Anyone who knows me can tell you that I am not a big shopper. Especially for clothes. No malls, no boutiques, no online perusal of what’s hot to wear this season. I like Levi’s and hand knit sweaters!

Because of the vast variety of TV shows, movies and music that we have at our fingertips at any given moment, it feels like there are always many fashion trends happening at once. Downton Abbey fans are loving the 20’s and 30’s looks of sleek lines and really cute hats. Pop stars have their own unique brands and the stores are quick to fill our needs. What’s old is always new and designers just need to put their own twist into an idea to make it exciting again.

“Originality is nothing but judicious imitation.” -Voltaire

How do knitters make what’s hot right now? Often, by the time a knitting magazine is on the shelves, the trend is sliding away. Thanks to Ravelry, designers can get ideas out there as fast as we can make the garment and write the pattern.

I design many of my own garments myself. For Southern California I like short sleeved cotton sweaters, but we do need the occasional warm sweater also. Often, a student in one of my classes will have a favorite store bought sweater that they would like me to write a pattern for. Most of the time I get ideas by looking at what other people are wearing, sometimes from TV and in shop windows.

So… when one of my students came in with a really cute commercially knit hat, of course I had to make one and write the pattern immediately! This easy, cloche-style hat is over-sized but stylish. It won’t smash your hair, and with the gathered tie, it can be tipped on your head any way you like! Peek out from under one side for a flirty look, or wear the tie in the back or front if you prefer. You can lace a ribbon or silk scarf through the eyelet holes for more variety.

Coming up with a name for a new pattern is always a challenge for me… This one seemed easy!

“Fit to be Tied”

Find the pattern here.

 Here it is with a silk scarf woven through the eyelet holes:

I always have some beginning knitters in my classes. What to make? This hat is perfect for a beginner!

Use a long tail cast on

To get started knitting in the round, see my video.

Double point needles are necessary to close the top of the hat.

Of course, don’t forget to fix that little gap that happens at the cast on.

Making an I cord is easy and fun! According to one of my favorite knitting icons, Elizabeth Zimmerman, “I cord” stands for “Idiot cord”. Maybe because it’s easy? Maybe because it is repetitious? Either way, check it out.

So there you have it! “Fit to be Tied”! Yay!