52 hats

I haven't been blogging too much lately. Plenty I have to say; just not sure I want it out there in the public domain.

I joined the 52 hat challenge on Ravelry - yep the aim is to knit 52 hats in 2009.

On weekdays, I travel for 3+ hours/day on public transport. That is a lot of knitting (and reading) time. If I knit both ways, I can get a hat made in just 2 days - 3 if I decide to read on one of the legs.

I like knitting hats. They are a fast and easy knit, giving pretty-much instant gratification. I don't know if I'll ever buy another beanie again, as a basic beanie made out of quality yarn is better than anything that can be bought in the stores. Unfortunately the most satisfying hat to wear - a basic 2X2 ribbed beanie - can also be the most irritating to knit. So I alternate the ribbed beanies with the fun patterns. Veronik Avery's short-row hat - this is particularly effective in Noro yarn - or Sally's Super Sideways hat, a free pattern I got with some variegated yarn from a small Australian business that also utilises short-rows to produce a unique double-thickness hat. I have a pattern book of "folk hats" waiting to be explored and probably another dozen hats on printouts around the house.

Obviously there is no way that I or even my family and friends could use 52 hats, so a lot of these Will be going to charity. But I am determined that such hats will be appropriately styled and coloured for people to wear. They will be thoughtful hats. And while the full-ribbed hats are the best, I may decide to knit a few plain beanies with just a ribbed brim for my own sanity.