Knitty Knitty Bang Bang: January 2008

So now that I started knitting hats I just can't stop. It seems that despite the fact that I am knitting gauge swatches, I am still the Goldilocks of hat knitting - some are just a little too big, some are just a little too small and some are Just Right. Maybe it's my head? Who knows. Every single time I've finished one & put it on Patrick tells me that "it's cute but you are just not a hat person" which translates to "hats look like hell on you, stop trying you crazy girl". But I won't listen. My friends keep telling me that they look cute on me. He assures me that they are lying to me to spare my feelings. You can't buy honesty like that, I tell ya! Disclaimer: I have looked in the mirror wearing all of these hats & I must admit they aren't my cutest moments. Damn it! I wanna be a hat person.

Before I get to the goods, I have to introduce you to someone. She is what has been referred to as the "creepy glass head". Can you even believe that there is a story behind this? Oh yeah, there would have to be, wouldn't there? Over the past few weeks, with the start of the hat knitting, I have become obsessed with having a creepy head to model my hats. I am not a self-portrait kind of gal. I can never figure out that whole in the mirror picture thing, my timing is never right on a timer, and quite frankly Patrick would mock me so much if I asked him to take pictures for my blog & Ravelry that it's just not worth it. I have been stalking heads on ebay - uh, let me take a moment to pause for a Public Service Announcement. DO NOT search "head" on ebay. Or anywhere on the internet for that matter. AHEM. Back to the story....these MANNEQUIN HEADS (that's what you search - it's safer, but I still won't claim responsibility for what you see) were going for like $40 & $50 with shipping! Geeze. They are obviously heavy animals plus they are a bit fragile so it seemed to be a losing battle since I didn't want a head THAT bad. I read on a thread about said creepy glass heads (yes, I found a thread about Creepy Glass Heads - I love the internet) that some people got them at Pier One. So I head to my local Pier One & hold my breath but I'm in a time crunch so I just have to ask - "Ummm, this might sound crazy but I'm looking for a clear glass head." The girl says "yes, follow me" and brings me right to them. For $15 - $16.20 with tax. I check out all the while wondering what kind of ridiculous self control this chick must have because if it was me, I'd have to ask "WHAT DO YOU NEED A GLASS HEAD FOR? SERIOUSLY?" but she hands me my head like it's a candle holder or something & I'm done. I have given a lot of thought about what I should name her but it always comes back to Amelia. So there you have it. Priscilla, meet Amelia. Amelia, Priscilla. She will be showing up modeling hats from now on, so get used to her.

Now to the hats. Modeled by the one & only Amelia.

Edge of Lace hat from 101 Designer One Skein Wonders (love this book, if you don't have it, order it right now.) Made with Noro Cashmere Island which I enjoy much more than the Silk Garden & it's not expensive at all. This matches my Opera Scarf. A set - YAY!

Banana Republic Knock Off Hat - Because even using what I consider pretty pricey Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Super Chunky yarn it's still cheaper than the $50 overpriced BR one. I used some pink scraps from my Skinny Scarf so I was a little short on yarn. I did add two extra rows of knitting to the body but honestly it could have used a few more. I'm afraid I will be pulling on it too much so I'm probably going to donate this one to charity & knit another one for me - I have a whole skein of this yarn in ivory & I have a load of Rowan Big Wool, either one would work.

Le Slouch. I thought I would die of knitting in seed stitch but this went surprisingly fast & painlessly. Plus it's the first time I've knit with Malabrigo & OMG - I know what the rage is about. I heart this yarn like no other.

Now, in between all of this hat making I made this ridiculous cute Skinny Scarf from Knitty Gritty.

I've been wanting to make it forever but just never got around to it. I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Super Chunky which while nice, is overpriced. Nevermind that the first ball I used had 3 knots in it's whole 82 yards. Not ok. I know what the industry standard is, blah blah blah, but I expect that the more I pay for yarn the less knots I should encounter. That's all I'm saying. I did get the yarn 50% off at the Woolie Ewe sale, but I'd be EXTREMELY disappointed if I had paid full price for it. The fabric really is super nice but I won't be making a sweater out of it or anything!

Stacey - do any of these appeal to you? I'll make you a scarf to match. Dang it to all you hat people everywhere! (I recommend Le Slouch - it's about adorable on every living person other than me!)

I am also working on the Tatami Kimono in Plain & Fancy Wool. This yarn is TO DIE FOR nice to work with. It was about 400 yards for $16- WHAT?? That's nearly free! I found this yarn at Kid & Ewe in November but the colors they had weren't my favorite. Of course there was ONE skein that was exactly what I wanted - it was called "coral" but it had burgundy & pink & some coral plus some dark grey mixed in - just the perfect yarn. I talked to the lady who dyes it - Ms. Graycie & she said she would try to duplicate that yarn & would mail it to me. So that's what we did. A few weeks later I got an email from her, she sent me about 2 feet of it, I approved it, and I got it like 2 days later. Even before I paid her which was entirely shocking to me, though my check was in the mail. Really, it really was, I promise. So this kimono is going to be BEAUTIFUL if I may say so myself. While the construction is highly clever, it is BORING ME TO TEARS (can you say "clapotis"? It's the clappy sweater). So I work on it for a while then I make a hat then I work on the kimono, then I make a hat. Nevermind that I'm intrigued by the hats so I'm much more likely to work on a hat than the sweater. Ok - I confess, I didn't knit a stitch on the sweater between BR Knock off & Le Slouch. But whatever - don't judge me. The full back is knit on the kimono & that includes the sleeves because it's knit in one piece so I just have to grit my teeth & finish up the front - probably just in time for spring. In Texas spring happens in early February. So as much as I HATE WIP pictures, here is one so you can ohhhh & ahhhhh over my pretty yarn. The second picture is much more true to real color.