Lily of the Valley | Jewelry & Art | Berea, KY

As you’ve likely noticed, I’ve taken a little break from the jewelry making and sewing (except some Christmas gifts) to do some knitting.  This winter, I found my collection of cold weather woolies to be quite lacking, and I’ve decided to amend this.  I usually knit things and give them away, and it’s great fun, but this year I’m focusing on filling in all those gaps in my wardrobe.  First, I made a hemlock ring tam in Elsebeth Lavold Baby Llama.  I used the doily pattern through row 47, then winged it the rest of the way.  I think it’s beautiful, but it’s a bit small.  I like bigger, floppier hats.  Not a failure by any means, but not quite what I was going for.  I love the design, and think I will knit it a bit larger.

Since I didn’t feel that this quite fulfilled my hat needs, I immediately cast on another hat.  This time, in Malabrigo Rios in “Purpuras”,  a lovely gift from Sara.  I think this may be my new favourite multi-colour yarn.  It is the softest, most lofty superwash wool I’ve ever used.  I’ve already picked up another skein in the “Archangel” colourway.  The hat I made was the Foliage pattern featured on Knitty in fall 2007.

Detail of hat

When I blocked this bad boy, I thought it would fit a bus.  I was devastated.  Somehow, it either shrank a lot when it dried, or I have a really enormous head.  I’m not sure which, but I LOVE THIS HAT.