January VS February

The second Tuesday of each month is Book Club meeting.
On the day of January's meeting, I posted about the frigid temperatures and wearing my latest hat

- Thorpe - to walk to the meeting.

Tonight, though, one month - or just 4 weeks - or simply 28 days - later, the weather is balmy. I will wear my spring coat tonight. Oh Canada!

Between now and meeting time, I need to find time to write my notes on this month's book - From The Fifteenth District by Mavis Gallant. (My opinion is that the author has spent too much time in Paris) and more importantly, work on Shalom - my Vienna sweater . It is speeding right along and tomorrow I will have pictures.

Photo Finish

It was a photo finish but the black alpaca hat is done. Not before Peter arrived, but at least before he left for home on Sunday.

Here he is with a goofy pose on his way to the hot tub. Robe and all.

And another goofy pose - with a close up of the hat.

The specs are
Yarn: timiQuipa Baby Alpaca in black. The caramel stripe is a bit of Alpaca from the stash.
Pattern: Pismo Hat by Marnie MacLean.
Mods: Only one. After the hat was finished, I decided to snip one stitch and unravel down to the cast on. Four years later Hours later, I knit one row of purl for a turning row and one inch of 1x1 ribbing (just like the hat) for the hem. I finished it off by slip stitching the live stitches to the inside of the hat. A little warmer around the ears, I think.

And for your viewing enjoyment, the hint of spring in our house. My still-lovely bouquet of flowers.

Black Alpaca

Peter's black alpaca hat is was done. It was done yesterday,

but today it's not.

That's the way it is with my knitting sometimes.

It seemed to me that the lower edge - the cast on edge - didn't look 'just perfect'. It flared a bit. Of course it would, - I cast on with a larger needle. If I could possibly remember the thinking behind that decision, I am sure you would declare me brilliant. But I can't remember and all that remained of my great idea was a flared edge.

So, I snipped one little stitch and unravelled - slowly, mind you, as Alpaca sticks to itself quite nicely - the first few rows.

Today, I intend to pick up the 150 stitches and knit down. And since I am at it, I have decided to do a turned hem. It will add a little extra warmth around the ears.

All very do-able, really. I mean what knitter hasn't done such a thing to a finished hat? Okay, maybe the numbers aren't all that high. But, it IS do-able. It is just the timing that has me a bit worried. Peter arrives for the weekend in a few hours. The race is on.