FO Friday: F@ck Cancer! Hat

Hooray for a finished object! Boooooo for the necessity of this one.

Here is the completed F@ck Cancer! Hat for TangledSkein's mum:


Sorry for the craptastic pic; winter at the crack o'dawn isn't conducive to quality photography. Couple that with my severe lack of skillz, and you get what you get.

A close-up of the lacy bits (oooh, that sounds a tad naughty!):


Project Details

Pattern: Lace-Edged Women’s Hat by Julie Hentz
Yarn: Rowan Calmer, 112 yards of the Plum colourway
Needles: 4mm/US6
Modifications: None

I knit the medium size; the designer says she encourages people to go with the small, as it is a really stretchy hat that will fit most people, but I wasn't convinced going in. I'm even less convinced now, as it is rather snug on me.

I'm not entirely thrilled with my choice of yarn. Calmer is stretchy – sproingy, even – which doesn't really show the lace off to its best advantage. The fabric also manages to be stretchy yet just a bit stiff at the same time. Mind you, that is likely user error: I didn't swatch (surprise, surprise), and I don't think I adjusted my tension to compensate for the yarn's give. I suspect going up one needle size might help.

But even if it doesn’t fit TangledMom, it should get some use; she is planning to donate several of the mountain of caps she’ll be collecting to other chemo patients.

Which sucks, of course. It would be far nicer if there was no need for this particular FO.

Fuck cancer.

WIP Wednesday (aka Whoro Wednesday)

I’ve been fairly productive, knitting-wise, in 2011. By my admittedly low standards, anyway. I have no hopes of winning the Pre-Process Knitters’ Stashdown challenge, but I’ve churned out four finished objects this month – two hats, a Bodum cozy and the Sleekit Beastie I showed you yesterday – and have two other new projects on the needles.

Unfortunately, I have only a crappy photo of the first, and no photo at all of the second. Sigh.

Here’s the start of my F@ck Cancer Hat, which is actually just a couple of rounds from completion:


I’m using Julie Hentz’s Lace-Edged Women’s Hat pattern and Rowan Calmer for this chemo cap, which is for the mother of a fellow Ravenclaw in the Rav House Cup.

And yesterday I jumped on the Brooklyn Tweed bandwagon and cast on a Turn a Square Hat, using Cascade 220 in a charcoal heather and – wait for it – Noro Kureyon.

I think I might have to accept that I have officially embraced Noro-Whorodom. Or Noro-Whorodom Lite, anyway.

Sleekit Beastie

Sara at Lazy Knits and Purls came up with a wonderful Ravelry group, Crafting Poetry and the Craft-A-Poem 2011 challenge. Each month, participants choose a project inspired by a poem.

Perhaps influenced by childhood memories of enforced haggis consumption (despite the fact I have not a drop of Scots blood in me) on January 25, I selected my favourite bit of Robert Burns, and knit up a wee – and very literal – representation of the poem.

To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Nest with the Plough

Wee, sleekit, cow'rin, tim'rous beastie,
O, what a panic's in thy breastie!
Thou need na start awa sae hasty
Wi bickering brattle!
I wad be laith to rin an' chase thee,
Wi' murdering pattle.

I'm truly sorry man's dominion
Has broken Nature's social union,
An' justifies that ill opinion
Which makes thee startle
At me, thy poor, earth born companion
An' fellow mortal!


I doubt na, whyles, but thou may thieve;
What then? poor beastie, thou maun live!
A daimen icker in a thrave
'S a sma' request;
I'll get a blessin wi' the lave,
An' never miss't.

Thy wee-bit housie, too, in ruin!
It's silly wa's the win's are strewin!
An' naething, now, to big a new ane,
O' foggage green!
An' bleak December's win's ensuin,
Baith snell an' keen!


Thou saw the fields laid bare an' waste,
An' weary winter comin fast,
An' cozie here, beneath the blast,
Thou thought to dwell,
Till crash! the cruel coulter past
Out thro' thy cell.

That wee bit heap o' leaves an' stibble,
Has cost thee monie a weary nibble!
Now thou's turned out, for a' thy trouble,
But house or hald,
To thole the winter's sleety dribble,
An' cranreuch cauld.


But Mousie, thou art no thy lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!

Still thou are blest, compared wi' me!
The present only toucheth thee:
But och! I backward cast my e'e,
On prospects drear!
An' forward, tho' I canna see,
I guess an' fear!


You can find the standard English translation here.

Project Notes:

Pattern: Felted Mousie by Cailyn Meyer
Yarn: Cascade 220 in Light Grey Heather, Tutu and unidentified charcoal grey, about 15 yards total
Needles: 4.5mm/US 7 DPNs
Modifications/Comments: None. I followed the pattern to the letter. Felted lightly in the sink.

I had intended to give my sleekit beastie to my feline friends at the SPCA; however, I've fallen in love with mousie, so I'll have to knit up some more for the shelter.


Happy Rabbie Burns Day!

Yarn Bombing hits the 'burbs

Spotted last Wednesday afternoon on Lonsdale Avenue, North Vancouver:



Cute, no? I hope it's still there; I'll be passing by that tree again this Wednesday, and will report back.

Yes, I will. I know I've been a bad blogger lately (again), but I'm really going to try to be more chatty in 2011.

I hope everyone is having a good start to the year! See you soon. :o)