Fried Up

Memo to myself: 

Things to do today:

1)  Sew bacon on hat.  2)  Sew sausage link on hat.  3)  Sew fried egg on hat.  4)  Sew toast triangle on hat. 

Yup, the Fry Up hat is completed.  This really ranks up there with one of the more ridiculous knitted items in the universe.  It's just totally goofy.  I have no doubt that my sister, Liz, will love it and wear it with pride.  My other sister, Kirsten, says the bacon "looks like it's been in the fridge a bit too long".  Sheesh, my knitting critic.  As this was the first piece of bacon I can honestly say I've ever knitted, I was really winging it out there.  And, you know, in an artistic fiber interpretation of bacon, I rather like it.   I thought I might put a second sausage link on it, but when I started sewing everything down, I didn't think I had the room.  Liz said that the women in her book club are all talking about making their own Fry Up berets.  There's a mental image for you.  Liz is in two different book clubs, a "serious" one where they actually occasionally read the book and discuss it, and a "slacker" book club, where they don't even make any pretenses about reading the book, but rather get together to visit, drink wine, and eat brownies.  My money is bet on it being the "slacker" book club that want to wear Fry Up hats. 

     I wanted to take a photo of the beret on an actual head.  I thought about putting it on my son's soccer ball, as it is semi-headlike, but I didn't think my sister would appreciate her hat on a dirty ball.  There isn't enough alcohol or promises of wild sex to bribe my husband into posing with the Fry Up on his head, but our son agreed to it, as long as I took a picture  of him holding a stick and looking fierce first.  Of course, as I'm taking the photo, our neighbor came over to check out what we were doing.  I did feel like a total fool.  "Umm, it's a hat for my sister of knitted breakfast foods."  Luckily, I created a suitable diversion by inviting the neighbor over for a glass of wine later tonight.  Quick thinking, Jess. 

     So, here are the knitting stats on the Fry Up hat.  Basically, it's a bit of everything left over in my yarn stash.  Wool, cotton, mohair, even acrylic.  I didn't knit the British peas in the original pattern and instead decided to substitute a more American triangle of toast.  If you ever want to knit toast, here's my pattern:  cast on three stitches in bread color, knit garter stitch and increase one stitch at each end every other row until you reach the size of toast you desire.  Then do a little crochet border around two sides for the crust.  The pat of butter is just a separately knit square. 

       My sister sent me photos of my niece wearing the Jingle Jangle sweater.  Initially, my sister said that the neck hole was too small to get over Bella's big baby head, but I suggested the very technical technique of "try to gently stretch the neck out" and it seemed to do the trick.  I know I say this all the time, but she really is a cutie.  Those are stylin' shoes, Bella.  Do they make them in your aunt's size? I noticed that the tulip knit border looks like the same pattern as the one Sally has put on a baby blanket she's knitting for a future niece/nephew.  I just love the old-fashioned look of her blanket.  It's really sweet.

Comments

[Liz]

Hi Jess!

Wow! The beret looks GREAT! I'm so psyched to wear it! Would it be too much to ask if you could send it to me by next week? On Friday (3/25), everyone is dressing up at school. The entire middle school team is dressing up like princesses. I want to be "Princess of the Breakfast Foods." I don't mean to be bossy or demanding...if you don't have the time to send it, I totally understand. Thank you, Jess!!!! I LOVE it!!!!