Miss Bennet, it is the end!

What to tell if not just that finally I've finished Miss Bennet! I loved it and I started it some months ago, but I had to stop in the summer as it was too hot to work with wool. I could not wait to see it finished and now that the end finally came I'm soooooooooooo proud of my lilac sweater!

First I casted on 220 stitches, but it was too much, so I started again with 180 stitches and it seems better.I divided them in 31-28-62-28-31. When at the wrap and turn point I made it on 8 stitches base instead than 10 stitches. On marker C I increased 6 times instead of 5.

Then I went of 'till I tried it on and I thought it was the right size for me (I have not taken note of how many rows or increases I did, but surely more than the ones of the original pattern as I'm not a teenager like the beautiful girl in the photos!).

When arrived to the bust I made more decreases 'till I arrived at my waist, always trying the sweater on.

Then started to increase. when  I was near the finishing length I decided not to do the 28 seed stitch rows, but to stop the seed stitch at 14. Then I made a bigger garter stitch part, increasing the needle from 2,50mm to 3,00mm and at the end to 3,50mm so to have a loose bind off. It worked nicely!

Almost forgetting to say that when alternating seed stitch rows and stockinette stitches rows I made them 14 and 14, same number, even if the pattern suggested a 15 and 14 division.

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!