February 2013 #2 - Stars!

Well here it is March and I'm finally getting my second February hat posted. Not that it hasn't been finished for about two weeks. But I just didn't get it photographed, and I hate writing about a hat without putting up a picture. It's a thing I have.

This versatile hat is actually an original design. Or at least original to me, since I haven't seen another hat constructed exactly like this one. Similar perhaps, but not precisely the same. I've made some changes to the top portion in the second version I just finished and will be writing up the instructions soon. However, I feel the real "star" of the hat are the stars themselves. The pattern is available as a Ravelry download. I used Berroco Comfort in Hackberry Heather for the hat with five stars made from Lidfors, Primary Yellow, Pearl, Chambray and Robin's Egg. The hat is knit on a size 7 16" circular needle and a set of 7 dpns the stars crocheted with a size G hook. Stitches used for the hat are knit, purl, k2tog and SSK. Crochet stitches used for the stars were chain, single crochet, half double crochet, double crochet, triple crochet, and slip stitch. I did modify the pattern to decrease the rays from "ch 6" to "ch 5" in order to create a slightly tighter, more compact star. I then attached the stars to the hat with the wrong side showing because I thought there was a bit of puffiness about the way they sat on the hat and I liked the texture of the wrong side stitches.