Insta-Hat

I have been so lucky in my knit life to have come in contact with some amazing knitters.  So much talent in so much variety.  One of my Sunday knit buddies is a talented stitcher, has a great eye for color, and she can a read a pattern backwards and forwards.  However, what she truly excels at is finding some of the best patterns out there.  I am constantly wanting to knit what she knits.  I find myself stalking her project page on Ravelry more than I should.  She is a pattern trendsetter.

Co-worker showing off her new knitwear

Over the holidays my knit buddy found the most adorable hat pattern on Instagram called Insta-hat by Lee Meredith (http://instagram.com/leethalknits).  Meredith posted the free pattern on Instagram and Tumblr in 4 installments.  You did have to go to a social media sight to view each part of the pattern, but it was worth it.  The pattern was fairly simple and knitted up fairly fast in bulky yarn.  I loved my friend's finished hat and knew I had some bulky yarn that needed to be knit up.  I threw aside my crochet (because you know I would rather be knitting) and cast on the Insta-hat.  Part 1 & 2 of the pattern went well, but part 3 gave me some fits.  After pulling part 3 out the second time I put in a lifeline.  Like always, once that lifeline went in I knit the pattern perfectly. 

My own Insta-hat

I was just going to make one hat for a co-worker who had asked for a beanie style hat in September.  I finished the beanie version of the Insta-hat and gave my bin of bulky yarn another look.  I found some green alpaca blend that needed to be knitted up in a slouchy version of the hat for me.  This pattern was quick and fun. I may have to go back to the bulky bin again and do some stash busting with this pattern.