I’ve knit three hats in a row: a hat trick! Here is Hat the Third:

The pattern is Mountain Peak Hat, by Sandra C, and I knit mine in Dream in Color City yarn, in the Grey Tabby Colorway, on a U.S. size 6 needle.

That’s my colleague Kate modeling the hat.It really looks great with her eyes, but not so great that I am willing to give the hat to her.

This hat is delightfully warm and cozy and it fits beautifully. The openwork panels give it enough stretch so that it adjusts to different head sizes. It easily accommodates my metric ton of hair.

Since the photo shoot with Kate, I have added a faux fur pompom. Lately I am all about the faux fur pompom.

Incidentally, Kate is a New Knitter. She went to a weekend “learn to knit” party hosted by a friend and three days later had a finished hat. I am doing my best to enable her and it is working quite well. (Insert maniacal laughter here.)

Speaking of enabling . . .

I really love the Mountain Peaks Hat and want to share the love! If you love the hat too and would like to knit it, leave me a comment and tell me:

1. what color you would knit it in
2. what yarn you would use
3. your Ravelry name

On Sunday February 4, noon-ish, I’ll select a couple of you at random and send you the pattern as a gift in Ravelry. Designer Sandra C has also kindly offered to gift two of you the pattern, so that’s a total of 4 winners. Remember, you must answer all three questions to be eligible to win!

Loki is still a big help!

It’s been hats week here. When I finished my Merveille du Jour poncho, I cast on this:

This is “Alaska” by Camille Descoteaux. I knit it from the Dream in Color, Dream Club January 2018 Set, which consists of two skeins of Dream in Color Jilly with Cashmere, in the colorways Chesley and Black Plum. I purchased this from The Loopy Ewe. I topped it off with a faux fur pompom, also purchased from The Loopy Ewe.

When I finished the Alaska hat, I went back and knit this:

This is the matching beret to the Merveille du Jour poncho. I banged this out in a couple of days because it was such fun to knit, I couldn’t put it down.

Loki helped.

Done!

This is Merveille du Jour, designed by Alice Starmore, which I purchased as a kit from Virtual Yarns.

The kit includes a matching hat, and I do plan to knit it, but I’m starting something else before I make it, just for a change. Stay tuned!

We are art the beginning of a government shutdown, so I am temporarily unemployed.We could re-open tomorrow, or we could be shut down for weeks. However long it lasts, I look at it as extra knitting time.

Loki thinks it’s extra snuggle time.

While I started this in 2017, it’s my first work in progress for 2018.

This is Merveille Du Jour, a poncho and beret set designed by Alice Starmore. I purchased it as a kit from Virtual Yarns, here.

I’m working on the poncho, which is made in 4 separate panels, which are worked flat. You sew them together, then put live stitches at the top of each panel back on a needle and work the yoke in the round.

The bottom ribbing and the yoke are both made using Virtual Yarns Hebridean 2-ply, while the solid-color body is worked in the heavier 3-ply.

I have the front and back panels done, and am working on the slightly smaller side panels. I did the ribbing for both side panels first, so I’d not have to face 2-color ribbing again for the poncho!

The bottom edge of the poncho is curved. This is achieved with short rows and strategically placed decreases. I’m thoroughly enjoying this project. Even the “boring” plain color portions are fun because of the decreases — there’s always something new going on.

Loki is being a big help, keeping tabs on my pattern!