New Year's Resolutions

So, I was reading this newsletter and thought, I should come up with a knitting resolution for 2008.

I don't know why, though. I'm not good at resolutions. Not like I make unreasonable resolutions that are destined for failure. And not like I don't stick to them. I just have this deep down aversion to having to do something.

That's right. Patwoman fights the system, folks.

I guess I do like the idea of goal-setting, though. So if we are saying, these are the goals I am setting for next year, I'm okay with that.

My goal is definitely not to destash, like some others I've talked to. I frankly don't understand that mentality at all. Why would I destash, when it's taken me so long to build up this beautiful stash? If anything, I plan to add more to it this year.

And my goal is not really to learn a new skill. There are plenty of people who have tried to brainwash encourage me to knit socks. And I'm not really interested. (Although, if I can talk T into moving to a sheep farm in Scotland with me, I might take up spinning.)

And I'm not even going to try and delude myself into thinking I will finish more items this year or whittle down the UFO pile.

Or finish Chaos.

And Here Is The Hat

This went pretty quickly. (Once I got over that whole casting-on thing.)

Here it is, modeled by Not Patwoman.


I decided to go with the cable cast on, which I don't usually use, but it does make a really nice edge for a hat, I must say. The pattern is pretty simple.

Jon's Hat

1 Skein LB WoolEase Chunky in Charcoal (I used about 1/2 of that.)
A few yards of contrasting color (I used some burgundy worsted weight that I doubled. I think it was probably Caron Simply Soft.)
Guage: 13st = 4" (I used size 10 dpns, but I am a loose knitter. You might want to go up a size or two.)

With Contrasting Color, cast on 68 st, using a cabled cast on. Join, without twisting stitches.
Work one row in Knit 2, Purl 2 using Contrasting Color.
Attach Main Color and contine K2P2 rib pattern until piece is 6 1/2 inches long.
Work Decrease Row: *Knit 2 together, Purl 2 together repeat from * (34 st remain)
Next row: Knit
Next row: Knit 2 together across. (17 St remain)
Next row: Knit
Next row: Knit 2 together across. End with Knit 1 st. (9 st)
Cut yarn, leaving a 6" tail. Thread through remaining 9 stitches and pull tight. Secure on inside of hat and weave in all ends.

This made a nice beanie-shaped hat, because it is tight-fitting. It will look small. Looks like a child's hat when you take it off the needles. But, as you can see, modeled on Not Patwoman, it is an adult sized hat. Maybe even a little big for Not Patwoman. But I had R try it on and it fits him perfectly. So I think it will fit Jon just fine.

I think I will do a couple more of these for my guys. That K2P2 rib is pretty manly-man, if you ask me.

Speaking of manly knits, I was perusing my new Son Of SnB book and there are several things I'd like to knit for myself. Like the black hat with the red skulls on it.

Yeah, you heard me. I'm a bad ass middle aged suburban mother of grown children!

What's The Best Cast On For A Rib Knit Hat?

I'm only asking because I've ripped this thing out a couple of times already.

I'm making a hat for a friend's Christmas present. Oh, hush. I won't even see him until tomorrow, anyway. So, I didn't finish it in time. So what? He won't care, anyway. He will just be happy to join the Knitted Friends Club.

I'm kind of making this up as I go. It's going to be a 2 X 2 rib hat, in LB Wool-Ease Chunky (Charcoal), with a thin border of some random burgundy yarn I have lost the label from. I might put a burgundy stripe in there somewhere, too. Who knows?

I'm crazy like that.

But I keep ripping it out because it's just not looking right. I tried a straight up cast on, but then the rib made it look funny. And then I tried a ribbed cast on, but that looked funny, too. I tried a knitted-on cast on, but didn't like it. I think I will try a cabled cast on. Will that make it too tight? We'll see.

My other problem is



Yes. It's Zeus. He doesn't like that I am not paying attention to him--knitting and blogging. Now, you see? He is ignoring me. To punish me for knitting and blogging.


But, back to Christmas knitting.

I did a qaujillion scarves this year and gave them to pretty much everyone. I think everyone liked them, too. Of course, I didn't take pix of all of them. That would've been nice. Some of them turned out especially nice--like the beaded lace scarf for Jill.


Made R a nice hat in a navy blue wool. Made a matching scarf, with an embossed diamond pattern on it. Needs to be blocked, though. Damn wool. Always needs to be blocked, doesn't it?



Made M a pretty Noro scarf. Straight Stockingette Stitch, with some Garter Stitch borders that I thought would keep it from rolling. But they don't. Rolls like a mofo. Even after blocking.



Maybe I just suck at blocking?


Christmas was good for me this year. R got a really nice camera for T & I. M made some awesome ceramic cups and a vase. And she got me a purse with a light that comes on inside when you open it. (How awesome is that?)

T did not repeat last year's Box O' Yarn (probably because I still have a lot of it left and he doesn't want to have to buy YET ANOTHER storage chest for yarn). Instead, he gave me some yarns that I have been wanting to try, but haven't yet. Like bamboo, soy, organic cotton.


Here's the bamboo. Bernat Bamboo, one of their "natural blends." The color is awesome. It's called Dill, and it looks sort of grey, sort of green. It's super soft. I started the scarf from the label the other night and I've just been working on it while I watch Sasuke/Ninja Warrior. This one will be for me.

I also got Son Of Stitch n Bitch, One Skein, and the Pattern A Day Calendar. So, I've got plenty to do this year, as long as I find the time.

Oh, and before you ask... No, I did not finish Chaos.

So....

Is anybody still out there?

It's been such a long time. And I have missed you all. All 7 of you.

But since we are all here now, let me just recap the last half of this year and we can get that out of the way and move on.

1. Still not finishing anything. The UFO pile just keeps getting bigger and bigger.

Except scarves. I've finished several scarves. In fact, I have been fairly obsessed with scarves lately. Made a bunch for Christmas gifts. Made a bunch more that M claimed for her own. T was kind enough to model.



I said, "T, would you be so kind as to model a few scarves for my blog?" Mwah-ha-ha!

2. GenCon was great this year, as always. Here are some highlights:






Here are my kids, in costume:

A, in period costume for a LARP; M, as some kind of anime thing, I think a Chobit?; and R, as The Doctor.

Oh, and Hayden Panettiere broke my phone. Right after I took a picture of her, it stopped working. Coincidence? You know how I feel about coincidence.



3. I finally took belly dance lessons. Twice. So far. I did a little 2 hour session at GenCon and liked it so much, it's what I requested we do at my birthday party! (Thanks to Blamey for setting this whole thing up!)

Here's the obligatory Gabgab-eating-birthday-cake-photo:



Okay. That just leaves Christmas. I will come back and make a separate post about that.

Oh, and I want to tell you about my newest obsession.... Sasuke!