A Hat Experiment

Back in September, I took a class on Estonian patent stitches with Merike Saarniit.  This technique is really interesting; it creates a reversible, cushy, smooshy, warm fabric with lots of air pockets in it.  I decided to practice by making a hat for my friend Ed, who needs a warm hat to keep his (not very hairy) head warm when he’s in Portland. I don’t have a pattern.  I’m using the Two Color Full Patent Stitch for this hat.  One of the interesting things about patent stitches is that they create a fabric that is very different in gauge than “regular” knitted fabric.  I’m using Malabrigo worsted (a single ply 100% merino yarn that is very, very soft) and I would classify it as a “heavy worsted.”  My needles are size 5, and I only cast on 64 stitches for this large adult hat.  It’s big enough, though. Ed specifically requested a hat with enough length that you could fold up the bottom and double the fabric around the brim.  I think this two-color pattern will look especially nice folded back.I’m not exactly sure how I will create the crown decreases.  I have a practice swatch I started to figure out some details at the beginning – I guess I’ll go back to it and practice some decreases before doing them on the hat.

This technique is really quite captivating.  I recommend it!