When I cast on, I was worried that the hat would not be big enough and so get stretched out a lot when I put it on my head and let the cold and wind get in. It's big enough, yes, but now I wished it hugged my ears more firmly!
I started this hat at a worship leaders' retreat a few hours away. There were some other knitters sprinkled through the audience; one of them was in front of me at the beginning of the weekend, also a few inches into a hat on her circular needles. The next evening, I saw that very hat on her friend's head, complete with trees and beaver knitted in different colors on its crown! I had only managed to add another inch of ribbing to my hat. I was amazed at her speed and my slowness - I bet she was a continental knitter (I use the English technique - yarn in right hand).
Another knitter, when I marveled at her speedy continental knitting, told me she manage to switch to continental from English in about a week of concentrated effort. One of my main gripes with knitting is its slowness. So maybe I should switch.
Also, in the outerwear line, I re-did the fabric scraps and stitching on my black mittens; I used blues and red perle cotton in geometric shapes to ditch the ragamuffin look I had done a few years ago. Navy is edging out the black in my wardrobe, and I love that.
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| All photos courtesy of Genevieve! |
I knit the continental way and find I am faster than some, but not as fast as others. I find it produces a more consistent tension throughout the piece. That hat is really warm looking, good job!
ReplyDeleteI have crocheted plenty of hats, can't knit! I LOVE the mittens, how cute! I need to start making grandbabies hats :)
ReplyDeleteI love your new hat! It looks beautiful with your eyes and skin tone.
ReplyDeleteGO CONTINENTAL, GIRL! It's the only way to roll. ;)
I love the stripe! I owe my husband a hat - I'm not sure I have enough of his requested color, so now I know how I'll deal with it - a stripe at the top. Thanks for the inspiration!
ReplyDeleteI'm a slow knitter too, but not sure I want to switch it up.
I like the mitten patches too.
One trick to a tighter brim on your hat would be to start with a needle size one size smaller just for the brim. Then switch up one size for the rest of the hat. Happy knitting!
ReplyDeleteLove the lumpy stripe! Makes the hat much more interesting.
ReplyDeleteI also knit the 'English' way, aka the slow way. :-) One of my knitting group ladies was teaching me to switch but I haven't put the effort in to make it stick. I knitted a scarf for a Christmas gift, but I had to go back the English method just to get it done. I didn't want to have to think about it while I was churning through the yarn.
Very pretty hat, and I agree on the navy. I switch from black years ago because it was just too harsh for my pale skin, and navy made a very good basic for slacks, jackets, etc.
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