Slippers!

Frankie with his slippers. We were excited about our "new" homemade Cabbage Patch Kids. (1985)

My grandma used to knit us the ugliest - yet oh-so-cozy slippers. I can remember my grandpa having a pair in every color of olive green and maroon - somehow that yarn was always on sale. Frankie and I would slip-slide around the kitchen with them on. So, naturally I want to carry on the tradition when I have my own kids and started to hunt down the perfect slipper pattern. I think I found it here on Do You Mind of I Knit.

Red Balloon Beanie

US 13 needles
Super Bulky Weight

CO 44 sts
Beg. with a K row
Work 22 rows

Shape Crown:
23- *K2, K2tog* repeat - 33 sts
24- P
25- *K1, K2tog* repeat - 22 sts
26- P
27- *K1, K2tog* repeat, K1 - 8 sts
28- P
29- K1, K2 tog 3xs, K1 -  5 sts
30- P

BO and sew up the seam.

Hat with Flaps

I have been looking all over for a hat with flaps - that is quick and easy. Here is one that I made as I combined several patterns I liked - it's unisex.

US 8 circular 16" needles + 2 US 8 dpns
Bulky weight

CO 3 sts on dpn and proceed in st st. Inc 1 st (K into the front and back) at the beg. of each K row. Carry on until you have 16 sts - Purl row. Do the same with the other dpn (earflap).

With circular needles: 
CO 10 sts - 10 sts
K on 1 ear - 16 sts
CO 46 sts - 46 sts
K on 2 ear - 16 sts
CO final 10 sts - 10 sts
                = 98 sts all together
Join - M center
Rnd 1 - K
Rnd 2+ - K until hat is 6" 

Begin dec:

Change to double points when sts no longer fit on circulars.
Rnd 1: *K12, k2tog; rep from * around - 98 sts (Place marker in between sections)
Rnd 2: K

Continue, decreasing 7 sts per round. Stop at 6 sts per section.

Cut yarn, leaving a tail. Thread tail through tapestry needle and through rem 6 sts and remove from needle. Pull tightly to close top of hat. Weave in ends on WS.

Aspen Hat

I found this hat in a super cute knitting book from the Library (see below). Again - I have made so many variations from this hat. Somehow I keep going back to the basic brown. Who would have thought that the color brown makes such a cute hat?

US 19 circular needles + 19 Dpn needles (see note about circular needles) 
Super Bulky (6x6 gauge: 9.5 x 14.5r)

Hatband: 
CO 37 with circular needles - don't join yet
1-2: K
3: K into front and back of first st, knit to end
4-6: K
7: K2tog, K to end
8-10: K 

Crown:
Rnd 1: BO 5 sts, pm, knit rem 32 sts. Divide sts evenly onto 3 or 4 Dpns and work in the round. If you don't have circular needles, P on rows 2, K row 3, and add a P row for "row 3b". Continue with a P on rows 5, 7, 9, 11, and K on row 12.

Rnds 2-3: K
Rnd 4: K10, s2kp, k13, s2kp, k3-28 sts
Rnd 5: K
Rnd 6: K2, s2kp, K11, s2kp, K9-24 sts
Rnd 7: K 
Rnd 8: K7, s2kp, K9, s2kp, K2-20 sts
Rnd 9: K
Rnd 10: K1 s2kp, K7, s2kp, K6-16 sts
Rnds 11-12: K 

Thread cut yarn through remaining sts and pull tight. Weave in the ends. Allow rounded end of band to overlap and sew big buttons onto band - working through both layers. 

from Twinkle's Big City Knits by Wenlan Chia (2007) Potter Craft Publisher

Flip Beanie

This is the first hat I ever learned how to do. My sister Michelle taught me one Thanksgiving, and since then I have used it to inspire about 183 hats I have done. It's a super quick, fun beanie to make. Have fun!

US 19 needles

Super Bulky (4x4 gauge 9sts, 12r)

CO 32 sts

Begin with a K row, work in St st as follows:

Work with 14 rows, ending with a WS row

Shape Crown:

1-(Rs)(dec): *(K2, K2tog)* 8 times: 24 sts

2-P

3-(dec): *(K1, K2tog)* 8 times: 16 sts

4-P

5-(dec):*(K2tog)* 8 times: 8 sts

6-P

Sew up the seam using a Bickford Seam or you can just eyeball it too.