Tuesday, December 9, 2008

A little knitting....

Despite feeling quite ill last week I did manage to pick up my needles while I was taking it easy and recuperating. I did think my next post would be all about how I am going to make a new year resolution early. The resolution is that I am only going to allow myself to knit two things at any one time. I was thinking that one large item and one small item would work well. Or another approach to this would be to knit one 'complex' pattern and have another 'easy' pattern on the needles for taking with me 'on the go' so to speak.

Well that post fell by the wayside when I saw Katie's hat on Ravelry and discovered that she had knit it with Malabrigo!

Of course you all remember this. . . .

. . . . my lovely Malabrigo I bought a few weeks ago. I still hadn't decided what to knit with it until I saw Katie's post. That was it, I whipped out my needles and cast on immediately!

Isn't it amazing how quickly you can get something knit when you really really want to knit it (unlike many of my wip's that have sat in the closet for this past year, barely touched!). Within 4 days I had this. . . .

In fact I just cast off today and took pictures to share on here. Now I have one problem... how do I get this to look good on my head? Seriously! I tried it on and it looks ridiculous. Granted I have not knit the last cable because I was running out of yarn, and that might be why it's looking a bit pointy and not 'flopping' like it seems to do nicely on the model!

Would blocking help this? And if so, how do I go about blocking a hat? Any help would surely be appreciated, or this pretty thing will end up sitting in my drawer never to see the light of day (*sigh*)

Specs:
Cabled Beret by Debbie Bliss (Debbie Bliss Knitting Magazine - Fall/Winter 2008)
Malabrigo Merino Worsted - 1 skein
Needles US #5 and #8


13 comments:

jillian said...

For hats, I've found that steam blocking can be a good option for hats. Less risk of it growing to mammoth proportions :)

Anonymous said...

It looks perfect Denise! And I can only imagine how comfy cosy it is too!

Mr Puffy's Knitting Blog: said...

I hope you are feeling better! Your hat looks fabulous. I don't know what to suggest but it would be ashame for this nice hat to sit in a drawer. Maybe wear it more as a traditional beanie?

Sam said...

I'm not sure what to suggest... it looks soo very beautiful already.

CelticCastOn said...

Denise! I have the cure!!! I saw something similar on someone else's blog the other day. She made a hat that looked like a beanie didn't like it as a beanie so she soaked it and blocked it over a dinner plate. Make sure your ribbing isn't getting stretched but the rest of it, then when its dry take it off and you should have more of a slouchy beret!!!
Let me know how it goes!
Good luck!!

Denise said...

Thanks Kelly, I think I'll try that. First I should take pics of the 'before' look, it is too silly for words! ;-)

Anonymous said...

Seriously? It's gorgeous! I find it difficult to believe that it doesn't look as beautiful on as as it does off!

Esther said...

that is a really gorgeous hat!

a friend to knit with said...

sorry, i have no advice on the blocking. but that dinner plate trick sounds interesting!

i knit two things at a time. one that can easily be knit while talking is ALWAYS on the needles.
it works great!

Gigi said...

Hi Denise,

I recently finiished the same beret. You can see a picture of it here if you'd like -- http://myfireflycottage.blogspot.com/2008/12/debbie-bliss-beret.html

Mine is not quite as slouchy as the picture in the magazine either, but I think I have kind of a big head (not something a girl likes to admit ;-(!). I've managed to make it a little more slouchy with a bit of gentle pulling and stretching. I think it turned out to be pointier than I'd have liked as well. I'm thinking about using my clothes steamer to finesse it a little more, so I'll let you know how that works out. Oh, and the dinner plate idea sounds interesting -- but you go first ;-), okay?
Georganna

Ren said...

it looks great! and in malabrigo... soft! : )

Anonymous said...

This is beautiful!

Philigry said...

i had the same problen while making mine! when i first tried it on, i looked like a cone head! Love the plate idea. I just smooshed mine , in the beret shapr, trying not to let the ribbing get all wonky. i will use the plate next time! yours is beautiful! love that color.