FO: Neighborly Hat

The new semester starts tomorrow, so it feels good to get at least one FO in the bag before I have to go back to grading, lesson planning, and running from college to dance.
It's the Neighborly Hat!

Pattern: "Christopher", by Jane Richmond (the first, but definitely not the last pattern I have from her- LOVE her stuff!)
Materials: Yarn was the ever-trusty Cascade 220, in gray and midnight blue.  Both skeins were taken from the stash, so this also helped get rid of the very large amount of yarn I had laying around.  Needles were size 7 bamboo.

Time Frame: Started on Christmas day, very early in the airport on the way to Florida.  Knit a good majority of this in FL, and only did the decreases in MN.  Finished January 11th.  Nice and quick knit.
Made for: David, my parent's neighbor and dad of my best friend Heather.  Ever since my parents moved to Florida, David has been shoveling the driveway of my parent's house in MN when it snows, taking in the mail, and stopping by pretty much every day when he's out walking his dog.  All because he's super nice and an awesome guy.  I figured the least I could do was knit him something warm for those walks!

Worst Part: Miles and miles of stockinette.  Actually, it wasn't that bad, mostly because it was the perfect "trip knit" when I was in Florida- easy to take in and out during the plane ride, great for hanging out with the family where I could knit and still keep up a conversation at the same time.  But the stockinette did get a little boring.
Best Part: I have to say, for the simplicity of it, I've really fallen in love with this pattern.  It's crazy-easy, double-layered so it's warm even when it's windy, and I love the reversible aspect of it (stripes on one side, solid on the other)!  I may have to knit myself this hat in the future.

My mittens actually fell apart last night (hole worn through by the index and middle fingers) so I may need to suck it up and finally knit myself a decent pair of warm mittens.  Fast.  Especially since our weather swung from 44 degrees and raining on Friday to about 6 degrees this morning on my way to work.
Knitting for myself?
hahahahaha....
Yearh, right...

(Thanks go out to Scott, who I dragged out of bed before I ran off to work this morning to take pictures in the aforementioned 6 degree air.  I'll start your sweater soon, I promise...)