FO: Hats - Part 2

The second hat I started was for my mom... She had been wanting a slouchy hat found the perfect pattern when we were visiting a new LYS in the area, For Yarn's Sake. This is a fantastic new shop that has loads of selection and the owners are super friendly and Duck Fans! Which you know always earns bonus points in my book!

So after picking out a pattern my mom picked out a yarn...


And then I got knitting!

It was a super fast knit that came in three degrees of slouchyness so we went for the highest degree - Super Slouchy!



So here are the pattern details..

Pattern: Rosalie by megi
Yarn: Louet Gems Worsted in Pewter
Needles: US 5 & 8 knit in magic loop
Mods: None

I love the way the decreases look at the top of this hat... It's just beautiful. But here's a tip from me to you: Read the directions before you decide that you know what they are telling you to do because I couldn't figure out for the life of me why my decreases were looking different than the picture until I went back and read the directions! But to get that look it was worth ripping out the top and re-knitting it correctly again.

FO: Hats - Part 1

I have had some extra knitting time on my hands lately and while I have been making progress on my super-secret-never-to-talk-about project I have also been working on hats... lots and lots of hats

This is going to be in parts because 1 I don't have that much to tell you so I cant use everything up in one post. 2 It's 1 am right now and I don't have the brain power to get it all in one post even if I wanted to. 3. It would be a ridiculously long post

So... Part 1

First up my husband requested a hat. Yeah I know it's March and Spring in the States but remember for us desertaties this is COLD! So he said "hey wanna go to a yarn store?" and I was running out the door with my purse and the car was already started before he even finished what he was saying...

When we were well on our way to the shop he finally finished saying "Remember that orange hat you knit for your BIL a while back?"

and I was all "Uhh of course! Hello!"

So we went to the shop and he picked out this beautiful Berroco Vintage in a heather brown

When we got home I immediately got to knitting... It took longer than a hat usually would because of all the cables but they are totally worth it in the end.


So here are the pattern details

Pattern: Groovy Cable Tuque by Mimi Fautley
Yarn: Berroco Vintage worsted in a brown heather
Needles: US 6 circs using a magic loop
Mods: None

The only bummer was I had to do the top of this hat three times!! The first time the hat was too short. The second time it was too long and the third was just right. Husband likes it and that's what's important... right?

FO: Ducky Socks!

I finally have an FO to show everyone! It feels like it had been forever - when really I guess it's only been a couple week. Although it might also just feel like a long time because I cast on for these socks on Dec 31st! So it has taken me two months to knit a pair of socks... my excuse: Ravelympics

I started these socks to show my obvious support for the Oregon Ducks (as embarrassing as they are at the moment)... In case wearing a t-shirt, hoodie and sweats weren't enough I thought my feet should show my allegiance as well.... not to mention I love love love the vibrant colors of this yarn!

Pattern Details
Pattern: Duckies by Samantha Hayes
Yarn: flydesigns Monarch, Colorway - Spring
Needles: US 2’s Addi circs
Mods: I knit these two at a time using magic loop. The pattern calls for DPNs so the only modifications I had to make was the math in my head to convert the pattern to magic loop.

This was my first top down sock and my first time knitting two at a time. I love the two at a time process it feels great when they are done at the same time not to mention I love that I don’t have to remember for the second sock when I turned the heel or when I started on the toe – the two socks just come out the exact same!

I also, under normal circumstances, wouldn’t pair this bright vibrant yarn with this pattern only because I think a softer colorway would do this pattern more justice however how could I pass up making my Oregon Duck sock in a pattern named duckies? Just not possible.

The more socks I knit the more I like them and the more I come to the conclusion that I am going to have to get shoes that show them off better!

One Month

It has been one month since we left UAE, since we left our home. I find it a little odd that I keep referring to UAE as "home" especially because I never stopped referring to the US as "home" but here I am telling my husband that I miss the red orange juice from home, or that's not how they do it back home, or back home the guy would just come to your house and fix that for 100 AED.

Instead of converting Dirhams to Dollars to find out the "real" price of something like I did when I moved to UAE now I'm converting Dollars to Dirhams. Is $2 for a Coke a good deal? I dunno. But do I know 7 AED isn't!

For the most part our transition has been very smooth (except for the excessive travel) and we really haven't faced too many problems. We're now in Portland where it looks like we'll be based for a while. We have enjoyed spending time with family and the rain (MIXED WITH SNOW!!! Seriously!) We have also managed to get a bunch of the chores done like bank things, visits to the DMV and other oh so exciting stuff that I wouldn't bore you to tears with.

It's great being back in Portland but it's also weird not knowing it as well as I use too - I know how to get to little shop that sells my favorite sandwich but I can't remember the back way I use to take when the traffic was bad. I know there's a Subway around here somewhere I just can't remember exactly where. And even more weird is that everyone expects me to remember things - you don't know how to get there? well you went there 4 years ago!

But over all we're having a blast and enjoying our time together. I'm not sure that it has sunk in that we have no return ticket yet as it still feels like a long vacation. But I'm really missing my friends and (I never thought I would say this but) I really miss the sun. I miss the malls too... in all their excessiveness.

So here's to one month! I know that we will get back in the groove with time and soon home will be a distant memory - but my friends never will be! Miss you guys!