Hat Weather is Right Around the Corner...

Now that the leaves are starting to change, I am realizing that hat weather is right around the corner. Fortunately, I have been working on several as a good way to use up stashed yarn and prepare for the holidays. Hats are easy to make, knit up quickly and are something everyone can use - the perfect gift!

I found this pattern sitting right next to the yarn at my craft store as I was walking by. They both found their way into my cart, as if by magic, mainly because of the floppy little dealies at the top of the hat. Very cute! I made two hats as kind of a trial to see how they knitted up and I have to say that I like this pattern. I am currently looking for a natural fiber yarn that has long runs of color in it that I can use with this pattern. I prefer natural fibers, but am sometimes the victim of my lack of self control when it comes to yarn and fabrics!

As you can see, the yarn is made by Premier Yarns and these Sweet Rolls come in  many different color combinations. I always gravitate to the neutrals, so this gray and white combo was perfect. The link above is for Premier's website, but I have also seen these yarns at local craft stores like JoAnn's and Michael's.

As you can see from the photos, my second hat started in a different spot on the gray continuum...not sure which one I like best. Looking back through my photos, I realize that the middle one with the yarn is not an accurate representation; I tried to change up the color cast, but only had limited success. The other two photos show accurate colors (at least on my monitor) and give you a good idea of what the yarn actually looks like. They are a bit blown out, though -- I guess it wasn't my day for photography!