![\"sl272065\"](\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3474\/3347935258_8c05a7bee8_b.jpg\")
<\/a> ![\"SL272063\"](\"http:\/\/farm4.static.flickr.com\/3353\/3344857386_0e08e43108_b.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAnd following that, we’ve moved on to the fairly predictable pirate gear, which has caught on very well. So when I was flicking through ravelry looking for something to knit for Joel, the skull hat<\/a> seemed like an obvious choice.<\/p>\n This is a rare proper success, with only one minor hiccup, which I’ll explain later. I got the yarn on Monday, from Wigan market – a handy source of yarn when at work, now being I think the only yarn emporium in the centre of Wigan, following the retreat of The Black Sheep in a westerly direction (to Southport, of all places). It’s called “Wool Enriched” but I remembered it as “hint of wool” for a couple of days before I re-checked the label, which sounded so much more poetic. The enrichment goes to a full 25% – so there’s your extra warmth. I got started straight away, being keen & all, and in my taking pictures in the snow session, Joel’s hat was up first:<\/p>\n As you can see I hadn’t got very far at this point – this was Tuesday, the first snow day in a very long week. There’s a plain lining which is turned up inside – this grew so quickly (thanks to the speed-knitting I learned in September) that I had to tink back 4 or 5 rows. It turns out, I should have taken out one more row – it’s a row too long, but it’s only obvious to me, I think. Then for the first colourwork I’ve done in a very long time.<\/p>\n Again here, the speed knitting helped, as I was able to hold the navy over my right hand & “throw” those stitches, and the yellow in my left, and “pick” those ones. See?<\/p>\n And so it grew very quickly, and by friday was ready to be worn.<\/p>\n So far he has offered one to my mother in law (except hers will need to be pink, apparently) and has speculated that everyone at nursery will want one. I have to say, that I’m really quite proud of it. More colourwork will follow, I confidently predict.<\/p>\n And, in other news, I put the new playroom curtains up tonight.<\/p>\n Brill, eh?!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" After several instances where Joel has raided the dressing up box, and come out dressed like a (albeit, a bit warped) fairy or pumpkin princess, I decided we needed more boy-focussed dressing up outfits in the box. Postman Pat, who … Continue reading ![\"Joel's](\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4028\/4248240416_ea5fd725f6_b.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"knitting](\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2751\/4254323295_f7383d2049_b.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"skull](\"http:\/\/farm5.static.flickr.com\/4030\/4255091702_c4d7005882_b.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"IMG_0659\"](\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2469\/4267262736_02c568044b_b.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"IMG_0660\"](\"http:\/\/farm3.static.flickr.com\/2594\/4266516843_72965c5a62_b.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n