Ski Bunny Headband

My Minions,

I have completed the headband the Empress Mum requested for skiing.  This didn't look so great before blocking.

The cast on edge (left hand side of the photo) did not seem to match the bound off edge
(right hand side) in terms of length,

but I forced them together and hoped a good blocking would solve the rest.

I admit there are some mistakes.  Like here:

where I sneezed while in the middle of a row, causing all of the stitches to fly off my needles, and then failed to reknit the slipped stitch, making for an extra long stitch there along the edge.  I decided that the angora halo will keep this mistake hidden from all but the keenest knitting eyes. Can you see it?  What do experienced knitters do when a sneeze suddenly overcomes them mid row?  I'm not the only person this has happened to, right?

I'd like to note that at this point I was only 20 minutes into my lunch hour and had nothing else with me to work on...the Prime Minister's scarf was at home with the skirt that still needs stitches picked out of it and I had not thought to bring any new projects to cast on.  The only thing left to do was shop for fabric or yarn or notions or tools...something!  It was a costly error I shall not repeat again!

Back to the headband.  I'm quite pleased with how it turned out once it was blocked.

I used silk thread to hold the edges together evenly and then wrapped the thread tightly around some extra pins to achieve a nice straight edge.  Then I stuck in a few extra pins on the edge in case the thread-holding pins came loose or some other unforeseen pin/thread disaster occurred overnight. I owe a big thanks to the Yarn Harlot for inspiration on this one.  I stole it straight from her advice on blocking lace.

Fairy Godchild was also impressed and kindly requested an angora headband of her own by trying to stuff a fistful of the headband in her mouth when I showed it off to her.  I told her she was going to have to get in line.  At some point though I'm sure I'll put off finishing Christmas presents to make her one soon.  Until that happens, I'm focused on making mittens to match the Empress Mum's headband. She needs to match while shooshing down the slopes.  I was thinking I'd use the Flip Flap Mittens pattern. Here's what they look like:

Someone on Ravelry even used the Rowan Angora Haze yarn that I used on the headband, so I feel confident they'll turn out well if I can follow instructions.  In fact, I already wound the yarn (I still think using the ball winder is immensely satisfying), printed the pattern and found my needles!

More on the challenges and rewards of mitten-making to come in the near future!

Until next time,

Jessica, Empress of the Universe