I will launch straight into my progress on my hat or the floppy beret to give it its proper title. Do you remember how I crowed about how it was a piece of cake after I had got past the initial casting on and pattern rows? Wrong.
I think it is probably a good thing to post the disasters as well as the successes so here goes. As you will remember, I struggled to cast on this hat and start the initial pattern. I did it a couple of times and got it wrong, so when a friend's mum offered to start it for me I jumped at the chance. She started it and I took over. It went really well until it came to the decreasing bit. Try as hard as I might I could not get the pattern and decreasing to work. When I counted the stitches I had fourteen extra. How does that work! The pattern had worked out ok up to this point. I ummed and ahhed and decided to do the decreasing in stocking stitch. I got it down to the amount of stitches it should have been then followed the pattern for the decreases. There. A tah-dah moment but no quite the one I would have hoped. Never mind. I put it on my daughters head and it was massive. If I had left a hole in the top, she could have worn it as a dress!
I put it in a 40 degree wash to shrink it just a little. Nothing happened. So I stuck it on 60 just for a short wash. So here you have it. A completely felted hat.
I could have done it all in stocking stitch and it would not have mattered. You cannot see any of the intricate lace pattern that was there. Promise. I suppose the lesson learned has to be to start my own work so that I know exactly what is going on and am more able to deal with any problems, should they arise (who am I kidding). My daughter said that she will wear it anyway (although there seems to be a reluctance on her part to try it on). I don't want a pity wear!
On a more positive note, here is my son in his stripey sweater. It was quite a hot day yesterday but he powered on through and put it on for his photos.
As you can see, it does fit. Just. I am not sure how long it will fit for.
Despite his posture he was actually quite happy for me to take photos of him. I might make him brush his hair next time but I didn't want to push my luck.
I have been jiggling the blog page about a bit so bear with me, it is definitely a work in progress.
Here is a hat I am knitting for my daughter. It came as a kit from and Stitch and Craft Fair. I couldn't get to grips with the pattern at all and it ended up sitting in the bag for about a year. Finally, a friends mum started it for me and did the first pattern set. Since then it has been plain sailing, although the hat seems to be massive. It is called a floppy beret.
It is a beautiful yarn. It is called Silkwood Halo and is 70% angora and 30% wool. It is my first attempt with circular needles and it hasn't been too bad, now I have the hang of it. 
I think everyone was quite disappointed with the bag and made their feelings known on Ravelry on the Rowan group. I was a little disappointed but as I had not renewed until January this year, it was my second gift in a year, so it seemed churlish to complain. Anyway, Rowan have listened. Yesterday I had an email to say that they will be sending out an extra gift of a Winter Kids pattern book. Yay for Rowan.
I decided that I would take my bag out for an airing at the local knitting group. I went with my socks packed in it because a) it is impossible to knit anything intricate at knitting group as we all talk far too much and b) it is really a rather small bag. I also popped my phone and purse into the bag. On the way there I had to stop for petrol and had also been tasked with buying the milk and biscuits for the group. When I went in to pay it was easier to take the whole bag in rather than pfaffing around trying to find purse and phone. When I got to the counter I put my milk and biscuits on the counter and the assistant asked whether I would like my bag packed. Oh no, my Rowan chic had been reduced to supermarket shopper!