Pumpkin Hat Pattern

Since I've had requests, here's the pattern from memory. If someone tries it, please let me know if it's not correct.

Worsted weight yarn (I used Cotton Ease in pumpkin and Kitchen Cotton in dark green) The kitchen cotton isn't as soft, but it never touches the baby's skin since it's on the foldup edge of the hat.

Size 6 needles

Should make a hat to fit a 1-3 lb baby - it's about 10" across. You could easily adjust the size by casting on more (in a multiple of three) and working a longer hat body.

Using the dark green, cast on 183 stitches - do not join

Row 1 - K1 BO2 across - this creates the lacy ruffle

Row 2 - K across

Row 3 - change to the orange and knit across

Row 4 - K1 P1 across

Repeat row 4 for 2" - 3" depending on how much rib you'd like on the hat. Keeping in mind it will be folded in half when you're finished.

You'll want to look at the lacy edge and color change row and determine the WRONG side of the piece so far. From here on out, the WRONG side of the lace edge with be the RIGHT side for the stockinette. When the edge is folded up, the wrong side of the edging will be hidden in the fold.

Begin stockinette work until the piece is about 4" long. This will make a hat with 1" cuff (2" in half) and 3" body of the hat.
Decrease row (right side)- K5 K2tog across the row (Don't worry if you're off, just be sure to match the decreases in the next rows to create the line pattern on top)

Purl across

Decrease row 2 - K4 K2tog across row, matching up decreases

Purl across

Decrease row 3 - K3 k2tog across row, matching again

Purl Across

Decrease row 4 - Switch back to green - K2 k2tog...again, matching

Purl Decrease row 5 - K1 k2tog, matching

Purl

Decrease row 6 - K2 together across

Purl

Keep decreasing across the knit rows with K2 together until you're down to 3 stitches (keeping wrong side rows in purl)

Knit a 3 stitch i-chord to the desired length. I think mine was long enough to where I could have tied it into a knotSew up the side and flip the cuff.

All signs point to "Yes"

We had yet another meeting with the homeowners on Saturday and it looks like we're a go for purchasing their house. Right now, the plan is to move mid- to late- October. The packing, sorting has begun! I'm still going to restrain myself until all of the contracts are signed and all that jazz...but I am still pretty excited! Thanks for all of your positive thoughts and kind words to get me through this. I'd rather get married every Saturday for a month than have to deal with the stress of this house situation again! And for those of you who don't know, our wedding was no walk in the park.

I'm a stress eater. I admit to it. I accept it. I won't begin to tell you the amount of ice cream and chips & dip that have been consumed in the last week. I'm giving myself another week and then we're back on the meds and low carb. It could be worse, I could have dug up the Mister's left over cigarettes and given them a go. Believe me, I thought about it...but the chocolate Heavenly Hash ice cream tasted a whole lot better.

I was a productive knitter this weekend. I've got about 4" of the burial gown skirt finished. 6" more to go! I finished my cutesy pumpkin hat. It should fit a 1-3 lb baby. I'm pretty proud of it. It's something I kind of just went along with. So, if I write down the pattern can I call it my own? It was inspired for a few and originally began as one design and I changed my mind halfway through. It was so easy that I think I will eventually share it. Once, I think about it. Here's a photo of it:

I've been told the recipient for the Sunshine sweater has been born. I finished his hat and one of his booties over the weekend. The second bootie is in progress. I'm hoping to mail it out to his gifter by Wednesday. I'll post photos once I've got it finished, washed and blocked.

It's now official, so I'll post it here. In my last post, I alluded to some exciting change to the Preemie Project that was coming. Well, here it is...the Michigan Chapter is getting a Co-Coordinator! Feel free to whew-hew! if you'd like. I sure did! Who might you ask? None other than the wonderful, super, fantastic Jan! Swing by her blog and wish her handsome son a happy birthday if you get a chance.

Making her official blog debut...

Peanut!! It's been a long time coming and I've really tried to keep her out of the blog, well other than the back of her head...but I really couldn't resist with these latest photos. Seriously, how cute is this kid? Enough exploitation of our kid....


There was a comment left on my last post regarding sending donations in for the Preemie Project. Right now, Laura is gearing up for the Iowa donation and could use ever tiny hat, bootie and blanket you can spare. You can find info on where to send things here. If you'd rather have things donated a little closer to home, contact me directly for my address to send donations. You can email me at jlaine76ATyahooDOTcom. Since we're in limbo about moving, I haven't put our address on the official MI chapter paperwork just yet. I do believe there are some changes a-brewing for the MI chapter, but I don't want to mention anything until all parties involved have been informed. I can tell you, I'm going to pretty excited if things go the way I think they are...details soon I promise!

Photographic Proof

Ok, here's proof that I've been doing something other than throwing myself a pity party. Below are photos of items to be donated to the Preemie Project. Peanut's CareBear is modeling the pumpkin hat experiment. If you look closely, you can see the pumpkin design in purl stitches. It didn't turn out quite as well as I would have liked it too. It's even hard to make out in person. The green splotch near the top is the pumpkin vine. It just wasn't worth the trouble of knitting with the chart. The other one I'm working on has a fancy (well, as fancy as I get) green ruffle on the cuff and then is just plain pumpkin stockinette. Piggy is modeling the angel wrap that I took 10 days to complete. It's a simple garter stitch mitered square and triangle that's about 9" wide. Yes, 10 days. Rather than a ribbon closure, I added a pretty white satin covered button. I also added a crocheted ruffle edge.


Last night I cast on for a burial gown..as if I didn't have enough WIPs already! I'm hoping to have that done in time for it to be winging it's way to Laura for the 9/1 donation. We're planning for a quiet weekend at home, but you all know how that can go.

No word on the house to share. We were supposed to hear something on Wednesday, but nothing yet. In my book, no news is not good news...but I'm trying to stay positive. In the wonderful, fantastic news front: my friend Jennifer did have a beautiful baby girl on Tuesday. Little Miss Allyson arrived Tuesday afternoon weighing 4 lbs 14 ozs and 17.5" long. She is perfectly healthy! She never paid a visit to the NICU, Special Care or regular nursery after birth! All those prayers paid off! Thanks for those of you who took the time to include them. I don't have permission to post a pic just yet, but I do..you'll see her here!

I'm here...somewhere...

Gosh, life has just not been my own this last week. We had another meeting about the house on Saturday. We're hoping to get some sort of final answer this week. This is far more stressful than getting married or having a baby! I've reached the point where nothing surprises me and rather than getting upset about things, I just laugh at them. Nothing I can really do, no need to get all up in arms about things. Few more days of crossed fingers please. If this one falls through, I'm not sure I have the energy to look for another one we love...at least not anytime soon.

With that being said, my job has be uber hectic. I felt like I ran all morning this morning. It's just been crazy. I have a feeling there's another weekend stint coming soon. That's all I'm gonna say about that because I won't muddy up my blog with such things.

Peanut is sick, again. Yes, again. We haven't even beat the cold and some wicked tummy virus has settled in. I got one of those dreaded calls from daycare today. Even with the tylenol she's running a fever. She looks like she hasn't slept in days...just a sad Peanut. She'll be home tomorrow with me to chill out and terrorize the cat. Yes, we still have the cat. We're in limbo about her. That's all I got to say about that too.

I finished a pumpkin hat for the Preemie project. My experiment didn't work out as well as I'd hoped, but it'll still be cute on a tiny head. I don't think I'll be putting in the work to do another charted design on another one anytime soon. I have another one in the works. I'm hoping to have it done soon to send to Laura. Our highspeed connection is no more, so the photos will be few and far between. I'm hoping my posts don't follow that same path as well...life is really crazy for us right now. More than I ever thought it could be...oy.

For those of you interested, I'm so happy to tell you that Mr. Grant was released from the hospital this weekend and is home with his parents and older brothers. He had reflux surgery last week, but came through with flying colors. Keep him and his momma in your prayers...reflux is tough to deal with even with his surgery. My good friend Jennifer is also in need of some positive thoughts. Her new little Miss is scheduled to arrive 9/9 but it looks like Jenn's body isn't cooperating. The dreaded preeclampsia is starting to creep in. Everyday the little Miss stays put is a better day for her. If you have an extra spot on your prayers list, please include them too.

Ok, enough of my pity party...I'm going to knit a few rounds on my pumpkin hat and hit the bed. Peanut will be up early, I'm sure. Let's hope she feels better tomorrow. Happy knitting!

Someone call Comerica Park!

One of the many yahoo groups I belong to posted this link:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2002408641_stitchnpitch29m.html

The Tigers are far from being the Red Sox...maybe they should consider something of this caliber. I think we'd have to load the family up in the Merc for that game! The Mister is a bit embarrassed when I knit in public with him, maybe this would convince him it's cool.

I'm slowly, slowly working my way through the burial wrap for the Preemie Project. Small needles, thin yarn and tiny stitches do not for a fast project make. I seriously need some instruction on continental knitting. I feel like I have some serious knitting potential just waiting to be unlocked!!

I found some Caron simply soft at Walmart yesterday that would be perfect for a tiny Chippewa sweater. The Autumn Red and Jonquil might just be what we're looking for. I have a commissioned set to do for a CMU alum's baby due in September. I think the little guy needs this sweater. His WMU mom may not agree, though.

Since my posting with the Sunshine sweater disappeared, I'll post it again. The matching hat has been set aside for the week to work on charity knitting, but I'll need to pick up again come Sunday. The Baby Alison sweater is next up to be finished and shipped to Indianapolis. Then we'll move onto the tiny Chippewa set.


No new news on the house. We're still waiting, gathering info and trying to decide. Pepper is on borrowed time right now. She's having random accidents and we're just kind of at our wits end here. She's put a major dent in our savings account with the vet bills. I got in touch with her former owner about them taking her back. Our conversation included this from her, "I'll just be dropping her off at the humane society when I leave your house". Yeah, can't do that. We told her not to bother as that was something we could do ourselves. If any one has any ideas about bleeding heart vets willing to look at beautiful, sweet cats with an intense bladder infection for a discounted (or free) price, please let us know. She's just too wonderful to toss away. We're really at a major crossroads with her right now.

Very, very strange...

I posted a new entry yesterday and even had people leave comments about it. When I go into my blog today, yesterday's entry is now a draft that I began on Friday rather than the completed entry of yesterday. Gremlins in my blog? Considering the day I've had, I wouldn't be surprised.

Ever have those days where you feel like work is raining down on you and you'll never be able to keep up with it all. That's the kind of week I've been having at work. It's nothing big, just a lot of little things that I need to pay some attention to. I know that I have to work on Sunday, so maybe that'll offer some time to catch up. Mister hates when I work on the weekends, but I guess he'll just have to get over it.

Well, if my mystery post hadn't vanished, you'd know that I did score 2 3-skein packs of cotton-ease at Tuesday Morning. One in CandyBlue and another in Pineapple. I went back today and picked up another pack of the blue and one in Orangeade. That's a fun color name. It was all on my allowance, so Mister can't complain about it. Now that I've scored the orange yarn, I can try my hand at the hat experiment. Laura requested we do Halloween themed hats for the Preemie Project. At least I think it was Halloween and not just Pumpkin...guess I should check that..but anywho..Rather than doing a plain pumpkin hat, I think I'm going to try an orange hat with a pumpkin/bat/ghost charted on it. I found some charts on the web that I'm itching to try. They'll have to wait until next week, though.

This week I'm dedicated to creating at least one burial items for the Preemie Project. So far so good. I've cast on and am 7 rows into a burial wrap.

I'll add photos and links later...I wonder if my mystery post will return??