As I mentioned the other day, I participated in the Warm Hats, Not Hot Heads campaign. I did so by knitting a Botanic Hat for Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts. I think this was perfect appropriate since he’s my senator. And, while I’ve never met him, Dale has and that’s cool by me.

Anyway, this pattern is fun to knit and fairly quick, too.

I knit the fold up brim version because I just think a man’s hat looks better with a folded up brim.

I love that it’s reversible.

And honestly, I can’t decide which side I like better.

I have decided, though, that this campaign was a very good thing. I’m hoping we get some attention for it and I’m hoping that it actually makes a difference because, really, enough with the angry politics.

This is the letter I sent with my hat, an amalgamation of letters I read from other participants:

Dear Senator Kerry;

The enclosed hat was hand knit for you by me. I knit the hat as part of a national campaign among knitters called Warm Hats, Not Hot Heads. The campaign was created as a way of reaching out to you and your colleagues in the house and senate to ask for civility and respect.

Knitters, like politicians, are from many political backgrounds. Some of us are liberal and some of us are conservative but we all have common ground as knitters and as Americans. I believe that even the most polarized among us can find something to agree about. And yet, all around us there is anger and vicious rhetoric.  The Warm Hats, Not Hot Heads campaign is our way of asking that this antagonism take a backseat to civility. That members of Congress truly do what is best for the American people and not just what it takes to get reelected. We are choosing to give hours of our time to be able to give you a visible, tangible, heartfelt symbol of our desire for respect and honor within our government – and to thank you for doing your best.

As you look at the hat I ask that you consider that the stitches of the hat represent individual Americans.  Each stitch is significant and each stitch depends on every other stitch for it to be able to do its job of creating comfort and warmth. I know that if we all work together and build each other up our country will be an amazing place.

If you cannot personally use the hat I encourage you to donate it to a worthwhile charity in Massachusetts.

I am a proud constituent and I wish you the best in your work. Thank you for your service to the people of Massachusetts.

Today is the deadline for mailing the hats so all that’s left to do is sit back and wait and see if a warm hat can make a difference.

I’m betting that it can.

Today’s Eye Candy Friday is brought to you by SPA! My weekend will include lots of spinning, some knitting, lots of hanging out with grrlfriends, some drinking, and lots of laughing!

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

Last year at SPA I was sporting a new sweater. This year, alas, there is nothing quite so grand. I do, however, have a new pair of socks to wear.

I call them my PB&J socks because the yarn color is called Fluffer Nutter and Jam. It’s Numma Numma Toasty that I bought ages ago from the Loopy Ewe.

They are my second pair of finished socks for 2011 and that puts me right on track for one pair per month. Meeting goals makes me happy.

New socks make me happy, too.

I will say that they are very very soft. This  makes me a bit nervous about how well they will hold up.

That’s actually okay, though.  I know how to make more.

Okay, truthfully, it’s fire enhanced with Rainbow Flame Crystals!

My annual Grrl’s Weekend, affectionately called SPA, is coming up this weekend. This week’s topic, 10 Favorite Cocktails (or mocktails for those so inclined) was definitely inspired by the thought of hanging with my best knitting and spinning friends, sipping cocktails, and relaxing.

1. My favorite of all cocktails is a Dirty Grey Goose Martini. I read about this drink in a novel years ago and knew I had to try it. I haven’t looked back since.
2. Cosmopolitan. Sex and the City made it famous for a good reason.
3. Along those same lines, I love a good Pomtini. Switch out the cranberry juice in the Cosmo for pomegranate juice and you’ve got yourself a delicious alternative. With antioxidants.
4. Pass me a Margarita. Lots of tequila and not a lot of ice, that’s how I roll.
5. How about a Mai Tai? It’s especially delicious with sushi.
6. Malibu Rum and Pineapple Juice. I also add a splash of cranberry juice and orange juice. My stepdaughter Jessica, and I always drink these on our summer vacation on Cape Cod.
7. Whiskey Sour. This is my go-to drink if I go to a band job with Dale and it’s at a VFW. They don’t make great Cosmos or Martinis there but they can rock the Whiskey Sour.
8. Bloody Mary. I like mine with a lot of celery and some shrimp, too. Breakfast of champions, my friends.
9. Spicy Lover. I had this in Vegas and I loved it so I came home and figured out how to make it. I haven’t had one in a while, though, and I’m having a crrrrrrraving.
10. Mojito. I have mint growing in my herb garden and there’s nothing better than sipping a yummy mojito on the deck on a hot summer afternoon.

It’s slightly embarassing how easy it was to write this list. Everything in moderation, though, and it’s all good.

One of the most important things about having a knitting blog is showing the world your hand knits. I do that by staging a photo shoot. Sometimes that photo shoot can be a failure. The conditions aren’t right, the lighting is flat, the model isn’t available, the setting is boring – there are a jillion things that can go wrong.

But sometimes you get lucky and the photo shoot is a major success. That’s how I felt when I took pictures of my finished Thorpe Hat last Friday. The weather was perfect, lighting was great, my model was available, the angels sang, and I wound up with a whole bunch of really great pictures.

Wanna see?

She’s pretty cute, sitting there on the deck railing. I bought her those boots last October and I think she has worn them every day since.

And the coat was a Christmas present. It’s good that it’s black because it goes with everything. Like this hat. And the boots, of course.

The extra blond-ness of her hair was a present, too. It cost more than the boots, if you can believe it.

It’s a good thing she doesn’t come home too often because she always costs me money when she shows up. She’s worth it, though.

My father-in-law’s cat, Baby, couldn’t resist coming over and hanging out with Hannah while I snapped away. She walks over the snow to come visit us. Shh. Don’t tell Mason.

I suppose I should actually talk about the hat a little bit. I knit it with my handspun but I don’t remember what it is.  And I crocheted that half double crochet border myself.  I’m quite proud of that itty bit of crochet, I’ll tell you.

Okay, back to talking about the photos of my kid and her grandpa’s cat.

Yes, that’s a smirk. It’s a good thing she’s cute.

I know, I know, another tulip. But I got them for Valentine’s Day and I’ve been photographing them all week. It’s a nice shot of spring and since it actually feels like spring around here today I’m extra happy.

Hope your weekend is extra happy, too!

Sometimes when Thursday rolls around I have a newly finished hand knit to show you.

Sometimes when Thursday rolls around I have 3 things to tell you.

And sometimes when Thursday rolls around I have nothing.

Well, nothing except this photograph, which I think perfectly represents this week’s Thursday Challenge of texture.

There’s the texture of the bark on the trees. And the texture of Baby’s fur. There’s even texture to all that snow.

So that’s what I have this Thursday. Texture.

My Toodledo list is exploding and I’ve got lots of my mind so today I’m embracing the random . . .

• The handspun arm warmers (pictured above) that I started last week are wonderful. I can’t remember what the fiber is but I think it came from Spunky Eclectic. It’s soft and the colors remind me of a campfire.
• Speaking of handspun, I always think my handspun is bulkier than it is. I think I pretty consistently spin worsted or DK, which is a very usable weight, but I’m always convinced it’s thicker than that. I don’t know why I do this but there it is.
• The other thing I’m knitting right now is a Botanic Hat. This is part of the Warm Hats Not Hot Heads campaign, which means the hat will be going to my very own Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. I think this is a wonderful idea and would encourage any of you to check out the list and adopt a congressman or senator and knit them a hat.
• I got an email yesterday from MiniSoup Kate asking if I would publicize her guild’s workshop with Lucy Neatby. There are still spaces left and you can read more about it and download the registration flyer here. This is a great opportunity for any of you local peeps!
• Finally, in case you were wondering, yes, I made The Cream Puffs on Valentine’s Day.

• They were delicious.
• The end.

I have to admit that sometimes I struggle to come up with topics for this whole  Ten on Tuesday thing.  It’s not easy to keep it positive, keep it simple and keep it interesting! That said, I’m hoping this week’s topic, 10 Favorite Non-Knitting  Blogs, is a winner. I think it will be because I think, while we all read lots of knitting blogs, that we are all also reading other types of blogs and I’d love to know what they all are.  Here are mine:

1. The Pioneer Woman. She’s probably going to be at the top of  a lot of lists today but that’s for good reason – she’s funny, she’s interesting, and she’s a great cook. I started reading her when Norma linked to her French Breakfast Puffs and I haven’t stopped since.
2. The World Needs More Pie. I love pie and this is a great blog about a woman who is starting her life over (by baking pie) after the unexpected death of her husband. Plus, she lives in the American Gothic house. Very cool.
3. Stuff White People Like. Irreverent, yes, but oh so funny.
4. With apologies to my conservative friends (what? I have a few!), Margaret and Helen. I kind of doubt it’s actually written by two old ladies named Margaret and Helen but the political commentary is spot on.
5. This Is Reverb. A little photography, a little cooking, a little religion, plus a beautiful wife and some adorable kids – with another on the way – makes this a very readable blog.
6. Historical Digression. My friend Patrick writes this one and sometimes the historical stuff is over my head but he’s a good writer and I’ve learned a lot of local history from him.
7. Blue Mass Group. More politics but this time with a Massachusetts (i.e. liberal) spin.
8. Bake at 350. I dream of making cookies as beautiful as hers. Dream being the key word here.
9. BuffettNews.com. I got to keep up on my Jimmy, you know.
10. Iffles.com. I’ve only recently started reading photography blogs and some of them are just too technical but this one is very enjoyable and inspiring.

I can’t wait to read about what you all are reading! Be sure and add your entry to the list blogs participating this week.