Wayward Knitting: Manos makes silk??!!

Ok, when my Brittany Birch needles snapped, I ran to Purlescence to buy replacements. I ended up getting the Hiya Hiya needles, and very shortly after I emailed the folks at Brittany, they sent me replacements. Way to go with that warranty!!!

Anyway, I only went for needles but then I saw that they had Manos silk---Manos makes silk?!

Isn't it purdy? It's very soft too.

Anyway but I digress. I have been on a serious hat knitting kick--but not my usual one of kiddy hats. I am pretty much obsessed with kiddy hats but hey, after reading Crazy Aunt Purl, I realized my standard kiddy hat recipe would work for adults too if I used bulky yarn. Genius!!!

Since I think 64 is the magic number for hat knitting (and makes such pretty decrease spirals), I was pretty tickled when I realized the Brangelina hat that Crazy Aunt Purl cooked up is 64 stitches as well. Hey, I can do that.

So I put two strands of Merino Gold together with one strand of mohair and Voila, my first Brangelina hat. Cost--somewhere around $30...or it would have been if it werent' the fabu FullThreadAhead new year's sale!!!

The merino gold is firm and not especially soft, but holds its shape perfectly for a hat and gives just a bit of glamour. The mohair strand gives the perfect bit of fuzzy halo. I loved that hat. It was gorgeous. Apparently my mom thought so too since she snagged it last week. Here's the one photo I have it -- me in La Jolla at Torrey Pines waiting to see Jim Furyck tee off.

I loved this hat pattern so much that I went to Knitting in La Jolla on Prospect and purchased 1 hank of Berroco Ultra Alpaca, and 1 hank of Colinette Shimmer mohair (50% off!!!) to make a second hat. I double stranded the Alpaca too which gave a nice firm, warm fabric.

Brangelinahat2 oh, and I'm still working on the socks for 2008. I have even been using stash. Feeling pretty virtuous about that. Here is the first of my Lorna's Laces, Argyle colorway in sportweight. I used the Ann Budd recipe in IK with an eastern cast on toe for the toe up, and then a simple ribbing pattern until I got over the calf. Oh, short row heel which I suck at, used Cosmic Pluto's tutorial which has good pics.

Went up one needles size over the last bit of ribbing and then did a very very very loose i-cord bindoff. I think it's looser than the EZ sewn cast off.

Have already cast on the 2nd one, so no SSS for me. I hope.

Llargyle1 Very hard to take a photo of one's own leg. Is this photo gruesome? Maybe I should wait next time and only take photos when I've completed a pair.