Knitted Baby Pixie Hat Tutorial

So, as my previous post talked about, I wanted to make a cute baby hat.  My initial idea was to crochet, but I couldn't find a cute enough pattern for the project, so I turned to knitting, and also so I could use the knitting needle kit I got for my birthday :)

So I found a honeycomb knitting pattern.  There are a lot of good sites out there that direct you to free knitting stitches.  For the life of me I can't remember where I looked.

I struggled a lot about what size to make the hat, since I don't have a baby of my own for size reference.  And it was hard for me to find information!  I did find this site however, that was helpful as to head circumferences.  So I just guesstimated length and height, which ended up being 6" x 7.5".  Hopefully it fits right!  It seems a little long....

Anywho, with all this in mind, I transformed it into a hat, as follows:

Materials:
Lion's Brand Vanna's Choice Medium Weight Yarn (I used the Mustard color)
Size 9 (5.5mm) Knitting Needles (long or circular)
G4.00mm Crochet Hook
Cable Needle (I used a size 10 knitting needle)
Yarn Needle

Abbreviations:
p (purl)
k (knit)
sl (slip)
sts (stitches)
cn (cable needle)
RS (right side)
WS (wrong side)

Stitch Explanations:
4-st RC ( sl 2 sts to cn and hold to back, k2, k2 from cn )
4-st LC ( sl 2 sts to cn and hold to front, k2, k2 from cn )

Pattern:

Cast on 38 sts

Ribbing: 
Row 1 (WS):  P3, K1, *P2, K2, Repeat from * until 3 sts left, then P3
Row 2 (RS):  K3, P1, *K2, P2, Repeat from * until 3 sts left, then K3
Row 3: Repeat Row 1
Row 4: Repeat Row 2
Row 5: Repeat Row 1

Begin Pattern:
Row 1 (RS):  P3, *4-st RC, 4-st LC; repeat from * to last 3 sts, P3
Row 2 and all WS rows (rows 4, 6):  K3, p to last 3 sts, K3
Row 3 and 7: P3, k to last 3 sts, P3
Row 5: P3, *4-st LC, 4-st RC; repeat from * to last 3 sts, P3
Row 8: Repeat row 2.

Repeat rows 1-8 10 times then repeat ribbing, bind off.

Now to put it all together!!!

1.  Crochet the hat together:

• Folding it in half, inside out, start at the bottom corner of ribbing.  Using your crochet hook, insert hook, pull a loop of yarn through, chain 1.  You will have a loose string of yarn that you will need to tie off and weave end in with yarn needle.
• Place hook in next stitch opening of both sides of hat, single crochet 1, then chain 1.
• Repeat till you are at the top of the hat (I have 24sts), then slip stitch again in last stitch, tie off, and weave end in.

2.  Create ties:  Keep in mind that you want them to be long enough to tie a bow.

• Cut 3 pieces of string, each about 30" in length.
• Using crochet hook, place in empty place in bottom front corner of hat from RS to WS (somewhere close to the edge, but not so close it will stretch hat out), pull all three strands of yarn through to make a loop, place all 6 strands into loop and tighten.  You have just made a larks head knot!
• Split the 6 strands of yarn into 3 - 2 strand sections and braid until you get about 3 inches from the end, or as long as you would like.  Tie an overhand knot and tighten.
• Repeat on other side of hat, make sure each side is the same length, and try to tie knot at same length.  Hold each side next to each other, trim yarn to be same length.

Ta Da!!!

Fun with Yarn

As I said in my first post, a friend is having a baby girl and I feel compelled to just make a to of stuff for her.  I have no job right now, why not use my creative juice to make adorable baby things?

It started with the idea of an adorable pixie hat.  I found this one one Etsy that spurred  my desire to make it.  The adorable baby is definitely a selling point to.  Have you ever seen a more adorable baby?  I am not sure I have.  I want it.  That's besides the point.  The hat is adorable also so I set out to knit one somewhat similar.  Keep in mind, I am not a master knitter.  I have knitted half a scarf, another half a scarf, a big hat, and that's about it.  But having the hat experience of reading from a pattern, I felt a little more confident.  So I searched for a pattern that looked cute and also measurements for the size of a baby head and came up with something.  It's still not totally complete, but getting there.   Here's a peek at it:

Hopefully I will finish it today, and hopefully it fits right!

Then.  I found this tutorial for crocheted baby booties.  Super cute right?  But I realized that she is going to be born in June, and crocheted boots in June?  Poor thing will die from sweating.  So ballet flats was more the idea.  I used the tutorial for the first half of the shoe, up until the point that it started making the boot part.  I searched around for some cute ideas and found these ones.  So basic shoe from the tutorial, plus the ruffle idea, and I came up with these (the second  one has yet to be completed):

They are pretty darn cute and small and adorable, in my opinion, maybe I'm just bias.  :)

A baby quilt is soon to come too :)  I figure I have a bit of time to get that done, still need time to find the perfect matching fabric!