FO: Viking Beard

By Thor, I have finished the Viking Beard for R's hat! I know it's been a while since I worked on this, but once you crochet the base, what you're basically doing is adding fringe. And you know how bored I get with fringing stuff. I can barely make it through a scarf. (Why most of my scarves don't have fringe.)

But I did it. I cut a million-billion strands of beard and attached them all.

I used this pattern, which calls for 70 strands for the side panels of the beard. I started with that many, but it didn't seem to be enough, so I basically had to cut 70 more. Same with the base part of the beard. It says cut 45, I cut about 75. This is Caron Simply Soft in Autumn Maize, which I think looks sufficiently blonde.

The beard and mustache are just big braids that you sew on. They very cleverly cover up any bare spots around the mouth hole. I didn't much like the way the beard attached (You basically thread it through the base and tie it on the backside.) But, well, it looks great. And no one will be looking at the back, right?

I need to add buttons to the Viking Helm to attach this beard and then it can be wrapped.