Foxy KAL - Complete!

I finished my fox hat - huzzah! Today is the last day of Tanya and my Foxy KAL (yes, I am great with deadlines, thanks for asking! ~__^) and it's been a lot of fun!

I knitted up Tanya's foxy hat pattern twice actually; the first time it was baby sized and was a gift for my new niece, but the photos I took of it were pretty poor and I wanted one for myself, so I grabbed my needles and started another! ^__^

I have a tendency to tension tightly, so I used 6mm needles instead of the 5.5mm ones recommended by Tanya. I've since learnt that I apparently knit in the back loop, which explains why my stitches have more of a basket weave look as well as why everything turns out a tiny bit too small! The more you know, hey? For my next project I will have to try knitting through the front loop, and see what difference it makes ^__^

 

Since my stitches weren't as even as they should have been, the surface knitting for the facial features didn't work as well, which I discovered when I tried to do the nose. I persevered, but I ended up having to go over my stitches a few times to cover up the white yarn underneath and it doesn't look as neat. So I just embroidered the eyes on with two strands of wool, using back stitch (which you all know is my fave! ~__^)

I used stash wool for this project, so I'm not sure of the brands, but the white yarn is 100% wool, and the grey yarn is 100% acrylic. The grey was also slightly thinner than the white yarn which meant that the top of the hat is thinner than the base. This isn't really a problem though, because heads are also kinda shaped that way ~__^

 

I used two strands of each yarn, because they weren't as thick as the yarn Tanya recommended in her pattern, and I didn't want to go and buy more since I'm still trying to stash bust and also because I have *so much yarn*! Really I just justify buying any ever again ever. I do though. But it's not just! ~__^

 

I also added a crochet scallop border because my cast on was pretty dreadful looking, and also because I like to wear my hats on the crown of my hat, which means the brims often have to be a bit lower then others may prefer.

 

I used the same grey yarn that I used for the top of the hat, but I only used one strand and a 4mm hook. I did the scallops by doing five trebles into one of the cast on spaces; then I joined the next three cast on spaces with one stitch, like you would if you were reducing with the double crochet stitch. I'm not sure what that is actually called, probably something like 'double three together'. Let's say it's that, for now. If you know the correct terminology, let me know in the comments! Anyway, I just scalloped and 'double three together'-ed all around the brim and then tied off. I think it really adds a nice touch! ^__^ 

 We had a really great turnout for this KAL - we ended up with 82 group members, which I thought was incredible! ^__^ If you want to check out all the awesome FOs this group made, head over to Ravelry and take a sticky beak ^__^

 

Both the knit and crochet patterns will be available to everyone on Ravelry in the next couple of days, and soon Tanya and I will begin the process of choosing the grand prize winner and also the recipients of some cute little Foxy KAL button badges (which you can spot in the photos above) - it's going to be tough because all of the hats are so good! ^__^

Millions and millions of thanks to Tanya, who was an amazing co-coordinator and who wrote a fantastic pattern! If you don't have it now, you should definitely get it when Tanya releases it on her Ravelry account! ^__^

And also shout outs to everyone who participated! You rock! ^__^

- Lisa xx