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Thursday, January 31, 2013

Throw the dog a bone.

Remember my wacky, fleecy orange hat?  I was wearing it a lot last week because it was so cold.  One morning, Hubby said to me,

"How come you never made me one of those hats?"

"I didn't know you wanted one," I answered.

"Well, I do.  When I put up the hood on my coat, I don't have any peripheral vision.  If I had a hat like that, I could have warm ears AND be able to see on both sides!"

Well, I'm always happy to make something for my boy.  We had a short conversation about color choice:  charcoal grey won out;  I was unable to sell him on a magenta/chartreuse combination.  (Really, that was more of a vocabulary test.  You have no idea how long it took me to teach him the difference between "taupe" and "teal."  Pffffft.  Boys.)

The next day I went to my LYS . . . and they didn't have the yarn I wanted.  They seem to be changing their inventory; sadly they have even less of what I like these days.  So I had to make an internet order.  I got 2 skeins of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky in Charcoal and two ounces of merino top in Pewter.  My yarn arrived on Saturday and I got started right away on the hat.

The first thing you do is cut your sliver into 2" lengths, and then separate these into bits which, when twisted, are about the same thickness as your yarn.  I cut mine with my rotary cutter and quilter's ruler.  I like to prepare a small bowl full at a time.


The hat is worked in garter stitch, and the fleece bits are worked into every other stitch.  I tried to get some pictures, but I'm afraid it may not be very clear - the pictures that come with the pattern are much better.  Just before you work a stitch, you fold one of the bits around your yarn:


Then continue working the stitch, so that bit of fleece is caught in the horizontal bar on the back of the garter stitch.



It's really a lot easier than it looks and sounds!  Here's a picture of the fabric from the side:  you can see that there's a ground of garter stitch knitting, with fleece coming off one side:


The hat is constructed by working the earflaps and visor flat, then connecting everything and finishing in the round.


The fleece is lightly felted by tapping up and down on it with a hairbrush;  I like to felt it a little bit as I work, because I knit loosely and before felting, the fleece bits can get pulled out.  The hat is only fleeced part way up the inside - I'm not really sure why!  In the end, I really only used a very little bit of my second skein of yarn, and only about two thirds of my merino.  I did make the hat a little deeper than called for:  Hubby has a big head.  It's where he keeps all his knowledge.

Kind of looks like a floppy-eared doggie!


Here's the finished hat, modeled by my good friend Lamp:


When Hubby told me he wanted the hat, he said, "But I don't want to look like a bunny!"  So I left off the ties and pompoms.  He wore it today because it's very cold again after a few warmer days, and now he's wishing he had a way to close it under his chin.  So I think tonight I'll be sewing some large snaps at the bottom.

I had so much fun making this pattern again!

**DISCLAIMER:  This is a piece of humorous writing!  I don't want you guys to get the idea that Hubby is a doofus, because he's anything but!  (The guy has almost as many initials tacked on to his name as there are letters in the alphabet!)  But you know how it is . . . sometimes it's just fun to tease the boys ;-)  Oh, who am I kidding?  I tease everybody!

28 comments:

  1. [Something keeps happening to my comment. Trying again!] That is a very cool technique -- I really want to try it! This post made me laugh quite a few times... Good on ya for your unselfish knitting! :)

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    1. Weird! You just never can tell with Blogger!

      It's such a fun technique, but maybe not too appropriate for your climate! Could make an awesome little rug though!

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  2. I can't believe he didn't go for the magenta/chartreuse combo... Mr. Stitrch would have totally gone for that (NOT!). Your hubby's new hat is for sure keeping his "knowledge" nice & toasty, plus it looks so cool!

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    1. I'm kind of keen on the magenta/chartreuse for myself! I might end up making myself another one of these days!

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  3. That's a very nice and warm hat! I've never done thrumming, but it really looks interesting. The hat pattern reminds me of Russian ushanka, so it would be practical to tie the ear flaps under the chin, just like yours (but probably without the pompons :)

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    1. Yes, I'll be fixing that tonight. I'd thought he could tuck the flaps into his cowl, but when he moved his head side to side they untucked.

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  4. that is so cool! i mean... warm! ha! love the fuzzy insides.

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    1. Coo AND warm! It's like wearing a cloud on your head!

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  5. That is so clever! I'd never really considered that it would be possible to knit that type of hat without sewing in a lining of some description. He's gonna be so warm!

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    1. I think it's probably easier to knit it in than to sew it in! I say that because I tried to line a hat I made him last year with batting, and it didn't turn out well at all!

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  6. Thrumming looks like fun! It is amazing how the cold will drive the wool shy man-creature to knit goods. Mine has recently appropriated my fairly bright purple Honey cowl from last year (which he had once dubbed too itchy) 'to keep himself warm in the office'! Bless him.

    I decided not to tell him the colour name.
    (Iris).
    ;-D

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    1. Muahahahaha! So funny!

      Hubby is very appreciative of hand-knit items. I got him pre-trained by his mother ;-)

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  7. It totally freaks me out the kind of complicated shit you get up to! OMG - I love this but it seems so tricky. And I think he made the right call on the colour scheme.

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    1. No, really, it's so easy! WAY easier than sewing an entire suit! Or re-inventing the sleeve cap! ;-)

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  8. I've never seen a thrummed hat before this,
    Only mitts
    He'll be such a HOT HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Hugs

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    1. I thought about making myself some thrummed mittens, but then I realized I wouldn't be able to drive with them! (I drive a stick shift.)

      We had some fun playing with the pieces while they were flat, putting them on his head like a goofy toupee!

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  9. I love it and wish it were cold enough here just so I could knit one for my guy!

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    1. Yes, I do think this is a garment for the North!

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  10. Hee hee, this is such a cool hat. Please tell me you'll wear both of yours out together so you can match, lol! :P

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    1. Hehehe - that would be cute! We probably will at some point!

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  11. That is fabulous! Magenta and chartreuse next please!

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  12. This is too cool! I can't believe how that knitting process works-- it's so interesting!

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  13. Oh that looks super soft and warm!

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  14. I showed this to my son and asked him he if wanted one. unfortunately, he said 'no'. Then he said it looked like one of the dwarves hats! (Hobbit). So funny. I think it's very cool. And thank you for showing how it is constructed - I might have a bit of thrummed knitting coming my way this winter!

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    1. You should show him some of those crazy "Dwarven Bonnets" and "Beard Hats" on Ravelry! I couldn't talk Hubby into those, LOL!

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  15. This hat is AMAZING!!!! This is absolutely going on my list for next Winter!
    Thank you!
    Ami x

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