One of my final projects last year was the Winter Bliss Hat, by Lara Simonson. I love the lines on this beanie. The slant of the cable is created with strategically placed increases and decreases.
The pattern is well written and easy to follow, including a chart for the main pattern and separate charts for the decreases for each size. Honestly, I figured out halfway through the decreases that I was using the wrong chart and then just winged it from there. It all worked out in the end, though.
Unfortunately, I forgot to take pictures of that hat before I shipped it with my annual donations, even though I already knew I wanted to write this review. Naturally, that meant I needed to make it again!
The only thing I didn't like so much about this hat design was that the slant of the cable creates unevenness in the cast-on edge on the finished hat, which, in the original pattern, has no brim. The appearance of a lump is a natural part of having only part of the hat worked on the bias, but I still wasn't keen on it.
In order to hide the appearance of that curve at the base of the hat, I added a ribbed brim. I worked 2-inches of twisted 1x1 rib. Since the brim was intended to fold up and over the cast-on edge, I created a fold line and turned my work after working the ribbing, so that the twisted side of the ribbing would stay on the public side of the hat. You can read in more detail about how to do that here.
Starting the slanted cable a couple inches into the hat helps reduce the appearance of unevenness, and the ribbing draws the eye away from the horizontal edge.
I really enjoyed making this hat (both times), and I'll probably making it again in the future. Lara Simonson has lots of other fun looking patterns as well, and I look forward to making some of those in the future as well. Go check them out!
This post has been linked to HIH, Inspire Me Monday, Busy Monday, Senior Salon, WITS, Wonderful Wednesday, The Stitchin' Mommy, Thursday Favorite Things, and Create-It!
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