warm brain

hThat stupid little groundhog was wrong about an early spring, but the weather seems to be finally warming up.  Nothing is more boring that talking (or reading about) the weather, but hey, I knit and it's relevant.  You ever try holding a camel/merino blend in your hands when it's over 65 degrees out?  Sweaty Palms City.

So yeah, it's been warm for a couple of days.  I went out and got some sun (the esthetician in me HAS to tell you always always always enjoy the sun with SPF 15!!) and drank in all the pretty colors of spring.  Lots of pinks and whites and blues out there.  Not too much green yet, but that may be a matter of geography rather than temperature.  You live in the desert and you accept the fact that grass just isn't a natural occurrence.

It's still cool at night so I decided it would be in my best interest to knit myself another hat, to keep my brain warm and all of that.  Warm brain = happy Rosa.  Bought myself a skein of Malabrigo Rios specifically for this purpose, and I'm pretty happy with it.  The pattern itself was super easy and I was done in a couple of hours of watching Back To The Future.

"You built a time machine... out of a DeLorean?!?"

Does he also say "Great Scott" a lot, or am I thinking of the Rocky Horror Picture Show?  Guess I didn't pay as much attention to the movie as I thought.

I could gush and gush about Malabrigo for days on end.  It really is luscious yarn.  Sex in a skein.  Honey in a hank.  Need on needles.  Squishy and warm and buttery soft and... just perfect.  Makes good hats and While the stitches bloom up slightly after some wear, I've never noticed pilling or any other annoying occurrences.

I'm calling it my Oceans Hat, because it's pretty like the oceans and also this weather makes me want to go to the beach and soak up the sun.  With SPF 15 and aloe vera, of course.  :)

Fog Delay Hat

Today was such a beautiful day!  Had the really big living room window open for the first time in months and I probably won't need the heater on tonight.  It was just so pretty and so nice, I hope it stays this way. 

  

Just last week, the mornings were crazy foggy.  And I do mean crazy foggy!  I went for a Mcgriddle (aka Breakfast of the Gods™) (aka I'd Gladly Pay Double If McDonalds Would Sell Them All Day And Not Just Until 10:30) one morning and drove at idle speed, which is , what, 3 miles per hour I think, because I could barely see 5 feet from the hood of my car.

I thought I knew fog having lived in San Francisco, but this central valley fog ain't no joke!  And omg is it cold.  It's entirely possible I'm just a big baby, but this fog just sets in and never lets you warm up, especially since here, unlike San Francisco, the fog doesn't recede but stays around just as thick and cold all day long.  So I thought "screw this" and made myself a new hat.

This was my first attempt at writing my own pattern and not following one from somewhere else, so it was a little slow going.  I knew I wanted to use the Lion Brand Amazing yarn that I bought and I knew I wanted cables.  I bought the yarn in the colorway Arcadia, which is a brownish green, maroon, orange wool and acrylic blend.   Warm, washable, pretty.  I like it a lot.

The schools around here have what's called a Fog Delay.  When it's thick foggy like it was last week, the schools start at 11AM instead of 8.  I think it's strange and kind of pointless since the fog doesn't lift, but hey what do I know.  In any case, this is the Fog Delay Hat that I made. 

The pattern:

gauge = 18 sts/4 inches in stockinette

 CO 96 sts

working with a set of 5 dpns, divide the sts so you have 24 each on four needles

join in the round

rows 1-6: K1, P1 around (1x1 ribbing)
rows 7-8: K
row 9: *C2B, C2F* around
rows 10-13: K
row 14: *C2F, C2B* around
rows 15-18 K
row 19: *C2B, C2F* around
rows 20-23: K
row 24: *C2F, C2B* around
rows 25-28: K
row 29: *C2B, C2F* around
rows 30-33: K
row 34: *C2F, C2B* around
row 35: K

begin crown decreases

row 1: *K2tog, knit to 2 before end of needle, SSK* repeat for all 4 needles
row 2: K all

repeat both rows until there are a total of 8 sts remaining

break yarn, draw closed, weave in ends, block as needed

It's slightly slouchy on me while still being snug, and I wear my hats pulled down pretty significantly over my forehead.  Wearing it further back will increase the slouch.  I'm happy with it.