Is that a Frog on your head, I'm a slave to my cat, and other random thoughts

Every morning we go through the same routine. Fresh water, layering the pillows on the bed in just a particular way, downstairs for breakfast and back and forth from my office to the bedroom to play at least 3 times before 10am. This is not my schedule, but rather my cat's schedule that I have the privilege of following. It seems that she thinks I'm at home everyday just to fulfill her every fancy. I don't mind though; she is a joy, and her quiet meows and purrs fill my heart with love. ~ Excuse me while I make my 5th trip back to the bedroom to make sure the bed pillows are placed just right for her to nap behind. ~

So, have you ever wished you could be the one to sit around and come up with the names for all the colors of paints, crayons, nail polish, yarn? What a fun job that would be. My kitchen is red, but the paint color is called "Summer Pudding". The nail polish on my toes is pink but the color is "Blushingham Palace". The yarn for my recently knitted creation is called "Lily Pad" and it does remind me of frogs and lilies floating on the pond water. I hope you enjoy this easy pattern which uses one of my favorite stitches: the seed stitch:



Seed Stitch Alapaca hat



Difficulty: Beginner familiar with working in the round

Finished measurements: Head measurement 20-23 inches
Yarn: Misti Baby Alpaca Chunky hand painted (100% Baby Alpaca) - 1 hank = approx 109 yards Needles: size 10.5 circulars and 10.5 dpn
Notions: stitch marker, tapestry needle


Stitch Glossary:

1- Seed stitch - K1 P1 for 1 round, then P1 K1 (in other words, knit your purls and purl your knits)[ x - knit, o - purl : example : round 1 - xoxoxoxo , round 2 - oxoxoxox ]
2 - K2tog- knit 2 stitches together.

Using circular needles, cast on 66 stiches using long tail cast-on. Join for working in the round and place marker for beginning of round. Begin seed stitch for 5 rounds. The pattern will work as follows ** Explanation: because this is an even number cast on, when working the seed stitch in the round, at the beginning of the next round you will have to knit or purl twice in order to create the pattern. So, if round one started with a knit and ended with a purl, round two would do the same, which would NOT create the seed stitch. Simply knit or purl the same stitch you just ended with and start the new round with the appropriate stitch:

Rounds 1-5 : seed stitch
Rounds 6-10 : knit stitch (which will form stockinette stitch when worked in the round)
Rounds 11-15: seed stitch
Rounds 16-20 : knit stitch
Rounds 21-25: seed stitch
Knit next 3 rounds then

Begin crown decrease: Switch to DPN when work becomes too small for circulars


Row 1: (K9, K2tog) 6 times
Row 2: (K8, K2tog) 6 times
Row 3: (K7, K2tog) 6 times
Row 4: (K6, K2tog) 6 times
Row 5: knit
Row 6 : (K5, K2tog) 6 times
Row 7: knit
Row 8: (K4, K2tog) 6 times
Row 9: knit
Row 10: (K3, K2tog) 6 times
Row 11: (K2, K2tog) 6 times
Row 12: (K1, K2 tog) 6 times
Row 13: (K2tog) 6 times

Cut yarn leaving an 8 inch tail. With tapestry needle, thread yarn through remaining stitches. Weave in ends.

And watch out for frogs. They will be very tempted to jump on your head!