A Tale of Two Pompoms

Back in December, one of my co-workers on maternity leave brought her baby girl into the Essex office.  If you want to see a group of professionals melt into a puddle of gooey sweetneess bring a baby or puppy to the office.  My co-workers and I are no exception.  The oohing and ahing extended to the hat the baby was wearing.  I kept staring at the hat figuring out what stitches were used and where I might possibly find those pompoms.   It really was the most adorable hat on a most adorable baby.  Another co-worker expecting the birth of a grandchild in April looked at me and asked if I could make her one.

Sure no problem.  I headed out on a search for yarn and pompoms.  The hat needed two and they had to be fake fur.  I decided the yarn had to be chunky.  The hat had to have enough bulk to support the pompoms.  A fine weight yarn would be two wimpy and the weight of the pompoms would pull it down.  I found the yarn I wanted at a Stitch in Time in Leamington.

I started searching the net for pompoms.  Every site I went to were sold out or only had fuschia pink. Not that there is any problem with pink but I wanted something a little more neutral.  After all I had settled on a beautiful deep red for the hat.

On Christmas Eve, I found myself in Mary Maxim in Paris looking for pompoms.  The sales staff said they had been sold out for quite some time and were not expecting any additional shipments.  My heart sank.  I was late tuning into a trend - it was now over.  She did however suggest that they still had some key chains with pompoms on them in the gift department.  I headed over.  The pompoms were gorgeous.  A deep burgundy red.  Perfect I think until I looked at the price.  $15.00 a piece.  Now there are times when I am downright crazy but not so much that I would put $30.00 worth of pompoms on a baby hat that may only have a life expectancy of 5 minutes.  I left disappointed and pompomless.

By the time we reached St Catharines we needed gas and found a gas bar across the street from Michaels.  I headed in on my quest for 2 pompoms. I found one royal blue one.  Just one.  I carried it around the store looking for a clerk.  Maybe they had some more in a different part of the store.  Alas, no, the young man who checked for me said they were all out; this was the last.  One pompom was not going to do it.

I headed for the exit and there in all it's glory was a display of keychains with fake fur pompoms.  I could have done cartwheels if I was capable of doing cartwheels without landing on my head.  I made my selection.  At $5.00 per piece they were within the budget.  I go to pay and bonus - they were half price.

You would think this would be the end of the story but not so.  On Boxing Day I was in the Windsor store they had 2 count them 2 royal blue pompoms.  Before I even realized it they were in my basket and I was at the cash register.  They too were on sale.  Then the next time I was in London atLen's Mill Store they had 2, unbelievably 2 deep burgundy red pompoms.  I could not resist and 2 more pompoms made it home with me.

I was pretty sure the original hat used the brioche stitch.  So for the last 2 weeks I have been casting on and ripping back trying to make this hat.  Too big, too small, can't count stitches, can't remember how to knit the brioche stitch and on and on.  Finally got it.  I hope it is okay.

Yarn is Life Chunky by Stylecraft - 75% acrylic and 25% wool in Cardinal.  48 stitches on 5 mm needles.  About 7.5 inches in length before knitting 2 rounds of k2tog to finish the top.

The hat is to have 2 pompoms.  See ....

I wonder which pair Betty will like.

There has been other knitting on the go.

Hubby's ex-wife also attends the 73's hockey games.  This year I noticed that she seemed cold and was clutching her hands to her chest at the games.  I figured she might like a pair of mittens. Something in the 73's colours might be suitable.  I went into my stash and came out with some black, white and an orangey peach in a discontinued DK superwash wool.  I added some Cascade 220 Sport orange wool and came up with these.

One pair of Cloisonee mittens.  I gave them to P at the last home hockey game against the Blenheim Blades.  Essex won 6-3.  She immediately put them on and seemed genuinely delighted with the gift.

Essex only has two games left to play in the regular season.  Looks like the team will end up in second place this year going into the playoffs.

My niece asked me if I would make her a Harry Potter scarf in the Gryffindor colours.  I said yes but only if she took a hat too.  She would have to wait for it until September.  I would make it as another Harrow Fair entry.  I special ordered the yarn from Sue2Knits and Yarn in McGregor and started the scarf.

Cascade 220 Sport in Goldenrod and Ruby.  It is a giant tube closed at the bottom and will be closed at the top.  Fringe to be added at the end.  This will be a great hockey knitting project.  I get almost one repeat done (5") at a game assuming the game is not edge of your seat exciting.

I have two more requests but I am still working out what I want to knit in what colours and how I can turn them into another entry.  I may be a soft touch in the gifting department but more than happy to comply where it also suits my needs.