The Tiny Tot Helmet was an abysmal failure. I tried about 12 times to make it work, following the pattern exactly, following it fairly closely, making up my own ideas, and every combo of those. It would not work out no matter what I did, so I gave up. And then I found a new (and much better/cuter/comfier looking) pattern, the Toddler Knit Helmet! My first one, int hat koolaid dyed yarn, ended up really large. I could squeeze it over my head, it was that big. I'm debating trying to felt it. If I put it away until it will fit her.....that would be a LONG wait, and I'm just too impatient for that. I'm a little worried that felting it would make it funny at the neck though, since the ribbing wouldn't stay stretchy.

I really liked the pattern, and the size issue was my own fault for using the wrong yarn and needles, so I gave it another shot. Here's the second attempt:

It's a little smaller around the face than I'd like. I think I would knit a couple more rows in height, maybe increase by a few more to make the head bigger around, and add a couple rows of ribbing. It's knit in a cotton/acrylic blend, but despite living in Canada, it really doesn't get THAT cold, so it should be perfect. I'm working on matching mittens now, with the rest of the yarn.

Red Koolaid Yarn

Red Koolaid Yarn
Originally uploaded by wendymc.

I dyed up a HUGE hank of wool I had kicking around. I used kiwi strawberry and Raspberry koolaid to make the lighter pink (a tad lighter than the photo shows it) and Tropical Punch + Raspberry koolaid for the darker shade. I'm happy with the colours, girly but not wussy - perfect for my daughter! I'm going to make her a Tiny Tot Helmet and maybe matching mitts, I'm sure there is more than enough wool.

Tivoli is workin up fine. I tried it on and it's a tiny bit looser than I'd like around the chest, but otherwise great. I'm working the waist decreases now so not much left.

Still working away on my Tivoli, I'm into the waist shaping now. It's getting a bit boring, but I really want to wear this top so that is keeping me motivated.

There are a whole bunch of things I want to make, baby things, christmas gifts, stuff for my daughter. I think my next project could be this Tiny Tot Helmet for my daughter. It would look great in some koolaid-dyed wool, I think. Now I just have to find the big stash of white and cream worsted wool I bought for dying. I got a bunch at a thrift shop (50cents a skein!) and then some Lana at Walmart ($2) knowing I'd use it, but I haven't seen it since we moved......I sense a search and rescue mission this evening.

Here is my Tivoli T so far:



I'm halfway through the "knit straight for 5 inches" section. It's a little boring at this point, but knits up fast at least. I really want to finish this so I can wear it. We're having our first 'coolish' day in a while and it's making me more aware that summer won't last forever.

The reclaimed yarn is well on it's way to becoming a Tivoli T. It's kntiting up nicely, and fairly fast. I just finished casting on for the underarms, so it should go pretty quickly now.

I'm having severe startitis pains these days. I keep seeing more stuff I want to start, but I've got the pinwheel baby blanket AND Tivoli on the needles, plus an abandoned fruit cap. That should be enough for now.