It’s fun trying to photograph FB in his new hat, mainly because it’s impossible to get him to slow down when he’s indoors. So I just go with the flow, and get slightly blurry action  shots instead. :)

This is the Master Charles Cabled Ear Flap Cap by Tottoppers, and it was a quick, thoroughly enjoyable knit.

I used the texera aran that I bought at the Ravelry day, (which is lovely stuff.) I’ve got enough left to make a scarf for FB too, which is handy.

Added bonus – so far he’s been willing to wear it.

Result!

(Ravelry link.)

In the last week or so, all my craft time has been taken up with spinning the fibre I bought at the UK Ravelry Day.

It’s still drying, and needs reskeining so that I can see how much I’ve got, but regardless, it’s squishy, and plentiful and goes from light to light/dark to dark.

I can’t wait to see how it knits up.

(Though there are a few things before it in the queue, so that might be a number of weeks. Until then I just get to squeeze it and admire it. Not exactly a hardship. ;)

As I mentioned a couple of days ago, my recent crafting time has been taken up sewing the Expandable Pack It In Tote by U-Handbag.

It’s been a relatively large sewing project – I’ve probably spent about 5 evenings in total making it. I’ve learned a lot of techniques I haven’t used before – things like putting in magnetic clasps and how to put in a lined letterbox pocket like the one on the front. To be honest it’s all been a bit daunting, but I’m really pleased with the results.

I’m also really pleased that the fabric all came from my stash.

The outer is Munki Munki – which I bought back in 2004 I think – and the inner is Kaffe Fassett (even though it is the most unlikely Kaffe Fassett I’ve ever seen!) which I bought from Liberty’s a couple of months ago, and which I used for the cuffs of FB’s blue trousers.

The rest of the things I needed came from UHandbag, and arrived amazingly quickly, (like overnight quick! Which was great because once I knew what I wanted to do, I wanted to get started right away.)

I have a big head.

Literally.

It’s 24″ in circumference, which is an inch or two bigger than most commercial sun hats. Therefore I’ve gone without a sun hat for the last few years, always searching but not finding one that would work.

This year I decided that enough was enough and that I would make my own bloody sun hat!

Luckily I found McHats who was an utter star.

She made me a custom pattern that fits brilliantly, and which arrived far sooner than I expected, given that it was a custom job and was coming from Australia. She also emailed me tutorials which taught me everything I needed to know about making sun hats. Oh and she sent me two crown patterns so I basically got two patterns for the price of one.

I was very impressed – as I’m sure you can tell. :)

This is my first finished version:

Of course being home-made it doesn’t have any labels which means it’s reversible…

Cool huh?

I’m planning to make another in some Heather Ross fabric I bought recently. And since – as luck would have it – the pattern also fits W’s big head I’m going to make him a bucket version in linen too.

Now all we need is some more sun…

FO: Hemlock Ring Blanket by Jared Flood
My Ravelry Post: here
Yarn: Oxford Kitchen Yarns Sock Yarn – 1x100g Skein undyed.
Needles: 4.5mm
Notes: I missed off the last group of increases and managed to get the whole baby blanket out of one 100g skein (just to see if it could be done.)

Hopefully it’ll be a handy, small and light cover for Aliki’s little boy this summer.