Thursday Is for What the Hell Is This

Whoops. I almost missed my annual Thanksgiving greeting.





Happy Thanksgiving!

Rainton

Pattern: Rainton from Head to Toes: Kids' Knit Accessories
Yarn: Cascade Ecological Wool in Aporto
Needle: US6
Size: Largest
Notes: Whoops. I didn't pay close enough attention and missed a line in the pattern. I knit the body of my hat in p1, k10 ribbing instead of alternating with plain knit rows. I also knit the ties until I ran out of yarn so they are much shorter than the ones called for in the book.

This hat is knit from the top-down instead of bottom-up for a change of pace.

Heads First

I received a copy of the ebook, Head to Toe: Kids' Knit Accessories by Katya Frankel. I can't remember the last time I got a knitting book and thought, "I want to knit every single pattern in this book." This collection, as the name suggests, features simple, stylish, gender-neutral accessories for kids of all ages (and small to medium-sized adults). The book in broken into sections--Head Things, Neck Things, Hand Things, and Foot Things. Since these are all child-sized accessories they are, for the most part, single skein projects and excellent stashbusters.

I dove into the Head Things section first. I got out my leftover Cascade Ecological Wool from my Rorschach Jacket (I think I still need to do a post on that) in Aporto, a gorgeous blue-green. First I made Duerger in the smallest size.


Here's the view from the top.



This is a simple beanie with twisted ribs running up the sides and raglan-like decreases at the crown for a slightly unusual shape. Very cute.

Then I continued to Simonside, in the largest size, a basic ribbed hat with a little swoosh-y cable on one side.



I still have a lot of yarn left. What to knit next?

Thursday Is for What the Hell Is This?

I was walking through Walgreen's and was stopped dead in my tracks by this image. 

Whoa Nelly. That is a whole lot of wool.

Then I realized that this was a visual for a Hunger Games inspired makeup collection and this was supposed to represent District 8, Textiles. I know the Hunger Games is a worldwide phenomenon but makeup representing all the oppressed districts based on their industry and the whole "sexy oppressed worker" look seems a little off to me. Katniss describes District 8 as "an urban place stinking of industrial fumes with no greenery, the people housed in run down tenements, barely a blade of grass in sight." This look doesn't really convey that, does it? Plus this image is just the start to the wool madness. Check out the videos to see that this is actually a terrible hat plus 

Of course, this campaign is slightly less misguided than the Subway sandwich campaign. You know, sandwiches as a promotion for a movie about a world where children fight to the death in an effort to keep their families fed. Totally in excellent taste, Subway.

Thursday Is for What the Hell Is This?

Darn it. I found the perfect Halloween costume just a bit too late.

I was going to be the Dread Pirate Roberts. Maybe next year...

100 Yards of Fun

I got Rebecca Danger's 50 Yards of Fun and I am hooked.

I started with Button Bigfoot. I didn't have any fun fur so I knit him in leftover Gossamer (mohair/silk) and alpaca. He looks funny but he feels divine.



Then I knit a hippo. I know. He doesn't look like a hippo. The eye placement, the stuffing, it's all slightly off. He's still cute but everyone at my retreat thought he was a whale.



I have a Cat in Pajamas that's all done except its nose and a yak that needs ears and horns. Then on to a unicorn!

More Stashbusting Hats, Badly Lit

I was making a hat for charity with some leftover Evento from this hat. Then Wes lost his hat so it became his new hat.




This one, knit in some Noro Retro oddballs, has already been donated.



I could knit plain hats forever. They're my bliss.

Maize

Pattern: Maize by tincanknits
Yarn: Classic Elite Lush dyed at Earthhues with cochineal
Needles: US6 Addi Turbos
Notes: Great, simple free pattern. The yarn, sadly discontinued, is so warm and fuzzy. These were donated.

Tiny Burger

Pattern: Tiny Burger by Anna Hrachovec
Yarn: Cascade Heritage (all included in the kit)
Needles: US1 Crystal Palace DPNs
Notes: This little sucker was so much fun to make. I love showing him off to people. They can't help but smile. He is adorable.

Thursday Is for What the Hell Is This?

The economy, as we all know, is still rocky. Diversification can protect you from financial ruin.

Like if your knitted hat business fails, you have your amateur porn to pay the bills.

Pay that heating bill, honey. Your lips are turning blue.