Two days in a seminar equals one more Noro Hat. Ellie loved the one I did for my cousin so much that she begged for one for herself. I love the colors and I think she is really happy with it.
Category: Knitting
Another Noro Hat
Does anyone else have a pattern they just love knitting? Something simple? Something you can make three or four, or perhaps more of, without getting in the least bored?
For me, that pattern is Saartje's hat. It's a delightfully simple pattern. Knit eight rows, then purl four, knit four throughout, including in the decreases. Saartje makes her patterns available for free, as an added bonus. The rich texture of this pattern — the purl rows poof out — makes it look like an incredible feat of knitting.
This hat
is the second one I've made using this pattern. It is for a favorite cousin who is fortunately not a blog reader (it gets so hard to blog at this time of year without giving it all away!) I love how it looks like a beehive viewed from the top.
And the colorway is sufficiently rough and tumble to insure no loss of mancards (if you don't watch Scrubs, you should, my teenagers put me onto this show), which is apparently an important thing if you want to get guys to wear things you knit for them. I'm hoping to finish this one tonight and it's going to be a struggle to wrap it up, as I would really love to keep it.
My Artwork and Knitting are still largely limited to projects that are portable enough to go along to Ellie's ballet rehearsals. Although this constraint has been difficult in someways — I have a growing pile of knitted items that need to be blocked/seams sewn/finished, it has also lead me to take on some smaller interesting projects, like the soldered oranaments I've done for the kids' teachers, that might have not come into being otherwise. Next up are some presents for some of my closest girlfriends. I don't want to give away much of the surprise, so I'll just leave you with one little picture of the start of the projects, and you will have to guess, until they are unveiled.
Knitting To Vote
It's a great day in America. One of my neighbors just waited an hour and a half in line to vote — in our teeny, tiny little Alabama neighborhood. I couldn't be happier — it's what participatory democracy is all about. Seeing people engaged in and taking part in an election is one of the pinnacles of the American political process. Personally, I would be willing to wait all day.
Probably, that is because, in addition to being a devout believer in our democracy, I'm also a knitter.
This
is the start of a hat I'm knitting as a Christmas present. I figure I can make a lot of progress on it while standing in line, chatting with friends, watching my 18 year old vote for the first time, and enjoying the beautiful weather. I can't wait.
Go out and vote!
Almost Done
Isn’t it going to be pretty? I still have to seam the shoulders and then pick everything up to do eight rows of garter trim and then I’m done! I’m so excited.
What I Did Tonight
We drove back up to Hartford tonight for an early morning flight back home. I decided to start a pair of baby booties while we watched some bad tv.
The pattern is from a book called Simple Knits for Cherished Babies. I saw them knitted up on my visit to Metaphor Yarns and immediately fell in love. The gentle knitters at Metaphor had used darling little skeins of Lorna’s Laces Angel – an Angora/Lambswool blend. Obviously a quick knit, these booties are very sweet and fun to knit.
Colleges & A Knitted Square
There was a moment during the Williams College information session where I thought the teenage boy just wasn’t going to make it. It was when they mentioned that knitting was offered as an intercession class.
Knitting is everywhere in the Northeast. Handknit hats, scarves, I even saw a great dress in Harvard yard today. And ravelry knitters too-introducing themselves by their screenames and giggling.
That’s a lot for any 18 year old boy to cope with – even one who can knit. But I’m pleased to say he came through. He has acknowledged the importance of wearing a hat up here and likes all of the schools.
I’m looking forward to having him up here. Of course I would never impose by coming to visit, but I am going to have to return frequently to Metaphor Yarn in Shelburne Falls (my purchases of local yarns there will have to be an entire post after I get home and can photograph it all). Nice people those knitters at Metaphor!
Today’s picture is a completed but not blocked first square for my barn raiser quilt. A fun knit. I can’t wait to pick the next yarn. I’m thinking about doing it all in handpainted yarn.
The first day. The first square.
It’s our first day away: beautiful fall color in New England and really good sushi. It’s really a shame to be up here and not have the chance to sightsee and walk around.
The good thing, however, about having lots of meetings and consultations to attend is the knitting time.
The picture is the start of square one for my Barn Raising quilt. It’s the perfect east to carry around project, with the increases providing just enough to hold your interest. I’m really looking forward to knitting the squares for this quilt, even though the idea of knitting a quilt on size 2 needles seems a little bit loopy.