Circle to Square

I have a new favorite hat.


Actually, it's my new-old favorite fall hat, so dubbed for the colors and because, well, I've just recently discovered how poorly it stands up to the biting Boston winter winds, so unfortunately this little gem is going to have to be retired until warmer weather hits, or retired for indoors-only-wearing which, believe me, happens not infrequently in my neck of the woods. Professional school be damned, I'm wearing what I want, peoples.

This is the brilliant Turn A Square pattern and I must say, I love this circle-to-square action. So much that I keep pointing it out to each and every person who has complimented this hat [quite a few!], with an enthusiasm that causes much shifty-eyedness and gentle edging-awayness on the recipient end, and which you can see modeled here by the ever-classy 'hold that camera over your head and aim wildly!' shot. Thank goodness my bedroom floor was relatively clean when I shot this.



In fact, I love this pattern so much, 2009 is officially The Year of the Hat. You think I'm joking? [You think I haven't been procrastinating ... I mean, that I haven't been without massive amounts of writers block?]

And there are another 4 more of those babies floating around Boston, in varying stages of done-ness or already-on-headness. Including 3 that actually utilize two or more colors to create the striped effect in Jared's original pattern, instead of Jessica getting all lazy and using self-striping yarn instead. I used this 1-ply, 30% soy something or other brand of yarn I can no longer name as I have thrown away all tags that came with it; during Thanksgiving one of the many things I did was go nuts at the craft store and pick up 6 skeins of this stuff, and nary a spool of white thread which I have been desperately needing for 6 weeks. Nope. Too distracted by the pretty colors. And it's a good thing I've already promised away most of these hats, because I get really, really tempted to get all Selfish Crafter whenever I take a gander at those brilliant colors in their brilliant striping combinations.

My brain has been so far from the holiday season cheer, it's not even funny. I glance through blogs where people are wrapped up in present-making and cookie-baking and decorating and I heave a little sigh of envy at being able to sink into the moment -- which is something I'd promised myself I'd always be able to do, to capture those brief moments and enjoy them. But who was it that said that you may be able to have everything you want in life, just not all at the same time? I'm pretty sure I've told myself that before, it's just that these little flickers of insight come and go and then return again, very slightly stronger than before and with that flash of recognition and familiarity - hey there, I know you, we've met before. So. Embracing that this year it is just not meant to be. Perhaps it will mean that next year will be ever more the sweet for it.