fishie’s aquarium

My first version of this pattern is complete. When I finish up some other things, I’ll start working on a simplified, less cluttered version with a better brim. But for now, here ya go, my first written pattern! The yarn quantities are estimated. Bernat Satin comes in 166 yd skeins and the hat used barely half of the main, if even that much. I don’t have a scale yet so I can’t give more than my estimations.

Inspired by the art of Alex Grey, this hat is decorated with a representation of the crown chakra. This simple fair-isle pattern requires the use of only two colors at a time, with some duplicate stitching used to carry the design into areas where stranding is inconvenient. Using worsted weight yarn, this is a quick knit with warm results. Two variations of the color-work have been included. The two hats shown use the first variation.

MATERIALS

• Approx. 80 yards MC1/MC, 60 yards CC/CC1, and 30 yards MC2/CC2 of worsted weight yarn (I used Bernat Satin Solids, Mai Tai/Flamingo/Bordeaux and Ebony/Mai Tai/unknown worsted)

• Size 6 circular needle, 16″
• Size 6 DPNs
• tapestry needle
• one stitch marker

GAUGE: 20 sts and 24 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch

Chart (click to enlarge)

Using MC1/MC and circular needle, CO 100 sts, place marker, and join in the round.
Work in k1, p1 ribbing for 5 rounds, then in stockinette stitch for 4 rounds.
Begin working chart joining in CC/CC1, starting on Row 3 (pattern on Rows 1 and 2 are done in duplicate stitch later). Make sure that your yarn floats are loose enough to allow fabric to stretch.

As you’re working:

• Rows 12 and 13 are worked in MC1/MC with duplicate stitching added later. Do not break CC/CC1 yarn, it can be carried up and worked in row 14.

• Rows 23-25 also have duplicate stitching that is added later. Knit these stitches in MC1/MC.
• Row 30: Break MC1/CC1 and begin working with MC2/CC2.
• Rows 33 and 36 involve decreases where stitches of two different colors are knit together.
• Switch to DPNs when it becomes difficult to knit on the circular needle

After Row 43 is completed, break yarn and draw it through 5 remaining sts, down into hat and weave in ends.
With a tapestry needle, take lengths of specified yarn in chart to do the duplicate stitches to complete the design. Here is a good duplicate stitch tutorial if you need a little help with this.

If you decide to knit this pattern and run into a problem or notice an error, please let me know! Also, I’d love to see pictures of finished ones. To see the process of this pattern, click here.

P.S. Please don’t sell this pattern or anything made from this pattern. Thanks :)

I’m exhausted from so many projects and deadlines and sick rabbits and vet bills that this post won’t be nearly as long as I thought it would be at the beginning of this week.

Around Monday or so, I went to Tuesday Morning with Chris to buy stuff and found lots of close-out yarn. It’s all Queensland Collection, and since it was at a close-out store, I could justify buying wool and mohair since I wasn’t creating a demand by doing so. I spent way more than I should have, but got beauties such as

I don’t think I ever posted the second Chakra hat, so here’s a two-for-one:

I finished the armwarmer things for a swap, and they ended up being a REALLY fast knit once I got the hang of them. I re-wrote the pattern so that it’s more organized and fixed up some errata, and I’m sending it to the recipient of them. I’ll probably be posting the improved pattern sometime soon too, but probably just in Craftster. I’ll link to it.

I’ve been working on the reversible ribbed hat too, and I’d post pictures but it looks exactly like the scarf at this point so I won’t bother. It’s coming along, but I’m a little puzzled as to how to do the decreases when the time comes.

Oh well.

My special order Tahki Yarn from California came today:

So beautiful.

I don’t have pictures of the table cloth, but I will once it’s finished. I just have one more triangle to sew on and then I need to stitch around the edges so I can throw it in the wash and have it be functional for the party tomorrow. I want to put a backing on it, but that’s not going to happen overnight.

Once I figured out the charts, it was smooooooth sailing. I stayed up ALL NIGHT knitting it. Seriously. I’m really happy I ended up buying yarn for it (I went to the store last minute before they closed to get a size 5 circular needles, but there were none so instead I bought yarn to go with needles I already had), because I really wouldn’t have enjoyed this as much with my stash stuff. The yarn I got was cheap ($6 for three skeins) and it’s soft, and it’s PINK.

I’m going to make at least one more of these, because I want to figure out a better hem, and I want to make sure my charts are accurate. The crown was a pain in the ass chartwise, because for some reason I couldn’t figure out how it would look on paper, even if I knew what I was doing. I want to do a different color pattern, most likely with the yarn I bought for this but in a different order. It needs to have all three colors, because there’s a pentagon on the top in red (if it’s not obvious). Suggestions?

Oh, yes, and I’ll be posting the pattern and charts when they’re all done and pretty and not completely scribbled on and crossed out all over.

Chakra

I’m sick of being too busy and having to sit out knitting challenges I’m DETERMINED to enter this one. So determined that I’ve spend a good portion of today charting. CHARTING CHARTING CHARTING SWATCHING CHARTING. My biggest problem is I don’t have enough colors of yarn in the weight I’m using to be guaranteed a good result. I’m just going to have to deal with what I have because I’m too broke to buy new stuff, and too stubborn to start using yarn with a different gauge and having to reswatch and rechart.

I’m being crazy with my plans, as usual. Want to know what I’m doing?

Imagine a hat, inspired by this:

Not easy. I know after I do this one, I’ll want to do another one with finer yarn and infinitely more detail. As it is right now, the chart looks like a peacock feather instead of a chakra petal with an eye in it.

I think I have my charts decent enough to start working on A HAT!!!!! so I’m going to dive in now. Maybe I’ll finish it today if I don’t explode and die. Have I mentioned I’ve never done fair isle before?

ETA: bought new yarn anyway