Freebie Pattern- EXTERMINATE!- A Dalek Hat

Have I mentioned that I have become, very late in the game, a Doctor Who fan? I started with the Eccleston season, and I'm caught up enough that I am watching the new season episodes (yay Capaldi!) as they air.

Two of my Grands are also Doctor fans, and when I saw Amy Schilling's (Ravelry Name: amouse) Doctor Who Fair Isle Chart, I asked to use it to design a hat for my grandson, and then share the chart. She, very graciously, gave her permission, and here we are, with EXTERMINATE!- A Dalek Hat.

All of the instructions are on the jpg- click to enlarge and then download it to your computer for printing. Don't try to print the thumbnail- you won't be able to read it. This is not a difficult stranded project, but I would classify it as intermediate because there are long stretches of a single color, and a lot of float-anchoring. But don't let that frighten you away- the results are worth the work. When it comes time for the decreases, work K2togTBL (knit 2 together through the back of the loop) as indicated, and K2tog (knit 2 together) as indicated.

This pattern is free, for your own personal use and enjoyment. Please link to this blog post if you want to spread the word, and I'll ask that downloaders come here to get the pattern (rather than any one person printing off a bunch of them).

Enjoy!

Click on the page, download to your computer, and then print from any graphics program.

Maple Beauty

North Eastern South Dakota is known for many things, but wonderful fall color isn't one of them. We rarely have any reds, and some years, even our yellows are washed out and dull.

Not this year. This year, our foliage was amazing.

Even the corn played along.

KOBO sale of Funeral Food this weekend! 50% Off!

KOBO is running a sale this weekend, with 50% off of select titles, including Funeral Food, the 1st Tory Bauer Mystery. Use the code SAVE50 at checkout!

If you don't have a KOBO reader, you can download a KOBO app for your phone or computer.

Woohoo!

The Inspirational Umbria Workshop/Activity Schedule

Here's what we'll be doing in Todi, Italy, from May 24-30, 2015. Won't you come and join us? The registration and info links are to the upper right of the main blog page. We are going to have such an amazing time!

And in case you don't feel like clicking to enlarge, here's the text:

Sunday May 24 

Arrival: Unpack, relax, nap, soak in the beauty of the Hotel Bramante, and Todi 
Welcome Dinner: Meet your fellow traveling designers

Monday May 25

Morning Workshop Open Your Eyes: How to see the designs around us, tools to use in translating those designs, design and chart making exercises 
Afternoon Excursion to Assisi: Observe, sketch, take notes and photos for original knitting designs 
Evening: Free Time

Tuesday May 26

Morning Workshop Translating Inspiration: Turning our observations, ideas, sketches and photos into usable stranded knitting charts 
Afternoon Todi Yarn Crawl: Purchase yarns for your original projects 
Evening: Wine Tasting

Wednesday May 27

Morning Workshop Finalizing Original Design Charts: Choosing colors for your designs, and adding your new designs to provided charts for hats, mittens, and/or sweaters 
Afternoon: Free Time for Knitting or Relaxing, or an Optional Guided Tour of Todi 
Evening: Cooking Class, Pizza/Pasta

Thursday May 28

Morning Workshop A No-Pucker, No-Twisted Yarns, Stranded Knitting Tutorial: Begin knitting your original design 
Afternoon: Free Time for Knitting or Relaxing. Kathleen will be available for design or knitting troubleshooting 
Evening: Medieval Dinner with Archery Demonstration

Friday May 29

Morning Workshop Finishing Techniques: A discussion of finishing techniques, including steeking, which isn’t as scary as it sounds 
Afternoon: Free Time for Knitting or Relaxing. Kathleen will be available for design or knitting troubleshooting 
Evening: Short Presentation: Moving Forward with Your Original Designs

Saturday May 30

Departure: Saying good-bye to new friends, and old

Finished yarn

I finished spinning the Malabrigo roving, which, if you'll remember, I bought on the March cruise.

I tried to divide the roving into quarters, but still misjudged and ended up with 34 yards of single left over, after plying. I plied that with some commercial white wool

The tally: 256 yds, 108 gr, Malabrigo Merino roving, 2 plied, fingering weight; 34 yds, 19 gr, Malabrigo Merino/Commercial wool, fingering weight.

I love it!

Wordless Spinning- Malabrigo Roving

Help me choose

I need new glasses soon, and those narrow rectangular frames don't look good on me. Which style (ignore the color) should I choose? Answer in the comments, if you like.