Hat 101

Good morning! I’m feeling festive today and have released a new pattern – the 101st that I’ve designed and published.

Its name is Hat 101, and appropriately, it is a sort of sampler of many of the things I enjoy about making and designing hats.

Hat 101 involves simple, rhythmic two-colour knitting and small, interconnected motifs. I’m also particularly fond of centred double decreases as a shaping method for hat crowns as well as sweater yokes. Hat 101 features such decreases, which resolve into a pleasing pattern when the crown is blocked.

The tam is one of my all-time favourite hat types, and Hat 101 is blocked over a 10 inch plate to achieve the tam’s characteristic shape.

I couldn’t resist adding a jolly pompom to finish the hat off.

We shot these pictures out at Loch Voil, on a rather windy day. The breeze seemed to enjoy playing my fiddle just as much as I did!

I have recently taken up playing the violin again after a very long hiatus. Tom bought me a violin shortly after my stroke, which, as well as being something he knew I used to enjoy was partly an incentive to try to strengthen my left arm and hand. At the time, I found learning to play again far too difficult – my arm was too weak to support the fiddle and the effort of lifting the instrument shut off the dexterity of my fingers. I put the fiddle away.

But a couple of months ago, I was reading At da Croft Museum – a favourite Stella Sutherland poem – which features the playing of several familiar Shetland fiddle tunes. I was gripped with a sudden urge to try to play Da Mirry boys o Greenland, dug out the fiddle and gave it a go. I can’t say I’m any good at all, but I can at least lift and play the instrument, and can now enjoy exploring fiddle tunes once again.

Hat 101 is now available here on Ravelry.
Hope you are all enjoying the festive season!
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