Creative Loops

I have decided to knit a simple hat and I shared this in my first post. Now, I need to choose the yarn. As it’s January and quite cold in the UK, I have decided to use Aran or worsted yarn. It will knit up quickly and keep my head warm.

The yarn I will be using for this hat is Stylecraft Highland Heathers Aran. I have a few balls in my stash and have found it to be great for hats. It comes in a small range of colours named in a mainly Scottish theme. It also comes in a double knit variety. But any Aran/worsted yarn can be used as long as the gauge is similar.

After selecting the yarn, I started working on a gauge swatch. Though it’s tempting to skip this step and start casting on, it is crucial to ensure that the hat fits properly.

I researched various ways to determine the number of stitches to be cast on and found one site that calculated the stitches based on a pattern I like. As that pattern fits my head well, I decided to follow their instructions. I have included a link to the All Free Knitting website below.

https://www.allfreeknitting.com/Knitting-Tutorials/Knitting-Hat-Size-Chart

I’ve realized that I’m taking a lot of notes during this short time, from stitch counts and gauge to head circumference, and whether I want to amend the pattern for children and men. I have bits of paper everywhere, and I’m yet to decide whether they will help me when I write this pattern.

I prefer knitting hats in the round, as it’s my favourite way to knit items that require seaming. However, my Nan always knits flat and is horrified by my preference. Which team are you on – Team In the Round or Team Nan?

In my next post, I’ll focus on the brim of the hat, including single or double brim and which rib to choose. There are so many aspects to consider.

Until next week.