Knit your very own hat....

Snowboard season has arrived !!! Woo Hoo !! My favorite season of them all. On Friday I got to dust off my boots, bring out the new triple goose down mittens, and hang out with my lovely friends whilst making some turns at A-Basin . It was all that I remembered it to be - even with the big tumble I took because my jelly legs weren't prepared for the undulating terrain !!!! (Note to self - hit the gym before next winter season!). Probably should have been wearing my Bern helmet - but couldn't resist wearing my purple 'STIFFY' immidesigns hat - it goes so well with my pants !!!!

The 'STIFFY' hat is the easiest hat to knit - as long as you know how to cast on, knit, and decrease (check out 'you tube' for instructional videos if you don't know how to do this already).

You'll need 7mm straight needles, a wool needle and some lovely chunky wool - I like to use Lambs Pride Bulky yarn because it is super soft and warm.

My 'STIFFY' hat pattern is:

• Cast on 50 stitches.
• Knit 30 cms /12 inches in a simple garter/plain knit stitch (in this picture I knitted 20 rows in hot pink, 20 rows in limeade, and 20 more rows in hot pink, but you could do just one colour - like the purple stiffy).
• For the last row, knit 2 together, repeating this all the way till the end of the row - you'll be left with 25 stitches on the needle.
• Cut the yarn, leaving approximately 80 cms / 30 inches to cast off and sew the hat up.
• Thread the wool needle onto the remaining length of yarn, then thread through each of the 25 stitches left on the needle.
• Pull all stitches off the knitting needle, and pull the thread tight, so the top becomes gathered.
• Make sure the hat is inside out and begin sewing the hat together along the two edges. If you have done stripes (like in the picture) - make sure you line the stripes up accurately.
• Once the hat is completely sewn up - turn it inside out.
• Make a deliciously big bobble - either with a bobble/pom pom making kit - like this one from purl soho, or go 'Blue Peter styley' and make your own.
• Sew it to the top of the hat - looping the thread through the bobble and top of the hat several times to ensure a strong attachment.
• Put it on, stand back and admire your handy work - alternatively - if it looks bad buy one from immidesigns!!