Hats! Hats! Hats!

Hats in worsted weight yarn with a simple pattern are wondrously quick to make. I have finished two using KnitPick's Swish Superwash and a serious variation of the Mushroom Cap pattern from Homespun, Handknit. I like how they came out, and the yarn is very nice to work with. Come spring, I'll have an idea how it will stand up to a Minnesota winter. I'm not sure if the hats I made for the boys will last that long ... they're still being enjoyed as summer hats.

This past week, we went to the State Fair. It was supposed to be a State Fair / doctor visit, but when I called from the fairgrounds to double-check our appointment time, I discovered that I had the right day and time, but the wrong month. So we had some extra time at the fair. We skipped the whole parking mess by using a Park and Ride lot -- one the fair had so thoughtfully equipped with accessible busses. My daughter got her Very First (second, third, and fourth) rides on a power lift. She definitely prefers it to scooting up bus steps - not typically ranked among the cleaner surfaces in the world - on her rear. I think it even ranked at the top of her Favorite Fair Experiences. Since we skipped the Kidway, and pretty much went in, explored the Creative Activities building, and meandered out with brief stops at food stands and the DNR Fish pond, it's not too surprising.

The DNR Fish pond is pretty amazing. They have 25 species of Minnesota fish swimming around in a huge outdoor pond, all clearly visible. I learned that sturgeon grow to be twice as old as humans. Can you imagine catching the same sturgeon that your great-great-grandfather caught back in 1870? It's possible. Unless he ate it.

Next to the Creative Activities / Education building, there was a lovely little gazebo / bridge/ pond / stream / horticultural exhibit. The sort of thing I'd love to have in my yard, so long as it was maintenance-free, which of course, it can't possibly be. It was thoroughly explored by my son, lurking among the tall grasses.

My favorite place at the fair is, of course, the Creative Activities building. I should have taken pictures of the entire knitting display so I could look back for inspiration, but I didn't. I did take a picture of my entry into the Handknit, Adult Pullover, Patterned category.
It would have been really something if the model had been wearing the cabled cap I also entered, but it isn't. My Latvian Sampler Mittens also took a first in their category, with my shawl and cap taking second and third, respectively. The quality of entries is excellent at the fair. I think - but am not positive - that the greenish shawl on the table in the photo was in the same category as my shawl. The knitting on that shawl is excellent!

Lady Eleanor has been set aside for the time being, as our weather has started acting like a Minnesota August and it's too hot to have a wool blanket in progress. Stay tuned to see what's going on my needles next!