A chill is in the air!

Remember in my last post that it felt like 39 celcius (102 ferenheit)? Well, on Sunday, it managed to make it to 14 C (57 F), but by the time I got home from work, it was closer to 3C (37F). Brr! Soon there'll be frost and, dare I say it, snow! So, as the weather turns from pleasent to icy, I have been working hard, cranking out fetching beret/tam type hats. But before we get to that, I wanted to show you my first completed "knitting" project. I think I might have been 10 or so when I made it.

This scarf was made on a large spool knitter, using the yarn that came with the loom/spool knitting set I got as a child. I'm assuming it's acrylic, and the colour pattern goes peach, gold, green, white, peach, gold, green. It has been worn for years by my first teddy bear, who is a mere 5 inches tall.

Pretty impressive for a first textile project, I must say, and Teddy's all ready for the fall chill.

I promised some photos of the berets I made, and I will not disappoint. Without further ado, here they are.

Beret #1 (My favorite):

(Note all photos of me wearing the hat suck.)

Specs:
Pattern: Bulky Tam by whatifknits
Needles: US 10.5 circs (I think 24") and DPNS
Yarn: Patons Nuance in Mythic. This yarn is so soft and light, I'm totally in love with it!

Beret #2:



Specs:
Pattern and Needles same as #1
Yarn:Bernat Felting Natural Wool in New Iris
A little thicker, probably better for winter, but still very pretty!

Beret #3:


Specs:
Pattern and Needles same as #1
Yarn: Lion Brand Moonlight Mohair in Glacier Bay
I hated working with this yarn, the mohair went EVERYWHERE, but I love how it looks now.

Beret #4:



Specs:
Pattern and Needles same as #1
Yarn: Patons Divine in Richest Rose
Another Mohairy yarn, but much softer than Moonlight Mohair. Pink is not really my colour, so I might sell/give this one away.

Cold weather does not just call for Hats, I have started making mittens as well. My favorite mitts are ones I saw all through my childhood. I've wanted a pair for years, and now I'm starting on my second pair! They're called Newfoundland mitts, and they're very warm. The honeycomb stitch holds in the heat, and even when made with acrylic yarn, they keep the hands of kids and adults cozy, even when wet!

My pair is very reminisent of spring, so hopefully they'll cheer me up during the gray days of February.

Without the flash, the colours are still bright!

Close up of the pattern, two slipped stitches pull the fabric into the honeycomb shape.
I got the pattern from the Creative Whimsy blog. But the pattern isn't really copyrighted or anything, people have been knitting these for decades! I was obviously inspired by her use of Noro Kureyon, though.

My mitten specs
Needles: US 6 (4mm) DPNS
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool in Too Teal, Katia Mexico in Easter (as you can see, I frogged my scarf I made earlier!)

Well,that's all from me now, bundle up dearies! Snuggle your furry friends!