Thursday, December 31, 2009

Hodology pattern



Hodology is the study of pathways and interconnected ideas, derived from the Greek hodos meaning path.  The cables twist and flow over and around each other, eventually linking up and reconnecting.  The hat will look like the thoughts and ideas racing around the inside! Size S fits a child; size L fits a man child or a slouchy hat for a woman. The design came together from a stitch pattern I found in The Ultimate Sourcebook of Knitting and Crochet Stitches by Reader's Digest and a short-row cabled hat that I have enjoyed making on many occasions.  The yarn is soft and machine washable; it's easy on my hands and on my monthly knitting budget.


Difficulty Level: Intermediate


Materials Needed:

  • Red Heart Soft Yarn [100% acrylic; 256 yards/234m per 5 oz. ball]; color: grass green; approx. 3 oz./150 yards/138 meters (or other worsted weight yarn)
  • US #8/5mm straight needles
  • I-9/5.5mm crochet hook
  • cable needle
  • tapestry needle


Yarn Substitutes: Lion Bran Woolease could also be used for a slightly smaller fit


Sizes:
  • S Circumference: 18inch / 45cm
  • L Circumference: 22.5inch / 57cm



Gauge: 18 sts/24 rows = 4inch / 10cm in stockinette stitch


Techniques and Abbreviations
CN: cable needle
T4L (Twist 4 Left): sl 3 st onto cn and hold at front of work, p1 from left needle, k3 from cn
T4R (Twist 4 Right): sl 1 st onto cn and hold at back of work, k3 from left needle, p1 from cn
C6B: sl 3 st onto cn and hold at back of work, k3 from left needle, k3 from cn
C6F: sl 3 st onto cn and hold at front of work, k3 from left needle, k3 from cn


Pattern

CO 41 st.


Row 1: K6, p1, T4L, T4R, p8, T4L, T4R, p1, k9.
Row 2: P9, k2, p6, k10, p6, k2, p6.
Row 3: P8, C6F, p10, C6F, p8, wrap next st and turn, leaving 3 sts on left needle.
Row 4: K8, p6, k10, p6, k8.
Row 5: K6, p1, T4R, T4L, p8, T4R, T4L, p1, k3, wrap next st and turn,  leaving 6 sts on left needle.
Row 6: P3, k1, p3, k2, p3, k8, p3, k2, p3, k1, p6.
Row 7: P6, T4R, p2, T4L, p6, T4R, p2, T4L, p3, turn, leaving 6 sts on left needle (do not wrap).
Row 8: K3, p3, k4, p3, k6, p3, k4, p3, k6.
Row 9: K9, p4, T4L, p4, T4R, p4, k6, pick up wrapped st, k3, turn, leaving 3 sts on left needle.
Row 10: P9, k5, p3, k4, p3, k5, p9.
Row 11: P6, T4L, p4, T4L, p2, T4R, p4, T4R, p6, pick up wrapped st, p3.
Row 12: K10, p3, k5, p3, k2, p3, k5, p3, k7.
Row 13: K6, p1, T4L, p4, T4L, T4R, p4, T4R, p1, k9.
Row 14: P9, k2, p3, k5, p6, k5, p3, k2, p6.
Row 15: P8, T4L, p4, C6B, p4, T4R, p8, wrap next st and turn, leaving 3 sts on left needle.
Row 16: K9, p3, k4, p6, k4, p3, k9.
Row 17: K6, p3, [T4L, p2, T4R] twice, p3, k3, wrap next st and turn, leaving 6 sts on left needle.
Row 18: P3, k4, p3, [k2, p3] 3 times, k4, p6.
Row 19: P10, T4L, T4R, p2, T4L, T4R, p7, turn, leaving 6 sts on left needle (do not wrap).
Row 20: K8, p6, k4, p6, k11.
Row 21: K6 p5, C6F, p4, C6F, p5, k3, pick up wrapped st, k3, turn, leaving 3 sts on left needle.
Row 22: P6, k5, p6, k4, p6, k5, p6.
Row 23: P10, T4R, T4L, p2, T4R, T4L, p10, pick up wrapped st, p3.
Row 24: K13, p3, [k2, p3] 3 times, k10.
Row 25: K6, p3, [T4R, p2, T4L] twice, p3, k9.
Row 26: P9, k3, p3, k4, p6, k4, p3, k3, p6.
Row 27: P8, T4R, p4, C6B, p4, T4L, p8, wrap next st and turn, leaving 3 sts on left needle.
Row 28: K8, p3, k5, p6, k5, p3, k8.
Row 29: K6, p1, T4R, p4, T4R, T4L, p4, T4L, p1, k3, wrap next st and turn, leaving 6 sts on left needle.
Row 30: P3, k1, p3, k5, p3, k2, p3, k5, p3, k1, p6.
Row 31: P6, T4R, p4, T4R, p2, T4L, p4, T4L, p3, turn, leaving 6 sts on left needle (do not wrap).
Row 32: K3, p3, k5, p3, k4, p3, k5, p3, k6.
Row 33: K9, p4, T4R, p4, T4L, p4, k6, pick up wrapped st, k3, turn, leaving 3 sts on left needle.
Row 34: P9, k4, p3, k6, p3, k4, p9.
Row 35: P6, T4L, p2, T4R, p6, T4L, p2, T4R, p6, pick up wrapped st, p3.
Row 36: K10, p3, k2, p3, k8, p3, k2, p3, k7.


For size S: Repeat these 36 rows 3 times for a total of 108 rows. 
For size L: Repeat these 36 rows 4 times for a total of 144 rows.


Knit one row so the end of the yarn is at the top of the hat.


BO all sts.



Finishing

Break yarn, leaving a 20-inch tail. Using safety pins, line up the four cables. Beginning with brim, sew seam toward crown, taking care to match the pattern. When crown is reached, with the hat inside out, single crochet around the edge every other row, and then in the round every other stitch until only three stitches remain.  This will create a rose-like effect on the crown of the hat from the outside. Weave in ends.


Congratulations! You’re done!




Monday, December 21, 2009

Snow

The storm that hit the east coast, hit Alexandria in a big way.



I was supposed to be in Canada for Christmas but after two flights cancelled, we're staying in DC. It will be a quiet Christmas for us but at least it looks like winter outside.

Happy Solstice.

Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Mitered bowl

Do you remember the before pictures? Here it is after felting, drying on one of my pasta strainers:

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After a little clean up:

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Saturday, December 05, 2009

Another Christmas hat

This time in green and for a smaller neighbor child. Hopefully it will fit!

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Friday, December 04, 2009

Christmas cap

Made from leftover yarns, they're both soft and will be super cute on a certain little boy who lives down the street.

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Wednesday, December 02, 2009

Mitered and steamed


I finished the mitered scarf last night and steamed it with my iron. I love the look of it now. And while it was barely long enough before steaming, it's definitely long enough now. It's a Christmas gift for a friend.

Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Driving update

Over the weekend, I drove someplace totally new (for me). It was nerve-wracking, followed by terrifying, ending in some relief but pretty shaken up. Sounds great, right? The terrifying part was driving on a narrow road that felt like a parking spot. Ugh. But I made it, no one honked at me, and the only bad part was that I scared myself (and Max too probably). More practice needed I guess!

Monday, November 30, 2009

Pink

The yarn was purchased on a recent trip to Boston at Newbury Yarns. It's Karabella Aurora 8. I used size 5 needles on the cuff, which seemed to be great but moving up to sie 6 on the mittens and the gauge is off. To compensate I am using my hand as a measurement as I go. Which is why the thumb looks so wonky. Maybe I should take it out and start over?

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What do you think?

Saturday, November 28, 2009

Mitered squares

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I am loving the colours... so beautiful! At the end, this will be a scarf. Haven't figured out how many that will be, depends on how many I can knit from the ball of yarn I have. Knitting with Whorled Peace is quite nice. Not splitty at all and very soft. Makes for a nice squishy texture in garter stitch.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving!

This morning Max and I ran the Alexandria 5 mile Turkey Trot with our friend Slavomir. We didn't feel great starting out but everyone finished strong and felt good about running the race. Unofficially, the three of us finished in about 52-54 minutes. Plus I wasn't the only one dressed up in something funny.



Official Results
Slavomir 52:48.4
Max 52:49.0
Nicole 54:57.2

And dinner was great of course!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Santa hat

Bernat Baby Bouclé and Knit Picks Swish DK

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A quick knit

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On me:

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On the recipient:

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All he needs is the beard! :)

Saturday, November 21, 2009

My first mitered squared

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I love it! The colours are not my first choice but I love knitting the mitered squares. Eventually this will become a bowl, once the other four squares have been knit, seams sewn, felted and shaped. Another Christmas gift but this one will hopefully go pretty quickly since I'm knitting on size 10 needles - which I love since all my other projects are using something much smaller.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Purples

I started a new scarf using some purple Sirdar snuggly bamboo yarn I bought in Canada and mixing it with the Bernat my Mom gave me to use to make something.

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It's not much to look at yet but I think it will look nice when it's done. 300 stitches over 30 rows... egads, that's 9000 stitches. I'll be done in no time I'm sure... ha ha!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

A. Love originals

We have a new piece of artwork for our bedroom. I commissioned this piece from Amanda Love, a local artist living in Northern Virginia.


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I also got a chance to see a woven blanket made from hand dyed yarn that Amanda dyed and wove herself. The orange was painted with the dye while the other colours were soaked for more even saturation. Beautiful, soft and a good weight.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Hersheys double chocolate mint cookies

For Max!

Dye job

Getting ready

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Dyeing

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Steaming

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Setting

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Drying

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We used a tie-dye kit so it was easy to use but the colours weren't as vibrant as I was hoping for. Still, we had ALOT of fun and that's what matters.