Balmoral Bonnet

[Aspiringloser]

I've taken a long hiatus from kiltmaking. I've always wanted to learn to knit for making my own hose. A friend bought me a learn to knit book and I've gone batshit crazy for it. Usonian recommended this pattern and it was well worth it. This was my first time knitting in the round. I didn't knit a gauge, just went for it on the medium size. It came out huge and I was worried but at the same time had little expectation as it is still practice. After two wash loads to felt it, I think the texture is fine and the size is good. We will see after it dries. I used Patons Classic Wool in the color Moss Heather. I don't plan on putting tails on this one. I'll post again after the band is on and it's finished.
Paul.

[GM445]

I like the look so. don't be shy to share the pattern.......

[Aspiringloser]

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/libr...almoral-bonnet
You can thank Usonian for this one. Had he not posted about the ones he's made, I'd probably never tried it.

[pbutts]

How funny.....I was just looking at that pattern yesterday. It's a $3 or $4 download, so how can you go wrong. How much knitting did you do before you started this project? I've done the wonder knitter garter ties and have been think about hitting the craft store for another project before break is over......

[Pleater]

Be sure that you don't buy a machine washable yarn - if you want to make felt then it has to be the right sort of wool.

Having loads of yarn I sell some from time to time and in recent years have had to disappoint people wanting to make things to felt, as I deliberately sought out washable wool.

One woman took the leftover yarn from a wine red jersey I made for myself and was very upset when the other yarns she used with it felted, and it did not, making a very peculiar looking lumpy thing. It was a 'Superwash' yarn, and even boiling had not made it shrink.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

[Aspiringloser]

It was $6.95 when I downloaded it and worth every bit of it. I'd knit several beanies and I'm working on a simple pattern afghan. I'd never knit in the round. I had to look up the SSK stitch as it wasn't in my book but other than that, it was pretty easy. I wasn't sure how to cast on the two bridge stitches after the three rows of garter stitch for the band. I just twisted the yarn over the needle to mimic knit stitches and it seemed to work out okay. And as Anne mentioned and the instructions as well, don't get machine washable yarn. I didn't want to risk it not felting properly so I didn't even buy a yarn with any synthetic content at all.

[usonian]

Oh, very nice! I picked up a skein of that very color not too long ago with no real purpose in mind; it's just a nice earthy blend of colors. Looks really nice felted!

[Aspiringloser]

The green seems to really come out after you felt it. Note to self: If trying to match the ribbon to the color of the bonnet, take the finished, felted bonnet back to the store with you to pick out your ribbon. The closest match I found in the store using the yarn itself doesn't seem to be as good a match after felting. I made the little "nib" on this one. I had to look up how to knit I-cord. I didn't have any 10.5 DPNs so I used 7's for the I-cord. Seemed to work out okay. Thanks again for posting this pattern!
p.s. I wish they sold that particular yarn in bigger skeins. I had to buy two and barely used the second one.

[usonian]

Not sure if I linked to them in any of my other balmoral threads, but on my hats I used petersham ribbon from Judith M Millinery Supply for the band - it looks like grosgrain but it has a flexible edge that better lends itself to conforming to curves. It has the added bonus of being cotton/viscose instead of 100% polyester, which is pretty much all you can find grosgrain-wise.

Good to know about the amount of yarn needed for a solid-color hat. On my first balmoral, I used just shy of one skein of yarn for the crown; I guess it was the black-white-red dicing that made the difference.

[Thomas H]

Very NICE , Balmoral - wow great job , if you were going to make one and sell it - How much would you sell one for ? just wondering, as I can not knit .
Thank you