Inspiration

This summer was brutal. We racked up eight 100-degree plus days through late June and early July and nearly 50 90-degree plus days throughout the summer. It's not over yet, but lately cooler morning temperatures hint at the crisp Autumn days to come.

Naturally, this has me dreaming of cozy fall knits. Sweaters are my default late summer projects, but if I wanted a fall sweater this year, I should have started last spring. Since spring came and left without me so much as casting on for a cardigan, I'm focusing on hats. For inspiration, I've gathered some of my current favorite hats from Ravelry and around the web.


1. I love the slip stitch colorwork pattern on Triona Murphy's Check Slouch. The finished hat looks like a difficult knit, but the pattern itself is easy.
2. The simple and striking colorwork motif on Full of Fluff's Augustine adds just enough splash to an otherwise simple hat.
3. Alex Tinsley knits a lot of hats, but a most bespeckled hat is one of my favorites. Her choice of color and the slouchy shape makes for a whimsical and ever-so-wearable piece.
4. Po Lena's Tears of Bronze features a simple but arresting cable motif that sings when paired with a semisolid yarn like the madelinetosh lysaknits chose for this version. And the pattern is free!
5. Another example of non-traditional cabled motifs, Ysolda's Oxidize features lots of single-stitch cables snaking over a stockinette background. I especially love it in a semisolid yarn like the one Saz chose for the version above.
6. If Terhi Montonen's garter stripe beanie isn't the definition of knitting comfort food: simple stockinette stitch worked up in gorgeous yarn and a stripey garter stitch edging, then I don't know what is. Even more comforting -- this is another free pattern.

Now to decide which of these darlings to add to my knitting queue. And get to work on designing a hat that embraces the spirit of simple, but well-chosen details.