Needy Mom Alert

Something happened on Friday afternoon that hasn't happened in ages and ages and may never happen again, so I am choosing to view is at a star-crossed moment: one of my kids actually gave me a specific request for a hand knit. Not 'willing to wear around the house something I knit'. Not 'wear to bed a pair of socks I made'. But actually 'mom will you knit me a slouchy beret?'. Knock me over with a feather!

The Specs:

Pattern: Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson

Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted, .70 of a skein of 'Paris Night'

Needles: size 9 and 10 1/2. If I were making this for a full-grown adult, I'd certainly go up a needle size. This hat is slouchy beret on her but on me it's skull cap material!

Mods: none

Of course I jumped to and cast on in a fit of motherly neediness. Oh you want me to knit you something, you say? Yes right away, I'll try to have that done for you asap so you can show your friends. Maybe you could have them over and I'll make those little Totino pizza rolls and I can serve them to your gang, along with some hot chocolate maybe?

The above interlude brought to you by the needy, pathetic ramblings of a middle aged mom. Ahem.

This is indeed a nice one-day pattern. You know that feeling of blind rage when you see knitters comment on their projects listed on Ravelry and say "oh I finished this in an evening" and for you it ends up taking a week? Yeah, this is not one of those. It's actually a one-day knit. You can bank on it!

I haven't used my beloved Malabrigo in a while, and am pleased to note once again that it is ever the soft luscious fiber to knit with...although I am praying so hard that it won't end up pilling like a mofo like several other of my other Malabrigo knits. Yes, it's the dark underbelly of this yarn for sure, here's hoping that this one will be different because the Paris Night colorway is especially ooh là là magnifique.

This project is a milestone for me for another reason as well, as it represents the first time I have done a particular knitting technique that it likely old hat for most of you. Steeking, you wonder? Cabling-without-cable-needle? No, I am talking about the very pedestrian long tale cast-on. Hmm mmm, you read that correctly. I've never been able to do it before, but this time I was determined to learn how. So I scheduled some special alone time with me and my computer (YOUTUBE, let's keep it PG-13, please!) and after much pausing and replaying, I am now a full-fledged practitioner of the LTCO. And so proud! I'm amazed at what a superior cast on it is, the stitches are perfect and make such an impressive edge. So even if the momentary good will on the part of the junior set directed to me and my craft disappears and we return to 'you and your knitting are embarrassing', at least I'll have my LTCO!