A Red Hat for Red Hat Society
A while ago, my mother-in-law asked me if I'd make her a hat for her Red Hat Society. She'd seen another woman wearing a beret to their last meeting, and thought she'd like one herself.
Well, she didn't have to ask twice, though I wasn't able to start right away. I have the best mother-in-law in the world and I haven't knit for her as much as I'd have liked. So, I started to sift through ideas on Ravelry, and we both agreed on Almond Comfit.
This little hat is designed by Ysolda Teague. It takes less than one skein of one of my favorite yarns, Fyberspates Scrumptious Aran. Actually, I haven't met a weight of Scrumptious I don't love -- merino wool and silk, a rich sheen, great colors. The version of red at my yarn shop was called Cherry, a bluer red than the Empire Biscuit shown in the original pattern.
By the way, I had assumed (who knows why) that comfit was a jam or preserve - a spread. Turns out that's confit -- an almond comfit is a candy, as far as I can tell, like a Jordan almond. And in fact, red ones are associated with graduations.
Isn't this a great mirror set-up for trying on a hat?
This was VERY fun to knit. The cast on is unusual. I tried to begin this hat during a basketball game. This was appropriate, since we were watching at my mother-in-law's house, and she loves basketball. But this was not a project to cast on during a game. The instructions are correct, but they ask you to do some things I hadn't expected. Once I got home and sat down in the quiet, and actually followed the directions as they were written, and not as I assumed, things went very well. The instructions suggest a circular needle, but to start with, I found having my stitches on two double-point needles, knitting with a third, easier. The figure eight cast on is more usual in a circular piece. This hat is circular, but it is knit back and forth. Once I figured that out, I was off to the races.
I blocked the hat on a dinner plate - the good china for this one.
This picture shows the nice shape of the hat.
Isn't this red a great color for her?
Well, she didn't have to ask twice, though I wasn't able to start right away. I have the best mother-in-law in the world and I haven't knit for her as much as I'd have liked. So, I started to sift through ideas on Ravelry, and we both agreed on Almond Comfit.
This little hat is designed by Ysolda Teague. It takes less than one skein of one of my favorite yarns, Fyberspates Scrumptious Aran. Actually, I haven't met a weight of Scrumptious I don't love -- merino wool and silk, a rich sheen, great colors. The version of red at my yarn shop was called Cherry, a bluer red than the Empire Biscuit shown in the original pattern.
By the way, I had assumed (who knows why) that comfit was a jam or preserve - a spread. Turns out that's confit -- an almond comfit is a candy, as far as I can tell, like a Jordan almond. And in fact, red ones are associated with graduations.
Isn't this a great mirror set-up for trying on a hat?
This was VERY fun to knit. The cast on is unusual. I tried to begin this hat during a basketball game. This was appropriate, since we were watching at my mother-in-law's house, and she loves basketball. But this was not a project to cast on during a game. The instructions are correct, but they ask you to do some things I hadn't expected. Once I got home and sat down in the quiet, and actually followed the directions as they were written, and not as I assumed, things went very well. The instructions suggest a circular needle, but to start with, I found having my stitches on two double-point needles, knitting with a third, easier. The figure eight cast on is more usual in a circular piece. This hat is circular, but it is knit back and forth. Once I figured that out, I was off to the races.
I blocked the hat on a dinner plate - the good china for this one.
This picture shows the nice shape of the hat.
Almond Confit
- designed by Ysolda Teague
- Fyberspates Scrumptious Aran, 45% silk, 55% merino wool, color 401 Cherry. I think I used between 2/3 and 3/4 of a 180 yard skein.
- Size 6 needles - but check your gauge, I almost always have to go down a size or two.
- Size 21"
- on Ravelry
Isn't this red a great color for her?
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