Yesterday was the kind of day that stamped on the brain once and for all: WINTER has arrived in the Big Windy! It was an amazing combination of ice, wind, temperature and fortitude by all creatures creatures great and small who ventured out into the wild.
Best things going on a day when the wind chill is minus 15? Two words near and dear to a knitters’ heart and hand, scarf and hat. It was amazing to see the apparel of the masses on the subway, the streets and hallways I passed. Almost no one was hatless or without a scarf and in many cases, they did not come off once a person went inside!
I had on a felted number that I made long ago that is so warm it can only be pulled out on sub-zero days. But it isn’t really very pretty (awful color)! But who says you have to look frumped while staying warm? I went home and wanted to dig through the rest of my hats because I also had a bulky alpaca number I made (and re-made) that was a beautiful aqua blue. But, like a lot of the things in my house, it’s disappeared through either packing or give away after the flood this fall. I’m hoping it’s in a box somewhere where I stuffed it in the frenzy and will pop up like a happy crocus does in spring, to delight me once more.
In the meantime, I’m working away on some new ones!
This is a WestSide cap I’m making from some plain grey yarn I scored at a garage sale long ago. There were three little skeins and I knew they’d come in handy one day. The label reads: Fleece Gold (!) Knitting Worsted 4 ply Pull-EASY Skein 98% Knot Free (how they do that?)
It was from a company called Regon Worsted Co, INC in Portland, OR (sez right there: Pioneers of Western Yarns).
I wonder in what might be considered knitting’s heyday (the 50’s? the 60’s?), how many yarn companies were making those workhorse kinds of yarn? A lady in Chicago told me you could buy great wool worsted yarn at the grocery stores here, I think it was Jewel. Imaging going into Safeway or Kroger and seeing a whole huge display of yarn, maybe right next to the cereal ;p
I’d be a goner, since I Love to Buy Yarn. And then just look it. And touch it. Oh, and knit it, too.
This is going pretty fast — can you see my hair peeking out at the crown?
I love this hat. I don’t think I could go grocery shopping if there was wool there. I’d forget the milk every week!
Love the hat! I agree with Jennifer though, I don’t think I could grocery shop if they sold yarn there too.
Oh, me too. I can just imagine that long aisle of colorful RedHeart as 100% beautiful WOOL. I’ve got some vintage Kmart wool from my Mom, J.C. Penney’s from Gram.
How cool is it that your glasses match your hat, too!!
I’m loving that hat! It’s the perfect thing for my babysitter! Do you think Cascade 220, Cascade Pastaza or Malabrigo worsted would work? Or are they too thick?
P.S. Yarn at the grocery store?! Wild.
Well, our both of our local Freddie’s stores (Fred Meyer) do indeed have a yarn section in addition to the groceries. It’s Lion Brand & Red Heart, and both of those companies have upped their offerings of things that appeal to me in the last few years.
I definitely have to duck around those aisles or the shopping won’t get done!
Peeing out of your crown? ::giggle:: How about peeking?
What a cute hat! I love what you said about a lost knitted hat popping back up sometime like a crocus in springtime … so rightly said!
Enjoy that nice new hat, it looks like one you could make great use of!
Happy holidays,
firefly
Love that hat! I have been looking everywhere for a newsboy-ish cap like that and cannot find a pattern anywhere. I promised to knit one for a friend and it’s been on hold for about a year. Will you be making the pattern available for sale?
paula
For once I have you beat! We had -17 windchill! OMG, I live where that’s not supposed to happen! All I want to do is stay wrapped in a blanket by the fire, but instead I’m heading out to shovel white stuff. BRRRR!
In the 60’s and 70’s out here you could buy yarn in the Safeway and a couple of the big box pharmacy chains (London Drugs). However, it was 100% acrylic. Wore like iron, but acrylic nonetheless. We had a yarn shop in our mall that was huge, carried all kinds of stuff. As well our department stores had big sections filled with yarns and the necessary supplies for knitting, crochet and rug hooking. I remember spending hours in Woodwards, Eatons and The Bay perusing patterns and different yarns (mohair and wool and the occasional blend). How times change…
It is 4 below right now with minus 27 windchill! ;p
Hi Paula — the hat is available on the pattern page:
http://www.chicknits.com/catalog/westside.html
I finished mine and have it on right now In The House, it’s that cold…