I know that I frequently joke about having a big Irish head. It's one of my go-to self-directed barbs in my arsenal of self loathing criticisms. It's sort of convenient to have flaws that you know you can't change, right? I mean, if you have a big head, you just do. End of story. But if it's good enough for Conan O'Brien, well then I suppose for me it will have to do as well.
One of the outcomes of having a magnum sized head is that patterns that are supposed to be très slouchy in a carefree, boho sort of way end up looking just le tight on folks like me. The jaunty beret becomes beanie-esque rather quickly. That's fine. I was the Brownie scout who hated the sash and the vest (I did love the outdoor cooking badge, however) but was all over the beanie. Beanies are deeply cool. And warmer!
The Specs:
Pattern: Opus Spicatum by Kate Gagnon. I am two-for-two with her hat patterns! After the national craze that was the Selbu Modern, this one a huge winner and knits up fast like nobody's business. Adore!
Yarn: Naturespun worsted in Mango (202) and A Bit of Blue (115), a third of a skein of each. I had this yarn forever in my stash and am pleased to have used it--it's like a slightly less soft version of Cascade 220 (the gold standard for this price point), however the superwash angle kind of scares me like it might have been dipped in a vat of toxic chemicals to get it that way. I'm sure I'm wrong about this, however.
Needles: Addi Turbo, size 6 and 8. The pattern calls for a size 9, but I got gauge with the smaller needle.
Mods: None whatsoever.
All in all excited to wear this hat later today, although I cringe at the thought of the 'wintry mix' that is in the forecast. In my opinion those words should never been combined under any circumstances.
What's next for me on my own Magical Mystery Tour of Color, you ask? Well we'll be taking a break from the stranding for the next day of two so we can get a pair of Evangelines in Lamb's Pride off the ground. I feel that conjuring up the power of the word combination 'Prairie Goldenrod' will cancel out the two heinous words mentioned above. Ha!
Love the Opus hat! I must make one. Better a larger size head than a tiny pin head. That prairie goldenrod color kicks ass.
ReplyDeleteI love the colors you chose for the Opus. Those two colors remind me exactly of an outfit Kirstin Dunst wears in Marie Antoinette. I think it looks just as cute not slouchy.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you enjoyed knitting the hat! I, too, think it looks great more fitted as well.
ReplyDeleteAnd you color combo is awesome.
Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI personally have freakishly small hands for my arms, and also such tiny nostrils I can barely breathe sometimes. My ears are so small the ipod type headphones pop right out. How's that for weird, unchangeable shortcomings?
(BTW, the entomology hat in the book is quite big on my head. You might like that one.)
As for the chemicals, well, the idea is to remove the scales on the wool that normally cling to one another. They use acid or a polymer, I think, to remove them or tamp them down. But hey, it doesn't shrink!
Great hat! Your mention of Brownies made a photo flash though my mind of me in my brown Brownie outfit with the most horrific yellow knee socks. The beanie looked fab though.
ReplyDeleteSWOON - love, love, love the hat as well as the mittens from last week. Still love the choqua.
ReplyDeleteI completely subscribe to the theory that big head = big brains.
ReplyDeleteLove the hat, and I share your feelings about the wintry mix. (Here, it's supposed to turn to all rain come morning, so I hope that'll come your way and melt all the mess. Sometimes I think the weather people just freak us out unnecessarily about this stuff anyway.)
You are rockin' the hat knitting! Love the color combo.
ReplyDeleteMay i ask you the measurement of your head? I only ask cause my boyfriend has a huge noggin and i think he would like that, but wouldn't like a beret, but if it would end up a beanie on him it would rock!
ReplyDeleteit's ok too if you don't want to divulge those details.It is appreciated though!
my email is jenniferATpiddleloopDOTcom
I love this! The colours you chose are superb. I also have a great big swede that berets just don't sit right on. Time to make myself one of these, I reckon
ReplyDeleteYou are on an absolute roll, my dear! I am really feeling all the colorwork. And, my, wouldn't an Opus Spicatum and a Herringbone Mittens set be lovely? Oooooh, maybe with one main color the same, but a different contrasting color on the hat and mittens as to avoid being too matchy-matchy? (Who am I kidding, I love matchy-matchy).
ReplyDeleteHa! I love to tease my son about his massive melon... it really is. I agree with the whole big head=big brains theory.
ReplyDeleteLove the hat, very cute!
Wow, look at you go! The hat came out perfect. We are also in the path of the "wintery mix," which I am not looking forward to. Not one bit.
ReplyDeleteGreat color combination! Your Opus hat is great :) I do love that golden variegated Lamb's Pride...
ReplyDeleteThe hat is lovely! And beanies way beat a beret in my book:) I ripped up a pair of Evangelines through Batman and three epsiodes of Trueblood yesterday - great minds...
ReplyDeleteThat's a great hat! sigh...I have a big head too.
ReplyDeletewhat happened to our wintry mix? i was hoping to be snowed in this am!!
ReplyDeletelove a cool beanie, myself. and too bad i was only a brownie and never a girl scout. i would have loved an outdoor cooking badge!!!!!!
Love it! What a great color combination. I'm a beanie girl, too.
ReplyDeleteI think "wintry mix" is one of my least favorite phrases.
that hat = absolutely gorgeous!!
ReplyDeleteI love it.
A big head huh? Well, you could tell yourself it's because you have an extra big brain. I think the part that controls wit and derision is especially well-developed!! Plus you're bilingual, and that takes up a lot of room in the ol'coconut, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteLoving your colour combos!
I'm like you.. I got a big head.. I LOVE hats.. finding one that fits is another story...I end up giving each one away. I've tried to stay away from the slouchy berets only to prove your point.. Beret on some = beanie on me... I may just give this one a try.. LOVE the colors.. and I can't wait to see the Warming Golden Evangelines.
ReplyDeleteMe, I don't have a big head but don't like tight fitting hats. This one is gorgeous! Beautiful colors together.
ReplyDeleteYou are totally rockin' the colorwork lately! Loving it all!
ReplyDeleteYou rock those 2-colored hats!! LOVE.
ReplyDeleteAnd Evangelines in that color of Lamb's Pride will be amazing!
Happy Holidays ;)
knittymuggins
Oooh, I really do like that hat pattern, and your colorwork is loverly, as always.
ReplyDeleteI happen to be making some Evangelines myself, fun little project- a little break from compulsive baby hat knitting, lol! though I don't think the fingerless thing will help me one bit if I dare venture out of doors anytime soon...
Take care & happy knitting!
Beautiful Hat!
ReplyDeleteYeah wintery mix is the worst possible weather. My family calls it "Maximum Shitty" because it's just not possible for it to be more crappy out than when it slushes directly from the sky.