Many Good Reasons to Knit a Hat in June

As far as knitting goes, hats are fast and don’t require a huge amount of yarn. Hats are great for beginners who want to learn to work in the round. They are also a good way for more experienced knitters to try a new technique (such as cabling or stranded colorwork) on a small canvas.

June can be a busy month with all kinds of family occasions and outdoor activities. No one wants to knit anything big or bulky this time of year. June is a very good month to make a hat… or two…

I am leading a hat knit-along at Gosh Yarn It! this month. All of the June "Sleepaway Camp" KAL knitters will be making a hat using one of my previously released or soon-to-be-released hat patterns.

The soon-to-be-released hat patterns are now being offered (for free) to participants in the GYI! KAL. (Blog readers will soon have the opportunity to score a free hat pattern, as well. Continue reading for more details.)

JUST CHILLIN' is my soon-to-be-released worsted weight cable hat with an optional pompom.

You can make a pompom with your knitting yarn, or you might try a purchased (faux or real) fur pompom.The hat pattern has three sizes to fit heads 19 (22, 24)” circumference, or to fit an average sized child (woman, man).

DOT ON is my soon-to-be-released worsted weight beginner stranded colorwork hat with optional pompom -- a great project for using a two-handed stranded colorwork technique.

The hat pattern has four sizes to fit heads of 17 (19, 22 and 24)” circumference, or to fit an average sized toddler (child woman, man).

These new hat patterns will become available on Ravelry for $5 each in late June. Watch this blog for the announcement of their release after June 20th. I will provide a coupon code for my blog readers to get one new hat pattern of their choice for free.
 

An Invitation (Up Close & Personal)

Paper Lanterns Detail, © Gosh Yarn It!

Ann at Gosh Yarn It! does take the best knitting photos!  This detail shot is my absolute favorite of the photos she took of my Paper Lanterns shawlette while it is (temporarily) a GYI! resident sample.

As part of GYI's Summer Camp 2015, for the month of August, I will be hosting a KAL at the shop & in this Ravelry thread.  I will be in the shop this Saturday, August 1, at 1:00 PM to cast on my newest Paper Lanterns.  The pattern begins "CO 14"...  How easy is that?

My chosen yarn is the lovely Wonderland Yarns "Mad Hatter" sport weight - 344 yds - 4 oz - 100% superwash merino in the 'Crimson Fury' colorway.  [The actual weight of this balled skein is 3.95 oz or 113 g.  This might be helpful to know when I get near the halfway mark.]  It will be interesting to see Paper Lanterns knit up in a semi-solid kettle-dyed yarn.

Paper Lanterns is a great summer knit!  You may use any sock yarn -- sport weight or fingering -- wildly variegated or semi-solid.  My sample (there are many photos on the pattern page) was made with 360 yds of sport weight sock yarn.  The pattern is fairly easy to memorize and the garter stitch body of the shawl moves along quickly.

Please join me in this KAL!  You can start at anytime after the 1st, but the goal is to finish by the end of the month.  Follow the thread and visit with me at GYI! this Saturday.  I look forward to knitting with you!  Happy almost August!