PDX Hatter

Finally finished something. I present the PDX Hatter in all of my no make-up, dirty hair glory.

The Stats:
Started: September 6th
Finished September 10th
Pattern: My own (following). Some of the techniques from a pattern from the Knitting A Day calendar. I blanking on the pattern name though - I'll update this when I have the pattern nearby.
Gauge: 5 st to inch, slightly stretched
Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece. Main Color of Onyx, about half a skein. Contrast Color in Limeaide, small amount.
Needles: size 6 16' inch circular, size 6 set of 5 dbl point needles
Also needed: 5 markers, 1 slightly different to mark beginning of round, yarn needle.
CO 92 stitches in MC on circulars. PM to mark beginning of round. K1P1 rib for 4 rounds.
Switch to CC, knit 1 round, K1P1 rib for one round.
Switch to MC, knit 1 round, K1P1 rib for 3 rounds.
Switch to MC, knit 1 round, then K1P1 rib until there are 5.5 inches from the CO edge.
Next round: K1P1 for 12 st, place marker. K1P1 23 st, pm. K1P1 23 st, pm. K1P1 st pm, finish round in rib. (you should have 23 st between each marker, with the beginning of the round in between 2 markers).
Next round *K1P1 to 2 st before marker, keeping in rib, make a left slanting decrease (ssk or ssp, depending on what your next st should be.) Slip marker, make a right slanting decrease (k2tog or p2tog, depending on what your next st should be). Continue this way for the entire round, making a left decrease before each marker, a right decrease after the marker.
K1p1 rib for 2 rounds*
Repeat between ** 2 more times. (switch to dbl pt needles when the st won't fit on the circs any more)
(I was at 7.25 inches at this point, if you knit tighter than me, then do another repeat.)
Repeat decrease round for each round until there are 3 stitches left between the markers.
Break yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread tail on yarn needle, pull through remaining stitches & secure.

Will I make it again: definitely. I've already gotten several comments on it & a couple of requests. It's a very comfy hat - the Cotton Fleece makes a soft, non itchy, hat and it's just warm enough for fall but not overly warm. I might even CO another tonight - I have a lot of left over Cotton Fleece.

Yeah, because I need anther project. But I love knitting on circs- I need to learn how to do socks on 2 circs, I can knit standing on the train and walking - anywhere, really. I can't do it on dbt pointed needles for some reason.

I'm a little distracted today though so I apologize if there are any errors in the pattern.

The boy...sent me flowers. At work. For no reason at all.

Small disclaimer - in my 33 years on this earth, I've never had a boyfriend give me flowers - when my father passed away, my best friend & another guy friend bought me flowers, but no one I was romantically involved with. Sad but true. So I'm a little giddy, to say the least.

Hee. :) It's not a great picture, because I was trying to be sneaky about taking it. You can actually see the boy's back behind it.

I have to wonder what I did to deserve this happiness. The pessimistic me wonders when it's going to crash down on me.

But for now, I'm just going to hug myself & go with it.