Blanket and Hat and Gloves

Big Blanket
I've got this big blanket planned (the one with all the cables and the trees in the middle... see image on right) and I have had one heck of a time getting yarn for it. Curtis and I decided we'd go with Cascade's Eco Wool (it's big and bulky and you get an absolute ton of yarn in one skein), but that was the easy part. At first, we'd planned on having the blanket be shades of blue. It'd start off in the middle sort of a light silvery blue and then fade out to a navy blue on the outside border. So I ordered the yarn. When it arrived, I came to the startling realization that *my* monitor is one of *those* computer monitors that doesn't necessarily display color correctly. I had colors from robin's egg blue, to grey-brown, to ocean-green-blue. The only color that looked anywhere near the same was the navy blue. This was going to be a very ugly blanket. As I'm packaging it up to mail the yarn back, Curtis spots a grey skein and says, "Well... I don't think I'd want a grey blanket, but I think that would look great as a hat!" So, Curtis is getting a hat: more information below.

After the shades of blue fiasco, Curtis and I decided to go with a nice, dark forest green -- all one shade. So I order the yarn. It arrives and it is the most nauseating shade of kelly green I have ever seen. That one gets mailed back too. This time, I contact Jimmy Bean's Wool (click HERE to visit their online store) and ask for some advice. I told Amber, the lovely lady who helps with the customer service what type of green I was looking for and she suggested a color and even mailed me a little snippet of the yarn for FREE so I could see it. That yarn worked out (Lichen 9338 -- dark green and browns) and has arrived at my new apartment (mostly unpacked... reluctant to finish my closet). So, once I finish Curtis's new hat, I will begin the biggest knitting project of my entire life.

Curtis's Fisherman's Pride Hat
This hat is knitted flat and I don't think I will ever knit a hat flat again. I can't tell if this is going to fit or not. I can't even tell if it will fit me. Every time I measure it, I get anywhere from 18" to 24"... and that's a huge difference. Once I sew it up (mattress stitch), I'll see if it fits anyone.

This is what the hat is supposed to look like except Curtis is convinced he doesn't want the pom-pom:

This is what the hat looks like so far:

August Knit-Along with Ravelry Group
So, since it's August 14, I figure I should get around to starting the August Knit-Along with Fingerless Gloves Fanatics. I'm pretty sure I can get a pair of fingerless gloves done in 15 days... I think. The pattern I'm making is called "Cafe au Lait Mitts" by Paula McKeever (click HERE to see the pattern on ravelry). Hopefully, they'll fit and look like the image on the left when I'm done. [The image is from Ravlery user Spirals and are of her finished project.]

I'm going to make them for my friend Lauren and make a matching cowl. Her birthday is near the end of November, so they'll either be a birthday present or a Christmas present... not sure which yet. I bought Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK in Rhubarb for the project. I think the color is lovely, very dark purpley-pink.