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.

Light Blue to Match ME!

I hope this doesn't sound too boastful, but when I put this hat on, my eyes popped out. It is almost the exact blue of my eyes. It is really, really hot now (in the high 90's -- ugh!) so I can't wear it. However, I can't wait for cold weather so I can don this hat! 

If you know me at all, you know I hate hot weather, so I want the cold weather to come to Colorado as soon as possible no matter what color the hat is.

 

Escape to Rocky Mountain

It has been so insanely hot here in Colorado that we decided to escape to Rocky Mountain National Park. It is only about 60 miles from our home. We met our son here on Sunday and drove up to the higher altitudes in hopes of temperatures lower than the high 90's and low 100s. 

Well, kind of. The temperatures at the top were in the low-80's. But the scenery was worth it. The elevation is around 12,000 feet.

It was also our son's birthday, so it was a wonderful way to spend the day. These pictures were taken at Rainbow Curve on Trail Ridge Road.

Even the elk in Estes Park thought it was too hot! Can't wait for fall.

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright

 

"Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright" is the first line of a poem by William Blake. I have always been a fan of tigers. They are so beautiful and so fierce. So the closest I want to be is the yarn in this hat. This is the Opal line of sock yarn from KickPicks, and it was perfect to make a Musselburgh hat. Still on my hat knitting kick.

Chick-a-dee potholder

 After listening to a chickadee in the tree outside my living room all week, I finally had to knit her into a potholder. Instead of black and white though, I used light blue and navy and really liked how it turned out. I did it in double knitting and cotton. Sing away little bird!

More scrubbies

 Yeah, I made more. Lots to sell at the Christmas craft fairs and gifts for family and friends.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garter-stitch-round-scrubby

Also making some face cloths

 While on my kick for quick and shorter projects in between my hats, I have also been make face cloths or dish cloth, depending on where you use them. This is my own pattern, but since it is similar to many other pattern, it is free. I change the colors of the yarns as the mood hits me, so have fun.

Using a cotton light yarn, cast on 40 stitches, place marker, cast on 1 stitch, place marker, cast on 40 stitches (81 stitches).

Row 1: K.

Row 2: K to marker. Slip marker (sm), purl 1, sm, k to end.

Row 3: k to 2 sts before marker. SSK, sm, k1, sm, k2tog, sm, k to end.

Row 4: K to marker. Slip marker (sm), purl 1, sm, k to end.

Repeat rows 3 and 4 until three sts are left. K 3tog. Cut yarn and pull through remaining st. Weave in ends.

Back to some scrubbies

 I needed some quick and colorful projects that I can complete in a day. I have been making lots of hats so I complete two or three a week but I wanted to do some more. So here are some scrubbies I have completed. I could make three in a day but I usually only do two at the most. The pattern is included below. It is fast with one color, variegated yarn, and two colors.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/garter-stitch-round-scrubby

Hot Pink Hat!

Hot pink sock yarn in superwash. This color is ever brighter in real life.