Bound off: Rustling Leaves Beret

It's October!!

My favorite month is finally here.

There's nothing not to like about October.

First, there's my birthday. I'm getting a little old to be celebrating, perhaps, but while I'm not a fan of ageing, I do like attention, special meals and presents.

We also celebrate our first anniversary later this month--CP may back our car into stationary objects occasionally, but he's otherwise fairly awesome, and we've had an amazing first year together.

In less than 3 weeks I'll be at the New York Sheep and Wool Festival, aka Rhinebeck. I'm taking a spinning class with Abby Franquemont, and then I'll be shopping shopping shopping.

(Hope to see you there!)

And then, Halloween! Candy! It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! Pumpkin carving! Ghost tours! Trick-or-Treaters!

Possibly The Nightmare Before Christmas--I can never figure out when the appropriate time to watch that is.

(I would also note that this time next year, it will be totally appropriate for me to watch Boo to You Too, Winnie the Pooh!)

Also, it's now acceptable to eat pumpkin EVERYTHING! Muffins, cookies, whoopie pies, scones, soup, lattes, ale.
(Well, maybe just half an ale for me.)
CP even found pumpkin pie Pop-Tarts!

(If there are pumpkin pie Toaster Strudel, someone please tell me!)

And of course, the weather is turning cool and crisp. You can start pulling out your wool socks and cowls and jaunty berets.

Like this one:

Pattern: Rustling Leaves Beret, by Alana Dakos, in Coastal Knits
Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino light, left over from mom's Featherweight Cardigan
Needles: size 2 and 3 16" circular
Mods: no icord bloopy thing on top
Ravelry link

I think this is a great fall hat pattern. You can easily complete it with leftover sock yarn, and it knits up quickly--this took just about 4 days.

This isn't a hat to keep you warm in a blizzard, but makes a sweet little fall accessory.

Of course, you need to own a copy of Coastal Knits to get this pattern, but in my opinion, it's well worth the $22, with 2 patterns I've knit already, and at least 3 more I plan to knit.

This particular pattern has both written and charted instructions, so even the anti-chart among us can have a beautiful hat in no time.

Alana included her signature icord  . . . bloopy thing . . . at the top of the hat, and I implemented one of my signature moves by leaving it out.

Block it over a small dinner plate and voila!

And, perhaps most, most importantly . . .

THE ORIOLES ARE GOING TO THE PLAYOFFS!

It's true.

For the first time in FIFTEEN YEARS, the Baltimore Orioles will be appearing in the postseason. They clinched a playoff berth yesterday, though with 3 games left in the season, it's not clear at this point whether they'll be a Wild Card team or, hope against hope, if they'll win the division.

Best. October. Ever.

So, in honor of my favorite month and my favorite team, sometime over the next few days I'll be releasing a special coupon code for my pattern store. But, you'll need to follow me on Twitter or Facebook to get it!

So, Tweeps--eww, I really just can't stand that. Ugh.

Let's try again. So, Twitter users, you can follow me here, and Facebook fans, you can "like" MediaPeruana designs over here. Or both.

Keep an eye out!