The Journey~ Michele made many!

I am honored that my Journey Hat has been so well received on Ravelry. (as of today, 117 and counting!)

Michele made 12 of them! She is michelou on Rav....

Now that is quite the Journey!

Journey Hat Beaded Variation~

How to add beads to embellish your Journey Hat! (base pattern here)

You will need an even number of beads. If using smaller beads (as in pink hat below), you will want to use more than if they are large (such as with the lady bugs or skulls shown here).

It will make your life easier if the hole in the bead is large enough to accommodate both strands of yarn. Beads are added to the yarn right before they are knit in (see instructions below). This way if they are tight on the yarn, you don't have to fight them while knitting the entire brim, etc.

Plan to space your beads evenly spaced among 96 stitches. (Simple math... if using 8 beads- they will be placed every 12 stitches, if using 6 beads- place every 16 st, if using 12 beads- place every 12 st, etc., etc.)

Start the basic pattern and knit the brim... I typed the added instructions in RED below.
You also need the original pattern.... (printable link).

Materials: ~
~ 1 skein of worsted weight yarn, approx. 210+ yards (knit from both ends of the wound skein)
**A DK or light worsted will work well also!
~ Size 8, 16 inch circular needle
~ Size 10 1/2, 16 inch circular needle
~ Size 10 1/2 dpn
~ Tape measure
~ Yarn sized needle
~ Beads!

Brim~
Cast 64 st onto size 8 circ. needle.
K3P1 rib for 2 inches (approx. 11 rows)

Body~
Switch to 10 1/2 circ. needle.
Round 1, Purl
Round 2, Knit
Round 3, Increase round, *K2, M1*, continue * entire round, increasing to 96 st. (M1 by picking up and knitting the bar between stitches)
Break the yarn, string your beads on, and knot it back together. Leave ends long enough to weave in when the hat is completed. (Tip-- use a tiny crochet hook to pull the yarn through the beads. It's hard to find a yarn needle with an eye small enough to fit through your beads). It looks best if you can pull both strands of yarn through the bead.
ADDED ROUND~ Knit~When it is time to add a bead, simply slide down to your needle and keep knitting.
Round 4, Purl

From now on follow the original pattern as written. (printable link).

Be sure to send me pictures of your masterpieces!

Black Cat Journey Hat ~ Seed Stitch Top Variation

A custom order hat, knit from hand dyed black alpaca. It reminds me of my black cat~ she looks black until the sun shines on her, then she is really a dark dark brown.

I knit the top in a seed stitch, which I feel adds interest when using a solid color.

(I still need to write up instructions on where/how to add the beads~ doing this in a separate post)

Click here for the link to the basic Journey Hat Pattern.

Seed Stitch variation~

~Knit the Journey Hat pattern as written through round 12.

~ You need to knit a seed stitch in the round on an odd number of stitches. This means you will have an odd number when you begin decreasing, so once you place your markers, the first section of stitches will have one more stitch than the others. (I know, this may throw some of you retentive knitters into a fritz, think of it as creative therapy! ) Just ignore it and knit your decreases as if you had an even amount.

~Round 13~ M1 , *P1, K1* , repeat entire round. (97 stitches)

~Round 14 and on... Knit in seed stitch until your hat measures 5 inches from the edge, then begin your decrease rounds as follows...

Decreases~

In seed pattern, place a marker every 12 stitches (remember, your first section will have 13 st)
When decreasing in seed stitch, you need to knit (or purl) 3 stitches together. This will keep your seed pattern from looking all wonky. If the first of these 3 stitches is a knit stitch, K3tog, if the first of these 3 stitches is a purl stitch, P3tog. Got it?

To keep things simple, I wrote the decrease instructions as KNIT (K), but make sure you keep to the seed pattern.

~Decrease round 1~ *K9, K3tog* Continue in this pattern entire round.
~Knit 3 rounds normally
~Decrease round 2~ K8, K3tog* Continue in this pattern entire round.
~Knit 3 rounds normally
~Decrease round 3~ K7, K3tog* Continue in this pattern entire round.
~Knit 2 rounds normally
Continue to in this manner and knit 2 rounds normally between each decrease row until you have 9 stitches left on your needles. Switch to your dpn when you feel it is necessary.
Thread needle and connect all remaining stitches and secure, closing the hole.

meow!

Journey Hat (Sock Yarn Version) Prototype #1

" Either you run the day or the day runs you. " ~ Jim Rohn

Well that sums up the week I have been having. I feel 'run', manipulated by my schedule and my obligations. Of course I am the one who sets my schedule and commits to my obligations.
It is what it is. I love my life, but tire myself out. I wouldn't change a thing about it, except maybe make more time, but no one can do that.

So here is what I have been doing in my downtime.
The first prototype of the Journey Hat made from Sock Yarn!

Modeled by my Ann~ who will be 10 on Monday!

The hat came out smaller than I anticipated, and will fit a child head around 18-19 inches.
Next hat will fit 20-21 inch head and should have more slouc.
Knit from double stranded fingering weight superwash merino.

Off to shop for birthday paraphrenalia!

Double the Journey~

Here are two more Journey Hats! I am addicted. obsessed.
I want to try every combination I can think of. But I shouldn't really. reality you know. Reality aside, I am still going. In my spare-time. down-time.
(I have made two more since these two that I haven't photographed yet. I will post them soonish.)

Drum Roll......

Acid Grasshopper Skull Journey Hat

Knit from my Acid Grasshopper BFL ~
(as of this posting there are still a few skeins available in the shop)
Email me and I will sell you some of the wooden skulls too!
AND
Denim Diva Journey Hat
Knit from a chunky merino I painted.
(Chunky = double stranded worsted)Off to spin more orders!

Handspun Journey v1

This is my first attempt at making my Journey Pattern from some of my handspun.

Handspun used was spun by me like 3? years ago and was a scarf I frogged to use the yarn because I LOVE it so. Yarn was a 2 ply worsted to chunky, not as bulky as most of my yarns. See the mohairy aura? love that.

I am still working on a version for one skein of my typical bulky to super bulky handspun. The trouble I run into is that it is too thick to make the lace rows, so I need to modify the lace pattern to accommodate the bulkiness.

I MODIFIED the pattern as follows– and these are loose instructions mainly for my notes.

Changed cast on stitches to 56.

Kept to pattern until decreases…. changed the purl 2 rows to Purl 1 row between the first 2 decreases....

and about half way through the top portion of the hat I started to decrease every row as it was getting too heavy. This made the top more flat, like a beret. I like this though.

I am supposed to be spinning... but woke with a headache and the meds made me floopyish. meh. Afraid to knit, that I will screw it up, so here I am dibbling around on the time-sucking-computer. haha.

K-- spanking myself soundly and sending me back to the wheel.

ooh-- hat on needles is Acid Grasshopper green with wooden skull beads! almost done. Pics soon.

Ladybug Ladybug~

Ladybug Journey Hat~

A beaded version of my free Journey Hat Pattern...

Modeled by my Eve.

When selecting beads for your hat, make sure that your yarn will fit in the holes, preferably through BOTH strands of yarn (this hat is knit with double stranded worsted or dk yarn).

The Ladybug Hat hat was knit from Malabrigo worsted merino in their Amoroso colorway, which is one of my favorites. (slurp). The ladybug beads were from my stash.

I am considering putting some Journey Beaded kits on the site, which would come with yarn, beads, and printed a printed pattern and beadign instructions along with embellishment ideas. Do you think that is a good idea? It would save you time finding the right yarn and bead combo that would actually work, both asthetically and functionally.

I am working on 2 more beaded versions for prototypes and am writing up some simple instructions on how to string and manage the beads and how to accomodate them into the pattern.

Beaded OCD....

Wait-- that is a GREAT skein name (writing down).

I am having an obsessive knit-attack. Making Journey Hats.
Of course I have a list a mile long and a tight schedule created to induce maximum production for my summer shows. Plus orders to fill-- which I am working on in between knit fits.
Spin, knit, spin, knit. I spin for a rush of time, then knit for a rush of time. Seems to be working well, I feel all relaxed and satisfied.

OH-- I almost forgot-- I created a new page in the shop that features yarns that will work well with The Journey Hat pattern! Some are my hand dyed yarns and some are handspun from the amazing spinners represented on MW.

Here are shots of the latest hat I completed...
It is knit from my Burgundy Bubbles Alpaca. I added beads, which are very very subtle in this hat. They add a feminine sparkle. I am working on some pattern variations with instructions on how to add the beads.

Modeled by Jackie Sparkles.

Journey Hat

The Journey Hat

(because it's all about the journey)

~Scroll down for detailed images and yarn specs~

© 2009 Reenie Hanlin

Here it is!
My interpretation of a Free People hat from a year or so ago.
I knit pile of these, working out the math, then put it away for a year. Recently it caught my attention again, and now here it is!

Works up best in a painted yarn (in my opinion) , but also beautiful in a solid.
Scroll down to see more images knit in different yarns.

Hat is knit holding 2 strands of worsted yarn together to make knitting faster and to make the color combos even more spectacular. Simply knit from both ends of the wound skein.
Different yarn fibers will give you a variety of 'slouch'. For example, a bamboo blend yarn will be slouchier than 100% wool, because it is loftier and lighter. make sense?

The Journey Hat

Materials: ~
~ 1 skein of worsted weight yarn, approx. 210+ yards (knit from both ends of the wound skein)
**A DK or light worsted held double will work well also!-- or a single strand of a chunky yarn**
~ Size 8, 16 inch circular needle
~ Size 10 1/2, 16 inch circular needle
~ Size 10 1/2 dpn
~ Tape measure
~ Yarn sized needle

Brim~
Cast 64 st onto size 8 circ. needle.
K3P1 rib for 2 inches (approx. 11 rows)

Body~
Switch to 10 1/2 circ. needle.
Round 1, Purl
Round 2, Knit
Round 3, Increase round, *K2, M1*, continue * entire round, increasing to 96 st.
Round 4, Purl
Round 5, Lace round *YO twice, K3tog*, Continue in this pattern entire round.
Round 6, *K, Kbl, K* repeat entire round (Kbl means Knit in back loop)
Round 7, Knit
Round 8, Purl
Round 9, Lace round *YO twice, K3tog*, Continue in this pattern entire round.
Round 10, *K, Kbl, K* repeat entire round
Round 11, Knit
Round 12 and on, continue to purl until hat measures 5 inches from the edge .

Decreases~
Place a marker every 12 stitches.
*P10, P2tog*, Continue in this pattern entire round.
Purl 2 rounds normally
*P9, P2tog*, Continue in this pattern entire round.
Purl 2 rounds normally
*P8, P2tog*, Continue in this pattern entire round.
Purl 1 round normally.

Repeat the decrease rounds, purling 2tog before each marker with just 1 normal round in between each decrease row until you have 8 stitches remaining, switching to dpn when necessary.
Thread needle and connect all remaining stitches and secure, closing the hole.

Kbl= means knit in the back loop of the stitch (normally you knit in the front loop).. the stitch created by the second yarn over will be backwards. Knitting in the back of the loop will twist it around.
M1= means Make One, and it creates an increase. I do this by picking up the bar between stitches and knitting in the back of it. There are many ways to M1... choose your favorite.

Knit from Material Whirled Muse Hand Dyed alpaca in Selective Dementia colorway

Knit from Material Whirled Muse Hand Dyed merino/bamboo in Amaryllis colorway~

Knit from Cascade 220 Heathers in Galaxy colorway~

Test knit by Ruth in a painted alpaca from her stash~

If you are on Ravelry, go here to see almost 50 version of The Journey Hat.

They are spectacular!

Not on Ravelry? GO JOIN NOW... it will rock your knitting world!

After you join come and friend me.