New Winter Wear, and a Hair Cut too!

I got my hair cut a few weeks ago.  We're not talking a little trim, no siree.  I cut off a good 6 inches this time around. 

Of course, all my knit winter wear became woefully inadequate (well, not really, I still love all my knit winter wear), but, I still wanted something new.  A nice cowl to cover up my bare neck, a new hat perhaps.

So I made both!

I wanted to have a fun outdoor photoshoot, but the autumn turned grey and blah and we've just been too busy to make it happen.  So I improvised.  Just me, the camera and the camera remote.  It took me a while to figure out how to take these self portraits.  In the end, I like them, but I do feel a little like a Brady Bunch character, looking in all sorts of directions.  Ha!

My Rusty Star Crossed Beret:

This is a free pattern, available here.  It uses less than one skein of Malabrigo worsted on big needles.  I think I used 8.0 mm. It is the longest hat ever, but I think I like it.  I only feel moderately silly when I wear it, but, I always feel silly the first few times I wear a knit item I've made.  Am I the only one like that?

Why yes, that is the lovely hand-dyed yarn I blogged about a few weeks ago.  Thank you for noticing!

The second thing I knit was a Shawl Collared Cowl.  The pattern is by Alana Dakos.  Available here.

This was the first pattern I have purchased from Alana (AKA Nevernotknitting) and I liked it alot.  The patterns have all been recently redesigned and are gorgeous.  My only complaint (and it's a small one) is that the pdf is so image heavy that it becomes bulky and printing it took me forever.  I'm talking a long time.  I kept shutting down my computer because it was thinking so long about each page that I assumed it had already finished.

I had to improvise a bit with my knitting since I didn't have enough of the Grignasco Jazz (the lighter orange).  I think it looks pretty good, although the cowl could certainly use a block so it lays more flat.  I haven't bothered yet because I wear it under a coat and it looks great that way as is.  It really does look like I have a big sweater on.  I like that it isn't too bulky down my front as well (like a normal scarf can be).

There is the Brady Bunch pose again... haha

I'm going to post this next photo, just because I look so darn serious, which I kind of love. 

When I posted my photos on Ravelry yesterday, a few people mentioned that they really liked my hair cut (they thought!) but it was hard to see.  I agree.  I hadn't actually styled my hair when I took these photos, which is why I was wearing the hat to cover it up.  I do like the way its flippy when I'm wearing hats. 

I did decide to go back and take a few more photos after I styled my hair, just so you can all say you have seen the new cut.  It was several hours later and a lot darker.  I also couldn't figure out the remote this time around.... Here's what I came up with...  I guess I should have worn a thick sweater or something, I look super tiny in these photos.  Oh well, I like that they are a little raw.