Little Things

Right after we got home from a birthday party on Sunday afternoon, Jr. Jr. announced that he had a headache and a sore throat. Sure enough, he was running a fever. He's been home from school so far this week with a confirmed case of strep throat. So, while I'd finished the main knitting on the Simple Knitted Bodice, I really haven't had the time to focus and get the neckline stitches picked up and knit.

In the meantime, I've been knitting some little things.

Yesterday morning was the first morning it was down near the freezing mark so far this year. On his way to school, Sr. Jr. texted me with a simple command: "Make me hat." Easy enough. I'd already gotten his approval on Jared Flood's nice Turn a Square hat, so all he had to do was pick out some colors. He did, so I got clicking. Before the night was done, he had a new hat:



View of how the decreases form the squares on top:


The final test -- wearabilty:

Tres handsome, no? And good timing, as it was in the 20s this morning when he had to leave for school! The pattern calls for a worsted weight yarn, but I used a slightly heavier aran weight yarn, Rowan Scottish Tweed Aran, in black, with stripes of grey and a denimy blue. Sr. Jr. is very pleased with his hat, but Mr. T worries that he'll be dorky walking around in a hand knit hat. Fie on him. Sr. Jr. was amazed that I knit the hat so quickly.

This is one of the great benefits of having a ginormous decent-sized stash. Someone says "knit me a hat!" and I can, right away, without having to run off to the yarn store or to place an online order and wait. Like spices in the cabinet, it is.

I also started a new sock for myself. I'm using Sundara's sock yarn, in the Sage over Pumpkin colorway. The yarn is gorgeous! Browns, greens and oranges, just perfect for this time of year. I found a great pattern to use with the yarn, Twisted Tweed Socks. It's an easy pattern, but I have some concerns. It involves a lot of slip stitches, which I know from experience can inhibit the natural stretch of the yarn. I knit my Tilting Sunset socks using a similar pattern (of my own design, not such great pictures in the link) and find them to be a bit difficult to get on. Once they're on, they're very comfortable, but I expect I'll have similar problems with these:



I really like how this pattern works with this kind of hand-dyed yarn.

In the meantime, I think the next STR sock club shipment will be here later this week, and I'm also looking forward to getting the Winter issue of Interweave Knits. I expect great things from the latter, but not the former. But Sundara's first sock club shipment arrives sometime in December...

This morning I ventured out to Whole Foods to order our Thanksgiving turkey. Mmmm. I also picked up way too much prepared food for us to munch on today. It's dangerous for me to go there on an empty stomach. So far I don't know if anyone at all is coming over for Thanksgiving, but at least we'll eat well.

Question for the comments: What are your Thanksgiving plans? Home? Travel? Large? Small?