When good experiments go not so much bad, as slightly awry.

Here's the thing: I bought the most perfect piece of headwear in Montreal a couple of years ago. A simple cotton beret. Not huge, floppy or fussy, but just the right scale with a devil-may-care roll up hem. The ultimate all-purpose, bad-hair-day-rescue, roll-it-up-and-stuff-it-in-your-pocket, stylish (I like to think anyway but then I have major powers of self delusion) chapeau.

Now I'm obsessed with being able to knit myself a hat that is equally up to the task. This is about my second or third attempt, but I'm afraid the jury is still out on this particular one. It's certainly not the fault of the design, which is clever, fully charted, and easy to memorise. In fact the gently undulating cables remind me of Minoan wall painting motifs.

No, I think where it went awry was in my yarn choice. I was attracted to the idea of the silk/cotton mix of Summer Tweed in which to work up this hat so it would be cool, soft and breathable in hot weather.

So much for the theory.

Here I am apprehending the large grey lump on my head.
Moi? Je suis une Stunned Mullet, or La Mullet Stunne.
Regardez! Les dark circles !
(No, it's not snowing here, I have a very dirty mirror it seems).

In practice what I ended up with was a slightly harsh, rope-like yarn that doesn't have the necessary elasticity or body required for the pattern. And don't get me started on stitch definition! What I will say though is that it smells rather nice - that lovely raw silk aroma (so I'm a weirdo, what are you going to do about it? ) I've also found that I love the look of the fabric it makes in reverse stocking stitch and in fact it may be reincarnated that way, in a more 'pure' form.

And I think ol' PBB is definitely worth another round but she may have to wait 'til the weather starts to cool again and I can start reaching for the merino instead.


Pattern: Parisian Beanie Beret by Tina Whitmore available here.
Yarn: Rowan Summer Tweed. Hurricane. About a skein and a half.

Both PBB and Summer Tweed are destined for other, better things.... just not together.

Contemplating the Broadhurst, or just falling asleep?