Super Soft Winter Hat!

I've wanted to knit with the Noro Shiraito yarn for some time now. This super-duper-soft yarn is made with an angora and cashmere blend. It's a bit pricey ($30/skein) normally but I managed to grab the last skein that was on sale at the local yarn shop last week.

Naturally, instead of applying for jobs, I sat at home and knit this hat. At first, I felt like a clumsy moose because the yarn kept on breaking. I had to experiment with the tension quite a bit so the brim of the hat came out a little wonky.

Here's how I made the hat:

I used a US 3 circular needle and the entire skein, about 195 yrd. It was knit in the round. Final size of the hat is about 22" circumference and 10" in height

First, the yarn is offer for cat approval. As you can see here, Lady is showing nonchalance, the cat way of saying she approves, maybe, quite probably.

Hat brim - CO 108. Start with rounds of knit stitch (I did 3). Then a couple rows of K3 P1 until the end. (I did 15). Purl one round when you are done with the brim.

Hat Body - Start with rows of k1 rounds and add the wavy lace pattern to create the wavy bar when you see fit. I did 10 rounds of k1, wavy lace rounds, 6 rounds of k1, wavy lace rounds, then another 10 rounds of k1.

To do the wavy lace pattern:

1. P1 to the end

2. k1 to the end

3. K2tog 6 times, (YO K1) 6 times to the end.

4. P1 to the end

Hat crown - At this point, you can really use any kind of decrease you like for hats.

I did:

 k2tog 6 times, and k1 6 times to the end of round

K1 to end for 2 rounds

k2tog 4 times, k1 4 times to the end of round

k1 to end for 1 round

K2tog to the end of the round.

Thread tail through the stitches and close the hat

Add a pompom if you have left over yarn.

I didn't block the hat because I'm not very experienced with cashmere/angora and don't want to risk the yarn breaking in the process.

Dice Bag!

I have been playing video games quite a bit since my life as a student has ended. Now my life as a lowly intern has commenced! I have a bit over an hour of commute to work each way and this bag was knitted entirely on the subway/buses. It took about a week to complete.

I did not follow a pattern since I suck at sticking to them, but here's how I made it.

Needle size/gauge/yarn weight doesn't matter here. But I used a wool/nylon bend sock yarn (gift from my best friend) and size 2 needles.

1. Cast on 8. 
2. Divide stitches onto 4 double pointed needles (2 on each needle).
3. Join (don't twist your work!)
4. For each of the 4 needles, make 1 (or however you want to increase) then knit to the end.
5. The idea is one increase per needle until it forms the desired size for bottom of the bag.
6. Find a cable pattern you like (or wing it) and knit each of the rows for the pattern four times, i.e. knit row 1 on first needle, row 1 on second needle, row 1 on third needle, row 1 on fourth needle, row 2 on first needle, row 2 on second needle ....
7. When the bag is about an inch from desired length, start knit stitches in the round until it reaches the desired length
8. Bind off
9. Make i-cord (directions here) long enough to go around the open mouth of the bag twice.
10. Thread i-cord through the knit stitch area at the top of the bag and you are done!