Trying to Finish things!

While I had the long weekend, I have tried to knock out some projects that have been lingering.  I FINALLY blocked the Foamy Scarf, officially putting it in the "Finished" category.  :D   I also have to note that this is the first proejct I have ever blocked.  (GASP!)  I know, I know. I have been knitting for HOW long without ever blocking anything?  What have I been doing?!  Well, I knit a lot of hats and smaller things that don't need blocking.  I've only knit a few sweaters.... and I just never did anything to them.  Mom unofficially blocks the sweater I made for her when she washes it; you know, lay it out while wet and make sure it dries in the shape you want.  That counts, right?

   

Well, this scarf had some lace, dropped stitches, and "bubble" accents.  I could no longer avoid blocking it.  I just got a set of blocking wires the last time I was home to visit my preferred Yarn Shop, so I bit the bullet and blocked my scarf.  I think it looks pretty good, yeah?   :)

    

The other project I am READY to put into the "Finished" pile is a sun hat I have been wrestling with for a very long time!  I really wanted a "movie star" hat that will keep my nose from burning this summer, but my head is too darn big for commercially bought hats so I decided to whip something up myself.  I couldn't find a pattern that I liked, but I found a "recipe" for a sun hat that sounded good enough.  They called it a recipe because they told you how to turn a doily pattern into a sun hat, but didn't give specifics for sizing or lace patterns or anything.  Well, next time I will use a pattern! I think I have pulled this hat out 400 times trying to get the right amount of brim while still staying true to the lace... THEN came trying to find the right gauge wire to attached to the edge.  18 gauge was too flimsy, the wire from a pop-up hamper was way too rigid.  (John calls it my Goldilocks hat, as I look for a wire that is juuuuust right.) We finally settled on the wire from some car sun shades, you know the kind that can twist back on itself?  I'm not sure it's 100% what I was looking for, but I am sick of trying different things! I want to wear this hat before the summer is over!  I am so tired of fiddling with this hat!!

Yes, observant reader, the hat is not totally complete yet.  I still have to put elastic in the headband and I have to weave in ends.  But I want this hat to be done!  I call it done!  So there!  (I also noticed after the fact that my "no dye lot written on the label" yarn was lying to me, as you can tell by the stripe through the brim.  Grrrr... hat from hell... mutter mutter)