Cable Knit Vanilla Beanie

This is called the Vanilla Beanie because like one of my favorite spices, sometimes seemingly simple things are under-rated, but do the job just as well.



This is a quick knit that makes a simple gift look real snazzy. Non-knitters are always impressed with cables and alternating colors, so wipe your brow and act gracious when the compliments come in, even though we know the truth! Feel free to knit the hat in one color, and just do the cable rows at a regular increment (I did every 7 rows).

If you haven't tried cables before, you won't believe how easy they are. Click here for some online pictures, or refer to your favorite knitting book for help.

NOTE: I wrote this up to the best of my knowledge, and hopefully it should be free of error. If you have any problems, please email me at vanilla (dot) beanie (at) gmail (dot) com.

Cable Knit Vanilla Beanie Pattern

Finished size:
One size fits most. Approximately 22" circumference slightly stretched.

Materials:
• A: GGH Bel Air (90% extra fine merino wool, 10% polyimide worsted; 50g - 142yds), 1 skein #20 Olive

• B: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (55% merino wool, 33% micro fiber, 12% cashmere; 50g - 100yds), 1 skein Light Blue

• C: GGH Bel Air (90% extra fine merino wool, 10% polyimide worsted; 50g -142yds), 1 skein #15 Black

• US 7 (4.5mm) double pointed knitting needles, or size needed to obtain gauge

• Cable needle, or learn to cable without a needle!

Gauge:
20sts and 32 rows = 4" in k4, p4 pattern slightly stretched with right cable twist

Notes:
This hat alternates between k4 and p4. In order for the purled rows and the knitted rows to alternate evenly, the number of stitches has to be divisible by 4 and evenly divisible by 2. To make the hat looser or snugger, add or subtract in increments of 8.

4-st cable: Slip next 2 stitches to cable needle, hold at back of work, knit next 2 stitches; knit 2 stitches from cable needle. Complete!

Directions:
With color A, cast-on 112 stitches. Join stitches in the round being careful not to twist them. Place a marker to mark the beginning of each round if you wish.

Row 1, 2, 3: *K4, p4; rep from* to end of round. This will be a 4x4 rib stitch.

Row 4: *Make 4-stitch cable, p4; repeat from* to end of round.

Row 5, 6, 7: *K4, p4; rep from* to end of round.

Row 8: Switch to color B.

Repeat rows 1-7 with B.

Row 8: Switch to color C.

Repeat rows 1-7 with C.

Row 8: switch to color A.

Repeat rows 1-8 until hat is desired length before you would like to shape the crown. My hat was about 6" when I started to decrease and I had switched colors 6 times.

Start shaping crown:

Note: When knitting the 2 stitches together, you will be decreasing the number of purled stitches, while always maintaining 4 knitted stitches. You will knit a purl stitch together with a knit stitch for the k2tog.

Row 1: *K3, k2tog, p3, k4, p4; repeat from* to end of round. 105 stitches remain.

Row 2: *K4, p3, k4, p4; repeat from* to end of round. (You should be knitting the knits and purling the purls).

Row 3: *K4, p3, k3, k2tog, p3; repeat from* to end of round. All purl rows should only have 3 stitches, all knit rows 4 stitches. 98 stitches remain.

Row 4: *Make 4-stitch cable, p3; repeat from* to end of round.

Row 5: *K3, k2tog, p2, k4, p3; repeat from* to end of round. 91 stitches remain.

Row 6: *K4, p2, k4, p3; repeat from* to end of round.

Row 7: *K4, p2, k3, k2tog, p2; repeat from* to end of round. 84 stitches remain.

Row 8: Switch to next color. *K4, p2; repeat from* to end of round.

Row 9: *K4, p2tog, k4, p2; repeat from* to end of round. 77 stitches remain.

Row 10: *K4, p1, k4, p2tog; repeat from* to end of round. 70 stitches remain.

Row 11: *K4, k2tog; repeat from* to end of round. (You will knit the last few stitches because there are not 6 left to k4, k2tog). 59 stitches remain.

Row 12: *K3, k2tog; repeat from* to end of round. 48 stitches remain.

Row 13: *K2, k2tog; repeat from* to end of round. 36 stitches remain.

Row 14: *K1, k2tog; repeat from* to end of round. 24 stitches remain.

Row 15: *K2tog; repeat from* to end of round. 12 stitches remain.

Row 16: *k2tog; repeat from* to end of round. 6 stitches remain.

Finishing:

Break off the yarn leaving a 12" tail. Using a yarn needle, thread through the last 6 live stitches and pull them together tightly. Secure and weave tail through the inside of hat.

Fit for a Queen

Thank goodness I ripped out the shawl slated for this Koigu, because it is turning into some lovely socks. I was knitting them prior to donating blood for the American Red Cross, and a lady commented, "It looks like you're knitting with toothpicks!"



You can see the progress below, as well as the lovely DIY Double Point Holders, a present from Sherry! Click on the link for a tutorial. Or be nice to Sherry, and maybe you'll get lucky! They really work well, and I think she should start selling them. I'd like another pair, and she has started adding beads to some of them!



I'm knitting both socks from the toe-up, and at the same time on size zero dpns. I had a set of metal needles, and wanted to try out some bamboo ones, and see which I prefer. So far, the gauge is pretty consistent. The toes are a little wonky, because I lost the instruction sheet given to me for the Toe-Up Sock Workshop I took at Rosie's. Perhaps I can buy one if I stop by tonight...I've made about an inch of progress from the picture taken below.

I was pretty busy being a bridesmaid in Jacksonville, Florida this weekend, and ended up reading the entire flight instead of knitting. My other excuse is that I sat next to a gassy gentleman on the plane, and did not want any merino wool out that would retain the noxiousness. (Aren't you happier for knowing that!) I'll post some pictures of the wedding next week...Right after I post the pattern for the cable knit hat I promised...



Last but not least, for show and tell today, here is my treasured spare toilet paper holder in the likeness of Queen Elizabeth I. My parents picked her up in England circa 1989. I've had her out at parties before, but the Virgin Queen has not gotten the recognition she deserved until this year! She sits upon her porcelain throne so regally and helpfully, when you need a spare square.

Happy Belated Birthday, Brooke!

The cable knit beanie for Brooke was finished last week. Only 2 months after her birthday, but better late than never. And it being handmade and to her specifications will add brownie points for me!



This hat was very easy to knit, and prompted me to finally spend $2 on a cable needle. They really are worth it, and the money is earned back in one measly row!

I will be hand delivering this goodie when I fly down to Ft. Lauderdale in two weekends.

More details on this hat can be found here. If you're interested in the pattern, email me, and I'll write it up for you.



I'd also like to extend thanks to myself for volunteering to model this lovely hat.

Lush

I am a lucky girl. The last time my best friend Trey visted me from Chicago, she brought me these amazing bath bombs from Lush.

I first went to Lush when I visited London with Trey, and this place is amazing. Everything is handmade on the premises and they use architectural lettering on their products, which is my favorite!

The only problem was this....

Our new apartment had a gaping hole above the shower from a leak for about three months.

I could have taken a bath. I took plenty of showers. But in case a rat or a giant spider decided to drop through this hole, I did not want to be sitting vulnerable in a bathtub and waste a valuable bath bomb on a visitor.

Well, finally the hole has been patched up and I took a glorious bath with the bathball called Big Blue.

I felt refreshed, like I had just swam in the Pacific, if the Pacific was warm of course. It was fizzy and had salt, bits of moisturizing seaweed, and was bright turqoise. I was so glad I skipped the gym to luxuriate instead!

For all my Philly friends, they just opened a new one on Walnut, between Broad and 15th. You should check it out. Feel free to buy me something if you feel inclined. (Wink).

Time for socks...

Some of you may remember the Koigu on the left. Once upon a time, it was slated to become a Star Cluster Shawl, from Rosie's Yarn Cellar.



I restarted this shawl numerous times, before I finally made some progress. Once I made enough progress to really get somewhere, I realized that I had been pulling the alternating yarns on the side of the shawl too tightly creating an unbalanced triangle. I ripped it out and called it a day.

The Star Cluster Shawl isn't even my favorite shawl pattern. For starters, I usually detest triangular shawls. (However, that is quickly changing after seeing the great results with the coveted Shetland Triangle everyone is making). Perhaps there is another shawl in my future, after all.

I was mainly knitting the shawl that I hated because knitted up, the Koigu was positively springy...and squishy and I wanted to play with this for days on end. But that's just the Koigu, not the shawl.

So I decided to make socks with the Koigu. I took a toe up sock class at Rosie's a few months ago, and was excited to work on my socks en route to the Philippines. With all the "terror alerts", I was careful to double check the TSA website, and saw that knitting needles were absolutely allowed.

Until I got in line at security. I realized that the police may not realize what double pointed needles were, as the size zeros do look like weapons. I double checked with security, they said to throw them out. They were serious. I was so bummed out, because I had finally made some progress. (Perhaps this yarn is cursed?)

I threw the newly purchased dpns out into a nearby trash receptacle. I was so disappointed, but had already checked in my bag, and really wanted to make it to the Philippines and not to jail.

Once I got to the screening area, I realized that the people taking I.D. cards were not the actual TSA people, who had caused the confusion. After some quick questions, guess who found out that my needles at the bottom of a trash can were certainly allowed?

Guess who smiled, walked over to the trash can (not very full), glanced at the curious and disgusted bystanders, removed the huge lid, and fished all five size zero dpns out of said trash receptacle?

Yes. That was in July. I have since lost the fifth of the dpns, so bought a new pair this weekend. I got a bamboo set at Sophie's Yarn Store and played with the adorable but recently orphaned kitty Purl, who I gave plenty of affection.

I feel that I have had so many complications just to knit anything with this yarn. But I'm going to try one more time to make some socks, because frankly, the Clapotis is boring the crap out of me.

bicycles...bicycles..

I spent the weekend in New York City, and had such a fantastic time.

I started the weekend by dining at Gramercy Tavern with my girlfriend Kathy Jean, who is a chef there. My first course were seared scallops in a fancy sauce, and my second course was striped bass with vegetables. My first dessert was a coconut tapioca pudding with a cilantro sauce that was beyond words. (Do you see a pattern here?) They brought that out prior to my chocolate zucchini cake with pistachio ice cream, because I simply could not decide.

The service was excellent and the adorable waiter recommended fabulous wines which I cannot remember, but loved drinking. And did I mention that this meal was free?

Oh yes. I am only friends with people who have food vouchers from now on. Unless of course you would like to purchase something off of my "wish list" on froogle.

I am a bridesmaid in a wedding in two weeks, and have already spent over a thousand dollars. I have started to fantasize of the things I could have bought instead, and am placing my 'wish list' on this site.

Today I selected a pair of Stuart Weitzman "Swashbuckler" boots and a Cannondale road bike. Just knowing that they are "mine" gives me the euphoria of a cool new purchase, without the guilt or dent in my savings.

Oh, I'm sorry! Did you think this was a knitting blog? It's actually just a blog promoting my non-bridal registry. Just kidding, back to NYC...

On Saturday, I visited Purl Soho. It's a hip knitting store in Soho with gorgeous yarns and gorgeous help. (I think it's a requirement to be gorgeous and work in the service industry in Manhattan). They're not the friendliest bunch, but then again, I'm not a celebrity...at this time.

My friend Kathy had the day off, so she took me to Purl Patchwork. It is owned by the same people as the knitting store, but instead, sells the most beautiful and funky fabrics in town. I am in love with their stuff. My heart started palpitating, I had sensory overload, and ultimately decided that I would have to come back with a project in mind, or a huge stack of cash.

However, I couldn't leave New York without anything fabric or yarn related! So I bought myself a sampler pack of 8 - 18" x 24" scraps of fabric from Purl Patchwork. I have some designs in my head just waiting to be sketched out...



My favorite is the little bicycle print below! I have a special surprise to make with this one, for a good friend. I'll keep you posted...



Oh, and before you feel too bad for me, I did not leave empty-handed! I got a pair of fake Gucci shades in China Town! And please allow yourself a hearty chuckle at my 'movie star' pose... enjoy your weekends, everyone!