Hats (and Sweater Help Needed!)

Well, inspections are finally over. The head of our apartments and the people from HUD came on Friday and checked the place over top to bottom. As far as I know, I passed with flying colors. Whew! Maybe things will be a little more normal around here now.

Christmas preparations are well under way, and I've realized that even though I started early this year, I still have so much to do! (Please don't mention that Thanksgiving is Thursday, and that I'm having like, 15 people for dinner here that night. Please don't ask, "Amanda, honey, shouldn't you be worried about Thanksgiving preparations before Christmas preparations?" I will think about Thanksgiving on Wednesday and figure it out then, OK?) I think I might be getting a teensy bit stressed about the holidays. I always manage to get everything done, so maybe I should just relax and let things flow a little more this season, it might just make the holidays a little more enjoyable for me.

In crafty news, I finished the hat that I started Monday, and made another.


Project Specs

Snowborder Skullies
Pattern: Snowboarder Skullies by Catherine Lindsay. I've had this pattern bookmarked for a long time, and I finally decided to try it out. Both of my hats are the dude version.
Yarn: Bernat Softee Chunky in 40713 Circus and 39742 Hot Blue.
Impressions: Like the yarn, like the pattern. These hats work up super quick and would be great for gifts or charity donations. I made the blue one with a size I hook and the vareigated one with a size J hook. I wanted the blue one to be a tad bit smaller, and it is. The fabric is also much denser, tighter, and less stretchy than that of the hat made with the J hook. I'm still not sure whether I like that or not. I'm going to keep the blue hat (because it fits me well, he he) and the vareigated one has a secret destination.

I've started ripping apart the sweater, but I'm having my doubts about using it as recycled yarn. I know the pic is crappy, but look closely. The edges are very frayed and threadbare where I ripped the sleeve seams apart. I'm afraid this will make the yarn have frayed spots every so far along, and I don't want that. So now I'm thinking about tossing the whole mess into the washing machine, felting it, and then cutting it apart. I could sew cell phone cozies out of the pieces, or something like that. I think the cables would be really cute felted, and I don't even know how to knit cables, so I can't unravel them and then knit them again. Yes, I think felting before unraveling is going to be the way to go here. What do you think? Anybody have any more ideas on what I can do with this cut-up sweater now? I should think these kinds of things out more thoroughly before I start attacking with the scissors from now on.