The Yarniacs Episode 129: Still Knitting Hats!

I think hats are great little projects. You can knit a challenging charted cabled hat, or you can knit a simpler stockinette in-the-round hat. You can knit a hat in chunky yarn and big needles, or you can use up the leftovers from a skein of sock yarn with tiny needles. If the hat doesn't fit, you won't have invested too much time, and hey–it's a hat. It will fit someoneafter all. So if you aren't too particular about whether you end up with an exact size, you can forgo the swatch and just start knitting. That is the way most of my hats this year came into being. No swatch, match yarn to needles, figure out a cast-on number that will fit someones head, and go. They are all going to charity organizations so I have no doubt each hat will eventually find its way to a head that it fits. In addition to it being the cold weather season, it is also the season of holidays, of being busy, and often being pulled in too many directions at once. I find that quick small projects satisfy my need to keep my fingers busy and my compulsion to knit, as well as provide satisfaction of finishing something useful. When I teach, I like to start knitters on hats because there is a lot to learn in the making of the humble hat. You cast on, learn your knit (and maybe purl) stitches, you decrease, then you bind off. All in one small package. I find a beginning knitter has a higher chance of success with a smaller project. I like to give my students the best chance for success. So yes, even though Gayle and I are sweater knitters, we do find out thoughts turning to hats every year about this time. We've stalked some cool free patterns available on Ravelry this time, so take a look. There are others (we can't mention them all!), so please feel free to share more (both free and patterns for sale) in the discussion thread for this episode in our group on Ravelry. We'd love to hear from you. - Sharlene  What are we wearing? Featherweight Cardigan by Hannah Fettig Sharlene's tunic length Featherweight Cardigan (and bonus photo of Nani!) Citadel by Joji Locatelli Gayle's Citadel What are we stalking? Troll by Gabriela Widmer Hanke Chunky Harvest Hats by Susan B. Anderson Sharlene's apple hat Standing Rock Hat by Lavanya Patricella Pussyhat Project by Kat Coyle (knit flat) KitKat Hat by Andre Sue (knit in the round) Brimming by Lori Puthoff Clio by Elizabeth Doherty Phoebe yarn from Quince and Company Boreal Forest Cowl by Renée Callahan Boreal Forest Hat by Renée Callahan What are we knitting? Sockhead Slouch Hat by Kelly McClure Big Old Coat by Joji Locatelli Sharlene's Big Old Coat Bleached by Amy Miller Silk single yarn from Western Sky Knits Project Peace by Christina Campbell Gayle's sock yarn blanket What have we finished? Donation hats 12, 11, 10, and 9 Granito by Joji Locatelli Sharlene's Granito Magnolia Luxe yarn from Western Sky Knits Spiral Hat by Laura Kolarik Gayle's Spiral Hat Bankhead Hat by Susie Gourlay Gayle's Bankhead Hat Simple Skyp Sock by Adrienne Ku Gayle's Skyp socks Vector by Katya Frankel