Free Hat pattern bonanza!

It's going to be a knit-free day for me.. the pain of my PA is pretty heavy duty and I will need to slow things down, once again. I figure that is it's bad enough to wake me up at night, it's pretty bad. I've been trying to get my Holiday knitting done early but I'll have to slow down. Another focus has been, of course, the Lanark Knits project. I've only managed to add another 3 pairs this week and I am driven to get them out to the local kids. It was another freezing drizzle morning and I watched my neighbor's kids slipping and sliding down our road on their way to school. The only thing that's worse than cold hands are cold, wet hands....

I have to get my newsletter finished today and proofed tomorrow, 1st thing. I hope that it looks good. My ED has great ideas and I just hope that I can incorporate some of them into the final product.

Since my knitting will have to sloooow down for the next few days, I thought it would be nice to share a few of my favorite hat patterns. The Internet is such a boon for people like me - short-attention span knitters looking for variety and color. I routinely scan the 'Net, looking for future projects and ideas and here are some of the finest out there in Blog-land.


http://www.amandaknits.com/download/code88hata.pdf (if the link doesn't work, try http://www.amandaknits.com and scroll dowwwwn) I love the message of this cool, ribbed cap - I'm a sucker for a good crown design and this one is pretty special. Besides, Morse code is coooooool

Rumor has it that K the elder will be hiding some Noro in my stocking this year - I sure hope that he meant for Xmas... If and when that does happen, I think that I'll make this simple beanie
http://acunningplan.typepad.com/andsheknitstoo/patterns/silk_garden_beanie.html

I'm also a sucker for Fair Isle anything and this hat is the best of many worlds - good pattern, nice colors and a beautiful crown!
http://www.johnnysstew.com/pattern/fihat.html

This cap has a sweet pattern that flows beautifully around the head - something that I appreciate in a hat. It's a nice solid little cap but with a special design
http://whimsicalknittingdesigns.blogspot.com/2006/10/touch-of-whimsy-hat-pattern.html

Back in Salzburg, we have hats similar to this one- I love the shape and the color work. Plus, it's from MagKnits - one of my favorite resources EVER
http://magknits.com/Mar06/patterns/G8.htm

This cap is a nice balance of lace and density - I can see it keeping your head stylishly warm and the lace gives it just enough ooomph to make you feel special. I was thinking of making it in buffalo or mohair...
http://www.carylldesigns.com/wavy_feathers_qiviut_cap.htm

I adore vintage anything and these head wraps fit the bill perfectly. The romance and (perceived) glamor of the 40s makes my knees weak and I think that you couldn't help but feel transported back in time if you were to wear this
http://www.vam.ac.uk/images/image/13095-popup.html

It's probably a good thing that I didn't spawn a daughter 'cause I would've made her wear hats like this.http://knithats.tripod.com/id9.html I mean, it's a daffodil!!! I love it:)

Anyone who knows me would never guess that I like Hostess cupcakes. I was introduced to these sweet treats rather late in life but have made up for lost time in my (only occasional) consumption (but more than anyone who knew me back in my granola and whole grain childhood would have ever believed). This cap is a fitting tribute to the cake, in all its glory
http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2006/10/22/fauxstess-to-the-extreme/

Before I get carted off to the Demented, Screechy Old Ladies Home, I want to wear hats like this around town. I can just see me going into the post office wearing this beauty and watching the postal agents try not to giggle or make eye contact with me. I still think it's a beautiful creation!
http://www.maggiesrags.com/freewitchhat.html

Fair Isle? No, Fake Isle - yes! using variegated yarn to make a FI fake!!! Pure genius (and pretty to look at, too!) http://magknits.com/Nov06/patterns/fakeisle.htm

I've only recently discovered this Blogger and can't say enough good about her creativity - great hats!!!!http://smariek.blogspot.com/2006/12/swirl-hat.html. If you like that, you might want to check this pattern out, too - http://smariek.blogspot.com/2006/10/claudia-hat.html - pure delight!!!

I recently saw a KAL that featured a baby hat that looked like this one but the fact that the designer has set out to create a Hershey's Kiss beats the band!!! I love it http://www.articlepract.com/patternpages/hershykiss.html (and no risk of contamination LOL)

Once again, a lovely lace beanie that I really want to make. The biggest decision will have to be what color????http://www.spunkyhats.com/boogie_3hat.htm This is actually a trifecta - whether child, man or woman - there's a model for you :)

Knit ... like a pirate???? Yes!!!!http://knitlikeapirate.com/projects/tricorn.html Who doesn't need a tricorn hat? It may not be practical for 2007-wear but I think that it would be fun for those days when the world just doesn't feel sane

A real stocking cap! yeah, my kids would give me 'that look' if I tried to gift them with this but I think that I would wear it, once and a while http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter05/PATTstockingcap.html

http://mogknit.blogspot.com/2005/02/life-aquatic-beanie-pattern.html
I love this movie and when I told K the elder about this pattern, I could see a spark of interest gleaming in his eyes...hmmm, maybe I'll have to pick up some red yarn this week

Another recent discovery for me, this grrl knits!http://kodymayknits.blogspot.com/2006/11/bead-my-skull-cap.html I love the possibilities of a beaded design like this - just think of what you could put on this cap!?! I love beads and I love knitting - this is definitely the best of both worlds!

http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATKSmadge.html This simple, lacy beanie may be another option for the phantom skein of Noro which may or may not be coming my way

I could see this little sweetie on my little niece, Allie-Pallie (or, Mini-Me as I like to call her)- a rough and tumble hockey player by day, a sweet little cuddler by afternoon - this 11 year old is a doll! A simple ribbed cap, it's specialness is found in the darling rose and leaf embellishment http://community.livejournal.com/trians_patterns/847.html

For all of us Star Wars fans, this R2D2 cap is pretty neat http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=113657.0 - way to go, grrl! I so want to try my hand at this one!

Old chickens like me cannot pull of this hat http://community.livejournal.com/knitting/75126.html
but I can see it on some SYT. I think that I may have had a similar hat when I was 3... The designer has kicked but on the sides of this hat - neat texture and lovely hat!

A nice balance between lacy and solid, this cap will keep you warm and fashionable http://members.aol.com/JSchlossma/blancheh.html

Another FI wonder - this is a really nice hat but I think that I would use a variegated yarn instead of switching colors http://theknittinggarden.com/gallery-march/mar-free-5.htm

It's a hat.. or a glove for a very very big person http://www.wilflunn.com/hats/hat_moses_knitted.htm I love this guy and personally, I think that wearing a giant glove on your head might be fun...

A nice lace hat, I think that this will be fun to run up http://shazzaspatterns.blogspot.com/2006/02/muse-hat.html

Another vintage pattern that reminds me of Newfoundland, fishers and the Atlantic http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/hats/monmouth.htm It's a blend of beauty and practicality.

Are your needles ready? Need to make a quick dash to your LYS? On your mark, get set, GO!!!!