Christmas Catch-up

We've been all over the place this last week, and so has the thermometer. Last Tuesday, we had a scary drive to Kentucky, watching cars spin out behind us, thanks to the beginning of an ice storm which eventually closed roads all over the Midwest. Yesterday, we came back down for a wedding - in 70 degree weather. They had to open windows in the church to keep it cool enough. That's my idea of what winter should be - 70 rather than 80 is cool enough.

I didn't have to handle the icy roads myself, because Aaron has kindly been doing all the driving so I can knit. So far I've finished three holiday projects, and I'm making good progress on some of the others.

This was the first - the Jacques Cousteau hat for Aaron. I didn't work on this one in the car, although I have so much knitting around right now that I don't think it would have ruined the surprise. I left it out a couple times, and Aaron never asked, "hey, is that bit of hat in the giant pile of yarn and half-finished projects for me?" Sometimes clutter makes life easier.


I thought this would be a good pattern for him - it's simple, but has this funky decrease pattern on top to keep it interesting. It's long enough to keep his ears warm, too.


I think he likes it.


This hat hasn't gone to it's new home yet, but I hope its new owner will be pleased. This is Wavy Gravy IV, although it's the third one I've finished. Wavy Gravy II went to Aaron's mother, and I think she likes it. What's not to like about a hat made from a single ball of really nifty yarn? Did I mention that these things are fast to knit, too?


I finished this one on Christmas Eve, just in time to give to my mother the next day. It's Thorpe, made from Patons Shetland Chunky yarn. I think the sizing was a little off - the brim comes down over my ears, so the earflaps aren't really necessary. But they're fashionable, right? And you can't go too far in trying to keep ears warm - especially for my mother.


So for the record, that's four projects finished, and no new ones started. But I'm thinking about doing Sock Madness III, so I'll need all the project slots I can get. And I'd really, really like to have a lighter knitting bag for our next trip.