It's happening....

There is a pretty big possibility that I have become obsessed with my work.  Winter is almost over, or at least it feels like it, and pretty soon, Cairo will be welcoming the oncoming spring.  I recently finished a very large order that took me four months to complete, and I expected that once I was finished I would want to take some time off of knitting and focus my attention on something else.  Instead, I'm eager to start making other things, and I still have some items on my 'To Knit List" that need to be scratched off, like my moms request for several pairs of long gauntlets in different colors, my sons pants (because who doesn't love to see a toddler in knit pants?), and several ideas that are just waiting to be materialized.

It's a challenge.  Between mother hood, mommy time, and domestic responsibilities, plus, a few orders that just came in, I'm like......"Aah!  I want to make something for ME now!!!!  I want to try imitating this ridiculous sweater I found on Pinterest that I most likely won't even wear.  I just want to make it!"  But I should be pleased, which I am.  I'm just tired.  

Pools of Glitter

When I came across the Nako Angora Granit Sim yarns, I was spellbound.  I don't know anyone who can resist a delicate lace yarn with shimmery glitter threads and irresistible colors.  Without considering on what I'd make with it, I bought three skeins of over 500 meters each, but when I got home and realized that it was a quick color changing yarn, I was feeling less excited.  Quick color changing, more often than not, means pooling, and pooling is something I don't really care for.  But I was determined to find a pattern that would work well with the random color changes.4\

I decided to try knitting a scarf, and brainstormed over what stitches would be ideal and make the pooling minimal, or at least work with it.  In the end I chose Favorite Scarf Ever by Sunshine Walks, not really knowing how it would turn out, but very sure that it would work well with this type of yarn, and I think I was right.  I love the turn out so far and I can't wait to finish it.

 But now I want to see how it turns out with the star stitch, which I'll be starting soon with another skein.

Introductions and a Free Knitting Pattern

I don't really know how people usually start their blogs since I haven't really followed anyone since their beginning.  But I figure offering a free pattern is a nice way to break the ice and get things moving.  

And as for the introduction to my blog, I'd like to start off by summing up who I am and what Hats & Threads is, or will be, all about.  For starts, I am the founder, owner, and sole employee behind Hats & Threads, which is a Facebook based local business, of sorts.  From within the noisy and sometimes chaotic confines of my eight-family member home in Cairo, Egypt, I juggle single-motherhood and knitting or crocheting hats and other accessories.  Business isn't booming, but for now that's a good thing.  

The purpose of his blog is for expanding so I can show how something was made, share one of my patterns, and potentially connect with other knitters and crocheters.  

And so, that free pattern I promised you...knit rabbit ears.  

I came up with this pattern after a customer placed an order for a hooded cowl with rabbit ears.  I wasn't too sure how to go about knitting rabbit ears, as I had never knit animal ears before, so I searched Pinterest, my clickable addiction, and found nothing that matched what I had in mind.  Everything was flat, but I wanted a color contrast, an inner and outer ear that will really intensify the cute effect I was going for.  

I worked the outer ear first, working bottom to top.  When I finished, instead of binding off, I joined the contrasting color for the inner ear and started working top down.  I did this because I didn't want a straight peak, but a rounded point that curled in out just a bit, like real rabbit ears.  Then the side edges were seamed and the bottom was attached to the hood.  

I'm really happy with the way they came out, although I feel that the pattern has a few kinks that may force other knitters to make a few adjustments, but because it's a very easy pattern and requires basic techniques, tweaks are easy to make since gauge isn't an issue.

Please feel free to share this pattern and use it for personal and sale products, and please include my blog or link for credit.  Thank you.

Knit Rabbit Ears

Materials:

4.5 mm needles

1 ball Oren Bayan Atlantis worsted weight yarn (outer ear)

1 ball Alize Superlana Klasik worsted weight yarn (inner ear)

Yarn needle

 Outer Ear

Cast on 10 stitches. 

Knit 4 rows in Stockinette stitch

INCREASES

Row 1 : K1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1

Row 2 - 4 : Purl

Row 3 : Knit

Repeat last 4 rows 3 more times.  (18 sts)

Knit 8 rows in stockinette stitch.

DECREASES

Row 1: K1, ssk, k to last 3 sts, k2tog, k1

Rows 2 and 4: Purl

Row 3 : Knit

Repeat last 4 rows until 4 sts remain.

Don't bind off.  Work the next row with the new color.

Inner Ear

On the next row, K1, ssk, k1.

Work 3 rows in stockinette stitch.  

On the next row, k1, kfb, k1.  

Knit 3 more rows in stockinette.

Next row, k1, kfb, kfb, k1. 

Knit 3 more rows in stockinette.

For the remaining increases

Row 1: K1, kfb, k to last 2 sts, kfb, k1

Row 2 and 4: Purl

Row 3: Knit

Repeat last 4 rows until there are 18 sts on needle.

Decreases

Row 1: K1, ssk, k to last 3 st, k2tog, k1

Rows 2 and 4: purl

Row 3: knit

Repeat last 4 rows until 10 sts remain.  

Bind off with a long tail - long enough to seam both sides.  Seam the sides, starting from the bottom of the ears.  The inner ear may be slightly shorter than the outer, but that's okay because we want to outer ear to curl in just a bit.  Simply line up the bottom edges and seam the side until you get to the peak.  You may have to do some tweaking here to make up for an extra space or two on the outer ear.  Thread your needle through the last space and bring it through to the other side of the ear.  Now seam down to the bottom edge.

If you like, you can close up the bottom edge, or leave it open before you seam it to whatever you have waiting for it.