I love a challenge as much as the next person. Look at the evidence:
- I taught myself to knit purely from written words and illustrations. No hands on help or internet videos for me (I didn’t know the videos existed- believe me, I would have used them).
- I taught myself to knit socks from a one page pattern from an issue of IK (retro rib socks if you’re curious). It was a textured pattern and since then, I’ve only knit one pair of plain stockinette socks- the others have been textured and/or complicated in some way or other.
- For the longest time, I had to learn something new from each new project.
- The first sweater pattern I ever bought was Rogue.
- The second sweater I ever knit was cabled with set in sleeves, designed by me and knit in 16 days for the Knitting Olympics.
- I’m knitting a log cabin blanket. Really. A blanket.
Knitting challenges me in lots of ways. From it I’ve learned the following:
- Patience: I’m knitting a blanket.
- Creativity: Who’d have thought I’d dye yarn?
- Generosity: It’s so fun to give hand-knit gifts.
- Determination: I’ve “fixed” my share of patterns.
- Friendship: At Stitch and Bitches and through the blogs.
- Love: Merino. Sock yarn. Barbara Walker.
- Forgiveness: Wool isn’t scratchy.
It’s really been quite good for me.
But, that being said, I love quick knits. I love simple patterns. The hat you see above: I knit that in 2 days and basically made up the pattern myself. It was great because I haven’t finished anything in soooo long – and it feels so great to have a finished objects. And this hat is going to look perfect with my pinkish scarf (I don’t like things too matchy-matchy).
The Specifics:
Yarn: Malabrigo 100% Merino Wool (1 skein)
Pattern: My own, based on 96 stitches, knit top down
Needles: Clover Bamboo 8 16″ circs
The problem? I bought two skeins of this yarn – that means that someone else in my family is getting a hat. But it has to be a female (purple yarn) who is both worthy but also not someone I see much during the winter (don’t want to look like twins, lol). Oh well. With a family of 18 grandkids and 22 aunts (and that’s just one side of my family), I’m sure I’ll find someone.
All Buttoned Up 
I taught myself to knit from a little booklet too. Except that was 100 years or so ago… then I stopped knitting for a really long time and started up again about 5 or 6 years ago. I don’t think I’ll stop again this time.
Love the hat!
I taught myself how to knit out of a booklet too, but it was 10 years ago. No internet connection, heck, we didn’t even have electricity. Got divorced, moved back to civilization, the one good thing was learning to knit.
The hat is cute! Quick knits are great just because they’re quick. Sometimes it’s nice to have an FO that hasn’t take a hundred centuries, although you’re pretty quick w/a complicated pattern.
Glad to hear you got the mold under control!
Man, how can you go wrong with a quickie Malabrigo hat? I’ve got one, too. 🙂 I love quick knits – I have such a short attention span that it takes me forever to finish anything substantial (I started Tubey from Knitty in May and I’m still working on the sleeves 🙂 ), but I am the queen of hats, scarves, and wristwarmers. It’s all about instant gratification knitting.
Malabrigo…..mmmmm…..
The hat is really nice; I love the decreases at the crown. They’re like finding a hidden treasure, stored at the top like that. Is there any chance that you’d write up the pattern?
i too learned from books, w/o the help of internet, classes, videos …. and i am proud of that! but, it also makes me less understanding of someone who says to me, “i can’t learn from a book, i need someone to show me.” i realize we’re all different, but sometimes i am suspicious that some people are just lazy!
there, that’s my rant!
i too had two hanks of malabrigo. i knitted a seed stitch scarf with one of the hanks, and returned the other (for some sock yarn).
your dye jobs are wonderful. i thoroughly enjoyed your “how a college student dyes yarn” photo essay! i think my next dye job will have to be doing it space-dyed with a super long hank.
also, you mentioned your embossed leaves socks are knitted with knitpicks essential 2nd generation … i have a girlfriend that must had knitted 1st generation, and she swore she would not use the yarn again. what do you think of this yarn now? would you use it again?
thanks!