It's Hat Season, People!

I've done a fair amount of knitting since I last blogged about my Laurie Sweater, but weeks flew by and I wasn't able to make time to chat about my craft. 

But I had this subject in mind : hats. 

They are such rewarding projects. You can pretty much cast on, cast off within a day or two, depending on the complexity of the pattern or yarn weight. Plus, it's the perfect size to feature that one special skein that you hold dear. Which is probably why I made not one, but five hats in the past month and a half! 

My Odd Clayoquot

I knitted a sample of this tincanknits pattern for the shop, made out of Zara Yarn. It's a really nice superfine merino, very springy and soft... perfect for colourwork. My first pick of colours were way more conservative, but for the second version, I went with almost kinky colours. 

Taken seperately, they are kind of hard to look at, but combined together, I think they work really well. For me anyway.

Lantern Lights

This yarn is the same I used for my Laurie. It's called Sylvan Spirit and comes from Green Mountain Spinnery. I used the yellow Citrine colour for this pattern by Joji Locatelli. I wanted to knit something more lacey with the yarn and see how it looks. I love it! This skein was a little on the thick and thin side, but it didn't bother me. 

Because it's not springy, the brim loosened with wear to the point where I thought it would help to add an i-cord. I'm happy I did. It works really well and adds a little feminine touch that I like.

Syncopation 2

I knitted this typical Westy brioche hat last year and had an awesome time! I like how Stephen West provides pattern for leftovers. I used lots of soft yarn for this one. Mainly Cascade Eco Duo (almost all the way through).  Slouchy, comfy and warm. What else can one ask for?

Baa-ble Hat

This little hat was the cause of startitis for many knitters, including the very talented Alana Dakos (of Never Not Knitting). And it's no wonder, would you look at those sheeps! So cute! This hat knits up very quickly. I knit two in the course of three days. But then colourwork is addictive. 

I modified the pattern slighty, by using DK, omitting the double brim and doing a twisted rib instead. I did the rest according to chart. This lovely design is available freely through Shetland Wool Week.

Bray Cap

Can't go wrong with a Jared Flood pattern... This particular combination of lace and cables really does it for me. And the yarn, New Mexico Organic, by Green Mountain Spinnery, is so smooshy!

Again, once blocked, the brim got a little too smooth for my taste, so I hid a thin elastic in the tubular cast on. 

Well, I think I can be assured that my head will stay warm in the months to come. I might even have to part with some of my hats, as I know I'll want new ones again in a near future. But I did frog some old ones that did'nt get a lot of wear of. Phew!