Box hat in Shetland

When I saw this pattern on Purl Soho, I had to give it a try. Instead of the usual round top, the hat has a boxy shape. I also liked the deep ribbing.

Pattern: Box Hat by Purl Soho
Yarn: Jamieson & Smith Shetland Aran Worsted, in 'Flugga White' and 'Light Grey'
Needles: US8
Modifications: None except I didn't use bulky yarn as suggested in the pattern; also, I cast on using the alternating long tail method and US9 needle

This hat is very comfortable and very warm. Unfortunately, I don't know how to do the Kitchener stitch without forming "ears".

If you are looking for an easy and quick hat to knit, I highly recommend this one.

(An aside: Purl Soho started as a brick-and-mortar shop in New York Ciy. I was there once! It was early days of my return to knitting and, even though the shop was relatively tiny, I found it a bit overwhelming and intimidating. Plus I am shy. In 2023, the owners made the decision to go online only, sad for the neighborhood, but their website is amazing. Check them out!)

Why wool?

One online knitting source for me is the Woolly Thistle. They have a blog that frequently flogs one of their products, but a recent post championed wool. I'm a bit of a fiber snob, so yes, I favor wool over other fibers and yarn.

Why wool? you may ask. I'll summarize the blog post (with some commentary by me), then add (more of) my two cents worth.

• Wool and the environment: Wool is biodegradable, renewable, and its processing (usually) has a low-impact on the environment.
• Misconceptions: Yes, some wool is scratchy, but there are many breeds that are not; wool items don't require frequent washing (I wash my handknit socks once a year); wool is warm in winter and cool in summer (I can't vouch for that last bit, as I have not given it a try... yet).
• Wool supports small: small farms, small mills, small businesses (most of the time).

I believe that all yarn has its place, but I favor the more natural fibers over some made from petroleum. And I'm getting pickier all the time. Neither merino nor alpaca are favorites of mine; instead, I gravitate toward fibers like Shetland and Corriedale. I used to favor superwash (and still do for socks and baby items and gifts to those most likely to felt the item), but it's not the same, a little too slick.

Feel free to disagree with me, but keep on practicing your fiber art!

Knitting: I finished the hat I started last week; separate post to follow. The heels have been turned on the ice dyed socks.
Spinning: I uncovered another bobbin of the Tazman comeback I spun, so that is skeined and soaked and hung to dry.
Weaving: Yes, I started a weaving project: a lap blanket from some yarn I purchased in Wisconsin in 2012; the Ashford Sampleit is (almost) warped with the 'Garnet Heather'.

I started this blog in November, 2006, almost twenty(!) years ago. The archive makes it look like I quit for about a year, but what happened was I tried to combine all the blogs I was keeping at the time into one, without success. Sometimes I consider abandoning this blog, but it provides a handy reference for my fiber life. I've been transcribing personal journals, and just may fold these many posts into that missive. Thanks for coming along for the ride!

I said, Be careful!

While testing the yarn from the Window Cat to determine whether it is acrylic (it is), I shook the bit of yarn to put out the flame, as one would do with a match. Bad idea. A drop of the melting fiber landed on my finger, where it stuck and burned. This is why I don't knit baby things from acrylic.

Knitting: The knitting is done for the Window Cat and the pieces are stuffed; I just need to sew the parts together. I made good progress on the ice dyed socks since this past week's weaving guild meeting happened over zoom - almost up to the heels. Started a new hat (maybe because I keep looking for a hat that looks halfway decent on me).

Spinning: The maroon merino is skeined and soaked, the twist is set, and it is hanging from the shower rod to dry.

My SO gets lots of compliments on the log cabin scarf I knit recently. The other day, I left the house without a scarf, so I wore his - it went well with the coat I was wearing. So now I am thinking I need a scarf of similar colors. Alas, there is no more in my natural dyed stash. I may need to dye some more, in walnut, henna, and onion skins.

Sunny Tutu the (crocheted) Emotional Support Chicken

Sunny was abandoned in November to make way for holiday knitting. She is one of my UFO's that is now an FO (per my New Year's resolution). I know she hasn't been a UFO for long, but it made sense to work backwards through my UFO list.

Pattern: Emotional Support Chicken (crochet) by Annette Corsino
Yarn: Mostly Cascade 220 (maybe some Valley Yarn) naturally dyed with sunflower and turmeric (and a little onion skin and dyers coreopsis)
Hook: G
Modifications: The summary page on Ravelry specifies an F hook, but the written pattern calls for a 4.5mm, which is between G and H, so I used G

The bottom makes this softie fairly stable, so she sits pretty just about anywhere she nests.

Turmeric is not very colorfast, so I will not be surprised if Sunny fades a bit. I'll keep her out of the light as much as possible, without hiding her away in a closet.

Winter ponderings

While I have not been weaving, I have been *thinking* about weaving. Tea towels are a popular item for weavers to make. One member bemoaned the fact that she has never woven one, but maybe someday she would. Another member piped up, "Or not." Just because everyone else is weaving something doesn't mean YOU (or I) need to follow the herd. So my thoughts about weaving are going in the direction of what do *I* want to weave.

(For the record, I have woven some hand towels - three different sets - and I think that is all I need to do.)

Crochet: I finished the crocheted Emotional Support Chickens; separate post to follow.
Knitting: The Window Cat is almost done. I made a little progress on the ice dyed socks while waiting in the pick-up line at my granddaughter's school.

Spinning: The maroon merino is all plied; now I just need to skein it and set the twist on all of it.

Yesterday I wore the many-colored "coatigan" to a spin-in. I think I have not posted a pic of it on me. So here it is, in all its glory.

I plan to wear it to this week's weaving guild meeting and next week's spinning guild. Before you know it, spring will be here and the winter woolens will have to be put away for another season.

Kittyville hat (without kitty ears)

Once upon a time, I knit a couple of Kittyville hats, one in black and one in pink, for others. I tried one on and thought it looked pretty good. Now that "bonnets" are in, I thought I'd knit myself one. Meh - not a good look on me, but maybe on someone else.

Pattern: Kittyville (listed as Adults-Only Devil Hat on Ravelry), by Kitty Schmidt (published in Stitch n Bitch)
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, in black
Needles: US7
Modifications: Left off the kitty ears

I would still like a hat with earflaps. Maybe I can modify a pattern that suits me better, although I don't look good in hats in general.

Listening and fiber

Do you listen to audio books while knitting or spinning or whatever? Sometimes I do, as long as I'm not at a tricky part of the project that involves thinking (counting is usually okay). Lately I've been marching though the George Smiley series of novels by John Le Carre. I've tried reading this author before (without success), but listening is another matter. Thank goodness for Hoopla (check your local library apps).

Knitting: I started a Window Cat, in what I think is acrylic; I'll have to give it the "burn test".

Spinning: The yarn I skeined last week was the Tasman comeback, and yes, some was three-plied, some chain-plied. This week I started chain-plying the maroon merino top.

You may be wondering what the "burn test" is. Light a small piece of mystery yarn on fire (CAREFULLY!) If it burns slowly and smells like burnt hair, it is wool; if it melts and smells like burnt plastic, it is acrylic.

At our last weaving guild meeting (which was by Zoom), I showed off my ice dyed yarn that is becoming socks. A member asked how to prevent laddering when knitting with double-pointed needles. What I learned from Stitch n Bitch is this: Knit the first stitch on a needle, insert the needle to knit the second stitch but before completing it, give the yarn a little tug; this tightens up the first stitch and helps prevent laddering.

TUG!

And that's all I have for today.