custom order completed

These are the front and back views of two custom order pillows that I was asked to knit via my etsy shop - I just finished both of them yesterday. Made both out of Lion Brand Thick & Quick, and heavily cabled too, which I think look fabulous. 

Love, love, love cables. On anything and everything. 

finished a vest for my dad

Made a vest for my dad:

I hope he likes it... I'm going to gift it with the shawl for my mom when they arrive for their vacation here next month. I used a basic vest pattern with pockets, and intergrated the cables in with it, because I love making cables. There's just something abundantly classic about making cables, they're so fun, and they're so nice to look at. Whenever I see cabled anything, I automatically think of those aran sweaters from Ireland or something. :)
Also, I finished a shawl for myself:

It's not the full picture, obviously, but the center of the shawl... so you get the idea. The pattern is called Gail (aka nightsongs) and I used a yarn called Schoppel-Wolle Crazy Zauberball, which is one I discovered @ my LYS that I thought had a really fun colourway to it.
As much as I hate knitting lace (hate it!) I must admit that I love the way it turns out. I think I need a good break from knitting lace for a while! ... I have a wedding that I'm attending in July, so that's where I plan on wearing this shawl. I just need to find the right dress to go with it!

his black cabled hat

Finished measurements: approximately 18.5” (47.5cm) around, 7.5” (19cm) tall lying flat and unblocked. The hat stretches to fit pretty much any size adult head. This hat fits a regular adult sized head (roughly 21" circumference) although does stretch.

Materials needed:
- 1 skein Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick (80% acrylic, 20% wool; 108yds/98m, 170g/6oz skein); colour pictured: Charcoal
- 9mm/US 13 circular needles, 12”
- a set of 4 9mm/US 13 double pointed needles
- 1 yarn marker
- 1 cable needle

Note that there’s enough yarn in 1 skein to make 2 adult sized hats, with a little bit left over. Pattern adjusted for a tween sized head is at the bottom of the pattern.

Tension: in stockinette: 9 sts, 12 rows = 4” (10cm)

Instructions:CO 50 sts, join.
Ribbing: *K1, P1, K2, P1* around, placing marker at beginning. Repeat for 3 more rows.

For cabled part of hat: (repeat these 8 rows twice)Rows 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, & 8: p2, * k6, p4* around to last 8 sts, end in k6, p2. (There are 5 sections of k6, where the cables will end up being.)Row 3: p2, *place 2 sts on cable needle and hold in front, k2, k2 on cable needle, k2, p4* around to last 2 sts, end in p2.
Row 7: p2, *k2, place 2 sts on cable needle and hold in back, k2, k2 on cable needle, p4* around to last 2 sts, end in p2.

To decrease: (this will become the third cable repeat in pattern, to be worked over a decrease to finish)
Continue following cabled pattern rows 1-8, and switch to dpn’s when needed. Make rows 1, 2, 3, 5, & 7 as above, adjusting for the decreases indicated below; knit the knit stitches, purl the purl stiches, and work cable in rows 3 and 7.

Decrease rows will be incorporated into rows 4, 6, and 8 as follows:
Row 4: p2tog, *k6, p2, p2tog* around to last 2 sts, end in p2tog.
Row 6: p1, *k6, p2tog, p1* around to last 2 sts, end in p2.

Row 8: sl1, *k6, p2tog* around. Purl last stitch tog with first stitch (this row’s sl1). Move stitch marker to new end.

To close/end hat:
Next row: knit the knit sts, purl the purl sts
Next row: *k2, k2tog k2, p1* around.
Next row: repeat row 3 of cable pattern, but change cable pattern to k2, place 2 on cable needle in front, k1, k2 from cable needle and continue around.
Next row: *k2tog, k1, k2tog, p1* across.
Next 2 rows: k2tog around.5 sts remain after last row.
Break yarn and weave through remaining sts with a crochet hook or darning needle, pull tight to close and weave in ends.

To make a smaller hat to fit a tween, with a roughly 18"-19" head circumference, make the following pattern adjustments:

CO 45 sts instead of 50. Do the ribbing as is in pattern.

For rows 1, 2, 4, 6, & 8: *p1, k6, p3* around instead of *p2, k6, p4*. Therefore, throughout hat you'll be purling 5 sts between each cable instead of 6.

For the decrease rounds: skip the 'Row 4' instruction and continue with the pattern as is.

This ought to make a tighter fitting hat for smaller heads.

© 2008 by Sabrina Thompson - original design and pictures. Please do not sell pattern or materials made thereof, or copy my pictures. Pattern cannot be distributed for sale, or as a 'free pattern' promotional tool for selling yarn or knitting supplies. If posting Finished Items on personal blogs, please link back to this blog and pattern, thanks. :D