my new pink hat

in 2003, i submitted a poem as my weekly assignment for a creative writing class. the title of that poem was 'my new pink scarf'

i had just created a loom akin to the one i was taught on during fourth grade art class, and the most available yarn was bright pink. the scarf-making was successful, although the type of yarn i used wasn't exactly fluffy enough to hide my beginner's roughness. future scarves became much fluffier, and were not pink.

i've been 'trying' to knit for years. i learned once back in early high school (thanks Mom!), and completed several rows before giving up. after all, i wanted a scarf, and they were way easier to make on my loom.

and again, one year ago, when a lovely knitting lady visited acorn and had all sorts of beautiful things that she'd made herself. she taught me again, this time also teaching increases and decreases, and tempting me with a beautiful hat she had made.

and a third time, this past spring, when a charming guy at the farm told me he had learned to knit because he wanted to make his own socks. i had bought needles at that point, and so i created, under his tutelage, a baby-sized sock as practice.

once again, i got... maybe five or six rows in, and then the needles sat in a drawer, got packed into bags, hauled around the continent, and finally were emptied several nights ago.

miss knitting lady from last year came back to acorn with the pattern for that hat, and inspiration was kindled. i pulled out a sweater i'd bought the year before for unraveling. it was pink. with half of one sleeve i have knitted my first ever hat, and it is glorious. full of beginner's mistakes, yes - but glorious. and, as is now my tradition, it is pink and rather obnoxious. but i think that makes it endearing, too. i already have four or five other folks here who want one. too bad for them - my wrists are sore!

so here are photos from my three-day hat journey. i started with pink, and then added this fluffy and SUPER soft brown stuff that a craft fairy gifted to acorn, and then ended up doing a few stripes. my tension was not uniform, i didn't understand the pattern as well as someone with experience, and the hat isn't perfect, but here i am, and my head is warm. i think that's the most important part.

besides, those are just excuses for why i need to knit more. i think armwarmers will come next. and maybe a christmas gift or two.

oh, and for those interested - the hat is from the "ganomy hat" pattern in the knitter's almanac by elizabeth zimmerman.