Lodge Bunny Bonnet

Lodge Bunny Bonnet
pictured in size Adult Small/Medium

I know my seasonality is a little off right now, but as soon as I received these Easter-colored skeins in the mail I knew that a bonnet would have to be on my list. And my biggest goal was to play with color - not just a slipped stitch color pattern (although you know I love those!), but good ol' intarsia. Which ended up being a good choice for this project, since you can make it all using straight needles back and forth - no pesky in-the-round intarsia required!

Sizes: Adult Small/Medium (Adult Medium/Large)

Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky (100% Merino Wool; 100 yards [91 meters]/100 grams); #192 Periwinkle - one skein (color A), #21 Cactus Flower - one skein (color B), & #83 Water Green - one skein (color C)

A better look at the back finish.

Needles: Straight needles in size US 9, straight needles in size US 11

Notions: Tapestry needle, roughly 12" of scrap yarn

Gauge: 12 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size US 11 needles

Let's make a bonnet, then! Using your size US 9 needles and your color A yarn, cast on 79 (87) stitches loosely, and then we'll work a ribbing as follows:

Ribbing Row 1 (wrong side): p1, * k1, p1; rep from *

Ribbing Row 2: k1, * p1, k1 *

Knit ribbing rows 1 & 2 until piece measures roughly 1.75" (2.25") and you've just finished a wrong side row. Transfer work to your size US 11 needles, and we'll knit two transition rows, as follows. Notice that your second row contains intarsia color changes, so you can use your standard intarsia join.

Waycross Hat

Waycross Hat
pictured in size Adult Small/Medium

I would love to say that I had some divine inspiration for this hat, but it all boiled down to the colors and how much I love them, especially together. This slipped stitch pattern also gives you plenty of bang for your buck; although it's easy to work, it looks a bit more intricate than it actually is. The Waycross Hat also features a nice unisex design, although your average man might prefer different colors...

Sizes: Adult Small/Medium (Adult Medium/Large)

Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky (100% Merino Wool; 100 yards [91 meters]/100 grams); #83 Water Green - one skein (color A), & #21 Cactus Flower - one skein (color B)

A better look at the back.

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 9, one 16" circular needle in size US 11, and one set of double pointed needles (dpns), also in size US 11

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 12 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size US 11 needles

So let's make a hat! Using your size US 9 needle and your color A yarn, then, cast on 66 (72) stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Then work the following ribbing:

Ribbing Row: * k1, p1; rep from *

Work this row until ribbing measures roughly 2" - 2.5" (2.5" - 3") and transfer work to your size US 11 needle. Knit two rows around. Then we'll begin our color pattern, which is Waycross from page 236 of Barbara G. Walker's Charted Knitting Designs: A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns. To make it, you'll need the following terminology:

Rainbow Baby Wrap

Rainbow Baby Wrap

First off - yes, I bought this yarn last March and I have absolutely no excuse for why it took me so long to work it up - except for the fact that it was SO DANG PRETTY that I worried I wouldn't do it justice, of course! Luckily, I think the Rainbow Baby Wrap is a perfect vehicle for your own similarly pretty yarns - and to make it, all you'll need is roughly 100 grams of fingering/sock weight yarn of your main color and another 20 apiece of your accents (I used a set of minis for this purpose!). Oh, and yes - it is also named after a Kesha song, which I suggest listening to now, for mood (if you don't mind a little bit of swearing and a whole lotta [tasteful-ish] inner side boob, that is)...

Finished Dimensions: roughly 10.5" at widest point and 48" end to end, excluding i-cords

Yarn: Skein Queen Wriggle (100% Superwash Merino; 400 yards [366 meters]/100 grams); Pink - one skein (color A) and Skein Queen Little Wrigglers (100% Superwash Merino; 5 x {80 yards [73 meters]/20 grams}); Pink & White - one mini skein (color B), Yellow - one mini skein (color C), Pink & Yellow - one mini skein (color D), Pink & Purple - one mini skein (color E), and Pink & Orange - one mini skein (color F)

Don't you just wanna eat that
delicious yarn???

Needles: One 32" or longer circular needle in size US 4, two or three double pointed needles (dpns), preferably 2 in size US 3 and 1 in size US 5, although 2 dpns in size US 4 will also work instead

Notions: tapestry needle, 5' of scrap yarn (preferably cotton), 7 stitch markers

Gauge: 24 stitches = 4 inches on size US 4 needles

So let's make a wrap! Using your size US 3 dpns (or your 4s if you don't have 3s), then, cast on 4 stitches and work them in an i-cord until the i-cord measures roughly 12". Then, we'll start casting stitches on as we continue to work the i-cord, as follows:

I-cord Cast On: kfb, k3; then, when you go to begin your next row, use your tapestry needle to thread the first of kfb stitches onto your scrap yarn purlwise to hold for later

Little Flicker Hat

Little Flicker Hat
size Adult Small/Medium

The story behind this hat is simple: I've been hanging onto this yarn for what feels like FOREVER now and I finally pulled it out of the drawer the other day and the light just flicked on - I knew exactly what it wanted to be. And this fun-to-knit hat is not just quick to work up, either, but also unisex so you can make it for whomever you'd like!

Sizes: Adult Small/Medium (Adult Medium/Large)

Yarn: Malabrigo Arroyo (100% Superwash Merino Wool; 335 yards [305 meters]/100 grams); #866 Arco Iris - one skein

A look at the finish.

Needles: One 16" circular needle in size US 5, one 16" circular needle in size US 6, and one set of double pointed needles (dpns), also in size US 6

Notions: Tapestry needle

Gauge: 20 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette

So let's make a hat! First off, then, using your size US 5 needles, cast on 108 (117) stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll work a ribbing, as follows:

Ribbing Row: * p1, k2; rep from *

Knit this ribbing row until piece measures roughly 2", transfer work to your size US 6 circular needle, and then we'll work some transition rows, as follows. Notice that you'll need the following notation to continue; you can also find videos for these techniques below.

Meowl Cowl

Meowl Cowl
Size Medium

First off; yes, I realize that I totally shouldn't name any of my knitting patterns after a joke in the movie Super Troopers, but - hey meow, sometimes, once the name appears in your head, you just can't shake it. Anyway, in this particular case, it seemed reasonably fitting. The yarn itself has a bit of tortoise shell/bird feather thing going on, for one thing, and the long slipped stitches also create a curvy zigzag pattern that somehow reminds me of a cat's claw. All of that aside, this is also a fun-to-knit, unisex pattern that's good for kids and grown-ups alike!

Sizes: Small (Medium; Large) (in general, small is for children or teens, medium for teens or adults, and large for adults who want a less snug-fitting cowl)

Yarn: A Secret Stash Ninja DK (100% Merino; 255 yards [233 meters]/100 grams); Ebony & Ivory - one skein (one skein; one - two skeins)

A better look at the long
slipped stitch pattern. Zig-zaggy, no?

Needles: one 16" circular needle in size US 6

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 24 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette

So let's get started! First, then, cast on 108 (126; 144) stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll knit a few set-up rows, as follows. To do this, we'll need the following notation:

fisherman's rib stitch (frs): knit next stitch in stitch below, slipping right-hand needle into stitch and then between the two stitches looped around the back of the stitch, such that you're knitting both the stitch on the needle and the top loop (see video below if this seems confusing)

River Rush Slouch Hat

River Rush Slouch Hat
size Adult Large (hence the extra slouch
on Hedwig)

I wish I had a snappy story about this hat, but I really don't; basically, I designed it as a nice unisex number in order to give it away in a gift exchange, but didn't because I (rather stupidly!) made an Adult Large and then wondered if it would be too large for a woman of average head size, if a woman of average head size were to receive it, and then descended into a morass of self-doubt, etc etc etc. So now it lives in an IKEA bag in my closet, ready to be sent out to a new recipient as soon as I build up the courage to revisit the post office (my last trip was an unmitigated disaster; this mailing-stuff-in-German stuff is hard, even if my German is now approaching kindergarten level). Oh yeah, but my husband DID pick out the yarn, so that was very nice of him!!!

Sizes: Toddler (Child; Teen/Adult Small; Adult Medium; Adult Large)

Yarn: Lana Grossa Alpaca Peru 100 (100% Alpaca; 109 yards [100 meters]/50 grams); #109 Grège - 1 skein (1-2 skeins; 2 skeins; 2 skeins; 2 skeins)

A closer look at the pattern.
And Hedwig.
She looks pensive, no?

Needles: one 16" circular needle in size US 8, one 16" circular needle in size US 9, and one set of double pointed needles (dpns), also in size US 9

Notions: Tapestry needle, stitch marker

Gauge: 18 stitches = 4 inches in stockinette on size US 9 needles

So let's make a hat! Using your size US 8 needle, then, cast on 76 (84; 92; 100; 108) stitches loosely, place marker, and join in round. Then we'll knit the following ribbing row:

Ribbing Row: * p2, k2; rep from *

Knit this ribbing row until ribbing measures 1.5" (2"; 2"; 2"; 2") and transfer work to your size US 9 needle. Then we'll begin our main pattern, as follows. To do this, we'll need the following terminology (and please notice I've embedded a video of this technique below the description as well!):