Go Dukes!

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I am an alumnus of James Madison University who happens to have:

• 2 brothers
• 2 sisters
• 1 brother-in-law
• 2 sisters-in-law

who also attended that same fine school. Therefore, it's no stretch of the imagination to believe that we were all quite beside ourselves when the oldest grandchild decided to attend our fine alma mater, home of the Purple and Gold.


So, I've been wanting to knit my freshman nephew D. a hat to wear around campus, and I finally finished and mailed it to him last week. (See -- I still knit on rare occasions, when not completely consumed by the drop spindle!)

Anyway, here be the hat:

my same basic formula, just different colors

Specs:

• Yarn:
• * Main: Elann Peruvian Uros Aran (50/50 wool/llama) in "Dusky Purple" (#1012), ~100 yards
• * Stripes: Elann Peruvian Uros Aran in "Mayan Gold" (#1190), ~20 yards
• Gauge: 4 stitches per inch
• Needles: U.S. size 8 (5 mm) Clover bamboo 7" DPNs
• Pattern: cast on 88 stitches, join in the round, K2,P2 every round for ~1-2", then knit every round for ~4", add stripes where desired; decrease & finish according to Super Simple Hat Calculator
• Size: ~22" circumference
• Recipient: Nephew D., freshman at JMU

College boy plays snares on the marching band drumline, and last fall they had a "band parents weekend", so a bunch of his JMU-alum aunts and uncles (myself included) horned in on the day to watch the band warm up before the Towson football game.

Here's a little taste of the warm-up:


(Feedblitz email subscribers go here to see video.)


This proud Auntie shot lots more video, but won't bore you with it here.

She will, however, bore you with a few more photos:

the proud parents

I love the following photo because I inadvertently captured the proud papa, (white hat), grandpapa, (green hat), and (bored) cousin (wrapped in brown blanket) in the background:

And yes, he already has a JMU hat, but it's not lovingly handmade by his aunt. So there.


Here's a little bit of the football game:

JMU won

Halftime show:

Here's the best part -- the JMU Marching Band will be performing in this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. Guess where I'll be on the 4th Thursday in November? Anyone know any good places to stay along the parade route? :-)

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