Skeinspotting

Ghostkulls

I have finally knitted up an adult version of one of my most popular baby hats Ghostkulls. I decided to have fun with this as it is going to be my own hat so I have knitted it in pinks and renamed it Girlie Ghostskulls.

Here is a quick pic although it hasn't been washed and blocked yet. I also experimented with the Fair Isle stranding method inspired by Elizabeth Zimmerman. Although strictly speaking the strands should be flat and caught in every few stitches, I find on hats where there is a great contrast and large blocks of background, there is the problem of the strands showing through onto the right side of the work once the hat is worn and stretched.

I vaguely remember somewhere in her book Knitting Without Tears Elizabeth Zimmerman advocates abandoning this and seeing what will happen. the idea is that if the garment is in pure wool, after a few wears the stranding almost felts itself to the back of the work as it gets rubbed and washed. I have found this to be true of most hats I make, after a year or two you couldn't even see where the stranding is so as I will be wearing Girlie Ghostskulls myself I will just be careful not to catch the strands until they have bedded down. It has certainly made a difference with regard to the smoothness of the Fair Isle.