Sunday, January 06, 2013

.... and found!



Hi, Knitters,
Yesterday my husband and I went out for a long hike through the nearby woods and then we went ice skating on a frozen lake not too far from our house. I took a very short video of our skate for you. It's one of the prettiest winters I can remember around here. White is hard to capture on camera, unlike the fall season, but I still try. For email subscribers, if you can't see the video on your email, click here to see it on youtube.

Now for some serious business, the winner of the Knit with Me book by Gudrun Johnston is knittingrandma (rav id) or Debby! Congratulations to Debby! I have already collected her mailing address and forwarded it on to Gudrun. What a great turn out for Gudrun's book giveaway. Thank you for entering and I have another fantastic giveaway for you just around the corner. Keep your eyes out for that, you won't want to miss it.


Do you remember this hat? It was lost. The hat was knit out of the most favorite yarn I ever spun. It was from Fiber Optic roving I purchased with Laura and Leslie from The Knit Girllls by my side at the Kentucky Sheep & Wool Festival. It was a vibrant gradient silk/merino blend. The hat went from fuschia to purple to red at the top. This favorite handspun yarn turned into my most favorite handknit hat ever (and that's saying a lot because I have been knitting for almost 30 years and I've knit hundreds of hats). I had the photo above on my blog banner for a long time. It was a hat that couldn't be replicated due to the memories of being with Laura and Leslie and Dianne (my host) at my first ever fiber festival and then spinning the yarn. The process of creating the hat and the memories involved could not happen again.

I even made a pattern in memory of my favorite knit hat that was lost called, The Lost Banner Hat. This has been an incredibly popular pattern in my pattern shop even though the numbers don't really show that on Ravelry. This made me happy that at least a fun, simple hat pattern came about for people to enjoy. 

Now for the twist. I've told the story before but for story's sake, TC wore the hat to school one day and then I never saw it again...... until now!


This photo was taken yesterday! Look who's wearing her favorite hat again! That's right, it's back on my head once again. Here is what happened. Last week I was digging through the garage for something and I happened upon an old tattered black backpack that belonged to TC a couple of years ago. You guessed it, when I looked inside the backpack before I threw it out, my crumpled hat was on the bottom of that dark backpack! 

I gasped. 

I really could not believe my eyes. 

I swear I looked in that backpack for this hat many times before. But I won't question. I gave it a wash and it has been back on my head where it belongs ever since. True hat love has been found once again. This hat feels and fits like a million bucks. It keeps my head and ears so warm. The Lost Banner Hat is everything I remembered it to be and more. I am hoping for many years of togetherness to come.


Even my Amaryllis is celebrating the Found Banner Hat. I have four of these beautiful blooms in my living room right now. I can't get over how beautiful this flower is in contrast to the white snow outside. I still have a second stalk ready to bloom soon. I look forward to that.


When we came home from our winter hike and lake skate our house smelled so good. My son had just pulled these homemade loaves of bread out of the oven. The warm bread with a little butter really hit the spot after being out in the cold for hours. He is loving his new bread book that I gave him for Christmas. It is fun to watch him go. 

Well, I finished the Belfast Hoodie and it turned out great. I'll see if I can get someone to take a proper photo of me wearing it today instead of taking the photo of myself.  I'll post all about it then so you can get the full view.

I hope you are all enjoying the season. I am soaking up every minute with my house full of kids and friends and cousins, and the beautiful cold temperatures and the snow and ice outside. It's the best.

I'll be back soon with more.
best, susie

33 comments:

Savannagal said...

I've loved your hat ever since I saw it. The colors are my favorites. I've lost and found dear things in the past and know exactly how you feel. It's a really great feeling to recover something so special. I'm so very happy for you.

Savannagal said...

I've loved your hat ever since I saw it. The colors are my favorites. I've lost and found dear things in the past and know exactly how you feel. It's a really great feeling to recover something so special. I'm so very happy for you.

Ruth Colville said...

Congratulations! What a wonder find to begin your new year!

Geknitics said...

Yay! So glad you found your hat! I've lost a few over the years (a Koolhas, a Starcrossed slouchy beret, and a Clapotis). The Clapotis was the worst, as I knit it to wear on my first trip overseas to Scotland AND it was 100% alpaca. Never did find it. I just tell myself that somewhere in North Carolina someone is enjoying an extra warm scarf.

Unknown said...

So happy that you found your hat! The world works in mysterious ways! Hope this is a sign of how great your year to come is!

Blonde said...

That happens to me too often, looking for something everywhere and then finding it somewhere I already looked, more than once... It always feels like gremlins have been playing with it and finally got bored and returned it! Anyway, it's a lot better to find something, even after looking for it for a long time, than never finding it again. ;-)
Enjoy your perfect hat Susan!!!

Diana said...

What a wonderful outcome! I love this hat, too. Is TC banned from wearing it again? ;-)

Megan said...

I'm so glad you found it! This has to be a good omen for 2013.

Melissa said...

Hooray! I'm so happy for you.! :0)

Debby said...

I am so thrilled to be the winner of the book, "Knit With Me". Thank you so much.
I am so glad you found your hat. I need to make me a hat. Like this one for when I go out walking. Here though, it's walking in the rain. Thank you again.

Karen said...

So happy you have found your hat.... thank you for sharing the lake skating sure brings back memories of years past. Love all that you share with us. Thank you

GerryART said...

Thanks for the Skate-Along ! ! !
I've never been and now I know what it feels like gliding over a frozen lake ! ! !
Love to begin the day and year with a Happy-Ending-Story.
Thrilled to hear you've been re-united with YOUR Hat ! !

Harbinger of the year ahead?

hugs

Debbie said...

I am SO HAPPY for you finding that hat -- and yes as another mother of four I totally understand how you can look for something and then find it in the very place you've checked a dozen times! And I imagine you felt soooo sad it was lost but at the same time it was lost accidentally and she didn't do it on purpose and didn't you feel good that she loved the hat as you did and wanted to wear it to school!!!! So this is my happy happy joy joy for the day!

Debbie said...

I am SO HAPPY for you finding that hat -- and yes as another mother of four I totally understand how you can look for something and then find it in the very place you've checked a dozen times! And I imagine you felt soooo sad it was lost but at the same time it was lost accidentally and she didn't do it on purpose and didn't you feel good that she loved the hat as you did and wanted to wear it to school!!!! So this is my happy happy joy joy for the day!

Dorothy said...

Yay for you! It still bothered me that you'd lost your beautiful and treasured hat. I can only imagine how you felt. It's nice to hear of good surprises.

Tiphanie said...

It's wonderful you found your beloved hat! I love that feeling when something you treasure is found.

My youngest daughter lost her beautiful sweater I had knit for her. I think I was more devastated than her, even though she loved it. The yarn is no longer being made, and I haven't been able to find any type of replacement =(

I love how your son is getting so much use out of the book you bought him. And it's a gift that everyone is your house benefits from! <3

Alyssa said...

I'm sorry, I have to share this video with you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bt9zSfinwFA

... Just say no to vertical videos.

Stefanie said...

A fabulous post! Awesome bread. I can almost smell it all the way here and hooray on finding your hat. I am sure it is happy to be on your head.

sally said...

HAPPY HAT REUNION. OH JOY, OH RAPTURE!!!

Deb said...

Oh that bread looks heavenly! I went out an researched the bread book after you posted about it. You are such an amazing resource or so many things:). One special lady!

Deb said...

Oh that bread looks heavenly! I went out an researched the bread book after you posted about it. You are such an amazing resource or so many things:). One special lady!

idiosyncratic eye said...

Yay for finding the hat! I hate losing things. :)

Sara said...

Love this story! You should change your banner back to the lost hat for a little bit, you know, just to honor it! ;)
Take care!
Sara

WildflowerWool said...

So glad you found your hat, what are the chances!?!

Suzanne said...

Wow! I am overjoyed your found it and I know you will wear it with delight.

jennysue said...

Congrats on finding your hat!

I gave that same bread book to my husband for Christmas. And I'm so glad I did - loving the home made bread. Tell your son to try the pizza dough soon - it's so good.
That book is truly the "gift that keeps on giving".

Susan B. Anderson said...

oh, jennysue, he already made the pizza dough and we ate so much pizza during the last packers game. it was ridiculously good! glad you are enjoying the book, too.

Speattle said...

I'm so excited for Knittingrandma! She is about the most deserving person I know of to win this book. Glad to know it was one of "our own"!

I'm very happy about your hat too. What a joyous reunion that must have been.

Now, I am off to see if I can put a copy of Artisan Bread in 5 minutes on my hold list at the library. You got me hooked with the description and photos today.

Dianne@sheepdreams said...

Yay! So glad your hat has come back to you. I love having "souvenirs" like your hat (which is, of course, my rationale for buying yarn or fiber whenever I travel!) I have lovely memories of your visit to Kentucky and hope you know the welcome mat is always out for you here.

Sunrise Knitter said...

The Lost Banner Hat needs to go back on the blog banner in celebration of being found. Congratulations---what fun to have it back keeping you warm!

GynnaB said...

Miss Susie,

Got a question for Mr. Baker! Is he using a baking stone? If so, what brand/size does he recommend? Going to purchase the book and stone for my brother and thought I'd check with the expert!

Thanks!

Gynnab

Susan B. Anderson said...

Gynnab - here is the link to the baking stone my son is using: http://www.amazon.com/Dough-Joe%C2%AE-Pizza-and-Baking-Stone/dp/B004ZLY3US/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357605679&sr=8-1&keywords=dough+joe+pizza+stone

He also recommends getting a pizza peel. Here is the one he got and loves: http://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Supply-14-Inch-16-Inch-Aluminum/dp/B002JPJ0QY/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1357605743&sr=1-1&keywords=pizza+peel

Good luck!! What a great gift!
susan

Julie said...

There is nothing more thrilling than finding something like that. So happy you found it! Tanknit