My Lion

I thought I would put up the pattern for my dropstitch hat, just for fun.


Materials:
-Vanna's Choice 100% acrylic (100g/156m) in Dusty Green

Tools:
-40cm (16 inch) circular needle size 5.5 mm
-4 double pointed needles in 5.5 mm
-stitch marker
-yarn needle

For the hat:

Using the circular needle, cast on 84 stitches. Place marker to mark start of the round and join, careful not to twist stitches.

Work K1P1 ribbing for 8 rows (or however many rows you want for the bottom band of the hat).

Next row, *knit 7 stitches, M1. Repeat from * to the end of the row. You should now have 96 stitches on your needle.

[(Optional) Work 2 rows stockinette, or go straight into the pattern, see below.]

Pattern:

Row 1: *K2, P2, K1, yo, K1, P2. Repeat from * to the end of the row.
Rows 2-5: *K2, P2, K3, P2. Repeat from * to the end of the row.
Row 6: *K1, yo, K1, P2, K1, drop stitch all the way down to yo, K1, P2. Repeat from * to the end of the row.
Row 7-11: *K3, P2, K2, P2. Repeat from * to the end of the row.
Row 12: *K1, drop stitch all the way down to yo, K1, P2, K1, yo, K1, P2. Repeat from * to the end of the row.

Repeat Rows 1-12 one more time. Work Rows 1 and 2 again, then begin decreasing while wokring in pattern.

So for your last Row 3: *K2, P2tog, K3, P2. Repeat from * to the end of the row (84 stitches).
Row 4: *K2, P1, K3, P2tog. Repeat from * to the end of the row (72 stitches).
Row 5: *K2tog, P1, K3, P1. Repeat from * to the end of the row (60 stitches).
Row 6: *K1, P1, K1, drop stitch all the way down to yo, K1, P1. Repeat from * to the end of the row.

To finish up, move last 60 stitches to 3 double pointed needles (20 on each).
Decrease as follows:

Dec Row 1: [*K1, P1, repeat from * for 8 stitches, then K2tog.] Repeat [] to the end of the row (54 stitches).
Dec Row 2: [*K1, P1, repeat from * for 7 stitches, then P2tog.] Repeat [] to the end of the row (48 stiches).

Repeat Dec Rows 1 and 2, with one less stitch each time (ie. repeat for 6 stitches, repeat for 5 stitches, etc), until you have 6 stitches left altogether. Cut yarn and draw it through the 6 stitches, pull tight and sew tail into the inside of the hat. Sew in cast on yarn at bottom and you're done!

I made this pattern up as I went along, and have never really written a pattern out, so if there are any mistakes in the stitch numbers, rows, etc, please comment. I will fix it as soon as I can. Happy knitting!

Toronto was fantastic!

I Had the greatest time in Toronto! Lots of shopping and girl time with Jillie Bean (vintage shopping, shopping in stores we don't have in Saskie, and even tried on a few wedding dresses...) and a crazy fun National Sales Meeting.

On the first night we had an awards dinner. A bit long and boring, but we had olympic gold medal winner Catriona Le May-Doan speak, and she was pretty interesting and motivational. My work partner Robin and I thought it would be neat to take a picture with her gold medal. It will be the only time either of us will ever hold one.


Below is a picture of my whole work team (Saskatchewan on the left, manager in purple in the middle and Manitoba on the right). We had such a fun dinner and then a couple (too many) drinks. Tuesday morning came too quick. But we all made it through to Wednesday.


Then last weekend AJ and I went to Emma Lake with our friends Kirk and Renee. It was amazing. The weather warmed up nicely and we had many hot tubs, went zipping around on snowmobiles and on Saturday Renee and I went snowshoeing. The weather was beautiful. Not January-like at all. Hopefully it'll hold for awhile. While we were at the lake I knit up this slouchy hat.


I made up the pattern. It's very similar to one I made Chels a year or so ago, but hers fits tighter. I really like slouchy right now. I have more of this wool and will probably do another one. Don't know who for, but it doesn't matter. Really I should be finishing the snugs and knitting up some baby clothes for my friends who have recently had or are going to have babies. But there's plenty of time for that!!

Chelsea's Snugs

So I found the cutest pattern ever, especially for someone like Chels, who pretty much wears slippers 24/7. They're called Snugs and they are sort of like Ugg boots, but knit, and felted and a million times less expensive. Here are my snugs-in-progress.


I know, they look very ugly, right? Just wait until you see the final product. The pink is the outside and the green is going to line them. I have high hopes for these snugs. I have a little snugs pattern for babies and kids and will probably make some for special little tykes.

I was just in Toronto for a week to visit my bestie and to attend a national sales meeting for work. It was great. I love Toronto. I'll post pics another time. Off to the lake this weekend!

Happy New Year! I'm engaged!

We had a real Christmas tree this year. Our first Christmas together in our 3 years of dating, our first Christmas in our home. We loved it. It is January 7th and we still haven't taken it down. It's too depressing. After Christmas there is nothing to look forward to until summer. Nothing but a long and bloody freezing (Sunday was -38C, or -54C with wind chill - yep, I refused to leave the house) winter. Doesn't our tree look nice though? From outside and inside.



So here is a photo of a slouchy hat I knit for Beth. Her and Ryan got engaged on Christmas Eve!! AJ and I went to Winnipeg for Christmas with my sister and Jered (her man). It was great. I love going home for the holidays.


And on New Year's Eve, AJ asked me to marry him! Of course I said yes. I tried to take a picture of the ring, but it just never works, so just imagine a pretty sparkly ring on my finger and that's what it looks like! We would like to get married in August, but we haven't started planning anything yet so it might not happen that early.

That's all I got right now. Off to Toronto on Friday to spend the weekend with Jill and then attend my national sales meeting from Monday to Wednesday. Till then...