Dreiecke

This was a good weekend project.  It is Dreiecke by Shannon Cook of Very Shannon and it’s extra special to me because it involves two people whose blogs I love to read.  They also happen to be  Ravelry friends.  I bought the Indy Hayden yarn from Abi (spiderwomanknits on Ravelry) of Red Comb Farm that was spun from her own alpaca.

The pattern was a gift from Shannon (luvinthemommyhood) that came just as I was considering what I would knit with only 130 yards of alpaca/ wool blend.  Perfect timing.  Dreiecke knits up fast using the  magic loop technique.  I really prefer this method to doublepoints- no lost stitches.  The raised triangular pattern keeps the rounds interesting all the way through and the finished hat is truly unique.

I like to take photos of the yarn before I get started on a project, then document the work along the way.  How’s this for a knitting project “before” shot?

They are Hayden and Indy, the yarn’s namesake, and I must say they make great yarn.  I love the soft fawn color of the alpaca and the tweedy flecks of wool spun with it.  It looks like warmth.

My only mod was to cast on 4 less stitches than the pattern called for because most hats fall off of my head. It may not have been necessary to make the ribbing tighter, but I didn’t feel like ripping back to fix it later. Then, on the first triangle pattern round, I increased 4 stitches evenly (one after every 20 stitches) in pattern.

Though alpaca may not give quite as much stitch detail as other yarns, it has a fuzzy warm, winter vibe. It’s also very soft to touch.

This is the point in my post where I usually go into image overload because I can. And I love this girl. I know they’re overexposed, but all of that sun!

Dreiecke is a good example of how my life has improved through my Ravelry membership.  I’m not trying to make it sound like Ravelry is the answer to meaning in life.  Everyone knows that’s 42.  But it just adds a creative, friendly boost to my day.  I can go days without checking Facebook or Blogger, but I always check out what’s happening on Ravelry.  I’ve gained ideas, advice on projects, inspiration, groups to knit with, and met some really friendly, interesting people I never would have known otherwise.  Everything about this hat, even my learning to use magic loop, came from that site and it’s active members.  It is a knit as warm and inviting as the community that inspired it.

(more on my Ravelry and my Flickr)

Okay, I’m finished with my love fest; you can go about your day.