Finally!

I have some time to blog. I know it hasn't been long, but it feels like it has been. Maybe I've just missed writing. Anyway, I have a couple of little things to show you. On the way home from our trip to the coast, I knitted another baby hat. Did I tell you that already? I haven't taken a pic of it; it's another top-knot kinda hat without the top-knot. You know the type.

I mentioned in my last post that Little Miss Trinity has requested a purple hat. And that I had it done. Here's how it turned out...

The yarn is James C. Brett's Marble, on 4.5 mm (US 6?) needles. On my monitor, the colour is pretty close to what it actually is. I knitted it from the top down, beginning with 4 stitches for the I-cord. I think I'll make the pattern available for anyone who wants it, but it still needs to be written up. It really is a simple knit. Really! Beginning with an I-cord was easier than working the crochet circular cast on and starting the increases immediately. At least, there was something to hold on to.

The other small project I finished (and started) yesterday is one from Knitty. As soon as I saw Calorimetry (how DO you pronounce that?), I wanted to make it.

I love it! I love the yarn, too. It's Malabrigo. Don't ask me the colour name or number; I threw out the tag before even thinking that you might want to know the details. If you've never worked with Malabrigo, get your hands on some. It is THE softest 100% merino I've knitted with. Soft and light. And warm. I haven't even shown this project to John because I'm pretty sure they're not colours he likes... or likes on me. I love these colours. Lime green.... blue.... green.... yummm!

So, I've mentioned (more than once) that I'm really enjoying knitting hats from the top down. Kate left a comment about another knitter who likes to knit that way, too (see here). I've been to her site before and did knit a hat according to her directions. I liked it, but at the time, didn't realize the possibilities. Now, though... well, it's a whole new world!

Last year, I made each of my grandkids a reversible hat from Elann.com's free pattern section. That hat is started with a provisional cast on and worked from bottom to top, then the provisional cast on is picked up and the second part is knit from the bottom to top. I'm knitting that hat again, from tip to tip this time. I've started with a 6 stitch crochet circular cast on, increasing to the stitch count required for the size I'm making, then working straight down for the length required; then I'll be changing yarn and working the entire thing in reverse, to the final decreases. I'll let you know how it turns out. So far, so good.

Now, I'm going to go and spend the rest of the evening with my husband. (His sweater is waiting for my day off; I can't knit it in the evenings, as it's simply too dark to knit comfortably on it.)