Keeping Busy Knitting...

I finished an entrelac scarf a few weeks back but am just now getting around to posting pics of it. I was really intimidated when I began this project, but my motto when knitting is to always try something that seems a bit too hard for me. At least that way I know I will learn something along the way. This scarf is from knitty.com and was designed by a man. I LOVE it when guys knit, and I LOVE telling my students that this beautiful scarf is man-made. Heehee. Mine is woman-made, but you get the idea. Turns out that entrelac is FUN! I added a little splash if pink to keep it interesting. LaTijera is knitting one in class, so I will post pics once she finishes.

Last weekend I was at Banana Republic and saw this hat:



I instantly fell in love then checked the price tag. $49.50 for a ribbed hat with a garter stitch border sewn on and a button that is purely decorative? Hey, I said to myself (I might have said it aloud, since I was getting some stares as I stood there in the accessories section), I could knit that. I took a few stealthy photos with my iphone and wrote out a pattern.

Here is my first attempt:

I hate how pointy the top is and the band is a little too tight, so I tried again.

Their hat, on a model:



My second hat, on me:

I still need to add the decorative button, but you get the idea. I think I solved the pointy top issue, and the pattern is very cute and flapper-like.

Here is the pattern, sort of:
size 8 straight, dpns and circular needles
worsted weight yarn (I used Bernat Satin)
tapestry needle

Hat:
CO 100 sts. Join in the round and knit 1x1 rib for 25 rounds. Place a marker every 25 sts (I use a diff. color for the first marker).
Decrease row: *k2tog, knit to 2 before next marker, ssk*, repeat around.
Rib one round.

Repeat these 2 rounds until you have 5 sts in each section (total of 20 sts).

Cut yarn and pull through the 20 sts and cinch up.

Brim band:
CO 110 sts (straight needles).
Garter st for 2".
Bind off loosely, leaving a really long tail once you tie off the last st. Use this tail to sew the band to the edge of the hat (I used a whip st). Be sure to line up the sts from the ribbing (stretch the ribbing a bit) to the sts from the garter st. The band should overlap itself for about 2". Sew on a matching button onto this overlap.
Voila!

Short week at school this week, only 2 days, but I hope to have some more finished projects to show you soon. The kids are starting to think about holiday gifts. My next project is bracelets. Lots of bracelets.

Have a great week and a Happy Thanksgiving!

Halloween...my favorite holiday ever!

I took a week off from blogging to get ready for my favorite holiday of the year, Halloween. I love everything about it: candy, costumes, pumpkin-flavored stuff, trick-or-treaters, and candy corn. Here are some highlights from our Halloween this year.

Our pumpkins are all "funkins" a foam pumpkin that you can carve like a real one but keep for next year. Mike does such intricate carving that we decided to "invest" in these fake guys so that we can save them for years to come. Cheesy, i know, but this is the one holiday we go all out for. We had hundreds of trick-or-treaters come to our door for candy and a look at our newest Halloween addition: a front yard graveyard. I made the tombstones with styrofoam and gray spray paint. Pretty easy!
Charlie Brown as a pumpkin.


Igor from Young Frankenstein.



Here is my costume. This year I was Amy Winehouse, complete with tattoos and huge beehive hairdo. I had so much fun putting this costume together.


Here is another picture of me with a few students at school. Paul is a paparazzo and Brittney is Lindsey Lohan's arrest photo. Fun stuff!



Had a few more cooking classes in the past few weeks. Here are some of the things that Andi and I made.
Salmon and tamatillo salsa. This salsa was so good that I made it again that weekend for our pumpkin carving party.


Vietnamese chicken salad. This was so delicious and not too bad for you. The palm sugar dressing was the best.

Tonight, for more practice (I guess it is like doing my homework, right?) I am making a tri-tip, roasted beets and roasted potatoes. The tri-tip is from the butcher at the Original Farmer's Market on 3rd and Fairfax. Awesome guys behind the counter, they really helped me pick out the perfect cut of meat.

My Marine Biology students turned in a fun project last week. In groups, they had to bake and decorate a cake to represent a cell. Here are a few of their creations.


And, on to knitting.
I added another dinosaur to the herd. This is a Brachiosaurus. Next up is the Triceratops.


A few days ago someone posted a link to an EXPENSIVE bangle that was cabled. Here is my take on that, for about 3% of their price. I love these!!!


Amanda, one of my knitting students, has fallen in love with making toys (a girl after my own heart). She recently completed this pig wearing pants. Her next project is caterpillar finger puppets. I taught her how to knit with DPNs and she is finishing up the puppet. Photos next week.