Been knitting in a heat wave for a couple of weeks, thirsting for that which best expresses my summer blues, and so I’ve produced the latest . . . I call it simply  ” Azure “. It is a perky beret shape that is less voluminous than the recent one’s I’ve been knitting up,  narrower and vaguely muffin-shaped as are some of the Old World Scottish bonnets I’ve seen. Uh huh… (more photos upcoming).

But what I love most about this beret is the color-work in the band while the crown is a single complimenting color, don’t you?  I tell you, in this particular knitted beret, it is all about the subtle Fair Isle motif that one can barely see,  from the two shades of blue, one angle the motifs pop out, another they disappear into each other.  Can you see the design in there?  I have more photos where it stands out better, in different light, but will save them for Azure’s pattern debut, second in the series, which will be happening very soon !

With Dicey and Azure, I have learned how to make a lined band, concentric decreases, experimented with several shapes of varying lengths, and practicing my ‘new stitch’ , while also focusing the design into the band alone, in a Guarda Pampa sort of affect.  Oh, and I’ve also been toying with the adorable thing which is a toorie !

Azure & Dicey are knitted from Virtual Yarns Hebridean 2ply ,  a yarn with which I am totally smitten, but which substitutes excellently with renowned Shetland wool yarns of Jamieson & Smith, and Jamiesons of Shetland for those who prefer them.   Coming up soon is the pattern for Azure, yeah sure, but maybe I’ll round-up the tam-o-shanter inspired series for an e-book sort of thing. Everybody is doing e-books, why not run with the herd ???  I’ll be hunkered down with the last one in the days ahead. More wool bonnets mean still more wool bonnet knitting in the heat of Northern California summer ! Have I gone insane?

Well, there you have it, the blue has taken hold of me. This is the fifth post in a row about blue ….  and I have not even done this consciously !  Fortunately, as of this morning, there has been a significant drop on the thermometer, and I’m writing this while overlooking dense fog in the valley and 56 degrees Fahrenheit.  Going to cast-on this very minute for another !