A Boyfriend's Hat

Hi everyone!

Lessee, since my last post I have actually gotten some knitting done! I finished my green beret/slouchy hat, and I love it. I was unsure if I could pull off the slouchy style, but it seems like I can. With great gusto. I like it because it keeps my hair in check (the wind whips it around something fierce) and my head warm. I didn't expect it to be a particularly warm hat, but it is! My guess is that the extra space in the hat traps heat from my head and makes a little warm pocket. Whatever the case, I hope that the slouchy hat trend is here to stay for a while. It's flattering, warm, and exceedingly fun to knit and block.

And a silly one. I was playing around with photoshop (Paint.net, actually) and this happened:

Pattern: Meret by Woolly Wormhead.
Gauge: About 5 spi
Yarn: Ella Rae Classic Superwash, colorway 21
Needle size: 7
Notes: Cast on the large size to compensate for tighter gauge. The ribbing could have been tighter, so I'd probably use a smaller needle for it next time. For the slouchy part, followed the instructions for the medium size with one extra repeat for slouch, not two extra repeats for extra slouch. Fantastic pattern, I loved it.

I also started and finished a hat for the ever-knitworthy Boyfriend. Actually, while we're on the subject, quick aside to say that on the 3rd, we celebrated two years together! We didn't do anything because we're both  dead tired and swamped with work during the week more often than not. That and broke. So, anyway, bless him for gracefully handling my transition from normal person to crazy knitting lady. He deserves all the handknit hats in the world! (Not a sweater, because we know how that always ends.) More after the jump:

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi everyone! I hope all you Americans out there had a fantastic Thanksgiving!

I did. I ate with Boyfriend's aunt and uncle, and his aunt's family. Boyfriend's aunt and I go way back, though. I dated his cousin before I dated him, so I've known Boyfriend's aunt for a longer time than I've known Boyfriend. (Calm down! There was a year between the dating of Boyfriend's Cousin and the dating of Boyfriend. Also, Boyfriend's Cousin and I are still good friends.) She is a fabulous lady, the one who gave me her mother's needles when I was a fledgling knitter. The food and company could not have been better. Also, Boyfriend's Cousin's birthday is tomorrow, so we sang Happy Birthday. But after they sang happy birthday to him, they took the 1 from the 21 off the cake, replaced it with a 0 and sang to me! It was very sweet and unexpected. And yes, I am the big 2-0 today. I don't feel much different. But hey, I'm not a teen anymore! I've been waiting for this since I turned 13.

Knitting wise, there is not much of interest to be said. I took a break from Boyfriend's socks to knit a little extra something for a Secret Santa and am now working on a beret. Meret, to be exact. I was going to do it in Noro, but decided that it would be too hippie-ish. I don't have a problem with hippies, but I don't want to look like I reek of patchouli and am following the Dead around the country, you know? So I'm doing it in Ella Rae Classic Superwash in a dark green. A little too dark, if we're going to be honest, but I like it. I didn't realize that the lace pattern was the same as my Crofter's Cowl until I had already started, but that's ok. As usual I get a crappy photo with indoor lighting, but I'll subject you to it anyway. It's a darker green than that, but whatever. At least this photo had some visual interest. I'll post a better one when it's finished. I'm still looking for a good hat for my Noro skein.

And hopefully I shall be gracing the halls of Loop again soon. My uncle figured that that would be a good place to go for a birthday treat. I'm not about to argue. I love Loop, and I'll be picking up some Malabrigo, at least. Enough for hats for Boyfriend and I. I'd like a bright blue (Azul Profundo or Azul Bolita maybe?) and he is all about neutrals, frustratingly enough. He would look so nice in a red, but no. It's all dark blues and greens. Men, am I right?

Oh, and I send my thanks out to Lina at Photo. Knit. Dog. for her generous giveaway. I won 8th place, and so am getting a skein of Kypria sock yarn. It's 70%  merino, 20% bamboo, 10% nylon and 100% smooshy if Ravelry is to be believed. Go and check it out at the Sanguine Gryphon. Thanks again, Lina!