I made a hat!
After my first knitting in the round project turned out to be a disaster, I was eager to make a different tubular project, with hopes it would actually turn out. So I bought the needles to make this hat, since my snister had gifted me a skein of Yarn Bee Whimsy Bulky.
And… success!
It turned in to something one could actually wear!
Phew. Ha ha.
Knitting this hat was simple, and I enjoyed it! The only tricky part was the last few rows, when I was still using a circular needle to knit, but only had a few stitches left, and it was hard to move them around. But I figured it out!
I did adjust the pattern, because it noted to cast on four additional stitches after you finished the ribbing, which I was able to cast on, but then it seemed like they were going to leave a gap in the hat. It looked goofy, and I didn’t want the hat to bulge out after the ribbing anyway. So because I didn’t cast on the four additional stitches, when I started my decreases, it was at every eight stitches instead of every six (per the pattern), which just means the hat is taller. Which is fine, because I am giving it to my snister, and our family has large heads. Ha!
Surprising to me, but obvious, knitting has taught me a lot about (knitted) clothing design. For example, Steven prefers knitted sweaters that don’t have ribbing on the bottom, because he doesn’t care for that look. However, the ribbing pattern is what gives the bottom band of the sweater structure, and makes it lay close on the wearer (which is why he doesn’t like the look). If the bottom of this hat didn’t have ribbing, it would be loose and not stay on my head, unless I knit the hat too small on purpose (and then it would probably pop up, anyway). I’ve also seen different methods for casting off, to make things tighter or looser, depending on how structured you want them to be. Neat-o!
Now I am eager to start another hat! I have a few other fun patterns saved!
Themocracy
That is super cute, Kim! I love the yarn. I would totally wear it, too. It actually looks really cute on you… you should make one for yourself. Much better than the clown collar. 🙂
Thanks 🙂 I may have to pick up a few skeins and make some more! 🙂 LOL re: clown collar. Ha!
The hat looks so cute! Love the colorful yarn, and the simple design is perfect for showing it off. Yeah, I wouldn’t have added stitches after the brim either. Some patterns have you do the brim with a smaller sized needle, and then have you go up a size for the body, but I don’t always do that…it’s a stretchy hat, and there’s leeway for fitting, as long as you make it deep enough. Great job!!!
Thank you! I am happy to hear you wouldn’t have added them, too. I just didn’t get WHY to add them, and how it wouldn’t look goofy (despite my googling to try to figure it out). Two different needles is a good idea (like you said, if you feel like it, ha!).
I saved the patterns you sent me, in Ravelry, so I can try one soon! 🙂
When in doubt, I try to read what other people did, on Ravelry…I just looked at that pattern and there’s no other notes, so that wouldn’t have helped, but as you are discovering, going with your gut isn’t a bad thing when it comes to knitting. 🙂
Thanks for that tip! I have been getting a bit better about utilizing Ravelry that way 🙂
The hat’s ready, just in time for cold weather to come in.
SO cute! I didn’t understand half of what you wrote, but whatever you did worked because the hat turned out great.
Thanks! 🙂
LOVE the hat! I love colorful things. Just in time for winter!!!
Thank you! I love lots of colors, too!
Super cute on you! Love the multi colors 🙂
Thank you!
That’s so cute! I think you need to knit yourself one too, it looks really good on! 🙂 (and then knit me one, ha ha!)
Thank you! I can make you one if you really want it. Just send me your head circumference – I don’t think it’s as big as mine? Ha ha!
You should sell those hats! I will definitely buy one from you.
Thanks 🙂
I love that hat! You should consider opening an Etsy shop and selling some of your handmade items!
Thanks 🙂 I have a hard time thinking about selling this stuff because I don’t think people will want to pay much more than the cost of the yarn. Maybe they would, though!
Love the hat – it looks great on you. And what a nice pattern!
Thank you! 🙂
That looks great! well done! I love using the verigated yarn but have trouble finding good patterns! I just finished my latest baby blanket – I will try to snap a photo for you, or at least put it on facebook. Next I am going to make a hat for my daughters halloween costume – she is going to be a cabbage patch kid!! I hope it turns out good and she looks good!
Thank you!
And it’s so interesting to see how the variegated yarn will turn out!
Yes! Please share the blanket and the hat! Your daughter is going to look so cute!!! 🙂
To echo all the comments above—super cute!!!
Thank you! 🙂
Cute
So cute! Love the yarn and the pompom.
Thank you! 🙂
I still am baffled by the random increase instructions! The hat turned out really well!! Once you get comfortable with DPNs, you can use those on the last few rounds of the hat so you don’t feel like you’re pulling the yarn so tightly. That part always stressed me out a bit.
I know what you mean about learning about garment construction through knitting. I had no idea what a “yoke” was before I started seeing it everywhere in sweater patterns. Honestly, I’m still kind of confused about it, but I at least know it’s related to the top part of the sweater/garment!
Me too! And you know I tried to google it to figure it out! So weird! I do think I should have gone down to DPNs (if I had some). Instead, I was bending the circular in half to use it, ha ha.
It’s so funny – I didn’t expect to learn about garment construction from knitting. Not sure why – it makes sense (well, for knitted garments lol).