Ingress Enlightened Hat Knitting Pattern

Hello, again, after a bit of a hiatus!

I have still been knitting and stitching, although blogging has fallen a bit by the wayside in light of recent events (wedding, honeymoon, craaaaazy busy work/grad school, etc.).  I wanted to check in again to share something, though!

I have been playing a Google-sponsored game called Ingress.  It's basically Four Square meets Capture the Flag, played on cell phones and tablets.  There are two teams or "factions," the Resistance (blue, or "Smurfs") and the Enlightened (green, my team, the better team).  This game requires you to get out and walk around outside, and because winter is approaching I wanted to knit something to show my faction pride and keep me warm.  My solution?  A colorwork hat!  I posted the finished object on Google+, and it kind of "went viral."  I got a ton of requests for the pattern, so here it is!

(Who knows - if I get enough requests, maybe I can even be convinced to do a Resistance hat, too.)  :)

My new Ingress Enlightened hat!

Enlightened Hat Knitting Pattern

Yarn: Caron Simply Soft in Black (main color, MC - 9727) and Limelight (contrast color, CC - 9607)
Needles: tapestry needle, US size 8 (5.0 mm) 9" circular needles AND US size 8 (5.0 mm) double-pointed needles*

*you can also knit the entire hat on double-pointed needles, if desired

Gauge: 1" = 5 stitches

When knitting the colorwork, make sure to leave a good amount of slack in the CC while knitting with the MC, or else the hat will be too tight.  Tack the CC into place every 3-5 stitches on the reverse side by twisting it behind the MC.

Instructions (knit in the round):
Cast on 100 stitches in MC.  Join in circle, being sure not to twist.
Rows 1-8: *k2, p2 rib*
Rows 9-10: knit all stitches

Begin colorwork
See chart below.  Chart is worked from right to left and from bottom to top.  Repeat the pattern [between the asterisks in the written instructions (*)] five times total in each row (5 x 20 stitches, 100 stitches total).

Row 1: *k10 MC, k1 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 2: *k10 MC, k1 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 3: *k9 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 4: *k9 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 5:  *k8 MC, k3 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 6: *k8 MC, k3 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 7: *k7 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 8: *k7 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 9: *k7 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 10: *k5 MC, k1 CC, k3 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 11: *k5 MC, k1 CC, k2 MC, k3 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 12: * k4 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC, k1 CC, k13 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 13: *k5 MC, k1 CC, k3 MC, k4 CC, k7 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 14: *k1 CC, k1 MC, k1 CC, k3 MC, k2 CC, k6 MC, k3 CC, k1 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 15: *k4 MC, k2 CC, k1 MC, k8 CC, k5 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 16: *k3 MC, k1 CC, k2 MC, k1 CC, k2 MC, k4 CC, k7 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 17: *k4 MC, k2 CC, k14 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 18: *k5 MC, k1 CC, k2 MC, k3 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 19: *k9 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 20: *k7 MC, k1 CC, k1 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 21: *k8 MC, k3 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 22: *k9 MC, k2 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Row 23: *k10 MC, k1 CC, k9 MC* (repeat 4 more times)
Cut CC only; secure and weave in end of yarn.
Rows 24-27: knit all stitches in MC

Shape crown
Repeat the pattern between the asterisks (*) 10 times total for each row.  Stitch counts at the end of each row are listed in brackets [].
Row 28: *k8, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [90 stitches at end of row]
Row 29: knit all stitches
Row 30: *k7, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [80 stitches at end of row]
Row 31: knit all stitches
Row 32: *k6, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [70 stitches at end of row]
Row 33: knit all stitches
Row 34: *k5, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [60 stitches at end of row]
Row 35: knit all stitches
*If using circular needle, switch to double-pointed needles at this step.
Row 36: *k4, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [50 stitches at end of row]
Row 37: knit all stitches
Row 38: *k3, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [40 stitches at end of row]
Row 39: knit all stitches
Row 40: *k2, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [30 stitches at end of row]
Row 41: knit all stitches
Row 42: *k1, k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [20 stitches at end of row]
Row 43: knit all stitches
Row 44: *k2tog* (repeat 9 more times) [10 stitches at end of row]
Row 45: knit all stitches
Row 46: *k2tog* (repeat 4 more times) [5 stitches at end of row]

Cut yarn leaving 6" tail.  Using tapestry needle, thread cut end through all stitches in Row 46.  Secure and weave in end on reverse side.  Weave in ends on cast-on edge.

Happy knitting!

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Snowpocalypse Stitch-a-Thon - and a Free Snowflake Pattern!

Brrrr, readers!

Here in the blustery Northeast, we are battening down the hatches for a good old snowstorm.  The snow started coming down at about 11:00 this morning, and it is already starting to accumulate on the ground!  The weather forecast says we should get about a foot of snow by tomorrow morning, with more to come tomorrow.  Gov. Patrick has declared a statewide emergency, there is a run on bottled water and batteries at the local Stop & Shop, cars are sliding all over the roads, and Beantown is in a general state of chaos.

So what does this mean for you, my loyal readers?

Well, my office is closed for the day, and the MBTA will shut down at 3:30 this afternoon, so I am officially snowbound!  That means... STITCH-A-THON!!!!!  I am quite excited, because I am building up half-finished projects more quickly than snow is piling on the sidewalks below.  So, I will be spending the weekend happily stitching away, by candlelight if need be.  I want to finish the owl and finish my current quadrant of Celestial Dragon, as well as finish the last (pink) brain hat in my order queue.

So, in the middle of this winter storm, if you need a new project, or if you are looking for an excuse to start something fresh, I have even put together a little free snowflake pattern to help you on your quest.  :)  Here it is!

Free Snowflake Pattern

Free snowflake pattern.  (c) Erin E. Turowski, 2013.  For personal use only.

Dimensions:
30 squares wide x 30 squares tall
14-count: 2.1" x 2.1" (5.4 cm x 5.4 cm)
16-count: 1.9" x 1.9" (4.8 cm x 4.8 cm)
18-count: 1.7" x 1.7" (4.2 cm x 4.2 cm)

You can stitch this in any color you would like, although I think whitework would look quite nice.  For the "dots" in the pattern, you can either use French knots or seed beads for a bit of shimmer.  You could also add some blending filament (try Kreinik #032 in Pearl!) for a bit of extra sparkle.

So... stay safe, stay warm, and happy stitching!  If anyone else is stuck in this wonderful winter weather, please feel free to link to your own stitch-a-thon below!

Cheers,
-Erin

Free Banana Pattern and My Trans-Con Stitch-A-Thon This Weekend

It's FRIDAY!  Thank God; it has been quite a work week.

I have a confession to make.  I travel a lot (my fiancé lives in Houston, and I live in Boston).  I also like to travel.  As a result, I have low-tier Medallion frequent flier status on Delta.  There is an established ritual/rite of passage within the frequent flyer community known as a "mileage run" - basically, you buy a low fare to fly several thousand miles for the sole purpose of acquiring SkyMiles to earn or keep elite status.  If you have ever been to FlyerTalk.com, there are dozens of fora devoted to such endeavors.

Why does this matter?

Because I am crazy enough to actually be mileage running this weekend.

My itinerary?

Boston, MA to Detroit, MI
Detroit, MI to Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City, UT to Oakland, CA
Oakland, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles, CA to Detroit, MI (redeye)
Detroit, MI to Boston, MA

All in all, I will fly 5800 miles in about 25 hours.  This includes about one- to two-hour layovers at each airport.  I have SkyClub access courtesy of my credit card, and I got upgraded to first class on both of the legs through Oakland, so I plan to spend most of the trip stitching and sipping cocktails (even if I have to pay for a few in the air).  :)  Not a bad way to kill a Saturday, eh?

If anyone wants to follow along on my Twitter (@LesBtchMoreStch), I will tweet updates and/or pics from every stop.  Look for #TransConStitchAThon hash tags!  I will also have a post-trip debriefing blog entry on Monday.  I may make a quick blog update en route, too.  I am really excited!  I realize some of you may think I'm crazy, but I have been looking forward to this ever since I bought the tickets in August.

Oh, and because it's been awhile since I posted a freebie, here is a free cross stitch banana pattern for you Internetters.

Free banana cross stitch pattern. For personal use only.  (c) Erin E. Turowski, 2012.

Use DMC 973 for proper banana coloring.  :)

Wish me luck!  This is my first mileage run, so hopefully I am back to normal on Monday.

See you soon, readers,
-Erin

Freebie Friday - Mini Apple Cross Stitch Pattern

Hello, readers!  It has been awhile since I posted a free pattern for everyone, so here is a shiny, bright red apple!  It can either be stitched with or without the script at the top.

Free apple cross stitch pattern. For personal use only.  (c) Erin E. Turowski, 2012.

Key (DMC colors):
+     320
E     829
X    349
*     350
-      blanc

Stitch all cross stitches using two strands.  For "Apple" writing, use 1 strand DMC 349.

Finished size (14-count): 1.07" (2.7 cm) wide x 1.5" (3.8 cm) tall

Also, I have been stitching along on "A Day at the Beach."  I have finished the center panel and have started on the beach house on the left side of the pattern.  Here is a picture:

"A Day at the Beach" - coming along nicely

My plan is to do a fair amount of stitching this weekend, so I should have another update for you early next week!  Have a fantastic weekend - and thanks for stopping by and commenting!

Cheers,
Erin

Another free monkey pattern - and Christmas on the Beach

Hello, readers!  I have returned from my beach vacation and am trying to catch up with all of the things I have missed at work.  I hope everyone is having a lovely summer!

I looked back through my old posts and decided I wasn't quite happy with the squirrel monkey cross stitch pattern I had posted earlier, so I made a new monkey pattern that is much cuter and cartoonish!  He is holding a banana.  Here he is:

Cartoon monkey cross stitch pattern (with banana).  For personal use only.  (c) Erin E. Turowski, 2012.

And here is the key:

Key (DMC floss colors)
-     869 (also for French knots for the nostrils)
o    422
*    972
X   224
+    310
=    blanc

Finished size (37 squares wide x 27 squares tall)
14-count fabric: 2.6" x 1.9" (6.7 cm x 4.9 cm)
16-count fabric: 2.3" x 1.7 " (5.9 cm x 4.3 cm)
18-count fabric: 2.1" x 1.5" (5.2 cm x 3.8 cm)

And I have been working a little more on Christmas on the Beach, too.  The sky, waves, and beach are all filling in!  I had a bit of trouble because I stitched the base of the tree trunk and the little pink ornament underneath it one square to the right of where they should have been, but that has been remedied now.  Here is a photo:

"Christmas on the Beach" - the water and beach are starting to come through!

I am still chugging along on "All Things Bright and Beautiful" and "Celestial Dragon."  I am expecting to have the former finished this weekend!  The latter... well, the dragon is kind of a b*tch to stitch.  :-D  But I will keep you posted until the bitter end - I am just having fun stitching the small stuff for now!

Have a fantastic Wednesday, and thanks for stopping by!

-Erin

Free Cross Stitch Monkey Pattern! (a.k.a., Paying Attention to Google Queries!)

Hello, dear readers,

Out here in the blog-o-sphere, it can be tough to attract attention from people surfing the Internet.  To help in your quest for blog fame, Blogger offers a bevy of information about the people who browse your blog.  One of these data points is a list of queries that people have typed into a search engine to find your blog.

Well, I monitor these things pretty regularly, and I noticed that I was getting a lot of hits from people looking for "free monkey cross stitch patterns."  Unfortunately, while I do have "free cross stitch patterns" and a "monkey cross stitch" on my blog, I do not have a "free monkey cross stitch pattern" to share with my readers.

So, in response to all of these Internet views from people who surely are not finding what they are looking for, I decided to design a "free monkey cross stitch pattern" for you to use!  Please note: this pattern is for personal use only; no commercial use is allowed without written permission.

Free squirrel monkey cross stitch pattern.  For personal use only.  (c) Erin E. Turowski, 2012.

Key (DMC colors):

+     645

|     ecru

=     black

*     white

Z     648

X     225

Dimensions:

26 squares wide x 22 squares tall

14-count: 1.9" x 1.6"

16-count: 1.6" x 1.4"

18-count: 1.4" x 1.2"


Here is what it looks like stitched up (more or less, computer-generated image):

Free squirrel monkey cross stitch pattern.  For personal use only.  (c) Erin E. Turowski, 2012.

This is a common squirrel monkey (Saimiri sciureus).  Here is a picture of what one looks like in the wild, for comparison:

Common squirrel monkey, from http://pin.primate.wisc.edu/fs/sheets/images/124med.jpg

The veterinarian in me opted for a more true-to-life rendition, rather than a cartoon-ish monkey or a sock monkey, but if I see enough search hits for a "free sock monkey cross stitch pattern" in the future, maybe I will add one of those as well!

Before you go - a question for my current e-mail subscribers (please respond!):

I realize that you are all busy people and that you may or may not appreciate having e-mails every few days when I update my blog.  I really appreciate your readership, and I want to hear your preferences!  So, would you rather:

A) continue to receive e-mails at 7:00 a.m. EST the day after I make a new post (approximately 3 e-mails per week), OR

B) receive a weekly update (only 1 e-mail per week) as a digest-style compilation of my new posts for that week?

If you could just take a minute to respond, I would like to hear your opinion so I can tailor my e-mail updates to fit your needs!  A comment at the end of this blog post with your preference (A or B) would be sufficient.  If I do not receive a clear preference from my subscribers for either frequency, then I will keep the e-mails on the current schedule (an update the day after each new post).

Thank you - and thanks so much for reading and for your very thoughtful and kind comments!

Until next time...

-Erin
Less Bitching, More Stitching!


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Free Mini Cross Stitch Pattern - Teal, Brown, and Gold Plaid Square

I decided I wanted to cross stitch something small and brightly-colored, so I made a pattern that I am sharing with my blog readers!  Please note: this pattern is for personal use only; no commercial use permitted without written permission.

Free plaid square cross stitch pattern.  For personal use only. (c) Erin E. Turowski, 2012.

Key:
X  --  DMC S995 (3 strands)
•   --  DMC 838 (3 strands)
=   --  DMC 422 (3 strands)
Thick black lines  --  DMC E3821 (1 strand)

I stitched this over one thread on 14-count Aida cloth.  It measures 1.1" x 1.1" (2.7 cm x 2.7 cm) square.  It fits perfectly in a 1.5" (3.8 cm) square acrylic keychain.  I buy my keychains from Joann Fabrics as part of a children's scratch-off art kit - I throw away the scratch-off paper, and I get two keychains for $1.49.  Here are some pictures of the finished product!

Teal, brown, and gold plaid cross stitched keychain

Teal, brown, and gold plaid cross stitched keychain (close up)

Enjoy, and happy stitching - Celestial Dragon update tomorrow!