Little knits are one of my favourites. So quick to make and no holding back on the fun, especially when made for a little person. I mean, who doesn’t love a pumpkin hat? I used to enjoy making hats and jumpers for my children when they were small. The more fun, the better.
Being teens, they’re not so keen on Mama-made knits anymore. That’s OK. I understand. Maybe a plain hat, but only just. Fortunately. the next generation of the extended family is starting to appear, so I can carry on knitting the odd, fun hat still.
Cardigan
A while back in the summer, I knitted a little lime green cardigan for my niece and her husband’s brand new, baby girl. It was a cute cardigan, but like all things to do with children, she grew out of it. Children are fiendish like that. So I cast on the size up of the same pattern and knitted up a bigger version in a lavender coloured yarn.
I used Peter Pan Merino Baby DK again from The Wool Warehouse. Nothing new to add to using it this time round. It’s good, soft and I’d use it again. The buttons are from my button collection.
There is a missing button at the top. Slight error with the buttonholes on my part, so I’ve rationalised that a button within easy reach of a baby’s mouth is not a good idea and I’m calling it a feature. Yes, definitely, sort of, a planned feature. No top button design, I’m calling it. Not sure it will catch on, but I’m sticking with my story and that’s that.
Hmmm.
I used the the Sirdar 5241 pattern again. It is such a sweet pattern and just a little bit more interesting to knit (and wear, hopefully) than a plain cardigan. I’ve already seen photos of her wearing it and she looks gorgeous in it, with room to grow.
Pumpkin hat
Now the hat. I love knitting a pumpkin hat or two. They are undoubtedly my favourite kind of hat to make. I love the orange and the green plant tendrils. I prefer to put tendrils rather than the leaves. Somehow the pumpkin leaves don’t sit right, but the curly tendrils are much more fun and unusual. Both would be too much, so I stick to the curly knit.
I can’t remember where I got the pumpkin hat pattern from originally. It’s a scribbled down note, with changes made to it from when my children were little. If you’re after a pattern, there are plenty of them on the internet.
The curly tendril is the same as the one I use for my mini pumpkins and sewn on at the end.
I used my favourite yarn for hats, King Cole Merino blend DK. The colour is cinnamon. It’s an anti tickle yarn and 100% wool, so breathable too. I have memories of itchy, overly hot, knitted hats as a child, so I’m quite passionate about using yarn that is not going to give the next generation a similar childhood memory. I picked the yarn up from my local wool shop in Wells – Mandy’s Wool.
Painted letters
Finally, I’d like to add that my props were painted by Middle and Youngest Teen. We picked up the blank letters from HobbyCraft and they had a lovely afternoon around the kitchen table, painting together.
Aren’t they cute? I’m keeping these ones and adding them to our Halloween decorations, so I can enjoy them each year. Eldest Teen came home and was convinced that we had bought them painted, which I think is a perfect compliment.
So, anyone else busy knitting seasonal knits?
