Vest to Hat

Finished this vest up last month but couldn’t get a model at 1st during the warm temps. Now it’s the perfect weather for it.

I did make a fortuitous mistake in the beginning when I did one repeat too many of one of the center cables.  I had been fretting over the fact that most children’s sweaters seem to be too wide and too short and was worried that this pattern was no different. I kept thinking I should have altered the pattern and was seriously contemplating ripping the whole thing apart and starting over. Then I realized my mistake and the fact that my mistake actually compensated for the too wide/too short issue. Perfect! I continued the mistake through the rest of the pattern.

Details:

•  Pattern – Pembroke from Petite Purls (a cute little online knitting mag)
• Yarn – Ella Rae Classic Superwash
• Ravelry details here

Skills learned:

• Cabling without a cable needle (thank you Jess & Sarah!)
• V neck ribbing
• Reading charts! (really, this was my 1st time)

What I would change:

• Keep my extra middle cable repeat mistake
•  Knit in the round vs. panels

About a week ago I was under the weather and found a a little more than a day to myself with only enough energy for couch activities. I bumped something and a ball of yarn rolled out from under the end table. It turned out to be the left over yarn from this vest. I had recently seen this post on Chickpea Sewing Studio and happened to know a little girls who’s birthday was that week and who happened to be a Harry Potter fan. It was meant to be, right? Apparently, because it whipped up in no time flat and was a complete success. I even included a picture of Hermione wearing the hat in the gift bag to ensure comprehension. The fact that it cost me absolutely no money was a complete bonus.

Pattern – Hermione’s Cable & Eyelet Hat by JL Yarnworks

Modifications – 12 rows of 1×1 twisted ribbing to start with as suggested by Chickpea and Sketchbook.

Skills learned:

• 1×1 twisted ribbing – nice pronounced ribbing that I swear knits more quickly than normal ribbing
• Cable cast on – awkward and slow, but stretchy and totally worth it 

Seth very reluctantly modeled the hat for me. It was a teeny bit small on his giant head but fits the recipient perfectly. Afterwards, he took it off and sat staring at it for a bit. 

Seth “This is the same yarn as the vest you made me!”

Me “You’re right!” (feeling very impressed and flattered)

Seth <sniffle> “It matches my vest.”

Me “Yes”  (a little more tentatively this time)

Seth <more sniffles> “I want you to make ME a hat that matches my sweater!!!” <tears>

He’s never asked me to knit him something before. You don’t think I could say no to that do you? Today I showed him several other potential hat options. He emphatically declared that he wanted that hat – same color, same yarn, same pattern. Looks like I’m headed to the yarn store tomorrow. And guess that 1st hat really did cost me a ball of yarn.

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