I do actually knit, but certainly not often enough to be any kind of respectable kal friend (sorry, HEB).
As you may recall, I embarked on knitting the Droplet Hat from Norah Gaughan's Knitting Nature quite some time ago. I finally finished the hat and would prefer to not think about how long it took me to finish. I suppose that finishing it (ever) is what matters most.
This hat is definitely the most difficult project I have tackled to date, which is probably more of a reflection of the relatively basic patterns I've knit previously than a suggestion that this is an inherently difficult pattern. The most obvious benefit of this challenging pattern is the end product: a hat that I absolutely adore! The other great benefit is that it forced me to learn a lot as I took my first crack at many maneuvers like sewing a seam, making bobbles, and all kinds of stitches (K1-f/b, K1-tbl, p2sso, ssk). If there is a downside to all of that learning, it is that all of the mistakes and tearing out that followed definitely slowed me down. Fortunately, I was determined to get past the mistakes and have a droplet hat of my own!
As you may recall, I embarked on knitting the Droplet Hat from Norah Gaughan's Knitting Nature quite some time ago. I finally finished the hat and would prefer to not think about how long it took me to finish. I suppose that finishing it (ever) is what matters most.
This hat is definitely the most difficult project I have tackled to date, which is probably more of a reflection of the relatively basic patterns I've knit previously than a suggestion that this is an inherently difficult pattern. The most obvious benefit of this challenging pattern is the end product: a hat that I absolutely adore! The other great benefit is that it forced me to learn a lot as I took my first crack at many maneuvers like sewing a seam, making bobbles, and all kinds of stitches (K1-f/b, K1-tbl, p2sso, ssk). If there is a downside to all of that learning, it is that all of the mistakes and tearing out that followed definitely slowed me down. Fortunately, I was determined to get past the mistakes and have a droplet hat of my own!
I actually finished knitting the hat about a month ago, but since the hat is knit flat, it was still useless minus the seam (unless, of course, wearing a hat held together by safety pins is your idea of comfort and style). I definitely drug my feet on the seam. I'd never sewn a seam and I feared a novice seam would ruin an otherwise cute hat (that was painful enough to finish knitting in the first place). HEB pointed me in the direction of some great and easy directions on seaming in Stitch 'N Bitch, and she pointed out that a seam would be easy enough to tear out and re-do if I didn't like it. Surely, then, I tackled the seam right away, right? Not quite. 
I drug my feet some more. The hat sat flat on my coffee table for a few more weeks, as the weather here was relatively mild and certainly didn't necessitate a hat, but with the words blustery and snow finally creeping into the forecast, I decided I really had to finish the hat. I put the entire seam in tonight. This is the seam in progress. The process was definitely not as bad as I thought it would be, and while I don't think the final seam is perfect, I think it is good enough to call it done. That said, allow me to show off my new favorite winter accessory:
The FINISHED droplet hat!!!
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
4 comments:
Oh man, that hat is gorgeous!!
Congrats on finishing it CH, I hope it makes you very happy to wear around a wintery Chicago.
I'm super impressed at all of the new techniques you had to learn to do this hat too--I usually try to limit myself to one new technique per project, because otherwise it totally does sit around while I get up the gumption to try something new out.
And finally...isn't ssk-ing the best?
No comment on the ssk-ing.
But, seriously kid, you totally win the KAL! I have just finished the ribbing on my hat so am clearly way behind. Way to be! And way to produce a lovely hat!
Thanks for your kind comments! Regarding the ssk, I will say that knitting this allowed me to better appreciate HEB's previous post on the topic of decreases. I forgot to mention in my post that this hat made me a fan of youtube as a knitting resource. Who knew there were so many instructional knitting videos?
Congrats on finishing the hat - it looks great!! You've come so far in your knitting endeavors. Also, HEB made me for my birthday 2(?) years ago, and when you were telling me about how it was not knit in the round I couldn't believe it because the seam is so unnoticeable. Wowza.
Also, I have no idea what SSK is. I'm sure you've discussed it here before, but I dont think i ever understood.
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