It is nearly February. Outside it is raining, the snow is melting and a few rays of sunlight pierce the clouds. Suddenly I realise I am longing for spring. I want the first snowdrops to push through the moist black earth and herald the coming of better weather and life outside.
When the guy caught me by surprise a couple of days ago and said ‘I’d like a hat something like that’ after trying on my Tuke hat (which really didn’t look as silly as you might think), I immediately stash-dived before he changed his mind and came up with this Manos del Uruguay silk blend in Orion, a lovely mossy blend ranging from olive to a pale yellow white.
The intricacies of hat knitting no longer holding any mysteries for me (just kidding), I happily cast on Brenna England’s Classy Slouchy Tuque just three days ago and set to work. I am amazed at how quickly it came together because I finished up yesterday night and he is wearing it today.
I know we women are supposed to be difficult to please but men are just as bad. He had approved the pattern and yarn in advance but the moment he put it on his head, what did he say? Not ‘Thank you darling, I love it and I really appreciate the effort you put into it’. No, he actually said: ‘I’d prefer a solid hue next time.’ Of course darling, your ears can freeze off your head next year for all I care, see if I ever make something for you again! Grrrr.
Still, it was nice practice and I made sure to pick a pattern and yarn I really liked so I could wear it myself if His Lordship wasn’t adequately grateful for my hard, loving labour. I really like the star pattern on the crown, which makes it special. And thanks to the little bit of slouch, it keeps one’s head from looking like an egg. Prettily decorated perhaps, but still an egg. Next time I might use a smaller needle size for the border because it turned out a bit loose but this is probably one of those quick and easy patterns that I will use again and again. It is great for last-minute gifts, too, and you can pick the yarn and needle size to suit the intended wearer.
At the yarn shop the other day I saw a lovely scarf called Unique Melody. Malia knit it in a Cascade lace yarn that made for a really pretty, cosy little scarf. I cast on today but the lace yarn is so fiddly I was afraid to keep dropping stitches. Since I also had not realised the pattern is available in chart only, which I have never done before, I started with some trepidation. And indeed, the fiddly/chart combination (plus some new stitches, once again) just overwhelmed me so I went on another stash-diving expedition and came up with this lovely Koigu Painter’s Palette Premium Merino in pretty spring colours – it’s perfect! Just looking at it makes me happy and knitting up the leaf-like pattern of Unique Melody will feel just like spring. What projects, yarns and colours do you turn to when you need a little happiness in your life?
A gilded yarn 
When I need a little “happiness,” (whatever that really means) I turn to any project or colour that resonates with that needy part of me at the moment. I can say that purple is my favorite color, but it is not the color that always satisfies my creative longings. Sometimes, it’s dark and monochromatic….other times it’s bold and bright. Sometimes, it’s a canvas….other times fabric. I never really know what is going to sneak up on me and grab my creative attention.