FO and free pattern: Mid gauge hats

You may remember we had a destash night at the start of the month. Well, I've been working away at using up the yarn. It's mostly small quantities, so scarves and hats have been the order of the day.

I made two hats this week. I used the row and stitch counts from Slisen's Chemo hat pattern, but lengthened the hat itself and did not do the decreases along the row (I don't have a mid-gauge garter bar).



This one was made from a ball of James C Brett Marble DK. I assume it was a complete ball but it had been partly undone and rewound, so I'm not sure. I started this one with rib. I think the tension I used was a little too firm, but it stays on well!



I don't know what this yarn is; a very pretty DK. I had one knitted piece and one part ball of this, and decided to hang the hem (as per Slisen's pattern) and make it a bit longer - this hat is designed to have some "spare" hanging off the top of the head. 

Pattern for the burgundy hat:

Cast on 104 sts in 1x1 rib
Knit 18 rows 1x1 rib (T2)
Transfer to main bed and knit 70 plain rows at T5
Transfer every other needle and take out of work
Knit 6 rows T2 EON
Break yarn leaving a good length, thread through live stitches and draw up. 
Sew up the top, and mattress stitch the seam. Add a pompom if you have enough yarn left

Pattern for the striped hat:

Cast on 104 sts using waste yarn and ravel cord; RC000
Knit 17 rows (T2)
Knit 1 row maximum tension
Knit to RC36 at T2
Hang the hem; RC000; Knit 1 row T6
Knit to RC90 at T5
Transfer every other needle and take out of work
Knit 6 rows T2 EON
Break yarn leaving a good length, thread through live stitches and draw up.
Sew up the top, and mattress stitch the seam. Add a pompom if you have enough yarn left

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Christmas eve was fun, we took a sherry trifle over the road to the Cog's brother's house. The trifle caused no end of problems - apparently making egg custard from scratch (two eggs, two yolks, a pint of milk) just makes a lumpy thin gruel. We ended up mixing in a tin of readymade custard. Then when it came to whipping the double cream, I somehow managed to throw half of it all over the kitchen worktop. Next year we are making tiramisu - a lot easier! Having said that, the trifle disappeared without trace and everyone seemed to enjoy it. 

Christmas day we spent with the Cog's family, and got soundly beaten at Trivial Pursuits (I hate that game!) by his big brother and girlfriend who had a long run of easy questions. Boxing day we had my family come to our house. Don't know what possessed me, but I got far too much food in, including a box of 50 mini sausage rolls (sister is vegetarian and kids can be picky). We are still finishing off some of it now! Later found two presents that had fallen out of the bag so had to drop them off Saturday. We made a trip into Birmingham so I could spend some gift vouchers - Debenhams had a major queue and only one changing room open so I decided to put back the (not in the sale) dress and just get jewellery instead. I confess, I do not enjoy rooting through the sale rails. It might be ok if you're stick thin but the size 16/18 stuff tends to go quickly and what is left is often horrible! 

Technology-wise it's been disappointing, too. The Cog's big present was a new monitor; but surprisingly it only came with a VGA cable and not a DVI cable (shame on you Samsung!). My big present was a new mobile which I couldn't use out of the box, because I needed a micro SIM. It's all up and running now - had a heck of a job getting a case for it too, finally managed to get a very girly pink one. 

I had plans this week to get swatching on the yoked sweater, but it hasn't happened. The xmas break seems to have flown by, and I only really have two hats to show for it. It's raining and blowing a gale out there today and I need to pop into town to try and exchange a gift that was the wrong one (so I don't have the receipt). Tomorrow is the day of the big party for Mum (she's 70) so I really ought to be writing down a speech right now (I think I'm seriously in the denial stage today).