I've been itching to knit this Plassard Grand Large Batik variegated pink into a Bucket-o-Chic since April, and by gum* I've finally started! I used Plassard Grand Large to knit a Bucket-o-Chic last winter, and was really happy with the results. This is my try at a variegated version in the same yarn, and I LIKE IT. The band (shown above), made for some quick but fun knitting before lunch today.

So, knitalongers, how are you coming along? Are you doing the Bottom's Up or Bucket-o-Chic? What yarn are you using? Several people have written to me asking for yarn recommendations, and I think that Plassard Grand Large, Rowan's ASC and Cotton Ease to be good yarns to use for the Bucket-o-Chic. For the Bottom's Up, I like Lily Sugarbabies and Bergere de France's Bergereine. Any other suggestions and/or favorites out there? Please, do share. I'll be able to compile them into a list and post it for others who are looking for yarns to knit their bucket hats.

Knitalong news: You might recall that in addition to the yarn prizes I will give for my favorite bucket hat and photos, there will also be a "Reader's Favorite" photo with prizes generously donated by sponsors. Well, we've got sponsors! Wendy is generously donating a some Himalaya Silk and a pattern for a crocheted neck choker with a flower, Kathi is generously donating two beaded ring kits, and Julia (whom we have to thank for the reader's favorite idea) is donating some Cascade 220 for a felted bucket hat. [Please note: Sponsors remain in the running for the Reader's Favorite, and are eligible for the prizes! Yes, even their own. Hee!] If you'd like to sponsor the Reader's Favorite prize, please let me know. Heck, I'll probably end up donating something myself. The more the merrier, I say.

And! We've already got finished bucket hats for the summer portion of the knitalong: Allison is looking classy in her Bottom's Up bucket hat knit using Cotton Ease, Sarah W. knit a Bottom's Up bucket using Rowan Denim "so it'll fade over the summer" [neat!], Heather M. knit a bucket hat for her adorable daughter [look at that smile!] using Cotton Tots, Gloria in Georgia knit her Bottom's Up bucket using Austermann's Jenny [and tells me that it is unblocked in the photo, but it looks just fine to me], Chris knit a bright, beachy bucket hat using Brushstrokes cotton, and Wendy knit a fabulous "Big-Ass Bucket Hat" using a "slubby" cotton/rayon blend called "Tabitha" [wow!], Alison M. knit two [!] Bottom's Up bucket hats: one using GGH Samoa and Filatura di Crosa Giardino, and the other in Rowan Linen Print [I particularly like the red and white hat; it looks like it has flowers on the brim]. What a great start to the summer portion, knitalongers!

*I eagerly await the remake of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

My peppermint Bucket-o-Chic has been finished since last week, and I decided to put it in my backpack when I went skating in the park so I could take pictures of it, already. I love this hat, but I didn't knit it for me. I made it for a very good friend who just had a birthday, and who has a head that is, well, a couple of inches bigger than mine. [It just means that you have a bigger brain, Elise.] I must admit: I'm pretty proud of this hat. The variegation created a nice stripey effect with no pooling whatsoever. The hat required very little blocking, too. Plassard did good with this yarn.

No dancing pictures for this hat. I was wearing my roller blades and didn't want to risk falling on my bee-hind like a spazz. (I haven't quite mastered roller dancing yet, but I will someday. Oh yes, I will.) But here's another picture of the hat for you, just because.

Knitalong news:

We've got some more goodies for the Reader's Favorite prizes! You might recall that in addition to the prizes I am giving, my readers will get to vote on their favorite bucket hat photo submitted during my entire knitalong at the end of summer. So far, we've got some nice prizes (mentioned here), and we've just got a couple more: Thoughtful Alison* has sent a skein of Calmer [drools helplessly] in shade 463 (a light blue), which is enough to knit the Juliet-style lacy cap from The Calmer Collection. But that's not all: talented Eileene of woolgathering.net is donating a set of six stitch markers! Thank you both!

Now, for the latest finished bucket hats in the knitalong (in addition to my own): Katy's son models his fabulous Bottom's Up Bucket hat adorned with some nifty buttons, Holly knit a striped Bottom's Up Bucket using pretty watermelon colors, Orli knit a Bottom's Up Bucket hat in Cotton Tots that her husband kindly models for us [the photos are PRICELESS...the "fun in the sun" is my favorite, hands down], and Jessica knit an adorable Bucket-o-Chic using Sugar 'n' Cream cotton for - get ready for this - her son's teddy bear named "Corduroy". Can you stand it? Great buckets, knitalongers! And how are the other knitalongers doing? Any finished hats you'd like to share, or updates? There are still a few weeks left for the knitalong, so if you're name is on this list, you have lots of time to get your hat photo in.

*Along with the skeins of Calmer, thoughtful Alison sent me some cute gifties I can't resist sharing: The Classic Ten book and a little zippered bag with shoes on it that she got during her trip to NYC. (Can you see the Calmer peeking out of the bag?) I love it all. Thank you for thinking of me, Alison!

The text reads: "For the miss and young woman who prefer a hat with a brim, this genuine Joan Crawford model ['designed for and posed by the famous Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer star'] is an excellent choice." Wire hangers optional. (Yikes. That last phrase was a groaner, I know.)

Speaking of hats with brims, we've got lots of finished bucket hats for the Bottom's Up Bucket Knitalong:

Brynne knit a Bottom's Up bucket in the smallest size for her baby boy [awww!] using sport weight Sugar 'n' Cream Cotton, and made a matching one for herself as well; Stacey knit her snazzy Bucket o' Chic using Recycled Silk from Mango Moon, Carissa knit an adorable Bottom's Up bucket using pink and white Cotton Fleece [with trim in either intarsia or duplicate stitch. I'm not sure.]; Katy has cranked out another Bottom's Up bucket [wow!] for her son's teacher using Kitchen Cotton, Debbie C's little girl models her cute Bottom's Up Watermelon [!] bucket knit in 3 different colors of Tahki Cotton Classic; Celia knit a "Bucket o' Peace" complete with brim in contrast color and peace symbol in intarsia [!], Emily knit a Bottom's Up bucket for her baby Sophie [awwww! And let me point out again the hat Emily knit for her son in spring] using Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Cotton Ball; Kyla knit a hat for her cousin, and poses in a adorable shot with her cousin wearing the hat; Wendy made her fourth bucket hat a felted one (and added a scarf to match); Ellen looks smashing in her Bottom's Up "badass" bucket knit using Cotton Fleece; Marlena models her blue Bottom's Up bucket knit using Cotton Ease; Maria knit a Bottom's Up bucket in a pretty color; Kathen knit two striped hats in summer colors; April knit a Bottom's Up bucket [love that brim] using Lion Cotton in Sunflower; and Froggy's daughter [awwww!] models a red Bottom's Up hat knit using Cotton Ease. [Added 31/08: Laura, in true knitalong spirit, knit her little girl a Bottom's Up ribbed bucket in marathon fashion; and Rossana knit a multi-colored Bottom's Up bucket using Rowan ASC in Blackcurrant and pink, and very creatively added a crocheted flower with an i-cord stem to the top of the hat. Check it out!] WOW. Look at all of these great hats! Can you stand it?

Any other hats by knitalongers I haven't mentioned yet? Tell me now, because tomorrow is the last day for bucket hat photo submissions in the summer portion of my bucket hat contest! And I'm gonna say it now: Picking prize recipients is going to be HARD.

In other fun knitalong news, we have even more sponsors for the Reader's Favorite photo. And I have something to share: I think that the sponsors of the Reader's Favorite photo should be entitled to nominate their favorite hats on which we'll all vote. (Incidentally, voting will take place next week, and will be done via the comments in the last bucket hat entry I will publish for the knitalong.) Here are our sponsors so far, and what they are going to be giving:

Julia - a hank of Cascade 220.
Wendy - Crochet necklace kit.
Jenny - 2 skeins of Fortissima Colori and 1 skein of Trekking sock yarn.
Alison - 1 skein of Calmer in shade 463 for a lace cap.
Kathi - Beaded ring kit.
Eileene - Set of custom-made stitch markers.
Katy - 1 skein of Cherry Hill Tree Windsong with a scarf pattern.
Georgina - 3 skeins of Blu Jeans Indigo yarn (2 dark blue, 1 light blue) by Plymouth.
Marlena - 1 hank of Artful Yarns Fable in Goldilocks colorway.

I'll say it again: WOW :-)

[NOTE: A list of all the knitalong participants with links to their finished hats can be find on my sidebar, or at this entry. Sponsors, feel free to write to me to nominate all of your favorites.]

Let's start off our Monday with a BANG! Lots of Bottom's Up Bucket Knitalong fun for you in this entry. First, prizes to my favorite hats and photos for the summer portion of the knitalong:

Phildar Phil Ruban to Rossana, for her cute flowerpot hat and oh-so-smiley and shining photo.

Anny Blatt Libertine ribbon to Laura for her bucket hat marathon complete with smiling child photos.

Anny Blatt Flash and Libertine ribbons to Wendy and Katy, both who kept constant company by knitting fabulous buckets throughout the entire knitalong and shared photos and commentary on them all.

I had such a hard time choosing from all the fabulous photos and buckets. Thanks to everyone for knitting along!

Now comes the really fun part. Readers, it's time for YOU to choose your favorite bucket hat from the entire knitalong! The winner that YOU choose will get:

From Bonne Marie, our designer of the bucket hat: 2 balls of Rowan ASC, one hank Lamb's Pride, 3 pairs of circular needles AND a free copy of her latest Aran Gauge Bucket Hat Pattern.

Whoever comes in second will get from Bonne Marie: One hank Lamb's Pride and a free copy of her Aran Gauge Bucket Hat Pattern.

As mentioned before, the winner you choose will also get:

From Julia: a hank of Cascade 220.
From Wendy: a crochet necklace kit.
From Jenny: 2 skeins of Fortissima Colori and 1 skein of Trekking sock yarn.
From Alison: 1 skein of Calmer in shade 463 for a lace cap.
From Kathi: Beaded ring kit.
From Eileene: Set of custom-made stitch markers made in the color of the winner's choice.
From Katy: 1 skein of Cherry Hill Tree Windsong with a scarf pattern.
From Marlena: 1 hank of Artful Yarns Fable in Goldilocks colorway.

Here are the nominees as selected by prize sponsors:

Wendy's second hat
Sarah W.
Chris
Katy's first hat
Holly
Brynne's second hat
Carrie
Stacey
Kathen
Debbie C
Celia McC
LauraA
Rossana 's hat - Pictures here: 1 and 2
Donna
Sarah B.
Iko
Beth S.
Alison M.
Rhonda
Rachel E.
Kathleen
Jillian
Carissa
Emily's third hat
Maggi
Froggy
Amisha
Sara
Natalie B.
Katy's third hat
Amy
Bdot
Julia
Ellen
Heather M.
Alison
Jaz

Vote for your favorite in the comments! Voting will close on Friday, September 17 at 10:00 a.m. CET so you've got time to browse the bucket hat lovelies listed above.

Update: VOTING IS CLOSED. Congratulations to the winners!

First prize: Debbie C. for her watermelon hat.
Second prize: Sara for her pink hat with flower petals.