Jennyarn

One of my knitterly proclivities is for making hats.

Nomad Hat and Scarf by Kat Coyle, Interweave Knits Fall 2007

Hats like me because I create them quickly and wear them out and about. They like to see the world. I like them because I can create them quickly and wear them out and about. They keep me company when I’m away from cats. And hats keep me warm as I herd cats in the cold.

I am awfully fond of this hat. Misti Alpaca Chunky yarn is thick and lightweight and soft like one Miss Jordan cat. It reminded me a little of some hair ribbons popular when I was a kid. I haven’t seen them in donkey’s ears. Ha! My maladroit attempt at some rhyming slang has backfired into some double entendre. Incidentally, I have learned that a female donkey is called a jenny. I know this is all related somehow.

I wear my Nomad every chance I get. Sunny California has been none too warm lately so we’ve become rather close.

There is another very nice hat pattern called Thorpe, and it is a free pattern! I highly recommend it. I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky in pink for my first Thorpe. This pink yarn was beginning garment life as a scarf. But it was a scarf-gone-wrong! Amidst all the right-slanting cables of the Onduleux scarf was a lone, lonesome left-slanting cable! And it was located very near the cast-on edge.

Oh well, it was not meant to be. I was quick to begin a new version in a different yarn, to offset any upset. It was better to just let pink Onduleux unravel on it own as scarf became hat. No need to make a separate unraveling effort which was sure to cause me some pangs, and not at all necessary anyway.

Thorpe with Cashmerino

I’ve long since given up a habit of kicking walls and slamming doors. I still have bouts of volatility but I keep them at bay and I’m mostly a pacifist. I don’t eat animals even though, at the age of nine when I stopped, I thought they tasted pretty good. I used to order lunches from Give Pizza Chance. Recently, I gave Peace Fleece a chance. It didn’t look like much and it didn’t feel like much; I didn’t taste it. However, I’ve grown to like it quite a bit.

Thorpe with Peace Fleece, and Pastaza edging

Ancient Fern is a darkish color described as a rich brown, burgundy heather with flecks of green. In good light the subtle color variations can be appreciated more easily. It is a lanolin-rich yarn, not oily and not sticky per se yet somehow, in some way, emollient. I think it’s the sort of yarn that softens considerably with washing and wearing. I wish I could see all of the colorways offered in person. I would like to use Peace Fleece for a sweater coat.

I was touched by the story of the Peace Fleece company, even if none of the patterns written for the yarn appealed to me.

My Thorpe hats are still undergoing some adjustments. The pink one is too large, even for my big head. I’m getting the hang of crocheting the edging, thanks to online resources for lefties, but I’m still experimenting with color. I had been led to believe that any yarn within reach, when there are cats on my lap, is the best choice. I may have to rethink that.

This hat/hood is a finished object! It is from Viking Knits by Elsebeth Lavold. Vigdis is the main pattern, a magnificent sweater coat. There is an accompanying hood (this one!) and a bag to match.

Vigdis hood in Elsebeth Lavold Angora

I saw the issue of Knitty which featured a knitted turtle, Sheldon. I’ll be honest: I love stuffed animals. However, Sheldon the turtle didn’t leave much impression upon me. That changed when I saw a particular Sheldon on Flickr, made by Flissy. I fell in love! Isn’t he the cutest?

I saw the issue of Knitty which featured some Blythe clothing. That was the first time I saw a Blythe doll. I’ll be honest: Blythe dolls didn’t leave much impression upon me. That changed when I discovered Flissy’s charming blog. Her Blythe dolls captivated me! How could a doll be so expressive, with such personality? They were like active members of her family. Her dolls are…alive! They’re real! You know, like my stuffed animals!

I can deny it no longer. I want a doll. I want a Blythe doll.

Hello Harvest

I cannot help it. I want two dolls.

Ebony

I don’t need an explanation, right? Sigh. I would like to reduce the amount of stuff I have accumulated. Sigh. I’m told I look youngish; I am much older than people think. Sigh. But wait, would it matter if I was 74 years old and wanted a doll? Certainly not! I think I just feel guilty for wanting something that seems frivolous. There are plenty of practical purchases that should have priority, like Snuggle Safe heating pads for the cats.

And yet, maybe there is a practical aspect to having a Blythe doll. Look at poor Ebony Blythe. She is dearly in need of a new outfit. People make Blythe doll clothing and sell it. I could practice knitting for Blythes. And if I come up with anything nice, I could sell what I make. I think I would enjoy that!

So here is my plan, to assuage any guilt. I’m giving myself an arduous task to perform before I can get a doll. The garage is a frightful mess, cluttered full of miscellaneous whatnots. I have to clean out the garage!