FO - Lotus Hat

To interrupt my spate of sock posts (I'm going to put another pair up today), I thought I should share this little lace hat.



While knitting it, I wondered about the purpose of such a hat, and then I found the perfect day to wear it, when it was sunny and almost warm, but still cool enough to want to cover my ears and (still wet) hair while walking the dogs.



Oh hi, I have thesis face and look like hell. But don't you like my hat?

Pattern: Lotus Hat by UptownPurl at Third Base Line; my project is here on Ravelry
Size: one size, women's beanie-style hat
Yarn: Knit Picks Comfy Worsted 10-ply, in color B990 Creme Brulee, 75% Pima cotton / 25% acrylic; I used 44.9 grams, which was approximately 97 yards/ 88.7 meters, just under one ball
Needles: size 6 (4.00 mm) 16" circular and set of 5 size 6 (4.00 mm) DPNs
Modifications: added one chart repeat to lengthen

Started: January 17, 2010
Finished: January 17, 2010

I haven't really worn this style of hat before. If it's cold enough to wear a hat, I generally go for something thick and wooly. If I want something prettier, I'd go for one of several traditional tweed caps or felt cloches I have (is it in any way surprising that I love hats?). So this was a departure, and one I'm glad I took.



Do you do this? Contorting and torturing your poor photographer (thank you, Mom!) trying to get a shot of the top of your head? There were actually some comical out-takes from when I tried to do it myself, and my mother mercifully intervened.



What initially drew me to this pattern was the lotus flower shape made by the crown decreases (hence the name), and I think it's beautifully written to take full advantage of the transition between the lace and this shape. The cross-hatch lace itself is lovely and very enjoyable to knit. It's an intuitive, rhythmic pattern, and I liked watching its organic development. I knit this hat in just a few hours, and I'm sure part of the speed was how much I enjoyed working the lace.



I am head over heels in love with the yarn. It is heavenly soft, with just enough squish and bounce to have excellent stitch definition. It feels great to work with and even better to wear. While knitting this hat, I thought I should try to use this yarn whenever possible in future, especially for baby and children's garments and anything that would be worn against the skin.



This project felt nice and serendipitous. This ball of yarn was leftover from a camisole I knit last summer (yeah, I should probably get around to photographing that too...), and I've been going through one heck of a yellow obsession, so it all came together nicely.

I was sweating the yardage the whole time, which is why I didn't add yet another chart repeat, but I decided that if the hat were much longer, it would start looking silly for a spring cap, and I didn't want it to be puffy on the top of my head.

I can't explain it, but I have a bit of a compulsion to wear my hair in braided pigtails with this hat - I'll have to let you know how that works out.