Humbled by a Bonnet

In the last year, I've taught a couple of friends to knit, started a weekly knit night, branched out to new techniques, and started thefirst level of the Knitters' Guild Master Knitter program. I know there's a lot left for me to learn about knitting-- more than I can possibly learn in a lifetime. That's a big part of what I love about it. And that's how I cooked up the name for this blog.

Of course, there are times when I think I have it sort of figured out, especially the basics. I can read a pattern, do a swatch, account for gauge differences, and have made quite a few useful things. I have also read enough about knitting to know that the great Elizabeth Zimmerman (EZ) is known for providing limited detail in her patterns. I was really happy with the results I got from her Very Warm Hat pattern, for which I did a little adjusting, so I thought I was well equipped to use another EZ pattern to make something for my friend's new nephew.

Here's the successful hat:

It fits my sister perfectly, and she says it's just what she wanted. I liked it so much, I started a second one for myself. But I have lots of hats, so back to the hat for the baby.

I chose the Katmandhu Hat/Bonnet from Spun Out #8. The pattern has a charming hand-drawing, but no photo for scale (ahem), and no size or dimensions. Wanting to be cautious, I looked with Google and on Ravelry to see what other knitters have done with this pattern. I found one project on Ravelry, and there wasn't much info, but a couple of pics of the bonnet on a toddler. With that, I decided I could assume that if I followed the pattern carefully, I'd end up with something appropriately sized for a baby or toddler. In my world, bonnets are definitely infant-wear, so that added to my confidence. I dutifully did my gauge swatch, adjusted the number of stitches to cast on, and got started. I've checked my math, and I am confident that my results were if anything, slightly smaller than EZ's pattern would rationally lead one to. And yet.

As you can tell by the beard, this bonnet turned out to be appropriately sized for my full-grown, adult male co-worker. Adorable, isn't it? He's just one of a number who've helped me get over my denial about this behemoth, and have given me some very therapuetic laughs about it.

It was a truly edifying knitting experience, and not just the acute humbling experience of having knitters and non-knitters alike seriously crack up at the extent of my denial as I kept on knitting and then went on with the finishing, and wondered whether I could still put it in the mail, convincing myself that it was a presentable baby gift.

A couple of more plausible suggestions were to find a "little old lady with a cold head" or convert to a religion in which I could fit in by wearing it myself.

Instead, I think I may just keep it as a reminder of the power of denial.