Learning to Knit: My First Hat

So it seems I have taken up knitting alongside my sewing. I have tried to knit before and made my mum a scarf one Christmas years ago but that was all I ever made and I certainly never got the bug to keep knitting! However, I have been following Abi – the Crafty Pinup who has been knitting a lot lately and she’s been talking about how therapeutic she has found it to supplement her sewing with a bit of knitting. Abi has talked of how it is nice to do in the evenings when too tired to sew but it’s nice to be still creating. I thought I would like to have a go again and this time I am hooked!

This is a really basic hat pattern I found for FREE on loveknitting.com. It requires you to know casting on, knit stitch, purl stitch and seaming it together. I asked my mum to remind me of these and whilst that scarf I made her was probably 10 years ago I was amazed how the knowledge all came rushing back!

I wasn’t sure if knitting was for me and you all know I like to try and be as sustainable as possible so I headed to my local charity shop and picked up this ball of Super Chunky Yarn (£1) and the size 10mm needles (25p) which was recommended on the ball. I had spent £1.25 and the idea of this hat was born. I googled around a bit until I found a pattern suitable – a lot of patterns required circular needles (which wasn’t what I had bought and I have no idea how to use anyway!) or they required more than one ball of yarn – again a no-go as the charity shop only had this one ball. After a bit of searching I found this pattern and decided to give it a go!

It was a really easy and therapeutic knit, it whipped up in no time and I definitely think the ribbed detail makes it look like it was a much more difficult knit than it was! It also required no casting off  – I would definitely recommend this to a beginner! I actually made this over the course of one day, picking it up and adding a few rows now and then until it was finished!

I wanted to add a pom pom on the top but I hardly have any yarn left so I am going to save that and see if I can make a multi-colour pom pom with some coordinating yarn scraps in a few months!

Anyway, I am really pleased with my new hat and think it will get worn loads! I also think this would make a great Christmas gift, don’t you?! If you are tempted to make your own, I have a referral code which would get you £10 off your first order at We Are Knitters. Pop MGM5AASSF into the voucher code box at the checkout and you can get £10 off, no minimum spend. One ball of The Wool is enough to make this hat and would only cost £5 after discount – perfect for Christmas gifts!!