Monday, February 06, 2006

Muse Hat


I bought this delightful knitting book off ebay with some lovely retro hats but unfortunately, they are nearly all crocheted and unfortunately I cannot crochet. Oh sure I can do the stitches if I follow a 'how to' book but putting them all together, by following a pattern, I haven't a clue.

Many years ago I remember knitting a jacket which had a stitch pattern that looked just like crochet so after sorting through my old pattern books I found the pattern and used it to make my Muse Hat. Why Muse you ask? It reminds me of the hats that the beautiful wives and girlfriends of famous musicians and artists were always pictured wearing during the '60s and '70's, complete with the false eyelashes and long hair. Here she is finished, sorry I don't have the model looks, complete with false eyelashes, neither is my hair the long tresses that the women who inspired this little number possesed and for that matter I don't think I have ever been the 'force that inspires a creative artist'.

Anyway she was a dream to knit, quick and easy and I must say the wool I used, Cleckheaton Country 12 ply, was an absolute delight to knit with. I have tended to be very negative about Australian yarns, not the quality, after using Cleckheaton Country it is up there with any I have knitted, it is the lack of colour range that is so lacking here. You would think living in a country that produces some of the best wool in the world that the manufacturers would get off their backsides and see what the rest of the world is doing and at least try and compete. I mean I am not even talking variegated here just a wider colour choice, at the moment if you want blue you might be lucky if you get three choices navy, light and dark and that is it. Maybe us Aussie knitters should get together and write a letter to the major wool companies and ask them to do something about changeing this situation.

Okay I am back off the soap box now, funny isn't it how you can be talking about one thing and that reminds you of something else and off you go!! Or does that only happen to me?

If you too would like to knit a Muse hat, you can find the pattern over in the sidebar or HERE. There you will see it being modelled by DD who has now claimed it for herself, so I guess I will be making another one.

12 comments:

Yarnsticksbooks said...

Yep I totally agree,Cleckheaton country 12 ply is fantastic to knit with, but the colour range sucks!!! 8 ply has a little more variation, but not much.
It is really hard to support local yarns when imported stuff offers so much more variation.
Don't kick me when you see me drooling over the colours on international sites:P
I am more than happy to write a lettter with you.
Great hat too !

Sheeprustler said...

If you can crochet one stitch at a time and have the patience, you can follow a pattern. Honestly, it's easy! I am a self taught crocheter (and basically crochet inside out and back to front, which can be an issue) but learnt to knit very young.

It's a problem with Aussie yarns, isn't it. I really WANT to use local yarns, and sometimes do (Bendigo is my favorite fallback yarn every time) but I drool over OS (and mostly US) yarns all the time and want to buy them.

Love your blog, BTW.

Rachael Elswyk said...

I knit my first circ's project (BAWK hot water bottle cozy) with Country 12 ply, and loved it. But it was grey. I so agree with you and the lack of colours here, and also the lack of ply ranges too. (Thank goodness for Bendigo hey?)

Thanks for offering the patterns up. I am knitting my next pair of socks with your pattern! It's so CLEAR!!!!

Suzi said...

I do like that hat!

However having said that I know have the urge to burst into song - I can hear it now a song about a hat.

I do like your hat!
She does like your hat!
I do like your hat!
She does like your hat!
Your hat! Your hat! Your HAAAAAATTTTT!

Suzi.

Tracy Batchelder said...

That hat has a great look...so impressed with your design talent!

Shelley L. MacKenzie said...

The hat looks great!

It's a shame you don't have a wide variety of colours to choose from for your wool...around my area it isn't really lack of colour, but lack of all the great yarn they have in the States. We only have chain stores that I know of and they don't exactly carry things like Knit Picks or Lorna's Lace or Opal, etc. (I haven't used those yarns yet, and if I want will have to order them over the net or something).

maniacalmultitasker said...

Shaz
The hat on the cover of that mag is divine!
I'd like to search for it on the web...whoe are the publishers?
Hui

Anonymous said...

I love that hat! Perfect for us non-crochet folk!! I am gonna have to make one real soon (not for me..i am not a hat person...maybe for my sister?)

Katt

melissa said...

i have to heartily agree about the lack of colours in our aussie wool .i quite like some of it to knit with .. cleckheaton ,patonyle, but he lackof colours is disheartening ..i recently went toknit a bright jumper for a baby and was so dissappointed in the baby wool colour and dont get me started on the gross patonlye.. wheres the bright eye catching cloours ...
you know maybe i will write them a letter .. the trend is bright .. wheres our bright wool

L. said...

I love the hat, to say nothing of your very cool blog! I emailed you yesterday....did you receive it? If not, I'll send another message to you on KR.

Jo said...

What a perfectly adorable hat! Thank you for so generously sharing your patterns. I'm especially looking forward to making the Fan & Feather socks for my own DD who is in the LOUD BEGGING stage now. lol I feel so sad that your yarn colors are so limited in Australia! Who would have thought in The Land of the Sheep and all? It boggles the mind! Kudos for wanting to support local business but really...how saintly are you Down Under Knitters expected to be? >wink<

zippiknits...sometimes said...

I taught myself and crochet backward because the books were ALL for right handers at the time. The stone age? Remember when that was, just before string was invented? I hope you have been having fun crocheting things. =0)