Completely and totally obsessed. Which, when I think about it, is really crazy, given the fact that I rarely wear them. But Erin posted this tutorial, see, and I loved the way hers looked. And every other one I saw, for that matter. And I got to thinking, me being needle-challenged and all, maybe I could make that same pattern on a loom! I knew that it would be a chunkier knit, just by virtue of the fact that the pegs on the loom were larger than the #7 needles Erin used, but I was ok with that.
That thought consumed me for the better part of a month, I’ll admit, and I’d periodically cast on to one Knifty Knitter or another, trying one yarn or another, but always unraveling it part of the way through for one reason or another. I had to keep setting the project aside to work on Christmas gifts, but I kept coming back to it.
Finally, last week, I thought I had it figured out. I’d bought the 48-peg Purple Knifty Knitter because it had a smaller gauge than the other looms I had, and I switched from using worsted weight Malabrigo to the chunky weight (color: Mariposa). I learned how to make bobbles, and I figured out how to shape the crown (although I clearly could use some more practice with that technique). And with that, I finished my first Chunky Rose Hill Hat and took it off the loom.
In general, I was very happy, and after at least a dozen failed attempts I’d probably call this particular hat a success if not for one thing:
My head is not the size of a five-year-old’s. Ack.
The way I see it, my experience with this pattern has taught me a few different things. First, I think it needs to be worked in a solid color. And second, I either need to splurge on the 96-peg hat loom from Decor Accents (thereby giving me pretty much the same gauge as the original pattern), or I need to just suck it up and learn to knit the big girl way, LOL!
It’s funny, though. I’ve invested so much energy into the loom-knitting thing these past few months, I feel like I’m cheating, or giving up, if I learn to needle-knit. Instead I want to spend $36 on a new custom-made loom and prove that I don’t have to know how to use needles to make the cool knit patterns work, darnit! Is that weird?! I think I have an illness…
I love this story…and the photo is priceless. Even though the results did not come out quite as you had hoped, I personally applaud both the effort (been there, done that) and the willingness to share the results. Knit on girlfriend!
Heh, thanks, Suzanne! I’m determined to make that hat one of these days, one way or another 🙂
I am SO with you on this one! I am a Knifty Knitter who is intimidated by the “real thing.” I love my looms and find neat things to make on them! I haven’t even scratched the surface with those yet so I’m not sure I’m ready to move on to needles. I still need to figure out how to do the “flat” stitch but so far I still love doing scarves in the round that it doesn’t matter just yet. Haven’t done a hat but I ought to try since I will be needing one soon!
I love that you are obsessed like I get about a project, I do the same thing, though it’s often weeks or months before it comes to fruition. Not a bad thing really, I don’t think.
See what Pam has been blogging about: What Type of Blog Do You Have?
I think I want to try and stop thinking of “needle knitting” as the “real thing” and instead see it as an alternate means to the same end. It occurs to me that I’m starting to feel the same way about knitting looms as I am about Sculpey – both are marketed towards kids or towards people who can’t handle (or are afraid of) the professional-grade materials/tools, but it doesn’t mean that they can’t be used for beautiful, artsy things as much as their “grown up” counterparts can.
Maybe I just like to root for the underdog 😀
Ok I started loom knitting after reading your blogs. Ive never tried it any other way! I made my Grandma a hat and everyone was so impressed! I have had 2 requests for fingerless mittens. Do you have a loom pattern?? Thanks for inspiring me to use a loom!
See what Kashoan has been blogging about: Christmas Eve morning
That’s great! My mitten pattern is here. Enjoy!
I just bought a set of Kniffy Knitters plastic knitting looms in the clearance bin at Michael’s for $6, even had the hook still in the bag. No instructions though. I searched Youtube for vids on it and found a whole episode on Kitty Gritty that featured the looms and how to use ’em. They said cinching the hat at the top was fine and when I tried yesterday for my first practice hat it worked easy. A lot easier than decreasing I imagine!
Here’s the link… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6B-pMg0khs&feature=PlayList&p=07C080503D1475CE&playnext=1&index=55
But she casts on in a hard way and I found this method way easier: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xh-5xgV-oKY
It’s my new obsession too!
See what Shelley Noble has been blogging about: Our Christmas [Card] Story; 2008
I have to watch that episode – thanks for the link! I have cinched every other hat I’ve made, and on one of my first attempts at this particular hat, I also tried cinching. I didn’t like the way it looked – I think with this pattern, the shape of the crown is important.
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