my pointy hat

It's so much fun to see how two knitters can interpret the same words. I knew right away that I was going to make Elizabeth Zimmermann's Ganomy Hat from her Knitter's Almanac (the very first knitting book I ever bought -- the hardcover was on the remainder table for $2.98 and it took me a month to decide I could afford it after my 25% employee discount). I last made this hat 23 years ago, scaled down to infant size, when my now very healthy nephew needed surgery on his skull. . . the request was for a hat that would stay on but not squash.

Um -- this is not my nephew. But this guy is the only model I could find today.

Please note in the photos below -- point at the top (left photo) and points at the bottom (center photo).

Strangely, many people on Ravelry have reengineered this hat to give it a rounded top -- I think all of the points echoing the other points are this hat's best feature!

Unless, of course, the best feature is the red pompom. Elizabeth Zimmermann recommends knitting the last 14 stitches for 6 rows, then inserting a pingpong ball (or "a rabble of wool ends") and tying the hat below that to make a perfect round bobble. I went the more traditional route.

Bruno's profile is a bit short on detail, but oh, what a hat!

Stopover Pullover

Elizabeth,
I got up this morning and did a sunrise shoot with a dear photobuddy.  We had a great time and Mary took a moment to photograph my finished Stopover sweater.

February is such a blah month.  I think we should knit blocks of colors... does that leave the field wide open?
Pat

Birthday mittens

The pointy hat is happening behind the scenes and will soon be unveiled. Meanwhile, as has become my custom, these mittens were delivered under cover of darkness for my neighbor on her birthday:

I had two balls of alpaca yarn, neither one big enough to become something on its own. I held the strands together for soft, warm, airy hand coverings. Now I wish I had more!

A Pointy Hat

Elizabeth,
I've completed the January challenge of knitting a pointy hat.  I hope this is pointy enough for you.

 A young friend of mine modeled the hat for me and I expect she will do great things in the future.

I've frogged two scarves and am ignoring one other... only time will tell what I should do.
P

New Year, more knitting

Elizabeth,
I can't believe we've been doing this blog for seven years.  That's amazing.  I wish I was a more prolific blogger and a better writer.

I'd like to resolve to blog more often but years ago I gave up making resolutions.  I'd resolved to do something amazing and then I'd quit or give up; it hurt.  So now I knit, workout, play with my camera, read books but I don't resolve to do anything big or spectacular.  I do my best and count all my blessings.

This year like so many before there are no big resolutions, just one tiny one.  I have four scarves "in-progress" that I have been working for over 2 years.  It becomes apparent to me that I'm not enjoying this knitting, I need to stop and rip them back and make something else with that yarn.  That's it, all I resolve to do.

Pat

P.S. I'm working on a very pointy hat!

Now we are 7

Look at that -- it's another year already. We started this blog seven years ago today. We have not been the most visible of bloggers. . . and we realized that we need a little bit of structure to keep us involved. And maybe one that doesn't involve a whole year's commitment. So this year we're trying something new. On or about the first of the month, we'll announce a brief guideline for that month's project. Assignment? Challenge? Topic? I am not sure what to call it. These will be intentionally open to interpretation, and fun, not punitive. You will never see "Take 1700 yards of laceweight yarn and a pattern that involves nupps and a lace repeat of at least 28 rows. . ." (or, Pat, if you do -- I'm not doing it!). I am in charge of odd-numbered months, and Pat will do the evens. Sometimes we'll post in-progress photos; sometimes it'll be just the final thing sneaking in at the last moment on the last day of the month. And, of course, there will be other knitting too! Here is just a sampling from this year:

January project: pointy hat. Watch this space! We're back.