FO Friday: Short Row Hat, Round 2

This looks a little better than my last try, don’t you think?

Hat: Short Row Hat by Vernoik Avery, free pattern from Interweave Knits. Made with just over just more than 1 skein of South West Trading Company’s Karaoke (50% Soysilk, 50% wool, color: Mermaid Mix) on #7 Clover bamboo straight needles, and #6 DPNs to close crown.

Started: February 27, 2007
Completed: March 3, 2007

I have to admit something – I stole the idea of using this yarn for this hat from Cheryl at Seed Stitch. I used the exact same colorway and everything. In this case, imitation is definitely a sincere form of flattery – I fell in love with her hat when searching for other people who had successfully completed this hat. After my previous disaster, I needed to see proof that it was possible to make this hat work. And she did.

The yarn is a mix of soysilk and wool, it’s very loosely spun and it has a very pretty sheen to it. I’m sure that it would felt beautifully, but that loose spin made it a bit more delicate than it appeared – on some of the more manipulative stitches, it just broke right in my hands.

I’ve said before how clever the pattern is – you work each diamond area separately with the use of short rows, and when the colors work (like they did with this yarn) it looks like each diamond was knit with a different color of yarn. Ah, the magic of varigated yarn! The garter rib trim is actually very comforatable, and the hat only itches a little bit, but is surprisingly warm.

The only modification I made to the pattern was to forgoe the i-cord topper, which I thought would be a little twee for my tastes.

All that, and I feel vindicated that I licked this pattern! A definite winner.

Filed in: Knitted History