Clayoquot Toque Hat

I’d been itching to try some colorwork knitting but was undecided on a good first project.  A sweater was certainly too big and unmotivating (I just can’t bring myself to knit another one) so the next best thing seemed to be a hat (conveniently, also one of my goals to knit in 2019).  But there are so many colorwork hat patterns on Ravelry.  It took me some time to decide on a pattern/ style that I liked.  Finally, when I saw this pattern, for the Clayoquot Toque hat from Tin Can Knits, I knew I’d found the right thing.

Yarn  

For this pattern, I wanted a yarn I could trust and that wasn’t too expensive.  And I wanted enough to make two hats – because two is better than one when practicing a new skill, right?  I settled on red, grey, and black because someone wanted me to make them a hat in those colors long, long ago.   

And then I saw something about poms and bought two from Barrett Wool when they were in stock at some point.  So cool – and fluffy!

Colorwork

I was most nervous about tension when it was time to add my different colors into the pattern.  I watched a few tutorials about carrying the yarn and then just had to try it for myself.

And it worked perfectly!  I even toyed with holding one yarn in the left hand and trying to do a bit of continental knitting….  That wasn’t easy for me.

But the colorwork was so much fun.  I loved watching the colors play together – it gave me such joy.  Truly, learning a new skill is a great feeling; and to have a finished object afterward is even better!

Details

Pattern: Clayoquot Toque by Tin Can Knits

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh DK

Colorways: Blood Runs Cold, Smokestack, Dirty Panther

Needles: US 3 & 4 (3.25 and 3.5mm)

Made for: unknown

Time to completion: 8 days

This was a super fast project; it was over before I knew it.  I enjoyed every minute of it…until it came time to attach the pom.  The Barrett Wool poms are detachable so sewing on the clasp seemed easy enough but it took me way too many tries before I got it right.

But when I did, I loved the results!!  Now all I can think about is colorwork knitting – in all shapes and forms, but mostly hats.  I can’t wait to gift this Clayoquot- but that may not be until Christmas.  It’s too hot, already, in Texas to think about hats now!