A Hat for my husband...will it happen?

My husband kept saying, "I will need a hat soon". And I kept saying, "I can help you look for your hat from last year." 

It took me a while to figure out that he wanted a knitted hat! I'm a bit slow sometimes. 

So, I found an easy hat pattern and started to knit. I did not read the directions closely and now I am trying to figure out how to "creatively" finish the hat by making up part of the directions myself. This has happened before, so I am sure I can come out of this one smiling too:)

OK, so this is a simple skull cap type hat. It has a strip or two in it, totally open to the wearers discretion.

I casted on well. (I have been working my way through TKGA Basics Basics program. It has been great to fill in some gaps in my knitting knowledge. Especially since I don't always read directions thoroughly and end up finding my own way to the end of a pattern. It's not that I can't read directions, I must love the thrill of only relying on myself once I veer off the beaten path.) Anyway, I used the long tail cast on for the hat. I casted on to my circular needles and started to knit and knit.

Then I realized if I wanted to turn up the hat, for two layers of warmth over my husbands ears and for design purposes, my hat might be inside out.

Here is what I realized...

My very nice outer edge was so smooth, and the inner edge was a bit bumpy, because this is what happens with the long tail cast on. One of my favorite tid-bits from the Basics Basics class!

So here is the hat a bit further along with a few stripes...

And then, yes half way through knitting the hat, it hit me...If he wants to turn up the edge of the hat it will be half right side out and half inside out!

Of course, I will request that he turn up the beautiful, smooth edge so it shows on the outside. (Not sure he cares as long as the hat is warm, but I pridefully might care!)

I hope I am describing this well. You can see in the picture the bottom half, the turned up half, was the outside. However, the green peeking out of the top, is becoming the outside, which was the inside on the bottom half of the hat.

 Here is another view of the turned up edge showing the whole stripe.

OK, now I feel better, talking this through with visual aids. It looks very easy to start decreasing and finishing up the top!

As a knitter, I think it is good to walk through what has happened, review the situation, and then try to weave your way back to the paved path.

5th Avenue Infinity Scarf and Blocking

This pattern is available on Ravelry for free! It seems to be the thing to wear this fall.

I made this scarf last spring...just as the weather was warming up. So, what does that mean? It means I sort of finished it...except for the blocking. Which really, I didn't think blocking was that important until I wore this scarf without doing so!

As you can see it really, really needed some blocking...

So, I started to block... I have not done much blocking, and certainly never learned how from anyone. As I went I made up what to do.  And as I went I discovered, actually remembered, there was a small problem with my 5th Avenue Infinity Scarf. I twisted the yarn as I created the join for my circular knitting. However, as luck would have it, the scarf is supposed to twist, so I am pretty sure I can hide the problem:)

Round one of blocking was on a towel on the kitchen table. As you can see, it is pinned flat, except for the part where there is the twist.

Round two of the blocking happened the next morning. As I am very impatient, and it was the next morning, and my scarf was still damp, I moved it to my ironing board...

As I pinned the scarf to my ironing board I also rotated the fold of the scarf so the twisted part was now pinned, and a different part of the scarf was now twisted. It just seemed like the right thing to do.

It did dry more quickly on the ironing board, and here is the final product. The edges look pretty good...

 ...and look, when it is twisted around my neck, the small (OK really big error that every pattern tells you to watch out for) error will not be noticed by the untrained eye!

This looks so much better than with the rolled edges of the unblocked scarf. I have decided not to join the blockers whining club, but actually be glad I have a way to make my hard work look beautiful!! I am going to ask for a new pin cushion and pins for Christmas:)
 

Knitting a reptile!

Here it is...my first knitted reptile. Yuck!! All for love I guess you could say.

 Actually, I think the eyes make the snake a little cuter, if a snake can be cute!

My daughter #4 thinks it would be fun to have a snake scarf. (Really, a reptile wrapped around your neck is comfortable?!) And, since I will not allow her to have a real snake. Yes, she has asked for one and has repeatedly received a clear and consistent no. This is the compromise.

Sometimes when my kids ask for things I may look like I want to say no, but am secretly considering their request. Like when daughter #2 asked for a bird. I would have said, "sure" right away, instead I gave her the "I'll think about it". My fabulous husband needed to be considered on this one. I knew the bird would stay in her room and I believe she would take care of it. I wouldn't have to worry about stepping on it, or finding it in an odd place in the house, like a heat vent (think gerbil here).  So, I started with, maybe, and it developed into a yes. "Thanks Sweetie!"

However, snake, NO! Even knitting it made me squiggly!

I am glad this one is done. Now on to knitting nicer things!