... Girl Needs a Hat

I am ever so slightly addicted to this show called Wonderfalls that debuted on Fox in 2004. Only 4 episodes aired before the show was canceled, but a DVD with the entire first season (13 episodes) was released. It is a standard at our house, my daughter and I love it. It becomes apparent after watching the first half of the season that there was a knitter (and possibly crocheter) amongst the crew, as the most wonderful knitted pieces made cameos in the show here and there. One of my favorites was the hat Jaye wore in two episodes, Totem Mole and Caged Bird, the 12th & 13th episodes. My thumbs were busy pressing the rewind and pause buttons on my DVD remote from trying to figure out which yarn might have been used in the original hat. It at first appeared to be made of recycled silk, but I wasn't sure, the texture seemed thicker and loftier. But I could not figure out just which yarn was used. A while back I had cast on for the Unbiased bag with recycled silk alternating with Noro Silk Garden every two rows, but the project had been hibernating for a while. When trying to come up with yarn ideas for the hat it occurred to me that the yarns I used for Unbiased might work quite well for this hat if held together and I think it comes pretty close to the original from the show. The more I look at the scenes from these episodes the more I am wondering if Manos del Uruguay's 100% wool might look good also, with some tweaking of gauge of course.

So without further ado, I give you ....

Girl Needs a Hat


Gauge: 3 sts and 4 rows over 1”

Needles: US Size 11 DPNs

Sizes: S (M, L) - Finished measurements: 19"(21", 23"). For a tighter fit measure your head then subtract 1-2 inches.

Yarn:
Mango Moon Recycled Silk
Noro Silk Garden in Coordinating color




Ear Flaps: Ear flaps are knit as below for Medium and Large sizes. If making the small hat, you may choose to make slightly smaller flaps by repeating rows 1 &2 six times instead of seven, leaving you with 15 sts for each flap.

With size 11 needles and one strand of each yarn held together CO 3 stitches.
Row 1: Purl
Row 2: kfb, knit to last st. kfb
Repeat rows 1 &2 seven more times (17 sts.)
Purl one more row.
Break yarn and leave flap on DPN

Repeat above for second flap.

Hat Body:
Using new DPN cast on 3(4, 5) sts. , then knit across all 15(17, 17) sts of the first flap (RS facing out). CO an additional 13(14, 19) sts, then knit across all 15(17, 17) sts of second flap (RS facing out). CO 3(4, 5) more sts.

You will now have 49(56, 63) sts total; distribute evenly over DPNs. Place Marker (if needed) and join in the round, being careful not to twist work.

Knit in stockinette stitch (knit every round) for 3 ½ inches. Begin decreases in crown.

Crown:
Work decrease rows as follows:
Row 1 (Dec): *k5(6, 7), k2tog*, repeat from * to * to end. 42(49, 56) sts
Rows 2 and 3: knit
Row 4 (Dec): *k4(5, 6), k2tog*, repeat from *to* to end. 35(42, 49) sts
Row 5 and 6: knit
Row 7 (Dec): *k3(4, 5), k2tog*, repeat from *to* to end. 28(35, 42) sts
Row 8 and 9: knit
Row 10 (Dec): *k2(3, 4), k2tog*, repeat from *to* to end. 21(28, 35) sts
Row 11: knit
Row 12 (Dec):*k1(2,3), k2tog*, repeat from *to* to end. 14(21, 28) sts
Row 13: knit
Row 14 (Dec): For small only skip to instructions for row 18. For medium and large:*k(1,2), k2tog*, repeat from *to* to end. (14, 21) sts
Row 15: knit
Row 16 (Dec): For medium only skip to instructions for row 18. For large only:*k1, k2tog*, repeat from *to* to end. 14 sts
Row 17: knit
Row 18: k2tog, repeat to end. 7 sts all sizes

Break yarn leaving 6 " tail, pull tail through remaining 7 sts. and secure. Weave in ends.

Ear Flap Tassels:
Make tassels for the two ear flaps as follows:

-Cut 7 strands of yarn measuring 26" for each tassel (14 strands total)
-Using a spare crochet hook insert the hook at the bottom of flap from front to back.
-Holding 7 strands of yarn together fold them in half making a loop and wrap loop around the end of the hook.
-Pull loop through flap and insert strand ends through the loop, pull tight.
-Loosely braid strands and knot, pulling tight and leaving a 4-5" tail of strands at the end.

Repeat for second flap.

Top Tassel:
-Cut 12 strands of yarn measuring 23" for the top tassel
-Secure to the top of the hat as you did with the flap tassels
-Loosely braid strands and knot, pulling tight and leaving a 3" tail of strands at the end.

... easier doesn't always equate to better.

Last night Samantha had one of the worst low blood sugars she had in the past 6 years of her life with diabetes. After the shaking and nausea subsided and she was able to see and talk again, she looked up at me, all curled up on the couch with her tear streaked face, and said in the most grown up of ways, "Wow, that low was tough."

I told her how sorry I was and that I wished she didn't have to go through this and I was all ready to feel sorry for the both of us and she said, "No mom, that's okay I am glad I have diabetes." This shocked me! I said, "what do you mean you're glad?" She explained it to me and said that yeah, life would be easier without it, but easier doesn't always equate to better. It is like the Frost poem (that she learned about his year in class--thank you Mrs. Wyman) , The Road not Taken, in which those things that require more work and more challenge often end up with the sweeter reward.

She works harder than most of her non-diabetic peers at achieving (not necessarily in class, or in sports, but in life). Sometimes she exceeds everyone's expectations and other times she falls short, but because of the sheer effort and backbone required to make it through each day with a positive outlook, she is more ready for the challenges that she will ultimately face in life. Basically, she knows that she would love to live a carefree day without D. But, she also knows that living with it for as long as she has has changed her for the better. She didn't choose to take the road less traveled, that choice was made for her. But she has chosen how she views her journey down that road and I could not be prouder.

The Road Not Taken
Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.