Fate Has A Way

Earlier in the week Ryan announced the launch of Dulaan 2006.

The button is so cool:   
(Take it, please. But please save it to your own server.) Go ahead: Join up! Join in! You know you wanna.

The project was successful beyond anyone's wildest dreams in 2005, and this year, with even more time to get the word out and more people on board, with blurbs in major knitting publications and in the news, it should be even more successful. Last year I found it easy to slip in a kids' hat or pair of mittens, an easy bulky-knit sweater or vest or neckwarmer, in between other projects, on car trips, visits to relatives, or while watching movies. I used it as a break from some of the more complex (to me) knitting, where I'm still learning and more attention is required. The yarn I chose (Lamb's Pride Bulky often seems to win out as fast, soft, warm, and easy-to-knit), as well as the projects, made it easy to sometimes be able to do one, two, or even three of these little knits a week. And while I try not to be sloppy or slap-dash, I don't get all caught up in perfection. I use these items to practice skills of seaming, casting on, and experimenting with colorwork. I use up scraps and create funky striped or colorblock items. I have fun with it, knowing that it will be appreciated and do some good to someone who is truly cold. 

So the day before yesterday, I had completed the Flower Basket Shawl, it was set out for its second blocking, and I had completed a major piece of transcript work and put it in the hands of FedEx. I needed a break. I needed something easy and quick, and Dulaan 2006 was fresh on my mind. I didn't have to look too far, and a small leftover ball of bright yellow Lamb's Pride Bulky that Silvia had sent me in the spring jumped out at me. I grabbed my Ann Budd book of patterns and cast on for a roll-brimmed hat.

After about an inch of knitting, I got bored with the thought of all yellow and I decided to go stash-diving for some more of the partial skeins of LP Bulky that various people had sent -- something with which to do some striping or maybe practice some simple colorwork. Thank you for the LP Bulky, everyone!

I went into one of my bins and started looking. Within seconds, way down in the bottom of a large bin, I found something I had completely forgotten I had. Three-plus balls of Italian merino eyelash. Yes, Italian merino eyelash. Something I bought on eBay when I didn't know better. I once made a scarf of this for someone, and it was not too fun to work as a scarf, although it came out really sumptuous, soft and gorgeous. But I don't see myself ever using this for a scarf again. (although, to be honest, I am tempted to make one for myself. It is truly luxurious.)

However, take a closer look at the label, if you didn't catch it already. Mongolia. The name of the yarn on the label is Mongolia. And you do know, don't you, that Dulaan is all about Mon-frickin-golia?

Three hours later, here's the little hat I ended up with.
1st item for Dulaan Project 2006

I used every last inch of the yellow yarn and had to begin decreasing more vigorously than the pattern said. But it's fine. It fits my head, even. I learned some things about working with the eyelash, too. The first row I did, I just dropped the other yarn and added in the eyelash and knitted a row with it.  I did regular knit in the round, cut it at the end (with a tail for weaving in) and followed up with a knit through back loop the next row with the yellow yarn.  I found that most of the eyelash ended up on the INside of the hat and needed to be teased out.  So the next row I tried purling it in, to see what would happen. While I ended up with more eyelashes on the outside of the hat, I don't like the purl bumps. But I think either one is fine, and with a little more teasing or light brushing, it will be cute.

The eyelash made the hat fun to make, the merino stuff is SOOO soft and lovely, and using it a row or two per garment like this will make it last for a long time and takes away the pain of using it for a whole garment -- just adds some pizzazz without pissing me off too much. I only used a couple yards, if that, here. I've decided this is going to be my "signature" in my Dulaan garments from now on - until I run out.  If Cuzzin Tom sees a kid wearing a hat or mittens or neckwarmer with this white fluff, he might even recognize it as mine.

And I might even take out the Kool-Aid and start dyeing some. Watch out, everybody! Fate has apparently stepped in. It didn't hit me over the head with a loom or anything dramatic like that, but skeins of Italian merino, fluttering their Mongolian eyelashes at me, are so much softer, anyway.

------>reminder * reminder * reminder<-----

My stash sale is still going on at eBay. I've added a couple more items.  Here and here.

Comments

[Kim]

HAHA! I'm FIRST! ;)

Your hat is absolutely adorable. Beautiful work, woman!

[melissa]

So Cute! And so appropriate as well!

[Rabbitch]

Cute hat!

My four items that I made for Dulaan 2005 but that didn't get to the post office are all boxed up on the back of my sofa. with 11 months before the deadline, I WILL get them sent off this year!

[sandy]

Hmmm, makes me somehow wish I were a child in mongolia. But then again, not!
:)
xoxo

[k]

The merino makes it look Mongolian. I think you're brilliant. "May a loom fall out of the sky and whack you on the head." A new blessing?

[Jenny]

That hat is Waaay too cute!! Great idea!! Isn't that funny how all the eyelash and fuzzy stuff seems to be more on the purl side?? I am knitting parts for a monkey, and all the mohair seems to be on the INSIDE of the monkey parts.

[margene]

Norma, I think you have singlehandedly clothed a third of the kids in Mongolia. Good work!

[jenn]

That hat's adorable. What a great use for yarn you don't think you'll ever use again. I can't wait to see what else you make in your new style. ;)

[Kim]

What an adorable little hat and such a nice cause!!! Hard to believe we are thinking about winter, isn't it?

[Carole]

Love the hat and your "signature" merino eyelash. Very Norma.

[Cassie]

I love the way it looks like a fringe of yak fur. Perfect!

[cari]

Oh...that hat is adorable. Who knew there was actually a GOOD use for eyelash yarn? Go figure.

[Vicki]

I love it that you have a "signature" in your knits for Mon-frickin-golia. Makes that hat look extra-warm, too.

[Ryan]

Amazing! Beautiful! Wonderful! Warm! Sweet! (Oh, and the hat is nice, too.)

[regina]

Thank you for reminding us about the Dulaan project. That hat is indeed adorable. Time for me to get the big needles back out!

[liz]

If you double Cascade 220 or Kureyon will that be warm enough? I have tons of oddballs of worsted weight wool yarn in fun, fun colors awaiting their turn to become *something* and Dulaan would be the perfect project match.

[Robbyn]

Good thing it was a sensible person like you that discovered the "Mongolia" yarn (coincidentally, of course) for your Dulaan project. If it had been me, I'd still be having the shivers :)

[Laurie]

Thanks for letting us know. I've been looking at some of the odds and ends in my house (the yarn, just the yarn) and thinking that Dulaan was over. Not so!

[Deb from PA]

Adorable hat, some little one will think the world of it. When I use that type of fun yarn I find that purling pulls most of the fluff to the outside. Nice thing is that you can't tell that it is purled with all that fluff.