Prim

Something pretty cool happened to me the other day.  I’d had a yuck week and was struggling to get motivated while feeling down one friday morning, when I saw this.  I’d won Andrea Mowry‘s designer anniversary instagram contest.  I guess my blues weren’t anything too serious because they were left in the dust as I scrolled through all of the patterns this would include (all of her designs thus far) and mentally noted what I did and did not have yarn for.  That was my entire morning.

So this is my first pattern to knit from the giveaway.  It’s a cute little cabled beanie that shows off this beautiful skein of Red Sock Blue Sock Yarn‘s merino Aran in Lakeside.  Guys, I had no clue how gorgeous this color was when I ordered it via my tiny phone screen.  It is the best blue!  I was so pleased to use it for one of Andrea’s designs.

Now, it wasn’t blocked at the time of these photos, but I just take the photos when I can get out in some decent light, especially in the fall.  You can see that it fits great as is, but I’ll get a little more slouch out of it with a good blocking.  That should happen today, as I have tons of knits to block and lay out all over my house to dry.

Details: I made no mods for this pattern.  I used US size 3 needles for the ribbing and size 5s for the hat.  I have another of Andrea’s hats on my Christmas gift list: GO! then I’ll be focusing on brioche with a Vintage Prim,  Marley and Briochealiscious, which I ordered some Hawthorne and Stroll sale yarn for the very day I won the contest.

I’ve knit one other hat from Andrea (Kingsley, which I’ve knit twice) but have been wanting to try one of her shawl patterns.  I think it’s crazy how much she has produced in just one year of designing.  That was a massive prize!  And there is not one pattern in there that I do not want to knit.  But, the aforementioned brioche projects and Modern Mukluks are the ones I want to try first.

(more on ravelry, kollabora, flickr)

So my Christmas knitting looks to be all for me, except for the Go! hat (though I did give something away early).  What about you?  Are you being the generous knitting type or the semi-Grinchy type like me?