I finished three things this week. I’m really proud of myself. Of the three, the booties might have been the most difficult project. It was hard for me to understand what I had to do to complete the rolls and seam the back and bottom of the booties.

I made the matching hat last month

I found this post in my drafts, so I figured that since TWO MONTHS have passed since I finished this hat (which I first started on Columbus Day…jeez), maybe I could stop procrastinating and actually upload it.

I had the hardest time wrapping my brain around this hat. Sure, it came out super adorably (if I do say so myself), but it took me FOREVER to 1) cast it on correctly and 2) correctly memorize the 4 row pattern repeat. Yeah, I’m a little embarrassed about that, too. Still, I’m not terribly upset with the finished product, and have already had a request to make another one, so yay!

I’m doing pretty well with Hatapolooza 2010, especially considering that I didn’t start my knitting until November. I’ve already completed 6 hats, and even started a pair of Batman mittens for Satanski. I was doing fine, until I got sick. Seriously?? Talk about awful timing. This wasn’t the kind of sick where I could sit home and knit and watch tv all day. This was the kind of sick where I had a fever and ridiculous headache, and could barely move without sneezing or coughing. Not pretty. So I lost about a day and a half, and since those were days when I didn’t get to do anything else, either, I feel the lost time keenly.
Still, I did manage to finish this hat before I got too sick. I love the way it came out, and despite the attention factor that I mentioned earlier, it wasn’t at all difficult. I may end up making another one of these before the year is out.

All in all, not bad for something I started after work on Tuesday

For the past few weeks, I’ve been watching Eureka as I knit. I tend to watch comedies (or really mindless dramas) when I’m knitting, because they require less attention on my part. I started a new hat today, and I’m feeling a wee bit victorious, since it’s stranded knitting, a style that I haven’t done before. I was finding it surprisingly easy, and really enjoying how fast this hat was going. I said was, because I ran out of Eureka episodes to watch, and switched to Damages. I spent the first half of the first episode watching intently and knitting on autopilot, and now have been unraveling my work for the next hour. Note to self: serious drama and Fair Isle knitting do not mix.

I read the season arcs/spoilers on the wiki, because I suspected that this show was too mean for me. I’m pretty sure it is. Ever character on that show is vile, and I don’t care enough about them to overlook it. I did see that the 5 most recent episodes of Eureka are available on Hulu, so I will catch up and then watch the remaining episodes there.

I’m in the process of blocking the two hats that I most recently finished. I had to stretch the white one a fair amount, but thanks to one of Satanski’s handy soccer balls (covered by a plastic bag), I think it will end up more or less the correct size.

I made the pompom for the second swirly hat, and will attach it once the hat has finished blocking.

Took the picture at a weird angle. This hat isn't crooked, I promise.

I made this hat for Amy Sue. It’s totally improvised, and halfway through, I already knew how I’d do things differently. Maybe I’ll get a chance to put those ideas into action on some other hat. I really like it, though, and I hope that blocking it will allow it to grow a bit; Amy has so much curly hair!

This hat is for my brother’s fiance, who asked me for a hat when she saw me make one for Satanski. I saw this pattern and thought it would be fun to make, and it was! I modified the pattern a bit, in that I didn’t make a 4 inch brim (why cover up this awesomeness??), and ended the hat by grafting together a total of 20 stitches, but otherwise stayed faithful to it. I used different yarns for the brim and the rest of the hat, and I love how well they match each other.

Since it’s not my hat, I just took crappy cell phone pictures of me wearing it. When T wears it, I’ll be sure to use a camera and take clear photos!

Pattern:
Swirly Hat, by TChemGrrl

Yarns Used:
Stonehedge Fiber Mill Shepherd’s Wool in Lavender for the brim
Cascade 220 Quatro in shades of purple for the rest of the hat

Needle:
Size 7 16″ circular needles
Six 6 Double pointed needles