7up

It's about time I shared a success story! While I don't regret for one minute tossing that ugly sweater, it certainly didn't take me long to move on. In fact, before I even tossed that one out, I finished a hat that I started over the holidays during an interminable layover in the Atlanta airport. 

I make a lot of hats. Knitting hats is like instant gratification for me. Often when I find myself slogging through a sweater or other long project, a hat is just the thing to take the edge off.  Hats are quick, they don't come in pairs, and where I live, you just can't have too many.

This one is 7up, and even though it's a babycocktails pattern, it's one I didn't test knit, believe it or not (I did test Black Tea from the same collection, though...is that enough links for you?) I used some alpaca yarn from my stash. I didn't swatch or anything, just cast on and figured whatever size it turned out to be, it would fit someone.

At first it was rather small, but it grew after blocking (alpaca will do that, not much memory in the fiber) so it fit me after all. I made the mistake of letting Anya try it on...

...and that was that. It's hers now. And that heathery teal color is so beautiful on her I don't even mind.  Question is now, should I make another for myself?