Hats of all different sizes

The needles I ordered to re-start my Mom's hat came in Friday. Yay! 

I ordered some Clover bamboo 16" needles from a lady on Ebay and let me tell you, that was some super fast shipping.  

The one problem with my yarn is on the metal needles it was too slippery, on the bamboo needles you have to drag it around the needles. 

But I am a stubborn one somebody and pulling around is much better than slipping off the end of the needle every time I had change from purl to knit and back again. 

When it was time to sit down and watch some football I had a cute little slouch hat pattern picked out, just a basic pattern that I found on my Ipad. The pattern called for size 9 needles, which was what I tried the first time and it was just way too loose. So I decided to go up to the largest hat size and use my new size 8 needles.

                              

 

 By halftime I had finished the ribbing and had a good start on the cap.

As you can see, the stitches are much better on the size 8 needles.

            

 And by the end of the third quarter I had a cute little hat finished. Unfortunately, even making the largest size, there is nothing slouchy about this hat.  I followed the directions exactly and the hat, while adorable, is not what I needed for my Mom.  The cuff was an ok fit, but six inches then bind off, no, that was way to small. Not for a hat, but definitely for a slouchy.

Gauge? Did you ask if I checked my gauge? 

Pfffffffftttttt, it's a hat, it will fit one of the many, many people I have to knit for. 

I already have the intended recipient in mind, so it's all good.

                                                                                                              

So, at the beginning of the fourth quarter, I cast on 96 sts and tried again.

This time I decided to go with the old tried and true linen stitch to make it a denser fabric to keep her head warm, plus it will better match the cowl that goes with it.

It takes absolutely forever to get 7" on a hat in linen stitch for some reason. This one is going at 8 rounds to the inch. And I am knitting about as loose as I ever have to make it easier getting those stitches around on these bamboo needles. I think it is because I am having to physically move my stitches along, verses them gliding smoothly around, that is making it seem like the longest small project ever!

I haven't quite figured out in my head how to do the bind off in linen stitch, but I am sure I will figure it out when I get there. Hopefully this evening, Gotham is coming on ya know.

I do love the way it is coming out. 

I think she is going to love it!