Here's the knit hat I swatched for a couple of weeks ago. Once I swatched I didn't ever want to start this so there was quite a gap, but once I actually cast on for the hat this baby practically made itself. I don't suppose it hurt that I had a couple of hours of straight driving time while Thaddy (aka my lovely model) drove to Mendocino and back. I probably should've taken the pattern drafter's suggestion to try this on while knitting but I'm too lazy for that so it's a little big and comes down over my eyebrows when I put it on.

Here's a closeup of the pompom which is maybe a little loose, but I did want it to be pretty big and goofy. This was my first time doing attached i-cord and making a pompom and I really enjoyed both techniques. The i-cord is a really nice professional looking finish, the kind of thing that you admire when you make it, thinking "I did that!"

Weekend recap:

1. Started a scarf using this pattern in Manos del Uruguay yarn in a beautiful purple shade. I would like to make the pattern in a variegated colorway also, but none of them out right now thrill me. The variegation really makes the pattern stand out beautifully.

2. Made my first loaf of whole wheat bread using the Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book, a christmas gift from my mother-in-law. It turned out pretty good, which is saying a lot since:
a)it was my first try at whole wheat bread baking,
b)my first homemade loaf of bread that turned out remotely edible, and
c)I forgot to add the yeast! I kneaded it into the dough after I had already formed it with all of the other ingredients.

3. Cut out pieces to make myself a new purse and I even attached interfacing to the applicable parts. Should be able to finish construction this week.

4. Made world peace cookies. These were good but I think I'll keep looking for my personal perfect chocolate cookie recipe. Looking at the blog picture again though makes me think I may have over cooked mine. Also had a lot of trouble with the slice and bake aspect, they crumbled soo much for me. I got Alice Medrich's chocolate cookbook from my sister for my birthday a couple of years ago, I need to try her cookies out.

5. Watched Nanny McPhee which I really enjoyed. The set and costume design are gorgeous with vibrant fairy tale colors, not to mention Colin Firth alert!

This is a swatch for a hat I'm making using this hat pattern generator. This will be my Tahoe hat since I'm hoping to try to spend more time in Tahoe this winter and I do not have the ability to generate my own heat. I bought it at the farmer's market in Olympia, WA two years ago I think, from the person who dyed it. The tag says it's "wool superwash" but it feels crunchy like acrylic.

Wonder of wonders, I have been knitting lately. I am mostly done with a scarf for Christmas in a three stitch basket pattern. As usual when I knit, my mind is filled with grand schemes of all that I will make. Texture seems to be what I like most about knitting since you don't get the instant color gratification that you get with sewing. I am very drawn to this beautiful technique for that reason. She explains that you drop down and knit stitches from a previous row into the current stitch, very cool.