A hat by any other name...

I have developed a fascination with hats.  Perhaps it is that I identify more and more with *Warning* as I get older.  Perhaps it's living in a cooler climate.  Perhaps it's laziness and I simply do not want to brush my hair anymore.  :oP  Whatever the reason, I am enjoying myself.... and my hats.

I recently came across some patterns from my childhood in the 70's that included everything from granny square vests to groovy ponchos and colorful hats.  This one is called Peacock Eyes.

They are all worked in simple single crochet.  I also tried a new yarn from Knitpicks.  It's a blend of cotton and beechwood modal (viscose spun into yarn) and it is perhaps the softest cotton yarn I have ever used.  Perfect for hats... there will be several more coming!

 I also made this vintage basketweave hat.. but the large blob section looks like Arkansas to me.  Is it just me?  This one is on the "I probably won't wear it so it might get frogged and remade" pile.  I think I might like it better if the entire hat was the finer basketweave rows instead of blobs.  Time will tell.
I still have to get over the idea that patterns from my childhood are now considered "vintage", but I think once I do I might find other uses for these colorwork patterns. They'd make great bags!

 I got around to my splurge handpainted rayon yarn project too.  I made a cabled diamond cap, and a matching shrug.  This is the most indulgent yarn I have ever used in my life and it's going to be hard to not want to use it for everything from now on.  So soft and yet durable, and the gold thread brings just a little extra sumpin'.
 I also like how the color swirls itself into soft stripes. *sigh*  So nice.

But, just in case you are worried that I'm not giving equal attention to other body parts that get cold... here are my Hogwarts House Unity socks.
 For those unfamiliar, House Unity takes a color from each house - Gryffindor red, Hufflepuff yellow, Ravenclaw blue and Slytherin green and puts them together. 

Did you know that the Hogwarts motto is "Never tickle a sleeping dragon"?  Sounds like good advice to me.