Finished!

So I finished my hat today. Isn't it cute?

The pattern claimed that casting on 72 stitches would make the hat big enough to fit any adult. I was skeptical, because my head is large (23"). So I cast on 8 more stitches, and knit a little more than the recommended 9 inches before I started decreasing.

Well, guess what? It's a little big. It's not a problem, because I can roll up the brim and I've already gotten compliments on it. But now I know that 72 stitches would have been enough, and I can proceed with confidence when making hats from this pattern in the future.

I had a little trouble sewing up the seam. I tried to teach myself from a book, but I could tell I wasn't doing it right. So I went to my current favorite yarn shop. It's adorable. They have a dog who naps in the store. They also have cute knitting magazines lying around (I want a subscription to Rowan now). The owner was kind enough to teach me how to sew the seam, and she didn't just teach me and run, either. She waited till I was totally comfortable doing it myself. It struck me that she'd be a perfect bike-riding teacher; she would know just when to let go.

Also, in the store they were playing Dixie Chicks. I've never really followed country music. But I was thinking how nice the music was to knit to, and someone explained that it was them - Taking the Long Way.