Hooked on Hats

Hats have never been my particular favorite thing to knit. I don't wear hats myself. I've been more into scarves and socks!

But, a fellow "Woolgatherer" from the Palouse [I'll talk about this group in another blog] is a wonderful pattern maker--the pattern for a three-tiered hats is her design, which I was able to purchase from her before she had time to commit to a publisher. I made one of these hats early in December and sold it at the Winter Market in Moscow, ID. It was made from autumn-like colors in an alpaca/silk/wood blend yarn (Cascade Dolce).

The hat is knit, on circulars--first the layer (closest to one's eyes) using one color with the final row in the middle color. Then you begin the second layer, work it until it is a certain length, and join to the first layer using a three-needle join. The two layers then are continued with the final layer in the third color. After the third layer is a certain length, it is joined to the first two and completed! It has bobbles and lacy patterns; it fits nice and snug; and the alpaca yarn makes it silky, soft, and warm without being too hot.

So much fun, I quickly made more. My quilting group--the Purple Paisley Quilters at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Palouse--has a yearly Holiday Bazaar, where I sold another two and got an order for three more! Ah ha! Other people like them, too. One "customer/friend" went to the local yarn store with me where we played around with combinations of colors until she found ideal colors for her and for her sister-in-law. The colors weren't what I would have chosen, but the hats turned out great and one was picked up Christmas Eve/day for delivery later!

Another of the ordered hats was delivered to a friend Christmas Eve; sadly, it was still damp from being blocked. I told my friend (I'll call her Xy) to put it on a heating vent or somewhere to dry. She placed it in front of her fireplace. Unfortunately, someone turned the heat up and the hat got partially charred! Xy was afraid to tell me at first, but finally confessed. She's such a friend, that I simply replaced her hat.

Ok, I'm hooked. The hats are so much fun to make. More Dolce and some Ultra Alpaca (Berocco)!

But Xy had another friend who saw the hat and wanted one for herself. By then, I had another five hats made and two of them contained blue, which was what the friend had in mind for the main color. I left the five with Xy and two weeks later, she had sold four of them and ordered a fifth! This one is for a male, so I'll have to leave off the bobbles and make the patterns "less lacier." It will be fun to see how he likes it.

I can usually finish layer or two a night--sitting in my comfortable chair in front of the TV with a good Netflix movie!

And here are two recommendations for feel-good, but not "girly" films, to knit by:

• "The Milagro Beanfield Wars"--a 1988 film directed by Robert Redford, full of magical realism with a young Christopher Walken as a villain.


• "Neverwas"--I'd like to buy this to have and watch on those days when I need to just feel happier~!

Sadly (ha ha), now, I'll simply have to go buy more alpaca yarn. Someday, I'll make one to keep for myself!