FO: Handspun Clamber hat

Started a handspun hat on last Sunday and finished it on Thursday lunchtime at work.  I used bamboo double point needles because Gotland wool on metal needles was far too slippery.  The yarn has a big halo but the cables stand out well enough.

Pattern: Clamber (Ravelry link)

Yarn: Handspun Gotland 2 ply

Needles: US4 bamboo dpns

Duration: 7th March to 11th March 2010

Ravelry project: Handspun Clamber Hat

I love how the decreases are hidden in the cable and purl sections!  This is an easy pattern to knit.  I added a couple of rows in the decrease section, and it's a perfect fit, comes down over my ears.  It's a very stretchy hat so I might try to felt it a little when I wash it.  I made the 1.0 version without the cabled band, and started with some 2x2 ribbing.

Gotland wool was used for the Elvish cloaks in the Lord of the Rings movies.  The fibre I used is undyed, bought from Copper Moose.  It was spun as a sport weight 2 ply specifically for hat knitting.  The yarn feels silky and it sticks to itself, I'm quite pleased with how it came out.  Uneven areas in the yarn are smoothed out by knitting and the thickness is mostly consistent.

My spinning has come a long way since the first super-bulky spindle-spun skein in 2006.  I've learned to draft, then ply, then Navajo ply.  The yarn I produce isn't perfect, but you can knit with it, which feels like a huge achievement.  My next spinning challenges are making enough yarn for a bigger project, like a sweater, and making thin enough yarn for socks or lace.