The hat saga-

[craftylady1956]

My mom taught me to knit around the same time as crochet-I was about 8 years old. Knitting to me is slower and so I never really did it much.

 

About a month ago-I found this fun hat to knit. I figured if I tried it and it came out ok-then I may make more for Christmas gifts etc.

 

Pattern called for DPN and/or circular needles. I tried no less than 4 times on the circular needles and each time got to about the same point and messed up and ended up frogging it each time. To me the circulars are so hard to work on.

 

I found DPN and started on them--going much much better for me....been working and passed my 'struggle spot" --was so proud of myself. Last night I realized that I guess the needles are not the size I needed as the hat will be much too small--BIG UGH.

The DPN weren't marked anywhere for a size....I am so mad at myself but still want to make this hat!!

[mva5493]

keep trying! sometimes it takes a few tries to become clear. I just finished a hat pattern I was testing on ravelry. I tried with several mistakes to use circular needles earlier this year (I wanted to try socks) I did eventually get it going only to realize after more than half way through I was doing the pattern wrong. I found a video on you tube for magic loop socks and completed one using that method. I am suffering from one sockitis now so not sure when the second will be finished. But the hat that I just finished yesterday was done using both magic loop and dpns. I used the dpns for the k1 p1 ribbing, the rest of the hat was done using magic loop. There are errors, but I am happy with the overall finished hat. And I learned something new in the process. There are a couple of pics of my had on my blog.

http://bythehookcreations.blogspot.com/

[HappyOldCro]

I can appreciate the circular problem. I never liked the cabled hooks/needles for anything except tunisian crochet of a large afghan. I don't know why they don't mark the DPN needles. Seems they could paint it somewhere, but that is why I like my hook/needle gauge. The plastic ones are cheap and they always come in handy.

[mva5493]

I can appreciate the circular problem. I never liked the cabled hooks/needles for anything except tunisian crochet of a large afghan. I don't know why they don't mark the DPN needles. Seems they could paint it somewhere, but that is why I like my hook/needle gauge. The plastic ones are cheap and they always come in handy.

 

I have several of those gauges, they are cheap enough and I have inherited a few with yarn lol. I keep one in my notions pouch in my project bag.

[HomekeepingGran]

Lorraine, I sometimes find it takes a few false starts before things smooth out in a pattern. I have a hat on the needles, too, and in my case I'm pretty sure I chose a wrong yarn for it to begin with. It probably needs to be fogged and something else used since it just isn't looking right. The other thing I need to do is use markers. If your hat has lace patterning markers can really help. That way you can easily check small sections for correctness before moving on. I hope you get it the way you want!

[craftylady1956]

Thanks all--I have put the hat aside for now until I can find size 5 dpn.

 

I live in a really small town with a VERY understocked yarn dept...

 

For now I am making a crochet dolphin afghan for my DS's girlfriend..she lost both parents a few weeks ago and she is in school to be a marine biologist and loves dolphins.