I've just started a hat for my future son-in-law Will for Christmas. What better way to gift to a future member of the family but knit something useful? After all most appreciate a warm head, especially a Southern guy transplanted to Upstate New York where I know from experience it is terrifyingly cold! So I went with many questions to ascertain what he'd like. No guessing here and making him live with a future mother-in-law monstrosity to be hidden in the back of the closet!
© Kelbourne Woolens
The hat request was something tall, you know that sporty look with a large pom pom on top. I found the September Hat, which seems so perfect. I'm going to make it a little longer. He wants it 11 inches long. The
September Hat is a part of a year-long parade of free hats from
Kelbourne Woolens (
Year of Hats).
All Free Patterns!
I've ripped it out several times trying to get Will's size head, 23 3/8's. The first time following instructions seemed too tight for my 23" head and stiff, and I'm using # 7 needles. While the design in the brim is so beautiful it made the brim stiffer and tighter than I liked. So the second time I cast on 5 more stitches and did a 1 x 1 rib. Softer with this rib, but too big now that I changed stitches. When I got far enough to put on waste yarn it seemed too loose. So the fancy rib pattern also made the brim tighter. So, I'm back to 100 stitches on my needle and I'm trying a K2 X P2 rib which gives me an even amount of stitches on the needles. I think this will do the trick. After all my hat,
The Simple Hat starts with 100 stitches on #7's to get a good fit for 23', so I ought to be good.
Will requested Fall colors, browns, orange, red. I love Malabrigo and found a color called Volcan. A perfect choice of yarn in worsted, Rios. Soft. And I love the play of warm colors. I hand wrapped the ball of
Malabrigo Rios Yarn in Volcan from its hank and enjoyed the process of really looking at the colors. Oranges, brown shaded in, subtle russets and red and a logan green. Really warm and the simple pattern should display the yarn well.
With my husband, I started
Timeline by Michael Creighton on Audio. My eldest Elisabeth had just finished it and said it was good. We've both read the book (and seen the movie) but it's been decades and so far it's tremendous fun to do an audio book with my husband. An adventure for sure, since he's almost deaf, but with new hearing aids he seems to be hearing it just fine. And more knitting time for me!
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