'fraga' headband

At the festa, my cousin Michael's wonderful girlfriend, Laura, mentioned to me that Prada had made a TON of knitwear for their fall/winter 2011 line. Enter this headband.

So, for her Christmas gift, I set about making something vaguely similar. My hairdresser, after I had once commented on his Prada shoes, told me proudly that they were "Fraga," which must mean "Knockoff Prada" in Colombian. Though I'd seen other patterns on the internet, I set about designing my own. Et voila, a fraga headband pattern for you and yours to enjoy, gratis.

This is a quick and dirty cabled headband, done with a provisional cast-on so that you can graft together the ends for an almost-seamless join. I heavily referenced (i.e. theifed) the cable pattern from Tangled by emmybear knits, and just added trims up the sides. A quick enough pattern to whip up in a mini-movie marathon, the perfect thing for a cold winter weekend.


Fraga Headband

NOTE: Why my patterns are shit - I don't use gauge for anything that isn't a sweater - so here's my advice, knit tight or go down a couple of needle sizes.

Materials:

- Much less than one skein of Misti Alpaca Chunky, or any similar bulky yarn
- Size 10.5 US dpns (at least 3)
- Crochet Hook
- Waste yarn for cast-on
- Tapestry needle

Cable pattern:
*Errata added March 19th, 2011.

All odd rows: sl 1, p 1, k 2, p to last 4 sts, k 2, p 2.
Rows 2 + 6: sl 1, k 1, p 2, k to last 4 sts, p 2, k 2.
Row 4: sl 1, k 1, p 2, sl 4 sts onto cable needle, hold to front, k 4, k sts off cable needle, k4, p 2, k 2.
Row 8: sl 1, k 1, p 2, k 4, sl 4 sts onto cable needle, hold to back, k 4, k sts off cable needle, p2, k2.


Instructions:

1. Using crochet provisional cast on and your waste yarn, CO 20 sts.*

2. Follow 8 rows of cable pattern until desired length is reached, ending with row 8. (To determine if the length is correct, try circling it around your/your recipient's head, above the nape of your neck and over your ears. When you have to stretch about an inch to go around the back of your head and about two inches to go over your ears, you're done).

3. Carefully slip one of your dpns back into the provisional loops made by your crochet cast on.

4. Making sure you have the same number of stitches on each needle, break yarn.

5. Use kitchener stitch and your tapestry needle to graft together the two ends of your headband.

6. You're done! Fashion out! (And block lightly, if desired).

*When using crochet cast on, you actually add up with one less stitch than you cast on. To get around it, I cast on one extra (21 sts) and then k 2 tog on my first row. Easy peasy!

domenica

My Nonna is extremely particular - I suppose she's been doing what she's been doing for long enough to know what she likes and what she doesn't. What she does like are big, loose-fitting socks (or calze). Enter the Sunday Swing pattern from knitty, an Italian-friendly redubbing ("domenica" is Sunday), and about a month of knitting, and her Christmas present is ready for gifting.

I reversed the pattern on the second sock so that the eyelets sort of chevron in, as pictured. As usual, the second sock flew by.

victorian ornaments

This year my brother and I decided to put together stockings for my parents - they always do such neat ones for us. I made ornaments at my old workplace as part of their stocking gifts.

I've always loved victorian silhouette portraits - to think that, before photography, the only way to remember how someone looked was through the contours of one's face!

Also, the only silhouettes I found for children wore hats - I wonder if I've tapped into a strain of silhouette etiquette that has yet to be discussed. So my brother and I's ornaments are wearing hats, my parents are not. I used Garamond (of course) for the initialling on the back.

yoyo's a go-go

Every year I have a Secret Santa gift exchange with some of my oldest friends, from elementary school. I feel lucky to still know them all, and on top of that, I felt lucky to draw Jane, my super-cool crafty friend who I knew would appreciate a handmade gift.

While I felt guilty that, as her knitting teacher, I did not buy her anything knitty - I tried to make up for it with a handmade yoyo necklace.

Now, my friend Martina has been making these for years, and hers are of superior quality and style (you can see them at her blog, here). Nevertheless, I gave it a shot, making a five-yoyo cluster to be worn as a pendant.

If you yourself would like to make a yoyo, hit up Heather Bailey's pretty instructions.