"Can I Measure Your Head?"

I'm sure anyone out there can imagine how this was received when I walked into a bar full of men and made the announcement that I was on a mission to measure all of their heads. After they ran out of comments, most of them started shouting out their hat size, which I tried to tell them means nothing to me. That turned into a group ponder about how hat size is determined, since it has no obvious correlation to actual head measurement. This also was of very little interest to me at the time, (but if anyone knows, that would make my life a lot easier when someone asks for a hat!), and after a few more turns of the conversation that led away from hats altogether, I let out a fairly obnoxious "Ahem!" Since I had their attention again, I explained that men's heads confuse me. I feel heads vary more in circumference from man to man than from woman to woman, and it is hard to estimate exactly how big one is just by looking at it. They all know I knit, (since I do it right in front of them), and they did a fairly good job of feigning sympathy when I confessed that I have a serious problem with knitting men's hats. I have never been able to make one that fits the person it was made for, let alone anyone else I could convince to try them on, and that I screwed myself by saying I would make one for someone. Once the measuring tape came out it was a different story, and they were more weirded out by it than I ever could've imagined. Even with all the lewd jokes when I first walked in, when it was time to get serious about it, they acted like I really did want them to drop trow (trou?) and have their privates measured in the middle of a room full of other guys. The 4 that agreed to let their head size be put on record, (not to mention being compared to other men's head sizes), of course wanted to measure their own. For a bunch of guys, most of whom make a living by or are experienced in measuring things for building purposes an whatnot, they didn't seem to understand a flexible measuring tape very well. Just by watching, which was all I could do, I knew it wasn't even worth writing down the blatantly inaccurate information I was getting. I do plan on trying this again, and maybe again after that. I wonder how many times will it take before they understand that I am serious about this and just let me wrap the damn tape around their heads myself?
Of course when I actually took out the "test hat" I had just started knitting, they all wanted to try it on, even though there was only about 3 inches of it done. I finished it there, and was once again disheartened when it fit no one :( The proof is in the pudding folks, I am no good at men's hats. I will persevere! It will probably be a New Year's resolution I can stick to!

Here is the Hand Made Hat that was going to be so wonderful. It would be, if I had paid better attention and trusted my instincts. I know that if I only ripped out the decrease section and then about an inch or so and re-knit it it would come out just fine and probably even fit someone but screw it, it would still have to be someone with an enormous noggin. Here it is on a woman's head form, but it was still big around on men's heads... and it is quite obvious to me now that I should have started the decreases earlier. I think I was hoping that whoever put it on would look as good in it as the guy in the photo, but unfortunately this was not the case.

It Must Be In The Stars

Tim was wearing his cowl out and about and a friend of his liked it so much, he's ordered two of them from me for Christmas gifts! I am super-excited! I hung out with the two of them last night and this afternoon, Jackie and I went over to WoolWORKS to pick up some more Noro. I was given creative freedom in color choices, but knew that he really liked the color I originally used (2011), so I planned on making at least one in that colorway. I poked through, and nothing there grabbed at me. Although all beautiful color combinations, they were not quite as neutral and definately not as masculine. But one thing did stand out - there was no 2011. Ack! The woman who works there kindly offered to check in the back, and to my delight she re-appeared with 4 balls! Maybe it was the wicked hangover, but I felt like crying. I bought all 4. Hindsight tells me I should have only purchased two and looked around to see if I found another colorway that struck me. I still might and give him a choice, since 2023 is also nice and he gave me a larger deposit than I asked for. He also offered to pay me more than I asked for, too. He is also fantastic at karaoke. What a guy!
So did I cast on immediately? Of course not! Like I said, wicked hangover. Something tells me trying to cast on 165 sts today is not a good idea, no matter how much the universe seems to be on my side. I did, however, manage to jam up the printer trying to print the Men's Bias Knit Tie from Knitpicks. Finally got it to print and I think I may start it while I watch TV in bed. Well, I'll start a gauge swatch. Tomorrow, somewhere in between the farmer's market and work, I will cast on the cowl.

Diagonal Rib Cowl aka The Happy Mistake

Halloween afternoon, I met Tim on the Avenue for lunch. Although I hadn't finished weaving in the ends, I asked him to try on the cowl to check its size and took the opportunity to snap a pic. I think it looks smashing on him! It's nowhere near what he's been asking for, (a long blue scarf), but I gave it to him anyway. It was kindof a pre-thank you for helping me carve jack-o-lanterns for the bar. I had to beg for it back to tuck in the rest of the loose yarn, so he must've liked it!

I really like the idea of a continuous loop for a scarf, as it gives the wearer more options of how to wear it than a straight one. Plus, I think it's stylish and different without being too out there. The first cowl, as beautiful as it turned out, left something to be desired. As with most things I do in life, I felt I could've done better, and I was determined to prove it. I also wanted to make something in mistake rib stitch to see how the stitch would translate to John's O'Scarf. I hadn't found the yarn for that project yet, and I felt the need to work on it without being able to work on it. What resulted was the happiest mistake I have made since I began knitting!

Now for the pattern:

Noro Silk Garden Lite, 2 skeins. Shown in color 2011.
1 pair size 10 1/2 circular needles (I can't remember the length; maybe 24"?)
Finished size: approx 57" around and 6" wide (no blocking)

Cast on 165 sts. Place marker and join into a round, (being careful not to twist the stitches, of course). Knit 3 rounds. On 4th rd, knit the first stitch, then continue in P2, K2 rib until piece measures approximately 5 3/4"*. Knit last 3 rounds. Bind off using suspended BO method, weave in ends, and enjoy!

*Depending on how you choose to blend the colors when you change balls, it may be possible to work in rib pattern for another 1/2" to 1" before switching to stockinette. I did not want two stripes of orange so close together, and started a little further into the second ball, since the first color on that ball was orange.

Little Ruff for MJ

Yay! Even though I woke up feeling like my sinuses would implode, I got some good news... Sassy sister sewed the button on the little ruffle "scarf" I made for MJ in September. Sass liked the one I had made for myself so much she dug through her stash and found a beautiful ball of merino wool for me to make one for the baby. We both thought it would not only be too cute for words, but pretty functional as well. Babies don't really have long necks, and I honestly don't know how other people address the scarf issue with their kids, but it seemed like a little Elizabethan collar would do the trick. It looks a little clown-ish on me, but MJ is so freakin' cute we could wrap a dirty old tube sock around her neck and people would still compliment her in it. As of today, the very active toddler was not in the mood for posing in her fantastic winter-wear, but I was promised a photo when it happens.
(Sassy has done a better job at linking details of this pattern through her site; I am still new to blogging and the internet in general, so please see her page for details.)

A Very Long Halloween Rant

For me, Halloween takes up almost all of October. For the past 6 years, I have been decorating a beloved local dive bar for almost all of their holidays festivities and parties, so in addition to finding a costume and carving pumpkins for the house, I run around like a crazy person trying to find the best decorations at the best price possible.

This year I scored some big plastic chains and energy-efficient LED string lights, as well as super-sized spiders and some pre-carved pumpkins. I usually carve the pumpkins myself, but I figured that they last longer and save me a heck of a lot of time. A friend helped me carve out the small pumpkins that get used on the bar top which was a lifesaver. Usually I do this by myself, as I am a control freak (this year I had some wicked PMS, too!) and don't like biting someones head off for something that is really not that big of a deal, but he knows me pretty well and took all of my moods in stride. The biggest hit of all were the "pull-back mice" Jackie found while we were in Target. She got some for her cats, I got some for the bartenders to freak people out with. Pull it back & let it go, and they go scurrying across the bar just like a real mouse, skillfully dodging pints of Guinness and sometimes even changing direction all on their own. I'd say they were thoroughly enjoyed by all. Losing a few was unavoidable, but I really had no hope of keeping those for next year anyway. Of course, a couple got smashed or taken apart "just to see how they work". Boys.

Real pumpkins in foreground with plug-ins in background, and a pull-back mouse

Every year I have the thought to buy things for the following year the day after Halloween when everything is super cheap, but two things usually hold me back. The first is a hangover. Even when I wake up feeling somewhat functional November 1, the second reason comes into play - a totally chaotic and overstuffed storeroom that makes it near impossible to find anything that is stored within its walls. Even the brightly colored storage bins bought specifically for holiday decor are hard to find, as they are buried under mountains of empty beer boxes, avalanches of free t-shirts, and piles of liquor company giveaways. It doesn't even take all year to lose them, either. I'll go in to that storeroom next week and not find one trace of Halloween, except for the random string of hokey plastic pumpkin lights that doesn't even work but has been so intricately wound around four boxes, a mirror, a shelving unit, and some liquor bottles that it was deemed too risky to move... four years ago. I do not know where Gary hides it all, and I don't care, as long as he can unearth it again when needed. Can you blame me for not wanting to buy ahead? The chances of finding everything are slim as it is, and who need to drive themselves nuts looking for a bag of half-priced spider webs? I have dreams about cleaning that storeroom. I have begged them to let me lock myself in there for a week and just organize. I have even promised not to throw anything out, but it's useless. I can only cross my fingers and hope we'll be able to find the "new" stuff again next year.

Chains, LED lights, and everyone's favorite web... dust on lamp was included with bar's existing decor!

Spider webs and large spider

As much as I love the preparation and celebration, I am relieved it's over. Any perfectionist that has tried to fill every wall of anywhere with those stretchy nylon spiderwebs knows what I'm talking about. I took a stroll around the 'hood and looked at what a crap-ass job some of the neighbors did in order to begin to appreciate my own work. Then I went back, had a tomolive martini, and started knitting. When I looked up again, the lights had been dimmed and to me, the bar looked awesome.
The pictures were taken after the bar had cleared out Halloween night, and all decorations had gotten a little wilted after being played with all week long.
Yes, I knit in a bar. I actually do some of my best work in there.