Peruvian Llama Earflap Hat

Oh I just love this hat. It's exactly what I wanted and keeps my ears lovely and warm. Unfortunately my DH has also taken rather a liking to it and is threatening to take it to work so I've had to resort to hiding it. The last thing he took to work I'd knitted was fingerless gloves. He ruined them in one day. How he managed to turn them into a massive ball of fluff I don't know. However, I won't make that mistake again and the hat is staying hidden away well out of sight. It took me ages to find this site and the fab Llama Peruvian Hat pattern. There's another pattern for a Snowflake Hat from this page too. I looked at tons of hats but nothing was quite right. Now of course Interweave Knits have a similar pattern on their website. Always the way eh? I could see myself in another one though.....



There must be something about the hat though as when I took it out to show the manager in House of Fraser (yes, another discount day!) last Thursday there was a bit of a stampede as eagle eyed knitters charged over demanding to know what pattern it was, and what I was knitting it in and of course how lovely it was. Even though it looked rather a tangled mess being only half finished, it had that 'I want one of those' quality about it. It was ever so flattering and my DH watched over these proceedings thoroughly amused.

I only bought 2 balls of Rowan Yorkshire Tweed DK in Goose as it matches my scarf and just kinda caught my eye. My husband bought me Big Wool Fusion in Source for Laura which has been on my list of wants for a while. That was a thank you for some work related stuff I'd done for him. And I can proudly admit that at the current time (ie till the next round of magazines are issued) there are no more projects I want to buy yarn for. How long this lasts is anyones guess but it's a nice feeling, however short it lasts!



Which means of course that all the other designs I initially liked haven't made it to the 'must knit' list. Like Rowan Spray designs......I tried to like the yarn but it just isn't doing it for me. Too much acrylic for my liking I'm afraid and rather expensive, even for my yarn snob tastes! I don't mind paying for luxurious yarn for something I know I'll love knitting and will wear to death but it has to be pretty special to make it to the 'must knit' list. Then how come the must knit list is still so big then???

I had a think about all the gloves/mittens I had lying around, in various stages of progess. And it dawned on me that I want them to be quick knits with no major headaches. Just a nice easy project so that all you need is a few hours concentration and thats it. But some of them have been not as successful so I had a sort out.

So now Eowyn is frogged and I've gone off RYC Soft Tweed as well. I do want lovely fingerless gloves, but would rather have 100% natural ones rather than any manmade fibres. So the unused ball of Soft Tweed will be returned. Not being able to use Kid Classic probably didn't help matters. I still love the Eowyn pattern, but for me its too pretty and not practical enough. I think the cable will just get in the way. What I really want is the ones in Last Minute Knitted Gifts. And these are what I shall have! I have some leftover Noro Silk Garden just begging to be turned into fingerless gloves ;)



My flip-top fingerless mitts very nearly got frogged although they were pretty much finished. I kind of regret the colour I used. They'd have been suited to gloves without the flip tops really as its such a cutsie colour. Flip-top mitts are kind of funky. But you live and learn. I still like them, my DH loves them though what possessed me to make in that colour I have no idea. Its not like I have a pink scarf or hat...... but they're warm and work well - after a LOT of tweaking and frogging. I ended up ribbing the tops of the mitts and they're much more comfortable and look much better that way too. That just leaves the Biggy Print ones to decide on....



We have a thief in the house. Yes, our adorable bunny Thunder has become a very talented and amusing thief. He steals stuff and runs off with it. He doesn't even care when you tell him off! He really is so naughty. Good job he's so lovable with it. I was tempted to take a picture of him whilst caught in the act but thought that would only encourage him so instead we have a cute bunny pic.