The Yarn Crafts Begin

I was knitting my puppy a cute little pink cable knit sweater.  I started it almost a year ago, and I decided it was high time I finish it, now that it's getting colder.  I had to make about three, just to get the pattern right, and continued to enlarge it.  I completed the body and one sleeve, and tried it on my oh so cooperative dog, only to find that it's STILL TOO SMALL!!!  You can imagine my frustration, but now, I have time to make the Koohaas hat!

Jared Flood, the designer, said he wanted to make something that was quick and fairly easy to make, and a small enough project that people could splurge for a little bit of nice yarn.  This is what I've done.  I've been wanting to try this bamboo fiber yarn I found years ago, because it's oh-so-soft.  I bought it in a lovely cream color.  And then I really splurged and sprung for a lovely earthy green silk and bamboo blend.  Evidently, I'm on a bamboo kick, because I also bought my circular needles in bamboo.  They came highly recommended, and I have to say that they have just enough grip against the silky yarn that I don't drop stitches all over the place.  I can't pretend to be a master knitter at all, so I'll take anything available to make the process a little easier.

This is also my first charted knitting pattern, and my grandmother's as well, who taught me everything I know, and who is knitting this along with me.  I've already had to pull everything out once, because I misread the very first row after the cast on, whoops!  But so far, I'm getting the hang of it.  The first couple rows of knitting in the round are trickier than I expected, and I've read reviews that lead me to believe that it's not as easy a pattern as Mr. Flood would have you believe.  Nevertheless, I press on.  Wish me luck!