Whitby elf hat

I called this a whitby elf hat as it has been made for my littlest man's first ever Whitby goth weekend, and November on the north yorkshire coast can be pretty nippy!I guess this would fit about a 1 to 4 year old, it fits my ten month old perfectly but he is rather chunky. (eta it turns out this hat is very stretchy so will fit a much larger child too)

I used 2 balls of dk wool at once, one black and one variagated, I used escape but I guess you could use a flat colour. Or if you wanted I guess you could just use one strand of chunky, but I like the effect from 2 balls.

I used 6mm needles and started by casting on 68 stiches, using the two yarns as one. Then I worked 8 rows in 2x2 rib. Staying on the same needles I knit a row and evenly decreased by 5 stitches across the length of the row, leaving me with 63 stitches. Purled next row, then worked in stocking stitch(knit row, purl row) until piece measured 10cm. On the next row I then knit 7, then knitted 2 together, and repeated until the end of the row. 56 stitches. I continued in stocking stitch for another 5 cm, then worked the next row by knitting 6, the knitting 2 together (k2tog) and repeating across the row. This kind of gives the basic pattern for the shape.

So from there I worked in ss for 5cm, then k5,k2tog for row, ss for 5cm, then k4, k2tog for row, ss for 5cm, then k3, k2tog for row, ss for 5m, then k2, k2tog for row, ss for 5cm, the k1, k2tofg for row. At this point I changed a little, Ithink I worked about 3cm then I k1, k2tog for row, then I did another 2cm and then k2tog across row, finishing by 2m of ss then cast off. Stitched up the seam, and that was it. I'm considering adding a little pompom but not decided yet.

The end of mine is all black because I ran out of the variagated wool, so added a second strand of black, but if I make this again I will make sure I have enough! Hopefully that makes sense if you want to have a go.

How on earth?

I have just received an email from the headmistress of the school I will want to send my children to. This is someone I have never met at a school I have not yet applied to. It is about therapy, counselling and additional support for adoptive families within the school. The email said she thought it may be of interest to me.

How on earth?!?!!!

I think it is the right school for us, but my brain is now wurring!

10 months

The time really is flying. My little newborn is now 10 months old. He really is a wonderful little boy. He loves playing with his big brother, although we have given him the nickname destuctorbaby as poor N never gets to build anything without it being pulled apart by his little brother. N is getting so big and is really very patient. We went through a really hard patch the moment he turned 2, I couldn't leave them alone together even for a second, but we have got through the other side lovelier then ever. He has a real mischeivious side but a really gentle side too.

As for me and my constant search to find time to be crafty, this week I have been dyeing. I had my first go at grad dyeing a wrap, and although it isn't perfect it isn't bad either.




Knitting is still going slowly but surely, and one day I will paint again, but it is all tiny bits which I enjoy and bring a bit of colour to my week. And when all else fails there is always my family friendly craft of baking.

Why have I not tried this before?

Have you tried beetroot and chocolate cake? It is one of those things that has been floating around for a few years but I have only just got round to having a go. Oh my it is good, so moist and yummy! I used this recipe but there are lots about. This one only uses cocoa as opposed to actual chocolate and that is part of the reason I chose this recipe. I used slightly less sugar then it suggests, and I used sunflower oil instead of corn oil but it still turned out great. I then topped them with a cream cheese frosting and a bit of grated chocolate.

I may not have much time for other crafty things, but baking is an art that has a special place in my heart and stomach.