Animal Hats and a Few Pumpkin Hats

Pattern: Textured Cat Hat by me - Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Ocean and Caron Simply Soft Seasons in White 2901 - Needle: US 6

  I was having the hardest time trying to find a written out how-to on working a ribbed Kitchener stitch.  There were a few videos, but I wasn't connected to WiFi and didn't want to use the data on my phone to hope it was right and not just how to work regular Kitchener.  One written out version was very confusing, having you work both first stitches on the needles and slipping them off before working the second stitch on each.  I finally found a post about How to Kitchener Stitch in Pattern by Susanna Winter.

Pattern: Beary Beanie by Chai - Yarn: Red Heart TLC  Essentials in Navy and Medium Thyme - Hook: 5.5mm

  Luckily (in my opinion) on the way to the hotel after our Spud Tour '25, we took a slight wrong turn and went by the David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLCC).  Turns out we were there the weekend of AnimeVerse Fest Pittsburgh 2025.

  We went to dinner at Tapville, which is very similar to a place that used to be near us, The Craft Of Brewing.  You get a card that is linked to your credit card.  You then use the card on their taps and pour your own beer.  It's a lot of fun and a good way to try a bunch of beers, since you can pour small amounts.

  On the way back from dinner at Tapville I noticed that we were across from the Senator John Heinz History Center.  I loved the neon sign that looked like a ketchup bottle pouring into the Heinz logo.  Miss Spud was not impressed.

  The family sitting near us at breakfast was talking about what they were going to do at the convention.  One person wished she could give fan art to an actor but didn't know how to print it out, and another wanted to go and get a credit card decal.

  It sounds like a pretty nice convention and if we start going to more and/or want to travel a bit more, this might be one to consider.

Stitch Pattern: Wheat Stitch™ Crochet Pumpkin Spice Trio by Briana K - Yarn: Loops & Threads Kai Happy Pink Yarn and Bernat Softee Baby in Baby Denim Marle - Hook: 5mm

  I have been seeing wheat stitch pumpkins on every social media app I use.  On Reddit kelsday84 commented that they used that stitch to make a blanket.  I saw on Instagram, Angie Cimbalo (macimbalo) made a hat with it, but she used the "pumpkin" method where she made a rectangle, like in this video.  I used the short row method by My Yarn Spot with my usual changes since I don't like it when hats are bunched up at the top.

  I tried to carry the float on the second stitch of the first row of the color change.  I thought that might act a bit like a zig-zag stitch on a sewing machine and not constrict the stretch at the bottom of the hat like carrying it straight across might.  My other idea had been to try and work the short rows for the brim at the beginning of the row instead of at the end.  That would have involved some chainless foundation single crochets at the end of the first wedge, and though I think I could have made it work, it would be more complicated than is necessary.

  I was so glad that the carrying idea worked.  It also looks nice, so if someone flips up some of the brim, it won't look strange.

  However, I think the way the pattern is set up the "right side" ended up on the inside of my hat.  I could try and make the color changes at the top, but I liked how it looked on the regular hdc hats when the color change happened at the bottom.

  The things I have considered trying and if I tried it:

• Do everything the same, but work in the front loop instead of the back loop

  ~ For some reason, working into the front loops give you the bar you would expect, but doesn't give the ribbing effect you would also expect

• Work some parts in the back loop and some in the front

  ~ This works for giving the ribbing on the bottom and the bars on the front of the work, I'm not sure how I feel about how flat it lays between the wheat rows

• Turn the hat "inside out" when finishing and not think too much about how I like the look of the top on the other side better because no one else will care that much

  ~ Luckily for this one, I could turn the brim up and hide the floats, if I try it on one that doesn't need that I will have to carry the floats on the other side 

• Unknown fifth option

Stitch Pattern: Wheat Stitch™ Crochet Pumpkin Spice Trio by Briana K - Yarn: Loops & Threads Kai Happy Pink Yarn and Bernat Softee Baby in Baby Denim Marle - Hook: 5mm

  I did find a solution that I think I like, turns out it was the Unknown Fifth Option.  When working the first plain row after the wheat stitch I worked half double crochets in the pattern area in both loops.  On the way back I worked single crochets through the closest loop, which is the yarn over from when you made the stitch.

  Since the last one ended up so tall that I needed to turn up the brim, I decided to make the second one wider and a bit shorter.  I also played around with having five short rows so the top wouldn't always have the same color on the full row.  I only worked 6 sections, instead of my usual 7, so I didn't end up with two colors together at the top.  While I like the end effect at the top, it makes the short row section almost too big compared to the pattern rows.  I also didn't think I had enough yarn to make each section three short rows or I may have switched to that.

Yearly Yarn Tracker:

Yarn In: 27 (1)
Yarn Out: 46 (1)

Total: -19