Yarn Friends Just Get It

There are some things that my yarn friends just... get. At least, all the  friends I have do. Most of my yarn friends like to cook... or at least, they have the same appreciation for a home-cooked meal. My yarn friends enjoy a comforting hot drink of tea or coffee. And they all seem to have a generosity of spirit that make me so grateful that they are part of my life.

Today, I made a HUMONGOUS batch of vegetarian chilli for the first time. We had some for lunch, and then I packed the rest away into the freezer for the next two weeks of lunches. I mostly followed the recipe, except I added more chilli and some taco seasoning, ditched the sugar, and left out the black eyed peas. I also added a chopped up package of extra firm tofu. And yes, that's how I follow  a recipe. It was SO GOOD.

And I also made cornbread for the first time with a recipe that someone I follow on Google+ gave me. I mostly followed it, too... except I made mine without the cheese and onions she puts in hers, and added some sugar to make it a little sweet. It was also SO GOOD.

And knowing those two recipes worked makes me so happy because my knit friend Winnipeg is coming to visit, and they'll be great dishes to make together. That will be SO GOOD, too.

Because she's a yarn friend. She gets these things.

And the other day, I got a wonderful package in the mail from my blog friend, YarnKettle. We decided a couple of months ago that we'd do another tea swap. I sent her a couple of bags of some of my favourite loose teas, and in return she sent me this lovely tea cup:

And one or two bags of tea:

AND a skein of beautiful sock yarn:

AND... a cute little tiny handknit sweater that she made of her OWN handspun. Geez Louise, how nice.

And it's all so lovely. For someone who lives on the other side of the continent from me, she sure knows when a yarn friend needs a lift. So many thanks, friend.

But today, I need some help from my yarn friends. I need some opinions.

I finished this hat the other day. I'm not so sure about it. It's Slipstream by Louise Zass-Bangham, which you can buy as part of an ebook that includes a matching cowl and mitts. I made it with a skein of Fleece Artist sock yarn that I've tried about three different patterns with. I felt good about this one... but I'm just not sure. It looks great from the top:

Not so sure about the rest of it. I have worn it once or twice, but maybe it needs blocking.

But the stitches are interesting. So what do you think? Yay or nay?

I guess I'll grow to love it. I better... I just cast on for the matching cowl. Heh. This could be interesting.

That's something else my yarn friends would get, too: the madness of making TWO things from a pattern you're not so sure about. It's nice to have company with similar crazy people. It makes me smile just thinking about it.

Later, my crazies.