Yarn U v1.9, now with locations, Twitter handles...and Happy Halloween and a LIst of Hatty LInks

Rat in Beret Made from Berroco Vintage Yarn searches for new yarn

 

 

Rat stops to sniff...he smells a yarn he likes.

Just Another Day at Windy Knitty...Fiber-obsessed customer

Rats! The Blue Alpacas Sky Fine yarn is out of reach!

Close-up of Beret, Made by Tara, a Windy Knitty Customer of the Human Kind

I don't know how many rats wear hats, but I saw at least one of the stuffed 'faux' variety wearing one at Windy Knitty recently. He looked pretty fierce in a fashion-forward kind of way. I can't tell you too much about the pattern. I'm certain it was improvised, since most patterns aren't written for heads quite that small.

Now that it's Halloween,  here's a round-up of hat-related links:

• Pamoolah of Ravelry has a booklet of 1930s hat patterns at Etsy. If you like to knit with fingering weight yarn and you love hats, this might be up your alley and down your lane. Log into Ravelry to see to her own interpretations of these classics.
• I'm loving this how-to for hat stands, which aren't cheap readymade.
• La Fete de Catherinettes...once a big deal in France, now a 'niche' holiday that's fun to celebrate. Here's what happening in Chicago.
•  This quick-knit beret pattern has a 1930ish feel. Great price too!
• Version 1.9 of my app Yarn U is now live. What's new? Twitter handles and locations for yarn distributors.

Linky Friday (with Hats, of course!)

Crochet Beret by Jill (YarnOverChicago @ Ravelry) at Windy Knitty, Chicago

Beret Close-up, Dream in Color Classy Yarn

Jill H. teaches how to crochet this pattern at Windy Knitty, for the schedule, check here

This is a quick list of links I loved this week:

• Anthropologie's newest hat collection...The Fuzzy Beanie one is my favorite, and I want to recreate it on my needles. Any ideas, any one? Any one?
• The Zelda cloche from the latest Knitscene. Very 1920s. I might break down and buy this magazine. 
• This hat at Lorna's Laces is so much fun. The little tendrils are like hair...or dreadlocks. Perfect way to weather Chicago's fierce winds. Do it in a style!
• Vintage 1940s hat with corn. Yes, corn. It must have been owned by a Midwestern farmer's wife. Must have. 
• For chunky yarn lovers, I give you the Cozy Warm Hat over at the Purl Bee. Cute, hard to screw up on the needles. Totally fun.

I realize this is mostly a link list of knit hats. Maybe I'll mix it up more next time. Until then...have a hatty weekend!

Fabric of the Moment: Shaggy Suede, available at Vogue Fabrics

My favorite shaggy suede hat, made by me, at Windy Knitty

This fabric (one of more than 100 listed in my iPhone/iPad app Fabric U) is little known in the sewing world. If you like to sew, you know about fake fur. You might even know about faux sherpa fabric, the stuff of the retro World War II flight jackets. But shaggy suede? Probably not...even though it's virtually all over the RTW world. You'll see in cute children's jackets made by the Gap, or even a stylist coats like this one seen on the Sartorialist but it's not exactly shaking up the fashion scene even in Lucky Magazine or even Teen Vogue. Yet it's the coolest, most washable winter coat fabric out there. Here are some pros and cons for this fabric, also called sueded cuddle.

Pro:

• Doesn't need to be lined
• Machine washable
• Edges don't need to be finished; use pinking shears to finish

Con:

• Messy to sew with!
• Tad on the expensive side ($21 a yard)...make an expensive muslin first with cheap muslin
• Limited color selection

If you decide to bite the fabric bullet,  I would suggest renting a sewing room when you're cutting this fabric. Otherwise, you'll be seeing lint all over your house for months.  Maybe even a year.  Here are some pattern ideas:

• Kwik Sew 3390 (a hat and bag pattern)
• Vogue 8753 (jacket)
• Kwik Sew 3358 (jacket and hat)

Me? I've got a out-of-print Simplicity coat pattern that I want to use. Need to dig it out before snow falls!

Yarn U v1.8 now live...Linky Saturday

Louisa Harding Design

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some links to consider on this gorgeous Saturday:

• The Sunday pictorial hat, a premium for those who've purchased a Stitch in Time, vol. 2
• How to roll Sinamay, a hat fabric, in this month's Hat Talk
• Knit Picks' newest yarn, Stroll Glimmer, a fingering weight yarn perfect for vintage patterns
• Yarn U v1.8 is now live...now includes prices. Next up? Locations for various manufacturers
• Great selection of vintage hats at this Etsy seller. My fav? One made with petals made from petals.