Færdig!

Wow - I'm actually posting within a week of my last post - yeah for me. In case you're wondering what the title of this post means, it's Danish for "Finished" as in, I've finished my latest project:
This was the hat I began during the Madrona Fiber Arts Winter Retreat. I was fortunate enough to take a class taught by Ruth Sorenson. The hat was a quick knit and there really isn't a good excuse for not finishing it earlier - other than my KADD. My main issue was interpreting the decreases correctly - I'll have to take some time later & really figure out what to do & how to place the K3tog decreases correctly. So, in this case after some failed attempts at the K3tog, I just K2tog before & after each marker (to delineate the pattern repeats) - seemed to work just dandy!

Pattern: Kauni Hat designed by Ruth Sorenson

Yarn: Kauni Effects 8/2 in the EG and EF colorways

Needle: Addi Turbo Size 2 (3.0mm) size 16" circular + double points.

Here's a close-up of the flower pattern. It's pretty cute & overall I'm happy with the results.

Of course, a finished object wouldn't really be mine if there weren't some flaw. This hat was knit in a similar manner to the hats I knit last December from the Hat's On book. You knit several rows (as wide of a band as you'd like) then do a row of K2tog, YO to create a nice picot edge. Then, after knitting a width equal to the measure of the band, you fold up the band to the inside and knit it in. Well - I sort of forgot to do that. I was so entranced with the yarn waiting for it to blend into another color, that I totally forgot to knit it in, so I had to fold up the band at the end.

The hat was knit using two small balls (~50 grams) of the Kauni yarn. The background color was purples & greens, while the pattern colors were mostly pink hues - I never got to the blue shades. I think next time I'd want more of a contrast between the background and the pattern. I'm not too happy with the green at the top looks too severe. My students loved the hat and were suitably impressed. They really enjoy when I take a moment from our lesson to share with them a finished object. I've taught several to knit & now more are wanted to keep going so "they can make a hat like this one, too."

I could have just done a simple slip stitch to attach the band, but I remembered a post I'd read by the Yarn Harlot about reinforcing knitting using crochet. I vaguely remembered that this technique could be used to attach pieces of knitting as well.

Have a look:

Now, the advantage to using a crochet chain, is that crocheted fabric has less give than knitted fabric. (Read Stephanie's post - she explains it very well). So - the single crocheted edge isn't as stretchy, but doesn't really restrict the hat too much. In fact, I prefer my hats to be a bit snug. However, the hat is just a smidgy too small - next time I think I'll increase the number of stitches.

The yarn was great! At first I wasn't so sure as the thickness varied in places and occasionally I did find some plant matter. I guess that really adds to the overall experience. I'd read on other blogs that the yarn really 'blossoms' after washing. So true!! Before I washed the hat I thought the hat would be too rough & scratchy. After a quick soak & then a tumble in the drier (air setting - no heat), it really filled out & softened up. I still might add a thin inner layer of polar fleece - the jury is still out. Of course, that would require more work and - sewing.

So - now I think I know what I'll knit with the Kauni Effects yarn I purchased while at Madrona. I'm thinking about Anne-Evilla, another pattern designed by Ruth. My, is she talented! :0)

Well - off to finish that darned Jacobean sock.

Ciao~