Trade Winds Beanie

My first finished knit of 2012. The pattern is called Norie by Gudrun Johnston which I named trade winds because the winds are equatorial and the color is rather tropical. I even used fancy yarn. It's Madelintosh tosh dk in clover. The yarn is soft with a silky drape, however it grows quite a bit compared to other yarns. This is partly why I ended up knitting the hat twice! The second time on smaller needles. Aside from the set back I absolutely love how it turned out. I learned that I have an affinity for slouchy beanies even though I'm not as fond of slouchy berets. doh! This project is an example of what I want to do more of this year, make more things from my ravelry queue. Knitting patterns that aren't designed by me is a great way to learn new techniques and maybe even get a sweater finished.