Doesn’t it make sense that I should make a hat from a pattern named for a girl who got lured into a candy house out of a yarn called ‘rich chocolate’?

This is the fitted version of Gretel, made for Tabatha as a belated Christmas present. I used less than 1 skein of Malabrigo Merino Worsted, in colorway Rich Chocolate. This pattern was so fun to knit, and I love how the cables come together in the crown decreases. The only problem that I had was that the cast-on (I did a stockinette-stitch tubular cast on) turned out too tight, and didn’t stretch much when I tried to loosen it during blocking. I hope she can still wear it comfortably, though!
I finally got around to putting buttons on my Wisp.

I went through the rest of the little pearly buttons that I used on my cardigan to find 5 of the thinnest, lightest ones and put them on one end at as regular intervals as I could, using embroidery floss and the attachment method suggested in the pattern. I think I might re-block this soon, because it’s gotten stretched lengthwise a little too much, making it a lot less wide than it’s supposed to be.
Here’s the beginning of a My So-Called Scarf, with the extra skein of Malabrigo Worsted (Lettuce colorway) that I got awhile ago (I found out that I only need 6 skeins for my size of Tilted Duster, which means I had a whole other skein to do whatever I wanted with):

The horizontal herringbone stitch pattern may be a little tedious and hard to get used to, but it’s showing off the yarn beautifully. I added slipped stitch at each side as a selvage, because the edges don’t look very pretty on their own. It’s about a foot and a half long as of today, and I can already see that this was the perfect thing to use the yarn for.
Here’s a photo of today’s paper, just because I felt like it and I like taking pictures with my camera:

January 13, 2008 at 9:53 pm
oooo lala that gretel is very pretty. But that lettuce Malabrigo. Yum Yum!!
January 13, 2008 at 10:12 pm
these are all so lovely mary! i can’t wait to see the scarf done, it’s so soft! i loved playing with the extra “rich chocolate” this morning.
January 14, 2008 at 1:09 pm
I love your FOs. I read your blog regularly but don’t comment often (me = lazy sometimes). But I LOVE the color for your My-So-Called-Scarf. I’m dying to knit me one of those. Actually i’m wanting to make pretty much everything you’ve been working on! Keeps me inspired to knit :)
Oh and lovely pics with the new camera btw ;)
January 15, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Beware – spinning…..addictive! Once you get the hang of it – its like instant gratification. :) Though I wish there were more yarn stores that carried spindles and fiber around here. The Knitting Bee has a bit – at really reasonable prices…but no fast spindles. Have fun! Your tangled yoke cardigan looks fab. (Its in my line up of projects….but I am sneaking in Ann Hanson’s Honeybee stole ….a total impractical lust with lace!)
January 19, 2008 at 5:44 pm
love the Gretel/chocolate yarn analogy – beautiful!
and that so-called scarf? LOVE! need to get some of that Malabrigo, pronto ;)
January 21, 2008 at 3:31 pm
I love your Gretel! That is one pattern that I keep intending to knit, but somehow other things always need doing first. And it is such a lovely colour too!
And the Wisp – another pattern that I really wanted to knit – but me and kidsilk haze do not get on well lol
Great scarf too!
January 23, 2008 at 9:27 am
I don’t think I’ve seen a fitted Gretel yet! The color looks gorgeous and I am envious of your crown. I knit this hat TWICE and did the crown decreases incorrectly BOTH times. Oy. I should learn to pay more attention to my knitting. :)
January 27, 2008 at 7:01 pm
You’re in high school? Wow! I’m so impressed!!! What amazing talent you have! SO refreshing!!! I’m some-what new to knitting and have been checking things out…sites, blogs…I saw your pattern on Knitty and was blown-away with how young you are! That is sooo neat! You go, Girl!
January 29, 2008 at 10:27 am
Pretty photos. And hey – I’ve given you an award on my blog:
http://amingledyarn.wordpress.com/2008/01/29/yall-have-made-my-day/
January 29, 2008 at 4:48 pm
It’s gorgeous!
I just finished my slouchy Gretel. It looks great, but I think I have a gauge problem because it’s about the size of a medium pizza!
January 30, 2008 at 9:34 am
Beautiful pictures! I just finished Wisp, but still need to block it… Oh well. Enjoy the STR! It’s one of my favorite sock yarns (and I have a slight obsession with socks…).
happy knitting!
January 30, 2008 at 9:44 am
lovely knitting! I just finished Wisp, but have to block it still (a pattern with my lace…). Mine is the rowan kid silk, but the orange color way (marmalade i think is the name?).
good choice on the STR! It’s one of my fav. sock yarns. I highly recommend it (I have a slight sock obsession. they make great in class knitting though!).
happy knitting!
January 30, 2008 at 9:45 am
the name on that previous post should be “Amanda”
long story, but “wifey” was saved from commenting on my best friends blog.
sorry!
January 30, 2008 at 4:30 pm
Your Gretel looks very nice! I think that it’s kind of ironic (in a funny way) that you made the hat out of a yarn called “Rich Chocolate”.
February 2, 2008 at 7:08 pm
I seriously wish I could be half as good at knitting as you are. You rock.
February 5, 2008 at 5:31 am
Gorgeous projects. Mmmmmalabrigo. So yummy.
February 5, 2008 at 2:12 pm
I love the subtle variegation of colors in your Gretel.
February 6, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I just love your work in general! You have genius, girl! I am about to make my first “for me” sweater and I am using your “Dahila” pattern published in Kitty. Keep up the amazing work, you are going far!
February 8, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Wow I am so impressed with you, lady! It’s been a quiet evening for me, I’ve been surfing the web for anything crochet, and i believe i found you on Knitty. I don’t crochet but it would be lovely to begin. How long have you been doing this? Any sort of advice you would like to share?
February 13, 2008 at 2:26 pm
HELP!
February 13, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Ok, the first one was just to make sure you would see this, Mary! I am looking at my Mrs. Darcy pattern, and it says, 13 rows in stk st, then 17 rws in twisted rib. But, how does that make my first row of twisted rib on the right side? Did you mean 13 knit/purl sets, or did you start your stk st with a purl row? HELP!!
February 14, 2008 at 8:40 am
I saw your pattern and info on Knitty, I can’t believe you are so young and so talented! You have such a bright future, keep up the awesome work!
February 17, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Sounds like you’ve had a busy month! Love the necklace and that’s so sweet that the gold is melted from your dad’s wedding ring. Very special :)
February 19, 2008 at 6:27 am
Oh, I used that malabrigo to make some fingerless mittens last month (mine were a different colorway, though). They’re very warm, so I’ve got no complaints.
(I’m a junior in Atlanta — it’s neat to see someone the same age that has a good knit blog.)