19 December 2012

-:- yarn along - semolina hat and a christmas carol

Since I've become a knitter, I'm always on the lookout for little local yarn stores wherever we go. Usually I pick out a little skein or two of souvenir yarn to add to my stash (despite Mr.'s eye rolling) - and you know what? I always remember where I got my yarn, what we were doing, what the day was like - there's something about holding a skein of yarn that takes me right back to the place I bought it. It does more for me than a photograph would - it's like I lock experiences up in wool.

So when I pulled this skein out of my stash over the weekend, I was immediately transported back to the little yarn store in Wisconsin where I bought it and remembered our road trip to Madison, WI from our home back east. And I knew just what to do with it.



I have a couple of slouchy hats that I like to wear on bad hair days, but I don't really have any good wool hats that were made just to keep my head warm, so I'm making this one. It will be a nice, thick knit because of the cables and the wool I'm using feels really hearty too. I plan on adding a pompom at the top and i-cord (or crocheted?) ties from the earflaps, probably in some contrasting color.


Book-wise, I'm reading a Christmas Carol, which has become a tradition for me over the last few years. I know a few of you share that tradition - it's such a wonderful one to come back to each year, isn't it? The Flight of Gemma Hardy has been trumped by a couple of other reading priorities, but it will definitely be one of the first books I pick up in the new year.


I hope most of you are done with all of your Christmas knitting and are settling into some wonderfully relaxing, slow paced knitting projects, made just for you.

xox

P.S. I finished my little Latte Hoodie, but am waiting for its reveal (and the secret project reveal - I haven't forgotten) until after Christmas. Which, I'm told, happens to be next week!

(Joining Ginny at Small Things for her weekly Yarn Along.)

20 comments:

  1. love the hat!! Great pattern choice :) I also can remember where I've bought my yarn on my travels, I cannot imagine you having a bad hair day ;)

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    1. haha - oh, it definitely happens! :) And thank you!

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  2. what a great pattern. :) i have never read a christmas carol. maybe i will this year.

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    1. Oh, you should! It's so good - and a relatively quick read. :) Let me know if you read it/like it!

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  3. Pretty hat pattern, it will be lovely!

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  4. Your hat is going to be lovely.

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  5. Love that hat and the yarn is gorgeous. I too am always on the look out for little yarn shops wherever we go :)

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    1. Thank you! Yah, they are the best places to stop, in my opinion! :)

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  6. The hat is terrific. I love the color you are using. I like that you have yarn as a souvenir. It's like a fiber travel journal! Thanks for stopping by my space!
    xo,
    Ang (Peach Coglo)

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  7. I love the idea of stopping at new little yarn shops (I'm the same way about thrift stores and my guy rolls his eyes, too :) ). That yarn is lovely! I haven't read A Christmas Carol in forever, what a brilliant idea!

    Btw, thank you for the tips regarding the pumpkin sprouts!

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    1. Love thrift stores! And no problem - I love surprise plants like that and pumpkins really are a lot of fun!

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  8. Souvenir yarn... I like that idea!! The semolina pattern is a great choice :o)

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    1. Thanks! It was a natural evolution for me as a knitter! :)

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  9. I love the idea of yarn as a souvenir. Fun and practical and beautiful all at the same time. :)

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    1. hehe - yah, it's the best. And then if you make something for yourself with it, that FO becomes your new souvenir. It's ideal, really! :)

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  10. I buy yarn as a souvenir too. Always. And Fred is FOREVER rolling his eyes. What can I say? I mean I have so few vices (yarn and chai lattes...really, that's it) so how can he complain? And can you believe I've never read A Christmas Carol. I love that tradition. AND...love that hat. Yarn always transports me back to where I bought it. That's pretty special, I think. xo

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