hatandmittens

Felted Hat and Mittens

Crocheted using Montera yarn, which is a 50/50 blend of llama and wool (and so soft!) with one of Tom's 6.5 mm hooks (of course!), the set is warm and cozy. I had nearly four skeins - one skein of each color and bits of the other colors, and still have enough left over to make myself a nice scarf to wrap round me so my nose doesn't freeze too. These are super easy and quick to make - Saturday night I did the hat, Sunday night the mittens - and I am a novice at this!

For the hat, I chained 4, slipped to join, and then DC 8 to make a ring.
Ch 3, then 2 Dc in each St.
Ch 3 then 1 Dc in each St
repeat above two rows
Ch 3, *1 Dc, 2Dc*
Ch 3, 1 Dc
Ch 3, *1 Dc 4 times, 2Dc*

Then Ch 3, 1 Dc each row until it reaches just below your ears.

Ch 3, *1 Dc 4 times, 2 Dc*
Ch 3, 1 Dc
Repeat above two rows
Add another row of Dc
Ch 3, *1 Dc, skip one St*

I found the above row of decreases was a bit much and took some manipulation to get the band loose enough. I felted it in two trips through my - front loader - washing machine. The second trip made it a bit small, but some stretching and then placing it on a bowl and setting it next to the woodstove and voila - perfect fit.

The mittens:

Ch 13, Sc 12
Ch 1, Sc into back loop for 25 rows
whip stitch the two short ends together to form the cuff
Pick up 24 St and in a spiral, Sc 8 rows
Ch 5, Skip 5 St, Sc 4 more rows
Decrease at the sides and then do a plain row - 3 times
Decrease every row until you have 10 stitches left - adjust the decreases so that the mitten will be proportionate to your hand. Whip stitch closed on the inside of the mitten.
For the Thumb, work three rows of 14 Sc, and then decrease one stitch on outside of thumb, followed by a plain row - three times, then two rows with the decrease again. Whip stitch the thumb closed on the inside. And again, it took two trips through the washer. I could do a third trip through, but I wanted the mittens loose. Ever since the bout with Fifth Disease this fall, my fingers are not the same. Circulation doesn't seem to be present in some of my finger tips, particularly my one thumb, and in the cold, snug mittens or gloves make my fingers ache.