Oceanic Dad :)

I finished Dad's beanie this week past and I am delighted with it! Hurrah!

I knit it with handspun Finn fibre I spun up while demonstrating at the Perth Royal Show last year. It was dyed by the lovely Amy of Spunky Eclectic, but I wasn't at all sure what I would use the yarn for, since the bright pinks and blues weren't my normal colour pallette. To my delight the colours blended with the spinning (Amy really is a very clever muffin!) and became a range of shades in blue, white and a subtle peachy colour - like the sunset or inside of a seashell. PERFECT! Ocean colours for my wonderful and ocean-loving Dad! =D

I followed the Thorpe pattern, but given the different gauge of my handspun, I altered the pattern a little. Did increases up to 11, extended the ear flaps slightly and also left off the crocheted egding. For the ear-flap tails I used 3 stitch i-cord. LOVED that this pattern is knit from the top down. That element of the pattern really helped me slay that savage beast that was my gauge inaccuracy! Despite my careful swatching I just couldn't get a brim-up hat to come out the right size!

I have wanted to knit something up for Dad for a long while now, and have been hanging out to use this handspun for him! Dad is super pleased with his new snuggly warm head-wear. He particularly likes that he can tie the ear-flap-tails beneath his chin, adopt a peculiar expression and exact a marvellous imitation of Steve Martin as "Ruprect" in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels! I particularly like that the ear-flaps can be tied up, when one desires extra listening power! I'm hoping Dad'll get a lot of good wear out of this beanie - brisk early mornings in the car park gazing out at the waves before a surf, or on the snow fields keeping his ears warm under his snowboarding helmet! Now all we need is some weather cool enough for him to wear it!!

DETAILS!
Pattern: Thorpe, Kirsten Kapur- slightly modified.
Yarn: Handspun Finn, around 100m.
Needles: 4mm
Modifications: See above!