Easy-Peasy Drawstring Howl

Yesterday, I finished the first item I've made for myself in a long while..

Apparently, the only things I can improvise are cowls....so here's another one! Except this one is also....A HAT!!

I had some more of the wonderful Drops Karisma Yarn in the deep greyish-brown that I've used for some socks before. I kindof just started knitting randomly and made decisions about the pattern along the way...but here's the result anyway:

CO 100 stitches on a round 3.5mm needle.

Rows 1-7: Ribbed, K2 P2*

R  8-13: K to end
R 14-18: P to end
R 18-24: K to end
R 25-27: P to end
R 28-30: K to end

R 31-32: P to end

R 33-38: K to end

R 39-43: P to end

R 44-46: K to end

R 47-48: P to end

R 49-50: K to end

R 51-55: P to end

R 56-61: K to end

R 62-64: P to end

R 65-67: K to end

R 68-70: P to end

Of course, you don't have to follow this exactly- you can make your own variations of row numbers.

Anyway, as I did it, I finished with a row of holes to thread the drawstring through, as follows:

R 71: K3, K2tog, YO* to end

R 72: K to end

R 73: BO.

For the drawstring, I contemplated using the same yarn, but ended up choosing the finer Drops Alpaca. I crocheted the string back and forth (VERY basic crocheting). The string could also be knitted or braided, or you could even use a shoelace for a little more sporty feel. Just make sure the string is long enough to make it around the whole thing when it's loose, and that you can tie a knot or a bow in it.

Almost seamless baby helmet

When my friends startet to pop out babies, I off course started knitting tiny and soft stuff for the newborns. I base everything I know about babies on what I learned from my seven years younger brother, and he always had the cutest baby helmets. I found a couple of patterns for knitting helmets, but after knitting several I found that they never turned out as I wanted them to. So I had to make my own, and here it is. The pattern is knitted sideways and is really simple (if I have explained it properly). The point is to get a good fit, with as few seams as possible, and I think it worked out really good.
I am sorry about pretty bad pictures, and I will update them as soon as I find a cute baby model...

The pattern will fit 2 - 4 months old. I will come up with other sizes later.

Cast on 36 sts on needle 2,5 (Gauge: 28 sts = 4 inches)

• R1: (front towards you) S1, K2, YO, K32 (one stitch left on left needle)
• R2: K36
• R3: S1, K2, YO, K32 (two stitches left)
• R4: K36
• R5: S1, K2, YO, K32
• R6: K36

Repeat row 5 and 6 until there is 15 stitches left "unknit" (row 30)

Row 29

Row 30

•  R31: (front towards you) S1, K1, K2together, K33
• R32: K36

Repeat row 31 and 32 until there is 36 stitches left in all.
Repeat row 5 and 6 until there is 12 stitches left "unknit"
Repeat row 31 and 32 until there is 36 stitches left in all.
Repeat row 5 and 6 until there is 15 stitches left "unknit"
Repeat row 31 and 32 until there is 36 stitches in all.
Bind of.

Sew the helmet together in the back, and add strings (photos will be posted soon)

Drops slippers with a twist

 The base for these slippers was the pattern from Drops found at http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/visoppskrift.php?d_nr=111&d_id=31&lang=us
They are knitted from the toe and up, but instead of knitting back and forth as the pattern said, I used five needles. Doing so, I could add a nice pattern on the top of the foot.
Around the ankle I switched two stitches on each end from purl so stockinette.

When it was about one inch left before BO, I made the heel like this:

R1: K10, K2tgh 9 times, K11
R2: K10, P10, K10
R3: K10, K2tgh five times, K10
R4: K10, P5, K10
R5: K10, K2tgh, K1, K2tgh, K10
R6: K10, S1, P2tgh, pull the slipped stitch over the last knitted stitch

Fold the knit so the two needles is parallel to each other, with the inside of the slipper facing out. Take a third needle and slip the last knitted stitch (from R6) over on it. Knit (using the third needle) the first stitch on EACH of the two needles together. Slip the first stitch from needle three over the second. (It is a normal BO, but in the same procedure you knit the heel together.) Continue this until there is no more stitches on the two parallel needles. Cut and pull the thread through.

 

Chunky Man-Cowl

Also, check out the NEW Chunky Man-Cowl!

My boyfriend wanted a warm, chunky and masculine scarf in “military-ish” colors.
I looked at various knitting patterns for scarves and cowls but ended up buying a bunch of yarn in nice colors and improvising.
The result is a long scarf, with Drops Karisma Superwash in gray and Drops Classic Alpaca in brown knit together in a waffle pattern, making it chunky and soft. I sewed the ends together to make a cowl that can go around twice to fit snugly around the neck.

What you'll need:
At least 6 skeins of DK weight yarn (I used 3 of the Karisma and 3 of the Alpaca) and a circular, or two 5.5mm pins.

CO 52 stitches with double yarn (one thread of each) and knit the following back and forth.

Row 1: K to end.
Row 2: P to end.
Row 3: *K2, P2*
Row 4: *K2, P2*

Repeat rows 1-4 until you have a scarf long enough to wrap around your neck twice. I used all the yarn, there was a little more of the Karisma so I used only that for the sewing.

BO and sew the ends together.

Voilà!

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Update:

I was asked to upload a pic of the two yarns together up-close. Here's one I took when I was in the middle of knitting it - hope it helps!