X-mas, part deux

Contrary to popular belief, I make items other than hats. However, I am posting another hat today. This is the hat I made for my BFF Ashley for Christmas (pictured with Tara):


It was made with regular ol' white acrylic, because I wanted it to be machine washable. It's from the Hip Hats book, and I love this pattern so much that I made a hat for myself from the same pattern yesterday, but it's in mauve acrylic and has some button details. I'll post it later.

Some late Christmas shiz

Here's a crappy photo of the panda hat I made Adisyn (my future niece) for Christmas:


They put it on her at the airport, and Ryan said everyone was commenting on it. Here's an action shot, courtesy of my future bro-in law, Erik:

Holidaze

Matt says that our apartment has been like a sweatshop the past month, because as soon as I finish a project, I start up a new one. But unlike a sweatshop, I don't get five cents a day, and I do get bathroom breaks. I think it's a fair trade-off.

Here is one of the first gifts I finished, a hat for Stan. The hat came with a warning: Do not give to a homeless person. Last time I made Stan a gift (a scarf to match his moon-boots), he gave it to a homeless woman soon after he received it. He was being thoughtful, but I was mad.

Since it's hard to replicate that knitted fair-isle look in crochet, I used different stitches to give that effect. The body of the hat is based on a design from Afya Ibamu's book, and the earflaps are of my own design.

So far, I've made: six adult sized hats, two baby hats, one tween hat, four scarves, one pot holder, and one purse (still needs lined with fabric).

I need to make: two more hats, one potholder, one purse. YIKES.

Why, Debbie? WHYYYYYY?!?!?!?!

I waited for months for "Son of Stitch and Bitch" to come out.

I bought it on Thursday.

I returned it on Friday.

Though the tagline is "45 projects to knit and crochet for men," only FOUR of those projects are crochet. Why isn't there equal representation? Crocheters seem to always get the shaft when it comes to cool patterns. Knitters get funky sweaters and hats; crocheters get doilies and ponchos.

The Sweatshop will soon begin.

I only have one last project (a beanie for Grandpa's birthday) before I start on my long list of Christmas gifts. In the summer I started a list of gift ideas for friends/family, and I'm hoping that I'll complete at least half of them.

Here's the master list, sans Little C's gift, which shall remain secret.
The fiance: beanie, fingerless gloves, pjs, and something extra awesome to be determined later.
The brother: plain black beanie, pajama pants
Mom: some sweet potholders, and a sweater if I have time
The girlfriends: crocheted maryjane slippers (an idea I stole from Little C, who did this last year for her amigas) or frilly aprons
The boy friends: fingerless gloves
Aunt B: school bus scarf
Paternal aunts: pansy pins
The other aunts/uncles: dishcloths (they all love them, I swear!)
In laws: red potholders, dishcloths
Lola the puppy: sweater
Grandparents: bookmarks
Bro in law: earflap beanie
Grandparents-in-law: kitchen crap?? I don't know!

Head Sizes

I don't remember where I got this (so if I stole it from you, give me a holla and I'll give you credit), but I found it to be very helpful.

Head sizes (circumference):

Newborn		13-14"
3-6 months		14-17"
Toddler		18-20"
3-10 years old		19-20.5"
Teens		20.5-22"
Woman		21-23.5"
Man		22-24.5"

I always make hats a little smaller than the circumference of the head, because they are stretchy.

Spike

Since I haven't gotten around to taking photos of what I've been working on lately, I'm posting another baby hat. I made this one for my friend from work's baby, Mia (aka Spike), and it finally fits her. It's a different variation of the same pattern I used for the other two hats posted, the "Seja" hat from the Happy Hooker book.

And this is probably the cutest picture I've ever seen, stolen from her dad's blog.

Eventually I'll post non-baby items.