testing.. testing.. 1.. 2.. 3..

It seems I need three tries to get a hat right.

Case one: “Too big”
Turn A Square
By Jared Flood (Brooklyn Tweed)
CO 20081121
BO 20081122
Ravelry Project Page
3.75 mm needles
approx 70 yards Steinbach Wolle Echte Schafwolle in #004
approx 40 yards Lion Brand Wool-Ease in #151 Grey Heather

I knitted it to pattern and I got gauge. It’s just too big.

Case two: “Too small”
Turn A Square
By Jared Flood (Brooklyn Tweed)
CO 20081128
BO 20081129
Ravelry Project Page
3.75 mm needles
approx 70 yards Steinbach Wolle Echte Schafwolle in #004
approx 40 yards Lion Brand Wool-Ease in #151 Grey Heather

This time I adjusted by casting on 16 fewer stitches. That worked well, but I neglected to lengthen the body of the hat ENOUGH (i apparently need more than a ½ inch extra) before the crown shaping so it ended up too small– it didn’t cover his ears.

Case three: “Perfect for my Goldilocks”
Turn A Square
By Jared Flood (Brooklyn Tweed)
CO 20081219
BO 20081223
Ravelry Project Page
4.25 mm needles
5mm needles
approx 61½ yards Lion Brand LB Collection Cashmere in Terracotta (aka less than a ball)
approx 46 yards Plymouth Yukon (MC)
approx 55 yards Plymouth Yukon (CC)

This is the hat that helped me get to Webs a few Sundays ago. I decided *he* would choose the yarn. So he frolicked around the warehouse and picked a ball of of something nice and soft for the ear band which is hiding on me because I surprised him with a switch to cashmere in his favourite colour — Burnt Orange. LB Collection Cashmere is a JOY to work with. It’s currently only $14 for the ball and the colours are marvellous. For the main hat he chose Plymouth Yukon which is a nice yarn of 35% Mohair, 35% Wool, and 30% acrylic. It’s a bulky weight yarn, but he said that was fine because he wanted this sucker to be WARM.
Earband: with 4.25mm needles I CO 124 and knit a 2×2 rib (except where it’s 3×3 because i can’t count to TWO) for about three inches.
Hat: with 5mm needles to make a very tight fabric, I CO 88 and went to town with the pattern since I had the structure memorized. Unfortunately the two colours of Yukon chosen are so similar I didn’t realise until I started the stripes that I had started with the wrong ball. He decided it was ok so I changed to π stripes just to make sure the light grey lasted longer. The decreases definitely needed blocking but he wore it today anyway. It’s currently on my shaitel stand drying. It looks much better.
Random note of the day: if I had knitted the entire balls of Yukon and the Cashmere, this hat would weigh close to a half pound!

I debating what to do with the other two hats. My office building doesn’t have the hat & coat drive box they normally do so I’m going to have to poke around to see where to send these.

• Category: handmade