Slow knitting - and visits to the library!

I've been struggling with putting together this blog post for a few days. After spending January racing through quite a few small & quick knits, I'm working on two large accessories knit in lace weight. It's hard to share something interesting or exciting about literal kilometres of yarn in a big tangle. 

 But I have been to the local library, which has the usual delightful early 80s knitting shenanigans...

(From The Knitting Book, with Introduction by Una Stubbs)

... and some delightfully modern and informative publications. I've only just had an hour or so of actual reading time with Clara Parkes' The Knitters Book of Wool  (while trapped under a napping toddler) and I *love* it. This book has the perfect blend of information with amusing language. I want to go and knit all the sheep breeds now. I just hope that I actually get to read the whole book!

I've only just joined the local library recently, and am delighted that it's already a favourite place to visit for the small human. She enjoys picking out books for Daddy to read at home too. We read books, sometimes talk to the other small children & the librarians, we don't have to worry about the weather, and it's just a nice place to be! 

Sunny but cold!

At the weekend, we spent a couple of hours at the Botanic Gardens. It was a beautiful sunny afternoon, perfect for squirrel spotting, and toddling up & down hills looking for pine cones. It was also cold.

So cold that the pond was entirely frozen over. These pine cones resting on the ice are probably left over from someone's attempt to break that ice.

This was also the perfect opportunity to show off our new matchy-matchy hats! After knitting one Epistropheid for myself, I felt the need to knit more.

Mine was knit in Jamie Possum DK (blue) and Jamie Possum 4 ply held double (off-white). I knit the large size as written (I have a big head).
The Mini-hat was knit in Debbie Bliss Rialto DK (white) and Fyberspates Vivacious DK (Blue).
I cast on enough stitches to knit one repeat less than the small size of the pattern.
The Mister-hat was knit in Brown Sheep Wildfoot held double (black) and in Wendy Merino DK.
I knit the brim in 2x2 ribbing for about 12 rows; used the stitch count of the large size for the body of the hat, and started knitting from the 'm' size starting point in the chart to accommodate the longer brim.

I did consider pompoms for all, but I do love the pattern over the crown, & didn't want to hide it. Also, it's hard enough to keep a hat on a toddler without the extra weight of a pompom.

The Mini & Mister hats are in soft, machine washable fibres, so I think they'll get plenty of wear.... assuming the toddler doesn't grow too much, and that the mister doesn't lose his (there's a history...). The possum yarn is extremely warm with a very obvious halo; perfect for the frosty days we've been having but I suspect it will be a bit too warm & prickly before long.

I might just have to knit myself another.....