chunky noggin

April 15, 2013


Don't let this beautiful smile fool you, I remember there was plenty of mischief behind that smile!

Chunky Noggin, a fast and easy free pattern by Marie Grace.  I used one ball of All Seasons Chunky, a new spring offering for Rowan.  Similar to All Seasons Cotton in every way except the weight, Rowan has taken their popular aran weight and beefed it up to bulky weight.  Knitted up it gave the same soft and bouncy hand and excellent stitch definition.  Even though it knits up at 10 stitches per 4 inches, the fabric still feels lightweight and creates a "lighter" bulky knit than other bulkys.  I'm thinking this will allow the garment not to sag as can sometimes happen with other bulky knits.  Being bulky, it just zips along, done in no time.

A few particulars: I knit with US10.5 with blunt bamboo Clover DPNs, no problems with splitting or slipping.  Chunky is multi plied and tightly twisted into an even round thick shape and is 60% cotton/40% acrylic.  It has bounce when knitting and makes fine, even, matte stockinette stitches.  Very, very soft, certainly soft enough for baby.  Chunky would make a great easy care baby blanket.  Minimal pilling.  Machine wash.  

As far as the aran weight All Seasons Cotton, I have been a fan for years.  My sweaters that are 6+ years old still look darn good.  I am very particular about a yarn being hard wearing, and won't use a yarn twice if I find my hard work looking like an old rag after a few washings.   I'm working up a post on how I go about choosing yarn, how I look for quality and making sure the yarn is right for the project.  I'm certainly not an expert on fiber, just have a lot to say as I am passionate about the stuff.  Well, you know that!

Modeling the chunky noggin on top of her pretty noggin is my friend's daughter Emily, who I've known since she was 2.   Now with children of her own, I took her away from a kiddie birthday party to make a few poses.  She looked so darn pretty in it I had to give it to her!

The hat was made in a beautiful ecru called Pebble.
I added a few lazy daisy stitches and French knots.


There is beautiful pattern support for Chunky in The All Seasons Chunky Collection, although any bulky weight pattern would work.   One last thing, I am crazy about white, and this line has one of the prettiest whites, a true bright white called Foam.  I ordered enough Foam to make Eos, gorgeous! Seriously need two more hands.  And sleep knitting.  I need to learn sleep knitting.




 Now for what's on the needles:

Summerspun in Covent Garden for Praline.

Rowan Baby Merino Silk DK for the Louisa Cape, come back tomorrow for the FO.

Now for what's OFF the needles, I almost hate to show this to you.   I've already ripped this out, it's in several balls now.  The cardi was not working for me.  The fit was not right, was loose around the neck, just an odd fit all around.  I thought I could save it by picking up my stitches for the plackets far into the edge, going quite close to the start of the lace pattern.  However when I simulated that with pins while trying it on, it pulled oddly under the arms and I was feeling like this yarn, this KSH Glamour yarn that I am in love with, was not being showcased at its best.  Neither was the pattern.  My sweaters have to fit, I am particularly nuts about that one little thing!  I was sad to see this go, but have a great idea for this yarn in the near future.

KSH is notorious for being difficult to rip.  Glamour is thankfully a bit easier,  one thing to be happy about!  Still, all that work, it breaks my knitter's heart to rip out all those tiny stitches.  Sad. Seems like nothing is right with this, my camera couldn't even capture the color correctly.  It's not this pink!  Ah well!



xoxo Kristen

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5 Comments

  1. Great hat Kristen! Eros seems to be a popular pattern. It's gorgeous! I so admire how much work you put into ensuri g your garments fit!!!

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  2. If you learn how to knit in your sleep, I'm going to have to request a sample of your DNA to clone!!! :-)

    LOVE the little hat! Those are so great in the winter for a fresh, fun look...or to cover up a bad hair day! :-)

    That's too bad that you put all that work into that cardigan and then it didn't work out. I'm sorry. The next one will be doubly great and totally make up for this one!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Emily looks adorable in the hat and I also love the hat but I really like The Chuncky Collection of foam white sweater. Looks beautiful......

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a shame about having to pull that cardigan back. I feel for you as its such beautiful yarn to knit with.

    Love the hat!

    ReplyDelete

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