Mojo Magic

We meet a lot of customers in the shop who confess to having "too many" projects on the go at home. This fact is whispered conspiratorially, often guiltily, and quite often during a purchase of yarn for a new project to be started. Of course, we understand, I'm sure not I'd like to know the actually number of items that I have languishing half-finished on needles, scattered around my house. That said I think there's a great benefit to be had from not feeling too tied-down to a project. Sometimes our enthusiasm can wane mid-way through a second sleeve (as is currently happening with my Nanook) and all we need is a little pick-me-up: a quick project to boost the knitting mojo again, to remind us that FOs can and *will* happen, and we'll be delighted that we plugged on through another few inches of stockinette. And, for me, the Garter Ear Flap Hat from the wonderful Purl Soho website has been that project. A two-night diversion, with just enough detail in the techniques to keep things interesting. The clever short row shaping used for the ear flaps creates a flowing, seamless finish, and the visible line of double decreases lead in to a pleasingly whimsical tassel. The pattern is free and this baby size version was knit using less than one ball of Katia's Cotton-Merino. All in all, a pretty much guilt-free diversion, one which has magically restored my mojo. Now... where's that second sleeve?