Teen Designer

A few weeks ago M. announced that he would like a new hat. He has been using the same hat for about 5 years. It was made out of some of my first hand spun yarn. A bright orange that he chose. It is quite small on him now.
First he said he wanted a hat with ear flaps. I told him I could do that. He looked through a book of hat patterns and picked a shape that he liked. Then he said he just wanted it one color. We went down to the freezer, where I store my wool, and he chose Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino. Wonderfully soft stuff.
He chose a few colors that he liked and then said that instead of ear flaps he would like braids with tassels on the top like his cousin C. Sure. I can do that. He then added that he would like a little color work around the bottom. Yeah, I can do that too. He looked through my books and found a design on the cover of Latvian Mittens by Lizbeth Upitis.
He liked most of it but the repeat of the design didn't suit him so he charted out the design he wanted on graph paper and I have started the project.

Lucky for me he used that quarter inch graph paper!

I enjoyed the rhythm of knitting with a yarn in each hand and weaving the colors as I went. This hat design has a hem so that it will be double thick around the ears. I knit the hem and then a purl row for an even turn and then knit the color pattern. I joined hem to the front when they were the same length. I discovered that when I hemmed it you would no longer see the back of the color pattern. I like the way that you can see a pattern on the back side too.

Here is the front. It would make a nice ear muff as it is now but I will keep going with just the black and then put those braids on the top. Unless he changes his mind about that.
It has been fun to see him involved in the design of this project. Now I just hope it fits.