So I may be on a bit of a Stargate kick, but who can say no to Teal’c? And don’t forget the apostrophe.
In other news, after my sock-high I was interested in doing some stashbusting. After all, those sock cost about twelve bucks, and the cowl an additional 6, which I’m totally not regretting, but there’s something about the subject of free that I love.
Granted, free means I’ve had this yarn for so long that although I know exactly where I got it, there’s no way of knowing how much it cost. It may have ended up a birthday gift. I’m a picky gift-receiver, which my family knows well, so I tend to end up picking out gifts knowing I’ll receive them all trussed up for a “surprise” a few months later.
In this case, the deep blue yarn, Sirdar Snuggly Domino DK, was bought at a Superbowl Sunday sale about 6 years ago. Maybe even 7… I think I even deigned to watch 10 minutes of the game, before I gave up and ran downstairs to hide out until the snacks were served.
The Schachenmayr nomotta Baros, otherwise known as the aqua yarn, was bought in Germany on my second trip to visit family there. It was on sale, which was good because I had a limited number of euros to spend. Souvenir yarn is often too difficult to part with, so this was stashed for 5 years.
Definitely high time to make something. On both counts.
Both of these projects had basis in a one skein book, 101 Yarn Shop Favorites.
My new hat is technically the Aran Tam. I say technically… I should have followed directions and knit the beginning on smaller straight needles, but I was confused, and it was my second go, having tried a bulky yarn first which would have made a monster sized hat. So I trudged ahead. Then I moved on, and managed to get some kind of counting wrong, resulting in a messed up pattern. You can’t tell with the surprisingly busy yarn, but I think I’ll have another go at some point. Also, the band is too wide, due to the aforementioned needle issue, so I’m considering threading some elastic through the ribbing. Still have another ball… Now what to make? Maybe some wristlets…
The wristband had basis in the Cabled Headband. I say had basis… I took the starting point and just knitted without increases or decreases 
until I made it tightly around my wrist. Sewed it up with my handy knitpicker, and I got a lovely wristband! Handy when my wrists decide they hate knitting. Or typing. Or cooking. Or moving. Darn that violin playing from an early age! Messing up my wrists forevermore.
The wristband yarn is soon to be finished in a yoke for a shirt capacity… I misplaced a piece, and once I locate it, you’ll hear about it!