The kind you find in a second hand store

If you recognize that line, you probably know what's coming next.

Yeah, baby: a raspberry beret.

A week ago, this project wasn't on my mind, was no where near the horizon.  Then my friend Emily from my knitting group passed on some information about a yarn store's going-out-of-business sale.  Fresh off a six-month long yarn buying moratorium, I kind of lost my mind.  But 40% off?  COME on!  I felt compelled to start working with some of the newly purchased yarn immediately, and so I did.

Details:

Pattern: Rose Red, by Ysolda Teague

Yarn: Mirasol Yarn Qina

Needles: US6/4.0mm

Started: July 16

Finished: July 17

This yarn was wonderful to work with.  It's an alpaca/bamboo blend, so you can imagine how soft it is.  It was so smooth with a great hand, and I love the slight fuzz.  I also really enjoyed working this pattern.  Like everything I've ever knit by Ysolda, it was clearly written and well edited, with both written and charted instructions.  I love working crochet with diagrams, but for knitting I often prefer written directions.  I find it's easier for me to keep my place, and I cannot for life of me remember all of the chart symbols. 

Another neat thing about Rose Red is that it has directions for making three different sizes!  I've found that most hat patterns are written in one size only, so that if you are like me and have a large head, you have to start fiddling with numbers and patterns.  I can't be bothered when a pattern contains cables and leaf/lace work.  Also, it's annoying to pay for something only to have to rejigger it on my own.  So kudos to yo, Ysolda Teague, and thank you for another great pattern.

My plan is to mail this off to its recepient later this week.  She and her family have decamped to Sweden for the sumemr, where her husband is from and where his family is.  So lucky!  Sweden in summer is beautiful and a little bit magical, if you ask me.

There's something else I've been meaning to share: a hexagon blanket started, and finished long ago.

 

Details:

Pattern: Ruby Hexagon Blanket, by Nova Seals

Yarn: many, many different and unknown worsted & DK weights

Hook: 4.5mm

Started: April 4

Finished: April 15

I was inspired to make this by my friend Jane, who crocheted a beautiful version out of sock yarn.  I had neither the stash or the patience to make this out of sock yarn, but worsteds I had in abundance.  Hexagons appeals to the side of me that likes geometric shapes, an attraction which goes way back.  When I was in 8th grade, I had 2 twin beds in my bedroom, a la Richie Cunningham, and they were covered with matching comforters: white with a pale grey large-scale grid, on top of which were screened geometric shapes in primary colors.  It felt very Samantha Baker.    

But I digress. 

The afghan.  I haven't measured it, but it's long enough for me to cover up while lying on the couch, and I'm 5'7 3/4".  My one impracticality with this project was that not all of the yarn that I used is machine washable. I would never saddle a loved one with burden like this, but forr me it's fine.  I'll either hand wash, dry clean or take my chances on the gentle cycle.  If it gets ruined, I can make another.