The Perfect Hat - Week Two
I feel like my knitting posts are interesting to approximately one or maybe two of my readers but if you can't appreciate the knitting, appreciate 2009's theme of challenging oneself to learn something new. Good reading on that here.
I started knitting the Thorpe hat last Thursday. The top down, joined in the round with only four stitches went as well as I had hoped but the more I increased the more I realized I didn't like the shape of the top. I ripped it out and decided that if I were going to knit a hat it might as well be my ideal hat. Which would be the following:
- knit in cotton
- in the round
- raglan style decreases (which I like almost exclusively)
- ear flaps
- including a Fair Isle pattern
Surprise! It all worked. The only issue was that the Fair Isle pattern was slightly obscured by the texture of the yarn, but I like the fabric it creates well enough that I don't care that much. I added the crocheted edge as in the Thorpe hat which may have been superfluous but I can't decide just yet.
He hasn't taken it off since I finished and there is no greater success than that.
And yay me! I wrote a pattern (sort of).
I love the knitting posts!
Great job on the hat. Did I read that correctly, you crocheted?
Posted by: Butzeballchen | January 12, 2009 at 11:35 AM
Cute little guy!
Posted by: Nina | January 12, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Me too - that's two! :) I can live vicariously through them.
Posted by: Amy | January 12, 2009 at 12:38 PM
It's adorable, and so is he :)
Posted by: Meredith | January 12, 2009 at 01:22 PM
Absolutely gorgeous...I mean...extremely manly and masculine! Does your guy hate it yet when grown women tell him how cute his is?
Mine do...
Posted by: kimberly | January 12, 2009 at 01:32 PM
That's awesome, Jenn! Gorgeous hat, and adorable boy. Well done!
Posted by: kristen laurence | January 12, 2009 at 01:40 PM
Marvelous ... now they'll be no stopping you! Way to go ... and it looks great and the biggest compliment your kids can give you is that they won't take it off! Excellent.
Posted by: Mary G. | January 12, 2009 at 01:57 PM
I enjoy your knitting posts! I'm a fairly beginner knitter, but I am determined to do something Fair Isle this year. Beautiful hat!
Posted by: Carmen | January 12, 2009 at 02:22 PM
Wow! Very nice hat - I need to learn to knit...one day :)
Posted by: Cheryl M. | January 12, 2009 at 03:42 PM
I am not a knitter (I would be if it wasn't for my wrists) but I love your knitting posts, they feel as cozy as ... well, spring! :-)
What an adorable lad you have. Look at that sweet face. And fab hat too. You make lovely things - hats, children, weblog posts ...
Posted by: sarah | January 12, 2009 at 04:58 PM
That's a great hat! What's a raglan decrease? Oh, I guess I could just google it.
Posted by: KC | January 12, 2009 at 08:18 PM
wow! you wrote your own pattern! and its cute, to boot. i am in awe. i am also in awe that you completed the thing so quickly. it has taken me two episodes of 24 to knit two dishcloths.
Posted by: cici | January 12, 2009 at 09:23 PM
That is such an adorable hat!! I LOVE it!!! Your little guy is just darling too!
Posted by: Jessica | January 13, 2009 at 12:23 AM
Great hat!
And I love the knitting posts :)
Posted by: Kathryn | January 13, 2009 at 12:32 AM
I love the colors. You did a great job, Jen.
Posted by: Rebecca | January 13, 2009 at 04:31 AM
Very cool hat! I just bought the book "Knitting and Crocheting for Dummies" Not that I am admitting anything, but that is my last hope. Really. How did you learn to knit?
Posted by: Kirsten | January 13, 2009 at 06:09 AM
I read your blog all the time, but never take the time to comment. But, so that that you will keep up the great knitting posts...here I am commenting! :)
Love the posts, love the hat, love the sewing stuff too!
Posted by: Marcia | January 13, 2009 at 09:43 AM
That pattern turned out great! Love the wool.
Posted by: 12ontheinside | January 13, 2009 at 02:20 PM
Wow. Wow. I'm still doing scarves. Wow.
Posted by: Karen Edmisten | January 13, 2009 at 08:49 PM
KC, raglan decreases are when you decrease two in a row and they form a line (not a proper definition, a Jenn definition). In this way, the hat sits flat with no puckering at the top.
Thanks all for the lovely comments!!
Posted by: Jennifer | January 14, 2009 at 06:04 AM
Jennifer, the hat is perfect, your son so handsome. I think your perfect hat definition fits mine, especially the cotton part. I've never done Fair Isle, but it's my favorite. I'll need to post my measly projects that my son is enjoying. I'm such a tweaker that I can't even leave knitting and crochet patterns alone.
Posted by: Jennifer G. Miller | January 14, 2009 at 08:15 AM
Awesome hat. Adorable boy. Accomplished knitter. Wow!
Posted by: Kimberlee | January 14, 2009 at 09:09 AM
love!!
Posted by: Lori | January 20, 2009 at 07:10 PM