Almost instant gratification

It's fun to whip out quick projects, especially in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. I had a few this month.

First, I experienced a not-exactly-unexpected surge of interest in weaving potholders. I find them to be so useful - especially the larger, PotholderPRO size, which makes an 8" square finished potholder. And they are little works of art. Harrisville Designs sells the looms and the 100% cotton loops, all made in the U.S. I got my nieces a potholder and lots of loops for Christmas, which naturally reignited my own creative interest.

Here's the first potholder I whipped out this December. I chose Hanukkah colors, as this was a gift for the hosts of a latke gathering (ingeniously re-engineered for COVID safety).The pattern looks complicated, but it's actually quite simple. It uses three colors which are arranged in a simple A-B-C-A-B-C pattern in both warp and weft. There are 27 loops in warp and 27 in weft, so this pattern works especially well. 

I found this pattern in the Potholder Design Wizard tool, which is SO MUCH FUN. 

Then I decided that Christmas potholders were also necessary, so I ordered more loops in burgundy, pine, and winter white. First, I made the same design:

Then I did this one, which uses slightly more red than green:

And then I did its inverse, which uses slightly more green than red:

I can't tell you how pleased these made me. I gave two away and kept one for our kitchen. Here they are as snow is beginning to fall:

I also whipped up a quick hat for Boy 1. I got these two balls of Reggae Ombre yarn from Lancaster Yarn Shop earlier this year. 

The shop created the Upstream pattern (Ravelry link) specifically to showcase this yarn. It's a very simple hat with stranded colorwork, but since the yarns keep changing color, it looks more complicated than it is. I picked these colors with Boy 1 in mind - the gray ombre because gray is his favorite color, and the blue because it reminds me of his (college) school colors. The result is lovely!

Out of two 50-gram balls, I have about 35 grams remaining. While that isn't enough for a second hat, adding just one more ball would make enough. Getting two hats from three balls of yarn is a pretty good deal, so I will probably pick up another ball next time I'm there.

If/when I make this again, I think I will work double fabric on the brim. The main part of the hat is extra cozy because of the stranding on the inside, but the ribbing on the brim is not ... yet that is on the forehead which needs extra warmth. Modification is likely coming.