Knifty Knitter Hat Tutorial

I received a lot of e-mails from non-knitters yesterday, asking how difficult it would be to make a hat using the Knifty Knitter looms.
What better way to answer that question than to just show you with a tutorial.
There are 4 different sized round looms in the package, which also includes the pick and a needle. You can find various sized sets on Amazon.com or in most craft stores.
I'm using the red round loom for this tutorial, which will make a medium/child sized hat.

Using two stands of 4-ply worsted weight yarn, wrap the yarn on the edge of the ring. Pull the yarn to the inside of the ring and wrap around the first post. Repeat around the second peg, continuing until all the pegs are wrapped.
Keep the yarn loose as you wrap.

Slide the yarn to the bottom of the pegs, and continue to wrap a second row.

I like to anchor the yarn at this point by wrapping it around the peg on the edge.
Using the pick, lift the bottom row of yarn over the top row of yarn,

and over the top of the peg. Continue with each peg until you have finished one row of knitting.

Make sure you slide the yarn to the bottom of the pegs, and continue wrapping another row.

The inside of the loom will look like this.

As you continue to knit the hat will grow longer.

To make the brim on the medium, you knit 4" and stop.

Reach inside the loom and place each loop from the bottom row over the corresponding peg. (*The loop is the long one, not exactly centered).

This will fold what you have knitted in half to form the ribbing on the bottom of the hat.

With the pick pull the yarn loops on the bottom of the pegs over the top ribbing row and over the top of the pegs. This leaves one row that you again, push to the bottom of the pegs.

Continue wrapping and knitting until the medium hat has reached 7-8 inches.

To finish the hat, thread the needle with around 18" of yarn.

Starting with the first peg run the needle and yarn through the loops on each peg, then lift the loops over and off the pegs.

You will see the top start to gather as you go.

This is what the top looks like once you've taken the hat off the loom.

Pull the thread tightly to gather the top

Take a few stitches in each direction to close the gap and secure the yarn.

Poke the needle to the inside of the hat.

And take a few more stitches with a square knot, and clip your threads.

You will see the beginning threads on the inside of the brim. These can be woven in and then clipped off.

Ta Dum! The hat is now complete! See how easy? If you have more questions, there are a lot of good video tutorials on YouTube, or feel free to e-mail me at nedras@mstar.net

These go rather fast. I've now made 3 just since yesterday.

My hats are to be given to Humanitarian Aid, but these would also make nice baby gifts. Pom Poms could be added to the top, or cute crocheted/knitted flowers sewn to the brim.

I had one comment yesterday that these looms are easier than traditional knitting for people with arthritis.

I also think these would be a fun project for children.

Knifty Knitter

I know that the Knifty Knitter looms have been around for a while, but I am just now finding the time to play with them.

Have any of you used these?

So easy!

I am not a knitter, and I could do hats with about 5 minutes of instruction.

The looms come with a detailed pattern (including pictures), but if you are a visual learner (like me), there are some helpful tutorials on YouTube.

I made my first baby hat in about 2 hours.

The pattern says it's best to use a Bulky weight yarn, or combine two stands of 4- ply worsted weight.

I have a lot of left over 4-ply, so I combined a light pink and a dark pink.

I've already started a second hat, this one will be a child size.

One of main motivations for making these hats is to provide donations for Humanitarian Aid provided through my church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

With the heart wrenching stories taking place in Japan, I've hardly been able to watch the news.

Like many of you, I keep thinking I am only one person, but what can I do to help?

I feel very comfortable contributing through my Church because they are highly organized and 100% of donations go to those in need.
"Emergency Response – The Church strives to provide immediate assistance following disasters. The Church provides food, and other relief supplies as needed. In 2010 the Church provided relief to people affected by 119 disasters in 58 countries."
I know they are providing great assistance in Japan already.

One of the biggest challenges taking place in Japan is dealing with cold temperatures of winter.

Our donated quilts can make a difference, and so can a knit hat.

Kaffe Knit Socks

My friend Beth Fyans knows how much I love anything Kaffe Fassett. I have admired his work for years, and he is the only fabric designer I collect.
So I was THRILLED when Beth knit me a pair of socks using Kaffe yarn as a Christmas present this year.

Look how warm and toasty these will be to wear this winter.
Thank you so much Bethie! I love them.

Beth remembered hearing me say: "One of my dreams (and on my wish list) is to learn how to knit. And when that time magically appears, I would like to start by knitting socks."
That moment is not on the horizon at present, but when life settles down somewhat I will be in line at the knit shop.
You will also find me sitting right next to my daughter Elizabeth, my friend Beth, and any other knitters I can find, asking a million questions.
Look out knitting world.

Until then, I will gaze fondly upon you.

Beth used Regia #4254 Mirage Earth
Made in Italy, wool, machine washable.
Did you know that in his early years as an artist, Kaffe was most known for his knitting?
From Kaffe Fassett Studio:

Kaffe ventured into the world of colourful yarn on a visit to a Scottish wool mill with fashion designer Bill Gibb. Inspired by the colours in the landscape, Kaffe was thrilled to find the same colours in yarns. He bought 20 colours of Shetland wool and some knitting needles, and on the train back to London a fellow passenger taught him how to knit. His first design appeared as a full page spread in Vogue Knitting magazine.

From Vogue International Magazine:
KAFFE ON COLOR
• Don't be afraid of colour - why limit yourself to just one shade of red when you can use seventeen? Layering colours will give your work resonance, so strive for a rich texture, even if it's worked in fifty shades of gray.

• Let your yarns inspire you. Make collections of yarn and display them in a basket where you can see them. I often open a drawer of yarn to organize it, and next thing I know I'm sitting down to knit.

Knit Purse

While I was teaching my class the other day, a student's purse really caught my eye.
Look at this wonderful purse that was first knitted and then felted down.

Love the colors.
She said she just "made up the design", and that the purse was easy to make.
The bag was soft to the touch and sturdy enough that it didn't even need a lining.

Little bits of ribbon were intertwined amidst the yarns.

Learning to knit has been on my Wish List for years. sigh...someday.

Ice Cream

It's August, and I'm dreaming of the days when the weather will start cooling down. Reports say we will reach 107 degrees here in St. George in the next few days.
Too hot for me.
Ice cream might help me cope.

Mr. Cactus is the ice cream lover in our house.

Many years ago when we purchased our first home, we saved our $$ to buy an upright freezer. We felt this was an important appliance for our growing family.

I remember when it was first delivered in our garage, I gazed at all that empty space and wondered how we would ever afford to fill it with food.

Mr. Cactus had his own dreams.

He ran to the store and purchased several cartons of ice cream. He lined the middle shelf with those colorful cartons, and stood back and smiled.

"Now I can have any kind of ice cream I want, anytime I want." he proudly announced.

You see, Mr. Cactus comes from a family of 9 children, 6 of them boys. Ice cream was a rare treat as he was growing up, and if it did appear, someone else usually got to it first.

Cook's Illustrated has a great idea for preventing ice crystals on ice cream.

As the ice cream is eaten, cut off the empty part of the container with scissors or a knife.

Replace the lid and return the container to the freezer.

And for all you knitters out there, i like lemons has provided a free tutorial for guilt free ice cream.