I’m making “Hoppin’ John” for good luck today. It’s Blackeyed peas and rice, basically. In the south of the US, they eat this on the first day of the year. I used to work with a lot of folks from the South and once even got invited over to someone’s house to eat blackeyes with her. It was a gift of love. She’s passed on now, but I always remember her fondly on New Year’s day.

One woman I know grew up in Texas. She says some people even put dried blackeyed peas in their change purses on New Year’s day to bring luck in the “money department.” Maybe it worked, if this woman’s life situation is any indication.

We went to a party this afternoon and I took the Hoppin’ John to the potluck. It is interesting to hear who has heard about eating blackeyes on New Year’s Day. Mostly it is folks with some family ties to the southern states in the USA.

I tried to sew the hatband on my purple beret when I was at the party. I need better bifocals and very, very good lighting to really do this without straining. I got maybe one-fourth of the band sewn on before giving up. So close, too! Only another fourth of the way and I can block and then wear it.

I really want to take a nap, but I have a box full of hand-dyed yarns that I want to photograph and put up for sale. I thought I might get them up and running in time for Socknitters’ Ad Day, but I can’t imagine how I’ll get it done soon enough. I guess I have other ways of announcing the yarns when I get it together. Meanwhile I’ll enjoy touching and thinking about these lovely yarns.

I started a purple mohair beret/tam (hat) Monday night, and worked on it much of Tuesday. The yarns are Berocco Mohair Classic and Trendsetter Charm as a knit-along for interest. It is knit on size 10 needles (except the headband and I-cord “tail”) which is much larger than I typically work. I really needed an instant project after the last few sock projects.

The great news was that I needed just one skein of each yarn. I had less than three yards left of the Charm, so it was a close call. The headband I-cord is only mohair, but that makes it more comfortable and it looks great.

I finished it (except for the I-cord headband) just before midnight on New Year’s Eve. I’m sewing the last half of the I-cord into the hat right now, and it looks promising. I think I will actually wear this one, Yippee!!!

It is easy to make a shape that looks like a beret, but very difficult to make a headband that actually fits well enough to wear. I wear a beret most every day, almost the whole time I’m awake. It has to be comfortable. I can’t even count how many hats I’ve knit and either given away or sold, because they were not “just right.” I might have figured it out this time.

I’ll show pictures of the beret soon. Meanwhile, I wish a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to you all!