Knitting for Soldiers: Kenny’s Kaps Knitted Cap Preview

Many of you may remember that I had talked with a dynamic woman named Christina Finn, regarding a project called Kenney’s Kaps, the folks who do the Patriotic Pillow Project. I have finished directions for the cap and am including them here for you in an informal manner. I am just finishing up the knitting, and will photograph the cap and then put it all into a professional looking format (just as I would a “regular” pattern). It will be posted in a pdf file.

When it is ready later this week I will send it off to Christine, as well as put it on my website. I will link to it here as well. This design is, however, copyright protected. It is free to the user to knit as many caps as they wish…my only request in your enjoyment of it is that you remember our men and women in service who have sacrificed so much for us, and consider knitting one for them. Better yet, organize a special project with your knitting groups and knit up a bunch. I will provide contact information for you and so forth on the pattern. Please DO NOT include this pattern in commercial applications without my direct permission. If you wish to use it for some type of commercial venture, be prepared to provide some Kaps for the project as a donation for permission to use the pattern.

This cap is like a skullcap or watch cap. It has shaping at the crown at 5 points. There are 2 shaping stitches at each of these 5 points (you will have a stitch marker between the two shaping stitches when you begin shaping the crown). These shaping stitches gradually consume the other stitches, 10 stitches per decrease round.

You will need worsted weight wool, unless you are knitting this for a soldier who does not know how to care for wool. If you are knitting one for the project, you will need the yarn that the group uses which is Caron One Pound, in Deep Violet.  I will provide links to the project later this week with a write up about it again.

Your gauge is 4 spi and 5 rpi. You will need to use a size needle for worsted weight that gives you that gauge. I am a very loose knitter, so I have to use a smaller needle than most. If you are a tight knitter you will need to go higher.  I know many knitters will use a US 5 or 6  / 3.75 to 4.25 mm. I would recommend a set of 5 double pointed needles, as it is awkward because of the amount of stitches relative to the “fatness” of the yarn to crown them onto three needles as you would if you were using a set of 4 double pointed needles.

The cap will fit a medium to large adult.

Begin by casting on 90 stitches, and distribute on a set of 5 double pointed needles. 22 sts on 2, and 23 on 2. With the 5th needle, join and work in the round being careful not to twist your cast-on edge. If you need to mark the beginning of your round with a stitch marker, it is easiest to place after working the first round. Work in k1 p1 ribbing for 4 rounds, then work a round of purl stitches. You will begin knitting on each round, to a depth of 5 inches from the cast on edge. At this point you will begin shaping for the crown.

To set up the decrease round, *k18 and place stitch marker. Rep from * to end of round, placing stitch marker at end of round if you do not have one between the beginning and end of round already. Decrease rounds are worked as follows: *k2tog, k to last 2 sts before stitch marker, ssk. Rep from * to end of round. Follow with a plain round (knit with no decreases). Alternate decrease rounds and plain rounds untill there are 10 stitches remaining after working a decrease round. Do not follow this round with a plain round, but k2tog across instead. Break yarn, leaving an 8 inch tail and thread tail onto tapestry needle. Insert tapestry needle through remaining loops on needles clockwise twice. Remove needles, insert needle through remaining hole at center and turn cap inside out. Draw hole at center closed by pulling yarn tight and fasten before working in end.

My Favorite Things

Obviously as a knitter, the top of the list would be yarn. But every knitter has things they really love that soothes the soul in a given day. Little things that we take for granted but are in their own way little blessings.

The internet is a wonderful source of enjoyments. Free things abound. The LaMancha hat, for example. Not only is it in the calender, but it is also in my  Feb. 2006 newsletter, Unraveled.   The newsletter is free. Don’t you love stuff on the internet?

Other favorite things are quiet enjoyments. Good music. Walks with my husband. Taking pictures in the yard.

The purple coneflower at left I took in my yard. I love looking at things up close. Look at the colors in this.There is a rust red, a gold, a bright yellow, an orange, various shades of green,browns, blacks, and the pinky lavender colors in the petals. What a beautiful colorway.

I also love tea. By far the best tea I have ever had is from Culinary Teas. Physically they are located in Syracuse Indiana, and if you are a lover of tea, you should look them up. You will not be dissapointed. I went from liking tea okay if it was flavored, to really loving it. Well. Not just any tea. This is pretty much the only tea I drink at home, as it is so smooth, and so good. Sitting down with a cup of tea with a friend, a book, or my knitting. Those are some more quite enjoyments.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene

LaMancha Watchcap

Today I received yarn in the mail, and the 2007 Knitting Calender.  I am only going to talk about one today, as I am tired. I don’t have a photo of the yarn yet, so I will talk about the hat.

This hat appears on July 25, with instructions on working the Channel Island Cast-On the day before.

 The design was an off-shoot of a sweater design I have in a collection that I hope to put into a book (Inspired Knitting: From Monkey Island). All the designs are inspired by animals at the zoo.

This design was inspired by the goats at the Indiana Family Farm part of the zoo, where there is a petting zoo. I have always loved the goats. I forget, now, how many different dairy goats we have there. I think three. One breed, the LaMancha, is the one with the very small round little ears. The Channel Island Cast-on was my nod to that shape, with it being a nice foil and balance to the eyelets.  The eyelet pattern makes me think of their tails.  In the photo at right, the white goat in the foreground and the black goat are LaMancha goats. 

 I will forever be grateful that I met my friend Beth Brown-Reinsel when taking her class on Ganseys and teaching me this cast-on. She has been a big encouragement on the path to becoming a designer. If you every get a chance to take a class from her, do it as she is a very good and supportive teacher. There is a link to her web site in the side bar.