As I was updating this site this past fall I realized that it’s been a while since I paid any attention to my hat patterns. I haven’t designed a new hat pattern in several years and my old hat pattern photos were looking a little dated. So I decided that a fun winter project for this year might be to knit new sample hats and take new photos. As I thought more about it I realized that, #1 – I would have to buy yarn – Yay!, and #2 – I could also cross some Christmas gifts off my list. So I dove right in!
SweetGeorgia Skeins! Hats in Progress
Cables & Twists Hat
I started with a Cables & Twists Hat in Cascade 220 Heathers in Charcoal. You can see it in the photo above on the right. It was quickly adopted and I didn’t get any good photos before it left. So I’ll have to knit up another one of those soon.
Bestie Beanie and Bestie Slouchy
I moved on to my Bestie Beanie and Bestie Slouchy patterns and knitted up several of them for Christmas gifts. You can see one of the hats in progress in the photo above on the right. That’s the Tumbled Stone Colourway of SweetGeorgia Superwash Worsted. There is also a finished one in that photo in London Fog. As I finished each one, I washed them, shaped them, and then left them to dry in front of the warm fireplace.
Men’s Bestie Beanie Bestie Slouchy
Bestie Beanie
The great thing about the Bestie Beanie pattern is that it can be made in four different sizes: child, teen/adult small, adult medium (women), adult large (men). After knitting and now gifting a women’s medium size and two men’s size beanies I think I would actually adjust these sizes to say the adult medium fits most women and men. The teen/adult small fits some women. And the adult large is for really large heads only.
Bestie Slouchy
The Bestie Slouchy, on the other hand, is a stylish women’s hat with its oversized slouchiness. You can see the difference in shape between the two hats above. Also, the Bestie Slouchy looks great with a fun faux fur pom-pom. I had fun shopping for pom-poms. I chose snap-on poms and I love how versatile they are. They easily snap off to wash the hats. Plus, you can swap out a different coloured pom-pom any time you feel like it! And don’t forget, you can always make a pom-pom with your leftover yarn. This tutorial post shows how to make pom-poms with yarn and a pom-pom maker: Making Pom-Poms 101.
I knitted two couple sets for gifts – one set (below left) with a men’s Bestie Beanie in KnitPicks Swish Worsted in Squirrel Heather and a Bestie Slouchy in SweetGeorgia Superwash Worsted in Trinket. The other set (below right) is two Bestie Beanies. The women’s beanie is SweetGeorgia Superwash Worsted in Tumbled Stone and the men’s beanie is done in Lichen and Lace Superwash Merino Worsted in Black Walnut.
Bestie Beanie & Bestie Slouchy Set Bestie Beanie Set
And… of course I had to knit one for myself too. I kept the SweetGeorgia Bestie Slouchy in London Fog with a white faux fur pom-pom.
You can see all the info for each of the hats on my Ravelry project page if you’re interesting in learning more.
Oh, and my hat journey will continue. I have another Cables & Twists to knit and photograph, a Gratification Hat in that stunning Apple Pie SweetGeorgia skein in the photo at the top of this post, plus a few more. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this adventure in the coming months!
Happy hat knitting everyone!