posts tagged: hats

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garter earflap hat (yes, another)

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Sometimes after I knit something I just immediately cast on for another of it, with whatever yarn is handy. Occasionally I finish those idle repeats—more often they end up unfinished. But after finishing a sweater for myself (that I’ve yet to properly photograph!) in Malabrigo Rastita, I had a decent amount of yarn leftover, and I thought my favorite kiddo needed a new winter hat.

purl soho garter earflap hat | pepperknit

This kid. He’s been taught to call me “Aunt Erin,” but for a while there this winter, he would refer to me only as “Not Aunt Holly.” What a stinker.

But still, I knit him a hat. I gave it to him while we were out at a party, and he refused to put it on while there. Apparently though, later, upon getting home, he put it on and declared “I am Aunt Erin”! I’ll take it!

purl soho garter earflap hat | pepperknit

I don’t have much else to say about the hat, which I really love and I think looks great in this yarn—photos taken by his skilled photographer mom—because I honestly don’t remember. I think I applied many of the same guesses that I did for the red hat I posted about the other day (or did I knit this one first? I swear I do not remember). I’m sure that I employed short rows rather than working garter in the round with purls, because I’m lazy, but I couldn’t tell you my stitch count or needle size. I suppose when I go to knit more before this coming winter I’ll just do the math again!

purl soho garter earflap hat | pepperknit

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two hats: “one for now, one for later”

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My backlog of finished things is out of control right now, and I plan to get them documented ASAP! now that we’ve tackled the hacking of the site and corrected the outdated “pointing” information, I think we’re back in business. First up, a combined knitting and sewing gift for a wee one!

purl soho hats | pepperknit

When I sent these two hats back in March, I told the mom it was “one for now, one for later.” Because she lives in a cold climate, I figured she’d still get some use out of a knit hat, and the bonnet was sized to be a few months older so that the little one could wear it over the summer. Of course, I know nothing about baby head sizes, and the weather stayed iffy well into late spring this year, so it seems the knit hat got a lot of wear–it wasn’t as small as it had seemed to me! And the bonnet is in full summer rotation already.

purl soho garter earflap hat | pepperknit

The knit hat is the Garter Earflap Hat from Purl Soho. I think this is such a cute pattern, and it knits up very fast. I used Malabrigo Rastita, which is DK weight, so I needed to knit one of the larger sizes in order to end up with a baby-sized hat. I used the final measurements for the baby size and coordinated that with my gauge to determine which size to me. (I now cannot remember the stitch count I used.) I did garter in the round (working a wrap and turn at every end of row) rather than alternating knit and purl rows in order to make it even faster. I ended up knitting a few extra rows because it looked impossibly stumpy to me; after seeing pics of the baby in the hat it seems that was unnecessary!

purl soho baby sunbonnet | pepperknit

The sewn bonnet is also from Purl Soho (they design such consistently great basics): the Baby Sunbonnet. A friend had made several for her baby, and I was eager to try the pattern. It was very simple and straightforward and I had no issues, other than picking two fabrics to work together! I used very lightweight interfacing for the brim, because it’s what I had handiest, and two quilting cottons, and I sort of wish I’d had a slightly heavier interfacing to give the brim slightly more body, but it’s fine. It was done in one evening.

And it seems to be well enjoyed by its recipient. I mean look at that face!!

purl soho baby sunbonnet | pepperknit

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a hat for jason

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pepperknit | basic hat

I’ve really been on a stockinette kick of late. This time, put to good use in a hat for Jason that I knit last fall. Cast on, worked k2,p2 rib for a bit, switched to stockinette, decreased in quarters. Not much more to say! The yarn spoke for itself—any stitch pattern seemed unnecessary with the lovely mottle that the Skeinny Dipping Yarn (in worsted) had.

pepperknit | basic hat

His only requirement for knit hats is that they can cover his ears. I guess because he wears a hat every day as it is, the only reason to switch to a handknit is to get that extra coverage. I don’t think this hat is especially warm, but hopefully it’ll get some use.

pepperknit | basic hat

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color dipped hat

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Pretty much the moment I saw this hat from Purl Soho, I wanted to make it. I even knit a too-small version up in worsted-weight yarn. It was okay but something about the larger gauge and the colors I chose made it pretty meh. So when I was at Vogue Knitting LIVE in Chicago, I scouted the yarn a little with the hat in mind. Apple Yarns, from Washington, was selling Cedar House Yarns, which I’d never seen before. They were selling small skeins as well as full-size, and it seemed perfect to get a pairing that way.

pepperknit | color dipped hat

I cast on and started on the flight home from Chicago on size 2s, which I had handy. Within a few rows I knew they were too big. Ultimately I ended up on 1s, which gave me a nice-looking gauge. I knit the adult woman size. Within a few rows I’d dropped a stitch—slippery yarn on metal needles, lots of stitches jammed together… I had to frog back several rows to fix it. This happened again a few rows later. And then again at least one more time before I finished the darn thing! Dropping a stitch in fisherman’s rib/brioche is an ordeal, let me tell you. I just could never figure out how to ladder it back up correctly.

But I persevered, and ended up with a squishy, super-warm hat! 

pepperknit | color dipped hat

pepperknit | color dipped hat

pepperknit | color dipped hat

I can wear it basically 4 ways, though I only shot it in 3 versions. I can wear it uncuffed with either side showing: the dominantly gray or the dominantly blue edge. Or I can cuff it up as more of a toque, again with either side of the cuff out. I managed to weave in the ends and clip them so tightly to the work that I don’t think they’re poking out anywhere (at least I can’t see them).

I look forward to the weather really getting cold, because this hat is so very warm! So far the fall had been incredibly mild (50s), so I don’t really need this one yet. But soon, I’ll be ready!

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the spinster slouch

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pepperknit | spinster slouch

Andy Goldsworthy’s art piece Wood Line inspired me to post a picture to Instagram with the caption “sinuous.” The Spinster Slouch by my friend Val is also most aptly described with that word. I love the way the ribbing seems to dart this way and that on the hat—achieved by crossing 9 stitches at a time.

pepperknit | spinster slouch

I grabbed this yarn—Malabrigo Arroyo in Regatta Blue—and cast on for the hat when I was on my way to the movies one Saturday. I worked on the ribbing on the subway and before the movie started, and then it was my go-to project for the week. The following Saturday I cast off, a finished hat in hand. I worked the cable crossings 4 times because I didn’t read the pattern closely enough and worked the first crossing too soon, and then I wanted the ribbing to be back to normal before I decreased for the crown (this would make sense if you were knitting it). Also with this yarn and needle combo (size 5 needles), it needed that extra length. I wanted a toque more than a slouch in any case, and my yarn was not nearly as drapey as the luxury blend of silk and yak that Val used in the original.

pepperknit | spinster slouch

The hat proved quite useful on a trip to San Francisco, where despite the May date it was frigid at times (note my wool coat!), and particularly on this morning at the Presidio to visit Goldsworthy’s art pieces. (He has 3 others in the park; one was closed to the public because it was a weekday and we hadn’t called ahead, but the other two were easy to see.) Photos were taken by my old friend and professional photographer Andrea Ismert, who I got to spend the day with!