Winter Prep

Since finishing my Hitchhiker Scarf, which I've worn a couple times, by the way, and it's warm and pretty and I almost want to knit another one in a different color just so's I have choices, I've been focusing on Getting Ready for Winter.

The pink mitts at the top are Evangeline Mitts knit in Cascade Alpaca Lana D'Oro, which is super soft and lovely. This makes four pairs set aside in reserve for gifts, so I think I'm covered for this year.

Moving clockwise is a Vertigo Hat for my oldest, who finally outgrew his blue winter coat that he's been wearing the past two years and got a new black one, so I offered to knit him a new hat to match. I was thinking black and another color, but he thought black and grey. I chose a medium grey so I didn't go completely blind. I asked if he wanted stripes around like his dad's hat from last year (which was dark grey and slightly less dark grey; apple, anyone?) or stripes up and down like his previous hat. He chose to go with stripes up and down again, and I do enjoy knitting this. You knit it side to side, one wedge at a time using short rows, and then graft it together. Clever.

Below his hat is a pair of matching mittens, all complete except for weaving in the ends. I'll probably knit another pair in the grey at some point, since extra mittens are good, and he'll also get a pair of boughten gloves, because he's old enough that he likes gloves sometimes instead.

The green is another Vertigo Hat for my younger son. Technically he doesn't need a new hat. His jacket is blue, and even if he's outgrown it, he'll be wearing his older brother's outgrown blue one, and last year's fish hat is also blue--and very, very cool. So cool I'm going to share a picture even though I knit it last year.

Nevertheless, he asked for a hat in two shades of green. I raised my eybrows at the two shades he picked out--according to the labels they're "citron" and "turtle"--but I don't overrule the color selections, plus, the kid has a good eye for color. And you know what? They look really good knit up together.

He also needs new mittens. He had striped mittens to match the hat, but I can't seem to find them. (This is why extra  mittens are necessary to begin with!) He also had two other pairs of mittens, but they got worn so much that he managed to felt them a bit, and they're kind of small now. And then there's my daughter--she also picked out black yarn for her mittens, a skein of the Lana D'Oro. I have not quite half a skein of the pink left, plus some purple from another project, so I'm planning on adding some stripes and possibly knitting her a new hat as well. These things are lower down on the list, since we have plenty of hats and mittens that can be worn by the youngest in a pinch.

We're having gorgeous weather this week though, unseasonably mild, which would be lovely if I weren't caring for two sick, coughing boys. (My daughter is perfectly healthy and bouncing off the walls a bit at the confinement.) But I know the colder weather is coming--we've already had some cold days and some freezing mornings (literally--we're waiting for the bus and it's 32F) that warm up by 20 or more degrees by the time I pick the kids up from school. You know what? NO WONDER these kids are sick. Anyway, the point is...when you knit and you have three kids, a goodly part of your autumn knitting is devoted to keeping those dear heads and hands warm.