I've not been entirely idle.

Someone over on the Men Who Knit site was looking for a simple hat pattern, so, here's my basic hat instructions, the variation possibilities are endless.

Cast on multiples of 6 stitches. I generally go for 96 on size 8 DPN.
Knit 1, purl 1 or K2,P2, or K2, P1, your choice of ribbing for however far you want it to go up the hat.
If you want the ribbing to turn up like in the picture work ribbing for 2 inches and purl 1 row as a crease line.
After you have about 4 inches of the hat "body" start working the decreases. I generally put in a decorative row or two at his point to transition from what ever stitch pattern I'm using, i.e. cables, before going in to the decreases. I often use the "braid" as described in this entry.
The decreases are worked every other row. divide number of stitches by 6 and knit two together where this number falls,
for example; 96 divided by 6 = 16, so every 15th and 16th stithes are knit together.
knit 1 row
next row every 14th and 15th stitches are knit together
etc.
when you're down to 5 or 6 stitches between dividing points work the decrease every round.
when you have only 6 stitches left on the needles break off the yarn, thread it through remaining stitches, pull through to inside and weave in.
Weave in any loose ends.
You have a hat.

Sewing a vest

Partner recently lost some weight and wants new vests that are more flattering to his current figure. The shape and style needed to be somewhere between these two and sort of like this pattern.

I pulled this pattern out of the file...
... and traced it out in the size I thought appropriate, without seam allowances.
I then redrew some of the lines to reflect how he wanted the vest to look.

Using scrap fabric I then sewed together a test vest, adding seam allowances only at the shoulder and sides. I then pinned it where it needed more adjustments.
The shoulders needed a little more slope to them.
And it needed to be a little smaller across the front.
He has said that he wanted it to be short, but I convinced him it should be a little longer than he thought and lengthened it. Don't forget to do both front and back when making longer or shorter.
Make a second tracing of the front and cut it at about 1/3 to 2/3.
Now cut two front facings and two interfacings from the smaller 1/3, remembering to add seam allowances. And two front linings from the larger piece. Sew the front facings and interfacings to the lining and press open.
Cut two pieces of back from the lining fabric and sew in the darts, pressing the darts towards the center on one and towards the edges on the other.
Right sides together sew the two fronts to one of the backs at the shoulders, same with the front linings and the other back. A proper vest should have no fewer than 10 seperate pieces. Depending on whether there are pockets and /or collars and back straps this number can easily double.
Right sides together sew the inside of the vest to the outside leaving the sides open.
Clip all curves and corners carefully.
Turn vest inside out through the shoulders.
Press flat using a presssing cloth if necessary to avoid damaging the fabric.
Through the back pull the sides from one side inside out, pin and sew.
Press flat and sew the othe side as far as possible on the machine and finish stitching by hand.

Edge stitch along all edges.Mark the buttonholes on the left front and work them.
Add the buttons and make sure that partner has it properly buttoned BEFORE taking the picture.
Back view.
I left out some photos to keep the post shorter, if something needs clarified please feel free to contact me.

Deswegen, because he wanted this.

Knitwear for men.

Here's the pattern.

Picture and idea stolen from Justin, his blog entry here.

The G.ee W.hiz I geuss it's a Bush hat

Start with an idea but no real plan as to how to make it work.

Size 8 U.S. Needles/ 5mm

Cascade 220 yarn.

Cast on 108 stitches.

Join into a round and work k2, p2 ribbing for 2 inches/ 5cm twisting all the knit stitches. (knit through back of loop).

This yarn was originally a sock that I started and wasn't working out so well so I ripped it out and rewound it not bothering to take out the stripes.

In the hat the stripes didn't really work out all that great but let's not fix it, let's just keep going as if everything is okay. we didn't really have a plan to start with so just keep going.

Begin pattern rows;

Row 1. Begins between the first 2 K stitches. Place a marker.

Bring the yarn forward, slip the next K stitch and P stitch onto the right needle, bring the left needle forward and through the k stitch, slip both stitches off the right needle letting the purl stitch dangle in mid air before catching it back up onto the right needle. insert left needle into P stitch and purl. Bring yarn to the back and K next stitch. (twisted, ktbl)

Now slip the next p stitch and K stitch onto the right needle, bring left needlebehind the work and through the P stitch, slip them off the right needle letting the K stitch dangle before catching it up with the right needle. Insert left needle and K this stitch, p1. Repeat to end of round.

Row 2. knit or Purl the stitches as they are. All Knit stitches are still twisted.

Row 3. P1, cross the 2 k stitches and knit them similar to above instructions, P1. Repeat to end of round.

Row 4. Repeat row 2.

Row 5. as row 1 but the K and P stitches move in opposite directions.

Keep repeating these 4 rows until you have about 5 inches/ 12 cm

Doesn't that make a lovely trellis pattern?

Now it's time to start the decreases.

Decide that you cast on 100 stitches, DO NOT go back and count.

100 divides well by 4, but is 4 decreases per round enough? Probably not. 100 doesn't divide by 6 but it does divide by 5. Pentagonal is good! okay every 20 stitches k 2 together, or in my case it happened to be P 2 together.

Hmmm... there are extra stitches at the end of the round. Do NOT go back and fix it, just keep going as if everything is okay. Decrease every other round staying in Pattern as much as possible, don't worry that it's not really working out evenly or well. Fumble forward! When you have 70 stitches left on the needles you'll realize that you're very confused and your lovely trellis is a mess. Don't stop and fix anything. Go back to your friend the pentagon, forget about the Trellis pattern you intended, knit all stitches twisted, you started with twisted stitches and by golly you're going to finish with the twisted stitches, decreasing evenly 5 stitches per round every round until you have 5 stitches left.

Break off yarn, thread it through the remaining 5 stitches pull tail through to the inside and weave it in. weave in the cast on tail and you're finished.

The most important thing to remember with this hat is to never acknowledge the bad judgement calls, ignore erorrs, don't fix anything, just keep going as if everything is okay.

Buddy Bärs

Almost finished. Fast fertig.

Ta Da! And it matches my fireplace. Und, es passt zu mein Kamin.

Detail.
Rückseite. From the back.
U.S. #8 nneddles. 5mm Nadeln.
Elsebeth Lavold silky wool, double strand. Doppelfaden.

Percentage method.

Steeking.

Chart for bears from "Enchanted knitting", Catherine Cartwright-Jones and Roy Jones.

Cardigan Pullunder

Using my standard percentage method, I knit this cardigan on size 8 US /5mm needles with Cascade 220 yarn. The front and armhole openings were steeked.