It Felt So Good!

Though it might make for a more interesting story, the title of this post has nothing to do with the fortune in my cookie last night at the Asian restaurant where we had dinner. It read, "A pleasurable and memorable adventure lies ahead of you." Yeah, whatever.

Instead, it is about all of the knitting that I did not get done for Christmas. In years past I have made a list of people for whom I needed gifts and what I might make for them. This first step was done early, like New Year's Eve. Once I took a realistic look at my list, I chose patterns, made a schedule, and set to work. It did not work that way this year. I had some ideas. In fact, there were several things that I really wanted to make. It didn't happen. I made absolutely no Christmas gifts. What is up with that? This is the first year since I began knitting seriously that I have not made a single thing-not even a washcloth! Now that Christmas has passed, I am making up for lost knitting time.

One of the things that I had intended to make as a gift was a hat for Erin. She is to hats what Emelda Marcos was to shoes. Definitely a hat lady. I wanted to make something to go with her new red coat. This was decided on the 19th of December, when I was in the yarn shop buying the yarn to make the infamous Christmas stockings. I thought at the time that it might be a diversion from the stockings, but no such luck. The stockings were finished in a timely fashion; the hat was not even begun.

It was finally started on the 27th. Better late than never, Right? Because I was no longer forced to adhere to a Christmas deadline, because, well, I missed it, I enjoyed the knitting. Big needles and nice wool make for a pleasant knitting experience. And because the secrecy of Christmas was over, no one asked what I was making. This may also have to do with the fact that the hat was to be felted and knitted objects before they are felted are rather unattractive. No, they are butt ugly! I have decided that with such items that no one asks what you are making because they are deathly afraid that you will say that it is for them.

See what I mean?
This is Erin's hat fresh off the needles. Objects in this picture DO NOT appear bigger than they are! Before felting, this hat was big enough to fit the heads of every diva in town and then some all at one time

Then the magic happened. With a trip to the washing machine, a little hot water, some detergent, high agitation, and a leap of faith (all repeated once more), the result is this.

The felting process is amazing. It didn't seem so when I threw that wool sweater from Grandma in the laundry because I was too lazy to fold it and put in the drawer; then it seemed like the laundry gods were just out to get me. Now that shrinking is a miracle. If only it worked on things other than wool.

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