Spirograph Headband
Spirograph Headband from Knit Now Issue 10, image copyright Tim Bradley for Practical Publishing
Yay! It’s publication time again! Specifically, Knit Now Issue 10 has hit the shops and in it you’ll find my latest published design- Spirograph. You might recognise it from my profile pic, as I’ve been wearing the original version since early Spring- this was definitely a design sprung from necessity, as I wear my hair up most of the time, but also feel the cold. Something between a ‘topless hat’ and a ballet dancer’s hair band seemed like the answer- I like to channel my inner Anna Pavlova when I wear it anyway!
If you have long hair that you usually wear in a ponytail or topknot you’ll appreciate the thinking behind this headband. You get all the advantages of a hat, but you can still wear your hair up. Made in a summery wool cotton mix, it works well for activities like running hiking or dance classes, but if you prefer a more laid back summer, think “campfire ear warmer”, “unwashed-festival-hair-warmer” and “sitting outside with a drink just a little longer”.
Knit in the round, the stitches used to create the pattern are easily accessible for a beginner, while more experienced knitters will love how quickly you can complete this project. The version pictured at the top of this post is made using Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, which is a gorgeous summery yarn available from the lovely Ellie at Magpie Yarns. My original version, which incidentally has a few extra rows of depth than the Knit Now version, was made using Manos Del Uruguay Silk Blend, an equally gorgeous yarn I originally bought as an ‘inspiration’ skein.
Speaking of which, my next post should be about inspiration skeins aplenty- my Woolfest 2012 story.
>Baby, It’s Cold Outside
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We may not have the bright lights of the big city round here, but we do pretty well for little town festivals and celebrations. The town we lived in until the summer has a wonderful Christmas tree festival in its Church each year, launched by a Christmas procession through the town. Since there is a Wild Animal Park just nearby, the Christmas procession includes a real donkey for Mary and real camels for the Wise men! I got a sneak preview of the Christmas Tree festival when we had to find an emergency place to feed M- it felt very seasonal to be a woman seeking a room for her and her baby on a cold winter’s night! The idea is that lots of community groups decorate trees around the Church and collect money for charities. I couldn’t get pictures since I was juggling a still grumpy M and an empty buggy, while C chased P, who was overcome with the urge to touch all the glittery loveliness, but take my word for it, the spectacle is magic.
M certainly made her presence felt last night- I think she objected to the cold despite her brand new ‘Snow Gnome’ hat, a last minute improvisation with some spare chunky wool I had lying around- pattern on Ravelry now. Funny to think that this time last year she was not much more than a little secret sparkle as we waited for a New Year scan. Now she’s such an integral part of the family, and asserting her growing personality more each day.