"Thanks Grandma..." - the ugliest, yet most awesome winter hat.

wow it's been awhile since i've posted. anyone who's been to my Ravelry page will know that i've been pretty busy...and i haven't even posted all my photos up there yet. and now onto the real post...

Remember those horribly ugly toques your grandmother or some other member of your family used to knit for you? with the big pompom on top and some lame or ugly design...or, god forbid, your name on it...and out of respect, or the threats of your parents, you were forced to wear at least once just to make them happy.

although they seemed really uncool to wear as kids, i have developed an endearing sentiment towards certain ugly things.
I decided this week that i was going to combine a old, ugly toque design with the slouchy beret designs that have become popular recently. I came up with a really easy to do pattern that took me only a few hours to knit.



i would like to note that although the pattern for the hat is my own making, the snowflake design is not mine, and can be found here: http://personal.smartt.com/~brianp/snowflake.html
sometime this week i will be posting images and letter designs of my own for other hats.

gauge: 4.5 sts x 6 rows = 1"

for this you will need:

• medium weight wool; 1 ball of Main colour (MC), 1 ball for each other colour you plan on using (CC1,2).
  
• five 4mm dpns, or 4mm circular needle
  
• a cd or dvd case
  

brim;

CO 88 sts on 4 dpns (22sts/needle)

R 1 *k2, p2, repeat from * to end of round

R 2-12 repeat R 1

body;

R 13-20 K to end of round

R 21 K to end of round, beginning the design pattern here with CCs.

R 22-42 continue with K & the pattern chart for the snowflake

R 43-50Switching back to MC only, K

decrease

R 51 *k4, k2tog, repeat to end of round

R 52 K

R 53 *k3, k2tog, rpt to end of round

R 54 K

R 55 *k2, k2tog, rpt to end of round

R 56 K

R 57 *k1, k2tog, rpt to end of round

R 58 K

R 59-End *K2tog, rpt to end of round
repeat until there are 4 sts. remaining.

Cut string, and pull it through the remaining sts.
pull tight and tie it off.

Pompom photos below

wrap string around the narrow side of a dvd case, or around a cd case

keep wrapping until the string is thick

pull the wrapped wool off the dvd, maintaining the circular shape

tie a long piece of scrap wool around the middle as tightly as possible

cut the looped ends on either side and arrange the pieces so they form a ball

using the ends of the scrap yarn tied in the middle, attach the pompom to the crown of the hat.