I think it's about time to pick out something from my stash that I have been avoiding. I have more than a few types of yarn that I regret buying. Most were bought when I first decided I was going to learn how to knit. I went to the store and got all sorts of novelty yarn - they looked so cool and funky. I had no direction, no one to tell me "Stop! You have no use for that".
I remember practicing my knit stitch using an eyelash yarn, thinking I was making a scarf. But, to my surprise, I was actually making a feather boa. I was so disappointed. As a newbie, I really didn't understand that if you have a ball yarn that looks like a feather boa, and you garter stitch the whole stinkin' thing, you will have knit yourself a feather boa.
So, as part of my de-stashing project, I am going to have to use these yarns. I don't want to wait until they are all I have left, so I will periodically pick something out and come up with some use for it.
First up is Palette Collection Series 001pt/219. The color is called Lilac Wine.
It has two different strands of yarn? twisted together. I did a google search for it, but it looks like it is discontinued. So... I guess it's a good thing I have 3 balls of it.
It is a nice color, though. I remember thinking when I bought it that I would make something for my sister with it, as she loves purple. So, I think I will stick with that, maybe make her a purse or something. I have some other purple yarn that maybe I can pair up with this. Ugh, I don't know. Anyway, I am giving myself a 1-month deadline to come up with some sort of finished object. (Why did I buy 3 balls of this?)
Since I have a sweater to knit that should have been done by the end of summer, I decided to work on something completely different. (I will talk about that sweater in a future post, I just can't bear it right now.) I figured I should get a jump on Christmas presents. My sister-in-law, Jess, always looks fantastic in hats, so I figured that would be a good place to start.
Now Jess loves anything old-timey (is that a term?). She is really in to Jane Austen books, Gone with the Wind, anything Titanic related - all that kind of stuff. So I tried to keep that in mind as I decided what to do. I picked out a couple of pretty colors from my stash and set to work. This is the result:
It looks a bit more Easter bonnet-ish than I would have liked for a Christmas present, but I don't really know what I was expecting since I picked out 2 spring colors. My brain must be subconsciously rejecting the onset of winter. I do like the hat, though. I might try to do it again in different colors, something more fitting for the occasion.
It's basically just a typical single crochet hat, but instead of doing a single crochet in each stitch, it is a single crochet, chain 1 in each chain 1 space. And since you are skipping all the single crochet stitches, you are essentially only single crocheting half of the hat, the other half is chain 1's, so it gets done pretty quickly. It also looks alot smoother and is less "holey" than a regular single crochet hat, but I don't think it has as much horizontal stretch.
It is made without joining the rounds for a seamless look. I will avoid seamed hats at all cost. I don't know why they bother me so much. Every other article of clothing in the world has seams somewhere, but it just drives me crazy seeing that line run down the back of a crochet hat (even though non-crocheters claim they don't see it). Since I already planned on putting a flower on this hat, I knew I could work it in a spiral , as the flower placement would cover the jog in the color change. Anyway, I will stop jabbering on and get to the free pattern.
A Timeless Hat
Abbreviations:
SC - single crochet
CH - chain
Materials:
Less than 1 skein of Caron Simply Soft color Woodland Heather (color A)
Small amount of Caron Simply Soft color Victorian Rose (color B)
Size H 5mm crochet hook
Size I 5.5mm crochet hook
Size J 6mm crochet hook
Stitch marker
Yarn needle
Gauge: 6" across circle at end of round 15 (if you have a square at the end of this round, it should measure about 5-3/4" from side to side. Also, see my post on how to make it a circle.)
Try to keep your chains loose, especially on the increase rounds, as it will help you get the hook in the right spot.
Child and Adult size
With color A and size "H" hook, Make a ring
Round 1: SC 8 into ring, do not join. For the rest of the rounds, place your stitch marker in the first SC of each round so you know where the round begins.
Round 2: (SC, CH 1) in each SC around - 16 stitches
Round 3: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next CH 1 space. Repeat around - 24 stitches
Round 4: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next 2 CH 1 spaces. Repeat around - 32 stitches
Round 5: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next 3 CH 1 spaces. Repeat around - 40 stitches
Round 6: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next 4 CH 1 spaces. Repeat around - 48 stitches
Round 7: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next 5 CH 1 spaces. Repeat around - 56 stitches
Round 8: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next 6 CH 1 spaces. Repeat around - 64 stitches
Round 9: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next 7 CH 1 spaces. Repeat around - 72 stitches
Round 10: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next 8 CH 1 spaces. Repeat around - 80 stitches
Round 11: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next 9 CH 1 spaces. Repeat around - 88 stitches
Round 12: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next 10 CH 1 spaces. Repeat around - 96 stitches. If making an adult's size hat, stop here and continue to Adult Round 13 below
Rounds 13-25: (SC, CH 1) once in each CH 1 space around - 96 stitches
Rounds 26-31: Change to color B, (SC, CH 1) once in each CH 1 space around - 96 stitches
Round 32: Change back to color A, (SC, CH 1) once in each CH 1 space around - 96 stitches
Rounds 33-34: Switch to "I" size hook, (SC, CH 1) once in each CH 1 space around - 96 stitches
Rounds 35-39: Switch to "J" size hook, (SC, CH 1) once in each CH 1 space around - 96 stitches
Slip stitch into the next CH 1 space. Fasten off and weave in those ends. Attach your favorite button or flower to hide where the color change is apparent.
Adult
Round 13: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next 11 CH 1 spaces. Repeat around - 104 stitches
Round 14: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next 12 CH 1 spaces. Repeat around - 112 stitches
Round 15: (SC, CH 1) twice in CH 1 space, (SC, CH 1) once in next 13 CH 1 spaces. Repeat around - 120 stitches
Rounds 16-31: (SC, CH 1) once in each CH 1 space around - 120 stitches
Rounds 32-37: Change to color B, (SC, CH 1) once in each CH 1 space around - 120 stitches
Round 38: Change back to color A, (SC, CH 1) once in each CH 1 space around - 120 stitches
Rounds 39-40: Switch to "I" size hook, (SC, CH 1) once in each CH 1 space around - 120 stitches
Rounds 41-45: Switch to "J" size hook, (SC, CH 1) once in each CH 1 space around - 120 stitches
Slip stitch into the next CH 1 space. Fasten off and weave in those ends. Attach your favorite button or flower to hide where the color change is apparent.
It really is a cute hat. I think I might rip it back to do the child size for my niece in the spring. I jokingly asked my son if he wanted it, to which I received the response "eew, that's a girl hat". Can't argue with that.
