The Lemonade Hat

You know that really annoying saying that when life hands you lemons you should make lemonade? Well, I made some.

What started out as a lovely pile of Real Vermonter "Addison" roving (wool/mohair/alpaca)

and was intended to be spun up as sock yarn, turned into lemons when I Navajo-plied it and got 106 yards of a bulky yarn. Soft and squishy, but bulky:

After being angry with it for two months, I finally did the right thing: got on Ravelry and did a pattern search. I came up with the Garter Ribbed Hat by Christa Giles (Ravelry link) and did it up quick.

Yes, that's a ponytail hole in the back.

My garter stitch cuff is not exactly what is called for in the pattern. Let's pretend that I did that on purpose to conserve yarn (which worked, by the way) and not because I misread the pattern.

Best of all, it doesn't itch, even though the Real Vermont has mohair in it.

I'm happy to say I've just updated the shop with three more bumps of this roving. ETA: That first one just sold.

However, it's the LAST THREE TWO EVER of the Addison blend, so if you like it, act fast. I don't have any plans to have any more roving commercially processed. I will start offering blended batts as soon as my new picker arrives, but this is the end of the Real Vermonter roving. Seriously.

Something I have noticed about my handspun lately:

Do you see something these all have in common? I don't even like blue that much. Why is everything blue? It's purely coincidence that I've gravitated toward this color, although lately I do feel a real attraction for blues and greens together. It's the Pisces in me. Anyway, yesterday and today I did something to fight my instinct to go blue again. I spun this:

Do you love it or what?

I totally love it. It's spun from a merino/bamboo blend which, not coincidentally, I am now carrying at A Piece of Vermont. I actually spun this skein in the hopes that I could start selling some of my own handspun, but I'm afraid either I'm too slow a spinner or other spinners are way undervaluing their time. I wouldn't let this go for less than $70 and I don't expect too many people to be lining up for a 218-yard skein of yarn at those prices. Spinning takes a long time, that's all there is to it.

But if you want the top, check it out:


ETA: "Sweetness" above is SOLD

One more bit of advertising. New Colonial Superwash:

Now, I've totally neglected to take any photos of my April socks, but since only half of one cuff is done, you're not missing much. It's....blue. But very pretty. You'll see.

Life on the farm is going well. After so many months of winter it's like an explosion of activity.

Dave the Peacock is wreaking town havoc with his constant trips across the road. Since it's mating season and the peahen is over here, I don't know why he can't stay home.

Every morning, our house is full of my brothers-in-law and their grown sons, several of whom work for my husband. It's the local contractor coffee klatsch and lately it has expanded to include breakfast. Around 7:00, the sun streams in across the kitchen and makes for great food photos. Our own eggs feature prominently on the menu (love that yolk color!), as does French toast with butter and real maple syrup. Yum.

My next project, other than finishing up Ms. Marigold and Sunkist and my husband's seamless hybrid sweater and my April socks, is to spin up some of that new merino/bamboo for a Clapotis. On Ravelry, something like 5,633 people have posted their Clapotis. It's a popular pattern and it's been done to death. But I love it and I miss the one I made and lost.

Spring has arrived in Vermont. Will I make time to knit and spin?

Comments

[margene]

Waht? You have spring. I think she's dragging her heels around here. LOVE all the pretty rovings and yarns. The handspun skein is GORGEOUS!

[margene]

Oh and the eggs...nothing tastes as good as farm fresh eggs! I'm so envious.

[Rosa]

Everything looks yummy. Especially the food pics. I love great lighting on food. Great solution to your unexpected handspun.

[NeedleDancer]

Excellent hat....
I keep thinking I'm going to knit Clapotis....I've started more than once, but have been dissatisfied with the yarns -- color repeats have been not quite right several times.
Maybe this next go round will work...

[Kristen]

Perfect solution for your yarn; the hat looks adorable.
Breakfast, my favorite meal! Especially when someone else cooks it for me.

[donna lee]

I love, love, love that pink handspun!! That is why I want to learn to spin. Yarn that beautiful is just not available commercially.

[lynne s of oz]

Happy spring :-)

[Susan]

Like Donna Lee, I must learn to spin. So much yumminess out there that I can't do anything with..oops ended with a preposition! Wonder if the breakfast group needs to hire a gofer? :-) I did have French toast for supper last night with MY maple syrup..Yum!

[norma]

Your lemonade hat is adorable! Breakfast At The Homestead sounds wonderful. Love that eggshell photo.

[Bea]

I just snagged the Rambo colorway! My spinning wheel has been very neglected lately, as I have been spinning up some very uninspiring black merino, I think Rambo is just the ticket to get my butt back in gear! I love how the hat turned out, you look so pretty in that picture. And that French toast looks AWESOME. I can't wait to see some of the blended batts you will be getting in your shop, because in addition to my yarn stash, and my fabric stash, I need a fiber stash, right..right?

[Madame Purl]

Great hat! I'm so jealous of your country life. I had to go and marry a city slicker. Once I finally get my little farm, he's going to be funnier than Eva Gabor on Green Acres.

[sappmama]

Hey I'm really digging the hat! Perhaps it's true that there are no accidents.

[Natalie]

Crap, now I'm craving french toast.

I hate you.

:)

[Susan B]

I adore french toast. My husband, not so much - he's a pancake man - but there's something so custardy and luscious about french toast that I just can't resist it.

Hmph.

Maybe I need to hit up the grocery store and buy a loaf of that Hawaiian bread (you know that kind? King's something?) to slice up and let get a bit stale before breakfast tomorrow.

Yep. That's totally decided it. (I looked at your french toast picture one more time.) Will do. Immediately. Thanks for the 'suggestion'! :)

[lisa]

Great hat... and I'm with you about the blues... not my favorite, but I find myself looking at those deep blues and greens (also a pisces). I started a clapotis (got about 5 rows in) and then ripped. One of these days...

[Diane]

That hat is perfect, yarn, pattern, head :)! Your colors are gorgeous!

[Teyani]

Such a perfect hat for your handspun. adorable.
And that new bamboo merino is grand as well.

I can't wait to get my hands on the fiber I just ordered from you (the mailman must think I am weird since I run out to the box whenever I am home..)

[Robin]

Great hat and greater pictures! The colors are very pretty. I have a clapotis in progress and can't remember where I stopped. Mental note to self - make notation when I put down my project! Man, those breakfast shots! Do you have room for one more?????

[Jessie]

Great hat, gorgeous roving, and that yolk!! My Jersey eggs look nuttin' like your home raised ones. And your serving breakfast daily to hunky men who work their muscles daily? Tell my husband I went out for milk...I"m heading north!

[heide]

I miss my chickens every time I crack open a bland and boring store-bought egg. One of your ladies really outdid herself with that big-un. My guess is it's the one walking bow-legged. Your hat is beautiful and that color was just made for you!

[JessaLu]

Love the hat, love the handspun and now I'm hungry! ;o)

[Laura]

Aww Jessie you're so beautiful. Why don't hats looks so good on me?

I'm with you on the handspun. I'm about to pull mine out of my shop and keep it. Nobody really wants to pay what it's *worth*. I need to keep it. OR give it away. lol

I think I'm coming to Rhinebeck this year. Save me some syrup, will ya... so I can take it home with me? Oh what I won't do to get me some real maple syrup! :)