But…I AM a knitter, and I wanted something a little more fun to knit than basic black. So I hid a little Fair Isle section inside the folded band. What? You say this hat is yours? I’m sorry, is YOUR name MIKE? (Can you see the screwup I did? I accidentally had 1 extra stitch, and did the bar of the K twice as wide. Ah well, design feature, no?)

But…I AM a knitter, and I wanted something a little more fun to knit than basic black. So I hid a little Fair Isle section inside the folded band. What? You say this hat is yours? I’m sorry, is YOUR name MIKE? (Can you see the screwup I did? I accidentally had 1 extra stitch, and did the bar of the K twice as wide. Ah well, design feature, no?)

I wanted to make these nice thick cables that decreased into a star at the top…then I remembered it was a guy who would be wearing it. Something told me “the simpler, the better”. As it was the decrease repetition made a quasi-star on the top, with cute little puckers around the edges.

I wanted to make these nice thick cables that decreased into a star at the top…then I remembered it was a guy who would be wearing it. Something told me “the simpler, the better”. As it was the decrease repetition made a quasi-star on the top, with cute little puckers around the edges.

I wanted to make these nice thick cables that decreased into a star at the top…then I remembered it was a guy who would be wearing it. Something told me “the simpler, the better”. As it was the decrease repetition made a quasi-star on the top, with cute little puckers around the edges.

Now…on to the reason I’ve been so quiet lately. Let’s see…Monday night I was asleep by 10pm. I’ll get into the dress/outfit details tomorrow from work maybe, don’t feel like getting into it now. Tuesday night I had a guild meeting for the Montreal Knitting Guild. At the meeting I cast on for Mike’s birthday hat since his wife VERY patiently faxed me a photocopy of a hat he wears currently so I could get the proper sizing. I worked on the hat at the meeting and by the end of the night (at home) I’d finished the ribbing and the same height of the hat itself (which would be hidden behind the ribbing once it was folded up to be worn). Last night I finished the hat. Then I ripped it out, all the way down to that hidden part I just mentioned. Turns out that the way I’d arranged my decreases brought the hat in too much, too soon. By the end it was a snug fit even on me. Oh, did I not mention I’m flying without a pattern here? It’s fun working from scratch! Since I can tell you without a doubt that this is my own pattern with no outside influence, no help, no shaping info from another source, NOTHING, I will be posting this as a free pattern soon. I will actually be making a little collection of free patterns and posting them, as a little “thank you” to those who visit me and choose to come back. Since the birthday party is tomorrow night I had to get a move-on, and when I got home tonight I sat down and knit my little butt off. Voila! A black hat any man would wear.

Now…on to the reason I’ve been so quiet lately. Let’s see…Monday night I was asleep by 10pm. I’ll get into the dress/outfit details tomorrow from work maybe, don’t feel like getting into it now. Tuesday night I had a guild meeting for the Montreal Knitting Guild. At the meeting I cast on for Mike’s birthday hat since his wife VERY patiently faxed me a photocopy of a hat he wears currently so I could get the proper sizing. I worked on the hat at the meeting and by the end of the night (at home) I’d finished the ribbing and the same height of the hat itself (which would be hidden behind the ribbing once it was folded up to be worn). Last night I finished the hat. Then I ripped it out, all the way down to that hidden part I just mentioned. Turns out that the way I’d arranged my decreases brought the hat in too much, too soon. By the end it was a snug fit even on me. Oh, did I not mention I’m flying without a pattern here? It’s fun working from scratch! Since I can tell you without a doubt that this is my own pattern with no outside influence, no help, no shaping info from another source, NOTHING, I will be posting this as a free pattern soon. I will actually be making a little collection of free patterns and posting them, as a little “thank you” to those who visit me and choose to come back. Since the birthday party is tomorrow night I had to get a move-on, and when I got home tonight I sat down and knit my little butt off. Voila! A black hat any man would wear.

Now…on to the reason I’ve been so quiet lately. Let’s see…Monday night I was asleep by 10pm. I’ll get into the dress/outfit details tomorrow from work maybe, don’t feel like getting into it now. Tuesday night I had a guild meeting for the Montreal Knitting Guild. At the meeting I cast on for Mike’s birthday hat since his wife VERY patiently faxed me a photocopy of a hat he wears currently so I could get the proper sizing. I worked on the hat at the meeting and by the end of the night (at home) I’d finished the ribbing and the same height of the hat itself (which would be hidden behind the ribbing once it was folded up to be worn). Last night I finished the hat. Then I ripped it out, all the way down to that hidden part I just mentioned. Turns out that the way I’d arranged my decreases brought the hat in too much, too soon. By the end it was a snug fit even on me. Oh, did I not mention I’m flying without a pattern here? It’s fun working from scratch! Since I can tell you without a doubt that this is my own pattern with no outside influence, no help, no shaping info from another source, NOTHING, I will be posting this as a free pattern soon. I will actually be making a little collection of free patterns and posting them, as a little “thank you” to those who visit me and choose to come back. Since the birthday party is tomorrow night I had to get a move-on, and when I got home tonight I sat down and knit my little butt off. Voila! A black hat any man would wear.

This is the bag that Angela’s markers came in. How cool is this? You register the bag online and can track where its been. I went to check, and I’m the first person to register this particular wrap sack. I can’t wait to send it out and watch its’ progress around the world!

This is the bag that Angela’s markers came in. How cool is this? You register the bag online and can track where its been. I went to check, and I’m the first person to register this particular wrap sack. I can’t wait to send it out and watch its’ progress around the world!