I’m reworking the Columnar Jointing hat and cowl, because frankly I’ve been using a much better method of setting up the transitions for this style of hat in all the related designs since this one originally went out. The original design works, but the improved version is so much better and smoother I’m feeling a lot of mortification about releasing the new .PDF just because it is so daft by comparison. I overcomplicated a thing in a pretty remarkable way; this way is better; mea culpa.
Anyway, this way is just so much better that as much as I hate advertising that I didn’t do it the best possible way the first time, I’m doing a new edition of the pattern; if you liked the hat, you’ll like this one better, and I’d highly encourage you to download the new version if you have the old one.
Improvements/Additions:
- An additional hat size. (It’s a size small, intended for preteen kids. However, you do have to watch the brim edge on this design to make sure it’s not tight, so if you’re in doubt as to which size to make, size up. It’s better to have a hat with a folding brim than a hat that’s too tight and unpleasant for a kid, and s/m will also work for a lot of kids’ sizes.)
- New instructions for picking up stitches. It’s a very small change, but it makes the project flow a lot better. If you’ve done Columnar Jointing and Strandlines, or the Trinity Lace hat, you’ll know right away what’s changed to bring the first design up to an improved level.
- A stockinette gauge for reference! I have a lot of trouble imagining that anyone will do a stockinette swatch for a hat, since I walk around with Elizabeth Zimmermann’s idea that hats are basically almost swatch-sized in my head, but if you know your stockinette gauge in a given yarn to begin with, it might be helpful.
The Mouse Army Knitting Co. 