The Lie of Variegated Yarn

So I go to the yarn store and see this wonderful skein of yarn. It is bright and compelling. The red is overwhelming and I have to have it. I know immediately I will use it to make a hat. I can't wait to get home to cast it on because it will make a bright and compelling hat. I might even have to buy another pair of circular needles because my current set of 3mm needles is being used on one of my many, many WIPs. (probably with another variegated yarn)

Within an hour or two, the thrill is gone. The brightness is muted by the other colors and it is no longer as compelling. Yes, it is still pretty, but it is not how my mind imagined the pattern would be. When the yarn is dyed, that bright red is in one area of the skein so it is concentrated and stands out. it is meant to fool you.

I know this.  

I never remember this in the yarn store.

I believe that there is a zone in every yarn store that temporarily erases this fact from your mind. That zone gets me every time.

However, I still like how this red-ish hat turned out. I just need to tie a string of yarn around my finger so I remember this the next time I go to the yarn store. Unfortunately, that string of yarn is probably colored in a bright and compelling color.

 

Bright Lavender

This picture does not do justice to how bright this lavender yarn is. It is bright, bright! This picture almost looks blue instead of lavender. But it is noticeable on your head. This is three-thickness brim hat, not a Musselburgh hat but it will still very warm. I knitted the brim in stockinette for 9 inches, folded in half and joined it to make a 4.5 inch cuff. Then I continued knitting for another 7 inches before starting the decreases for the crown. There is probably many patterns for this on Ravelry, but I made this pattern up on my own. I am calling it the Dane hat.

I have read a couple of articles that we are going to have a harsh winter. I hope so but this past winter was very warm. We had hardly any snow and the ski resorts really suffered. I am ready for a thick warm hat day! It is 90 today.

A Purpose for the Mini Skeins I have been holding onto.

In my stash, I found a series of mini skeins that I probably bought several years ago. It was in shades of navy, purple, blue, lavender, and rose. I would not be surprised if I had that little packet for more than 10 years. They were probably fairly expensive. I was working at that time so I would have been a bit more likely to spend it.  The cool part is that by turning the hat inside out, I have two different hats.

 

I may have OCD when it comes to my knitting

I have noticed that once I get into a 'groove,' I continue knitting those projects one after another until the next project starts. I have continued this pattern - so to speak -- with bags, booties, socks, potholders, dish clothes, etc. As I get older, I would rather just knit while watching TV or listening to a book on tape. 

Right now, I am on a kick for hats. Several are the popular Musselburgh hat, but some are my own design. I hesitate to post a pattern because I often use an existing pattern and modify it to my own liking. So anyway, I am going to start posting several of the hats have been making over that last six weeks. 

Stay tuned!

This hat is made with a wool superwash yarn in maroon with bits of blue intertwined. One of my friends got this one so give to her daughter.

 

This Might Be My New Favorite Hat!

 

I love how this hat turned out. I purchased this yarn from a sale table in my local yarn store just because I loved the marbled purples (my favorite color) and white colors. It is a wool DK made on size 6 needles. I started at the top and increased until I had 128 stitches. I worked in stockinette for 9 inches. Then I worked 1x1 ribbing until I ran out of yarn. It turned out perfect!

I am back in a hat-making kick and am making MTI hats for friends as well as just lots and lots of hats. Back to the needles.