I spent most of my time at home for Christmas wearing the angora hoodie I finished in December and luxuriating in its warmth and comfort (the heating had broken at my parents', so the cosiness of the hoodie was timely). Everyone admired it and I felt quite smug. However I spent some time bemoaning the fact that I had bought far too much yarn, and that I'd like to make my boyfriend a hat from the leftovers but couldn't because he doesn't like the feel of real wool.
"I'd take a hat you made from the leftovers," my brother remarked nonchalantly.
OK then.
A month later and I already had two hats under my belt and decided it was time to get cracking on this one. I made up the pattern, not at all based on the gauge of the yarn after I'd knitted a swatch because to do that would involve casting on 176 stitches and that didn't seem likely. Instead I looked at various patterns which used similar weight yarns, took an average, and made sure it was divisible by six stitches (it's knitted in K4 P2 rib). That worked pretty well (I cast on 108 stitches, in the end). Knitting on 4mm DPNs with lovely soft angora yarn was bliss after the finger-ripping nature of the yorkshire tweed I used for my last hat. And shaping the crown was loosely based on this free pattern (although I obviously wasn't paying much attention as I've only just noticed their tip for avoiding colour bleed between stripes on the purl bits of ribs. oh well). Ooh, and I used the jogless jog technique when changing colour, and it worked a treat.
It's pretty basic but my brother seems to like it, which is of course the main thing. Also my boyfriend (who I roped in as head-double for my brother when checking the size) decided he actual quite wants one too, now. Ah ha ha.
Not sure how well this photo captures the colours, but it was the nicest picture. I have been itching to give the hat to my brother ever since finishing it two weeks ago, and it was lovely to do that tonight. Funny how when you're knitting for yourself, you want to finish it to wear it immediately. When you're knitting for someone else, finishing isn't so crucial but once it is finished you want to give it to them instantly.
Details: 'ravicurio's hat', knitted in Rowan Kid Classic on 4mm double-pointed bamboo needles.Labels: FO, FO 2006, ravicurio, ravicurio's hat
