The point is that a row is only one type of stitch, and you alternate which side the knot is on.  If you are knitting back and forth, you can keep using the same stitch because it will alternate the side of the knots.  If you are knitting in the round, you will need to alternate stitch type each row so that the knot alternates.  This pattern looks the same on both sides.

The Stockinette Stitch/Pattern

This is created by keeping the knots all on one side of your project.  You will need to knit one row, then purl one row if you knit back and forth.  When knitting in the round, you either knit the entire project, or purl the entire project.  (It will only look like this on one side)

The Seed Stitch/Pattern

This soft and stretchy pattern is created by knitting one stitch, purling the next.  If you have an even number of stitches, begin with knitting every row.  You end up making a checkered pattern with the knots from your stitches.  This pattern looks the same on both sides.

Ribbing
Larger RibbingSmaller Ribbing
Ribbing is usually used at necklines, wrists, and waists.  You can create ribbing by alternating stitches.  For a smaller ribbing, knit 1 purl 1 until the end.  If you use an odd number of stitches, begin each row with knit.  For a smaller ribbing, knit 2 purl 2 until the end.  You will need to use an even number of stitches and just make sure you knit into previously purled stitches, and purl into previously knitted stitches.

---

You can combine these patterns endlessly to create different projects.  I recommend beginning with some simple scarves or washcloths using garter, stockinette, or seed stitch the entire time.  If you are feeling adventurous, try the pattern below:

Framed Block Scarf

This scarf is made using the seed stitch, and stockinette stitch.  I used size 10.5 needles, and “baby’s first” bulky-weight yarn from Lion Brand.  The yarn is extremely soft and cozy—perfect for a winter scarf.  You may want to get a row-counter to make sure you are doing the right number of each row.  You can also keep a running tally on a scrap piece of paper (or your head).

1. Cast 16 stitches
2. Knit 1, purl 1 to end
3. Purl 1, knit 1 to end
4. Repeat steps 2+3 until you have 24 rows
5. Knit 1, purl 1, knit 1, purl 10, knit 1, purl 1, knit 1
6. Knit 1, purl 1, knit 12, purl 1, knit 1
7. Repeat steps 5+6 eleven times (you should have 14 rows of this pattern)
8. Knit 1, purl 1, knit 12, purl 1, knit 1
9. Knit 1, purl 1, knit 1, purl 10, knit 1, purl 1, knit 1
10. Repeat steps 8+9 eleven times (you should have 14 rows of this pattern)
11. Repeat steps 5-10 until the scarf is about 45 inches
12. Repeat steps 2+3 twelve times
13. Cast off
14. Weave in tails
15. Enjoy your scarf!

Knitting 101: Lesson Five {Casting Off}

Now that you have been knitting and pearling for days, you have a twelve-foot scarf and you wonder, "what do I do now?"  Well now you learn the cast off.  I know, I know, you have learned a lot this week.  It was intense.  This is so easy, you will love this step.  Without any more delay...let's do it.

1. Complete your pattern, or simply decide you are done.
2. If you have been knitting, knit two stitches.  If you have been pearling, pearl two stitches.  In my example, I am knitting.
3. After you complete two stitches, use your top needle, to grab the stitch on the far right (the first stitch of that row).  Lift that stitch over the other stitch (to the left) and off the bottom needle.

4. You just cast off one stitch!
5. Knit/pearl one more stitch and repeat step 3.
6. Continue creating one stitch and removing one stitch (you will be eliminating stitches from the top needle, and alternating between one and two stitches on the bottom needle).
7. When you have one stitch left on the bottom needle (and none on the top needle), take the last loop off the needle and hold it in your left hand.

8. Put two fingers through the loop from left to right and grab the working yarn.  Pull the working yarn through the loop.

9. Cut the working yarn and pull through completely (I just imitated cutting with my fingers because I didn't want to waste my yarn).

You will have a tail on both ends.  Use a large needle to weave the ends into your project.  You have just finished your first knitting project!!!  Come back tomorrow for more patterns you can create with these two stitches, and a project idea.

Knitting 101: Lesson Four {The Purl Stitch}

We are moving pretty quickly, so if you are feeling overwhelmed, put off learning to purl until later.  If you are a natural, learned to knit previously without learning to purl, or are a glutton for punishment, here we go!  As I stated in the last post, knitting creates a knot on the back of your project, but purling creates a knot on the front of your project.  If you simply knit back and forth, or purl back and forth, you create the garter pattern (see the last post).  When most people think about knitting, they think about the stockinette pattern (it is the one pictured above).  The stockinette pattern looks similar to the garter on the back, but a little more squished.  The garter pattern has knots on both sides of the project; the stockinette pattern has knot on one side of the project.  If you want to create the stockinette pattern, you will need to knit one row, then purl the next.

Are you ready?  Let's start purling!

1. Hold your needles and yarn just like you are getting ready to knit.  (remember while learning, I recommend holding the bottom needle between your knees)
2. Before you begin your purl stitch, take the working yarn in your right hand, and pull it in front of both needles.  This is what I forgot frequently while I was learning how to purl, and it caused all sorts of problems (remember that the yarn stays in back when you knit, and in front when you purl--the side you keep the yarn on determines the side of the knot).
3. Stick the bottom needle through the first loop on the top needle; your needles will be facing roughly the opposite directions with the bottom needle in front.  When you purl, you stick the needle through the loop from the outside, towards the rest of the stitches (from right to left).

4. With your right hand, wrap the yarn around the bottom needle counter-clockwise.

5. The next step is what I find the trickiest part of purling.  You need to use the tip of the bottom needle to sort of grab the loop you just made, and push it under the top needle so the bottom needle is now behind the top needle.

6. Now push the original loop off the top needle.
7. Congratulations!  You just finished your first purl stitch.  Repeat steps 3-6 until you finish purling your entire row.

Practice, practice, practice.  When you feel comfortable with both stitches, start to alternate rows and create a stockinette stitch.

Knitting 101: Lesson Three {The Knit Stitch}

I guess the video on the last two posts wasn't working, so I fixed them.  Anyway, here is the next step in your knitting education.  There are two stitches you need to learn if you want to be able to knit in different patterns: the knit stitch, and the pearl stitch.  The knit stitch creates a knot on the back of the project you are working on.  The pearl stitch creates a knot on the front of your project.  Today we are going to tackle the knit stitch.  Before you start knitting, you need to tie a slipknot and then cast the appropriate number of stitches onto one of your needles.  I like to practice with 16 stitches (which I did in this example).

1. Hold the needle with your cast on stitches in your left hand (remember to hold it in your right if you are left-handed).  When learning I recommend placing the other needle between your knees so you don't have to hold it (it's one less thing to have to deal with).  Hold the working thread in your right hand, just like you held the tail when you cast your stitches onto the needle--wrap the yarn above your pointer finger, under the next two, and over the pinky.

2. Put the tip of the right needle under the first loop of your cast-on stitches.  The two needles should be facing roughly the same direction, and the bottom needle (the one between your knees) should be behind the one in your left hand.  ***Note--when you knit, your thread should always be behind the needle before you begin creating your stitch***

3. Take the working yarn and wrap it around the bottom needle counter-clockwise.

4. Hold the yarn you just wrapped around the needle so it doesn't slip off the tip, then take the top needle and lift it so that the cast-on loop lifts off the bottom needle. 

5. Slide the loop off the top needle.  You have just knitted your first stitch!

6. Repeat steps 2-5 for each stitch on the top needle.  When you have transferred the entire project to the bottom needle, move the bottom needle to your left hand, and the free needle to your knees.  If you repeat knitting, you will create the garter pattern that looks like:

7. Keep practicing, and tomorrow...the pearl stitch!

Knitting 101: Lesson Two {Casting On}

Knitting lessons continue...

Now that you have mastered the slipknot, let's get to work on casting stitches onto your needle.  You need to cast stitches onto your needle before you can begin knitting.  The number of stitches you cast on determines how wide your knitting will be.  You can continue working with the yarn with which you learned the slipknot.  For this lesson, you will need one of the needles I told you to get yesterday.  I again uploaded a video for you to watch.  Remember that I am right-handed, so if you are left-handed, you will need to reverse your hands for each step (unless you want to be a right-handed knitter).  Please excuse the shaky camera and the news stories in the background.  Since you have to see this from my perspective, having my husband record didn't work (looking at it backwards wouldn't help anyone).  I was wearing a polo over a long-sleeve t-shirt, so what I did was unbutton my polo to the last button, stick the camera between the two shirts, and used my amazing slouch skills to record my hands from that angle.  My husband thought this was hilarious, and threatened to start his own blog with all the ridiculous things I do for my blog.  The things I will do for crafting...

Well let's get started.  I find it easy to stick the flat end of the needle between my knees to hold while I cast on.  See the video first, then follow the directions and pictures to try it yourself.

1. Begin by creating a slipknot.
2. Slip the slipknot onto your needle.  The tail should be on the right, and the working yarn should be on the left.  The knot should be away from your body.

3. Hold the tail in your right hand.  Weave it over your pointer finger, under the next two fingers, and over your pinky.

4. Hold the working yarn in your left hand.  Wrap the yarn around your thumb.  Look at the palm of your hand.  Take the yarn from the needle, put it behind your thumb, then wrap counter-clockwise around the thumb.  Pull the yarn down to your palm and hold it with your pinky.

5. Now that you have your grip, stick the point of the needle through the loop of yarn around your left thumb.  Take the needle up through the loop, tracing your thumb from your wrist to its tip.

6. Take the yarn in your right hand and wrap it around the needle counter-clockwise so the yarn slides down the needle above the yarn loop on your left hand.

7. At this point, you might want to stick a finger from your right hand on all your loops to stabilize before the next step.
8. Lift the yarn in your left hand over the needle and off.

9. Pull your thumb out, and pull tight.  Make sure the new knot is on the same side as the other knot.
10. Repeat steps 3-9 until you have enough stitches for your project.  If you are just practicing, continue until the needle is full, pull off, pull out, and start again.