Crooked Paths Hat

I just finished up this lovely little hat for me. It's hard to believe, but I am functionally winter hat-less - a sorry state of affairs for a knitter. (What's that saying about the shoemaker's children going barefoot? Hmmm...) I love the current slouchy hat trend, and found this beautiful pattern on ravelry, and dug out some yarn from my stash that's been waiting for the right project, and whipped this little number up in about two weeks. It was a really enjoyable knit - straightforward pattern, but not boring, and blocking it around a dinner plate was especially fun. By chance, it matches a scarf I bought in New Zealand perfectly. I wore this hat outside today when we were playing with the kids, and it kept me warm and happy. Success all around!
Pattern: Crooked Paths by Melissa LaBarre
Yarn: Dream in Color "Classy" in "Chinatown Apple"

Balaclavas for Neva and Hugh

Well, I don't know if you've noticed (or if it's this cold where you are), but it's -33 Celsius around these parts these days. We're in a cold snap, and although the school is good about not making the kids go outside if it's less than -25C -- that's still pretty cold. Hence: balaclavas for all! This is a pattern I'd done before for Jeffy, and liked a lot. It's a fast knit, and the face opening is stretchy enough that it can be left open just for the eyes or pulled down to expose most of the face. I even managed to make Hugh's in less than 48 hours, which shows you either a) how quickly it knits up, or b) how good I am at ignoring the children when I have a goal in mind. Regardless: they wore them today, and not for the last time, methinks. Their comment: "We look like ninjas!" You bet, kidlets. Really warm ninjas.
Pattern: Easy Balaclava by Nanette Blanchard
Yarn: Dream in Color: Neva's is "Classy" yarn in "Pansy Golightly" and Hugh's is "Knitosophy" yarn in "Superhero"