Entrapment (plus giveaway)
You know that feeling you get when you’re doing something that’s actually really easy but looks super impressive? That feeling that sits dangerously close to smug self satisfaction? That feeling is what Entrapment is all about!
I know it looks like you’re doing something complicated there, but you’re really not. This might actually be the simplest hat I’ve ever designed (and it’s certainly the closest I’ve ever come to telling you to knit a tube of plain stockinette). I mean yes, every now and then you slip a stitch or work a twisted stitch, but just about every stitch in this thing is plain old knit in the round.
And that little bit of slipping and twisting that you do end up doing? It’s really fun! I found myself blasting through the hat in record time because I wanted to work just one more row of the fun bits before I put it down. That’s always a good sign!
To make this, you’ll want two contrasting yarns. I used Tosh Vintage (that’s a nice, classic worsted-weight yarn) for the background, and Tosh Merino DK for the fancy bits (that’s a single-ply yarn in something close to the same weight as the background yarn, though a little thicker or thinner will be fine). Basically, you want a skein of worsted and a few dozen yards (I’d be surprised if you needed more than 60 yards) of a contrast color. That means this is a perfect way to use up leftovers from other projects. Just find a nice worsted to use as the background, and go crazy with fancy bits!
But I’m going to make someone’s yarn choice easy. I’ve got an extra skein of each of the yarns I used here to send off to someone. Just leave me a comment telling me what your favorite thing that looks hard but is actually super easy. Some of mine are making caramel or chocolate sauce (seriously, there’s no need to ever buy that stuff) and baking bread. I sort of suspect you could make an argument for knitting itself being one of those things too!
And I am not quite cool enough to send yarn to everyone, but I can give everyone a discount. You can use the code EASY PEASY to get 10% off the hat between now and Friday. Just put Entrapment in your ravelry cart, click on the ‘use a coupon code’ button, and type in the code EASY PEASY. You’ll see the change in price reflected right away.
Comments left between now and the end of the day (eastern time) Friday, March 10, 2017 will be entered to win. I’ll pick a winner, contact them to get their addresses, and arrange to send yarn their way. Be sure to use a real email address so I can contact you if you’ve won (I won’t do anything with those email addresses besides notify the winner). If I do email you, I need to hear back from you within 72 hours or I will pick a new winner and contact them. Sorry, but I can only ship physical prizes to US addresses.
I have a recipe for chocolate crinkles that is so ridiculously easy to make. I usually make about 50 dozen at the holidays!
Love the yarn by the way!
Karen
I think that counted cross stitch looks especially impressive when done, but is so easy to do! I love to see something appearing on the aida cloth and plus (shhhh don’t tell) if you make a mistake you can just alter the pattern a little bit an no one is any the wiser!
I’d love to win this yarn – I think your patterns are beautiful ~ Thank you!
Making beaded ( off loom) bracelets looks hard, but really isn’t
This is stunningly beautiful!
OMG, saw this and had to have it!!!!
I’ll be the first to buy it right this second!!!!
Gorgeous! I don’t wear hats very often, but I would totally turn this into a cowl!
Oh that’s an awesome idea!
Pssssst. HInt, buy the pattern. No, it’s NOT a cowl pattern. 😉
Yay! I’m the first comment :0) Anyway, my favorite thing that is really easy, but looks hard is probably smocking stitch. People are always super impressed, but it’s SUPER easy. A non-knitting example would be making applesauce 😉 Thanks for the opportunity! Though I’m thinking of all the ways to make this hat with those little bits in my stash, I really love the colors you used, so I’d absolutely LOVE to win. Thanks again. Already bought the pattern!
Something that I like to do that looks hard but is easy…hmm. Knitting magic! I love doing cables and lace knitting because the end product is beautiful and not incredibly difficult. It looks like it is really hard, but as you know, it is not. That makes me feel super amazing!
Favorite thing that looks hard but is super easy (for me) includes a big roasted turkey (honestly if you take out the backbone in cooks so fast and even and it looks glorious!) Also Kitchener stitch – it looks like wizard magic but once you get the hang of it, easy peasy! I openly love Kitchener, so I am a little weird.
Oh – we make turkey this way, too. The breast meat stays soooo juicy. We like to de-bone and stuff the thighs as well. Sliced, they make a gorgeous (and delicious) presentation. 🙂
One of my new favorite “hard” things is knitting cables. I was intimidated by them for years and when I finally tried it, I felt like a magician!
Cable knitting!
My favourite thing that looks hard but is super easy is guacamole. Not too many of my friends and family make it, so when I bring some homemade stuff people go a bit crazy and I’m just thinking to myself “it only took a few minutes. It’s nothing fancy.” Also, in knitting, lace and cables. The non-knitters I know marvel at both and I let them live in the mystery because that means they give me money to knit more pretty things.
I’d have to say making spritz cookies. The dough is simple and the cookies just fly into my cookie sheets. And they look fancy!
Chart reading! So many people are intimidated by it (admittedly so was I at first), but it’s so easy. My DH thinks it looks like I’m reading hieroglyphics when I’m knitting from a chart.
Adore this hat.
Either making meringue cookies, or knitting itself. 🙂 With knitting, if I’m in public, I’ll get so many comments about how tricky it is or complicated, and it’s really not!
Making pancakes! My daughter thinks it’s magic – I’m not going to tell her otherwise!
One of my favorite things to do that looks hard, but is really easy? Why, knitting of course! Even my knitting friends are impressed by lace, cables, even socks. Once you get the hang of any of these, you find out they really are easy.
That said, I’m very impressed by that twisted stitch. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it. It looks similar to a butterfly stitch construction, but the twist, and that gorgeous yarn, make it super interesting.
Mosaic knitting! Of course!
But seriously: You need to give us your chocolate sauce recipe.
I love love this hat!!
I have 2 (related) things that looked hard and turned out to be easy and fun: magic loop knitting and turning heels on socks. I still feel super clever when my knitting takes a 90 degree turn and suddenly looks like a sock instead of a glove!
For the people in my life just plain knitting looks hard. 🙂
For me it’s lace charts. Look hards, complicated even, but oh so easy. That and sock knitting. 🙂
A few easy things that look difficult are knitting Celtic cables, Kitchner stitch, turning a heel. I recently learned how to bake macaroons, and was surprised they are so easy; wondering why did I buy them when they are too easy to make!
Knitting socks. making marshmallows, strength training
I would have to say… laundry… I keep telling my husband just how easy it really is, but he doesn’t believe me! 😉 Love this pattern too… I knit Constellate in January and love your patterns! Thanks for another beautiful one!
What a fun hat. Love the color contrast too!
Preserving & Fermenting – one jar or many -really brightens both your pantry and palate. Kimchi, preserved lemons are both easy.