what can i knit?

[izzy]

i have a hankering to make myself a hat. the tools i have available are as follows:

mostly worsted weight yarn (other yarn is sock weight which isn't terribly helpful)
mostly wool
dpns US sizes 3 through 9 (missing a couple in there, can't remember which right now) and one circular size 10 or thereabouts

i am a fan of most types of hats (cloches are an exception). i love silly things like earflaps and pompoms. i'm not big on super detailed colorwork. i've looked at the hats on knitty, and nothing is catching my fancy.

i just wanna whip myself up an easy hat, any suggestions?

Comments

[woldy]

I tend to make up hat patterns as I go, actually. Sometimes I do ribbing, sometimes cables, sometimes stripes, once diagonal ribbing, once a beret. You can figure out the size based on whether it seems to fit on your head and go from there. I suspect that earflaps would require more planning, though.

[natlet]

I sort of reluctantly made myself this for this winter and ended up really enjoying it, though if I made it again I think I'd add 5-10 more rounds somewhere. I couldn't find anything that really jumped on me, either. I just kinda winged it for Steve's hat, cast on a bunch and knit in circles for a while. Some wee stripes when I got bored. He seems to like it. Next year I'm gonna buckle down and try and reverse engineer an earflap hat or something.

[natlet]

I was really confused for a minute when I ended up in a community and not at your journal!

[izzy]

LOL. i thought i might get a better response if i were to actually post in the knitting comm?

[untonuggan]

I agree with the making-it-up-as-you-go being fun, especially if you have a stitch dictionary around to play with.

If you're looking for something fun that could turn into TV knitting, I recommend this pattern. It was the first hat I made, and even though it's written for chunky yarn it's technically a "gaugeless pattern". Basically, figure out your gauge and the size you want, then find a multiple of 8 that is close to that number and cast on. It's super easy and super warm and stretchy.

If you're looking for something more challenging, I'd recommend the stitch dictionary route or just trolling Ravelry.

[babs_bee]

I don't know if you are on Ravelry or not, but I just made the Arden hat and totally enjoyed the experience. It's got cables and traveling stitches and was a quick knit. Perfect for worsted weight yarn.

[indeliblesasha]

I can't get a link right now, I'm on my phone ;) but if you look for Kami hat on ravelry it should pull up. I have made three in 4 days and am trying to invent more reasons to make MORE. I've been using Aran weight, but I bet worsted would work up just as dreamy. It's super simple, but I like being able to crank out something awesome and read at the same time.

Also, at least one person in the projects planned to had poms to the top :)

[izzy]

oh that's super cute. and the designer has the same problem as me: short, fine, easily flattened hair. i think we might have a winner! :D

[indeliblesasha]

I am so in love with these hats it's kind of ridiculous. :D

Just FYI, if you do make it, I have found that laying the hat flat on the ironing board and steaming just the bottom edge that curls slightly, and then gently pinning it flat while it cools/dries is the easiest fix. :D

(I also held it up and open with my hand and moved it around and lightly steamed the whole thing just to get it to relax a bit before I pinned the edge.)

[izzy]

so i am a total slowpoke knitter, but i Just Now finished the Kami hat, and I ADORE IT. i don't think i'll even fix the curling edge; i find it a bit charming.

i thought it needed a little something at the top, so i pinned on an old badge i had lying around, and it's perfect.

it's incredibly cute, and i have a feeling i'll be making more of these. thank you again for the rec!

[indeliblesasha]

Oh YAY! That makes me so happy to hear :D I hope you'll post pictures, I'd love to see the badge on top! ♥

[medicalmouse]

I made this hat last winter and I'm very fond of it. It calls for chunky/bulky yarn, but I used two strands of worsted together and it turned out very nice. (If you use two different colors and twist them together it gives a pretty cool camouflage effect!) It's an easy knit too - I did the whole thing in one afternoon while I was snowed in.

[izzy]

hmm... i wonder if i sized it down just slightly, it would fit snugly without the fleece lining? because that hat is awesome. i LOVE the flaps!

[medicalmouse]

I didn't line it and it fits fine, so I would imagine you could leave it off without a problem. I might have been a touch under gauge, but I didn't mess with the pattern otherwise. And the flaps are fun!

[seryn]

This is a two-needle hat, but it's definitely not cloche, it's weird (and there are earflap options). It says it's a baby hat, but the worsted yarn in the largest size fits adults.
Aviatrix.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/aviatrix-baby-hat

[rainbow]

i like the super simple monmouth hat and have made several, varying the top knot -- on one it's longer and tied in a knot, on another it's got a pompom attached, on another after the decreasing (and closing the hat) i increased th stitches to make 3 lengths in different colours and put a pompom on each one, then tied them together with a pretty ribbon at the base.

pattern is from http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/hats/monmouth.htm; it calls for bulky but i always use 2 strands of worsted (in coordinating colours).

[indeliblesasha]

Things that are super fun: going through the projects on Ravelry and going "Scadian! ... 'Nother Scadian!" :D

That is an awesome hat and my husband thanks you, as he will be getting one for his birthday in a couple weeks, lol.

[rainbow]

heeee! that does sound fun! i've never been a sca member, but spents time at the fringes in the 70s and 80s *G*

and you're husband is welcome! mine adores his monmouth hat (his has a little knot in the cord *g*)

[indeliblesasha]

Hee. We haven't played in years, but the phrase "takes one to know one" comes to mind LOL, and, well, the garb gives away most of them...lol.