Hammett - Mittens & Hats for Yarn Lovers

for Yarn Lovers

Detailed Techniques for Knitting in the Round

Carri Hammett

Text and designs copyright 2011 Carri Hammett

Photography copyright 2011 Creative Publishing international, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyrights hereon may be reproduced or used in any form or by any meansgraphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or taping of information on storage and retrieval systemswithout the written permission of the publisher. However, the publisher grants to the purchaser of this book permission to reproduce instructions for personal use.

Due to differing conditions, materials, and skill levels, the publisher, author, and various manufacturers disclaim any liability for unsatisfactory results or injury due to improper use of tools, materials, or information in this publication.

First published in the United States of America by Creative Publishing International, Inc., a member of Quayside Publishing Group 400 First Avenue North Suite 300 Minneapolis, MN 55401 1-800-328-3895 www.creativepub.com

ISBN-13: 9781589235755
ISBN-10: 1589235754

Printed in China
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Digital edition: 978-1-61059-589-6
Hardcover edition: 978-1-58923-575-5

Library of Congress
Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hammett, Carri, 1956- Mittens and hats for yarn lovers / Carri Hammett.
p. cm.

Summary: Beginners guide to knitting mittens and hats; includes instructions for twenty-two projects-- Provided by publisher.

ISBN-13: 978-1-58923-575-5 (hard cover)

ISBN-10: 1-58923-575-4 (hard cover)

1. Knitting--Patterns. 2. Mittens. 3. Hats. I. Title.

TT825.H25648 2011 746.432--dc22

2010027951

Technical Editor: Karen Weiberg
Book Design: Mighty Media
Cover Design: Amy Hauge
Page Layout: Danielle Smith
Photographs: Corean Komarec

DEDICATION

The book is dedicated to all my coworkers and customers at Coldwater Collaborative. Without you it wouldnt have been a community, with you its a collaboration that has made us all better. A special thanks to Becky, Bridgit, Pam, and Robyn for your unfailing loyalty, hard work, creativity and support for all those years.

I wouldnt have been able to finish this book without the expert knitting of Becky, Bridgit, Pam, Robyn, and Suz. Thanks for all your hard work but most of all for telling me when I was wrong!

To purchase any of the yarns found in this book visit Carris web site: www.coldwateryarn.com or stop in at your LYS!

For more information about the yarns used in the book, check these manufacturers web sites:

Carri Hammett is the original owner of Coldwater Collaborative, a gem of a yarn shop in Excelsior, Minnesota. Since opening the shop in 2002 she has developed a loyal customer base from not only the Twin Cities but all over the world. Carri loves to collaborate both with her customers and her readers as together they express their love of knitting and expand their knitting knowledge and skill. She is also the author of Scarves and Shawls for Yarn Lovers and Ready, Set, Knit Cables.

Carri lives in Minnesota with her husband. She has three kids who live too far from home but at least they all know how to knit (shes still working on her husband to learn). Carri loves to hear from her readers. You can send her an email at carri@coldwateryarn.com.

I wrote a similar book to this one several years ago called Scarves and Shawls for Yarn Lovers. At the time yarn shops were awash in novelty yarns of every textureladder, ribbon, eyelash, fur, and sometimes a combination of all of those. During that time luxury fibers and hand-dyed yarns also became easily available. This fiber feast was the inspiration for a huge number of people to learn how to knit. The craft of knitting usually starts out with the simplest project, the scarf. The framework of a scarf can be used to explore different fibers for a long time, but eventually knitters become dissatisfied with making only scarves and want to learn how to make something new. Knitting a hat or a pair of mittens is the perfect way to expand ones skills, and I find that even the most experienced knitters rarely grow tired of making these small items. Both are finished quickly, require interesting skills, and are ideal to take along because of their small size.

As my customers knitting skills have evolved so too has the selection of yarns I sell. While I still sell novelty yarn, it now takes up only a section, not half the shop. Different fibers and the interesting ways they can be combined has become one of the focal points of the yarn that is sold in my shop. Fibers that might once have been considered exotic, such as alpaca, merino wool, cashmere, silk, and bamboo, are now standard. Another focal point is color. Hand-dyed yarns and self-striping yarns continue to be important but the colors have become richer and more subtle, such as with semi-solid hand-dyed colors.

The popularity of yarns that are more simple yet elegant and the desire of my customers to expand their knitting skills are what inspired me to write this book. I not only want to give knitters the basic information and patterns they need to make mittens and hats, but I also hope they will use the skills they learn to create patterns of their own. Also, Ive shared some of my favorite designs that Ive developed for my customers over the past few years. You can take this book with you to any local yarn shop (LYS) and they will be able to help you find the yarns that are listed or similar yarns that you can substitute (especially if you live in a warmer climate and want to use cotton instead of wool). If you cant find the yarn at your LYS then check out my online shop at www.coldwateryarn.com.