Free pattern download: Three hats, one pattern

I have only been knitting for two years or so and, as many of you know, I couldn’t knit when I bought the wool shop.

It was a steep learning curve, to say the least.

Over the past two years, I have noticed how structured many knitters are. Take Wendy – our onsite knitting expert – for instance. She will pull knitting back (undo all her hard work) if she finds she has made a mistake.

I, on the other hand, will carry on and brand my mistake as a “creative interpretation”.

Over the Christmas period, I have been working on a hat pattern – it’s easy and simple.

Three different hats, one pattern and "creative interpretation".
Three different hats, one pattern and “creative interpretation”.

My pattern is knitted on circular needles with a 40cm cord.  I cast on 90 stitches, did garter stitch for 10 rows, then felt like a change so I did a further 10 rows using a purl stitch.

I quite liked how the purl stood out from the curly garter stitch, so I did another 10 rows garter stitch, 10 purl, 10 garter, 10 purl and then began to cast off for the crown of the hat.

I had a couple of different hat patterns in front of me for ideas of how to cast off the crown.  But, as usual, I couldn’t find them at the casting off point.

I wondered what it would look like if I just began knitting 2 tog to the end, so I did.

What I ended up with was a beautifully, wibbly-wobbly look, which I loved.

Sometimes, it's worth just trying different things.
Sometimes, it’s worth just trying different things.

On my second attempt, I used contrasting colours for the garter and purl stitches.  When I got to the crown, I tried K4 K2tog for the first round, K3 K2tog for the second. The third, K2 K2tog and so on, until finally finishing with K2tog to the end.

It gave me a lovely stalk, which was just calling out for a tassel – any excuse.

I am now on my 4th hat and I have put the patterns away.

Maybe that’s what we do this year; we put the patterns away and use any stitch we like and any yarn we like.

Who says there isn’t beauty in imperfection?

Download the pattern for free, here.

There is beauty in imperfection.
There is beauty in imperfection.