wiksten jul hat

Well this project took me way longer than expected but I finished! This is the Jul Hat pattern by Wiksten and I’ve wanted to make it since last year. It’s a really easy knit with just enough texture to keep it interesting. The yarn I used is Cascade 220 Superwash Sport in color Peach (I think). I bought it at my local yarn shop and stripped the label clean off the ball the second I got it back home because I couldn’t wait to knit with it. I should have added all the info to my Ravelry stash before getting started but I didn’t. Oh well, next time!

I go through phases with liking the color pink. I don’t really wear that much of it, but I really like peachy/abalone colors, so I thought a hat would be an acceptable amount of pink for myself to wear. So far I’ve barely taken the thing off my head!

I’m totally guilty of being a perfectionist with my sewing so that made knitting really difficult for me when I was first learning. After Tasha kindly reminded me that I was being ridiculous (as she often does with my knitting) I agreed to stop being so uptight and let the small things go. As soon as I started doing that I’ve fallen in love with knitting more and more with each project. I think I only have 3 mistakes in my Jul and none of them are really obvious. I’m missing one purl bump at the beginning of one of the rounds, and there’s a spot where I knit four rounds between the purl rows instead of three like you’re supposed to. I also had a wonky decrease that gave me a hole at the crown, but I just sewed it closed when it was time to weave in the ends. No big deal.

I usually go for the vintage-y beret patterns but I really wanted to knit something quick and easy since my wrists have been bothering me. I thought this might be a good pattern to fit that bill and it was. I’m not 100% sold on the slouchy style for future knits yet but I do think the hat is super cute. I like it much better with long hair than I do my short hair so I suspect I’ll be wearing both pink hats and fake hair a lot this Fall.

Speaking of new things, I finally got prescription lenses put in my vintage frames! A few years ago I found them on Etsy and my friend surprised me for my birthday by getting them for me! They sat on a shelf in my sewing room for the longest time but now they will hardly ever leave my face. I’m so in love with the gold and the sparklies!

The shirt I did not make but you better believe I’m already on the hunt for the perfect plaid to make a bunch of cool weather button-ups. Fall weather is definitely my favorite. I love wearing hats and long sleeves year round so it’s nice to be able to go out in public dressed appropriately for the weather for a few months out of the year haha!

My cat Vandie wanted to join in on the fun. She’s 18 years old now and totally crazy (as you can see). She’s a rescued barn cat and she’s been with us since she was a tiny sickly kitten. She’s pretty special. …tight knit group in that barn if you know what I mean (*cough unclebrother coughcough*). She sleeps on my face every night and has serious proximity issues but I love her dearly. Even when I’m trying to sew and it’s nothing but “Vandie you can’t sleep on those, those are pins!!” all day long.

I can’t believe how spry she still is for 18 years old. My recently departed 19 year old (R.I.P. Tabby Mae) had arthritis and eventually bone cancer so the last few years of her life weren’t so exuberant. I think Vandie lost her mind ages ago but her stamina isn’t going anywhere anytime soon! She’s crazy.

I think Lucille pulls off the slouchy hat look much better than I do. Especially when the hat is pretty pink like her collar. Someone get this dog a modeling contract already. I mean honestly. Look. At. That. Face.

Well that’s it for this knit! I’ll be working on a few things for Rhinebeck next. Yep, I’ll be there and I’m SUPER excited about it.

All this week I’m away at summer camp (which is a super special place for me and I’ll be revealing more about that on Thursday) so my online presence will be super sparse. I’ll be back soon, though!

What are you knitting lately?

xo
Rochelle