Several things

I saw several beautiful and unexpected things today while on my 10-mile run: waterfalls tumbling into stone basins full of ice, fallen trees in the lake with ice sculptures growing on top of the broken limbs, and a tree that someone had decorated with Christmas ornaments. On top of the tree was a angel made from a clear, plastic soap bottle.

All of this has nothing to do with knitting except that I kept thinking the whole time, "I'm a knitter. Why am I wearing thin, acrylic mittens that are letting my hands freeze."

Damson Slouch Hat Pattern

The Damson Slouch Hat pattern is available from Knit Picks for $3.99 as a pdf download.

I love relaxed, slouchy hats. This one's easy to knit and fun to wear. The yarn is Knit Picks City Tweed DK. It's warm, soft, and drapey. I love the plum color, which manages to be earthy and bright at the same time.


Sizes
to fit head circumference
small 18-20"/45.5-51cm
medium 21-23"/53.5-58.5cm

finished brim circumference
small 161⁄2"/42cm
medium 19"/48.5cm

Size medium will fit an average woman. Size small will fit children and teens

Yarn: Knit Picks City Tweed DK in Plum Wine (C102), less than 2 skeins (about 200 yds for size medium)
Needles: 16" circulars in US 4/3.5mm and US 7/4.5mm, and US 7/4.5mm dpns. If needed, change size to obtain gauge.
Other: cable needle, stitch markers, tapestry needle
Gauge: 1 cable rep slightly stretched = 4"/10cm (4.5"/11.5cm) after blocking. 28 rws over 4"/10cm. For reference, 22 sts/28rws over 4"/10cm in ST st.

Techniques and stitches
Stockinette stitch: k all rnds
Ribbing
Decreasing: k2tog, p2tog, p3tog
Increasing: yo
Cables
Working from a chart

A Well-received Hat

A couple of years ago, I made Don a hat with alternating cables and ribs. The little cabled hat hasn't seem much action over the years.

I thought maybe Don just didn't like wearing hats. But, last year when we ran in a 5k Turkey Trot, we got free, black, acrylic beanies as part of our goody bags. He's worn that hat quite a bit, including during a prolonged cold snap last winter when he was walking to and from work in the snow. Aside from a little patch with a turkey on it, the hat is plain stockinette stitch. It's a nice enough hat as those things go. But, not nicer than a hand-knit, cabled hat!

I began to suspect that cables were not Don's thing, especially when he referred to a man's cabled sweater pictured in a magazine as "frilly."

So, I made him this plain, blue beanie out of Elann Superwash worsted wool. It's already been on his head several times since I knit it. The hat's nothing fancy, but Don looks good in it.

He seems pretty happy wearing it in Rasummens's pumpkin patch.