Easy In-the-Round Ribbed Hat - Beginner Knitting Project - First Grade Curriculum

This week in our First Grade Curriculum, many children (and their parents!) are learning how to knit in the round. For those of you teaching your child to knit this year, I recommend using size 10 circular knitting needles and bulky weight yarn for this easy ribbed hat pattern. 

This simple pattern is a wonderful way to teach your child to learn to knit in the round while following a pattern with more than one stitch. It also knits up very fast, making it an enjoyable project for both children and adults. 

I had purchased a pom pom maker a long time ago and finally got to use it. This hat will look very cute with one or two of them added when it's done. I'll post photos when I finish it but thought I'd share it with you now if you and your child would like to knit along with us! 

Be sure to familiarize yourself with how to 'join in the round' before trying to teach your child and remember to have patience. It is very hard to learn a new skill and there is no rush. It isn't easy teaching children how to knit but take your time and keep trying.. they will get it!

Here's the pattern:

Easy Knit in the Round Ribbed Hat

Supplies Needed:

Size 10 Circular Knitting Needles 16" in Length 

(length matters to be able to make the proper sized hat)
Bulky Yarn (I used this amazing Filges Plant Dyed Wool Yarn... it's my absolute favorite yarn and it comes in so many nice colors)

Cast on 90 stitches 

Place a marker, then join in the round – before doing this, be absolutely sure your stiches are not twisted. Look carefully making sure all loops are facing the same direction on your needles before joining the row together.

K2, P2 to marker

Continue K2, P2 around, making ribbed pattern until hat measures approximately 9”. Be careful not to get off pattern. The knits should go into knits and the purls should go into purls, all the way around.

To close up the hat:

K2, P2 together to marker

K2, P1 to marker

K2 together, P1 to marker

K1, P1 to marker

Continue K2 together all the way around until there are only two stitches left on the needle.

Finish off, pull yarn through last stitch and weave into hat. 

Add pom-poms if desired to top or with braids on each side. 

7 Simple Snowflake Patterns For Every Kind of Crafter

Winter is a perfect time to start a fire, make a hot cup of tea and pull out your crafting supplies. And with some snow approaching this weekend in Connecticut, it was a perfect night to make some pretty crocheted snowflakes. 

I complied a list of 7 Simple Snowflake Patterns that are fun, easy, free and will appeal to every type of DIY crafter. Knitting, crochet, felting, embroidery, paper, beads and fabric are all included here.  Dig out your stash and see what you can make!

Many of these snowflakes would make perfect gift toppers, ornaments and decorations.  If you decide to try one out, be sure to pop back over and leave a link in the comments. 

Enjoy the Snow - Real or Homemade! 

Pretty Snowflake Crochet Pattern (the one I made tonight here:)

 Easy Cross-Stitch Snowflake Pattern

Needle Felted Snowflake Pattern

Felt Snowflake Pattern and Banner

Paper 3D Snowflake Pattern

Pretty Beaded Snowflakes

Fabric Snowflake Star Pattern

((Yarn Along))

Well sort of.  The idea behind Yarn Along is to post a photo or photos of what you are knitting/crocheting and reading.  Unfortunately, although I have so many beautiful books I could have thrown in this photo, I have to be honest that I've found very little time to read at all and rarely do.

In either case, I have been busy with yarn so I guess that counts for something :)

On Monday, Brian and I went into NYC to the Natural Museum of History and then the Billy Joel concert.

Both were amazing and the train ride back and forth gave me a good three hours of time to work on Maia's Roselette Top.

I already made one for Brianna and I promised Maia one as well so I'm happy it is coming along.

In addition to Maia's top, I'm almost done putting the finishing touches on this sweet Baby Hooded Sweater for my neighbor's baby.  It's taken me longer than expected (as it always does) and the baby is a few months old already but at least it is still FREEZING enough in Connecticut for her to get some use out of it, I hope!

What will I work on next?  I have one sock done that's been sitting in my knitting bag for over a year.  Maybe it's time to think about the other one?

What are you working on?

Winter Cold

It has been freezing and snowy the last few weeks.  We've been doing all that we can to keep busy and warm.  I purchased a beautiful extra bulky wool yarn to make this simple Snowboarder Hat with.  It's been a good in-between project as I put the finishing touches on a more complicated gift for my neighbor.  The yarn is warm and feels good to work with on cold winter days and nights.  

The winter is so beautiful when captured in photos but the freezing temperatures haven't allowed us to do a lot of outdoor activities.   Between school and events, we've enjoyed indoor things like Fun Factor and the Mall.  Not my favorite choices but the temperatures can be unsafe so there is little we can do about it.

I really don't know how the winter animals stand it.  I've been spoiling the birds a bit too much I think.  They have come to depend upon the food I put outside each day and I've even gone as far as putting out some pieces of wool and a blanket propped up on our deck so they can get a reprieve.

Of course, Stoli and Caicos love getting outside and terrorizing the birds and eating any seed left on the ground.

I have so many projects to finish up.  I definitely procrastinate and get bored easily so start new projects before the others are done.  I think I may enjoy searching for patterns and yarn more than I do actually knitting and crocheting!

The beautiful male Cardinal keeps coming to my feeder.  There are many different spiritual meanings that are said about this bird when it arrives.  I've heard it can be loved ones who have passed on coming to let you know they are near.

One of my favorite meanings is "The caring manor of a male cardinal can remind us that we are never really alone, that there is a father above who will always protect and care for us."  Regardless of my personal religious beliefs at this time in my life, I do truly believe there is something more and I am going to use these pretty sightings as a reminder of just that.

The Snowboarder's Hat came out cute but too small for my head!  Luckily, we have a houseful of girls willing to claim any unexpected projects for their own. Maia grabbed this one and has been wearing it every day since.

I have been making a habit of lighting a fire each day.  It is one of the things I like most about this season.  We used to have a gas insert and I ended up wanting to take it out because I missed the realness of the wood burning and the smell of a real fire.  I haven't regretted it.

The house is always busy with things to do, the girls, their friends and tons of laundry and housework.  In between I've been trying to keep up with helping at our shop as well as maintaining my publishing and writing.  It sure isn't an easy balance and there is SO much I want to get done and it seems so little time.

I just remind myself that my children will only be little once and to try and savor each moment while I can.  Most of the time, that helps.  Other times, I breathe.

Yarn Along

So here I am again with a little yarn along update.  It may look as if I've been busy but if you know the truth of it, these little toy horses have been in the making since before Christmas.  I just have so many projects and so little time.  Don't we all?  I picked it back up again for a few stitches yesterday and I hope to finally finish three little toy horses for my girls (hopefully before NEXT Christmas~!!)

On the reading front, again, I haven't had time for anything too heavy so I am enjoying browsing back through this wonderful little pattern book Toymaking with Children.  Its one of those books that I imagine will live on my shelves forever.  I can see this sweet book touching the lives of my own children, other children I care for, grandchildren and maybe one day getting passed on to a time I will not see.  It's a keeper.

Off the Needles and Onto the Hook

The coming of autumn brings football season into my home (and a missing husband) and so, knitting and crocheting become my way to keep busy and prepare for the cold months ahead.  Autumn in New England is so beautiful and it is truly my favorite time of year.   My first project of the season was a very simple autumn cowl made with some yarn my best friend and I picked up at our local yarn store.

 Knitting is a perfect way to spend the time when the children are playing outside or napping and because I only watch a small amount of TV, its a great way for me to relax after I put the girls to bed.

 This pattern in particular was really very simple.  Just a ribbed pattern on circular needles.   

But it worked up very quick and it is a nice way to keep warm as it gets cooler.  Today our temps in Connecticut are only reaching the low 60's.  

With one easy project finished and the new-found yarn I scored at the farm we had Brianna's birthday party at this past weekend, I quickly jumped onto Ravelry to see what I could create with this purple wool yarn.

The yarn wasn't labeled of course so for the first time I checked the wpi (wraps per inch) to be sure that it was indeed worsted weight and find a pattern that worked.  I actually prefer crocheting to knitting but I do not often come across as many patterns that I like until I found this on one of my Ravelry searches:

Patricia Hobson's beautiful crochet pattern for this Ladies Vest with Ribbed Edging is just perfect:

Isn't it beautiful?  So now, I have begun working on that and hopefully my nice purple yarn will soon turn into something warm and cozy for myself.

Stay tuned.  

What are you working on?

The Best Days

The summer days are coming to an end and our little playgarden has been savoring the last sweet moments of it the best we can before autumn arrives.  There has been so many amazing nature experiences we've shared together in our garden, in the backwoods and our playspace.

Our garden is finally producing some yummy vegetables for us to enjoy such as celery, tomatoes, squash, green beans, cucumbers, carrots, melon, watermelon and our very first pumpkin!

The children and I hope to enjoy this magical pumpkin in time for Halloween.  Yesterday in the garden we noticed that the top of it was turning a beautiful shade of orange and that only added to the excitement.  I dream of one day growing all of our own food but the truth is that each year we make very slow progress.  With such a busy life, I find it difficult to spend as much time as I would like tending to the garden and I'm learning as I go.  In either case, these small strides are exciting and we are already talking about what we would like to grow for next year and what we should do differently and keep the same to yield good results (and plenty of food)!

The daycare children are very busy and I am so lucky to have such sweet girls to spend my days with.  There is nothing better than being able to work from my own home doing something that I believe to be so very important in the world we live in today and I strive to keep their days simple, free and full of warmth and love.

I miss my own girls tremendously while they are at school but they are all doing so well and love their teachers.  Brianna, in particular, has experienced tremendous growth this summer - she learned how to dive off of the diving board, has become less nervous around new people and lost a few teeth as well.  She is doing so well in her Kindergarten class this year and I'm so happy that the anxiety she was going through last year has subsided.

When the girls get home from school they cannot wait to play with the daycare children.  They are such wonderful helpers and are so sweet and nurturing to the little ones.  It is a really wonderful experience for both the young children and the older children to share each other in this way and it creates almost a "sibling" environment for the daycare children to embrace when they are in my care.

 In between caring for the children, I have been trying to fill my days with good books, knitting and working on my writing for Little Acorn Learning.  My co-writer and I just completed another e-book to help parents and teachers bring the beautiful autumn festivals and Michaelmas into their homes and schools this month.  I have already begun planning my own special ways to celebrate with both the daycare children and my own family.

Most of all I'm working on trying to simplify my home and my life the best way I can with all that I have going on.  I've scaled back on various volunteer roles and have done a major declutter and purge of our home.  Now that my own children are older, I feel like I have a bit more time to focus on some of the things that had to take a backseat for the last few years.  I'm also committing to get into better shape and continue to work on being more mindful of my diet.  

And so, our little life is full of all these sweet moments and each day I find myself remembering something my grandmother told me before she died when I was still a young mother "Remember kid, these are the best days of your life.  It may not seem like it now but one day you will look back on these moments you are living and yearn to have them back.  Enjoy them while you can.".

And so I do.