FO Friday: Diamond Eye Beanie

Last week, I mentioned I was working on some designs for the My Mountain Hat Design contest using Schachenmayr‘s My Mountain line of yarns.  For my first submission, I used this skein of Bravo Big Color in Fire Print.

Bravo Big Color Fire Print

As many of my readers know, I’m a super slow knitter, so I knew the super bulky yarn would be perfect for a knit design.  I was actually able to finish the sample in a week’s time.

I wanted to make a unisex beanie because the color seemed perfect for men and women.  I also wanted to have an unusual traveling cable design, with something other than stockinette (or reverse stockinette) stitches inside of it, running up the center.  I decided to make the rest of the hat ribbed so it would be extra stretchy.  That way, it can be worn with a variety of hair styles without leading to “hat head.”

I named the pattern the Diamond Eye Beanie, and I made the sample in a men’s size (just to make sure there’d be enough yarn for a larger size).  I wrote the pattern to include a smaller, women’s size, too.

Unfortunately, MC wasn’t very excited about modeling a heavy hat in 80+ degree weather, so I took just one picture of him wearing it inside, protected by the air conditioning.

Unfortunately, MC wasn't very excited about modeling a heavy hat in 80 degree weather.

He was, however, happy to serve as my chief photographer, and snapped some great pictures of me wearing the beanie in front of Central Park on Sunday.

You can see it's a bit large for my head.

You can see it’s a bit large for my head.

Diamond Eye Beanie on Marie close up front1

I love the moss stitch (a.k.a. double seed stitch) detail in the center of the cable.  It’s a bit hard to see in the picture above because of the vibrant yarn color, but in person it’s more noticeable.

Diamond Eye Beanie close up cable

You can see the details of the cable and it’s center a little better in this closeup.

Diamond Eye Beanie on Marie side view

You could also wear the cable off center, but I tend to prefer symmetry.  (Boring, I know.)

Diamond Eye Beanie flat

Designers were asked to talk about our own version of My Mountain, “a goal that feels unattainable – right up until the moment you reach it.”  I’m proud to say that I’ve achieved a few of those type of goals in my lifetime – and have others planned for the future.

One that’s been on my mind lately was being the first person in my father’s family, and one of just a handful in my mom’s family (at that time), to graduate from college.  There were many times when that degree seemed really out of reach, but with persistence, faith, and hard work, I was able to complete my bachelor’s degree.  I’ve even gone on since to earn two Master’s degrees at night while working full time.  The best thing about achieving this goal is that now going to college and graduating is more common in my family, and my younger relatives don’t even see it as being unusual.

For more finished objects, visit Tami’s Amis.

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