Two quick presents!

What happens when some birthdays come and you did not have time to go shopping but, luckily you have a lot of yarn at home and a pair of free evenings?

That you can plan two quick presents....

What I know is that I can knit a little hat in a pair of hours, so, when I had to decide what to do I when straight to check whose hat patterns I already had and which of those could be paired with the yarn (Smart) I already had....

The first pattern I chose was the Quick Cable Slouch Hat by Azure and available for free here: http://azknits.azure-m.com/search/label/free%20pattern

I knitted it in almost one hour and an half and I was very happy with the result! I had even some more yarn so I added a little bag... I found very nice and quick at the same time the Petit bag pattern ( here ) by Pierrot 

The hat was knit with a 5mm needle, while the bag pattern suggested a 3.25mm needle, anyway I decided to work it in the round.... I casted on the starting stitches in a double row, so that they were the base of the bag, and then I built the bag in the round from this base... the first few rows where made in 6mm needle, then, after the first cable, I passed to 5.5mm needle and, near the change of pattern, after the last cable, I changed with the 5mm needle... I wanted tho make it with a trapeze shape and I'm glad it came nice. The only doubt is if to add even a pompom to the hat or not... I think I will let the girl chose!

Second present, second hat!

This hat is made on the base of the Kid's Cotton Neat Beret (here) by Pierrot. I had this lovely pink yarn of Alessandra Filati - Rugiada and I decided to add to it a little movement with a white yarn and a pompom. I love pompoms for little girls....
The pattern was easy and I added this little fair isle motif on the widest part of the hat so to make it match with the pompom. I used 3.5mm  needle for the edge and 5mm needle for the body of the hat.

To tell the truth, next time I will chose a yarn that makes more contrast for fair isle...white and pale pink are too similar for little motifs, anyway I liked how it came out!