Through the Loops!: Miller's Hat

October 28, 2009

Miller's Hat

Thank you all for your kind comments on Sofie's newest project. The best part of her musical endeavors is the amount of fun she has pursuing them.

Miller's hat is now available. Scroll down for details or to purchase. You will also find it here on Ravelry.

About a year ago, my son's friend "Miller" started pestering me to make a hat for him. Initially I offered to teach him to knit so that he could make his own hat. A creative, artistic person he was enthusiastic about the idea. As the months went by we never quite got around to our knitting lesson. Miller's requests to learn to knit turned back to requests for me to do the knitting. On one visit he showed me a blurry YouTube music video in which the singer was wearing the type of hat he had in mind. From what I could see of the hat it had lush cables, was a little slouchy and swooped down in the back to cover the ears and neck. The concept of this hat floated around at the back of my mind. I liked the challenge of how to combine all of those elements into one pattern while keeping the hat balanced. I also like the puzzle of working out the best way to construct the hat. Eventually Miller and his family moved out of town, but he continued to send my son text messages asking when his hat would be ready, with pleas of "you promised". Miller's persistence paid off and I finally cast on and made his hat. It may be quite different from that original inspiration, I haven't looked at that video since the day he showed it to me. But I hope he likes it anyway. You can see this first version modeled so enthusiastically by my son, "the lad" below.

I really liked the first version of this hat, but I wasn't happy with the yarn I chose. While it is a wonderful yarn, the Spud and Chloe Sweater with it's high cotton content just wasn't right for the pattern. It was painful to work all of those cables with this yarn and the top of the hat didn't have the amount of drape I had in mind for the slouch.

When I posted photos of this hat and mentioned that I'd be making it again with a more appropriate yarn the very talented Sarah of Plucky Knitter fame offered to send a skein of her new Superwash Merino Worsted Weight yarn to work with. What a wonderful yarn this is. It has the fabulous tight twist and subtle sheen of many of her other yarns in a worsted weight. It shows patterning and cables beautifully and gave my hat the slouch I was looking for while keeping the brim sturdy and firm the way I'd envisioned. As always, the color of Sarah's yarn was rich and gorgeous and had just the amount of semi solid beauty to be a designer's dream.

For this version of the hat I used a contrasting yarn on the edging. Sometimes I just can't resist adding an extra bit of color.

Miller still doesn't have his hat. The Lad will eventually give the first version of the hat to him. Since they no longer go to the same school they don't see each other very often. I hope it lives up to his expectations. Especially after such a long wait. Thank you Miller for the inspiration and for your persistence!

Miller's Hat

Size: One Size
Finished Measurements: 19”(48cm) Circumference at brim, will stretch to accommodate up to a 22" head, adjust gauge to further adjust the size.
Gauge: 20 sts = 4” (10cm) in slipped stitch herringbone pattern on smaller needles
Needles: US 6(4mm) & US 7(4.5mm) or size to obtain gauge
Yarn: MC: The Plucky Knitter Merino Superwash Worsted, 100% Superwash Merino, 205 yds   per 100g skein, Husker Red, 1 skein
CC: Dream in Color Classy, 100% Superwash Merino, November Muse, about 20 yards
Additional Materials:
Stitch Markers
Cable Needle
Tapestry Needle

This pattern has charts.

Skills needed: Slipped Stitches, Cables, Chart Reading

A special thanks to Heather, Yahaira (be sure to scroll down on her website and check out the photos from her beautiful new book), Dorre, Maryse, Claudia, Andrea, Stacey & Megan.

Price: $6.00 US