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Hatalogue

It's been a regular hat bonaza around here! Margene's three lovely wooly hats arrived and went out to cold heads so quickly that I didn't even have time to photograph them! But they are so wonderful that I can't bear it that you didn't see them, so go look at them here :-) Margene knit these hats during a week in which she experienced a painful loss, so they are infused with the spirit of contemplative serenity turned into functional objects for some people in need that she doesn't even know.

BUT WAIT THERE'S MORE! Yesterday, the woman who I will now always think of as Saint Tamara the Busy stopped by my office with FIVE hats and TWO scarves!

She works full-time, she directs a choir, she has children and a family and her own holiday knitting to complete, but she still took time out of her life to knit FIVE beautiful hats and TWO scarves! I could hardly believe my eyes. Thank you so much, Tamara! They are one their way downtown this frosty morning.

Julia blogged an idea that I really appreciated: re-purposed hats! Julia is checking through her many knits hats for some that can travel to Austin. Thanks, Julia!

I'm reluctant to categorize ~2000 homeless veterans as "an issue," but as "an issue," it has really bothered me! While any/every action can be seen as political, this particular issue feels apolitical to me. It's not about being for or against the war, or for or against the troops. It's about the large population of cold homeless veterans in Austin. The two most-made requests by the homeless, according to people who work with them on the streets, are for hats and socks. It is probably the same in your community (and you can check here to find out). In the months ahead, I am going to work on hats and socks to stockpile for the next Central Texas winter. But I know I couldn't have covered so many heads in so short a time without the help of Janine, Hope, Margene, Tamara and some anonymous knitters. Thank you.

Other Knitting

Actually, it's knitting that I haven't done, but lately, consider mentally frequently. My son is an admirer of the Matrix movies, and in the second one, the character Neo wears a close-fitting sweater with a few dropped-stitch holes in it. It's the only sweater my son has ever requested I knit for him. How do you make a sweater artfully ratty-looking? Seems like it will be an interesting project. And, that reminds me, perhaps by the time I'll have knitted it, these will be available. I love The Scotsman .

Bad Haircuts

The pups went to the groomers and instead of "Tidy and Trim," they accidentally received "Puppy Cuts." All of their curls and feathers have been trimmed away, and they are furious about it. Della was the only one who would consent to a photo, and I think she did it only with the intention of making me feel guilty.

It's like those three dreaded words you hear from your mom after you've been to a new salon: "It will grow."

And it will, of course. Thursday! Let it grow! Cheers!

Hat Stack

A hurried photo (because we are late for work):

Isn't that wonderful? A big heap of hats! I stopped by the local to drop off a basket for small knitted items collection, and there were a dozen knit hats to pick up! We are expecting a hard freeze in Austin tonight, and so Sister is dropping them off downtown today at the Homeless Task Force. Thank you, anonymous knitters. And there are more hats coming. Thank you! The generosity of knitters astonishes me on a daily basis now. Counting these, we've got 26 heads covered so far.

It's difficult to get into a holiday spirit here just yet. But stuff like this helps...imagine! Knitted Magi!

Because Mikey can't knit, the links above don't cheer him. But we know he'll return to his sunny self soon. Meanwhile, he's just not going to be about holiday spirit. No-ho-ho.

Tuesday. Get your ho-ho on!

Self-striping

We worked on the self-striping hat at odd moments over the weekend; it has grown quickly but I find that working with the US3 needles that I had available (12-in) hurts my hands. I still like the concept of using up self-striping yarn in this manner, but it is, in spite of being plain stocking stitch, a slow knit.

You could choose a more subtle set of socks yarns, but I like the yellow and blue. Note the incredible third color at the join:

Still, it's self-patterning sock yarn. For a devine-ly knit hat (as well as socks and mittens) knit without self-patterning yarn, visit Catherine's gallery. Gorgeous.

Pups

Lotsa paperwork this weekend. The pups helped out by quietly watching Screen Door TV.

We wish you a happy Monday—cheers!