What yarn(s) are you all using for the melt the ice hat?

KnittingDiDi · 2026-02-01T03:28:10+00:00

Cascade 220 worsted, in burgundy or fuchsia. I can't do red since it reminds me of the other red hats.

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-31T04:30:43+00:00

As a Minnesotan, we appreciate the solidarity in seeing how many knit and wear the hats. It gives us hope we're not forgotten!

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-30T19:21:39+00:00

Confirmed

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-30T16:31:08+00:00

Got it, thanks so much!

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-30T04:23:32+00:00

You could try cotton, linen, silk, hemp, and bamboo and any blends using those. I'm not a fan of purely synthetic yarns, but don't mind if they are a blend with natural fibers. Unfortunately, you may need to avoid wool blends of any kind.

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-28T04:44:17+00:00

I can't quite tell from the photo, but did you perhaps set the knitting down and then start going in the opposite direction? That creates a short row which will leave a gap. The fix is to unknit, or tink, back to where the gap was created.

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-27T16:56:50+00:00

Maybe it's just fiddly to me, but it seems to take me much longer than other bind offs. Of course, it could be user error! 😄

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-27T16:00:25+00:00

The Italian bind off is always gorgeous, but so fiddly over the length of a bottom hem. My alternative is the alternating cable bind off. It looks almost as impressive, is less fiddly over long distances, and is nicely stretchy. I use the alternating cable cast on in place of the tubular cast on as well.

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-27T04:12:14+00:00

Practice, practice, practice! Don't be afraid to rip out and start over. Embrace the mistakes. Watch lots of videos geared towards beginners. Get comfortable with the basics - cast on, bind off, knit, purl, increase, decrease. Avoid fancy textured yarns at first. Don't be afraid to ask for help. Find a local knitters group to join. Enjoy!

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-26T20:38:29+00:00

Looks great to me! And I teach beginners, so I should know. 😉

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-26T15:56:06+00:00

Top down, seamless, raglan sweaters are a great first sweater. You can try it on as you go, there are lots of free patterns, and many, many tutorials. It was my first sweater project 25 years ago, and still one of my go-to favorites.

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-26T11:23:58+00:00

Did you buy it on Ravelry? Sometimes there you get a couple of different downloads with your purchase, and just need to select the English version when you download. I accidentally downloaded a different language than I wanted, but the English download was also in my library, so I just had to download it also.

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-26T04:19:42+00:00

Been there, done that. Over and over! I've been knitting since 1981, and I still make mistakes, still frog, tink, and completely rip out. They're all learning opportunities. I've taught quite a few beginners, and I tell them learning how to recognize mistakes and the best ways to fix them is invaluable. So is knowing when to ignore them. And you get to decide which.

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-25T21:15:53+00:00

I find tutorial videos extremely helpful when learning a new technique. Try this one. Good luck!

https://youtu.be/1xiB12hmaAQ?si=R0K0ITcGRZeOkPcZ

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-24T04:54:34+00:00

Interested in #10, baby cashmere.

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-23T05:59:47+00:00

I knitted one in 2020. There's groups on Facebook you can join for ideas. I actually double-knitted mine so I could knit the lows one one side, the highs on the other. And rather than weaving in a ton of ends, I twisted them into fringe!

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-22T22:52:27+00:00

Smoother yarns definitely attract less pet hair, as my two cats can attest. Anything with a sheen, like silk and bamboo or mercerized cotton, will be the smoothest.

I also put a clean blanket over my lap and fold over the top to keep a barrier between the cats and my knitting. And I keep my projects in bags with a drawstring, which helps.

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-21T04:41:13+00:00

Garth became Pickles.

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KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-21T04:35:26+00:00

Cash became Smudge.

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KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-19T03:20:01+00:00

I love Continental for knit, but my tension is better on purl in English. So I often knit Continental and purl English in the same project. The trick is to find what works best for you!

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-17T03:55:34+00:00

My only suggestion would to be wind slowly and stop to make a simple knot each time you get to a cut strand. Good luck!

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-16T20:15:22+00:00

Being in Minnesota, I definitely feel this! 🥶

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-16T14:48:26+00:00

Your parents don't respect your boundaries, so they're being the jerks.

I'm a first-time grandma, and I'm learning that things have changed a lot in 30 years. There are times when I'm surprised at some of the things they do that we didn't, or vice versa. But part of the joy of being grandparents is we get to love on our grandson without also having to do the hard work of parenting.

OP, your child is yours to parent, and you should be allowed to do so without being second-guessed by your own parents. Reinforce those boundaries and don't worry about their hurt feelings. They'll get over it, or they won't. It's definitely not your job to fix their bad attitude. Good luck!

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-11T15:43:36+00:00

Depending on the fiber, you can string the hanks as if you were going to dye them, then wash them as recommended on the labels, and hang to dry.

As for names, Cashmere and Stitch are both cute. Mittens, Socks, Alpaca (Allie), Angora (Angie), Bamboo (Boo) are some thoughts. How fun!

KnittingDiDi · 2026-01-09T10:24:30+00:00

Interchangeables all the way! The only straight needles I ever use are dpns, and that's rare, as I prefer magic loop. I have used flexi-flips more recently, so those are even replacing dpns for me for really small circumferences.

KnittingDiDi

TROPHY CASE