I said I wasn’t going to make anymore hats, but when you have as little hair as I have right now, and it is beginning to get cold outside (This is Texas—60’s is cold to me), what do you do? You make hats. This one is done in a strange soy yarn called Wick, and while pretty with its bright blue, and gold variegated colors, it is not warm. This yarn would make great summer tanks and tops, but I can’t think of much else it would be appropriate for. Don’t try it for gloves or mittens (or hats!). On second thought, it would make great gloves and mittens for people who don’t find 60 degrees particularly chilling. While you are still laughing at me for wearing hats and gloves in 60 degree weather, I’ll explain that when it is 102 degrees outside and I am working in an air conditioned office, I wear fingerless mitts and a sweater. Yup, it’s sweaters for me year-round.
Speaking of fingerless mitts, here’s a pair that I just finished for a Christmas present. I love this cute cable pattern from Knitty.com called Fetching, and have made two other pairs of these mitts for myself.
I am also working on a “slew” (that’s more than one, and less than a dozen) of cammo hats for the paintball crew in the family—who are many! I was going to edge them in orange, but the men all chimed in to say, “No! You can’t put orange on the hats. That will make us targets.” I guess what I know about the game of paintball you could put through the eye of a tapestry needle! Of course, none of them know the difference between dpns and circs.
Back to Christmas knitting. That orange yarn is calling out to me. Hmmm, maybe an orange pompom….
A Comfort Zone customer gave me a great tip today. RB in Massachusetts said she wears Gold Toe socks under her hand knitted socks. It makes them wear longer, and I would bet they are warmer as well. She also said that Macy’s has a store brand named “Hue” that works as well. I’m talking about light weight, white socks that are smooth and comfy under your knitted socks, and take the impact of toe and heel abuse. I’ve never tried that, but I do reinforce the toes of all my socks—sometimes with reinforcing thread, and sometimes with fingering or sport weight yarn in a contrast color.
Another long-life tip for knitted socks is washing them in Eucalan. That is miracle stuff! It smells good, makes your knits feel soft, and you don’t rinse it out, but leave it in your woolens for conditioning and long wear. All too often knitted objects are beautiful for only a short time, and with any wear and tear are too soon no longer useful. I have socks with reinforced toes that have lasted for three years now. Others, without the reinforced toes, have gone bye-bye in less than a year. So why not do everything we can to preserve our precious knitted objects.
Regarding miracles, even better than Eucalan, I received word yesterday from my Neurosurgeon that my latest MRI shows that the blood left in my head from the subdural hematoma has redistributed or absorbed. That means I will not have to have more surgery right now! We will watch it for the next six months to a year, but for now I’m home free—literally! Thanks to all my friends who sent good wishes and for all the prayers. They worked! Life is good.
BTW, the Nasturtium socks are finished.
I said I wasn’t going to make anymore hats, but when you have as little hair as I have right now, and it is beginning to get cold outside (This is Texas—60’s is cold to me), what do you do? You make hats. This one is done in a strange soy yarn called Wick, and while pretty with its bright blue, and gold variegated colors, it is not warm. This yarn would make great summer tanks and tops, but I can’t think of much else it would be appropriate for. Don’t try it for gloves or mittens (or hats!). On second thought, it would make great gloves and mittens for people who don’t find 60 degrees particularly chilling. While you are still laughing at me for wearing hats and gloves in 60 degree weather, I’ll explain that when it is 102 degrees outside and I am working in an air conditioned office, I wear fingerless mitts and a sweater. Yup, it’s sweaters for me year-round.
