If it weren't for teaching ....

I've read that bloggers are often people who love or need to teach.  During the winter months, I scheduled a lot of classes at the shop.  I think I may have filled my need by "teaching through my needles," as one student put it.  Now that spring is here and I can breathe again, I'm back at the blog.

Teaching always inspires me.  In my last Baby Surprise class, one of the students bounded ahead and was finished the basics by the second class.  Because it was a small class, we also covered several I-cord tricks (applied, I-cord cast off, and three-needle I-cord cast off).  We did a garter stitch hood and grafted it invisibly at the top.  By the time we were done, I was anxious to start my 8th Baby Surprise with new plans for longer sleeves ....and I don't even have any grandchildren ...yet!  So far, sanity has prevailed, but I'm sure that before the next class, I'll be casting on for another!

Since I had yarn leftover, I thought I'd make a hat based on the Baby Surprise and the Gull Lace Baby Hat, below:

Because of another baby sweater class, I searched for a matching hat ...but ended up designing my own.  Here's the Gull Lace Baby Hat based on Elizabeth Zimmerman's February Baby Sweater:

If it weren't for classes, I doubt that any of these projects would have come about. 
Thanks for the inspiration, knitters!