It's a dreary Sunday

But at least I've finally finished the hat. I also really screwed it up, as I misunderstood the very clear instructions, so I'm calling it "The Almost-JIT Hat".

I had to add a pom-pom (which I hate more than fringe, and that's saying something) to hide the awful job I did on the top. If I were a faster knitter I'd frog back to where I first screwed up, but I'm tired of knitting on it and want to work on something else. It's also a little big, as I seem to have forgotten that I knit looser than most pattern-writers, so next time I'll have to go down a needle-size or two. I'm trying to shrink it a bit using super-hot water and the dryer, but since the yarn is mostly acrylic I'm not holding out much hope. I'm also going to make the brim wider next time as well. I have plenty of yarn to do another (probably about 20 more - I have a lot of that color), and probably will unless this version grows on me. It's a good, easy pattern, and the hat feels warm.

Since I did manage to come down with the flu, the hat is the only thing I've worked on (good thing too, as badly as I screwed such an easy hat up!). Today I'm going to make notes on my JIT pattern, and then I think I'll swatch for the sideways pullover and see what happens. I have an awful time with gauge, which is why I've never made anything that actually had to fit - so this will be my first sweater. (Note: the sideways sweater pattern has moved to here.)

I received Susan Guagliumi's "Knitting Cuff to Cuff" book on sideways sweaters this past week, but my brain has been fuzzy enough that I haven't tried to sit down with it yet. I would have sworn when I read the comments at Amazon.com that one or more of them said there was one pattern written for machine-knitting - unfortunately, none of them are (must be more of that 'fuzzy brain syndrome') but there is a section for MK modifications in the back. I was really hoping for a MK pattern I could just put on the needles and follow along without having to think much about it, but it appears that is not meant to be. :-(

My 12.5-dent heddle missed the UPS truck somehow Friday so still no sett sampler on the loom. Of course, I haven't finished making warp chains either (I don't like using the warping board so that is a task I tend to avoid), and I also haven't made up my 'wind-on-by-yourself' warp tensioner either - something else on my list of things to do that I keep forgetting about. Perhaps I'll do that today too.

I haven't been spinning either - I really need to get some of that in this week as well. That's all probably way more than I can get done all week - nothing like a fiber time-challenge to make me sit in my chair and watch sci-fi shows instead! :-) Good thing I do this stuff for 'fun' instead of profit!