Cozy Is Masculin, Too

It's tough knitting for guys. I honestly think they're a lot pickier about accessories than any woman I know, so for me, it's all about picking the right pattern. Erik was complaining about being cold all the time and kept mentioning a scarf, so that certainly helped to narrow it down! What I chose was the Extra Warm Men's Scarf by Kyoko Nakayoshi on Ravelry.

When I first started knitting this scarf I struggled a bit. The whole P3tog thing is kinda tough when you’re a tight knitter (and I am). But once I got used to the stitch and loosened up a bit, it got much easier. I'm a fan of the yarn that I chose too, Vintage by Berroco. It's easy to knit with and looks great, especially for being half acrylic. Most of all, I like that it's machine washable; I think that's a great quality for the dudes.

I love how it turned out! The finished scarf is very cool looking, with the little knobs (made by the P3togs) making diagonal lines throughout the length of the scarf. It’s all squishy and thick and, while I haven’t worn it myself, it seems pretty darn warm.

I soaked it, dried it flat and now it's in Erik’s hot little hands. Or, you know, on his neck (hopefully).

Yarn:
Berroco Vintage (50% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 10% Nylon)
1 skein Playa (871)

Needles:
US7 (4.5mm) 16" circular needle

Dad's TGIF Hat

The TGIF in this hat’s name stands for Thank God It Fits. This is something like the fourth hat I’ve made for my dad (probably more... see previous posts) and none of the other ones worked. I can, and do, blame that on a number of things, but I usually stick with 1) I don’t know much about achieving/maintaining gauge in my knitting and 2) my dad has a very large head. But! This hat is the first one that fits correctly and doesn’t look ridiculous! Hooray.

He’s sensitive to wool, so it can be tough to find nice yarns that he can actually wear. Malabrigo is good for this since it’s just so darn soft. Plus, it’s a dream to knit with.

This is the second Spiral Rib Hat that I’ve made and this time I added some flair. And by flair, I mean a band of straight ribbing to fold up before the spiral started.

Yarn:
Malabrigos Rios (100% Merino Wool)
1 skein Playa (871)

Needles:
US7 (4.5mm) 16" circular needle