Herringbone Hat

Craft: knitting
Skill Level: Rookie-Apprentice-Virtuoso-Genius
Needles: 16” 8mm circular, 8mm dpns
Yarn: 1 x 100g ball Classic Worsted LP or any worsted weight yarn
Other Materials: darning needle (pom-pom maker, optional)
Sizes: adult s-m-l
Skills: long-tail cast on, K2tog

Features of this pattern: This hat is squishy and stretchy making it warm, versatile and comfy. It’s also a quick, easy project that makes great gifts!

Pattern:

CO 100-115-130 with long-tail method (important); join and pm for beginning of round

Rnd 1 (left slanting): *K2tog tbl (through back loops), slipping only the first st off the needle*, repeat from * to * to marker (1 st on left needle), slip marker, repeat from * to * once more, then continue with Rnd 2

Rnd 2 (right slanting): K2tog slipping only the first st off the needle; repeat to marker, slip marker

Work 25 Rnds or 5-6” from CO, ending with a Rnd 1.

Dec Rnds:
Work as established, making decs on Rnd 2 only. Work one dec by slipping both sts off the needle instead of just the first one (K2tog). On the first dec rnd, the dec should be worked every 5 sts (repeat the pattern stitch 3 times, then drop the 4th and 5th st), then every 4 sts and 3 sts. Then, K2tog until hat is closed up or approx 8 sts remain. BO and weave in ends. Add a pom-pom if you are into that kind of thing.

Notes and Tips:
Keep your tension loose.
Use scrap yarn as a stitch marker instead of a traditional ring marker so it won’t
get caught in the K2togs.

A big thanks to Allison Blevins for the pattern stitch - check out her amazing scarf here: http://store.tangleonline.com/index.php?main_page=pr...

The Condom

Coming Soon: Version 2, Ribbed for Her Pleasure

Features of this pattern: it's kind of hilarious

The Story: The idea for this was conceived by my old roommate who recently requested another one for a friend, inspiring me to keep track of the pattern this time. Glad to be able to bring his dream of a condom hat to fruition - and it’s a quick and easy project that makes great gifts! hahahaha Hope you enjoy it!

Craft: knitting
Skill Level: Rookie-Apprentice-Virtuoso-Genius
Yarn: 2 x 50g balls Cicciobello Hyppo or any bulky weight yarn, (90 yds, 83m)
Gauge: 14 sts and 20 rows = 4 inches (10cm) in st st on 6mm
Needles: 16" 6mm circular, 6mm dpns
Other Materials: darning needle
Skills: knit, decrease
Sizes: s-m-l adult

Pattern:

CO 55 sts (60, 65)
Knit even in st st until hat measures approx. 8 (8.5, 9)" from CO (not from bottom of roll)

Dec Rnds:
Rnd 1: *K3, K2tog*, repeat from * to * to end of rnd
Rnd 2: (and all even rnds) knit even
Rnd 3: *K2, K2tog* repeat from * to * to end of rnd
Rnd 5: *K1, K2tog* repeat from * to * to end of rnd
Rnd 7: *K2tog, K2* repeat from * to * to end of rnd (16 sts left)
Knit even for 10 rnds.
Next: repeat Rnd 3
Next: repeat Rnd 2
Next: *K2tog, K1*, repeat to end of rnd
BO, weave in ends.

Notes and Tips: the key to a good condom hat is getting the tip to girth proportions right; depending on your yarn, 16 sts for the tip may not look just right...try knitting a few rnds and see how it looks. You may need to back up and adjust the number of previous decs worked, or pick up a st or two.

Mediterranean Tulle Wrap

Features of this pattern: This is pretty much the easiest thing you could ever make and it looks gorgeous!

Craft: knitting
Skill Level: Rookie-Apprentice-Virtuoso-Genius
Needles: 10mm
Yarn: 200g, 320m (352 yds) mohair (used Pingouin Ligne Noire in blue)
Gauge: 14 sts and 16 rows = 4” in st st on 6mm (US 10) – as given on ball band
Other Materials: 5 feet of ribbon of choice, 4 buttons, darning needle
Skills: knit, yarn over

Pattern:
CO 61 sts (or an uneven number to the desired width)

Row 1: Knit
Row 2: *K2tog, yo*, rep to last st, knit

Repeat the Row 2 until wrap reaches desired length, or until you run out of yarn. BO very loosely. Weave in ends.

Cut your ribbon in half and be sure the ends won’t fray (stick them near a flame to melt the ends, depending on the ribbon –but be careful!). Weave the ribbon through at one-inch intervals starting approx. 12 inches from one end. Using a needle and thread, arrange one end of the ribbon into a bow and sew a button on top of it, making sure you are sewing it to at least two strands of yarn at the edge of your wrap. Repeat on the other side of the wrap pulling the ribbon so it is bunched as much as you would like. Repeat for opposite end.

Baby Llama Fire Scarf

Features of this pattern: it is very easy to make and with only a two-row repeat it is easy to memorize

Craft: knitting
Skill Level: Rookie-Apprentice-Virtuoso-Genius
Needles: 5.5mm
Yarn: 100g Mirasol Miski, 82 yds - 75m
Gauge: 18 sts and 24 rows in st st on 5mm needles = 4"
Other Materials: darning needle
Skills: knit, purl, yo

Pattern:
multiple of 4 + 1

CO 29 sts, Knit one row
Row 1 (RS): K1, *yo, P3tog, yo, K1*, rep from * to end of row
Row 2: P2tog, yo, K1, yo, *P3tog, yo, K1, yo*, rep from * to last 2 sts, P2tog
Repeat these two rows until scarf reaches desired length. BO and weave in ends.

Note: the yarnovers can be deceiving because you are going from a purl to a knit and may not actually need to wrap the yarn - be sure you are actually creating an extra stitch on your needle

Mountain Nights Toque

Features of this pattern: this hat is super comfy and fits most heads - knits up quick and makes a great gift!

Craft: knitting
Skill Level: Rookie-Apprentice-Virtuoso-Genius
Needles: 6mm 16" circular, 6mm dpns
Yarn: 100g Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Bulky
Other Materials: darning needle
Skills: knit, purl
Sizes: medium

Pattern:

CO 66 sts
Rnd 1: purl
Rnd 2: knit
Repeat these two rnds once more.
Knit 4 rnds.
Repeat first four rnds once more.
Knit until hat measures 10 inches from beginning.

Dec Rnds:
Rnd 1: *Knit 4, K2tog*, repeat to end of rnd
Rnd 2 (and all even rnds): Knit
Rnd 3: *Knit 3, K2tog*, rep to end of rnd
Rnd 5: *Knit 2, K2tog*, rep to end of rnd
Rnd 7: *Knit 1, K2tog*, rep to end of rnd
Rnd 9: *K2 tog*, rep to end of rnd
Cut yarn and pull through rem sts. Weave in ends.

Scalloped Angora Scarf

Features of this pattern: this is a great scarf to make if you are looking to expand slightly on basic crochet skills

Craft: crochet
Skill Level: Rookie-Apprentice-Virtuoso-Genius
Hook: 4mm
Yarn: 3 x 50g skeins of Elsebeth Lavold Angora in Light Olive, Bronzed Green and Lime Green
Note: You may use any medium to worsted weight yarn and corresponding hook.
Gauge: not important
Skills: chain stitch, single crochet, double crochet

Pattern:

Row 1: ch 25, +1 for turning chain (26 chs total, not including the ch on your hook)
Row 2: sc in second ch from hook, sc in each st to end; ch 2 for turning chain
Row 3: dc in third st from hook, dc in each st to end; ch 2 for turning chain

Row 4: (optional scallops)
1. dc in third ch from hook, dc in next st
2. ch 1, sk 3 sts, 5 dcs in next st (one scallop complete)
3. *ch1, sk next 5 sts, 5 dcs in next st; repeat from * once more
4. finish: ch 1, sk next three sts, 3 dc in next 3 sts; ch two for turning chain

Repeat rows 2-3 for a simple scarf - or 2-4 for a challenge - until your scarf is the desired length or until you run out of yarn. If you choose to change colours, as in the example shown, attach next colour after row 3 for simple scarf or row 4 for scalloped scarf.

Finish by repeating row 3, then row 2. BO.

Add tassels or desired trim. For the example shown, the fringe was created using the bits cut off from the colour changes.

Seaflower Scarf

Craft: knitting
Skill Level: Rookie-Apprentice-Virtuoso-Genius
Yarn: 3 balls of Twilleys of Stamford Freedom Wool (or 150g of any bulky weight yarn)
Gauge: not important
Needles: 8mm straight
Other Materials: darning needle and crochet hook
Skills: knit and purl

Using a hardcover book that is as wide as you would like your tassels to be long, wrap yarn around approx. 55 times. Set aside. (The advantage of making your tassels ahead of time is that you can now knit your scarf until you run right out of yarn and won't have to guess when to finish).

Pattern:

CO 15 sts (or an odd number).
Row 1: K1, P1
Repeat this row until scarf reaches desired length or until you run out of yarn. (Knits and purls should work out to fall opposite of each other, so that knits are sitting on top of purls and vice versa).
BO and weave in ends.

Pick up your book and cut the wraps at one side only! (The advantage of using a hardcover book is that you can slide your scissors under the yarn at the edge where the pages are, but be careful not to wreck your book). You should have strands that are twice as long as the width of your book. Using three strands at a time, use your crochet hook to pull through and secure tassels at each end of your scarf. (Insert your hook where you want to place the first tassel; hook three strands and pull through, pulling up a loop; turn hook and pick up the six loose ends of the strands; pull tight). Make seven tassels along each end.

With the yarn that is leftover from your tassels (you should only need 42 strands for that), cut remaining strands at various lengths and using your crochet hook, attach randomly to your scarf on one side only (using the same method you did for the tassels).