Remember that post earlier this fall where I was all "omg I'm so busy blah blah"? Well now I'm looking back on that halcyon period and just WISHING that my life were as carefree as it had been back then. Because right now I am so overwhelmed with work that my family has basically had some variation of cereal and/or ramen noodles for dinner every night this week. Don't you wish you were my kid? Luckily I finished my new favorite hat before the onslaught...
The Specs
Pattern: Selbu Modern by Zeitgeist Yarns
Yarn: Shelridge Farms Ultra Soft in 'Brown' and 'Robin's Egg'
Needles: Size 2.5 and 3 addi turbos
Time: about a week
This pattern has "obsession" written all over it. If you're a stranding newbie, the two colors are super manageable and the pattern is quite easy to handle. I seem to say that about every FO, don't I? The finished size fits my giant melon head, and the pattern looks, well, totally bitchin'. I am so happy to have used some yarn that I purchased last year at Stitches East from the nice Canadian Shelridge Farm booth. This yarn is deceptive--it looks quite ordinary in the hank but knit up it is at once ultra soft (heh) and quite sturdy. Go Canada!
Many were interested in the Malabrigo sock yarn. Here is my review: it is everything you love about the regular Malabrigo (mind-bending colors + nice price point) plus an unexpected sturdiness and shimmery sheen à la Silk Garden Sock yarn (minus the caterpillar poo). So--big thumbs up! Pictured below are several repeats of an Embossed Leaves Sock:
Nice, right?
One of the reasons I just love this conference in Chicago is because I get to see my pal Dolly who is one of the funnest people to pal around with. She is the total package of super smart, make-you-wet-your-pants hilarious and very kind. As a non-knitter she was good humored enough to accompany me to the new Loopy Yarns location AND helped me justify my purchase. Added bonus? These words: "You really didn't spend that much...". Yes, she is a gem. Below you see a portion of my booty, just some really predictable Malabrigo and Jitterbug.
Oh Man, that is one beautiful beret. Your stranded work is fantastic. I definitely have the bug after seeing the last two projects. The colors on this one rock!
ReplyDeleteOh that's gorgeous! Got to go raid the stash. Right now.
ReplyDelete"Caterpillar poo"!! (*snort* *giggle*)
ReplyDeleteYour Shelbu Mod is a beauty!
That hat is gorgeous! I need to get some Shelridge, it looks so squishable! I got my first Malabrigo sock today - soft indeed! And I am planning to go to Chicago this weekend to hit some knit shops - thanks for the Loopy tip!
ReplyDeleteI hate hats, and that hat is making me want to drop everything and go make that hat! Holy crap, it's gorgeous. Partly because Ilove the color combo, but the pattern is beautiful anyway.
ReplyDeleteI lived in Chicago for 5 years and never made it to Loopy. Which is probably why we had any money for the move in the first place...
I have Noro Silk Garden on the needles so I hear what you're saying. I'm waiting on the Malibrigo sock to come in to my local LYS. Trying to kick the on-line shopping habit. Your hat is DIVINE!
ReplyDeleteThat hat is really stunning. Wow. I wish I didn't look so stupid in hats! Mmmmalabrigo. Mmmmm. That sock is gorgeous. I got side-tracked from my Malabrigo socks. But I started a Malabrigo cowl today, so it's all good. :) I want a friend like Dolly!!!
ReplyDeleteThat beret is incredible! Really nice work. The embossed leaves look very squishy and beautiful. Great loot, which, from the sound of it, is very well deserved.
ReplyDeleteLove, love, absolutely crazy LOVE that hat!
ReplyDeleteAnd in my house, if it requires a microwave, it's cooking. If it requires a stove, it's gourmet.
great hat- great colors!
ReplyDeletei am still cracking up at....don't you wish you were my kid. monday night we had yogurt with cereal on top, and i don't even have a "real" job.
ReplyDeletei am in love with your selbu modern. and those colors! so delicious. can't they just eat a hat one night?
Your Selbu Modern is a stroke of genius! :)
ReplyDeleteThat is a great hat.
ReplyDelete*adds to ravelry queue*
Fabulous hat -- and in Chocqua, no less!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear the Malabrigo sock is enjoyable to knit. I just wound two of my three skeins last night (the third was being really temperamental, so I might have to wind it by hand). It is amazingly shiny for only being wool!
Chocqua triumphs again!
ReplyDeleteYay: Canada, Malabrigo sock yarn, gorgeous fair-isle hats, and enabling shopping buddies!
ReplyDeleteWhat I really want to know is what's the percentage of the total purchase of that 'portion' you've shown us...??? hmmm? (didn't spend that much indeed! hehe, yeah, it's not like you bought a new car or something...)
ReplyDeleteYour Selbu is lovely, mine would be knit already if it weren't for the 20 other things I'm working on... and I don't have a W2 job... you must knit in ALL your free time!
We had our first freezing rain/snow day, fun stuff these Minnesota winters, and to think, they only last 5-6 months...
Happy knitting-
ali
LOL, we have a PaPa Johns account on line with the credit card number registered, so the impiety of my laziness is that I tell them to just go order a #2 off our favs list tonight at PAPAJOHNS.COM & they do - I don't even call the pizza guy anymore.
ReplyDeleteLove the hat!
That's just down right gorgeous!.. LOVE the beret.. the socks.. the MAAAALLLLLAAAAAbrigo.....
ReplyDeleteabsolutely love your beret, nicely done!! (and thanks for the yarn enabling... I love finding out about yarns that are not available in shops but are great value and produced on a somewhat small scale!)
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, this whole post is just so inspiring and gorgeous. Love the color combo on the hat, and the socks have such a wonderful sheen.
ReplyDeleteHang in there! I'm counting down the days until the end of the quarter.
I love love love that hat! The socks ain't so bad either!
ReplyDeleteThat hat is gorgeous! I love the colors. The blue really pops.
ReplyDeleteThat blue and that brown plus the fair isle pattern came together beautifully! Wow. I love your Selbu.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous hat!! Really -- what beautiful work and fabulous colors. Thanks also for the review of the Malabrigo sock yarn. I figured it had to be wonderful, but hearing confirmation from an expert knitter only makes me need (want) it more.
ReplyDeleteWow, I love that hat. And the sock yarn looks really great--let us know how it wears?
ReplyDeleteThat beautiful hat pushes me over the edge and into obsession! PLus, I have some Sheldridge Farm yarn from this year's Rhinebeck.
ReplyDeleteWho can resist buying more and more malabrigo & jitterbug?
and of course, you can go wrong with choaqua :) I'm a newly strander, looks like a good challenge.
ReplyDeleteI love the color combo you chose for the hat. It's lovely!
ReplyDeleteAwesome hat!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, that hat is gorgeous! And OMG. That Malabrigo sock. *babble babble drool*
ReplyDeleteLove the beret colors. Thanks for the info on the Malabrigo sock yarn. Yep. Probably going to have to get it.
ReplyDeleteI lurve the beret. But given that I am just now tackling cables for the first time, I'm not sure I'm up for color work that intricate.
ReplyDeleteCute hat! OK, I'm going to have to get some Malabrigo sock yarn, because you were totally right about Malabrigo worsted. I can't stop touching the stuff.
ReplyDeleteThat hat is SWEET! Great color for those socks, too!
ReplyDeletebeautiful hat! I mean incredibly beautiful! Yay for using stash yarns, doesn't it feel good to use up something you've had for awhile?
ReplyDeleteLovely new stash additions too!
my goodness, that hat is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI just bought some Malibrigo sock, also -- and I can harldy wait to cast on! I just finished some Embossed leaves in J.Knits (yes, that's an ENTIRE PAIR -- look at me go!) so maybe soon!
Super-gorgeous hat. And WOW that purple sock. I have come to realize I have a thing for purple socks. Who knew? This one really has my number. It makes me want to do another pair of Embossed Leaves Right Now In Purple Malabrigo.
ReplyDeleteFANTASTIC! All of it! And that part about the caterpillar poo - priceless ;)
ReplyDeleteknittymuggins
Awesome berret! Totally great!
ReplyDeleteI really haven't been tempted to try the Malabrigo until now. Thanks for the helpful review! Just what I need...more yarn.
ReplyDelete