Schnapps

Schnapps
Our mascot - ALWAYS!

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Introducing Tweedy Hope!

Can you believe that it is almost August already?  Schnapps and I are stunned!  We are busy making hats and items to sell at the craft fair in November and time is just flying by.

This is Schnapps' latest hat - made with one of his favorites - Lion Brand Hometown USA yarn, but he made sure to include directions for all yarn weights so everyone can use this pattern if they like, no matter what type of yarn you have on hand.  We're building up our supply of warm, toasty hats so that we have lots to ship out come September!  

Hats have been shipping out regularly throughout the summer too.  Unfortunately, there are more and more people every day diagnosed with cancer who need our help.
Please remember to help out your local cancer centers by dropping off some chemo caps for patients and please try to make the world a little bit better, wherever you are.

Schnapps and I are very lucky to have so many who support us.  Just this week we got some incredible yarn donations, lots of hats and some financial donations to help with shipping costs too.  Every single person who purchases or uses our patterns, likes our Facebook page, follows our blog or supports us in any way is greatly appreciated.  Together, we really can make a difference.
  If you're not a fan of Delaware Head Huggers yet, stop by and "Like" our Facebook page.  Help us name the patterns and see all the beautiful hats that are donated.  Stop by Kozy Kovers for Kids Facebook page too!  We welcome everyone to join us.  Stop by and say hello.  You can always reach Schnapps or me at robin@delawareheadhuggers.org too. 

Plenty of play time too!


Tweedy Hope

You will need 6 weight yarn in one or two colors and size 13 needles or another combination listed below.
Abbreviations:
s1:  slip one stitch purlwise
k2tog:  knit 2 stitches together as one.

Using Color A, cast on 48 stitches, place marker and join, taking care not to twist stitches. 

Work Brim:
Row 1:  knit all stitches
Repeat Row 1 until piece is 3 inch in length.

Work Pattern:

Using Color A:
Row 1:  *k2, s1*; repeat around
Row 2:   purl all stitches

Using Color B:
Row 3:  * s1, k2*; repeat around
Row 4:  purl all stitches

Repeat Rows 1 - 4, alternating colors until piece is about 6 inches in length, ending on a Row 2.


Work Top Band:
Row 1:  knit all stitches
Row 2:  purl all stitches

Repeat Row 1 only until piece measures 7 - 7.5  inches in length.

Decrease Crown: Switch to dpns when needed

Row 1: *k4, k2tog *; repeat around
Row 2: *k3, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 3: *k2, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 4:  *k1, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 5:  *k2tog*; repeat around

Finish: Cut working yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail.  Draw the tail through the remaining stitches, cinch closed and secure.  Weave in ends and give this hat along with some hugs, hope and love, to someone!


If using a different weight, you might have to add more rows to the crown decrease.  
 The pattern is worked over 3 stitches, but use a multiple of 6 to keep the crown decrease the same.    

To knit this using 5-weight yarn, use size 10 needles and cast on 60 stitches. 

To knit this using worsted weight yarn, use size 8 needles and cast on 78 stitches. 

To make it child size, use worsted yarn, size 8 needles and cast on 60 stitches.  Adjust in increments of 6 stitches for individual sizes.

To knit this using sport weight yarn, use size 5 needles and cast on 96 stitches. 

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Introducing Inclusive Hope!

Well, Schnapps thinks that we need more hats that would be appropriate for men too!  You can always use more feminine colors and make a man's hat for a woman, but you can't always adapt a woman's pattern for a man.  So, Schnapps got out his needles this morning and came up with this.  I think it will work great for men and women and it has a lot of possible variations with color.  You can use a contrasting color for the brim, make the hat all one color or whatever strikes you as what you wish to do.  Have fun with it!



Schnapps and I are busy knitting many things - we've signed up for a craft fair in November and we have two patterns put aside for a new e-book fundraiser.  I am not going back to the non-profit that I worked at last year so I can dedicate more time to Delaware Head Huggers and Kozy Kovers for Kids.  However, shipping and supply costs are expensive and I have to try to cover some of the costs.   My husband is extremely supportive and helpful, but costs pile up quickly.  A huge, heartfelt thank you to those of you who donate towards shipping costs regularly.  You have no idea how much you help!  Those of you who would like to donate, may do so by using the donate link on the right.  I can not cash checks made out to Delaware Head Huggers, so please do not send them, as I then have to pay to mail them back to you.  They need to be made out to me personally.


We are still making hats all the time though - even if we're using older patterns sometimes.
These are our 2 new patterns to be published later!



Please remember to help out your local cancer centers by dropping off some chemo caps for patients and please try to make the world a little bit better, wherever you are.
  If you're not a fan of Delaware Head Huggers yet, stop by and "Like" our Facebook page.  Help us name the patterns and see all the beautiful hats that are donated.  Stop by Kozy Kovers for Kids Facebook page too!  We welcome everyone to join us.  Stop by and say hello.  You can always reach Schnapps or me at robin@delawareheadhuggers.org too.  

Schnapps is always hard at work!

Inclusive Hope
You will need 6 weight yarn in one or two colors and size 13 needles or another combination listed below.

Abbreviations:
k2tog:  knit 2 stitches together as one.

Using Color A, cast on 50 stitches, place marker and join, taking care not to twist stitches. 

Work Brim:
Row 1:  knit all stitches
Row 2:  purl all stitches
Repeat Rows 1 - 2 until piece is 1 inch in length.

Work Bottom Band:
Row 1:  knit all stitches
Repeat Row 1 until piece measures 2.5 to 3 inches in length.

Using Color B, work  Pattern Band:
**knit all stitches for one row before starting pattern**
Rows 1, 3 & 5:  *p5, k5*; repeat around
Rows 2, 4, 7 & 9:  knit all stitches
Rows 6, 8 and 10:  *k5, p5*; repeat around
Repeat Rows 1 - 10 until piece is about 6 inches in length, ending on a Row 5 or 10
Work Top Band:
Row 1:  knit all stitches
Repeat Row 1 until piece measures 7 - 7.5  inches in length.

Decrease Crown: Switch to dpns when needed
Row 1: *k3, k2tog *; repeat around
Row 2: *k2, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 3: *k1, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 4:  *k2tog*; repeat around
Row 5:  *k2tog*; repeat around

Finish: Cut working yarn, leaving a 6-inch tail.  Draw the tail through the remaining stitches, cinch closed and secure.  Weave in ends and give this hat along with some hugs, hope and love, to someone!


If using a different weight, you might have to add more rows to the crown decrease. 

You could also knit the brim in Color B for more contrast or knit the entire hat in one color.

The pattern is worked over 10 stitches.  

Using 6-weight yarn and casting on 50 stitches makes a large adult hat.  40 stitches would make a small one. 

To knit this using 5-weight yarn, use size 10 needles and cast on 60 stitches. 

To knit this using worsted weight yarn, use size 8 needles and cast on 80 stitches. 

To make it child size, use worsted yarn, size 8 needles and cast on 60 stitches.  Adjust in increments of 10 stitches for individual sizes.

To knit this using sport weight yarn, use size 5 needles and cast on 100 stitches.