The Woes of a Wanna Be Knitter

Here are a million photos of one hat because it can be worn a million ways. Okay, four ways. I made it a little slouchy with the option to fold the ribbing up for a more fitted look. It looks good inside out, outside in, folded and unfolded. I adore this hat!
 

My hat was made with the Honey Hat pattern, but only as a starting point. I decided that this gorgeous hand dyed yarn would be best featured in a more simple stitch. I only used the pattern for the sizing and to get started with the ribbing and then continued on in reverse Stockinette stitch to the desired perfect slouchy length. The yarn is Anzula Cricket in Dark Matter (love that name) purchased locally at the gorgeous shop West 7th Wool. This yarn is 80% Merino Wool, 10% Nylon and 10% Cashmere. It is just as soft, squishy and luxurious as you can imagine. I adore the jewel tones and the resulting marbled look.

Now lets talk about the woes of a wanna be knitter who lives in Texas, shall we. Every year I get sooooo excited to knit, and I am going to knit up soooo many things. I go to the local yarn shop and ooh and ah and find the perfect lovely yarn for my first of many projects to come. I ever so slowly knit up said project, it may take me a month like this hat or several years of knitting (in the cold months only) to finish the first project of the season. Then I get to wear that precious item exactly ONCE before it gets too hot. And then it IS too hot and I am out in the garden working, or sewing up Summer clothes and swimsuits, with absolutely NO desire to have wool on my lap. I will say that in the years of scattered practice my knitting skills have grown, but I do not think I will ever be a fast knitter. It just isn't meant to be. I will however continue to knit that one special project each Winter in Texas and I will covet these pieces and wear them on at least one cold day each year.

The newborn hat was made in January and took me forever. I think the newborn recipient wore it once (he was a big little guy) but that's okay because I learned a lot and it was gifted with love. Sorry for the bad phone pic, but I couldn't not share. This is the Easy Peasy Newborn hat, a free pattern intended for leftover sock yarn. I purchased a 100 yard skein of Madeline tosh sock yarn and taught myself how to knit on teeny tiny double pointed needles. I attempted the magic loop technique but failed miserably and had to start over on DPNs. This hat actually came before mine, so the practice on DPNs came in handy when it was time to finish up my hat. The yarn was difficult for me to work with because it split a lot and I am not used to working with this weight of yarn. In the end I learned a lot and I am happy that I persevered. I think this hat found a home on one of baby River's stuffed animals and I am happy with that outcome.