I really don't know how this happened.

I went to the yarn store. I went to get this:


To make a hat for my friend's baby (due in March, but possibly born as soon as next week). I thought this would be simple.

So how did this stuff leap into my bag? I really don't know.

Two skeins of Jawoll color, number ... well, I'm never sure, but I *think* it's 567/80? Or 82.0134. Either way it's shades of blue and silver plyed with black. This will be socks for Robb or me, not sure yet. Then, a skein of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock in Spring Frost and a Potluck skein of Earth.

How did this happen? I really don't understand. They must love me very much in order to come home with me. It's like kittens and puppies. I'm sure of it.

Here's the hat in progress. It's pretty adorable...it's the Rainbow hat from the Itty-bitty Hat book, but I only like five colors. The pile of stuff in the upper corner of the pic is the curly tassle for the top of the hat. The green and white blop is the failed vertical stripe hat.

So far, I'm not a gigantic fan of this book. I don't know what it is about the directions, but they're making me crazy. I got three strips into the vertical stipe hat, but the preposterous suggestion that one take all these different strips that have all these different gauges and pick up stitches from the edges...well, let's just say that if I were Grumperina and amazing and brilliant and had infinite patience, I could probably make it work. Another time, I'll knit the hat with wool -- not cotton -- and knit all the strips individually, and then block them, and then seam them together properly. No offense to Drew and Laura...but they're coworker friends, not hanging-out friends, you know?

So it's the Rainbow medley hat. With the curlies on top.

But here's the thing I'm most excited about.

I plan to put it to use tomorrow, but the reasons aren't so happy. My grammy -- my last biological grandparent -- was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It's aggressive, and it's not worth treating. She already has CHF, so in some ways this is good...now she knows how the end will come, and has some idea of when.

She's getting Malabrigo felted slippers. I'm going to the yarn store tomorrow. I thought I might make matching handwarmers -- just a k2p2 pattern. Any other suggestions for a lady who is prone to swelling in her ankles and feet?