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...

Slippers Stage 2

So I shrunk the slippers down and I really hope they fir their owners. It's hard to guage, but I have my fingers crossed. I still need to cut out the ears and sew them on as well as sew on a nose and eyes, but I am very pleased with them. The pattern is fantastic.


Below is an afghan I made for AJ and I. I have all the strips done, now I just need to sew them together. Anyone who knows me with my knitting knows that I hate sewing up most of all. That is the reason I have had the afghan done for months now, but haven't finished it. Also, I have a cardigan that has also been done for months but I just cannot sew it up. Brutal, I know. I will probably sew this up after Christmas. Same with the cardigan. Probably.


I have started a wicked slouchy beret for a friend and I love it so much. A new favorite pattern that will probably see a lot of use. Christmas is approaching fast and I have lots of pressies to make so the blog should be updated more often. BFN.

Quickie just because

It's been a long while since my last post. This is just a smallie to tide people over and to fill the gap because it is a crazy time and I have lots to say about the past couple months. Below is a tuque I crocheted for my darling frenchie Julie. I started it when I was in Montreal for training, hanging out with her, and I just sent it to her last week even though it's been done since October. I even wore it once, naughty me. I love this hat pattern.


The slipper below if for my darling cousin Jana. But it is huge and needs to be shrunk. Plus I am going to add ears and make them pink bunny slippers. I will post them when they are done.


Yes, I like pink. Anyways, I have to go, that's all for now. But I will definitely post pics and stories from Vegas soon. My 30th in Vegas. Best birthday ever!!

30 in VEGAS - aka the best birthday I've ever had.

So I am so slack but the end of last yer just absolutely FLEW by. Below is a picture of me at Beth and Ryan's housewarming. I am wearing a helmet because... All I can figure is that the game of ping pong I was watching was pretty intense. AJ and his brother are pretty competitive.


We had Thanksgiving at our house this year after I got back from training in Montreal. AJ, his dad and his brother Ian closed the fence in which makes the backyard look much better. Now we can get a puppy!! We're gonna wait until spring.



Our kitchen is a bit small for Thanksgiving with 8 people, but the food was good and the company even better.


After dinner we had a big ole game of Cranium - boys vs girls, which, I find is always a disappointment because the girls I play with are all about fun and don't care about winning. And that always leads to the boys beating us and gloating and being completely obnoxious (it's happened more than once). But after Cranium, came Twister. It was just Ian, Melissa, AJ and I after quite a few bevvies. AJ and Ian are, surprise surprise, ridiculously competitive at this game too. AJ nearly crushed me in one match.



At the end of October, for my 30th birthday, AJ and I met 10 of our friends (from Winnipeg originally) in Las Vegas!! We got their for Halloween. We were staying in Caesar's Palace, which I am sure must be the nicest hotel in Vegas. The 12 of us dressed up like gangsters and flappers. I must say, we looked good. We had a great dinner and then hit the strip, aiming to check out all the bars along it. I think we got as far as two. It was hard to leave Casino Royale with it's $1 Margaritas and Michelobes.



The boys hit the back jack table and played for a good hour, but I don't think any of them walked away any richer.



Saturday Greg came and met us (drove down from California for the night) and we had a big evening. We went to Pure on top of our hotel and could look down on the strip. Expensive drinks, but tons of fun. AJ went out with the boys that night and sent me back to the room :( Ended up being a good move as I went outlet shopping with the girls on Sunday and AJ couldn't function!! Then Sunday night we went out for dinner at a high end restaurant in Old Vegas before going to see Cirque du Soleil "O", which was absolutely amazing. We probably should have gone to bed after that since we all left the next day, but we stayed out late one more time. It is Las Vegas after all, and who knows when we'll be back (next year for Halloween!!!!). AJ and I had a brutal Monday, most of which we spent in airports trying to get home. We got delayed due to weather and had to stay the night in Calgary. Thank god Pre and Leanne were there too and we stayed with them.

Anyways, best birthday I have had yet. Tried to convince AJ we should get married but it was a no go. Stay tuned...