You're hat looks like...

I usually wear a black, wide brimmed hat when it rains because one of my biggest pet peeves is rain on my glasses lenses. Rain on the inside of the lenses is the worst. I have to take the time to not only clean the rain off, but search through my purse/African market basket to find the expensive little glasses cleaner cloth tucked neatly into it's pouch. The cloth works really well, but finding it is a huge undertaking. Besides, I love a hat.

My hat has seen better days. I've machine washed it one too many times and the floppy, but posable brim is now only floppy. My new rain hat is my cow girl hat, which I also love but seldom wear. It rained a couple days this week so I've actually been seen wearing it. Today when I was leaving work one of the parents said, "That hat looks like the one that old country singer that was on heroin used to wear." And I said, "Which one? There are so many, but Steve Earle is my personal favorite." The parent thought for a moment, "This is a woman." I took a stab, "Lucinda Williams?" "Yes!" Honestly, I can say that Lucinda looks road worn, for sure, but mid-50s is not my idea of old. Of course, I'm a decade closer that this man was so maybe that's the reason I've been thinking about it.

And then, six months later...

What can I say? Life has been happening at it's regular pace and I have stopped dyeing, and really stopped knitting for quite a while. The interesting part is I've been hanging out with my man more, playing golf (I had no idea I even liked golf, let alone would show some aptitude for it), working in the garden, and getting some much needed storage for my house. Now... finally... I'm knitting again!

The cooler temperatures have been bringing out my need to cook all day at least one day on the weekend. This past weekend it was making plum butter and roasting a pumpkin for pie (the pie happened yesterday, after the chili). I have been reminded by friends and family alike that it has been a long time since I made spinach calzones, so that may be this weekend's work.

For the knitting bits, I've really only knit two things recently. The first is the One Skein Shawl by Clara Parkes. The yarn was dyed and spun by the sweet and talented Sarah. It is hanging out on one of my furniture/storage finds - an old, but not completely original Hoosier cabinet.



My second knit is the popular Whisper Cardi by Hannah Fettig. There's a reason it is so popular; it is light, stylish, and beautiful. I used the Morehouse Farm Merino Lace the pattern called for and it was a pleasure to knit. The pictures of the sweater are good, but excuse my harried look. Some days are long.



The back is the best part of the whole sweater (please excuse the hair and the crooked seam on my ass).



I'm toying with the idea of making it again in a worsted weight. Right now I'm working on the Scoop pullover by Cathy Carron. I'm using an undyed worsted weight that I am going to dye when finished. I can't believe I'm doing it that way either, but that's how I'm rolling on this project.

I just got my Fiber Share from Martha's Vineyard Fiber Farm. I thought I asked for a spinner's share, but it's probably just as well I didn't get one as I haven't been spinning either. I have another sweater project in mind for it.

Usually, by this time of year I'm well on the way of churning out knitting for the holidays. Only family members are getting any hand knit love this year. I'm going back to baking for friends and extended family - I enjoy doing that as well, and I think they might like receiving edible gifts more! This year may be a cookie basket, I have to start digging through recipes.