I'm ready for Christmas!

 I never specified which year. Did I?  This is my Julehue, a stocking hat with Scandinavian color work in grey and red. The pattern and yarn are from Stoff & Stil. I can't seem to find it on their website any longer, which is actually not surprising as Easter has passed a week ago.

This is an example of my enjoyment of the crafting process. We travel a lot and my house would be cluttered with bits and pieces of souvenirs had I long ago figured out that craft supplies such as yarn and fabric make great travel souvenirs. In fact, I enjoy them three times over.

Firstly, what fun is there to be had to find the sewing stores and yarn shops in various places. They generally are off the beaten tourist track and you find yourself in the shops and neighborhoods where people live and work. It is lovely to sample the local flavor of color and patterns. And finally, working out what you'd like to buy and make and wear. This hat is from Copenhagen, Denmark, remarkably the only European city which I would visit a second time...or third...or forth. Don't get me wrong here, I am just not a city girl. Once is enough for me for most cities, I prefer trees and flowers to signposts and sidewalks. This hat or the supplies for this hat were bought in Stoff & Stil in Copenhagen on the last weekend in October. We had just enjoyed walking past Tivoli gardens and watching the kids dressed in their Halloween costumes. Ducking in the door of Stoff & Stil immediately pushed us into Christmas or Jule. What fun! It was cheery and homey and comfortable and I found this hat and had to have it. So that is enjoying one of my Copenhagen souvenirs the first time.

Next, I got to make it. The pattern was in Danish and the process of sorting out the language and the wool together brought back more memories of Copenhagen. Yes, it took most of four months to make this hat, but crafting for me is no longer about piece production and a blog post every week. It is about the process and each step of the process from gathering the tools to weaving in the ends. This is the second enjoyment period. I tend to make this a long as possible and this is why I have a hoard in my sewing room.

Finally, I get to enjoy the hat by wearing it every winter and again remembering Copenhagen and the entire process of creating my own version of Julehue.