Fibonacci Pea Cap

This is David's Christmas present. Fortunately, I don't believe he knows I have a blog.

Yarn: 1 50-g skein worsted weight (19-20 sts/in) wool, approx. 100 yards; partial skein contrasting yarn, same weight, less than 50 yards.
The yarn I used is Austermann Inka alpaca/wool.
Needles size 6 and 7. You can do this with two circular needles, or a set of four dp needles, or start with a short (16") circular and move to dps. As you wish.
Tapestry needle for weaving in ends.

Size: medium (large) size adult head.
Gauge: roughly 19 or 20 sts/4" in stockinette stitch. Gauge is not critical, as it stretches.

Using main color (MC) and smaller needles, CO 96 (100) sts using long tail or half hitch method.
Place end of row marker and join, knit 2x2 twisted rib for 13 rows: *K2 through back loop, P2, repeat from *.
Knit 1 row around. This is your fold edge. The ribbing will fold here.
Knit next ten rows in twisted rib, but staggered from the first 13 rows: P2, K2tbl, repeat from *.
Change to larger needles.
Knit next 3 rows (stockinette).
Change to contrast color (CC). Knit 8 rows.
Follow this color sequence for the Fibonnaci pattern:
MC 5 rows, CC 3 rows, MC 2 rows, CC 1 row, MC 2 rows, CC 3 rows, MC 5 rows, CC 8 rows, MC to end.
AT THE SAME TIME, when work measures 5" from fold edge, place markers every 24 (25) sts, then begin decreases:
Row 1: Decrease row: *K2tog, K to within 2 sts of next marker, SSK, slip marker, rep from * to end.
Row 2: K 1 row around.
Repeat these two rows around until there are 32 sts (8 sts between each marker).
Now, decrease every row along the four lines of decrease until there are 8 sts left on needle(s).
Cut yarn, leaving a tail.
Weave in ends. Lightly steam the lines of decrease.

Sample Stitch Scarf

This is a sampler scarf for a group of wonderful women who wanted to go directly from learning the basics to knitting something fun and unusual. I chose only stitch patterns that look the same on both sides; however, with the yarn joins, it is fairly easy to tell which side is which.

I did not focus on having all of the yarns I used be of the same gauge, which is obvious from my sample. I believe it is important, even if the students are using yarn that will all knit up to the same gauge, to show them how their work could differ if they had chosen different yarn.

Yarn: choose whichever you would prefer to work with. My sampler is in cottons; my class all used worsted weight wool from KnitPicks. For best results, use all yarn of the same gauge (do as I say, not as I do).

The scarf is knitted in 12 blocks, each of a different stitch. Each block should be approximately square.

Cast on the appropriate number of stitches to make your scarf 6" wide (or 8" wide, if you prefer wider).
Block 1: garter stitch
Block 2: 2x2 rib (mult of 4 sts)
Block 3: seed stitch (even number of sts)
Block 4: garter stitch stripes, colors A and B
Block 5: moss stitch (even number of sts)
Block 6: reversible 4-stitch cables (mult of 8 sts)
Block 7: stockinette/reverse stockinette stripes, one color only
Block 8: vertical lace trellis (odd number of sts)
Block 9: reversible traveling (1x1 rib) cables (mult of 8 sts)
Block 10: chevron stitch (mult of 8 sts plus 1)
Block 11: 3x3 rib (mult of 6 sts)
Block 12: double seed stitch (mult of 4 sts)
Cast off. Weave in ends.

These stitch patterns can be found in Barbara Walker's First Treasury, except for the reversible cables.

Seedy OneSkein Hat

History:
I was gifted one skein of Rowan Big Wool in a knitting gift exchange, brown, and thought I could do something useful with it. Since I wear hats more than scarves, this is what I created.

Materials: 1 skein Rowan Big Wool, or similar yarn (87 yards, super bulky)
Gauge: approx. 8 sts to 4" in seed st on size 15 needles.
Needles: 1 set dp or 1 set dp and one 16" size 15 needles. Skein calls for size 17 needles, but I did not like that gauge for this hat. Please check your gauge.

Instructions:
CO 44 sts with circular or dp needles. Join and work around in seed stitch (K1P1, alternating rows with P1K1) until work is approximately 2.5".
Turn row: Knit 1 row. This creates a turning ridge for the brim.
Cont in seed st until work is 6.25" total.
Decreases:
Dec 2 sts at each of 4 points around the hat. This helps keep the pattern intact:
*(K1, P1) 3 times, K2tog, K1, P2tog,
(P1,K1) 3 times, P2tog, P1, K2tog,
rep from * to end. Total: 36 sts.
Work another row in seed st.
Work another dec row, along the same lines as earlier. Total: 28 sts. Move to dp needles here if you were using circulars.
Work another row in seed st.
Cont this decrease pattern (it may feel like the stitches are very funky and this will never look right, but persevere) until 12 sts remain. Try it on your head. If fit is good, break yarn off at about 8", pull through the remaining sts, and bring end to inside.

If fit isn't good, continue in seed st until it feels good. My hat is 10" long overall.

Decoration:
Take remaining yarn and create a 3-stitch i-cord until you run out of yarn or it is the length you desire. Pull the end through the last 3 sts. Wrap this i-cord into a decorative doodad for the top of your hat (mine is like two lazy 8's) and attach it using the end inside the hat and the end of the i-cord. Weave in ends.

Wear it in good health. Don't lay it down and forget it in an arboretum like I did. But trust that if you do, some kind soul will realize that this is a precious handknit, and will return it to the front desk. :-)

I will post better photos of this, I swear. The sun is not out right now and I wanted to have a photo available.