Sunday, May 26, 2013

Introducing Strength!

Schnapps decided that we had to work on a more unisex hat this time.......so many of our hats are for women.  Thank you Louisa for the name!  

Schnapps chose this lovely Charisma variegated yarn and worked it up first.  



Then he chose this Cozy Wool in this beautiful green and worked it up as well!


It's a super fast knit and an easy 2 row pattern, so you can knit this in no time at all, using any type or weight yarn.  Instructions are included for sport, worsted, chunky and super bulky yarn.  It works for both men and women and with solid or variegated yarn too.

Enjoy!!!

After finishing, Schnapps went out and played ball for awhile!

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. 


STRENGTH


Using super bulky, 6-weight yarn and size US 13 circular needles or another combination listed below:


Abbreviations:
kfb:  knit into the front and back of the stitch
k2tog:  holding working yarn as if to knit, knit 2 stitches together as one

Cast on 48 stitches, place marker and join, taking care not to twist stitches.

Work Pattern:
Row 1:  *kfb, p3*; repeat around
Row 2:  *k2tog, p3*; repeat around
Repeat Rows 1 - 2 until piece is about 6 - 6.5 inches in length.

Work Stockinette:
Row 1:  knit all stitches
Repeat Row 1 until the piece is about 7 - 7.5 inches in length. 

Decrease Crown:
Row 1: *k6, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 2: *k5, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 3: *k4, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 4: *k3, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 5: *k2, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 6: *k1, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 7:  *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 enjoy!


The pattern is worked over 4 stitches.  Work in increments of 8 stitches to keep the crown decrease the same. 

To knit this using 5-weight yarn, use size 10.5 needles and cast on 72 stitches. 

To knit this using worsted weight yarn, use size 8 needles and cast on 88 stitches. 

To make it child size, use worsted yarn, size 8 needles and cast on 64 stitches.  Adjust in increments of 8 stitches for individual sizes.

To knit this using sport weight yarn, use size 5 needles and cast on 120 stitches. 

If using a different weight, you might have to add more rows to the crown decrease.  Feel free to use dpns if you prefer!



All are welcome to join us in some way!  
If you know anyone who needs chemo caps, please don't hesitate to contact me and I will send some anywhere in the USA.
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Monday, May 20, 2013

Introducing Splintered Path!

Finally, I am able to post a new hat pattern from Schnapps.  For those of you who didn't know, I was doing yard work a couple of weeks ago and tried to pull just one weed without my gloves on.  My mistake!  That weed wasn't one to mess with and it left several deep splinters in my right thumb.  Within hours my thumb was swollen to more than twice its usual size and my hand was so very painful!  So, after speaking to my doctor and monitoring it for the night, I went to Urgent Care the next morning.  After massive doses of antibiotics (I thought they mistook me for an elephant, but they said no, I just needed that much!) and over 2 weeks time, I am able to knit again!  While I was hurting, Schnapps put aside his needles and focused on taking good care of me.   For 2 weeks the most I could do was a few stitches at a time, but in the past 2 days, Schnapps and I have finished 2 new patterns and we are happy to be sharing once again.

Schnapps is happy to be knitting again!


This is Splintered Path - we hope you like it.  We used Bernat Softee Chunky (a gift from Tracey!) for this, but the pattern has instructions for all yarn weights. 

The night before I got attacked by the weed, I had started a hat for my friend Erina who is a pediatric dentist.  She's thankfully perfectly healthy also and this is just a gift for a wonderful friend.  Here is the 'Tooth Hat' that took us 2 weeks to finish!


Last night, Schnapps insisted on working on a pattern that would work for men and women, so he created this unisex hat.  This pattern will be up soon also.  The colors kind of match Schnapps' fur too, but it would look nice in a solid color as well.

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. 


Splintered Path
You will need 5 weight yarn and size 10.5 circular needles or another combination of yarn and needles listed below.

Abbreviations:

sk2p:  slip one stitch, knit the next 2 stitches together and pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch and off the needle
yo:  yarn over
k2tog:  holding working yarn as if to knit, knit 2 stitches together as one

Cast on 60 stitches, place marker and join, taking care not to twist stitches.

Work Stockinette:
Row 1:  knit all stitches
Repeat Row 1 until piece is 2 inches in length

Work Pattern:
Row 1 and ALL odd rows:  knit all stitches
Row 2, 4, 6 & 8 :  *yo,, k3, sk2p, k3, yo, k1*; repeat around
Row 10, 12, 14 & 16 :  *k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, sk2p*; repeat across

Work Stockinette:
Row 1:  knit all stitches
Repeat Row 1 until piece is 6.5  to 7 inches in length

Decrease Crown:
Row 1: *k8, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 2: *k7, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 3: *k6, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 4: *k5, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 5: *k4, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 6: *k3, k2tog*; repeat around
Row 7:  *k2, 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 enjoy!

***See below for recommendations for different yarn weights.  Note pattern differences for worsted or sport weight yarn.***






The pattern is worked over 10 stitches. 

To knit this using 6-weight yarn, use size 13 needles and cast on 50 stitches. 

To knit this using worsted weight yarn, use size 8 needles and cast on 90 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 120 stitches. 


If using worsted or sport weight yarn you might want to work the pattern twice or work Rows 1 - 8 a second time only,  before returning to stockinette stitch.


All are welcome to join us in some way!  
If you know anyone who needs chemo caps, please don't hesitate to contact me and I will send some anywhere in the USA.



 
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Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Introducing Hope for All!

This hat pattern is not available for free.  For the month of May 2013, 100% of the $3.00 purchase price will be donated to the people of West, Texas.  They lost so much in the explosion and I am afraid that they are not getting as much help as they need.  Boston also needs help and many people and yarn companies are helping One Fund Boston.  So, I decided to give these proceeds to Texas.  I will also be donating at least 10% of all other pattern sales this month.  My patterns are available in my Craftsy and my Ravelry stores which have links to the right of this page.


 This model was knit with super bulky 6-weight yarn, using size US 13 circular needles.  The pattern has instructions for chunky, worsted and sport weight yarn, including how to adjust the measurements for different yarn weights and how to adapt the size.

Usually, the purchase patterns are fund raisers for Delaware Head Huggers.  At times like this, we all need to help wherever and however we can.   I am not in a financial position to donate lots of money - nor are many of you.  So, this is a way I can use my creativity to try to help others.  Please purchase the pattern and any others if you are able to do so.  

Thank you to Needha from Texas who donated the yarn that inspired this hat and to Kathy for suggesting that the pattern could work for all cancer support colors.  I truly love the idea of people, all over the world (because I know many of you aren't in the USA) wearing hats inspired by this pattern in colors that have meaning to them.  Take it beyond cancer and knit it in colors for other issues - Mental Health Awareness, Lupus, Autism - any issue that is near and dear to your heart.

Hope for All is the name because I hope it inspires hope in all who are fighting a battle.
No matter what that battle may be.


 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 ready to help people and knit!
All are welcome to join us in some way!  
If you know anyone who needs chemo caps, please don't hesitate to contact me and I will send some out to anywhere in the USA.



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