Miss Rumphius Shawlette

Pattern: Wendy's Summer Mystery Shawlette

Yarn: Quince & Co. Finch

100% American wool

221 yds/50 gr color Lupine 116

about 1.5 balls

a joy to knit and blocked wonderfully

Needles: size 6 KnitPicks options

This post is going to be less about the finished shawlette and more about the inspiration behind it.

Back in January I saw a cousin. I was wearing my Summer Mystery Shawlette at the time and she commented favorably upon it. I decided right then to make one for her. I had been hearing about the Quince & Co. yarns and wanted to try them so I began browsing and as soon as I saw the color Lupine I knew what I wanted to do.

( Barbara Cooney : August 6, 1917 – March 10, 2000)


My #1 ALL-TIME favorite children's book author and illustrator is Barbara Cooney. Her artwork is lovely. What a treasure! I absolutely canNOT choose a favorite book. Each time I consider them and pick one, I immediately think of another that I love equally well. ALL are wonderful. She has authored and/or illustrated more than 200 books and twice was awarded the Caldecott Medal.

Her book that inspired this knit is "Miss Rumphius"

A synopsis of Miss Rumphius:

Alice was a young girl who dreamt of doing wonderful things, just like her grandfather. She wanted to travel the world, then come home and live in a house by the sea.

Her grandfather approved, but told her "You must do a third thing. You must do something to make the world more beautiful."

Alice grew up and she did just as she planned. She traveled the world, then came home to a place by the sea. She planted lupines outside her bedroom window. Then one spring, an old back injury began to bother her and she could do nothing but stay in bed for a long time. She was sad that she was unable to plant more lupine seeds. At the same time, she had in the back of her mind her grandfather's instruction to her. She had no idea what she could do to make the world more beautiful.The next spring arrived, and Miss Rumphius was up again. Much to her surprise, she discovered a patch of lupines growing where she had not planted any seeds. She realized that seeds from the lupines she had planted had drifted on the wind and planted themselves. Suddenly, she knew how she could make the world more beautiful. She bought bags full of lupine seeds, then spent her time walking and scattering the seeds as she went. The seeds grew into lupines, which produced more seeds that flew off, so the lupine fields grew bigger every year.

About this book Ms. Cooney said “Miss Rumphius has been, perhaps, the closest to my heart. There are, of course, many dissimilarities between me and Alice Rumphius, but, as I worked, she gradually seemed to become my alter ego. Perhaps she had been that right from the start.”

So today's PSA is this: There is no age restriction for reading books for children. If you aren't familiar with her books, look for them the next time you are in the library or bookstore. I know you won't be disappointed. You may LOVE them as much as I do!

Oxo the Lovable Elephant

Meet Oxo, the Lovable Elephant

Pattern: Elijah by Ysolda Teague

Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash Sport
100% superwash merino wool
136 yds/50 gr - color 1946 Silver Gray
1 full skein

Needles: size 3 Clover bamboo dpns

What a clever pattern! The entire elephant is knit seamlessly with arm, legs, and ears picked up and stitched outwardly. The legs were a breeze. The arms required a bit more patience because they were closer to the head and trunk. The ears were a challenge. Knitting them was fine, but I had to pick up stitches along an imaginary diagonal.

I ended up cutting a triangular slip of paper to size from the center back of the head to the first ear and using that to determine where to pick up for the second ear. Later I read a project on Ravelry where the knitter stuck a slender dpn straight through the elephant's head in order to determine where to place hers. This seemed brilliant but at least my fellow didn't get a headache!

I find I can never name a stuffed animal until the face is complete and the character emerges. While knitting this one I thought of other famous elephants:

Horton, of course
A person's a person, no matter how small!

Colonel Hathi
We're a crackerjack brigade, on a pachyderm parade
But we'd rather stroll to a waterhole, for a furlough in the shade!

Echo the Elephant
Every great family is headed by a commanding leader, and Echo's clan was no exception.....a wise and experienced mother who guided and protected her family for many years.

In the end, once I came across the bit of ribbon I tied around his neck, I named him Oxo. That's right, I named him after a beef cube!

I love tins of all sizes. [Perhaps you've noticed!] Years ago I would run across the mention of Oxo tins in my Miss Read books but never knew what exactly they originally contained. This was in the Dark Ages before the internet. My English friend enlightened me and gave me a couple of tins.

Miss Read used them to contain her household budgeted funds.
"I am going to put an elastic band round each of those Oxo tins and remove them only when the exigencies of rightful duty make it necessary." In fact that's probably what Oxo is doing up there with his tin, putting a bit by for a rainy day. He looks a foresighted chap, doesn't he?

Rahakiri Stole

Stitch pattern from "The Haapsalu Shawl" (p 157 - Rahakiri)

with edging from "Knitted Lace of Estonia" (p 154 - Modern 24-round lace edge)

27" x 56"

Yarn: Lace-a-licious by J. Knits

cobweb - 100% hand dyed alpaca

1200 yds/113 grams ; almost all of it

color name: Washington

[no link - I don't think still available]

Needles: Size 2 addi Lace

This stitch pattern is one of the old ones and, unlike many Haapsalu designs, contains no nupps. I thought the larger areas of stockinette would work well with this yarn and I liked that it was not directional.

In Estonian, raha = money and kiri=pattern. I suppose the roundish areas could be coins but this was not mentioned in the book.

This is the widest stole I've knit and I'm quite pleased with the finished dimensions. However the book instructs one to plan for a proportion of 1:3 and mine is close to 1:2. Still it is a good size for me. Since I knit the edging on in the round it is not a true Haapsalu shawl anyway. Perhaps one day I'll knit in the true manner, possibly if I ever do a large square.

Such an uninspired photo I know, but it does show the color fairly well and gives a reasonable idea of the size.

Acero Stole

Pattern: Copper Queen Beaded Stole
13" x 60"
designed by Renee Leverington
included in "Successful Lace Knitting: Celebrating the work of Dorothy Reade"
book by Donna Druchunas

Yarn: Brooks Farm Acero
60% superwash wool / 20% silk / 20% viscose
in a lovely dark green: 9AC

Needles: Size 6 KnitPicks Options circular

I started this project back in mid-January and it spent much of that time in a ZipLoc bag just because I didn't enjoy the stitches. This should not be a reflection on the pattern. I like the pattern and think it was a good match for this yarn, but you've heard me say already that I grew very tired of all the 'through the back loop' knitting.

You'll notice the name of the pattern is Copper Queen Beaded Stole and the project in the book is knit in a beautiful rich copper color of J&S Shetland wool. It is also more of a true stole size of 21" x 85". I confess to never measuring gauge in lace projects and I knew from the cast on of only 61 stitches that mine was unlikely to be as wide, so I'm not sure mine can really be called a stole. It is more of an awkward scarf! And minus the beads as well! The design shows just a few beads in the end borders and then loops of seed beads between the end picots. I like how they look on the original but I probably won't be adding them to mine. I can just see me getting them caught in something.

I bought two skeins of this wonderful Acero yarn at the Brooks Farm booth at SAFF last October. I had used it once before for a gift and loved it. When I saw two lone skeins in their booth in my favorite dark green, I grabbed them. I love how the mix of fibers take the dye differently. My photo above isn't great, but you can see this better in my Oct. 2 post. The drape after blocking is wonderful.

There are several other designs in this book that I just love, so perhaps in time I'll feel ready to tackle another.

Summer Fries

Pattern: Summer Flies
a free pattern by Donna Griffin

Yarn: Sundara Sock in color Delphinium
100% (really yummy) merino - 350 yds.

Needles: Size 6 KnitPicks Options

This semi-circular shawl (or shawlette in my case since I used a fingering weight yarn instead of the worsted called for in the pattern) was nice to knit even though there are only written directions and you know I am a chart lover at heart. The yarn was dream to work and feels even better blocked. I know it will feel nice around the neck and I plan to wear it more as scarf than a shawlette.

Donna called her design "Summer Flies" after the way she says summer flies by. I just couldn't seem to call my FO that. In my world summer drags....on..and on....and on. Unlike others I have read who enjoy a little something on their shoulders on summer evenings or in overly cool a/c, I never seem to need anything like that. A summer shawl? I can barely tolerate earrings when it is in the 90s! Instead I went with a different verb. For me summer fries.

How Do You Speak to an Angel?

How do you speak to an angel

I’m completely in the dark
When you know that you’ve just met an angel
Is there a proper remark?

We were alone for a moment
Why was I lost in a cloud ?
Do you speak to an angel in a whisper ,
Or do you just say I love you out loud?

Pattern: Angel Lace Shawl
by the One, the Only Evelyn A. Clark

Yarn: Classic Elite - Mountain Top Vail

70% alpaca / 30% bamboo

236 yd/50 gr. - 2 skeins color 6403 - Steel

Needle: Size 5 KnitPicks Options

Now you know I love me a good Evelyn A. Clark knit. She never disappoints. This is my third time to knit this pattern and I'm sure not my last. This may very well be my favorite of her triangular patterns that I have tried so far. I have yet to knit some of her older, larger designs, though. This one, in particular, is a very soothing repeat to knit.

And the yarn? Oh, my it was a treat, too. This Mountain Top line by Classic Elite is a natural, undyed line of yarns with Vail being the fingering weight. Classic Elite says it is luxury that won't cost you a fortune. Very soft. Nice drape. I think I'll try this again, too.

I added one smoky glass bead at each point of the edging. Not too much bling. In fact, you hardly notice, but I think it adds just the right touch.

"How Do You Speak To An Angel"

Jule Styne - 1952

Haapsalu Shawl Day

Pattern: used motif Sofia from The Haapsalu Shawl book

Yarn: Wooly West Nordic Lites; color White Nights, 475 yd/100 gr.; 2 skeins

Needles: size 6; KnitPicks Options

Do you remember last year when I linked to the video of the ladies dancing with their wonderful Estonian shawls? I haven't been able to find a video of this year's dance, although it seems there was a dance this year. [If you find a video, please let me know.]

I did find this wonderful post with lots of great pictures. At the end of that post is a link to a black and white film made in 1937 showing Estonian knitters and fast-moving, busy fingers.
If you have 6+ minutes, you might want to watch. It's a treasure.

Unleashed

The weekend sock dog is complete. Parts have been sewn on (it wasn't too bad) and the bit of facial embroidery finished. One of those eyes could use a touch up but I will probably leave it as it is. Unless it just really gets to bothering me later.

All in all a fun little pattern. Only fiddly because I opted to knit it in fine sock yarn using two yarns.

All appendages are knit exactly the same: cast on 8 stitches, increase to 16 by knitting in front of back of all stitches on the first round, and knit upward. Body commences at the top of the legs from live stitches. Arm and ears (not stuffed) are bound off and sewn on. Back of head is knit like a sock heel flap. Poor thing has no tail.

I might knit this or another of the Lion Brand free critter patterns again, but in a heavier yarn. It would be easy enough to have one "wear" a sweater, maybe even a holiday one. Something to remember (although what are the chances of that??).

Hope you've had fun this weekend.

Certainly Can Can-Can

Well this was FUN, quick, and satisfying.

Bottom is 3"in diameter and it stands about 5" tall. I used size 6 dpns and didn't even finish up that ball you saw yesterday.

Since it is too dang HOT to fill with chocolates -especially as the photo was taken outside - it held a little can of mandarin oranges for the photo, but I think, filled with chocolate truffles, it would make a nice little giftie.

The beaded picot cast on was from the free pattern, Katharine's Bag [Ravelry link].

With that start you wind up with 45 stitches (using 15 beads). As I mentioned yesterday, as soon as I got the cast on completed and read the next part of the pattern, I realized it was not knit in the round so I dropped that pattern like a HOT potato, joined in the round, knit a few rounds and increased 3 stitches to get 48. From that point on I followed the directions from a long ago post of Susan Lawrence. [from the Dec. 2005 archives of her former "I'm Knitting As Fast As I Can" blog].

I've used her directions several times, always with good success, but I have yet to make a felted bag as she shows in these posts. I need to try that sometime. Heck, in this weather I could probably felt it as I knit!

We're having a heat wave, a tropical heat wave

The temperature's rising, it isn't surprising, She certainly can can-can

[Irving Berlin - 1938]

Summer Mystery Shawlette

It is after 9 pm and over 80 degrees still. I hardly need a wool shawlette. When I took this grainy photo, the thermometer there behind me was reading about 94. Whew. Hopefully this fall and winter I'll get a chance to wear this. I love how it turned out.

I had such a FUN time with this project. Wendy's pattern - Summer Mystery Shawlette - besides being a JOY to knit, is a lovely design and reminds me of tulips. I expect I'll knit another sometime and I think I'll cast on the extra stitches next time and go for the larger size now that I know how lovely it is.

I used less than two skeins of Louet Gems Fingering in the discontinued color, Caribbean Blue and my size 6 KnitPicks Options needles.

Wendy, in the meantime, has already designed and finished a large circular Pi shawl. Goodness, she's fast! Her latest book, "Wendy Knits Lace" comes out in August and has 20 patterns.

Tuesday Afternoon Stole

Pattern: Lattice Lace Stole by Debbie O'Neill

19" x 66"

Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Select Lace
100% superwash merino
996 yds/100 gr. - not quite the full hank
color 29 Moody Blues

Needles: Size 3 KnitPicks Options circular (3.0 mm)

A FO at last. This one was a long time coming. Actually it was all finished by April 5, but my blocking wires were out on loan. They have been home for awhile, but I just couldn't get very motivated to block it. Too warm already to need it and, truthfully, I'm still seeing stripes.

The stripes aren't too bad and certainly not a deal-breaker. This will make me more cautious in the future when choosing yarn for a lace pattern. The pattern and the yarn were both pleasant to work and I think the very definite geometric nature of this lace patterning works with this colorway.

To repeat, I did not work two halves and graft at center as the pattern instructed. I knit following an idea from "Victorian Lace Today". The narrow lace at the ends is knit sideways. I bound off all but the last stitch and, leaving it on the needle, picked up across the top and began the wider border, worked all the way to the other end and then knit the narrow lace sideways attaching to live stitches as I inched across.

The K2tog I used to connect it created just a slight raised effect that is not at the other end, but to me that is less noticeable than a graft down the center. [It's the end of the right in this picture.] You can see the graft in the photo on Debbie's blog. To each his own, I suppose.

I stopped off this morning to make these photos and didn't manage to really capture the vividness of the deep blue. A Moody Blue. Perfect for Moody Me.

Stitches South was FOBulous

I was fortunate again this year to have Kay as my companion for the day as we slowly and methodically made our way through every single booth at Stitches South. If Kay is not a saint (and I'm not convinced she is not), then she certainly has the patience of one!

Not only does Kay keep you focused and on track (there is NO wandering to the other side of the aisle with Kay!), she keeps you laughing and upbeat as well. It's worth spending the day with her even if there isn't yarn around every bend.

While planning our trip, we reviewed the 1-hour Market Sessions workshops and both of us were intrigued by the beaded fobs. We knew we wanted to try them, we just couldn't decide if we wanted to commit a specific hour of our time.

We decided instead to buy a kit which contained the materials to make two and we'd learn on our own. Kits are really perfect for small projects like this. No having to gather materials. When you get ready to try it, everything is right there to hand. These worked up very quickly and I can see making more and keeping my eyes peeled for interesting charms and focal beads.

Then on Saturday I went back to the market to meet Dianne in person. I already felt like I knew her from our emails, but it was especially nice to meet her (and her daughter) in real life. We sat and chatted a bit and toured a few of the booths together.

While Dianne and Jessica were getting their lunch, I sat down with Jean at the BagSmith booth. Jean is the mother of Becca Smith, the founder. Kay and I had noticed Jean sitting at the booth on Friday working away on GIANT needles. In just a few minutes Jean taught me Tunisian Crochet. What a treat to learn something from such a beautiful and gracious woman. I wish I could find her picture to show you!


"Friendship is a sheltering tree." Samuel Taylor Coleridge 1772-1834

Summer Satchel

Pattern: Summer Satchel

by Leigh Radford in
One More Skein: 30 Quick Projects to Knit

Yarn: Red Heart Eco-Cotton Blend
75% recycled cotton / 25% acrylic
145 yd/85 gr - a tad over 2 balls
color 1340 Almond

Needles: size 7
16" circular and a set of dpns

I just happened upon this book at the library last Friday and brought it home for a browse. Unlike some of the others in the one skein series, you'll notice the MORE in the title of this one. Most of the projects call for two skeins of the specified yarn.

Naturally it was a bag that caught my attention. Just the thing, I thought, to throw over my shoulder when I head to Stitches South this weekend. Fun, as well, I thought for the summer ahead.

I had seen this yarn last summer and thought it would work for a bag but never got around to making one. The cotton component comes from remnants generated in t-shirt manufacturing. I wonder if it is not the same as 2nd Time Cotton? It can be machine washed and dried, too, which will probably come in handy as the summer wears on (and on, and on).

The pattern has you start the full amount of stitches on a provisional cast on at the bottom and knit up through the handles. You then release the provisionally held stitches and decrease the bottom. It really was a quick knit.

Speaking of 2nd Time Cotton, Helene Rush, knitwear designer and owner of the yarn company Knit One Crochet, Too, has a new podcast. Perhaps you recognize her name as she designed the popular free sweater pattern Hey, Teach! from the Summer 2008 Knitty.

Summer 2008! Could that have been three years ago?? As a matter of fact, there's a bag pattern over in that same issue that would work great in this yarn.

One misty, moisty morning

A wee FO

Pattern: Infant Socks by Judy Ellis

Yarn: Serenity by Premier Yarns
50% merino wool / 25% bamboo / 25% nylon

Needles: size 1 bamboo dpns

I found this little pattern years ago on the Socknitters website. There are loads of free sock patterns over there. As written, it makes a very small basic infant sock. I can often get a wee pair out of leftovers from my own socks. Generally I only adjust by knitting 8 rounds before the toe decreases, but this time I also upped the cast on number to 48 from the stated 40.

These, along with the book, will go to a friend who is expecting a son in May. I had a couple of other books in my hand before finding and selecting this one. I love, love, love Richard Scarry's illustrations, remembering them from my childhood and enjoying them again years later when my daughter was born. His little rabbits are so cute. Wouldn't you love to be an illustrator? I would.


"I'm not interested in creating a book that is read once and then placed on the shelf and forgotten. I am very happy when people have worn out my books, or that they're held together by Scotch tape." Richard Scarry

(1919-1994)

Chromatophobia

the fear of colors

I don't really have a FEAR of colors. I like many colors - just maybe not together.* Well, maybe not hot pink. Or lime green. Nor pastels, really. Gee, this is becoming quite a list!

My wonderful interlude with Evelyn is over. Every stitch a relaxing joy.

I used her free pattern, Brimnes Lace Shawl. I don't think it is available outside of Ravelry. If anyone needed a reason to join Ravlery, well there you go! The KnitPicks Palette yarn softened up nicely after a Soak.

It immediately brought to my mind Civil War-era garments. JP actually likes it and says it doesn't remind him of Civil War clothing at all, but then he doesn't really immerse himself in period dramas or know all the scenes from "Gone With the Wind". It is the first shawl I've made that I might be self-conscious wearing out in public. Or the first one that I thought cried out for a rocking chair. Not that there is anything wrong with rockers. smile

In my bookmarks are links to blogs of creative folks who LOVE color, cannot get enough color, wouldn't dream of making a single object in ONE color alone. I love reading their posts and seeing their projects even as I know I could never let loose with so much color myself.

You may already follow this one - Attic 24. Lucy blogs from Northern England and has a terrific scarf FO in her current post. She most assuredly is not a chromatophobe!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this post and her excitement and enthusiasm really came across as she shared the project.

*I make an exception for a rainbow of M&Ms.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Stash

I'm calling this little baby cap Flavia, after the main character in the book "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie". I haven't read the book. I got my fill of Flavia just reading and hearing about her. But since this little baby gift was made from yarn from the bottom of the stash, that phrase sort of stuck in my head as I knit it.

This is yarn bought years and years ago when I very first began to knit. I bought it to make a preemie hat for the lace club service project. Those projects have to be knit with non-wool yarn, so this Plymouth Yarn Dreambaby DK which is 50% microfiber acrylic and 50% nylon fit the bill.

Although it is billed as a DK weight and the ball band recommends a size 6 needle, that seemed a bit hard for me to believe. I used a size 4 needle. I didn't even have the concentration needed to search for or follow a pattern so I just cast on 88 and did this simple variation of a k2/p2 rib. It is called Baby Cable Rib in Charlene Schurch's "Sensational Knitted Socks" - just three rows of k2/p2 and on the fourth you create the twist by k2tog, leave on the needle, k the first stitch and slide both off. Makes a nice little change from basic rib and really isn't any slower.

The bamboo dpns I used were really too grabby but I couldn't be bothered to change. And, just another reason why I still love dpns, the crown is a simple decrease at eight points. So easy to keep track of when everything is nicely divided on four needles.

Forget Flavia; for some reason now I'm thinking about PIE.

Nobody needs a mink coat

....but a mink scarf sures feels nice!

No this isn't some PETA comment. Instead it comes from one of my favorite fun movies, "Christmas in Connecticut". Spoken on screen by the actor S. Z. Zakall to Barbara Stanwyck, he tells her "nobody needs a mink coat but the mink". His Uncle Felix is wonderfully played.

I think you can tell from this photo how SOFT this scarf is in this yarn. What you may not be able to tell from the photo is how LIGHT it is as well. Just a froth.

This was such a quick and satisfying project that I never even mentioned it on the blog! It jumped on my needles just before Christmas so I can only suppose I was busy with other things. I wore it several times before even taking the time to soak it and I blocked it by just patting (petting?) it out gently to dry.

Once again I used Cathy Payson's Vine and Flower Scarf from Interweave Knit's Holiday 2009 issue and size 6 bamboo short straight needles. This is a staggered vine lace pattern and is, I think, the most relaxing, soothing stitch to knit. Of course it helps when the yarn is 70% mink and 30% cashmere. Oh yes it does.

I used all 230 yards and the scarf came out 6.5" x 44". Such a joy.
NOT needed today as it will be 70 degrees. Jonquils have begun blooming in the back.

A nibble of Niebling

Pattern: A Herbert Niebling-Inspired Lace Bag

by Mary Frances Wogec
"Piecework" May/June 2010

Thread: Lizbeth by Handy Hands
Size 20 - 100% Egyptian Cotton 6 ply
Color 684-Leaf Green Lt.
210 yds/25 gr - less than 1 ball

Needles: Size 0 Inox dpns

Size: 5-1/4" x 7"

This, readers, was true stringPLAY. I cannot begin to describe how pleased I am with this bag even though I may never really use it. Since the whole project, not counting the price of the fabulous magazine, came in around $4, I'd say that USE is completely immaterial. JOY is another matter. It brings me joy just to see it when I walk past.

The pattern was a challenge and a delight. It really helped that I had two snow/ice days to stay home with the pattern and thread.

Mary Frances Wogec designed the bag to give knitters practice with many of the stitches used by Herbert Niebling in his designs. Her accompanying article, "Herbert Niebling, Grand Master of Lace Knitting", points out that his most notable designs feature botanically accurate flower and leaf forms worked against a mesh background and resemble true needle and bobbin lace.

She has edited, revised, and provided a full English translation of a book of his designs. A number of his designs were included in Anna magazine, a German publication (also available in English translation). Although I have several issues, I do not have the June 1986 issue that contains the pattern for "Lyra", which is perhaps his most famous design. It has since been republished as a single pattern leaflet available through Lacis and other sellers.

This thread was a dream to use. I have used it for tatting, but this was a first time with knitting. I worked on dpns and there was a break between the center petal on the large flower (same front and back) that showed a bit of laddering as I worked. I soaked it as usual and blocked on a couple of paperback books wrapped in sandwich bags. While wet I just nudged the those stitches into place and the slight laddering completely disappeared.

I don't know that I'm ready for a large full-on Niebling design, but this little nibble was delicious.

Flower bowl

Things are topsy-turvy in Stringplay land this year. Usually I have a hard and fast rule to stop all gift needlework by Thanksgiving, but it almost seems like this year I waited until then to get started.

I did complete a couple of gifts way back in the spring. Summer came and I think the hot weather got to me.

Home yesterday, a rarity, I decided to use some extra yarn from my mini mittens project to try out this free felted flower bowl pattern.

I used sport weight yarn (KnitPicks Telemark in Poppy) and size 9 needles to make a slightly smaller bowl and I just felted it by hand since it seemed awfully wasteful to get the washer going for such a small item. FUN to make, but I hope my wrists don't rebel tomorrow. Once again I neglected to read the pattern through before beginning. There are several K3togs in there. Maybe all that hot water during the hand felting helped.

Quickie Hat

There are a couple of office grandbabies coming in January. I know one is expected to be a boy, but I think (I think) one is expected to be a girl.

I had seen the Lion Brand Baby Wool at Joann's so the other day I used my coupon and bought a ball.

It is superwash and felt pretty good in the ball.
I chose the Alpine Meadow colorway which is mostly yellow with a bit of green and blue.

I am not really getting home before dark now and my photos are suffering, but this gives you an idea.

It did not feel overly soft once I got it knitted, and after a soak, it was fairly lifeless. While still damp I tossed it into the dryer for a bit and that seemed to work out just fine.

Once again I went to the Children's Cotton Hats pattern from "Last-Minute Knitted Gifts". I find that pattern to work up super quickly without a lot of fuss. The top decreases do create a bit of a point, but I'm going with the idea that it just makes it more elfin and adorable.