Another small FO

Lots of snow here today (Sunday) in the valley, and I'm sure the ski hills and mountains are getting covered with the white stuff.  We've been taking this weekend pretty quietly, as D has had a cold, but hopefully tonight we'll get our tree up and installed (and kitten proofed, if there is such a thing).  This is my long week - I cover at the hospital I work for 1 weekend a month, and in exchange, I'll be off next Friday and have a long, 4-day holiday weekend, which will be very nice!

Since we've been sticking close to home with the bunny hysteria and not-so-nice outdoors weather, I finished up another small Dulaan contribution.  I was sifting through my stash boxes in my office (um, yeah.... don't lie.... ya'll know you have a little yarn stash in each room of the house), I realized I have a large Ziploc filled with 1-skein wonders of handspun.  Things I spun up a large skein as a trial run, and then maybe didn't like the grist or something, and either spun something else up, but at any rate, no sense in letting all that go to waste.

I decided I'd start with a nice, basic 5-cable hat out of a very soft, chocolate brown Merino.  I had just enough to get a large teen-sized hat out of it, pirating and otherwise mutilating one of the patterns in the Louise Harding Hats, Gloves, Scarves book I picked up this year JUST for charity knitting projects.  I have maybe 20 yards or so left, so it used that skein up nicely. 

Here's a sorta full frontal shot.  It is less elongated actually on a human head, but here it is modeled by the butt of a stuffed duck we had to take away from Rowan because she was tearing the limbs off it.

And a top shot of the nifty starfish-shaped pattern formed by the cabled "arms".

I'm actually not sure why I didn't like this yarn (or maybe I did, because I actually can't remember when I spun it).  It knits up nicely, has a very soft hand, and a lovely even color. 

So, nuttin fancy, but will certainly keep someone's head warm in the outer reaches of Mongolia.  As a footnote to that whole Mongolian theme, D and I watched a really interesting program on PBS this week about a group of Chinese scientists trying to reintroduce a herd of Przewalski's Horses back into the wild; the wild being an area of high desert at the Mongolian border.  During the winter, with temperatures around -40C, the scientists eventually had to go rescue the herd and lead them back to a covered set of enclosures because the horses had frostbite on their faces, even with their heavy winter coats.  So I can only imagine how that kind of winter weather feels to a 6-year-old with no hat, gloves, mittens, scarves, coats.  I'm going to shoot for 1 completed project a month at a minimum.

And as a P.S. Newman continues to do very very well.  I have 1 toe stump I'm still watching carefully, but he is moving around much better and the other stumps seem to be healing up quickly.  I'll be sure to update his status after our vet visit on Wednesday.

All for now.....

Comments

[margene]

We have a bunch of snow here but down town was fairly clear. The freeways were not, however. We're glad to be safely home. We learned that performing a mitvah brings back the light. You are doing that every time you knit an item for Dulaan. Nice work.

[Marcia]

I don't know what sounds funnier: you "pirating" or a duck butt modelling! Strange images there! Sending healing thoughts to Newman!

[Karen]

We haven't had any snow yet, I'm happy to say. I know it's only a matter of time though.

That's an awesome hat. It even looks warm in the picture. Some lucky person is going to love it!

I'm glad to hear Newman is continuing to do well. :)

[minnie]

am i correct in assuming the rabies test came out negative?

and that hat is so cool! i've got bits and bobs of my handspun around too, i need to get them going. after christmas.

[Carol]

Very nice hat! Hope all stay healthy for the holidays and hugs and hay to Newman.

[C4G]

Will you be continuing teh ABC along in the new year? Starting over again? I sure would like to participate this time round.