Friday 10 February 2012

FO Friday- Goldilocks hood

Another one skein project. It did take longer than the weekend, but there is a reason for that. The pattern and yarn combo would be a perfect weekend project if it all went smoothly.


Yarn: Rowan colourscape chunky.

This is like a much nicer Noro with long colour changes and interesting colours. The yarn and finished fabric is softer than I expected, it is a 100% lambswool but not too itchy. It does have some bits of vegetation but they pick out ok, annoying but not the end of the world. I am not the biggest fan of singles in general as they do break if you pull too hard, especially when it comes to sewing ends in. I had the same problem here, maybe I just need to be nicer to my yarn!  

I picked the pattern Capucine by Adela Illichmanova on 5mm needles.


This version was too small (you see where the Goldilocks thing is going?). I thought about just making it small and using it as a present for a child, but I wanted the hat for me. So I frogged it.

Since I wanted to use up all the yarn I had I figured working from the top down might be the way forward. Top down hats are super for this, you just go until the yarn runs out and call it done, much like toe up socks.

Anyway. I used the pattern Ponytail Pi hat by Katherine Lane Hughes to start the hat. This pattern makes a cross shape on the crown by increasing in four lots of two. I would use the method again for top down hats as you don't end up with the pointy nipple bit lots of top down hat patterns get.

I knitted away until I reached the stitch count I thought would match the size needed. It didn't. This hat was too big!


I tried putting smaller dpns in the hold the stitches so I could rip back. Apparently I have some kind of mental problem where I can't pick up a straight line of stitches as the needles ended up all over the place.

Instead I was brave, pulled the needles out and just ripped until  was near the right place. For the final round I pulled the stitches out one at a time, picking them up with a dpn as I went.


The wool yarn made this quite easy, the stitches held well even without the needles in. I wouldn't put it down and wander off mid frog but they didn't drop out when they shouldn't. Eventually the right round was back on the needles.


A few knit rounds, followed by a garter stitch band worked flat. Increases at the edges made the shape and a wide ribbed section finished off the capucine style.

Three giant tassels finished off the hat. This was a great way to use up all the yarn left in the skein.


This hat is just right!

13 comments:

  1. pretty, love the design and yarn.

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  2. It's lovely! Now I want to make one ... looks like it would keep my ears warm!

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  3. oooh, that hat is super sassy. Sounds like it was a frustrating day but well worth it for the FO.

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  4. Wow, that is devotion. Not sure I could've kept with it! It's lovely.

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  5. Wow, that is beautiful (off to check the pattern) and lovely yarn too.
    Great determination to get the result you wanted.

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  6. The hat looks great! I love the colours :)

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  7. I love this!! This is not the first time I've considered that I really need a Capucine for me!! :)

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  8. I love the story behind this hat! The yarn and FO are both very pretty! :)

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  9. The hat came out wonderful. Reading through, this post sounded like some of my own. The frustration! Glad you continued through.

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  10. Oh, oh, that's fabulous! Beautiful yarn and a great design.

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  11. I love it! you did a great job - I've also found that it's not THAT scary to rip out and frog a few rows when you've got to - and it was worth it in your case =)

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