Easy Knit Wool Hats: the basic pattern for any kind of wool

[@Yarntalesandthreads]

I like the videos I make because they serve as a reminder on how to do things, best practices, best techniques. Honestly, as a knitter at 70 yr of age, I do forget things. It's also a reminder of how much I have accomplished. What about you? Do you take time to note how far you've come, appreciate your accomplishments?

[@elaineallen4121]

Thank you for sharing your tips and ideas around hat knitting. I thought the idea of keeping some hats in the car so you can give them to people in need was such a good idea. I will be doing this. I am looking forward to catching up all of your videos.🤗

[@Yarntalesandthreads]

Hey Elaine, thanks for watching and subscribing. I’m also glad you were inspired with the “hat in the box” idea. So, I’m thinking, you must be knitting wool hats right now. How long would you say it takes you to start and finish a hat? Just curious. Enjoy your day and week!

[@elaineallen4121]

@Yarntalesandthreads Hello...I can manage to knit a hat in 3 to 4 evenings depends if the yarn is chunky or Aran or double knitting and if they get a pom pom😊. Take care.

[@elainer6499]

I am enjoying watching your video. I want to learn better how to knit a hat without a pattern, and you have given me a better idea of the length I need to go for. I love knitting hats. I am in Indiana. I was the 1st in my family born in the US. My parents and older siblings were from Hagersville, Ontario. My mom taught me how to knit, but she never seemed to realize I was left-handed. So I knit right-handed, but hold the needles like nobody else (LOL!). I hope your eye has healed from your surgery. I love the hat you are making, the color looks great on you. God bless you.

[@Yarntalesandthreads]

@@elainer6499 Thanks for your comments and sharing your story. Interesting that your parents were from Hagersville. I have family in the States, most in Michigan and Pennsylvania. My ancestors came from Germany, settled in New Jersey and then came to Canada in 1790. The hat I knit and am wearing in the picture is called a “Roots” hat. Roots is a Canadian company. A bit of trivia on the Roots stores… “In 1973, 2 friends launched the company inspired by Canada's wilderness. They met at a summer camp in Ontario's Algonquin Park. Since that time, the Roots logo has made its way around the world. Today, Roots operates more than 200 stores in Canada and abroad, and it ships to more than 70 countries. They sell leather purses, shoes, accessories, clothing, and winter hats… It’s a well respected name in Canada. Happy Knitting.

[@elainer6499]

@@Yarntalesandthreads That is really interesting, to know your roots that far back! My mom's parents were from Scotland, her parents, her mom's parents and aunt and uncle moved from Scotland to Canada in the 1920's, I think it was. I will have to look up "Roots" and see what all they have. I just have to have a project going at all times.

[@Yarntalesandthreads]

I can so relate to the “have to have a project gong all the time.” I’m the same way. I’m 70, but at this time in life I have so many creative ideas I can hardly keep up with myself…lol… So neat about your ancestry, Scotland and all. My husband is Irish, from Belfast. His ancestors are from Scotland. I ordered the DNA kit from Ancestry.com once and it turns out he is more Scottish than Irish…so funny. Cheers!

[@elainer6499]

@@Yarntalesandthreads That is funny! My dad's mom was a Mulligan, so, I may have more celtic in me than 50%. I'm 65 years old. I am going to try and crochet a teddy bear, I've got the head done. I used to knit stuffed animals and my husband and his sister would sell them at a craft fair. But I really just want to knit without too much thought. I'd love to knit a fair isle hat, but I need a pattern. I will try and find a kit for one.

[@Yarntalesandthreads]

I have knit a fair isle hat. The thing you have to remember is when you’re working with two strands of different color, alternating for the pattern, it does tend to pull the work in, makes it a bit tighter and so you need to make allowances for that. I’ve knit a ribbed band and then when I get tot the body of the work I increase about 8-10 stitches, which when blocked the hat will stretch in the colorwork area about an inch. I should do a video about that. I was thinking of doing it anyway. So the thing is, you don’t have to have a kit or a pattern. If you can read a chart, for example I have a chart for mittens, it’s possible to figure out the repeat pattern of the chart, let’s say every 10 stitches, and then if you have 90 stitches on your needle you can repeat the pattern 9 times. Even if you miscalculate you can repeat the pattern and end it at your beginning point. Okay, that’s it…lol… I’ll cast on a fair isle hat this week and work on videoing my progress for another video to upload. I love it when viewers like yourself give me ideas.

[@Ruby-wise]

I LOVE your vids, generosity and technique!

[@Yarntalesandthreads]

Thank you so much.

[@davidp9820]

That ball you held up at 10:22 looks like Premier Yarns Puzzle. I recently made a scarf using it.

[@Yarntalesandthreads]

Thanks for sharing that. “premier Yarns”… I got wool given to me from a friend and I do think she may have purchased it when she was in the US. I’m in Ontario, Canada, about 2 hours north of the Niagara Falls border. Sometimes I go to Buffalo area (Cheektowaga) and visit Hobby Lobby. In order to buy things and bring them home we need to stay overnight. That gives me a budget of $200 in purchases, if I wanted that much. I’ve been to Joann’s as well but so far like Hobby Lobby. My most recent trip there in the Fall I noticed the wool department seemed to be scaling back a little. Enjoy your weekend!

[@Ruby-wise]

@@YarntalesandthreadsI SO enjoy your channel and projects.! I just purchased a Premier thread, Anti-Pilling Bamboo Chunky. I will make a beanie…and if I like the feel of it I’ll knit some fingerless gloves/ wrist warmers to match. TY again for sharing your love of knitting!

[@Yarntalesandthreads]

@Ruby-wise Thank you for your kind comments. I do appreciate them. In making the thumbless mittens and wrist warmers I’d suggest using a light weight worsted. I’m actually knitting a pair of wrist warmers in navy and the wool I chose said “worsted” #4 but it does seem to feel a bit lighter. The white mittens in the video were knit with baby wool. I knit them in one piece and folded them sewing up the sides. The navy ones I’m working on now are knit in the round, a bit tedious but doable. I will be uploading a video this week (soon) and plan the next one to be about wrist warmers. A rule of thumb (ha ha… no pun intended), is to use worsted weight wool, or even baby wool, cast on 36 stitches, use DP needles to knit in the round (12 stitches per needle). I’ll be sharing some instructions in an upcoming video. In the meantime, let me know how your getting along. I’d love to hear your plans and how you’re doing the mittens etc.

[@Ruby-wise]

@ oh..thanks so much! I really enjoy your easy to understand,,,and seasoned instructions. At present, I’m knitting wrist warmers and caps for our local ladies who are in treatment for breast cancer. I call myself an intermediate knitter,,, as I was learning cap Knitting on circular needles and doing some cable work and ( of necessity, I took a bit of time off for shoulder replacement surgery:-) now, as you said, you missed knitting when your eyes were on the blink! Winter and knitting by the fire with my fur Baby…are simply the greatest gifts❣️.

[@marina_m11]

Hi, I enjoyed your video and subscribed to your channel. I made a commitment to learning to knit in 2025. I am an avid crocheter and predict that the continental style of knitting will be a good fit for me. I also received a sewing machine for Christmas, looking forward to getting into that as well! I found a tutorial on KZbin that looks pretty easy for my first knitting project. It is a chunky hat tutorial from PassioKnit Kelsie. I enjoy channels with a positive, comfortable vibe and inspiration for crochet and knitting. I will watch some of your other videos and look forward to seeing more! Happy new year!

[@Yarntalesandthreads]

Thank you, Marina for your kind words and your compliments and I’m glad you joined the channel. Hopefully you find some things that inspire and encourage you. I know how to crochet and I did that for many many years until I moved to St. John’s Newfoundland. I learned how to it although I dropped it for many years until I recovering from an operation and then decided to pick it up again. The last couple years I just fell in love with it all over… I can’t get enough so, so I started a channel. Cheers.

[@elainer6499]

I made the fair isle hat, it came out much too big, but I will make another one. I'd love to show you a picture of it. I just used to thick of yarn, but it was fun, going to make another one very soon.

[@Yarntalesandthreads]

I downloaded the fair Isle pattern you mentioned and I’m working on it now. I am used a worsted weight yarn and I did cast on the 108 sts they suggested, but quickly realized it was going to be too big. So i recast it with 90 stitches. I’m documenting my progress so you’ll be able to see it at some time. I’d love to see your hat. You could send me a picture to my email [e-mail]. I’m a retired counsellor and hence the counselorsue email address. I think that account is still open…lol… I’ll let you know.

[@elainer6499]

@@Yarntalesandthreads I've emailed you the pic, thank you!

[@TheNyralim]

That grey hat is so beautiful. Where was the kit from?

[@Yarntalesandthreads]

The kid came from a local wool shop called Linda’s Craftique. It’s located on Highway 10 north of Orangeville where I live Ontario Canada.