[Diana in Wisconsin]

Re: $45 wine! I need wealthier friends, LOL!

I am in ‘use it up’ mode. Making cotton dish cloths right now. Will post a pix and a pattern I really like best, when I have a stack made.

[Qiviut]

Re: $45/bottle ... it’s almost too expensive to drink ... :-)

The birthday gift of jelly was going to be accompanied by a pair of mittens in this friend’s favorite color. I couldn’t remember if I’d given her a knitted pair before (I know I gave her a crochet pair), so I used my search function in my projects database, looked it up and wouldn’t you know it ... she got a pair last year, in her favorite color. I do not remember this at all ... too much wine or getting too old.

So, I am going to knit her some dishcloths - found two attractive patterns. She is 85 yo (a LOT older than me, in case you’re wondering) & being old-fashioned/traditional in a lot of ways, will appreciate them ... will likely use them, too.

Patterns, if any knitters are interested:

Irish Moss Stitch
https://www.handylittleme.com/irish-moss-stitch-dishcloth-knitting-pattern/

Locanberry Dishcloth
https://www.knitpicks.com/loganberry-dishcloth-dishcloth/p/55565

Loganberry Tutorial
https://tutorials.knitpicks.com/learn-knit-loganberry-dishcloth/

[Qiviut]

I am pleased to report that my faux fur hat is coming along, despite excessive wine consumption last evening - the “bucket” part is done & I’m about to start skein #2 and the brim.

The more you go along, the easier it gets - I’ve pretty much figured out how to “feel” the stitches. I’ve frogged 2 rows when my count was off - no way to really figure out where you made a boo boo .... have to start the row over is my experience. Usually, my error is doing a stitch in a stitch I’ve already used, rather than finding the next open stitch. The yarn frogs easily, which was said in the pattern notes, and that is accurate - thank goodness.

So far, I have been right on target with the diameter in inches that she’s given in the pattern - not my usual experience, but it’s hard to mess up single crochet!

My head is larger than my friend’s & the hat is slightly ‘snug’ (but not uncomfortable) on my head, so it should fit her perfectly! By the time I get through with this hat (in “chinchilla” for me) & get on to hers (in “mink”), I should have my technique with ‘fur’ yarn down pretty well & learned from my mistakes. The hat has an absolutely “luscious” feel ... a real “fur baby”! I’m tempted to give her a can of cat food with it, as a joke. :-)

[Qiviut]

Faux Fur hat #1 (color: chinchilla) is done! This thing is really cute on - cuter than on the styrofoam head. I ended up turning it inside out ... for whatever reason, it was 'furrier' on the inside.

The next one is "mink" which is darker. I'm going to look through the colors & see if there is one I like for myself ... the hat is just so cute I really want one now & I am not a hat wearer).