I am inordinately proud of this hat. It all started when I posted a picture of me in the St. Mungo’s Woolly Hat Day hat on Twitter to mark Woolly Hat Day, 26th October. People liked it and commented and seemed disappointed when I took it down the following day. Vainly, I thought that the snap I posted was unflattering in that it showed off my big nose to its biggest and fullest. I thought I looked like Dobby from Peep Show but other variously compared me to one of the Flumps and, the final straw, Benny from Crossroads. So I replaced the profile picture with one of my chewed Lyra jumper, which I thought was a neat metaphor for my life at times. But some people are missing that hat and, tell the truth, so am I so I decided to make another.

It’s the first time I’ve done any knitting using different colours. Stripes are easy to do but it does mean that there are a lot of loose ends to weave in at the end of the process. I used the Debbie Bliss Paloma yarn again because  love the handle of it and alpaca is so warm and the colours in this range are simply glorious. In a vaguely mathematical way, reminiscent of Fibonacci or Da Vinci, I decided that the stripes in the main body of the hat should be in the ratio of 8 rows: 6 rows: 4 rows, reducing to 6 rows: 4 rows: 2 rows in the decreasing part. It sounds complicated but there are fewer than 60 rows in the whole hat. The Orange comes first because I think it’s probably more flattering against my face than the Ruby, whilst not so readily showing make up stains as the Ecru, which will help me be visible in the dark when I pop and see my mum to give her her medications. You see it’s all science. *gives you a knowing wink*

I am particularly proud of the woolly ball that graces the top of the hat. I made one longhand for the St. Mungo’s hat, which took me all morning, but I actually bought an ingenious woolly ball machine, (tell the truth, being a completist, I actually bought 4, all in different sizes) which made the task so much quicker and easier.  All in all, the body of the hat took me an evening to make and the finishing off and woolly ball making required another 30 minutes after that. I hope it’s a cheery addition to my winter wardrobe. I went out in my coat recently without a hat and realised how naked and cold I felt. I swear by cosy hats in the winter you see.

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Paloma Chunky yarn from Deramores 60% Alpaca, 40% Merino Wool Shades Burnt Orange 017, Ruby 015 and Ecru 001

Knitted on 6mm circular wooden needle from Knitpro

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