Knitting for a Cause

Christmas Knitting is in full swing at our house.  I finished up several projects over the weekend and took the time to work on a hat for a good cause.  This hat is going to the Newspapers in Education Auction that we hold at our office every year.  NIE works to put newspapers in classrooms, helping teachers with lesson plans and supplementing the textbooks and teaching materials that the schools already have.  More information can be found at the NIE website. 

The Details:

Pattern:  The Yarn Harlot’s Unorginal Hat.

Yarn:  Misti Alpaca Chunky

Modifications:  I used a size 10 needle.  The pattern calls for a 7mm needle which is somewhere between a US size 10 and size 11.  I think next time I’d go up to the 11.  It just occured to me that I never checked my gauge.  So I’m not entirely sure how accurate it is to tell you what size needle to use.  Heck, use your best judgement.  It’s a hat, so it will fit someone.  If it’s a gift though, check gauge.   It also probably wouldn’t hurt to run another strand of yarn (maybe dk weight or so) along with the Misti Alpaca.  Something that would help beef up the size of the yarn and give some stitch definition once the alpaca goes all fuzzy and blooms. 

It fits a 5 year old girl very nicely, but will also fit a women’s small.  If I make one of these for an adult, I think I’ll go up a needle size.  For a baby, I’d just reduce the number of pattern repeats – do 3 instead of 4 and perhaps shorten the length (although it’s awfully cute with a rolled up brim).