Simple Recipe for Chunky Knit Headbands

The decorations are down - well, for the most part.  No doubt I'll be finding the odd little thing for the next few weeks as there always seems to be straggler items that I don't notice because I've been living with them so long. Oh well, the bulk of the work is done so it's time to start getting sorted for this year's projects.

Pixie Hood Hats - Country Loom and Charisma

One of my favourite hats - the wool is just gorgeous

Happy November everyone!  Yikes, can you believe it?  Despite my almost-year-round Christmas obsession, I always start to panic 'round about now.  While it may be still a good bit of time away, it is already a week after the time to send your overseas parcels without paying higher prices, so I know it won't be long now.  The Christmas wrap has come out.   Gulp.

Country Loom Baby/Child's Blanket

Little boy blanket in progress

This week I discovered my "willpower score".  It is zero.  Nowhere to go but up really. After declaring this week's crafting agenda to be about earring organization and this Country Loom childs blanket I'm working on, a fantastic new crochet pattern caught my eye and I just had to intersperse a new little project.  Out comes the worsted wool as well!  I bought the pattern and made up two hats before the sun set.

Country Loom Wool Hat Parade

Stack of completed hats

What does this picture say to you?  To me ... it says progress!  One of the items on my recent "battle with wool" agenda was these lovely Country Loom Hats, and here they are.

Amazingly luxurious hat ... in orange

I still keep making hats, and some days I'm especially glad I do because this hat for a little girl is fabulous - if I do say so myself.  This is just another variation of one of my favourite - very simple - hat patterns, but this time I've done the rib with double worsted, and the 'body' of the hat with three strands; worsted, eyelash yarn, and faux fur yarn.  I just wish the photos could demonstrate how thick and soft it has turned out.  This combination of yarns is luxurious indeed.

Look - it even stands up all on it's own.  I'm also wishing that I wasn't quite so effective at using up all this faux fur wool that I had, as I'd really like to make LOTS more colours of these.  Such is life though, and I am certain that something else will capture my imagination with all the supplies to get crafting in 2012.


For inspiration, I'm going to head over to Tami's Amis finished object Fridays to see what creative things others are up to. 

Country Loom Winter Hats

I've been experimenting with adaptations to a basic hat pattern for the lovely bubbly Country Loom yarn by Loops & Threads.  It's available in so many colours, and I have many of them!  It works up super soft, warm and snuggly, and the regular yarn for the brim gives it a nice snug fit to keep your ears nice and warm.  The finished result is a fitted hat with a teensy bit of slouch.

I made several versions of hats with this wool, and although they were okay, they weren't quite right.  Finally, I think I've got it, and before I lose my scribble notes and the big tidy up to come in the next couple of days, I thought I'd document 'the pattern'.

Rib is worked on 8.0 mm needles with 2 strands of worsted wool.
Body is worked on 9.0 mm needles with 1 strand of Country Loom super bulky

For small, medium and large:

Cast on 44 (48, 52) stitches.  With 8.0 mm needles work in rib for 6 (7, 8) rows.
Switch to 9.0 mm needles and one strand of Country Loom wool.  Work in stocking stitch for 14 (16, 18) rows.   Decrease by knitting 2 together across, purl a row, knit 2 across, purl a row until you have 6 or 7 stitches left.  Cut yarn leaving enough to sew up seam.  Thread needle through remaining stitches, gather and stitch up seam to the ribbing.  With matching worsted wool, join the seam for the rib, and your hat is ready.

Easy peasy!

If you're interested, I'm selling these hats as well as some other styles  Click here for the Knit and Crochet section on my Etsy shop.

And now we have hats & scarves

Another mission on the great crafting "to do list" (which isn't actually written down, as that would be too overwhelming) is to work up some hats to turn the myriad scarves I have made into "Hat & Scarf sets". The scarves are crocheted and the hats are knit.

I actually prefer the 'co-ordinating' approach to a matchy-matchy set, and these first few versions have worked out pretty well. I love the softness of the Charisma wool in this hat, and think there will be many more of these to come.

Another job done today, the first batch of these sets is now available in the new 'Hats & Scarves' section of my Etsy site. Many more to come ....

You've got to get Charisma!

My new favourite hat pattern is written for two strands of worsted on 8.00 mm needles, but of course you can use a chunky wool that is size appropriate. This Charisma yarn from Loops & Threads (a Michael's brand) is gorgeous to work with and super soft.

And the colour patterned yarns are truly FUN to work with. You barely notice the knitting as you're excited to see what will happen next.

I know, small things, small minds ... but trust me it's fun to knit with, and you can say "oooh" a lot.

The yarn also comes in many solid colours so I am on a mission to turn my scarves into hat & scarf sets.

I like them not completely matchy-matchy with the faux fur scarves. Things are all coming together.

Related articles

• The Hats are Back! Great new pattern. (magicalcrafts.blogspot.com)

The Hats are Back! Great new pattern.

Knit with 2 solid yarns - gives a lovely tweedy effect.
I think it would work well with subtle or contrasting.

I am back to the hats - and in a big way. I just can't get enough of knitting the latest in the line-up of new hat patterns. This pattern is from the StreetKnit website and I love it for several reasons.

Knit with 1 variegated and 1 solid yarn - I like the subtle effect

• It's knit with two strands of worsted so the colour possibilities are virtually endless.
• It's knit on large 8.00 mm needles so you can whip them up in no time.
• It's soft, thick and warm so it will do a good job!

Knit with 2 variegated yarns - not something I'd likely do again

Yes I love this hat pattern and shall be making some up for the StreetKnit Project.

Minnesota Winter Hat

Rain, rain, and more rain ... When are we happy to see the rain in Ontario? When it is washing away all the snow - yippee! Now, I understand it is not yet Spring, and yes I accept that there will likely be more snow ... BUT ... at least when Spring does roll around there will be less snow to get in it's way.

It's been a busy week with not too much time for crafting, but I have been ever so good about not starting anything new and plodding along with existing projects with the time I have. My first ripple blanket is coming along nicely with not too much further to go I think.

In the meanwhile, I thought I'd share with you another one of my favourite hat patterns. This version is super warm and knit with two strands of wool. You can also use a bulky chunky wool in single strand, which might be nice.

As the design folds back for the 'brim' there is a lot of warmth and comfort around your ears. It's rather surprising that I haven't made more of these given the host of colour combination possibilities with two strands. And I think - (don't know as I haven't tried yet) - that if you used two solid colours of wool, you would end up with a very nice tweedy effect.

This hat is called the "Minnesota Winter Hat" and you can find the pattern at Bev's Country Cottage.

The best hat pictures

Pictures of hats are nice ... sure ... but NOTHING beats seeing one on a happy smiling face - and it made my day today when I saw my friends' little girl wearing a hat that I made her.


And for such an auspicious occasion as making your first snowman - I am honoured. Doesn't she look adorable? This is the multi-stitch variation of the basic hat - should you want to make your own.

Geranium Jacquard

I used to knit and crochet but that was many, many moons ago. So, when I recently re-entered the world of all things woolen, I discovered that a LOT had changed! New materials for hooks and needles, circular sets that you can just change the ends with, and very best of all ... new patternings in wool.

I stumbled upon this quite by accident when I picked up a ball of what I thought was variegated dish cloth cotton. Okay, really it's just cotton, but in our family it tends to go by the longer name. I was working away thinking ... what? ... when I discovered it wasn't 'variegated' - it was 'self-striping'. Ooooh, awesome.

Well, it just got better from there. Did you know ... you can now get wool that does it's own patterning ... in all sorts of variations - even argyle for socks! Well, I never... but I like! You can see some of the Bernat choices - which this is - on the Bernat website.

The knitting positively flys by with this level of excitement, so I whipped up a couple of hats I thought would be perfect for a mommy and daughter. Just think, each row is an exciting adventure ... your just itching to see what's next.

I'm looking forward to exploring these options some more.

Fuzzy Wuzzy was ..... a Hat

This is another variation of the Basic Hat for Anyone pattern that I am quite pleased with. This version blends a faux fur novelty yarn with the wool, and the result is soft, warm and yes, fuzzy. I was of the opinion that this trend might be on the way out until I saw almost the exact hat I made my mum for Christmas (black as requested) in a New York fashion show.

I experimented (of course) with a few variations and found that using garter stitch (knit every row) when incorporating the faux fur yarn gave the best results. For the pink and red hats above, the sequence is 2 rows stocking stitch (wool), 2 rows gartar stitch (wool + novelty yarn). This will use almost the entire ball of faux fur yarn for an adult hat.

This version, in white, is gartar with wool and faux fur yarn for the entire body. The result is super luxurious, but you'll need a lot of the yarn. I also find that without the stocking stitch to retain the shape, this version is a little more 'slouchy' - but that is actually a nice thing!

The base pattern for variations in sizing can be found at Kathy North's The Hat for Anyone.

Basic Hat Variation: Multi Stitch

Goodness me, I don't know where this week has gone. At some point this week I did manage some time to photograph and put away my knit hats, so I shall have a few things to share over the next few days.

Recently I finished and shared with you a variation on the Basic Hat for anyone using novelty yarn. This is another one of my favourite styles - all in wool - but with a variation in stitches.

I experimented with quite a few styles but found one of my favourites to be a combination of moss stitch and gartar stitch.

And as you might notice, I particularly like the combination of a solid colour with a variegated option to compliment.

The base pattern can be found at Kathy North's The Hat for Anyone. For this variation, begin after the rib with 2 rows stocking stitch, 4 rows moss, 2 rows stocking, 4 rows gartar .... etc. When it comes time to shape the top of the hat, alternate in garter stitch rows only for easier decreasing.

The possibilities of colour and stitches are endless, so enjoy!

Back to the hats!

Wintery weather? Time to get back to the hats!


Last year, feeling confident enough to move on from square or rectangular objects, I started making hats. I experimented with a few different patterns and found Kathy North's The Hat for Anyone to be one of my favourite ones to work with. It's the perfect base pattern for doing your own variations.

You can knit in the round, or flat with two needles - which is still what I currently prefer - although it does mean that you have the finishing up to do. This is a variation using what I call the 'eyelash yarn'. I like the stripe patterning to be tighter at the beginning for extra warms around the ears.


The pattern for this adaption regular adult hat is as follows:

Cast on 72 stitches with main wool and work 8 rows in k1, p1 rib.
(Work 2 rows stocking stitch in wool, 2 rows gartar stitch in eyelash yarn) 3 times.
(Work 4 rows stocking stitch in wool, 2 rows gartar stitch in eyelash yarn) 3 times.

Keeping the continuity of the pattern, begin the decreasing to shape the hat.
K7, k2tog across. Purl row.
K6, k2tog across. Purl row.
K5, k2tog across. Purl row.
K4, k2tog across. Purl row.
K3, k2tog across. Purl row.
K2, k2tog across. Purl row.
K1, k2tog across. Purl row.
k2tog across

Cut yarn leaving enough to sew up seam of hat and draw through remaining 8 stitches.

Finish up, and pop it on your head.


I've got a few balls of the novelty yarn left to make into this version of the hat. Next up will be a purple with blue and teal. The base pattern provides directions for X-small, Small, Adult or Large so you can easily alter the concept to suit.

Hmmm... might check these out some time ...

• One Skein V-Neck Baby Sweater Vest to Knit - Free Pattern (childrens-knitwear-projects.suite101.com)
• Baby Booties and Hat to Knit (childrens-knitwear-projects.suite101.com)