Classic Slouchy Tuque

Classic Slouchy Tuque
US 6 & 8
About 80 g of Patons Classic Wool

I love slouchy tuques (that's right, I'm Canadian), unfortunately I have never found one to buy at a store that was just plain with a long brim that could be worn rolled up or not!
There was a big sale on Paton's Classic wool at Michaels so I picked up a couple of skeins and got to work deciding on what to use it for.
Tada!

Pattern:
CO 100 with US 6 needles, join in round
K2, P2 for 3 inches
Increase 2

Change to US 8 needles
Work Stockinette Stitch for 3 inches

Decrease 4 evenly around
*K 12, k2tog* Repeat *-* to end of round
*K 1 row *
*K 11, K2tog*
*K 1 row*
*K 10, K2tog*
*K 1 row*
*K 9, K2tog*
*K 1 Row*
*K 8, K2tog*
*K 1 Row*
*K 7, K2tog*
*K 6, K2tog*
*K 5, K2tog*
*K 4, K2tog*
*K 3, K2tog*
*K 2, K2tog*
*K 1, K2tog*
*K2tog*

Cut 3 inch tail and pull through remaining stitches.
Tie off and enjoy!

On my needles....

Next project on the list: Sloucher by Tracy Rolling! Very excited about this one, I needed a good "rastaffa hat" (what my husband calls any hat with a slouch).
And it's not even the hat I'm most excited about, it's the yarn I've found specifically with this hat in mind; Bernat's Roving in Low Tide. Really soft, and the nicest color!
Pictures comming soon!

Chalice Lace Tanktop

In celebration of my first post; free tanktops for all!
I had my eye on Paton's silk bamboo for ages waiting to find a pattern to justify my spending money on more yarn. But I got impatient and made my own!
The fun thing about this pattern is that it's pretty interchangeable. I used the lace pattern from the 'Baby Chalice Blanket' http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baby-chalice-blanket (they're more technologically advanced than I am and have a chart you can follow) but you can use your favorite lace and change needle or yarn size to fit gauge. (Please don't mind the 'deer in the headlight' shot we got here...)
Unfortunately I only made this pattern for me (34 bust), but the Chalice Lace is devisable by 10, so I think you can go up or down a size pretty easily. It's worked from the bottom up and fitted by changing needle sizes to make the work tighter or looser.
On with the show!

Yarn: 3 balls of Paton's Silk Bamboo in Sapphire at 65g/2.2oz each
Needles: US 7 circulars and US 9 circulars
Gauge: 21 sts in lace = 6 inches
Abbreviations: K2tog - knit two together
yo - yarn over
sl -slip
psso - pass slip stitch over
stbl - slip one st knitwise, put st back on left needle, knit two sts together through back loop

CO 150 sts with US 9 needles, place marker, join in round.
Row 1: (k1, yo, k1, stbl, k3, k2tog, k1, yo) Repeat to end.
Row 2: This and every even row, K to end.
Row 3: (k2, yo, k1, stbl, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, k1) Repeat to end.
Row 5: (k3, yo, k1, sl 1, k2tog, psso, k1, yo, k2) Repeat to end.
Row 7: (k1, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, stbl) Repeat to end. Place marker 1 st to the right.
Row 9: (sl1, k2tog, psso, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2) Repeat to end. Place marker 1 st to the left after first psso.
Row 11: (k2, k2tog, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, stbl, k1) Repeat to end.
Row 13: (k1, k2tog, k1, yo, k3, yo, k1, stbl) Repeat to end. Place marker 1 st to the right.
Row 15: (sl1, k2tog, psso, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1) Repeat to end. Place marker 1 st to the left after first psso
Row 17: (k2, yo, k1, stbl, k1, k2tog, k1, yo, k1) Repeat to end.
Row 19: (k2, yo, k2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k2, yo, k1) Repeat to end.
Row 20: Knit

Repeat last 20 rows until work measures 5 inches from cast on edge, change to US 7 needles and continue lace pattern until work measures 13 inches. Change back to US 9 needles and continue lace pattern until work measures 18 inches.
Ribbing:
Row 1: Using US 7 needles (k2, p2)
Row 2: (k2, p2) 11 times, sl1, k2tog, psso, k2tog, pass next st over last, (p2, k2) 15 times, p2, sl1, k2tog, psso, k2tog, pass next st over last.
Continue in ribbing for 1 inch.
Bind off using 'Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind off' found here: http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall09/FEATjssbo.php

Block your Tank!

I put straps on mine using 4 crochet chains I made with a size F hook and the same yarn. Each chain was 15 inches, but make your own so they fit. Feel free to use lace, string, braided yarns, etc.

If you'd like to do a tube top:
Skip Row 2 of ribbing and continue k2, p2 for 3 inches.
Using a 1 inch wide elastic, wrap once around your chest right under your arms. Pull so it's snug but not constricting, add another inch to that length and cut. Sew ends together leaving a .5 inch allowance.
After bind off and blocking, turn work inside out and fold ribbing over elastic and pin. Sew the ribbing down without sewing the elastic.

Ta-dah! This is my first pattern from my head that I've put to paper so if you see anything that doesn't make sense or have a question, please let me know!

Please don't use this pattern to make money! It's a free for all pattern and I want to keep it this way!