FO: Laurelhurst for 25000 Tuques

My second February is for Finishing success is the Laurelhurst hat that I'm knitting for the 25000 Tuques project (click through for more information).   I'll send this one along with the Barley I knit in January.  

Laurelhurst is quick, cute, and has just enough going on to keep it interesting.  In other words it's practically perfect.

I have an embarrassment of Wool of the Andes in my stash.  Leftover bits and bobs from various projects (the Fourth Doctor Scarf being chief amongst them), and a few odd balls here and there.

This hat is pretty much perfect for that kind of situation.   It took the better part of a full skein of the Grey, and a wee smidge of the pink, and that's yarn well used and out of my stash.  

Project Notes

Pattern: Laurelhurst by NW Foraged

Yarn:  Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Dove Heather and Pink Posy Heather

Total Yardage: 121 yards

Needles:  US 6 (4.0 mm) and US 7 (4.5 mm)

Started: January 17, 2016

Completed: February 3, 2016 

Monogamy Totally Means "With Three," Right?

This past week I've gotten a lot accomplished, and it's all down to project monogamy.

Or, how I do monogamy, anyway, which apparently means that I'm only spending my time with three projects instead of eleventy-nine.

Close enough.

The three projects I've been monogamous with (hey, they all know that they are special.  Love the one you're with, amirite?) are:

Lilli Pilli -- my spreadsheet tells me I'm at a solid 25% with this one.  As I've mentioned before, I'm doing this for my Potions OWL in the Harry Potter Knitting and Crochet House Cup.  OWLs (Ordinary Wizarding Levels) in the Harry Potter novels are the exams the students take in their fifth year, to help determine their course of study as upperclassmen.  In the HPKCHC an OWL is a project that you expect to take 2-3 months of solid work.   I'm trying to get as much done before the 24th as I can, as that's when I can cast on my Order Mission.  (I promise it all makes a weird sort of sense if you're in the middle of it.)

Shawl in Progress, with Bonus Dead Grass and Door Mat in Background

Since it is my Potions OWL, I've renamed the project, "For the Potions Master."  RIP Alan Rickman. You will be missed.

That Orange Stripe Tho' - Halloween Socks -- these are my purse knitting, and my "I can't knit lace and talk to you at the same time" knitting.  

These are just like they were last time you saw them.  Only more so.

And then I finished up the Barley hat I mentioned last week for 25000 Tuques. It knit up in under a week, but I figure there's really only two or three days of knitting in there.  Worsted weight hats are fast, yo.  And I used up the other half of that skein of Heartland, so good job all around.

Barley Hat Expertly Modeled by "Sullen Hipster" Best Friend
(Trying Not to Crack Up)

And then, because I can't leave well enough alone, I've started another hat for 25000 Tuques.  This is Laurelhurst out of some Wool of the Andes I had in stash.

What?  That still only counts as three -- I finished one!

Monogamy.  I'm doin' it right.

FO: Bankhead Hat

So, the thing that you should know is that I tried to give Rowan a hat for Christmas last year.  Well, actually, I successfully gave Rowan a hat last year, but it was entirely insufficient to cover his manly brainpan and voluminous hair.  (It looks great on Jess though, so there's that.)

Anyway, I'm not sure Rowan even wants a hat, but opening a present on Christmas Day, trying to wrestle it on to your noggin and having to give up because, just... no.  Well, that's no fun for anyone.

And after the great success with the striped sweater I know that he does actually appreciate and enjoy receiving hand knits.  Though, and this may be my downfall, there was a great deal of consultation around the sweater.  This hat? I'm just springing it on him.

This hat is actually rather greener than this.

(On the other hand, it's just a damn hat.  It took like 5 hours, tops, so if he doesn't like it, I'll be bummed from a "gave the kid that's hard to gift for something lame" aspect, but in terms of pure time and energy outlay?  I'll be fine.)

Confession time:  I bought yarn for this.  No, more than that.  I bought acrylic for this.  I know. I know.  But hear me out -- this is a hat for a 14 year old dude.  I picked up some Lion Brand Heartland at the Hancocks down the way (and okay, I might also have gotten some Bernat Satin in Navy too.  I needed options didn't I?)

Project Notes

Pattern: Bankhead by Susie Gourlay
Yarn:  Lion Brand Heartland in the Joshua Tree colorway
Total Yardage:  135.5 yards
Needles: US 7 (4.5mm) 16" circular
Started: October 21, 2015
Completed: October 29, 2015