Day 3- Softie #1

This series of hats is my purgatory. It’s a mini-hell of bad yarn choices built up over time, hence the name for this month. Yeah, they are great ways to start out learning (because they don’t cost too much and they come in every color imaginable) but once you feel how soft alpaca, wool and mink (mink yarn? Heck yes!) a lot of commercial brand acrylics are squeaky, rough and ever present. I’d still do a Doctor Who scarf in them for now, because I am unemployed college graduate who can’t afford copious amount of wool. (Do you remember about Wovember? You should! Go over and sign the petition now and wear wool.)

These next two hats were my joy. I'll reveal one today and the second tomorrow. I can't go about showing off all of the work that I've done. I proposed one hat and day and I will stick to it, even if you think you are suffering from deja vu.  They were made from 1-ply Softie wool/ acrylic blend. So soft. So very soft before and after crocheting red heart hats.

It’s a pretty standard ribbed beanie. A pom-pom of extra yarn was added on top, mostly because I truly hate to waste yarn. I used 58 to 60 stitches with a k2, p2 and decreased at the top.

The one problem with this yarn was the fact that the 1 ply twist would gradually come apart if I let it. I had to be very conscious of the twist and occasionally had to retwist the yarn. It made it exciting!

 

Dad  is modeling Softie #1 for you all. He was a good sport. I popped it on his head, took a picture and then ran away cackling. I already had a picture of me modeling a hat, I don't  want to inundate you with my beauty.

I keep saying that this yarn is so soft. This is the excess from Chachi’s hat. Chachi was a neighbor and still is a good geek friend. He and Alpha can talk Doctor Who into the ground. He begged for a hat for 3 years and then after we both moved away I gave him one for his birthday. That kind of diligence should be rewarded. I don’t say patience, because he doesn’t have a lot of it. So I had this extra  yarn around and decided to make more hats. I touch that yarn and I want to swoon, and afterwards it’s even more of a penance to work with cheap yarn. I am paying for all my young exuberance in stash burning.

I still have a month and a half before hats/ scarves are officially due, since this is all a part of service project for ACCA. I have a bag (my wonderful, jute Dover bag... which I haven’t replaced even though the corners are ratted out) which I intend on filling with my stash burning goodies. Maybe if I am really, really dedicated, I’ll have extra hats and scarves.