The "Wiggle" Hat

Good Morning!

It's another mostly cloudy day today with rain again this afternoon, perfect knitting weather.  I just love settling in with a good book on my iPad or a movie and my knitting.  It's those kinds of lazy-ish days that "mindless" knitting seems to imply.  Although, with the boys to keep me company, that usually won't happen until the afternoons when JT and Mason go down for their naps.  It's nap time right now for Mason, and snack time for JT and so a perfect few minutes to write. 

One of the first patterns that I did was the "Wiggle" Hat.  I had mentioned the hat in one of my  posts of last week and how it got it's name.  If you missed that post, JT named the hat.  I had made one for each of the boys and one afternoon when my daughter got home from work, she asked JT to get the "Wiggle" Hats.  I was surprised at that, since I didn't know that they had been named.

The sample hat that I had made for The Perfect Blend, yarnandteashop.com, was double sided.  I had embroidered a flower on one side and a frog on the other side.  By doing this I didn't have to knit two hats.  Anyway, it is a very simple hat to make, but the advantage to that is once it is knit, there is a perfect opportunity to teach the Kitchener Stitch. There are quite a few more stitches on the hat than on the toe of a sock or the shoulder seams of a sweater.  Therefore, more practice time gain an understanding and the ability to memorize the process.

My friend Carol Cypher, a beading teacher, used to teach her classes using mantras for learning.  I loved this method of teaching, and adapted a mantra for the Kitchener Stitch.  It is as follows:

Front Needle
Slip one (stitch) as if to knit, take it off
Slip one (stitch) as if to purl, leave it on
Back Needle
Slip one (stitch) as if to purl, take it off
Slip one (stitch) as if to knit, leave it on
And Repeat

Here is the link to view video on YouTube. 
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQi2DrdG0jIxOZp1SeKebQ?feature=guide

It's Elmo time.  JT hasn't seen Elmo since last week and he has washed his hands and is already for me to get him set up.  Have a Great Day everyone!